WC All-time All-Stars QF4: Anto vs Theon

[Theon]

I've said before your frontline is screaming out for Romario. As I told Pol, I think you would have both been better off if he got Muller and you got Eusebio.

What are you talking about? The last thing this side needs is another forward dropping deep when it has Zico and Baggio.

Eusebio doesn't fit as well as Muller, not one bit. Romario has more pace but he's an inferior Muller generally and in a World Cup draft not on the same level - well, he just isn't anyway.

 

[Theon]

It's nothing like Brazil 2002. The only thing bearing a significant resemblance is... your leftback.

Besides being the same formation? And besides having a similar staggered front three, with a roaming attacking midfielder, withdrawn striker and poacher up front? Aye, nothing alike

No one is saying its a spitting image, but there are clear similarities between the two sides. You seem to have convinced yourself you have the exact replica of 1950's Hungary because you've stuck a few Magyars in your side.

 

[Theon]

For all the chat of "how great so and so is", "how brilliant it would be to replicate X side", or "I would love to see a WM tried out", the fact remains to do well in these things you need to target 4-2-3-1 and get the biggest names around, the only thing making the winning sides any different being the constraints involved but always largely the usual suspects come what may.

I thought at least there may be some degree of appreciation/celebration but nope, it's all about how we are all more clever if we play the proven current formation with the biggest GOATs in it.

Boring.

It's just a general complaint, not precisely directed at you. We want these drafts to offer more variety and interesting scenarios yet the fact remains when it comes to the crunch there's a single winning formula. Boring, that's all. It's a WC draft, I think you would struggle to find many WC winners which played anything like each other, yet these drafts invariably default to one way of winning them. Reality shows that doesn't make sense.

No idea why you keep making comments like this, I haven't gone for a 4-2-3-1 at all and what I've gone for is barely ever seen in these drafts. You know I try and win with a weird formation and in this draft have played a 4-2-2-2 and a 3-5-2.. You can hardly call those the proven, current formations.

A 3-5-2 has never won one of these, in fact its never even gotten to a semi-final. So you are really moaning over nothing here.

 

[Gio]

No idea why you keep making comments like this, I haven't gone for a 4-2-3-1 at all and what I've gone for is barely ever seen in these drafts. You know I try and win with a weird formation and in this draft have played a 4-2-2-2 and a 3-5-2.. You can hardly call those the proven, current formations.

A 3-5-2 has never won one of these, in fact its never even gotten to a semi-final. So you are really moaning over nothing here.

True enough and with Scirea and Beckenbauer in tow you'll have to retain it IMO. In saying that I dabbled with 3-5-2 back in getting turned over by Polaroid in the 60s draft final:

Spoiler

 

[Theon]

True enough and with Scirea and Beckenbauer in tow you'll have to retain it IMO. In saying that I dabbled with 3-5-2 back in getting turned over by Polaroid in the 60s draft final:

Spoiler

That is pretty nice! Kohler in there as well, always knew you rated big Jurgen

That was before I joined I think, at least I don't remember that draft.. Guessing it is a 60's one?

Aye, I'm definitely keeping it I think. To be honest I don't have much flexibility to dick around with the team now, the restrictions really are tough and there isn't much wiggle room.

 

[Polaroid]

Theon has the more outstanding set of individuals but I do agree to a certain extent with Balu's and Anto's comments. I also feel that a potentially very interesting discussion has not been touched on : how Beckanbauer's presence affect Scirea's game in advancing out of defence as a libero, Scirea's greatness came from being more than a defender, which sadly has been neglected here.

 

[Gio]

It would be worthwhile having a wide attacking threat in your locker, not necessarily to start, but even around for variety or to expose a dodgy full-back.

 

[Theon]

Theon has the more outstanding set of individuals but I do agree to a certain extent with Balu's and Anto's comments. I also feel that a potentially very interesting discussion has not been touched on : how Beckanbauer's presence affect Scirea's game in advancing out of defence as a libero, Scirea's greatness came from being more than a defender, which sadly has been neglected here.

Not sure on that at all, why would it be? Beckenbauer isn't playing as a libero, but his '70 box to box midfielder role.

It would be like Scirea coming out of the back with any other midfielder, Matthaus or whoever. Why does it being Beckenbauer change anything?

 

[Moby]

People have summed up the feedback for Theon's team quite well. Personally I loved the 4-2-2-2 more than this as that resembled that beautiful Brazilian team with having similar personnel and Beckenbauer - Kohler did everything for me as a CB pair.

This present team is an improvement in terms of quality and covers more bases when it comes to countering opponents but lost that identity a bit. But as you said it's really tough to keep that going with the restrictions.

I agree that you should have another wide attacking option in your ranks.

 

[Balu]

People have summed up the feedback for Theon's team quite well. Personally I loved the 4-2-2-2 more than this as that resembled that beautiful Brazilian team with having similar personnel and Beckenbauer - Kohler did everything for me as a CB pair.

This present team is an improvement in terms of quality and covers more bases when it comes to countering opponents but lost that identity a bit. But as you said it's really tough to keep that going with the restrictions.

I agree that you should have another wide attacking option in your ranks.

They really are a bitch. I'm going mental here trying to find a way to include Krol and Neeskens in my team. Would be a shame if I couldn't pick both .

@Polaroid
When do we start drafting? Do you just kick it off with your first pick whenever you're ready?

 

[Polaroid]

Not sure on that at all, why would it be? Beckenbauer isn't playing as a libero, but his '70 box to box midfielder role.

It would be like Scirea coming out of the back with any other midfielder, Matthaus or whoever. Why does it being Beckenbauer change anything?

It would not be like coming out with any other midfielder, Matthaus, Davids, Breither etc, different players have different attributes and style of playing, it is getting the right balance of compatibility and optimising their strengths, Scirea is primarily seen as a sweeper here rather than the libero that advances and instigates attacks from deep, neglecting an important aspect of his game. Matthaus, Davids and Breitner r true box to box midfielders who will bomb forward and let Scirea advance with the ball in his libero role, whereas in your team there are already Falcao and Beckenbauer who pick up and start transitions, Scirea naturally takes a backseat. You could do with someone like Tardelli who helps with the dirty work and let Scirea flourish in his libero role

 

[Polaroid]

They really are a bitch. I'm going mental here trying to find a way to include Krol and Neeskens in my team. Would be a shame if I couldn't pick both .

@Polaroid
When do we start drafting? Do you just kick it off with your first pick whenever you're ready?

Sure Balu, I m discussing with aldo at the moment, will pick within the hour

 

[Pat_Mustard]

No idea why you keep making comments like this, I haven't gone for a 4-2-3-1 at all and what I've gone for is barely ever seen in these drafts. You know I try and win with a weird formation and in this draft have played a 4-2-2-2 and a 3-5-2.. You can hardly call those the proven, current formations.

A 3-5-2 has never won one of these, in fact its never even gotten to a semi-final. So you are really moaning over nothing here.

Aye, I was hoping you'd go 3-5-2 from the early stages of the initial draft and you've pulled it off brilliantly imo. I hadn't really considered the lack of Ronaldo-esque pace in your strikers but I still think they're too good to ditch in a WC draft. Going forward, a top class right wing back is the only thing that leaps out as an obvious upgrade.

 

[Theon]

It would not be like coming out with any other midfielder, Matthaus, Davids, Breither etc, different players have different attributes and style of playing, it is getting the right balance of compatibility and optimising their strengths, Scirea is primarily seen as a sweeper here rather than the libero that advances and instigates attacks from deep, neglecting an important aspect of his game. Matthaus, Davids and Breitner r true box to box midfielders who will bomb forward and let Scirea advance with the ball in his libero role, whereas in your team there are already Falcao and Beckenbauer who pick up and start transitions, Scirea naturally takes a backseat. You could do with someone like Tardelli who helps with the dirty work and let Scirea flourish in his libero role

Nah I absolutely disagree with that. It seems to me that the criticism seems to be that the midfield is too technical and too good in possession.. Genuinely, I think that is how it comes across. Also Beckenbauer was a box to box footballer, he won't be just sitting in front of the back line but breaking forward throughout the game.

Beckenbauer is better than Tardelli in every respect, defensively he's on another level and in possession is clearly in a different class. There would be no benefit in going with Tardelli instead of Beckenbauer.

As I said, it seems that the criticism is that Scirea isn't as necessary in my formation, in the sense that there are three or four players capable of dictating the game and his responsibilities are therefore diminished. I agree that is partially true, but it's not a problem, its a luxury to have.

Scirea will instigate from deep and has complete freedom to break forward when he wants to - the presence of Beckenbauer makes no difference there, its no different to Matthaus or Falcao being in midfield.

In fact, having a wonderful footballer in the shape of Beckenbauer will make Scirea's forays forward that much more effective - you see all the time when libero's break forward that they will often play one-twos, making a pass and just continuing their charge forward to latch onto the return ball - and is there many midfielders better for that than Beckenbauer/Falcao? Not at all.