Hazell in the first game and maybe the hardest to call - Mascherano and Cambiasso as a holding pair is key to this team working, because they'd certainly be effective cover and wouldn't cede ground in the midfield when the fullbacks overlap. I think this would be a high scoring one because I don't necessarily like Hazell's back three that much and this DRF's attack would have some joy, but Milito is certainly underwhelming and his midfield three is far too cavalier - Juninho was not a box to box midfielder or someone who'd typically thrive in a two. Equally Kroos has always done his best work with a holding player alongside.
Game two, I actually usually end up disliking my draft sides but this is one of the better ones I've managed and arguably has the best balance of any team in the draft - Lobo says he doesn't like Toni or Zabaleta but in their primes you've got one of the best Italian strikers of the past 25 years (who proved he could do it in other leagues) and one of the best attacking full backs the Premier League's seen. As much as Linudden's put together a decent looking side, I don't fancy that centre half partnership against Totti and Rivaldo either. Kimmich and Matthaus comfortably dominates Emerson and Jorginho in my opinion.
Game three, two really, really good teams and a shame that one has to go out. Fabinho and Sammer are a great pair (Sammer better as a libero?) but VBG has a lot of options going forward and a hard defence. I think the only real criticism of VBG's team is the overkill up top - was Heynckes necessary when Romario was already there and the wealth of attacking midfielders around him? It makes me feel that Tardelli can't protect the middle of the park entirely alone and I think if Jupp was sacrificed for a box to box player or holding mid, it makes it the best team in the draft. As it is, the one man holding looks a bit isolated to me and would be got at by teams playing mutliple attacking mids - throw in that Marcelo loves an overlap and Messi gets real joy in this one I feel. Bergomi to me though is a full back primarily and Ozil as good as he was, does a lot of what Messi does. Narrow, wafer thin win for VBG I think, but this was hard to call.
Max v Lobo one of the easier ones to call, I'll be honest - I don't love a lot of Max's team and Dante is not a nice match up against Ronaldo. Ballack and Albertini are a really nice midfield and again, like with other sides, a principally attacking midfielder who needed bodies around them is given a central box to box role they're not suited for - Veron. I agree that Veron was a 'fucking great player' but with Muller ahead who's really a forward, I don't think he and Bonhof afford the defence enough protection despite the fact Veron could play deeper. Di Natale a nice player but maybe not the line-leader needed here, a target man would've worked better with Reus and Muller. Lobo here.
Adz for the same reasons as last time - a solid defence up against an admittedly spectacular attack, but LSR's centre half partnership won't be winning any trophies.
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