Categories draft 2: Electric Boogaloo; Group A

[Sugar Ape]

Vote for your 2 best sides. 

 

Try and give reasons why. Top 2 go through to the final. Poll closes on Saturday at 2pm. You can't vote for your own team.

 

John102

 

 

Lee

 

 

No2

 

 

Sugar Ape

 

 

Stig

 

[Bjornebye]

John and Lee for me. Tough group some great teams but Johns attack and midfield is superb and Lee has player for player the best side. 

[3 Stacks]

John has basically thrown balance out the window which should be penalized. Prosinecki in a two man midfield makes no sense. He couldn't run or defend. And Kroos while a great player, wouldn't be able to cover for that. Basically took one too any forwards and should have drafted a holding midfielder. Also, the defense is average for this kind of thing. Has loads of firepower, though. 

 

Not much bad to say about Lee's team. Pretty solid. Midfield is a tad unbalanced and the midfield and attack lack pace, but that's it. 

 

No2, if the formation is 4-1-3-2, it makes sense, if it's a diamond I don't get it. Couple of weak picks in there; Traore and Christansen, notably.

 

Sugar Ape has a solid team and formation. No massive weakness and people are in the right spots. Maybe the one thing is there is a lack of a difference-maker in central midfield.

 

Bjornebye like John has a pretty unbalanced team. The centre is really strong. Seedorf and Vidal is a monster combo, the strikeforce is really good + there is Terry and Oblak, but the sides don't stack up. Kjaer and Caceres are weak picks and the wide midfielders don't work, imo. Perisic is passable on the left in that formation but Lucas on the right couldn't really play there. 

 

In conclusion, Lee and Sugar Ape are my picks. 

[Sugar Ape]

Strong frontline from John, even though Cavani is much better through the centre. Midfield is a bit of a mess, Stig picking it as a reason for his vote is an example of voting for names imo rather than looking at whether they’d work together. Kroos would have to do all the running and defensive work on his own with no help and that isn’t really his game. Weak centre back pairing in comparison to some other teams in the group but a good full back pairing and keeper. 
 

Lee has got a nice balanced attack who would work well together, again not sure on the midfield balance. I think Laudrup and Boban are too attacking to play together in a midfield 3 and would leave Davids with loads to do at the expense of playing his own game. Very good centre back pairing and Carvajal but was never sold on Serginho. Palop a relatively weak pick at keeper. 
 

No2 has a great front 2, and Costa behind would be dynamite. Goes a bit wrong behind them though and I find the formation a bit strange with two wingers when it would appear to be better suited to having two centre mids in their place. Ramelow would have to run that whole midfield by himself and he’s not good enough to do that. Very good attacking fullbacks and keeper but not a fan of that centre back pairing. 
 

Not sure what Stig was going for here but the team is just a bit of a mess. Klinsmann appears to be on the right when he was a pure striker, and if he’s not on the right then he’s up front with Bergkamp and you’ve got Insigne on the left with no counterpart on the opposite side. Two wing backs who aren’t wing backs, and in the case of Moura wouldn’t be capable of playing there. Great centre midfield pairing to be fair but a weak back line with Kjaer and Caceres. Top keeper though. 
 

Going with Lee definitely and really unsure on the other 3 as they’ve all got players out of position but I’ll just about plump for No2 as his forward 3 are superb. 

[No2]

Other group is stronger than this one, went with Lee and Sugar Ape.

 

Nearly didn't vote for Lee because he has the fake Laudrup and makes no effort to point that out.

 

John has his best player shifted out of position, Stigs formation looks like it was hit with cricket bat.

 

Sugar Ape I'd swap Suker and Eto'o if you make the final.

[Sugar Ape]

16 minutes ago, No2 said:

Other group is stronger than this one, went with Lee and Sugar Ape.

 

Nearly didn't vote for Lee because he has the fake Laudrup and makes no effort to point that out.

 

John has his best player shifted out of position, Stigs formation looks like it was hit with cricket bat.

 

Sugar Ape I'd swap Suker and Eto'o if you make the final.

Lee has Michael Laudrup?

 

Don’t think it really matters what side you put your two strikers up front but Eto’o could drift to either side. 

[No2]

19 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

Lee has Michael Laudrup?

 

Don’t think it really matters what side you put your two strikers up front but Eto’o could drift to either side. 

The players involved know that, voters not involved could pick this group first and not know he's the fake Laudrup.

[Bjornebye]

I gave up on my team with about 3 picks to go as my formation went to shit. I nearly had to pick Moreno and I just couldn't. 

 

 

[Lee909]

Palop was purely need of position and club. You pick Suker one pick before I could so just went with the thought I would get him no problem so could pick elsewhere. Agree he's weak overall. Just one of the solid mid tier keepers. 

 

Pretty similar with the fullbacks. 

Serginho was a decent footballer, probably would be higher thought of if he hasn't sat behind Maldini and Roberto Carlos his whole career. Carvajal again just a solid fullback at a point that I was running out of fullback options. 

[Lee909]

Sugar Ape and I'm struggling on the other 

 

Had Bjornebye picked Toninho Cerezo instead of Lucas Moura he would have walked the second pick. Another anchor in that midfield. 

 

Going with John purely as he would probably beat the others in a Brendan Rodgers wet dream of a game

[John102]

As others have said, i knew i wasnt winning early, so just went all out attack.

 

Contemplated swapping Icardi for Karembeu or Cavani for Albiol. Decided against it.

[Bjornebye]

2 hours ago, Sugar Ape said:

 

Not sure what Stig was going for here but the team is just a bit of a mess. Klinsmann appears to be on the right when he was a pure striker, and if he’s not on the right then he’s up front with Bergkamp and you’ve got Insigne on the left with no counterpart on the opposite side. Two wing backs who aren’t wing backs, and in the case of Moura wouldn’t be capable of playing there. Great centre midfield pairing to be fair but a weak back line with Kjaer and Caceres. Top keeper though. 
 

 

You've got a centre back at left back 

[Sugar Ape]

13 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

You've got a centre back at left back 

Leonardo was a centre back? News to me.

[Bjornebye]

1 minute ago, Sugar Ape said:

Leonardo was a centre back? News to me.

Assumed it was this fella

 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leonardo/profil/spieler/137148

 

Which Leonardo is it? The CM? Even worse. 

[Sugar Ape]

1 minute ago, Bjornebye said:

Assumed it was this fella

 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leonardo/profil/spieler/137148

 

Which Leonardo is it? The CM? Even worse. 

 

The one who played in the '94 World Cup as a left back and who would have started the World Cup final, at left back, if he hadn't elbowed Tab Ramos in the face and got a four match ban.

[Bjornebye]

1 minute ago, Sugar Ape said:

 

The one who played in the '94 World Cup as a left back and who would have started the World Cup final, at left back, if he hadn't elbowed Tab Ramos in the face and got a four match ban.

Dont cry mate. 

 

Good draft by the way. 

[Sugar Ape]

1 minute ago, Bjornebye said:

Dont cry mate. 

 

Good draft by the way. 

 

Too late for that now. Ruined my whole day.

[Bjornebye]

1 minute ago, Sugar Ape said:

 

Too late for that now. Ruined my whole day.

Cant have that ego taking a knock Rapey. 

[Guest Alex_K]

John

• 11 independently top quality players, however unnecessarily weighted in attack. One of Icardi or Cavani needs to come out probably for a fourth midfielder, which would allow Mbappe to move central w/ Kaka behind the 2.
• Really like the back 5, huge Kaka fan, huge Kroos fan .. just needed a tweak. Shame as its so close.

Lee

• Thought there were some unnecessary early picks like Koulibaly/Carvajal as I watched it unfold, but you've pulled together a really smart side. Not a huge Ginola fan but the other 5 of the front 6 are top. Bernardo Silva is such a Guardiola player w/ energy redolent of those late 00s Barca sides .. with Davids in there too it'd be a real swarming midfield that accomodates the offensive Laudrup/Boban well.
• Very solid defence -- really liked the Des Walker pick. Unfortunate for him that he played in a more unfashionable era .. if he'd peaked 10 years later he'd be spoken of more commonly amongst the great PL defenders.
• Vieri works well as the bull up front, although overall the team may be a little light on goals.

No2

• This was a very competitive team, not sure why you blew it up with the back-to-back Traore/Aurelio picks. It all seemed to go a bit downhill from there and the personnel doesn't really fit. Very attacking.
• In your typical style the attack is very classy - Rui Costa & Henry would have been an iconic pairing.
• Centre backs are comparitively tender however.

Sugar Ape

• Leonardo was a clever pick at left back; he's forgotten in that position but it was where he broke through, and he kept (an admittedly young) Roberto Carlos out of the national team there before he moved forward. The defence is very strong through and through.
• Midfield is possibly lacking a touch of stardust; Sousa a great European Cup winning midfielder, but Hamsik/Kovavic both probably on the second rung. Nicely combative however, which lets the forwards shine.
• Suker and Eto'o both goal machines, Litmanen obviously quality. He's probably considered to have under-performed with us, but reminded myself the other day that his goal against Leverkusen should have put us into the CL Quarters against United in 2002. Big stage player.

Stig

• As with No 2, a promising team seemed to implode a little. Kjaer & Caceres dont reflect the quality further up the pitch.
• Vidal / Seedorf is a really strong midfield spine w. Bergkamp / Klinsmann a quality attacking front.
• One of Moura / Perisic could perhaps have made way for a conventional full back & movement to a back 4 to balance the side out a bit. Little bit of a soft underbelly as is.

 

Close between Sugar Ape, Lee, John; Lee & Sugar Ape take it on account of John's side being a little less functional w. the emphasis on attack.

[aRdja]

7 hours ago, John102 said:

Contemplated swapping Icardi for Karembeu or Cavani for Albiol. Decided against it.

This would’ve been a great move for you IMO.

[No2]

12 hours ago, Alex_K said:

John

• 11 independently top quality players, however unnecessarily weighted in attack. One of Icardi or Cavani needs to come out probably for a fourth midfielder, which would allow Mbappe to move central w/ Kaka behind the 2.
• Really like the back 5, huge Kaka fan, huge Kroos fan .. just needed a tweak. Shame as its so close.

Lee

• Thought there were some unnecessary early picks like Koulibaly/Carvajal as I watched it unfold, but you've pulled together a really smart side. Not a huge Ginola fan but the other 5 of the front 6 are top. Bernardo Silva is such a Guardiola player w/ energy redolent of those late 00s Barca sides .. with Davids in there too it'd be a real swarming midfield that accomodates the offensive Laudrup/Boban well.
• Very solid defence -- really liked the Des Walker pick. Unfortunate for him that he played in a more unfashionable era .. if he'd peaked 10 years later he'd be spoken of more commonly amongst the great PL defenders.
• Vieri works well as the bull up front, although overall the team may be a little light on goals.

No2

• This was a very competitive team, not sure why you blew it up with the back-to-back Traore/Aurelio picks. It all seemed to go a bit downhill from there and the personnel doesn't really fit. Very attacking.
• In your typical style the attack is very classy - Rui Costa & Henry would have been an iconic pairing.
• Centre backs are comparitively tender however.

Sugar Ape

• Leonardo was a clever pick at left back; he's forgotten in that position but it was where he broke through, and he kept (an admittedly young) Roberto Carlos out of the national team there before he moved forward. The defence is very strong through and through.
• Midfield is possibly lacking a touch of stardust; Sousa a great European Cup winning midfielder, but Hamsik/Kovavic both probably on the second rung. Nicely combative however, which lets the forwards shine.
• Suker and Eto'o both goal machines, Litmanen obviously quality. He's probably considered to have under-performed with us, but reminded myself the other day that his goal against Leverkusen should have put us into the CL Quarters against United in 2002. Big stage player.

Stig

• As with No 2, a promising team seemed to implode a little. Kjaer & Caceres dont reflect the quality further up the pitch.
• Vidal / Seedorf is a really strong midfield spine w. Bergkamp / Klinsmann a quality attacking front.
• One of Moura / Perisic could perhaps have made way for a conventional full back & movement to a back 4 to balance the side out a bit. Little bit of a soft underbelly as is.

 

Close between Sugar Ape, Lee, John; Lee & Sugar Ape take it on account of John's side being a little less functional w. the emphasis on attack.

I went with Traore to make the fastest front 3 the game has ever seen. Overmars, Henry and Traore would scare the life out of teams and push them back allowing Zola to almost become a third midfielder. Anyway once I fucked up with Fernandinho the game plan went out the window, should have just stuck the fake one in and hope for the best.

[aRdja]

John

 

Team is very attacking. Too attacking IMO. Kroos and Prosinecki both playmakers not sure they can play together. Srna is a wingback. Back line solid but not brilliant.

 

Lee

 

A number of amazing footballers. I think the midfield’s balance is a bit off. Boban and M. Laudrup are both roaming AMs and Davids is also best utilised alongside a holding mid (like with Wim Jonk for the Netherlands and Deschamps at Juve). Are there enough goals in the team?

 

No 2

 

Brilliant forward line... Half of the midfield is very good, the half not fantastic (even though I rate Adama he’s not top class yet). Christiansen has flattered to deceive so far, when paired with decent but not brilliant Kovac, makes for a weak defence IMO. Alves and Pagliuca both class though.

 

Sugar Ape

 

A nice and balanced team. Fantastic goalie. Brilliant front three. Solid defence. Sousa good, but the two CMs are weak.

 

Bjornebye

 

Not convinced this team could work well. Oblak and Terry good, but the rest of the defence is poor. Muscular centre midfield, but Moura and Perisic aren’t wing backs. Insigne isn’t really needed in your forward line, and makes the front three look a bit weird.

 

I’m voting for.... Sugar Ape and Lee.