Draft Semi Final 2

[Lee909]

Pick 2 teams to go through

Cannot pick yourself

 

Stig

 

 

 

 

 Alex_K

 

 

 viRdjil

 

 

 Elite

 

 

 

lifetime fan

 

 

 Sugar Ape

 

[John102]

Stig - Fowler is one of the weakest players in this draft for me. I also think the 3 behind him would all take up similar positions more centrally. Width from the full backs though which is all very modern. Can see Kompany getting centre off after Alves has bombed on and left him one on one with Salah or someone with pace.

 

At one point i thought Alex had it in the bag. Xavi and Iniesta in the middle. Baresi marshalling the defence, width from Carlos, Romario up top. I still like the team, especially the width from the full backs but has managed to maintain the defence with 3 at the back and sammer to protect. A lack of pace in midfield though and would have preferred a second deep lying striker to the 2 up top.

 

Ardja i really like the top 3, think it has pace, directness and goals. Cant let Thuram go at centre back though as you thought Neal played left back. 6 hours to pick Kroos is also unforgiveable. All arpund good team though. I like it.

 

Elite for me, there isnt enough protection for the full backs. A strong midfield 2 though who would kikely compete against anybody. Also, given the lack of protection i feel the full backs would have, it brings into focus the quality, or lack of, of your back four. This is all relative of course, but i think that those defenders are just a level below some of the others in the draft.

 

Lifetime is shit at drafts and has the worst player for me in McGrath. Other than that, a pretty good team. I love the 2 full backs and wanted both. Had to rethink my whole team due to this. Gone strong in midfield too which was not too common in this draft. I think it gives his team the edge, possibly in the whole thing.

 

I have nothing left to say for Sugar Ape. Strong througout. Pace was my concern for this team though. Didnt think the midfield was particularly quick, nor do i remember, so apologies if wrong, the attackers being that quick. 

[Guest Alex_K]

Was a toss up between Shevchenko/Boban/Bergkamp for me. Chose on the understanding that Romario + Shevchenko are near-unparalleled goal scoring machines, and that defence never concedes a goal (Scirea + Baresi both commonly understood to be in the top 5 CBs ever; Carlos commonly understood to be second greatest LB to Maldini; Suubier a top 5-8 RB; Campbell + Neuer both two of the greatest in their position through the 00s in numerous best-of World Cup/Euro tourny teams). Therefore, how can you lose a game of football? 1982 Italy-esque team on steroids. Maybe took one-sweeper-too-many into the team though.

 

Sugar Ape's is a shoe in. Kaka was beastly; the front 2 get goals and that midfield won't let you breathe.

 

Lifetime fans defence doesn't stack up here and Mascherano doesn't belong among the true-elite in that position (didn't even play there during his peak Barca years; routinely stomped over by Chelsea in the big CL games with us when Ballack+Essien would just physically smash Alonso+Mascherano).

 

Can't buy Alba, Aldair, Ivanovic all in the same defence given the elite attacking picks. Maybe you can accomodate one if the other defenders are titans, but those 3 get exposed together.

 

Probably take vrdjil as second pick (think mine is better) -- Klinsmann and De Boer aren't comparable with the greats in their position, but two wizards on the wing plus a back-to-back-to-back CL winning midfield duo (not as good as iniesta + xavi though ;)) and functional defence.

[Sugar Ape]

Been summoned elsewhere in work so will do a write-up for this group later.

[Bjornebye]

Elite and Rapey for me. I will do write ups on both groups later. 

 

Every side is strong which is both testament to how fucking great we all are and how easy (although enjoyable) the draft was. Next one needs to be harder. 

[Bjornebye]

4 hours ago, John102 said:

Stig - Fowler is one of the weakest players in this draft for me. I also think the 3 behind him would all take up similar positions more centrally. Width from the full backs though which is all very modern. Can see Kompany getting centre off after Alves has bombed on and left him one on one with Salah or someone with pace.

 

At one point i thought Alex had it in the bag. Xavi and Iniesta in the middle. Baresi marshalling the defence, width from Carlos, Romario up top. I still like the team, especially the width from the full backs but has managed to maintain the defence with 3 at the back and sammer to protect. A lack of pace in midfield though and would have preferred a second deep lying striker to the 2 up top.

 

Ardja i really like the top 3, think it has pace, directness and goals. Cant let Thuram go at centre back though as you thought Neal played left back. 6 hours to pick Kroos is also unforgiveable. All arpund good team though. I like it.

 

Elite for me, there isnt enough protection for the full backs. A strong midfield 2 though who would kikely compete against anybody. Also, given the lack of protection i feel the full backs would have, it brings into focus the quality, or lack of, of your back four. This is all relative of course, but i think that those defenders are just a level below some of the others in the draft.

 

Lifetime is shit at drafts and has the worst player for me in McGrath. Other than that, a pretty good team. I love the 2 full backs and wanted both. Had to rethink my whole team due to this. Gone strong in midfield too which was not too common in this draft. I think it gives his team the edge, possibly in the whole thing.

 

I have nothing left to say for Sugar Ape. Strong througout. Pace was my concern for this team though. Didnt think the midfield was particularly quick, nor do i remember, so apologies if wrong, the attackers being that quick. 

Fowler one of the weakest? Come on mate he was unreal at his peak. Box poacher with that creativity behind him? Reagrding the 3 behind getting in each others way... they wouldn't because I have told them not too. No different to Rapeys front 3, front 2 especially would be in each others pants. 

[John102]

7 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Fowler one of the weakest? Come on mate he was unreal at his peak. Box poacher with that creativity behind him? Reagrding the 3 behind getting in each others way... they wouldn't because I have told them not too. No different to Rapeys front 3, front 2 especially would be in each others pants. 

I have never really been a massive Fowler fan. Always preferred Owen.

 

I know that is a bad wool shout so do your worst.

[Elite]

Gone for Lifey and Sugar Ape as they are both strong in every position.

[Sugar Ape]

Again, I'm not being a cunt on purpose but it's going to come down to small details to differentiate the teams.

 

Stig.

Very good team but the two English players let the side down. Defence is very good, quality fullbacks and keeper and the centre backs are good. Midfield is fine and don't think there is anything wrong with Zidane on the left roaming, he played there a lot during his career. Gazza is just plain out of position though. He was more a centre mid throughout his career, and especially didn't play on the right. And feel horrible saying this because Fowler is one of my favourite players but he's the weakest out of the forwards in the group alongside Klinsmann and don't think he's suited to playing as a lone striker at all.

 

 

Alex_K

Great back five. Must admit I was never the biggest fan of Sol Campbell but the rest of the defence is so good he almost doesn't matter. Midfield is very good as well, if I was being picky then I think Sammer was a much better defender than a midfielder but he's still a good player there. I think Shevchenko and Romario would be a good pairing as well.

 

Ardja

Five great individual players in defence but I think a couple aren't playing in their best position. De Boer was always much better as a centre back, think he was too slow to be a full back and don't recall him playing there too often. And Thuram was a better right back than in the centre. That's nitpicking though really because he was quality. Midfield is fine but maybe lacking a little offensively. If you marked Barnes and Salah out the game this team would really struggle for goals. Barnes and Salah are brilliant inside forwards though, think Klinsmann is a bit lacking compared to the strikers in other teams.

 

Elite.

Decent defence but I think Ivanovic and Aldair are maybe a little behind their counterparts in other teams. Stam was a beast though in his prime. Souness and Vieira is a fantastic midfield two and have got a bit of everything. Be very hard to play against. Front four are all quality and I used to love Hugo Sanchez when I was younger. Think Rivaldo was better in the position you have Hagi though and conversely I prefer Hagi on the left.

 

LF

Top class defence let down by Paul McGrath. He's a top pick for a premier league draft but for a world cup one I think he pales a bit compared to the competition. Two great attacking fullbacks though. Midfield works really well I think, Masch as the destroyer and Seedorf and Gullit providing the class, and from the latter, goals. Good front three but I'm not sure how Henry and Keegan would work together. It's an intriguing partnership.

 

I'm going to go for Alex_K and LF but it was a close run thing between all the teams. Think this group has better teams than the other one.

 

Just to answer a couple of points raised; don't think my team lacks any pace in attack. Kaka was a very fast player in his peak and Baggio was pretty quick as well. Van Basten was more a box player so didn't really need his pace but don't recall him being slow either. Second best striker in the draft for me, Ronaldo being the first.

 

And I think the problem Stig with your three behind Fowler is that they were all better centrally, and in the case of Gascoigne didn't play on the right at all whereas mine has an attacking midfielder in the attacking midfield role and two strikers in the striker role. Comparing apples to oranges.

[Bjornebye]

Fuck the fucking lot of you. 

[LF:D]

Vrdjil & LF

 

 

[Bjornebye]

36 minutes ago, LF:D said:

Vrdjil & LF

 

 

Fuck off. You're normally the Greece to my Cyprus you cunt. 

[LF:D]

1 hour ago, Bjornebye said:

Fuck off. You're normally the Greece to my Cyprus you cunt. 

They get 12 & 10 points, you can have 8

[aRdja]

Bjornebye - 3 playmakers too many. I don’t see how that midfield could work? I’ve seen everyone one of them except Socrates... thought Gazza was overrated, but Zidane, Redondo and Pirlo definitely all-time greats... but not in the same midfield all together IMO

 

Alex K - Good all-round team. Never heard of Suurbier before this draft but resume seemed solid. Two out and out number 9s though, would’ve been better if you had picked a second striker.

 

Elite - Defence, all solid players.. Stam was world class for a period, but as a whole don’t quite match up. Other than that a very good team, so I’m nitpicking.

 

Lifetime Fan - Colovatti and McGrath, I never really watched... in terms of honours, they don’t quite match up to rest of the competition IMO. Rest of the team very good.

 

Sugar Ape - Good all round team. Well balanced. If I was to nit pick, in a 4-4-2 diamond perhaps not ideal having a defensive-minded Abidal at LB?

[Bjornebye]

6 minutes ago, viRdjil said:

Bjornebye - 3 playmakers too many. I don’t see how that midfield could work? I’ve seen everyone one of them except Socrates... thought Gazza was overrated, but Zidane, Redondo and Pirlo definitely all-time greats... but not in the same midfield all together IMO

 

Alex K - Good all-round team. Never heard of Suurbier before this draft but resume seemed solid. Two out and out number 9s though, would’ve been better if you had picked a second striker.

 

Elite - Defence, all solid players.. Stam was world class for a period, but as a whole don’t quite match up. Other than that a very good team, so I’m nitpicking.

 

Lifetime Fan - Colovatti and McGrath, I never really watched... in terms of honours, they don’t quite match up to rest of the competition IMO. Rest of the team very good.

 

Sugar Ape - Good all round team. Well balanced. If I was to nit pick, in a 4-4-2 diamond perhaps not ideal having a defensive-minded Abidal at LB?

I didn't think you would give your write up till 2023 so nice one mate. 

[aRdja]

Klinsmann is hugely underrated here IMO. Proved himself in four major leagues, played for two elite teams, won the World Cup, captained Germany to lift the European Cup. He was also a good footballer too, on top of being an excellent finisher.

[Bjornebye]

1 hour ago, viRdjil said:

Klinsmann is hugely underrated here IMO. Proved himself in four major leagues, played for two elite teams, won the World Cup, captained Germany to lift the European Cup. He was also a good footballer too, on top of being an excellent finisher.

Fun Fact: Germany are the only National side to ever lift the European Cup  

[aRdja]

5 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Fun Fact: Germany are the only National side to ever lift the European Cup  

You know what I mean. Not even 6:30 FFS!

[Sugar Ape]

9 hours ago, viRdjil said:

Klinsmann is hugely underrated here IMO. Proved himself in four major leagues, played for two elite teams, won the World Cup, captained Germany to lift the European Cup. He was also a good footballer too, on top of being an excellent finisher.

 

No one is saying he’s a bad player. I watched a lot more of Klinsmann that you I’d wager and he was a very good player. In the context of this draft though, these are the strikers in this group:

 

Fowler

Klinsmann

Shevchenko

Romario

Hugo Sanchez

Henry

Keegan

Baggio

Van Basten

 

Fowler and Kilinsmann are definitely lower down in the pecking order than the other strikers, for me.

 

[lifetime fan]

This group is a lot harder to pick than the other one.

 

Stig: 8/10

All great names, but think he's lost balance in that midfield and front three. 

 

Alex_K: 8.5/10

Very, very strong defence. Two brilliant centre backs (I wanted Baresi) and a proper sweeper. Only criticism is a possible lack of width. 

 

viRdjil: 9/10

Another great defence even if he got lucky with Neal. A brilliant front three and Klinsmann was very underrated. Only 'weakness' is his midfield. 

 

Elite: 9/10

Love that midfield pairing and there's fuck loads of goals with his front 3. Only possible criticism is maybe a lack of width. 

 

Sugar Ape: 9.5/10

Between him and Dynamite to win this for me.

 

Really struggled to pick between Elite and viRdjil, Elite pipped him. Just. 

[Bjornebye]

Van Basten

Henry

Baggio/Romario (Cant split) 

Fowler

Shevchenko

Hugo Sanchez

Keegan

Klinsmann 

[lifetime fan]

29 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Van Basten

Henry

Baggio/Romario (Cant split) 

Fowler

Shevchenko

Hugo Sanchez

Keegan

Klinsmann 

 

You're rating Fowler with your heart not your head mate. 

[LF:D]

Klinsmann was brilliant by the way. 

[Guest Alex_K]

In a 16 year career, Klinsmann played in the European Cup/Champions League for a total of 14 fixtures, scoring 4 goals. He scored 4 goals in Europe's premier competition in his whole career. 

[aRdja]

2 hours ago, Alex_K said:

In a 16 year career, Klinsmann played in the European Cup/Champions League for a total of 14 fixtures, scoring 4 goals. He scored 4 goals in Europe's premier competition in his whole career. 

That was kind of normal in those days no? I don’t imagine say Romário would’ve scored too many either.