The Reality Draft: Main Thread (Finals)
- Thread starter Edgar Allan Pillow
- Start date
My team after the upgrades:
Hopefully I'll win this round and get a chance to play my improved midfield with Breitengge there
Hopefully I'll win this round and get a chance to play my improved midfield with Breitengge there
Nice. Looking strong considering the talent that's unavailable from your original selection.
No no no, I am not comparing Effenberg with De Rossi. I am saying even if I played Effenberg and Lerby together, I would have to face he same accusations of me not having a playmaker in the middle like when I played De Rossi and Lerby. I know Effenberg was a brilliant passer of the ball, just like De Rossi but on a different level tbh, but the general perception of the them will be the same. I addressed this point in my long write-up but don't think people read it.
''De Rossi and Lerby in midfield are great incisive passers of the ball, they may be no Pirlo or Xavi but their passing is excellent and underrated to say the least. Box-to-box midfielders stereotypically get associated with terms/phrases such as 'covers every blade of grass', 'tough tackling', 'commanding', 'destroyers' etc whilst their more subtle passing and technical qualities, unfortunately go largely unnoticed. Both these players would have probably received more plaudits for their passing and technique if they weren't such combative, dynamic and physical midfielders imo.''
I personally know Effenberg is a great passer and I would have been fine with it but people will still come out with the same 2 box-to-box midfielders no playmaker blah blah blah.
When I played Effenberg next to Kroos with Sammer as a libero in one of these draft games, the main criticism I read was that I lacked a proper defensive midfielder, because Effenberg didn't add that much defensively and Kroos wasn't necessary because Effenberg already covered the great passing range. It really was a bit weird, because I had to defend Effenberg's defensive contribution. Never thought that a midfield with Sammer, Effenberg and Kroos would be seen as too leightweight in defense. In fairness, I was up against Zidane, Petit and Redondo, so someone like Jeremies marking Zidane would have helped, but my impression of how Effenberg is seen is really different to what you're suggesting here.
To me it always seems like de Rossi is underrated on the Caf. I have no idea why, but he doesn't get the credit he deserves in my opinion, doesn't matter what role you give him in the team.
Mmm interesting lineup, I must admit that personally I don't like all the countless arrows because it makes me feel like I don't understand what's going on.
If I do get it, than Zanetti should be roaming plenty creating width on the right while Villa goes a little to the left striker position and Conti goes inside right?
That would mean Belodechi will tuck in and Zanetti will attack?
I'm not sure, feels more logical to me to see Scirea as the LCB and Terry as the RCB in that case doesn't it? With Zanetti roaming you want the disciplined CB next to him and Scirea between the two other CBs?
I will lessen the arrows, but I'll explain my thinking.
- Scirea is my best centre-back and if Zanetti is caught out of position, I'd rather Scirea be forced to go out wide to defend a 1 v 1 in a wide position, plus I want Terry to be surrounded by two defenders so he is less exposed to 1 v 1 situations. Terry will be surrounded by Belodedici to his left, Scirera to his right and Davids in front.. that is very very solid. He operates best in such a set up.
- Socrates is my 10, but he has that Zidanesque tendency to drift to the left at times and start play from deep, if he does that.. Ballack can push forward a little and occupy the space between midfield and attack. On the whole though I'd prefer Socrates to remain central and Ballack to operate deeper and by the centre-circle.
- Villa when he drifts to the left, should encourage Stoichkov to get in the box.. supported by other midfield runners.
- Conti when he cuts in will have Zanetti bombing on the overlap, but Conti is also capable of going round the outside and putting in crosses with his weaker foot.
- Davids will sit, but when we haven't got the ball .. I expect Ballack, Socrates and Conti to come back and help out.
- Belodedici will tuck in and stay back - but he is a quality ball player so whilst he is out of position, he is very technically talented so won't be found wanting in possession.
Last edited:
Yeah, I remember that. It's weird with Effenberg, he is one of those interpreted differently in different drafts.
Forrest Gump said:
True that Forrest, that's why I turn into some sort of player police at times
I like the formation overall, certainly the best out of all suggestions, but Viva is right about swapping Scirea and Terry. Zanetti is awesome anyway, and your weak link there is Belofingers.
When is the draw?
Probably once EAP wakes up and shakes his hangover.
BTW, @WHOEVERIGET I can only do Wednesday this week.
@VivaJanuzaj that's what I moaned about earlier, the moment I saw the strikers available I knew you would get the chance to pick up Ruud!
He was last seen here 45 minutes ago - and the last pick was 5 hours ago.
But you have a point about hangover
Yeah I knew it too, I fancied getting Batigol but I don't think Ruud is any less fitting to my team tbh.. I would've been more keen on getting Passarella there imo because I don't think people rate Adams too highly and in Trezeguet it was fine with Kalle and Enzo behind him.The sad part is that because of that Breitner loss I don't feel like this round has improved me as significantly as other teams, I mean Keano for me in that role instead of Breitner is like a swap only a bit weaker(because of the loss of the Breitner-Rummenigge, as well as the stick I might get for the Veron-Keane duo), and Ruud is definitely a strengthening from Trezeguet but it's just not as a big improvement as other teams got imo.. I'm still happy with my team of course and I feel I have no real weaknesses to exploit, but not feeling as comfortable as I felt going into round 1 draw. Maybe if I do qualify for the next round when Breitner returns I'll get a chance to create a monstrous team.
Ruud's pretty much perfect for that role. Don't think you will need to replace him unless you are getting your hands on Romario.
Don't think I will, Ruud as you say perfect for this role and I have other places left strengthening. Plus, Jayvin doesn't look like he's going anywhere any time soon
The sad part is that because of that Breitner loss I don't feel like this round has improved me as significantly as other teams, I mean Keano for me in that role instead of Breitner is like a swap only a bit weaker(because of the loss of the Breitner-Rummenigge, as well as the stick I might get for the Veron-Keane duo), and Ruud is definitely a strengthening from Trezeguet but it's just not as a big improvement as other teams got imo.. I'm still happy with my team of course and I feel I have no real weaknesses to exploit, but not feeling as comfortable as I felt going into round 1 draw. Maybe if I do qualify for the next round when Breitner returns I'll get a chance to create a monstrous team.
When you started with so many breaks the only way was down as far as "relative to other teams" is concerned, simply because we had much more to improve. The way I see it, your frontline is now nailed on all the way to the final unless you lose Ruud to injury, Savicevic can cover for the other two. You were very unlucky to lose players where it hurt most: Nesta (your best defender, in your comparatively weakest area) and Breitner (the only midfielder that didn't even remotely need an upgrade).
It's an interesting point re: Passarella. I don't think he suited you but that was a big opportunity and, when ahead, a gamble worth taking. I don't think MJJ/Theon will play him in the next game, but once they upgrade Rodriguez it's a massive double boost going into the semi.
Still, I don't think you've done badly at all, your primary objective in this round should have been nailing Ruud (Trezeguet was an eye-sore) and you managed that in the second round, you are just non-plussed about it because it was so obvious you would get him anyway. Could you wing the next game with a midfield of Seedorf-Verón-Savicevic? Maybe, but it was a very risky option, so good picks overall considering that left you with Ruud+midfielder as a shopping list.
Time for the draw?
Yes!
Teams for the Quarter-finals:
01. Raees - (2. Makelele) 1. Morena 3. Socrates 4. Conti 5. Stoichkov 6. Ballack 7. Zanetti, (*8. Costacurta*) 9. Terry, 10. Pogba, 11. D. Villa 12. Belodedici, 13. Casillas 14. Scirea 15. E Davids
02. antohan - (3. Gerrard) 1. Ljungberg 2. Boniek 4. Effenberg (*5. Raul*) 6. Luis Enrique 7. Hierro 8. T. Silva 9. Ferrara 10. Götze 11. Vieri 12. Abidal 13. Chilavert 14. Nedved 15. Baggio
03. BorisDeLeFora - (7. Bergomi) 1. Zambrotta 2. Tigana 3. Robson 4. Cerezo 5. Del Piero 6. Klinsmann (*8. Lucio*) 9. Popescu 10. Koke 11. A. Cole 12. Donadoni 13. Cech 14. Kohler 15. Batistuta
04. MJJ / Theon - (4. Dalglish) 1. Di Livio 2. Souness 3. Bochini 5. Rivaldo 6. McGrath 7. Sammer 8. Campbell 9. Totti 10. Ricardo Rodriguez 11. Peter Schmeichel 12. Elkjaer (*13. Crespo*) 14. Passerella 15. Cafu
05. Jayvin - (3. Iniesta) 1. Gallas (*2. Vieira*) 4. Lizarazu 5. Romario 6. Overmars 7. Desailly 8. Blanc 9. Xabi Alonso 10. Hazard 11. Gianluigi Buffon 12. Boban 13. Mendieta 14. Figo 15. Deschamps
06. The Red Viper - (5. Simonsen) 1. Prosinečki 2. Robben 3. Scholes 4. Vidic 6. Eto'o 7. Stam (*8. Rui Costa*) 9. Dunga 10. Rafael Da Silva 11. Kahn 12. Sagnol 13. Sergi 14. T. Henry 15. Schweinsteiger
07. VivaJanuzaj - (7. Nesta) 1. Francescoli 2. Seedorf (*3. Breitner*) 4. Vierchowod 5. Rummenigge 6. Savicevic 8. Verón 9. Adams 10. Alaba 11. Reuter 12. Van Der Sar 13. Trezeguet 14. Roy Keane 15. RvN
08. harms - (1. Puyol) 2. Blokhin 3. Falcao 4. Roberto Carlos 5. Bergkamp 6.Bonhof 7. Ruggeri 8. Willy Ortiz (*9. Stielike*) 10. Varane 11. Kaltz 12. Krankl 13. Zubizarreta 14. Neeskens 15. Kh Förster
01. Raees - (2. Makelele) 1. Morena 3. Socrates 4. Conti 5. Stoichkov 6. Ballack 7. Zanetti, (*8. Costacurta*) 9. Terry, 10. Pogba, 11. D. Villa 12. Belodedici, 13. Casillas 14. Scirea 15. E Davids
02. antohan - (3. Gerrard) 1. Ljungberg 2. Boniek 4. Effenberg (*5. Raul*) 6. Luis Enrique 7. Hierro 8. T. Silva 9. Ferrara 10. Götze 11. Vieri 12. Abidal 13. Chilavert 14. Nedved 15. Baggio
03. BorisDeLeFora - (7. Bergomi) 1. Zambrotta 2. Tigana 3. Robson 4. Cerezo 5. Del Piero 6. Klinsmann (*8. Lucio*) 9. Popescu 10. Koke 11. A. Cole 12. Donadoni 13. Cech 14. Kohler 15. Batistuta
04. MJJ / Theon - (4. Dalglish) 1. Di Livio 2. Souness 3. Bochini 5. Rivaldo 6. McGrath 7. Sammer 8. Campbell 9. Totti 10. Ricardo Rodriguez 11. Peter Schmeichel 12. Elkjaer (*13. Crespo*) 14. Passerella 15. Cafu
05. Jayvin - (3. Iniesta) 1. Gallas (*2. Vieira*) 4. Lizarazu 5. Romario 6. Overmars 7. Desailly 8. Blanc 9. Xabi Alonso 10. Hazard 11. Gianluigi Buffon 12. Boban 13. Mendieta 14. Figo 15. Deschamps
06. The Red Viper - (5. Simonsen) 1. Prosinečki 2. Robben 3. Scholes 4. Vidic 6. Eto'o 7. Stam (*8. Rui Costa*) 9. Dunga 10. Rafael Da Silva 11. Kahn 12. Sagnol 13. Sergi 14. T. Henry 15. Schweinsteiger
07. VivaJanuzaj - (7. Nesta) 1. Francescoli 2. Seedorf (*3. Breitner*) 4. Vierchowod 5. Rummenigge 6. Savicevic 8. Verón 9. Adams 10. Alaba 11. Reuter 12. Van Der Sar 13. Trezeguet 14. Roy Keane 15. RvN
08. harms - (1. Puyol) 2. Blokhin 3. Falcao 4. Roberto Carlos 5. Bergkamp 6.Bonhof 7. Ruggeri 8. Willy Ortiz (*9. Stielike*) 10. Varane 11. Kaltz 12. Krankl 13. Zubizarreta 14. Neeskens 15. Kh Förster
Last edited:
Cheers you do make it sound better than me
As for Passarella, I don't think anyone apart from Kohler maybe is better fitted to partner Vierchwood here, I see your point re LB who needs to tuck in, I'm sure I can find a half decent LB if I'll feel the need to upgrade Alaba, but I don't think he necessarily needs to e able to play CB as well but just need to be very composed in defense and have the tactical awareness to cover when Passarella goes bananas and pushes up. Someone like Reuter I guess is good, just a LB
Anyway, draw draw draw
The randomizer has spoken. The draw is made.
All hail the randomizer!!!
All hail the randomizer!!!
Cheers you do make it sound better than me
As for Passarella, I don't think anyone apart from Kohler maybe is better fitted to partner Vierchwood here, I see your point re LB who needs to tuck in, I'm sure I can find a half decent LB if I'll feel the need to upgrade Alaba, but I don't think he necessarily needs to e able to play CB as well but just need to be very composed in defense and have the tactical awareness to cover when Passarella goes bananas and pushes up. Someone like Reuter I guess is good, just a LB
Anyway, draw draw draw
Not really, you are no longer playing Reuter or getting the best out of him. Horses for courses and all that.
I would call the next one, the match of the QF.
Oh no
@BorisDeLeFora can you do Wednesday? Monday and Tuesday I'm fecked and Thursday/Friday I'm out aboout half the day.
Midfielders galore at the next reinforcement. Feck, should have kept Stevie in the team.
I'm actually not sure Jayvin isn't a tougher draw than me at this round, without Breitner my team is still great but not the best imo.Anyway good luck @Raees, when do you want to play?
Anyway good luck @Raees, when do you want to play?
Had a feeling I'd be playing either you or Jayvin, whenever it suits you best pal - I'm flexible.
I can do tomorrow if you think you can write something by than, if not Tuesday is also great
Yeah lets go tomorrow, most of my stuff is written up and unused from last time. Best of luck mate.