Yeah. Love Forlan a bit more for his directness. But, as we all know, the Cafe has a thing for midfield.
The Redcafe Champions League Draft
- Thread starter Theon
- Start date
Yeah. Love Forlan a bit more for his directness. But, as we all know, the Cafe has a thing for midfield.
Forlán just scored an absolute peach 
Well, he actually twatted the ball as usual, but it was beautiful.
Straight off his left peg as well.
Thought this would be done by the time I came back! Might have to leave the draw till tomorrow.
In terms of format what does everyone prefer, groups or straight knockout?
Either way the eliminated players go into a pool as planned and then the picks go from there.
In terms of format what does everyone prefer, groups or straight knockout?
Either way the eliminated players go into a pool as planned and then the picks go from there.
Straight knockout would be better. Too many participants for groups, would go on forever and we'd lose interest. Knockouts is 15 games total which is about the right number you'd want I'd say
Agree with Cutch.
Knockouts sounds about right.
BTW, MAXIIIIII, I will be on holidays next week so I'll miss the first round of games. Good luck guys!
BTW, MAXIIIIII, I will be on holidays next week so I'll miss the first round of games. Good luck guys!
Okay good, that was the original idea that was in the OP - just thought I'd check that is what you lads wanted to do as well.
Forlán just scored an absolute peach
Like Fergie would've said, “It was all part of the plan!”
I made the point before but I don't know any team that plays a 5-3-2 with a DM, usually it is an AM. The only exception I can think off is the current Juve side, if you contrast it with the 98 Juve side where the playmaker was an AM (Zidane), compared with now where he is a DM (Pirlo).
Anyone think of many teams who played that deep 5-3-2 formation?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Can I request my fixture be done after Monday? I'm on holiday at the moment and very distracted.
Yeah good point. It's usually two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and two proper central mids right, no pure defensive? The sweeper is what makes the formation, the Germans did it best with Beckenbauer, Matthaus and Sammer IMO. Players like that who control the whole spine of the team.
One of the best things I took out of these drafts is learning the little nuances of different formations...
Absolutely, that's fine.
If anyone else has any issues with certain dates then if you tell me we'll organise the fixture around them.
I think the first one will be Tuesday or maybe even Wednesday, I want the write ups to be decent enough for voters to take an interest and I know people are busy.
Forlán just scored an absolute peach
Pff. Torres scored 4 goals. Torres >>>> Forlán.
Exactly.
There must be some because it's working for Juve I guess, but the one like this
-----AM----
--CM--CM--
Seems to be way more common.
I'll not be available at all tomorrow and on Saturday. My brother is getting married so I have to help out and what have you.
Yeah that's fine man, it'll be Wednesday probably at the earliest and even then you could end up being towards the end of the fixtures depended on the draw etc.
Yeah, I think it depends on the players in that formation too. No need for a DM when you got Matthaus or Sammer driving thought the centre!
Two more things..
1) The way the match day threads will work is that each team will post their tactics/formation graphic/player profile as a post in this thread which you can update throughout the game. That post will be copied/quoted into the matchday threads - so no PM's.
2) Assistants can't argue in the thread on behalf of managers, it creates a 2 vs 1 scenario which isn't fair. A lot of you seem to have AM's so at some point can you tell me who they are, also obviously so that any vote they make can be discounted e.g. Cutch can't vote for Snow.
1) The way the match day threads will work is that each team will post their tactics/formation graphic/player profile as a post in this thread which you can update throughout the game. That post will be copied/quoted into the matchday threads - so no PM's.
2) Assistants can't argue in the thread on behalf of managers, it creates a 2 vs 1 scenario which isn't fair. A lot of you seem to have AM's so at some point can you tell me who they are, also obviously so that any vote they make can be discounted e.g. Cutch can't vote for Snow.
Theon, re: the second rule, I think that's a good idea it gets a bit weird at times and occasional scanners don't realise one is an AM. Shouldn't mean the AM can't post though, which would be a bit ridiculous, just that ongoing/recurring defence of the team and tactics or poking of holes on others' is left to the manager.
It's common sense and not as complex as it sounds. Just take a backseat AMs, and intervene as much as a neutral would, that's all.
It's common sense and not as complex as it sounds. Just take a backseat AMs, and intervene as much as a neutral would, that's all.
Definitely the second one. The point of a player like Busquets is that he allows the full-backs to go forward. It is quite over-kill with 3 centre backs behind him as those 3 will stay back all game, that means you are playing two defensive strategies in one.
Hard to see you cause any problems to anybody going for such a defensive strategy so the second has more balance. There you have a strong defense which utilizes the defensive and possession skills of Busquets by moving forward which means you have both a strong defense and offense.
You've got a point there tbfHe called BD and himself a bunch of girls.
Yeah you're right.
You lose NM.
You lose NM.
In case you didn't know already, I am akash02's assistant.
Some of the fullback picks in this draft have been pretty dire, to be honest. Some excellent players left out and a lot of square pegs in round holes. Michael Tarnat, Fabio Grosso and Gabriel Heinze stick out like sore thumbs. All average players at best.
Yeah it has been a really interesting draft. Usually there is always that 1-3 who look like the winner from the start but it seems like nobody had that perfect draft. Everything will be about tactics, formations and pitching their team.
I can't really see any team who I can say "would definitely beat X". Will be interesting to see how it goes.
I can't really see any team who I can say "would definitely beat X". Will be interesting to see how it goes.
Grosso is an interesting one. I never have him on a list, he doesn't even cross my mind, then someone picks him and I get a feeling of deja vu, the same feeling I got when he scored that goal against Germany: "who the feck is that?". And for some reason, just like after that goal, I find myself thinking "well, maybe he is good and I haven't noticed him". Every single draft the same happens.
The Game: 1. Zidane 2. Seedorf 3. Shevchenko 4. Frank De Boer 5. Pires 6. Cocu 7. Ze Roberto 8. Lopez 9. Simic 10. Reuter 11. Baia
JakeC: 1. Messi 2. Cantona 3. Buffon 4. Roberto Carlos 5. Xabi Alonso 6. Puyol 7. Mascherano 8. Sagnol 9. Ljungberg 10. Chivu 11. Robinho
kps88: 1. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Kohler 3. Davids 4. Vieri 5. Riquelme 6. Costacurta 7. Cambiasso 8. Salgado 9. Gonzalez 10. Heinze 11. Peruzzi 12. Solskjaer
Thisistheone: 1. Ronaldo 2. Desailly 3. Rui Costa 4. Blanc 5. Essien 6. Dani Alves 7. Rooney 8. Paulo Sousa 9. Grosso 10. Barthez 11. Di Maria 12. Simao
Ralaks: 1. Keane 2. Del Piero 3. Effenberg 4. Beckham 5. Overmars 6. Ramos 7. Trezeguet 8. Piqué 9. Rafael 10. van der Sar 11. Capdevila 12. Higuain
nahealai: 1. Xavi 2. Raúl 3. van Nistelrooy 4. Ballack 5. Busquets 6. Lizarazu 7. Irwin 8. Abidal 9. Kahn 10. Couto 11. Marchena 12. Juninho
Stobzilla: 1. Henry 2. Stam 3. Totti 4. Gerrard 5. Veron 6. Mata 7. G. Neville 8. Mijatovic 9. Mihajlovic 10. Hyypia 11. Toldo 12. Van Bommel
Feeky: 1. Maldini 2. Scholes 3. Bergkamp 4. Deschamps 5. Ibrahimovic 6. Y. Touré 7. David Silva 8. Lúcio 9. Marcelo 10. Casillas 11. Srna 12. Sneijder
akash02: 1. Romario 2. Cannavaro 3. Hagi 4. Guardiola 5. Lahm 6. McManaman 7. Petit 8. Chiellini 9. Baraja 10. Van Bronckhorst 11. Canizares 12. Recoba
Gio: 1. Rivaldo 2. Nedved 3. Ferdinand 4. Zanetti 5. Fabregas 6. Zambrotta 7. Montero 8. Joaquin 9. Owen 10. Mauro Silva 11. Taffarel 12. Makaay
Snow: 1. Ronaldinho 2. Kaka 3. Mendieta 4. Terry 5. Carvalho 6. A. Cole 7. Ozil 8. Gallas 9. Cech 10. Albelda 11. Torres 12. Schneider
Isotope: 1. Redondo 2. Ribery 3. Eto'o 4. Albertini 5. Campbell 6. Boban 7. Forlan 8. Angloma 9. Kompany 10. Coentrao 11. Lehmann 12. Valerón
EDogen: 1. Nesta 2. Giggs 3. Hierro 4. Van Persie 5. Enrique 6. Robben 7.Evra 8. Ferrara 9. Deco 10. Simeone 11. Sagna 12. Rustu
Theon: 1. Iniesta 2. Pirlo 3. Cafu 4. Gattuso 5. De Rossi 6. Crespo 7. Aguero 8. Thiago Silva 9. Candela 10. Nadal 11. Neuer 12. Kluivert
Fergus'son: 1. Batistuta 2. Thuram 3. Ayala 4. Makelele 5. Schweinsteiger 6. Moller. 7. Villa 8. Muller 9. Aimar 10. Samuel 11. Reina 12. Tarnat
BD/NM: 1. Vieira 2. Figo 3. Vidic 4. Drogba 5.Lampard 6. Popescu 7. Maicon 8. Gilberto 9. Giuly 10. Sergi 11.Litmanen 12. Lloris
Come on Jake, Theon asked me to make the random draw for the knockouts and I've been waiting for ages!!!!
JakeC: 1. Messi 2. Cantona 3. Buffon 4. Roberto Carlos 5. Xabi Alonso 6. Puyol 7. Mascherano 8. Sagnol 9. Ljungberg 10. Chivu 11. Robinho
kps88: 1. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Kohler 3. Davids 4. Vieri 5. Riquelme 6. Costacurta 7. Cambiasso 8. Salgado 9. Gonzalez 10. Heinze 11. Peruzzi 12. Solskjaer
Thisistheone: 1. Ronaldo 2. Desailly 3. Rui Costa 4. Blanc 5. Essien 6. Dani Alves 7. Rooney 8. Paulo Sousa 9. Grosso 10. Barthez 11. Di Maria 12. Simao
Ralaks: 1. Keane 2. Del Piero 3. Effenberg 4. Beckham 5. Overmars 6. Ramos 7. Trezeguet 8. Piqué 9. Rafael 10. van der Sar 11. Capdevila 12. Higuain
nahealai: 1. Xavi 2. Raúl 3. van Nistelrooy 4. Ballack 5. Busquets 6. Lizarazu 7. Irwin 8. Abidal 9. Kahn 10. Couto 11. Marchena 12. Juninho
Stobzilla: 1. Henry 2. Stam 3. Totti 4. Gerrard 5. Veron 6. Mata 7. G. Neville 8. Mijatovic 9. Mihajlovic 10. Hyypia 11. Toldo 12. Van Bommel
Feeky: 1. Maldini 2. Scholes 3. Bergkamp 4. Deschamps 5. Ibrahimovic 6. Y. Touré 7. David Silva 8. Lúcio 9. Marcelo 10. Casillas 11. Srna 12. Sneijder
akash02: 1. Romario 2. Cannavaro 3. Hagi 4. Guardiola 5. Lahm 6. McManaman 7. Petit 8. Chiellini 9. Baraja 10. Van Bronckhorst 11. Canizares 12. Recoba
Gio: 1. Rivaldo 2. Nedved 3. Ferdinand 4. Zanetti 5. Fabregas 6. Zambrotta 7. Montero 8. Joaquin 9. Owen 10. Mauro Silva 11. Taffarel 12. Makaay
Snow: 1. Ronaldinho 2. Kaka 3. Mendieta 4. Terry 5. Carvalho 6. A. Cole 7. Ozil 8. Gallas 9. Cech 10. Albelda 11. Torres 12. Schneider
Isotope: 1. Redondo 2. Ribery 3. Eto'o 4. Albertini 5. Campbell 6. Boban 7. Forlan 8. Angloma 9. Kompany 10. Coentrao 11. Lehmann 12. Valerón
EDogen: 1. Nesta 2. Giggs 3. Hierro 4. Van Persie 5. Enrique 6. Robben 7.Evra 8. Ferrara 9. Deco 10. Simeone 11. Sagna 12. Rustu
Theon: 1. Iniesta 2. Pirlo 3. Cafu 4. Gattuso 5. De Rossi 6. Crespo 7. Aguero 8. Thiago Silva 9. Candela 10. Nadal 11. Neuer 12. Kluivert
Fergus'son: 1. Batistuta 2. Thuram 3. Ayala 4. Makelele 5. Schweinsteiger 6. Moller. 7. Villa 8. Muller 9. Aimar 10. Samuel 11. Reina 12. Tarnat
BD/NM: 1. Vieira 2. Figo 3. Vidic 4. Drogba 5.Lampard 6. Popescu 7. Maicon 8. Gilberto 9. Giuly 10. Sergi 11.Litmanen 12. Lloris
Come on Jake, Theon asked me to make the random draw for the knockouts and I've been waiting for ages!!!!
no game for me on Wed/Thu please.. I have a 15 hour flight.. or maybe BD can do the arguing if he is around?
He definitely is a strange one. Maybe because he was a late bloomer. Started off as a left winger and it seems didn't find his feet until he was converted to left back when he was 24/25. Once that happened he soon got his first cap and since then managed 48 caps. Once his career got going though he had injury trouble.
It was a toss up between him and Sergi for me. Went for the bigger, stronger man in the end (Grosso is 6'3'') and the Italian mentality.
But no doubt when you score a screamer in the World Cup semi-final and the winning penalty in the Final, you're going to be remembered for that and not much else. His celebration v Germany was Tardelli like as well
He definitely is a strange one. Maybe because he was a late bloomer. Started off as a left winger and it seems didn't find his feet until he was converted to left back when he was 24/25. Once that happened he soon got his first cap and since then managed 48 caps. Once his career got going though he had injury trouble.
It was a toss up between him and Sergi for me. Went for the bigger, stronger man in the end (Grosso is 6'3'') and the Italian mentality.
But no doubt when you score a screamer in the World Cup semi-final and the winning penalty in the Final, you're going to be remembered for that and not much else. His celebration v Germany was Tardelli like as well
Well he's remembered for not much else because he used that tournament as a springboard to move on to some top clubs and he was distinctly unimpressive everywhere he went. Decent for Lyon and average for Inter and Juve. In fact average is kind for his stint at Juve.
Palermo was his best stint it seems. That's what got Lippi's attention. They came up from Serie B and finished 6th then 8th. Grosso was a key part of that. And in fairness he wasn't brilliant after 2006. Lyon was solid but he was good in the world cup, at the highest level. Injuries didn't help him at Inter or Juventus.