Decades Chain Draft R1: EAP vs NM

Who will win this game?

  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .

Šjor Bepo

Wout is love, Wout is life; all hail Wout!
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Mar 29, 2011
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vs
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Team EAP

Formation: 4-2-2-2

Tactics: Play to my advantage through the middle.

Solid defensive line + GK. Nothing spectacular, but good to get the job done. Just enough ball skill to get the ball to DMs and let them initiate plays.

Probably one of the best fullback duo in this draft.

Hierro's passing and Simeone's movement complement each other. Both defensively super sound, yet able to contribute to attack.

Both the AM aren't typical #10s. They operate more as playmaking CMs and comfortable drifting wide.

Two complete CFs. Eto'o having played Wide Forward will drift to both sides and drop deep trying to pull defenders. Both can score and create for each other.

Between the fullbacks, wide drifting AMs and Eto'o, have enough width to make this a flexible and dynamic team.



Team NM

Team Theme:

Skill with work ethic The team is filled with players with both.

Defense: Lizarazu and Carvajal to play as typical full backs - providing width while focusing on defending. Passarella to play his typical role stepping forward with the ball and Vierchowood to be the stopper that he is.

Midfield: Essien will be the primary holder while Masopust will be box-to-box. However, both will switch around as needed.

Attack: Fluidity is the name of the game here. Rooney and Socrates combine skill and creativity with a tireless work ethic. This team won't be outworked. Cruyff will be the conductor and up front Shevchenko will play the role he did so well for AC Milan - the formation is a little similar too.

All in all, I think it's a very good balance of flair, work ethic and quality.
 
First thoughts:

EAP's narrow 442 looks fantastic. Alberto wasn't an attacking FB like Cabrini (among the very top picks in that capacity at LB for me), but under more modern tactics I think he can contribute very well too. Besides, all four AMs and CFs will be happy to drift wide, so I can see a great dynamic in attacking play. Bono in an all-time draft is unusual, I think EAP needs to make a robust case for him.

NM's central defense is spectacular, and the individuals in attack should gel very well. Essien/Masopust looks a bit too offensive for a midfield two, I don't see Essien as an ideal primary holder. Both CMs would profit much from a more positionally disciplined supporting partner, imo. Or am I missing something about Essien?
 
Great work from Edgar. I agree with Sync on Alberto and the keeper. But apart from that is wonderful. The Eto'o Lewandowski front two would be immense.
 
Carlos Alberto isn't a touch-line hugging fullback bombing up and down the pitch, but more a playmaking kind. A loping run, that's deceptively fast and a brilliant eye for long crosses, he's top notch at initiating attacks from the deep. Also has the knack of arriving at the edge of the box at crucial times plus a top notch penalty taker. Getting the ball to KdB and Charlton would be the key to my team and h's one of the best outlets to do that. I see him a balanced full back providing overlapping width and crossing and see no problems with him in a back 4.
 
Edgar Allan Pillow said:
Carlos Alberto isn't a touch-line hugging fullback bombing up and down the pitch, but more a playmaking kind. A loping run, that's deceptively fast and a brilliant eye for long crosses, he's top notch at initiating attacks from the deep. Also has the knack of arriving at the edge of the box at crucial times plus a top notch penalty taker. Getting the ball to KdB and Charlton would be the key to my team and h's one of the best outlets to do that. I see him a balanced full back providing overlapping width and crossing and see no problems with him in a back 4.
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Agree with all, it's a really cool setup.
 
not really a fan of Edgars team, has some nice parts but for me(and could easily be wrong as its just a feeling more then anything else) 4222 is more of a possession formation rather then a direct one and when i look at edgars team its direct as feck. Midfield duo is a bit meh as a pair and personally see Lewa as a lone striker, could probably work as a pair but reckon would and is much better on his own.

NM team looks good at first glance though id love if someone would have a word about Socrates and how he fits because i have no clue about him(bloody brazilians).

Will wait with the vote though to see what both have to say.
 
Šjor Bepo said:
4222 is more of a possession formation rather then a direct one
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Can't disagree more. It was a formation designed for one and one thing only, fluid attacking football through the middle. Imo, it has more in common with Total Football (predominantly in attack) than any kind of Possession set up. The formation itself flows with whoever has the ball, with other slotting seamlessly into supporting roles. It basically had a medium to fast build up play with emphasis on long passing and getting the ball front 4 as quickly as possibly, which is the antithesis of retain by passing philosophy.

The formation works best when my team players are in possession, but possession in itself was never the spirit of the formation. Retention of ball through meaningless passing is everything this formation stands against.
 
Would probably swap Eto'o and Lewandowski. Allows Lewa to get on the end of De Bruyne's crosses and gives Eto'o space on his favoured right side, with less overlapping likely on that side of the park.

Get Sjor's point about directness v possession. This looks like a hybrid 4222 / 442 but more to the 442 end of the spectrum. But that's fine, many of the great 442s over the years were more boxy in configuration.
 
Hierro Someone is terrible for that otherwise excellent setup.

NM has his formation all wrong for me in an otherwise well drafted ensemble. Should be a No.9 less 4-2-2-2 with 2 drifting forwards like Brazil 82. What is Socrates even doing there.

Masopust there is equally out of place unless its a 4222 with Crutff drifting wide.

Not impressed, sorry
 
Edgar takes my vote as I don't know how the opposition front 6 works as a unit.
 
@Edgar Allan Pillow
A few words on Bono perhaps? Was he more of a last exit pick for a GK? Or do you consider him at the level for an all-time draft?
 
I'm another person who thinks that Edgar's formation is a hybrid between 4-4-2 and 4-2-2-2 with a hell of directness in the attacking phase. The fullbacks look great. Cabrini and Alberto didn't have any defensive weaknesses in their games. I can see Alberto is the type of fullback that works well with KDB while providing a great defensive game and enough width( he's a complete and balanced fullback).
 
Synco said:
@Edgar Allan Pillow
A few words on Bono perhaps? Was he more of a last exit pick for a GK? Or do you consider him at the level for an all-time draft?
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The impact of GKs in drafts have always been inconsistent. I've lost drafts simply for picking Shay Given too, but mostly they just coast under the radar without influencing the match much. He's a top notch shot stopper probably more to the likes of old school Italian ones. from what I've watched of him, he's confident between the sticks and has quick agility and reaction times. I didn't find anything too great about his ball distribution skills and found him a bit iffy when moving out to meet the ball. Probably a bit reminiscent of current De Gea's problems. If we are playing a high line of in need of a sweeper keeper, he'd not be a good fit, but in a conservative back line with 2 cracking CBs ahead of him, he's sufficient for the purposes. I think he's still in middle of his peak 3 year period, but he was considered as best GK in La Liga along with Courtouis last season and still going strong. I think he'll slot in the same bucket as some of other GKs in this draft like Mendy, Navas etc.
 
Edgar Allan Pillow said:
The impact of GKs in drafts have always been inconsistent. I've lost drafts simply for picking Shay Given too, but mostly they just coast under the radar without influencing the match much. He's a top notch shot stopper probably more to the likes of old school Italian ones. from what I've watched of him, he's confident between the sticks and has quick agility and reaction times. I didn't find anything too great about his ball distribution skills and found him a bit iffy when moving out to meet the ball. Probably a bit reminiscent of current De Gea's problems. If we are playing a high line of in need of a sweeper keeper, he'd not be a good fit, but in a conservative back line with 2 cracking CBs ahead of him, he's sufficient for the purposes. I think he's still in middle of his peak 3 year period, but he was considered as best GK in La Liga along with Courtouis last season and still going strong. I think he'll slot in the same bucket as some of other GKs in this draft like Mendy, Navas etc.
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Cheers.
 
Not going to post much considering it's 7-0 EAP but if anybody has any questions about my team happy to discuss.
 
Synco said:
First thoughts:

EAP's narrow 442 looks fantastic. Alberto wasn't an attacking FB like Cabrini (among the very top picks in that capacity at LB for me), but under more modern tactics I think he can contribute very well too. Besides, all four AMs and CFs will be happy to drift wide, so I can see a great dynamic in attacking play. Bono in an all-time draft is unusual, I think EAP needs to make a robust case for him.

NM's central defense is spectacular, and the individuals in attack should gel very well. Essien/Masopust looks a bit too offensive for a midfield two, I don't see Essien as an ideal primary holder. Both CMs would profit much from a more positionally disciplined supporting partner, imo. Or am I missing something about Essien?
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Both are B-2-B and will hold / move on as needed. Good CMs find a way to balance
 
A bit misused of Masopust and Rooney in NM's, and need a bit more muscle in midfield against EAP's. Otherwise, Cruyff is definitely getting lots of options in attack to do damage there.
 
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Isotope said:
A bit misused of Masopust and Rooney in NM's, and need a bit more muscle in midfield against EAP's. Otherwise, Cruyff is definitely getting lots of options in attack to do damage there.
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Rooney did some of his best work as a LW tbh. I toyed with going 4-2-2 like EAP with Rooney up top but thought this would be more fun. Didn't even look at his team
 
NM said:
Rooney did some of his best work as a LW tbh. I toyed with going 4-2-2 like EAP with Rooney up top but thought this would be more fun. Didn't even look at his team
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Agreed. You have players for 4-2-2-2. And probably is a more suitable formation :lol:
 
Edgar Allan Pillow said:
I really thought you were going for 4-2-2-2 too and was thinking it'd be weird for two people to play each other in a formation that rarely gets used. :lol:
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I was until the last second where I said F it. Probably should have done that. Oh well!
 
NM said:
I was until the last second where I said F it. Probably should have done that. Oh well!
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That would have been a much better team I think.

I’ve always thought of Masopust as perhaps an LCM in a midfield 3 or an AM so it’s odd to see him used in a double pivot here. My thinking might be wrong here since I’ve only watched a few compilations of him and nothing much else.

Also I feel Essien was at his best as a more free roaming defensive b2b rather than a DM who might have to shield the back 4 - I’m sure he can play the role but the pairing with Masopust is a strange idea to me.

What was the thinking here with the midfield pairing? I don’t know Masopust all that well to know how good a fit he’d be here.
 
Himannv said:
That would have been a much better team I think.

I’ve always thought of Masopust as perhaps an LCM in a midfield 3 or an AM so it’s odd to see him used in a double pivot here. My thinking might be wrong here since I’ve only watched a few compilations of him and nothing much else.

Also I feel Essien was at his best as a more free roaming defensive b2b rather than a DM who might have to shield the back 4 - I’m sure he can play the role but the pairing with Masopust is a strange idea to me.

What was the thinking here with the midfield pairing? I don’t know Masopust all that well to know how good a fit he’d be here.
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I always saw Masopust and Essien as B2Bs and have always liked the idea of 2 B2Bs. I said Essien would be more defensive minded, not that he would just sit. Good players know when to go forward / stay back depending on what their partners are doing.

Why not 4-2-2? Because I thought having 3 fluid players behind a striker would be much more fun. In a real game Roooney would probably push up / drop off as needed like he did in real life.
 
Šjor Bepo said:
not really a fan of Edgars team, has some nice parts but for me(and could easily be wrong as its just a feeling more then anything else) 4222 is more of a possession formation rather then a direct one and when i look at edgars team its direct as feck. Midfield duo is a bit meh as a pair and personally see Lewa as a lone striker, could probably work as a pair but reckon would and is much better on his own.
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My impression was that this is more Simeone-style narrow 4-4-2 (probably more expansive and attacking though) rather than Magic Square-esque 4-2-2-2, and that shape seems quite suited to a direct style. I think that midfield four looks excellent as a unit. Same question for @GodShaveTheQueen as well, but is it just the individual quality of Hierro and Simeone that you don't rate? I like it in terms of fit, with Hierro gravitating more towards holding, and freeing up Simeone to hound NM's creative types.
 
Probably GSTQ prefers the Tigana's or Falcao's type instead of Simeone there (don't we all?). A hounding DM but with passing skill as a hub from defense to those two AMCs and can even support the possession.
 
Isotope said:
Probably GSTQ prefers the Tigana's or Falcao's type instead of Simeone there (don't we all?).
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Yes that is one reason. The other being Hierro is not dynamic enough for me to pull it off in a 4222. I can't see the thrust from midfield coming with Simeone Hierro. Charlton De Bruyne peeling wide and the central midfielders bursting forward would have been sexy.
 
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