Physiocrat
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@Physiocrat not going into details - United, early Madrid, late Madrid.
Thought so
@Physiocrat not going into details - United, early Madrid, late Madrid.
Of course Alonso can play the role well. Excellent reading of the game, positioning, distribution and cover to defense, Alonso is perfect fit to the system if not betterTiki taka is also a very specific system, the Ronaldo issue has already been brought up but another issue I see is both CB's weren't particularly great on the ball and I'm not sure Alonso can play the role as well as Busquets did.
agreed, Busquets was available for us to pick, but we intentionally chose Xabi Alonso - he is simply better. I am sure he would've been bought for Barca if he was attainable at the time.Of course Alonso can play the role well. Excellent reading of the game, positioning, distribution and cover to defense, Alonso is perfect fit to the system if not better
Puyol was one of Pep's main pillar of defense, graduated from La Masia and played in Barcelona throughout his football career, so he is well adjusted to it
We toyed with the idea, thought about a Roy Keane type figure, but ultimately look at Busquets, Carrick and the current Real Madrid team for example, having pure technical world class midfielders that press and can all play a killer ball is better than having a 1 or 2 dimensional dominator, IMO.And I thought the Skizzo/Raees match was hard to call. Feck me... look at those teams. Will think and post opinions in a bit.
Edit - @Paz - one thing that really stands out to me is the lack of ball winner/destroyer in midfield. Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso are a sublime unit but I see Alonso as more of a deep playmaker than out and out ball winner. Busquets may have worked better. What are your thoughts?
2nd edit - this seems to be a common theme! To put it simply I think you need a tough tackler at the base of the midfield.
And I thought the Skizzo/Raees match was hard to call. Feck me... look at those teams. Will think and post opinions in a bit.
Edit - @Paz - one thing that really stands out to me is the lack of ball winner/destroyer in midfield. Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso are a sublime unit but I see Alonso as more of a deep playmaker than out and out ball winner. Busquets may have worked better. What are your thoughts?
2nd edit - this seems to be a common theme! To put it simply I think you need a tough tackler at the base of the midfield.
We toyed with the idea, thought about a Roy Keane type figure, but ultimately look at Busquets, Carrick and the current Real Madrid team for example, having pure technical world class midfielders that press and can all play a killer ball is better than having a 1 or 2 dimensional dominator, IMO.
I love myself a good techincal midfielder but you can't dismiss a Makélélé to do the dirty work. Especially when you're up against Van Basten, Platini, Boniek and Nedved.We toyed with the idea, thought about a Roy Keane type figure, but ultimately look at Busquets, Carrick and the current Real Madrid team for example, having pure technical world class midfielders that press and can all play a killer ball is better than having a 1 or 2 dimensional dominator, IMO.
Oh! Sorry I saw the votes by others for their own teams.Managers and Assistants voting in their own game don't count, just FYI
Can that back 4 really keep up with a roaring CRonaldo, Henry and the guile of Eric Cantona? Surely not!
Oh! Sorry I saw the votes by others for their own teams.
Madrid have Casemiro.We toyed with the idea, thought about a Roy Keane type figure, but ultimately look at Busquets, Carrick and the current Real Madrid team for example, having pure technical world class midfielders that press and can all play a killer ball is better than having a 1 or 2 dimensional dominator, IMO.
It's a tricky one. Do you compromise the collective ability and synergy of the midfield unit to accommodate a destroyer at the base? Ideally you find someone who can play and defend. But generally I'd rather see someone who fits with what Xavi and Iniesta want to do rather than a DM whose relative lack of fluency in first-time football would interrupt the possession game. They are the crown jewels of that midfield and it's more important to get the best fitting support act. Both Busquets and Alonso do as well as just about anyone in that respect and I don't see Busquets being defensively much better than Alonso. Or in the context of this game, I don't see either having the mobility and defensive instinct to really keep tabs on Platini.And I thought the Skizzo/Raees match was hard to call. Feck me... look at those teams. Will think and post opinions in a bit.
Edit - @Paz - one thing that really stands out to me is the lack of ball winner/destroyer in midfield. Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso are a sublime unit but I see Alonso as more of a deep playmaker than out and out ball winner. Busquets may have worked better. What are your thoughts?
2nd edit - this seems to be a common theme! To put it simply I think you need a tough tackler at the base of the midfield.
Yeah but you can play players "out" of position....and Ronaldo probably never played as an IF from the right, even in the last season with us he was much more then an inside forward from the Tiki Taka system.
I was tending towards 2mufc0 but now am going for him since the Xaviesta midfield in tiki taki mode does not complement either Henry or Ronaldo. I see Cantona suiting it much more but he's still rather direct
Edit - @Paz - one thing that really stands out to me is the lack of ball winner/destroyer in midfield. Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso are a sublime unit but I see Alonso as more of a deep playmaker than out and out ball winner. Busquets may have worked better. What are your thoughts?
2nd edit - this seems to be a common theme! To put it simply I think you need a tough tackler at the base of the midfield.
Exactly my thoughts when people discussed Alonso.Just to add a bit to the Alonso-Busquets discussion, recreating Spain's WC formation might have worked better maybe with huge upgrades in CR and Henry while the rest of the spine remains same.
Harsh comment.
Prime CR7 would be excellent on the right even if we know he played more games in his career on the left (a better track record there).
Bizarre comment, in real life tactical changes and positions are often changed during the game numerous times .Exactly my thoughts when people discussed Alonso.
Voted Paz. With the current teamsheets I think 2mufc0 wins but that's not what he fielded and in real life managers don't change the spine at the drop of a hat.
You genuinely put together a very good team but these drafts can be brutal. The margins are often so close it can come down to tiny details. Would be happy to see you in the next draft.Thanks all that have voted for us.
Was fun (my first time)!
Thank you and happy to delete this post if not allowed: but out of curiosity seems my team would've had a better chance with a RVN, Ibra, Etoo type striker (and perhaps an enforcer in midfield)?You genuinely put together a very good team but these drafts can be brutal. The margins are often so close it can come down to tiny details. Would be happy to see you in the next draft.
In real life managers don't have an army of consultants telling them what's wrong from the very first minute. Furthermore, your team's week long prep went to the dustbin.Bizarre comment, in real life tactical changes and positions are often changed during the game numerous times .
If your gripe is with allowing changes during a draft game that's something you have to take up with the draft organiser, but as it's within the rules i don't see why it should be held against the drafter.
Thank you and happy to delete this post if not allowed: but out of curiosity seems my team would've had a better chance with a RVN, Ibra, Etoo type striker (and perhaps an enforcer in midfield)?
Spot on mate - that was indeed the thinkingHarsh comment.
Prime CR7 would be excellent on the right even if we know he played more games in his career on the left (a better track record there).
Despite the fact that Henry was on the decline when he joined Xaviesta, he was relatively successful there. Tiki Taka was sometimes boring but also sometimes very straight-forward. Henry & Cr7 would be great.
My question mark is more about the impact of Cantona.
Their strategy is based on the assumption they would retain the ball and have a high possession rate. In this scenario, they don't need a pure destroyer but a DM with top passing skills.
Interesting.The reason I picked Eto'o a tad early as the 7th pick was because I thought you would definitely have considered him.
I would rate both Ibra and Etoo as better fits here instead of Cantona. Robben would have been kickass though.
Agreed! And on the other hand a well drilled team that have been training for it in he run-up!In real life managers don't have an army of consultants telling them what's wrong from the very first minute. Furthermore, your team's week long prep went to the dustbin.
No gripe with you. It's something that has happened several times before (one reason subs were banned) and my take is it should -and will- benefit you in the next game. As far as this one is concerned, your team were badly setup and ill-prepared.
In real life managers don't have an army of consultants telling them what's wrong from the very first minute. Furthermore, your team's week long prep went to the dustbin.
No gripe with you. It's something that has happened several times before (one reason subs were banned) and my take is it should -and will- benefit you in the next game. As far as this one is concerned, your team were badly setup and ill-prepared.