Categories Draft Group A Please Vote

[Bjornebye]

Vote for your 2 best sides. 

 

Try and give reasons why. Top 2 go through to the final. Poll closes Midday on Monday. 

 

Alex_K

 

 

aRdja

 

 

No2

 

 

Lifey

 

 

MegadriveMan

 

 

 

[Bjornebye]

Alex - 3 brilliant strikers but I think all would prefer to be the main man. Bit top heavy for me. Excellent midfield individually but all pretty defensive I think. Lahm is one of the best picks available , truly world class but he is a RB for me. McGregor is the worst keeper in the draft. 

 

aRdja - A very well balanced side. Possibly lacking that *star* player. 

 

No2 - I really like this side. Well balanced, A lot of people take the piss out of Brown but he is a very capable CM and along with Milner both absolute workhorses which suits Rooney who will get about. 

 

Lifey - Not a bad side , certainly got goals in it. A lot depends on the full-backs in this. Great keeper. 

 

MegadriveMan - Really good side. fairly weak midfield and let down by Weir despite what Tony said. Johnson (even though I couldn't stand him in his last few seasons here) was a very good right back. That front 3 is goals for fun. 

 

No2 and MegadriveMan just nudging Elite out. 

[Tony Moanero]

22 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Alex - 3 brilliant strikers but I think all would prefer to be the main man. Bit top heavy for me. Excellent midfield individually but all pretty defensive I think. Lahm is one of the best picks available , truly world class but he is a RB for me. McGregor is the worst keeper in the draft. 

 

aRdja - A very well balanced side. Possibly lacking that *star* player. 

 

No2 - I really like this side. Well balanced, A lot of people take the piss out of Brown but he is a very capable CM and along with Milner both absolute workhorses which suits Rooney who will get about. 

 

Lifey - Not a bad side , certainly got goals in it. A lot depends on the full-backs in this. Great keeper. 

 

MegadriveMan - Really good side. fairly weak midfield and let down by Weir despite what Tony said. Johnson (even though I couldn't stand him in his last few seasons here) was a very good right back. That front 3 is goals for fun. 

 

No2 and MegadriveMan just nudging Elite out. 

To be honest, I hadn’t realised that Weir had been picked when I posted the other day. One of Everton’s better players of the 00s, in my opinion. You disagree that he was a solid, reliable centre-back?

[Bjornebye]

8 minutes ago, Tony Moanero said:

To be honest, I hadn’t realised that Weir had been picked when I posted the other day. One of Everton’s better players of the 00s, in my opinion. You disagree that he was a solid, reliable centre-back?

Nah, thought he was shit tbh. 

[Sugar Ape]

49 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

 

No2 and MegadriveMan just nudging Elite out. 

 Elite isn't in this group?

[Bjornebye]

I meant aRdja. 

[Guest Alex_K]

I thought No 2's early picks would land him right in contention, but James Milner & Scott Brown as a midfield 2 with 4 attackers ahead cannot be voted for. Peak Milner was as an attacking midfielder; I'm not sure ever in his entire career has he played central in a 2. Scott Brown was at absolute peak maybe a mid-table PL midfielder. And that is highly debatable as he's more likely a lower-table midfielder at a Joey Barton sort of level. Its possibly the least balanced out of all the teams created.

 

My picks here are probably MegaDriveMan and Lifetime. Lifetime and Ardja are pretty close but I think Lifetime takes the strikers, ardja comfortably takes the midfielders, but Lifetime comfortably takes the defence.

 

Megadrive goes over the top because both full backs were very good attackers, and while the midfield has no world class talents its solid and covers those 2 centre backs who are a weak point. Ronaldinho was best pick in the game & Owen was world class at peak .. Costa maybe not world class, but a very very good player.

 

 

 

 

 

[No2]

6 minutes ago, Alex_K said:

I thought No 2's early picks would land him right in contention, but James Milner & Scott Brown as a midfield 2 with 4 attackers ahead cannot be voted for. Peak Milner was as an attacking midfielder; I'm not sure ever in his entire career has he played central in a 2. Scott Brown was at absolute peak maybe a mid-table PL midfielder. And that is highly debatable as he's more likely a lower-table midfielder at a Joey Barton sort of level. Its possibly the least balanced out of all the teams created.

 

My picks here are probably MegaDriveMan and Lifetime. Lifetime and Ardja are pretty close but I think Lifetime takes the strikers, ardja comfortably takes the midfielders, but Lifetime comfortably takes the defence.

 

Megadrive goes over the top because both full backs were very good attackers, and while the midfield has no world class talents its solid and covers those 2 centre backs who are a weak point. Ronaldinho was best pick in the game & Owen was world class at peak .. Costa maybe not world class, but a very very good player.

 

 

 

 

 

Players sold by Celtic to the PL have generally done well, some have done excellent.  Scott Brown has consistently been one of their top performers, he's easily in the best 3 or 4 picks for Scottish players. I wouldn't have any concerns with him, Milner is the best pick in the draft, he will literally do a great job no matter what position he's picked. 

 

I love the balance of the side, Rooney wasn't shy of working and would do his bit, if either winger slacked off the 2 lads above would be all over it.

[No2]

I've gone megadriveman and lifey. 

 

Megadriveman has the best player in the draft in Ronaldinho, he's surrounded by good hard working players in a nicely balanced side.

 

I agree with Stig that Alex's front 3 all want to be the main man, Ardja finished off with Lovren and Howard, good side but misses something. Lifey sneaks the 2nd vote, excellent back 5 and front 2, midfield nearly loses it for him.

[Guest Alex_K]

8 minutes ago, No2 said:

Players sold by Celtic to the PL have generally done well, some have done excellent.  Scott Brown has consistently been one of their top performers, he's easily in the best 3 or 4 picks for Scottish players. I wouldn't have any concerns with him, Milner is the best pick in the draft, he will literally do a great job no matter what position he's picked. 

 

I love the balance of the side, Rooney wasn't shy of working and would do his bit, if either winger slacked off the 2 lads above would be all over it.

There's a reason why Brown has only ever played in Scotland, and why the highest fee ever paid for him was £4.5 million. He's a Kevin Nolan type player (no slight on Nolan, he was a decent midfielder for Bolton for a while - but that's his level). Like I said, Milner has never played in a central 2. I'm sure he'd do "a job", but next to Brown against Essien/Almeyda/Cambiasso for example that job would be getting smashed.

[Bjornebye]

18 minutes ago, Alex_K said:

I thought No 2's early picks would land him right in contention, but James Milner & Scott Brown as a midfield 2 with 4 attackers ahead cannot be voted for. Peak Milner was as an attacking midfielder; I'm not sure ever in his entire career has he played central in a 2. Scott Brown was at absolute peak maybe a mid-table PL midfielder. And that is highly debatable as he's more likely a lower-table midfielder at a Joey Barton sort of level. Its possibly the least balanced out of all the teams created.

 

My picks here are probably MegaDriveMan and Lifetime. Lifetime and Ardja are pretty close but I think Lifetime takes the strikers, ardja comfortably takes the midfielders, but Lifetime comfortably takes the defence.

 

Megadrive goes over the top because both full backs were very good attackers, and while the midfield has no world class talents its solid and covers those 2 centre backs who are a weak point. Ronaldinho was best pick in the game & Owen was world class at peak .. Costa maybe not world class, but a very very good player.

 

 

 

 

 

Brown schooled Barton. The SPL isn't as shit as people always make out. Its a rough, physical league and plenty of players who thought they would have it easy up there have struggled. Barton caught the eye with a few wonder strikes early in his career but was quickly found out to be nowhere near as good as he thinks he is/was. 

[Sugar Ape]

Alex

 

Worst keeper in the draft but I like the rest of your defence. Midfield would be real tough to play against but feel like it's lacking in creativity, could have probably lost Almeyda for someone more attacking. Three good players in the attack but I'm not sure they work together, Adriano and Aguero are both out and out strikers and Anelka is either a 9 or a wide player (and he's less effective out wide imo) so not sure on the positions here.

 

Adrja

 

Howard was a pretty average keeper and think the rest of your defence is average as well as a whole. McNamara spent his whole career either in Scotland or the Championship but nearly all the Scotland picks are varying degrees of shite to be fair. Industrious midfield two and Ze Roberto was a decent player but I've always had an irrational hatred of Anderton for keeping McManaman out of the England team on occasion when he was a much inferior player. You've got a good pair up front and think they'd compliment each other well.

 

No2

 

Average keeper again but the back four is pretty good. Only Canavarro world class out of them but think as a whole they'd be difficult to break down. That midfield two though... Nah. Not arsed what Stig says about Brown he's shite and much as I like Milner I don't think he's suited to a midfield two. Very good four up top, Rooney and Villa are a good pairing, Sane is a quality player and Giuly is a bit of a forgotten player now but he was decent on his day.

 

Lifey

 

Very good back five, great keeper and a good back four. Also got the only Scotland player worth anything in this draft. Not sure what is going on with your midfield though, Aouar is a centre mid, I've watched him a bit because we're linked with him and never seen him anywhere near right mid. Not sure on Vinincius Jr either and while Crespo and Kane are both good players I don't really see them working together as a partnership as they are too similar.

 

MM

 

Best team in the group, for me. Quality keeper, two very good defenders and two pretty average ones. Midfield is a bit uninspiring, competent enough but really lacking in goals which would be a problem if you didn't have a great front three ahead of them. Ronaldinho is by far the best ten in this draft and Costa and Owen would be great ahead of him and compliment each other well.

 

MM for sure and I'm finding it very hard to pick a second team as I think they've all got faults and are on a similar level. Would have been No 2 but just think that midfield would get dominated so gun to my head I'll pick Alex.

[No2]

6 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

 

MM for sure and I'm finding it very hard to pick a second team as I think they've all got faults and are on a similar level. Would have been No 2 but just think that midfield would get dominated so gun to my head I'll pick Alex.

Watching too much Trump?

[Sugar Ape]

1 minute ago, No2 said:

Watching too much Trump?

No mate, just been spending some time in the sex dungeon with Stigs Ma. 

[The Golden Eel]

Alex would have pissed through here if he had an attacking mid instead of one of those strikers, which just doesn't feel right at all unfortunately. 

[Guest Alex_K]

10 minutes ago, The Golden Eel said:

Alex would have pissed through here if he had an attacking mid instead of one of those strikers, which just doesn't feel right at all unfortunately. 

Did consider taking Ariel Ortega ahead of Anelka as the Turkish pick and flipping to a diamond 4 midfield .. thought it may be a bit narrow though and Anelka was a pretty good wide-striker at Chelsea

[Bjornebye]

1 minute ago, Alex_K said:

Did consider taking Ariel Ortega ahead of Anelka as the Turkish pick and flipping to a diamond 4 midfield .. thought it may be a bit narrow though and Anelka was a pretty good wide-striker at Chelsea

Fucking hell mate if you had then you would be a contender to win it. 

[aRdja]

Megadrive man. Good team, though I’d swap Baggio and Barry around as the Italian was a box-to-box midfielder. Great front three, and I can see them complementing one another.

Then between No2 and Alex for me... and voted for No2, as overall more balanced. I think you could get away with Brown just as a watercarrier, but it needs to be a counterattacking, deep-sitting side. Alex’s team with three natural out-and-out strikers and three defensive midfielders lacks a bit of craft. 

[aRdja]

9 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

I've always had an irrational hatred of Anderton for keeping McManaman out of the England team on occasion

I don’t think this was the case. Anderson played WITH Macca in 1996, also Anderton played as a right wing back in 98, a position Macca would never have been picked for anyway.

 

Caveat: I was in my early teens so accept that my memory might be a bit off here

[Guest Alex_K]

Needs clarifying that Cambiasso was a goal-scoring, box to box midfielder at Inter - not a defensive midfielder. 40 goals from open play - more than Anderton for example on a per game basis, and I'm not sure he'd be praised for defensive faculties. Essien wasn't a defensive midfielder either: he played with Lampard in a 3 ahead of Makelele for peak-Mourinho Chelsea. It would be equivalent to calling Henderson and Wijnaldum defensive midfielders for us -- all of those players have similar goal records.

[aRdja]

I don’t think you’re right re: Cambiasso. He was mainly a defensive midfielder for Inter, although I accept that his output was actually better than I remember it. 
 

 

I’m not sure what the comparison with Anderton adds to the conversation. I’m playing him as a winger, and I never claimed he was a goal scoring threat, and although it’s a legitimate criticism you could level at him and my team, it’s not really relevant.

[Guest Alex_K]

10 hours ago, aRdja said:

I don’t think you’re right re: Cambiasso. He was mainly a defensive midfielder for Inter, although I accept that his output was actually better than I remember it. 
 

 

I’m not sure what the comparison with Anderton adds to the conversation. I’m playing him as a winger, and I never claimed he was a goal scoring threat, and although it’s a legitimate criticism you could level at him and my team, it’s not really relevant.

Cambiasso played alongside Zanetti in midfield with Inter at his peak. He was not a defensive midfielders. Defensive midfielders do not score 40 goals from open play (see: Mascherano, Makelele, Hamann, Zanetti etc.). I imagine you didn't see too much of him but at his peak he was one of the best all-round midfielders in the world for a few seasons (played exceptionally well against us in 08) who had pretty much everything to his game.

 

The comparison with Anderton was to add context that a supposed-defensive midfielder has a better goal scoring rate than a right winger. Cambiasso was actually as roughly a big a goal scorer at Inter (where he played the majority of his career) as any of your midfielders at any of their clubs (Ze Roberto at Leverkusen outlier apart .. although he'd score less than 1-in-20 at Munich). Don't worry, Schweinsteiger and Essien weren't defensive midfielders either.

[aRdja]

1 hour ago, Alex_K said:

Cambiasso played alongside Zanetti in midfield with Inter at his peak. He was not a defensive midfielders. Defensive midfielders do not score 40 goals from open play (see: Mascherano, Makelele, Hamann, Zanetti etc.). I imagine you didn't see too much of him but at his peak he was one of the best all-round midfielders in the world for a few seasons (played exceptionally well against us in 08) who had pretty much everything to his game.

 

The comparison with Anderton was to add context that a supposed-defensive midfielder has a better goal scoring rate than a right winger. Cambiasso was actually as roughly a big a goal scorer at Inter (where he played the majority of his career) as any of your midfielders at any of their clubs (Ze Roberto at Leverkusen outlier apart .. although he'd score less than 1-in-20 at Munich). Don't worry, Schweinsteiger and Essien weren't defensive midfielders either.

I literally just gave you the evidence that Cambiasso was a defensive midfielder for most of his time Inter. I wasn’t really looking for a discussion, it was more an FYI comment, like just in case you didn’t know.