Topic: Legendary Team Rebuild - Group 4 (VivaBobby vs JSteve vs Djozer)

[tubby]

Three teams in this group.  Only one team to advance (once the committee have reached a consensus).

VivaBobby




JSteve




Djozer

[El Lobo]

I’ll leave it to you chaps to really rip these apart but there aren’t many picks that stand out as particularly great picks to be honest.

Bobby’s defence I think isn’t too bad but the rest I really don’t think work at all.

Quite a few of JSteves just look like getting better players rather than thinking too much about how they fit in.....but to be fair I wouldn’t really know how the midfielders in particular played

Djozer definitely the best of the three although don’t really like the Figo pick, and Suarez for Costa is almost too obvious because they’re both knobs on the pitch but I don’t think they’re particularly similar in how they play

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Seedorf for Dino Baggio ?

[Djozer]

I’ll leave it to you chaps to really rip these apart but there aren’t many picks that stand out as particularly great picks to be honest.

Bobby’s defence I think isn’t too bad but the rest I really don’t think work at all.

Quite a few of JSteves just look like getting better players rather than thinking too much about how they fit in.....but to be fair I wouldn’t really know how the midfielders in particular played

Djozer definitely the best of the three although don’t really like the Figo pick, and Suarez for Costa is almost too obvious because they’re both knobs on the pitch but I don’t think they’re particularly similar in how they play

Can't argue with any of that. Think Drogba (and a few others, potentially) would have been a better Costa replacement but I preferred Suarez just cos. I'd argue he and Costa also shared a non-stop effort to go with their knobishness, and both are pretty physical, but...meh, I chose the toothy guy.

With Figo, I was initially mulling over having him to replace Arda as I think there are quite a few similarities despite the former mostly playing on the right, and was vaguely considering Nedved for Koke as, again, I thought were quite a few similarities and Nedved also played as a CM (and Koke as a wide midfielder), but ended up with it as the way it is. Nowhere near perfect for Raul Garcia though, I have to agree. I reckon Casemiro and Verratti are fairly solid replacements/upgrades though and I'd like to think I got the defence pretty well matched but then, I might be a touch biased.

I enjoyed this draft but found it pretty hard too, as I have had about zero interest in watching Atletico since Simeone took over, hence a fair few of these players I've hardly ever watched. Who's Raul Garcia? What is Raul Garcia? A fairly nothingy winger/attacking midfielder who was pretty good in the air, apparently. But aye, it's been good. May the best team win and all that.

[Something Worse]

Voting against Bobby out of spite

[El Lobo]

Voting against Bobby out of spite

It’s a great team, just falls down in midfield

[Something Worse]

It’s a great team, just falls down in midfield

[Gerry Attrick]

Some wild choices. I like VBG as much as anybody on this forum, but one of the choices here is... headscratching Is Damien Duff a relative of yours? Trying to get Rivaldo through as a similar player  Do like Coutinho for Cole though, both couldn't run for us. Back injuries eh? Solid defensive selections; Gallas at LB was a bit of a stinker to sort through and though Carragher isn't too similar I won't hold that against you.

What's that? Somebody believes Seedorf was like Dino Baggio? Nah, I don't believe it. Holy shit... what's that. He's been likened to Yaya Toure and Dino Baggio just in the last 24 hours. Don't worry Clarence, I thought you were good. Don't ask me to comment on the other midfielders he had to replace. Think you missed a trick by not selecting De Jong, JSteve.

So, we move on to Djozer. If the name of the game was replacing players' personality he'd be home and hosed. Suarez's cuntishness on a football pitch can be matched by few, but he found one. Unfortunately, that's about the only similarity unfortunately. One's a bulldozing centre forward, the other isn't. Most of the midfield replacements are just off for my liking, nothing absolutely horrendous but still swrong. Overall though, I think you were on a bit of a hiding to nothing with this one, buddy. They were a rock solid unit but unless you watch a lot of football the players will mean nothing. Ask anybody who Gabi is and they'll say "That BBC presenter".

Judging this one is tricky because I'm unfamiliar with the midfielders JSteve had to replace, but Djozer just does enough to make it through I think.

[rossipersempre]

Finally some clear differentiators after the last two groups...

Bobby, have to take issue with Carragher at LB for Gallas. Likewise Rivaldo for Duff is a bit bizarre and Kluivert for Drogba is equally strange. Other than that, a very decent team but early bath time.

JSteve, I'm not blessed with innate knowledge of that Parma side but there are a few quality picks there as well as a couple of stinkers. As Gerry highlights, poor old Seedorf has been slagged something rotten on here by comparison. And Koulibaly for Fabio Cannavaro?! Literally brawn vs brain.

That leaves Djozer, whose only pick I take issue with is the obvious and lazy Suarez for Costa. Otherwise it's a very well put together team and for me, the clear winner here.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Don't think Verratti and Koke are anything alike. Koke can play anywhere in midfield, including out wide on either flank, while Verratti is strictly a holding/defensive midfielder. [and a superior one in comparison, to Koke]

[Samie]

Please excuse VBG with his selections he's not been taking the right medication.  Also he probably owes a debt to Damien otherwise who the fuck knows why he picked Duff.

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Please excuse VBG with his selections he's not been taking the right medication.  Also he probably owes a debt to Damien otherwise who the fuck knows why he picked Duff.

Samie, this is not cool at all.   He didn't pick Duff, he was assigned Duff (and chose to upgrade him to Rivaldo). 

I prefer Bobby's team precisely for all the reasons given above but in reverse.

Viva uses his imagination, with all due respect to JSteve and Djozier who crafted some compelling teams as well.   Viva Bobby all the way.

[vivabobbygraham]

Finally some clear differentiators after the last two groups...

Bobby, have to take issue with Carragher at LB for Gallas. Likewise Rivaldo for Duff is a bit bizarre and Kluivert for Drogba is equally strange. Other than that, a very decent team but early bath time.

JSteve, I'm not blessed with innate knowledge of that Parma side but there are a few quality picks there as well as a couple of stinkers. As Gerry highlights, poor old Seedorf has been slagged something rotten on here by comparison. And Koulibaly for Fabio Cannavaro?! Literally brawn vs brain.

That leaves Djozer, whose only pick I take issue with is the obvious and lazy Suarez for Costa. Otherwise it's a very well put together team and for me, the clear winner here.

Take issue all you like. If you don't see Carragher is a like for like for Gallas I can't help you. Rivaldo is an upgrade on Duff, Samie, there, there, who's on the medication? Drogba, like E'eto is hard to replace. Kluivert is about as close as you can get. Very average teams I'm up against here. I should win this very easily...

[Elzar]

While I was looking for midfielders to replace Veron, I noticed Kroos was unpicked and JSteve went for Alberto, which I thought was brave, but I think he felt that was the kind of role Veron played here. Then I noticed someone else had replaced Kroos with Veron for the real madrid team.

I can't remember much of Veron aside from his shite spell in England. What kind of player was he?

[Lastrador]

While I was looking for midfielders to replace Veron, I noticed Kroos was unpicked and JSteve went for Alberto, which I thought was brave, but I think he felt that was the kind of role Veron played here. Then I noticed someone else had replaced Kroos with Veron for the real madrid team.

I can't remember much of Veron aside from his shite spell in England. What kind of player was he?

I’ve always had a soft spot for Veron. I have picked quite a few times to my detriment, as people in here seem to remember for his days at United, even though he was one of the finest midfielders of his generation imo. When he was playing at Italy the debate was who was better, him or Zidane. So that shows just how good he was on those days. Talking about the player now, I think his standout quality was his passing. He had unlimited range and could play any type of pass, be that a 40 yards pass or a brilliantly disguised through ball. He had a similar range to Kross, that's the only quality I think they shared, but with far more variety and creativity. Veron was more attacking minded and dynamic than Kross, with a better touch and dribbling ability, he's probably more similar to Luis Alberto in that regard. He was far more rugged than both of them though and although he wasn't a big goal scorer, he could strike a ball with real venom. So yeah, he was an absolutely brilliant footballer on his day, and it's a shame how much damage a failed spell at United did to his reputation.

[Samie]

Take issue all you like. If you don't see Carragher is a like for like for Gallas I can't help you. Rivaldo is an upgrade on Duff, Samie, there, there, who's on the medication? Drogba, like E'eto is hard to replace. Kluivert is about as close as you can get. Very average teams I'm up against here. I should win this very easily...

My apologies Viva. Seems like I took some of your meds.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

What's the hold up ladies

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

I like the defences for both viva and Djozer.  Even Carra for Gallas,   in terms of their movements,  a centre back,  right footer playing left back,  a role providing balance to the other flank,  I can dig that.  Carra of course limited technically. Beckham for Fuser,  not bad at all in terms of player profile from JSteve.

Djozer gets my vote.  It's close with viva.  For the lack of fit,  I have Suarez-Costa,  Figo-Garcia versus Thiago-Tiago and Duff-Rivaldo.  Koke -  Verrati is a bit of a doubt,  but can work.  Coutinho -  Cole,  though both touch players,  skilful,  best in the centre,  their styles of play differed. 

[vivabobbygraham]

I like the defences for both viva and Djozer.  Even Carra for Gallas,   in terms of their movements,  a centre back,  right footer playing left back,  a role providing balance to the other flank,  I can dig that.  Carra of course limited technically. Beckham for Fuser,  not bad at all in terms of player profile from JSteve.

Djozer gets my vote.  It's close with viva.  For the lack of fit,  I have Suarez-Costa,  Figo-Garcia versus Thiago-Tiago and Duff-Rivaldo.  Koke -  Verrati is a bit of a doubt,  but can work.  Coutinho -  Cole,  though both touch players,  skilful,  best in the centre,  their styles of play differed.

Gallas was also limited technically which makes the pick inspired; far more so than Beckham>Trent, which was pure hipster bollocks. I agree with the Fuser>Beckham pick, far more appropriate. Coutinho> Cole is an upgrade. You agree they had lots of similarities, including style of play but Phil had much more penetration both as attacker and assister, although smoking Joe had his moments. He was at his best in this Chelsea team I was assigned

[El Lobo]

Very hard to look past Rivaldo and Kluivert for Duff and Drogba here. Probably the two worst picks of this round.

Trent for Beckham was a great pick by Claus

[vivabobbygraham]

Very hard to look past Rivaldo and Kluivert for Duff and Drogba here. Probably the two worst picks of this round.

Trent for Beckham was a great pick by Claus

[Something Worse]

Very hard to look past Rivaldo and Kluivert for Duff and Drogba here. Probably the two worst picks of this round.

Trent for Beckham was a great pick by Claus

[tubby]

I like Kluivert for Drogba, he's a really difficult player to replace, and the Coutinho for Cole shout is a very clever one too.  Rivaldo for Duff I just cannot get my head around, they're completely different attackers; Duff is more direct, hard running, and Rivaldo is silky touches and smart passing.  Bale would've been the perfect replacement for Duff had he been available.  The defence works, Gallas was another tricky one, and Carragher kind of makes sense there, but it feels like there's better options knocking about.

Koulibaly for Cannavaro is a real head scratcher, one is 5'9 and used his positioning, tactical awareness and reading of the game to defend, and the other is more reliant on his physical ability and power.  Just completely different centre backs.  The other ropey pick is Roberto Carlos, but I do like Beckham for Fuser, two hard working right wingers who weren't really known for being pace merchants or particularly tricky.  Ronaldo for Chiesa I can kind of get behind, having thought about it.  Ronaldo is basically a turbo upgrade for any forward with decent movement and dribbling.

Djozer had a difficult task with his team and I like the thinking behind Suarez because of his attitude on the pitch, but he's a completely different type of forward and someone like Drogba would've worked.  Nedved for Turan is a great shout but the rest of the midfield is tough to replace and it's a decent job, but not stellar.  Figo for Garcia looks super ropey though.  Robertson is a great pick for this team and I think works as a replacement for Filipe Luis (hard working left back with a nasty streak).  The rest of the defence is fine.

I'm not that excited by any of these three teams and at the moment I'd have Vivabobby just ahead of Djozer.  Let's see what the others think.

[vivabobbygraham]

I like Kluivert for Drogba, he's a really difficult player to replace, and the Coutinho for Cole shout is a very clever one too.  Rivaldo for Duff I just cannot get my head around, they're completely different attackers; Duff is more direct, hard running, and Rivaldo is silky touches and smart passing.  Bale would've been the perfect replacement for Duff had he been available.  The defence works, Gallas was another tricky one, and Carragher kind of makes sense there, but it feels like there's better options knocking about.

Koulibaly for Cannavaro is a real head scratcher, one is 5'9 and used his positioning, tactical awareness and reading of the game to defend, and the other is more reliant on his physical ability and power.  Just completely different centre backs.  The other ropey pick is Roberto Carlos, but I do like Beckham for Fuser, two hard working right wingers who weren't really known for being pace merchants or particularly tricky.  Ronaldo for Chiesa I can kind of get behind, having thought about it.  Ronaldo is basically a turbo upgrade for any forward with decent movement and dribbling.

Djozer had a difficult task with his team and I like the thinking behind Suarez because of his attitude on the pitch, but he's a completely different type of forward and someone like Drogba would've worked.  Nedved for Turan is a great shout but the rest of the midfield is tough to replace and it's a decent job, but not stellar.  Figo for Garcia looks super ropey though.  Robertson is a great pick for this team and I think works as a replacement for Filipe Luis (hard working left back with a nasty streak).  The rest of the defence is fine.

I'm not that excited by any of these three teams and at the moment I'd have Vivabobby just ahead of Djozer.  Let's see what the others think.

Had quite a few players I was unable to consider because of Mourinho. However, appreciate the love for Kluivert>Drogba, who was a one off, and Phil>Joe Cole. Carrah as a right footed centre back who played a lot of games at left back, technically limited but heart of a lion, is near perfect drafting. If your not 'excited' with Puyol> Cannavaro, with Thiago and Phil in midfield with Kluivert uptop then you need take some poppers mate and watch a bit of Damien...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/lGnw0rh58Us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/lGnw0rh58Us</a>

[Betty Blue]

Hmmmm this seems to be a case of which team is least shit

I'm going to be brief....

Although Bobby has a bunch of picks that make absolutely no sense (Rivaldo for Duff especially is hilarious), he has done well with a few of his picks. Coutinho for Cole I think is a really nice choice, Tiago and Thiago isn't the worst comparison, Cannavaro and Carvalho both have names beginning with C...

JSteve's team just looks like an attempt to shoehorn every big name in possible with little thought to matching style of play. e.g. Ronaldo the ultimate number 9 for Chiesa who was always more of a support forward bringing the best out of those around him, Roberto Carlos the dream attacking left back for the Italian Steve Finnan, the alternative universe where Seedorf and Dino Baggio are similar players, Handanovic must be delighted someone thinks he's comparable to Buffon as well. Sorry JSteve, but it's all a mess and doesn't fit the theme of the draft at all.

Djozer had a tough task dealing with the most boring team of all time, but I think the real strategy here would have been to fight fire with fire. Turn them into Houllier era Liverpool if you must. There were definitely interesting ways of replicating this team, rather than trying to throw more attacking players in who wouldn't have fitted in a Simeone team. Again, there are too many picks that make no sense. Figo for Garcia is especially impressive (Turan would have been a pretty decent fit actually), the other midfield and defender picks are all sort of not terrible but not great either, Suarez and Diego Costa are also chalk and cheese beyond their love of being massive arseholes.

Djozer's side is probably the least offensive of those out there, but I think Bobby's has a few more picks that are a bit closer to the originals. So Bobby gets my vote by a whisker. It's just a shame better teams had to go out for one of these to go through.

[vivabobbygraham]

Hmmmm this seems to be a case of which team is least shit

I'm going to be brief....

Although Bobby has a bunch of picks that make absolutely no sense (Rivaldo for Duff especially is hilarious), he has done well with a few of his picks. Coutinho for Cole I think is a really nice choice, Tiago and Thiago isn't the worst comparison, Cannavaro and Carvalho both have names beginning with C...

JSteve's team just looks like an attempt to shoehorn every big name in possible with little thought to matching style of play. e.g. Ronaldo the ultimate number 9 for Chiesa who was always more of a support forward bringing the best out of those around him, Roberto Carlos the dream attacking left back for the Italian Steve Finnan, the alternative universe where Seedorf and Dino Baggio are similar players, Handanovic must be delighted someone thinks he's comparable to Buffon as well. Sorry JSteve, but it's all a mess and doesn't fit the theme of the draft at all.

Djozer had a tough task dealing with the most boring team of all time, but I think the real strategy here would have been to fight fire with fire. Turn them into Houllier era Liverpool if you must. There were definitely interesting ways of replicating this team, rather than trying to throw more attacking players in who wouldn't have fitted in a Simeone team. Again, there are too many picks that make no sense. Figo for Garcia is especially impressive (Turan would have been a pretty decent fit actually), the other midfield and defender picks are all sort of not terrible but not great either, Suarez and Diego Costa are also chalk and cheese beyond their love of being massive arseholes.

Djozer's side is probably the least offensive of those out there, but I think Bobby's has a few more picks that are a bit closer to the originals. So Bobby gets my vote by a whisker. It's just a shame better teams had to go out for one of these to go through.

Oh, do fuck off with that shit. Stick your vote up your arse

[Betty Blue]

Oh, do fuck off with that shit. Stick your vote up your arse

I'm far from the only person to say it or much less think it.

[vivabobbygraham]

I'm far from the only person to say it or much less think it.

If they told you to put your hand in the fire, would you? It's condescending, vindictive, unnecessary twaddle and you should be on the naughty step for at least a week you nasty little boy. I'm calling you Horrid Henry from now on

[Betty Blue]

If they told you to put your hand in the fire, would you? It's condescending, vindictive, unnecessary twaddle and you should be on the naughty step for at least a week you nasty little boy. I'm calling you Horrid Henry from now on

It's just a draft, mate. You really do take these things too seriously. I'm sorry if my comments offended you or anyone else for that matter.

[Samie]

If anyone should be offended after near decade of draft abuse from Betty, it's me.

[vivabobbygraham]

It's just a draft, mate. You really do take these things too seriously. I'm sorry if my comments offended you or anyone else for that matter.

I'm not angry, just disappointed, Henry...now, back on the step

[Betty Blue]

If anyone should be offended after near decade of draft abuse from Betty, it's me.

I'm sure I voted for you once....

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

So this makes it Las,  Djozer,  Flash,  Defacto.

[tubby]

Yup, two votes for Bobby, three for Djozer, who just squeaks through.