World Cup 2018 Final Group - Please Vote

[Bjornebye]

The Final.

 

You are only allowed 1 pick.

 

You must NOT vote for your own team if taking part. 

 

 

Alex K

 

 

 

Alex K

 

 

 

Babbs Burst Nad

 

 

 

Clarence

 

 

 

 

 

[Lee909]

Reckon Alex K has a 50% chance of winning here

[El Rojo]

I support Alex K FC not Alex K FC.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I support Alex K FC not Alex K FC.

 

I've got a half and half scarf with both on it.

[Elite]

I'm Alex K and so is Ardja.

[aRdja]

#jesuisalexk

[Elite]

It's a tough one this. All attacks and midfields are very good but a few suspect Defenders and keepers so based on the most balanced in all areas I've chosrn......Babb.

[Bjornebye]

Fuuuuuck sorry Ardja..... 2nd team is in-Fact Ardja not Alex !!!! 

[Captain Turdseye]

All good teams and I struggled to separate them so I viewed the results first and then gave my vote to Babb’s because that’s what everyone else is doing.

[Guest Alex_K]

Surprising results - in a game between BBN's team and Clarence's, for example, I don't think BBN touch the ball. Nzonzi, Gundogan & Rakitic are all alright players - but they're not above that by any stretch. Isco, Alli & Casemiro would have them chasing shadows. If there's anything teams with the top midfields teach you (Barca late 00s; City now; Madrid now), is that when they get the passing going you just can't touch them (see that really good Utd. side w. Ronaldo, Rooney, Ferdinand, Vidic etc. looking like amateurs against late 00s Barca).

[Tony Moanero]

Hastily voted for Clarence for the sake of it, but wish I’d voted for Babbs Burst Nad, as he wears ace hats.

[Lee909]

Hastily voted for Clarence for the sake of it, but wish I’d voted for Babbs Burst Nad, as he wears ace hats.

You did the right thing.

[Guest Alex_K]

Interesting neg on my post (can’t see who it is from my phone): Gundogan is a squad player at City; Nzonzi has 4 caps aged 29 and has plied his trade at Stoke & Sevilla; Rakitic is in a Barca mid that has looked frequently average against the top sides in Europe since Xavi & Iniesta faded (even games they eventually won ... like v Chelsea)

[aRdja]

Surprising results - in a game between BBN's team and Clarence's, for example, I don't think BBN touch the ball. Nzonzi, Gundogan & Rakitic are all alright players - but they're not above that by any stretch. Isco, Alli & Casemiro would have them chasing shadows. If there's anything teams with the top midfields teach you (Barca late 00s; City now; Madrid now), is that when they get the passing going you just can't touch them (see that really good Utd. side w. Ronaldo, Rooney, Ferdinand, Vidic etc. looking like amateurs against late 00s Barca).

I disagree with your comment re Clarence’s midfield. None of those are the main ball players in their respective teams. Alli plays as a second striker for Spurs, and a very effective one at that. However his passing is very erratic. The argument would be better applied to your midfield IMO with its own limitations i.e. a ball winner.

[Tony Moanero]

Interesting neg on my post (can’t see who it is from my phone): Gundogan is a squad player at City; Nzonzi has 4 caps aged 29 and has plied his trade at Stoke & Sevilla; Rakitic is in a Barca mid that has looked frequently average against the top sides in Europe since Xavi & Iniesta faded (even games they eventually won ... like v Chelsea)

I negged you for moaning because you were losing. Have another one for moaning about being negged.

[Captain Turdseye]

I negged you for moaning because you were losing. Have another one for moaning about being negged.

It’s a draft thread. You’re supposed to argue the case for each team, you silly, fat twat.

 

Negged.

[Tony Moanero]

It’s a draft thread. You’re supposed to argue the case for each team, you silly, fat twat.

 

Negged.

Probably the nicest thing anyone has said to me this week.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Interesting neg on my post (can’t see who it is from my phone): Gundogan is a squad player at City; Nzonzi has 4 caps aged 29 and has plied his trade at Stoke & Sevilla; Rakitic is in a Barca mid that has looked frequently average against the top sides in Europe since Xavi & Iniesta faded (even games they eventually won ... like v Chelsea)

 

Oh, so that's how it's going to be is it? Right...

 

*removes gloves*

 

You midfield is unbalanced. Kroos and Modric operate at Madrid thanks to a dedicated ball winner, in this case Casemiro. Without him, you've got the most lightweight - though admittedly technically proficient - midfield in the group. Adding Silva to the mix is like having two top quality left backs in the starting eleven; an abundance of individual quality favoured over the balance of the team. You won't maintain possession for 90 minutes with that kind of midfield, even Guardiola recognises this.

 

Who's winning the ball? Pogba won't track back, Neymar even less so, and the only way Higuain runs towards his own goal is if he thinks he hears an ice cream van, the fat fuck. N'zonzi is a proper yard dog of a player, but he's been instrumental in Sevilla's recent success and he's exactly what's necessary when you've got an all round CM and a string-puller like Rakitic ahead of him.

 

Good day sir!

[Guest Alex_K]

Nice riposte! Although I didn't mention my team - but given you did - Gundogan, Nzonzi & Rakitic might as well get the deck-chairs out with Silva/Kroos/Modric/Pogba passing around them. We're talking about the heart-beats of World Cup winning & 3x consecutive European Champions here .. not a decent midfielder instrumental in Europa Cup successes & perennial 4th place La Liga finishers (although Sevilla came 7th this year). Madrid had I think 66% of the ball against us? I don't think even City got close to that .. its easy to forget how much of a cut-above Modric & Kroos are at controlling the ball until you face them.

 

Speaking about my team - the full backs are certainly a bit fucked (even if Vertonghen plays LB for Belgium, its clearly not his best position), and Stones is a strange player.

Neymar probably gets sleeped on because of the tackiness surrounding him .. but he's v. arguably top 3 in the world.

 

I was more a fan of Stig's team than Clarence's in that pool, but looking nown, Clarence's seems to be the most powerful & balanced side to me (though thought Son was an unnecessary early pick to take).

 

Always fun these -- good to discuss ideas!

[Lee909]

Son was picked early yes. But purely as i wanted some early picked from small nations to keep options open later. I may have gone one too many on the early small nation picks.

[aRdja]

Nice riposte! Although I didn't mention my team - but given you did - Gundogan, Nzonzi & Rakitic might as well get the deck-chairs out with Silva/Kroos/Modric/Pogba passing around them. We're talking about the heart-beats of World Cup winning & 3x consecutive European Champions here .. not a decent midfielder instrumental in Europa Cup successes & perennial 4th place La Liga finishers (although Sevilla came 7th this year). Madrid had I think 66% of the ball against us? I don't think even City got close to that .. its easy to forget how much of a cut-above Modric & Kroos are at controlling the ball until you face them.

 

Speaking about my team - the full backs are certainly a bit fucked (even if Vertonghen plays LB for Belgium, its clearly not his best position), and Stones is a strange player.

Neymar probably gets sleeped on because of the tackiness surrounding him .. but he's v. arguably top 3 in the world.

 

I was more a fan of Stig's team than Clarence's in that pool, but looking nown, Clarence's seems to be the most powerful & balanced side to me (though thought Son was an unnecessary early pick to take).

 

Always fun these -- good to discuss ideas!

They had Casemiro though!! Your midfield might be amazing at keeping the ball, but they have no one winning it IMO.

[Red Dawn]

Ardja's team is pure quality and well balanced from midfield upwards. Ball winners, box to box player, a playmaker, a number 10, a winger/speed merchant and an out an out finisher. Bit weak at Keeper but defence is no worse than BBN's. Failing to see the 7v2 vote difference on this one at the moment. 

[TheHowieLama]

I like Alex's style on a draft thread -- plus the fact that he has entered two teams.

Which is a first.

 

That said -- the difference in this draft is that the players are judged on their abilities today - not at their best.

 

So: 

 

Alex -- Pogba behi10nd the strikers? You could have won this fucking thing -- Silva behind the strikers and Pogba where he has played his whole life. Rookie mistake

 

 

Alex 2 -- decent team the back 5 solid if unspectacular - does an aging Suarez, a limited Sterling playing on his off side and Thiago bring enough firepower upfront in that 5? Can Thiago get up and down to cover both ends?

 

Babbs -- Messi - srsly? The greatest player in history is going to get shunted wide for a 30 year old? Been a couple of years since Costa scared anyone. Rodriguez - Jay? Been a few years since he has even played.

 

Clarence -- I think the best balance in the middle on current form - Alex 1 playing a good 4 there but still I like Clarence to hold the ball, be effective in creating and shut down if need be.

 

I like the front three - especially the workrate wide. Back 4 - ok, it is a draft and the keeper is capable of being top notch -- so like the hockey playoffs you hope he goes in full of confidence as he does have a mistake in him.

 

 

Still - based on the criteria that these players are judged on current form - Clarence for me

[Guest Alex_K]

Pogba is a funny player. I was actually sad enough to google his best position. Seems there’s no consensus really. Some think at his best as ball winning deeper mid in early years at Juve; others further up the field. Being shunted around the pitch is perhaps why he’s stalled as a player, maybe.

 

Interesting comments generally — agree re some of the aging players - though I was surprise to see how many goals Suarez still scored this year given talk about the duff knee (think 30+). you should do the next one.

[Bjornebye]

Can't believe my team didn't make this final