HFBoards Football Draft Standings Vote

[Gecklund]

Vote for the 3 teams that you think would finish top in the standings.

Cassano:

Sane-Lewandowski-Hudson Odoi
Arthur-Wijnaldum
Verratti
F. Mendy-Laporte-Militao-Hakimi
Szczesny
Bench: Strakosha, Zinchenko, Bastone, Felipe, Pavard. Brozovic, D. Silva, Alli, Richarlison, Milik, G. Jesus​

1st Team:

View attachment 342253

Philosophy:

3-man midfield is suited for creativity and possession football. Verratti will work with the defense to build the play from the back as the team's regista. Winaldjum is offensively responsible to bring the link-up play to Arthur, while Arthur gets free reign as the #10 to create offensively with the front three. All three are excellent passers and Winaljdum and Verratti can easily cover each other's positions.

The two wingers, Sane and Hudson-Odoi bring terror, pace and creativity on the wings. Two of the fastest players in football who will be encouraged to keep attacking for 90 minutes as part of the team's philosophy. Lewandowski being the fox in the box, will be on the receiving end of many crosses from these two pacey wingers.

Ferland Mendy provides stable defensive support on the left side, while Hakimi is more gifted offensively to push up and create alongside CHO. Both are extremely fast and will be suited to work with both wingers offensively. Hakimi in particular will be given free reign offensively to create, which makes it important for compact coverage on his side.

Laporte, being a technically-gifted, left footed ball playing CB is a perfect complement to Militao, is decent at playing the ball, but will play the role of a bad cop in this pairing. Militao will probably be more of a presence physically, while Laporte gets more reigns to move up with the ball and link up with the other players.

Szczesny is an elite ball stopper who with Juventus has shown he has the ability to reign long periods of pressure under defensive systems. It is a transition for him with this team, but I think his overall ability should make him a decent starting keeper.

Defensively, the right side will probably be the most exposed for this team. It is important with two elite pressers in Verratti and Wijnaldum to win back possession of the ball and regroup the formation. Sane and Mendy on the left are better suited to handle defensive situations. Both Militao and Laporte have the height to handle a lot of crosses within the box. I would not want Arthur to press too often and conserve his energy for his elite passing.


2nd Team:

View attachment 342254

Goals. The front 4 of Alli, Richarlison, Milik and G. Jesus have scored 37 league goals alone this season. Richarlison and G. Jesus are very versatile, with a history of playing all three forward positions. Alli can traditionally play on the left side itself. And Milik usually as a lone striker with Napoli, has in the past worked as a secondary striker with Lewandowski for the Polish NT. A lot of options of the bench and ability to change formation to a 4-4-2 with two strikers if needed.

Brozovic and D. Silva will work together to break through defenses. Silva in particular is too good in the final third not to be pushed up further in the opponent's box to create chances in the final third. However, he, like the other wingers are very versatile in their roles.

Zinchenko, also versatile, can operate as a LM or LB, where he played at City as a decent starting option in their 100 point season last year. Bastoni, a ball playing left footed CB, similar to Laporte, will work alongside Felipe, who played well alongside Militao at Porto and now for Atletico, where he is has played the most among all CBs for the best defensive team in Spain. Pavard will probably be one of the weaker players on the team, but he seems to have intangibles or something to find himself on these super-teams as a consistent starter. Kind of like Maxwell in the past I suppose.

Strakosha is a keeper I do not know much about. But, he is a young starting keeper of the best defensive team in Italy this season. He's started all 26 games in fact.

Regrets: I am happy with the team I constructed, but there were other players I felt would've made better fits. I tried trading for Serge Gnabry after passing up on him for Laporte, which is a decision I regret ultimately. There are not a lot of options on the right side, hence me starting the relatively unproven Hudson-Odoi and Gnabry would've really been perfect for this team.

Another player I regret not drafting is Alphonse Davies, mainly because I think the terror of Hakimi and Davies on each flank would be unstoppable defensively. He was on my radar when the draft started and didn't expect him to be taken so early. I just don't think there are fullbacks who play the way he does at a high level at this moment besides TAA/Hakimi (Robertson is probably better, but brings a different style). I don't really like Zinchenko and Pavard as my back-up fullbacks, they seem average in the full sense of the word. Won't hurt you, but won't win you games either. I guess they are fullbacks in the traditional sense.

Szczesny is a step down from the level of the 4 truly elite goalkeepers in the world at the moment in Courtois, ter-Stegen, Oblak and Alisson and I think I maybe should have grabbed one of them early on.

Hudson Odoi as a starter when he isn't even starting for Chelsea, a borderline top 4 team? He is the one player in my team that I am relying more on potential than actual results. Youngest England call-up in their history, despite being a Chelsea bench-warmer. I think his career could take off like Salah or de Bruyne when he leaves the club. There was a good reason why Bayern were so thirsty to sign him for 40m last summer. Elite level talent, but I feel he's played great in his sporadic league experiences and Europa Leauge campaign last year. I was attempting to draft Ziyech to be starter, but was bamboozled the pick before I was choosing him.

Best Picks: Sane hands down for me was the best pick. I think if he didn't have his injury, he'd probably be top 10. Verratti as well, who is having an excellent season. From the 2nd team, Brozovic, D. Silva and G. Jesus are the picks I liked the most.

Worst Picks: Dele Alli, who is having a decent scoring season, but I think I could've prioritized other positions first as the pool of AMs is still amazing last round into the draft. Milik because he doesn't provide the tactical fluidity relative to other strikers. Also seemed a bit redundant with G. Jesus and Richarlison both playing centrally at a high level. Militao, gambled youth over better win-now options in Pique or Ramos.

Overall, I think I did way better than last year. Despite picking up late gems the year before in Ruben Dias and Odegaard, I think this team is overall more balanced and has a consistent playing style it can follow.

The Abusement Park

Rashford-Lukaku-Mahrez
B. Fernandes-Barella
Kante
Telles-Skriniar-Pique-Semedo
De Gea
Bench: Lafont, Hernandez, Sule, Bellerin, Souamare, Allan, Aouar, Reus, Olmo, Osimhen, Correa
​

As for my team I have a 433 as my base formation, but given my players I have plenty of flexibility. I could play a midfield diamond or 3 at the back.

I love my defense, Pique gives me elite ball playing ability next to one of the brightest young CB's in Skriniar. Then you have a big, strong, and fast no nonsense guy in Sule. Telles is a pretty underrated LB IMO and brings good offense and especially production from the backend.

My midfield will be anchored by Kante who is the best ball winner in the world and makes everyone's job easier. In the more box to box role we either get Allan or Barella. Depending on the opposition I have to great options here as Barella is quite promising as a b2b midfielder with a little more offensive punch. Or we can just dominate the midfield by having two of the best ball winners in the world breaking everything up. Fernandes takes up the last midfield spot and has really proven to be one of the best attacking midfielders in the world over the last few years. He does it all in attack, puts a shift in defensively(not a strong suit obviously), and is just an outright leader.

Up top we have Rashford who has broken out this year and seems to finally nailed down that consistency that is so hard to find as a young player. He's more than capable of leading an attack centrally or out wide, but he's going to be attacking full backs with pace and stretching defenses with his elite runs. Up top we have Lukaku who is a gurantee for 20 league goals a year. While he doesn't have the best technical skills it won't matter as he will have people setting him up constantly to bang in the goals. Next to him we have Mahrez who's an equally capable playmaker and goal threat. His production this year has been ridiculous considering he's been a bench player most of the year. Then we have Reus, who when healthy is one of the best attackers in world football and can play in multiple positions as well.

I definitely think up front is where I'm weakest as I think I lack a true consistent game breaker that a lot of other teams do. But I think my defense and midfield are incredibly strong and really help offset that weakness.

Savant:

Benzema-Salah
Bergwiji-Bentancur-J. Henderson-Sabitzer
L. Hernandez-Upamecano-De Ligt-Alexander Arnold
Neuer
Bench: Nubel, Saka, Tapsoba, Trippier, Zakaria, van de Beek, Guerreiro, David, Orsolini, Martinelli, Illicic
​

Pavel Buchnevich

Ronaldo-Aubameyang
R. Sterling-Gundogan-Fabinho-Pulisic
B. Mendy-Lenglet-Gimenez-Kimmich
Ederson
Bench: Sommer, Meunier, Diego Carlos, Zagadou, Marcelo, Camavinga, Koopmeiners, Rodrygo, James, Reinier, Greenwood​

les Habs:

Werner-Halland-Ziyech
Brandt-F. Ruiz
Tonali
Wijndal-L. Martinez-T. Silva-Emerson
Onana
Bench: Areola, Tavares, Todibo, Nkunku, Fekir, Vardy, Trincao, Everton, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, L. Alberto, L. Felipe​

Salvation FC



FORMATION/TACTICS

View attachment 342296

Starting XI would be a 4-4-2/4-3-3 hybrid. I could go either way. Haaland would be the main striker and lead the line. Werner is a raumdeueter/inside forward combination, but more so the former. Ziyech is a wide playmaker who can also cut inside. Brandt is more of a Mezzala since he can function out wide too. Fabian would be a little more box-to-box, but would be available to help Tonali, almost like a double pivot. Tonali would take on a regista role. Wijndal and Emerson both have the ability to get forward. Both Martinez and Silva can play the ball from the back, as can Onana.

From a tactical standpoint, this team is built to attack vertically. It's very well suited for quick counters too. The fullbacks would get forward more than the above graphic shows. Either Werner or Haaland could get back to receive the ball whilst the other makes an attacking run, and both very searing pace. I have a ton of creative players to fuel them too. All of that said the talent that it has in attack would also easily allow for a more possession based approach. Defensively the plan would be press aggressively.

Generally I would have a ton of flexibility with the players I have though and could easily change things up. For example:

View attachment 342303

I could even do 3 at the back with Martinez, Silva-Felipe, Todibo. The options with this team are very many.

PLAYERS

Erling Haaland: Can't believe his going in the first round was questioned. He clearly has the abilty to be one of the top 2-3 strikers of the future. Physically he's a beast and has a ton of pace. What really impresses me though is his movement off the ball, his instinct and his finishing. His 40 goals this season across two different leagues, multiple competitions including 10 CL goals and between two different clubs. With BVB he's got 12 goals in just over 700 minutes across three competitions in less than three months.

Timo Werner: Another pick that I can't believe was called a reach. Since joining Leipzig he's got 71 goals and 26 assists in 118 league matches. He's also got 11 goals in 20 European matches and 6 goals in 10 Cup matches. So 88 goals in 148 matches since joining Leipzig. And to put that further into context, he only turned 24 last month. He can occupy any of the three attacking positions in a 4-3-3. On top of his incredible pace he's an excellent finisher. He's also developed his playmaking ability. This draft aside I would welcome him with open arms if Barça were smart enough to buy him.

Jamie Vardy: A luxury considering that I already have Haaland and Werner, his presence would be important because he'd provide competition for a place. Also though, and I noted this in the general draft thread, I think he'd be a real spark off the bench. Down a goal or better yet the match in hand, imagine tired defenders having to face him for the final 20 minutes whether we have the ball or not. And he really can get his teammates going as well. In the last five seasons he has 94 goals in 168 matches for Leicester.

Hakim Ziyech: It amazes me how underrated Ziyech still is. He brings so much to the attack as he can dribble, pass, score goals, take freekicks, etc. He doesn't shirk his defensive responsibilities either though. He was an important part of Ajax's CL run last year too and came up big against the likes of Madrid for example. He's also versatile and can play multiple positions. Since joining Ajax he has 38 goals and 51 assists in 112 matches in the league (his numbers for the other Eredivisie clubs he played for are fantastic as well) and in Europe he has 7 goals and 11 assists in 31 matches.

Trincao: Very excited that Barça signed this kid. He looks really explosive on the ball as he's a fantastic dribbler. For me he'd slot out wide right as an inverted winger, but he can also play wide left as he's not bad with his weaker right foot. His ability on the ball is incredible as he can dribble, pass and finish, and that's just generally speaking. He does need to work on his defensive game though. He was named Young Player of the Month in Portugal twice since Barça signed him. He's WhoScored's 10th best rated player in Portugal this season, and that's on only 7 starts, so for now he'd be a great option on the bench. This season he has 6 goals and 3 assists in just 763 league minutes and 1 goal and 2 assists in just 301 Europa League minutes.

Everton: I needed a player to play wide left and I thought he was very good value where I grabbed him. A strong dribbler, one of the best in Brazi's Serie A and a solid enough playmaker he's also a goalscoring threat. He's posted 36 goals and 14 assists in 167 league appearances. That may not seem too impressive, but put that into context with the fact that of those appearances only 116 were starts. That's great considering he'll be a player coming off the bench for me. He's also got Copa Libertadores experience and won the Golden Boot as Brazil won the 2019 Copa America. He should be playing in Europe soon.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta: Another player who should really be playing in Europe, he won the Copa Libertadores this year with Flamengo being an important contributor. He has the most assists in Brazil this last season and was tied for 4th in key passes per match. Another versatile player who I can slot out wide left or in a central role, he's fantastic on the ball. He's also not afraid to put in a tackle and do his share of the defensive work. He'd be a really scary player had he more pace. In his five Brazilian Serie A seasons he's got 38 goals and 32 assists in 112 appearances, which on it's own is good. Factor in that he's started 90 of those matches and it's even more impressive. Again, a player I could rely on from the bench, and he's a player I was going to take someone else over instead.

Nabil Fekir: Another versatile player who can play a number of positions, he's hard to keep on the bench. He's doing really well his first season in La Liga and while Betis aren't horrible, they're not the best side in the league either. Another guy that brings a ton to the table including a shot from distance, a lot of creativity, passing, dribbling and he even contributes off the ball as well. He shows up in big matches as well as he'd done this season, scoring twice against Barça in separate matches and providing an assist in the win against Madrid. All due respect to Betis, he should be at a bigger club.

Luis Alberto: Yet another versatile player who yet again is tough to leave on the bench. He's arguably the most underrated player in the game right now when you look at what he delivers empirically and how little you ever hear of him. He's #1 in Serie A for key passes per match this season according to WhoScored. In the last three seasons for Lazio he has 19 goals and 31 assists in 86 league matches and 2 goals and 7 assists in 18 European matches. He brings a lot to the game as he can pass, put in through balls, take set pieces and even puts in some defensive work.

Julian Brandt: A player I admittedly, embarrassingly too, underrated in the past. I seriously would love for Barça to sign him. Again, another versatile player who can occupy a wide position or a CM role. Strong on the ball as a passer and also a good dribbler. He's got 37 goals and 31 assists in 189 Bundesliga appearances, of which only 121 of those were starts. Oh, and like Werner, he's still really young at only 23 years old.

Christopher Nkunku: Can't believe PSG let this kid go. Once again, another very versatile player who can play as a CM or AM, but also has the skills to play out wide. He's a strong dribbler who is also a playmaker, though some of his assists are down to the goalscorers more than him. He really seems to like to score incredible goals too. 4 goals and 12 assists this sesaon in only 23 Bundesliga appearances of which only 15 were starts, so clearly a player I could rely on from the bench. And those 12 assists put him 3rd in the Bundesliga this season while he is 1st in key passes per match.

Fabian Ruiz: Another player I'm a bit embarrassed I didn't think would hit the heights he has. No wonder the big clubs are after him. Another really versatile player who brings a ton to the table. He's got vision, a strong passer, can dribble, can score inside our outside the box and puts in the defensive work. I've said it for over a year now, I think we're seeing a generational shift and Ruiz is one of the players who is a top midfielder at the moment. He's put up strong numbers with both Napoli and Betis since becoming a starter. Would love him at Barça but they should have signed him long ago when they were first interested.

Sandro Tonali: The "next Pirlo" isn't the way I see him. Sure he can play the ball from deep-lying positions, but the kid is a bit of bull too. I think it's hard to entirely appreciate his talent while he's playing at Brescia, but it's there if you watch him play. At times he's seemingly carried them on his back from what I've seen/read. His 5 assists in his rookie Serie A season this year is an impressive stat too. His passing numbers don't look so great, but in the context of who he plays with and the type of passes he goes for it shouldn't be a surprise. On this team with Werner and Haaland he'd be great to have.

Thiago Silva: From what I can tell he still has it to give me another season or two. I know his plan is to leave PSG and where he lands might not help how he's viewed post PSG, but I think he'd be great for my team. He brings a ton of experience as the best CB of his generation to my younger back line and he's also going to be my side's captain. While physically he won't get better, he can still read the game well and play the ball from the back.

Lisandro Martinez: My one left-footed CB, I think I took him earlier than I needed to. Still very happy to have him. Versatile in that he can play as a CB in two or three man back line or in midfield. Excellent on the ball for a CB, he's also pretty aggressive defensively for his size. Speaking of his size, he's not too bad in the air for his size either. He's settled in really well at Ajax, especially considering he's played in more than one position. I think he'll be at a bigger club before too long.

Jean-Clair Todibo: So happy to snag him again this year. I'm even more happy that his loan to Schalke went well, he was even named the team's player of the month despite only really playing in one full month's worth of matches, and that he'll possibly be returning to Barça. I consider him one of the best young CBs out there and one of the top 3 best young French CBs. He's got size and pace and is a strong tackler. He's also excellent on the ball for a CB. When you consider how his last year and more has gone, to seamlessly step in at Schalke was great to see. I don't know how I can justify not starting him over say Martinez. Oh, and he's another option at DM.

Felipe: A CB who is poised for a move to a bigger club, he's definitely shown growth in the last three seasons he's been in Serie A. He gives me more pace at the back and is another solid tackler. Again though, a CB who has composure on the ball and who can play it out of the back. He's also pretty strong in the air. He's a staring CB for the best defense in all of Serie A too.

Emerson: He's having a helluva first full season with Betis. He has as many assists as Carvajal in about as many minutes in a notably worse side. Oh, and he's got more goals too. He's got some good pace and is a good attacking wingback. He's pretty well-rounded though too as he's solid in defense. Pretty easy to see why Barça signed him on the cheap and why they're rumored to be looking at bringing him in from his loan early.

Nuno Tavares: I specifically picked Tavares as he can play as a LB or RB. He's been off to a storming start with Benfica this season. He's got 1 goal, a screamer, and 2 assists in just 3 league matches so far. He's looks like a really good passer from what I've seen, the sort of fullback/wingback who can dictate play a bit. He also looks pretty solid defensively and he's averaging 3 tackles a match in the league thus far.

Owen Wijndal: One of the important young players that have propelled AZ to 2nd in the Eredivisie this season. He's another wingback who can get forward. He's a good crosser and passer and has 6 assists in the league this season. He can also make overlapping runs or get on the end of a break Defensively he's put up some strong stats with 2 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per match in the league and 2.4 tackles and 1.4 interceptions in the Europa League. Speaking of the Europa League, his 8 matches this season, all starts, are good experience for him going forward.

Andre Onana: A solid shot stopper with good relexes, I really wanted Onana for his ability on the ball. He'll be able to start breakaways for the team with his ability to throw the ball. He's also pretty comfortable on the ball in possession too. He's got a ton of experience for his age, including plenty of European experience, and he seems really hungry to prove himself. One of the best younger GKs out there now.

Alphonse Areala: Still relatively young as a GK, he's got plenty of experience as a backup. He'll be a good player to have as competition for Onana. A guy who has stopped his share of penalty kicks in his career, I think he's a good shot stopper as well.

OVERALL

I don't think this team is perfect, but I'd say it's easily one of the best in this draft when it comes to goals and assists. There are a lot of goals available throughout the midfield and attack and the creativity is through the roof. Defensively I think it's solid, but the fullbacks/wingbacks could be stronger and I could use more depth at that position. I could also use some defensive midfield depth as well. That said I have a very deep bench with guys who could be starters on a few of the other teams. Most important though, I have the players who can play the way I set the team up.

From a picks perspective, I have few regrets. Fekir, Alberto, Nkunku, Everton and de Arrascaeta are all to a degree luxuries I didn't need, but when I look at the available players at those spots I don't regret them. Perhaps I could have used them more as trade bait in terms of Fekir and Alberto, but hard to make trades in part of people don't properly value what you have.

With regards to trades, I don't know how many I did. The Haaland trade I would do 100 times out of 100. I was literally going to take he and Werner and was gutted when he went. I think I traded up to get either Brandt himself or the pick and I'm very happy with that.

Looking to the future I think I have a lot to look forward to with the team. I have a lot of very good looking players who are 25 or less and a real spine to the team that could be really fantastic.

SJSharks39:

Neymar-Aguero-Coman
Isco-Saul
Busquets
Tagliafico-Alaba-Konate-Cancelo
Donnarumma
Bench: A. Lopez, Grimaldo, Maguire, Romagnoli, Atal, Jorginho, Ander Herrera, Cherki, Stengs, Jovic, Cavani​

Aguero
Neymar-Isco-Coman
Saul-Busquets
Tagliafico-Alaba-Konate-Cancelo
Donnarumma​

While I chose a 4-2-3-1, this is a very flexible formation. Neymar and Coman will be more central with the fullbacks providing a majority of the width. This will take some of the playmaking load off of Isco and split it between Neymar, Coman, and Isco. In possession, Busquets will drop back between the two CBs and the fullbacks will push forward. This will turn my team into almost a 3-1-5-1. My biggest concern is the creativity in the middle, without sacrificing defensive stability. That's why I took Saul/Busquets who are two of the best holding mids in the game. This allows me to use the tactics mentioned above.

Jovic-Cavani
Cherki-Jorginho-Ander Herrera-Stengs
Grimaldo-Maguire-Romagnoli-Atal
Lopes​

This is just a filler formation for my bench. My bench offers depth and options. The deepest positions on my team are RW and ST. At RW, we have Coman, Stengs, Isco, Atal, and Cancelo who can play there and at ST, we got Aguero, Cavani, and Jokic who all offer different skill sets up top. At LW, we aren't very deep with only Neymar as a natural LWer, but Coman can slide over or Grimaldo has the ability to cover. While our team isn't young, we believe that every player on this team will be in their prime for at least 2-3 more years. Outside of Cavani, Aguero, and Busquets, every player should be at the top of their game for the next 5-7 years. This team has so many different options and looks that the idea is to almost pick and play for the opposition. We have the ability to become a bunker team, a counter team, and a possession team.

Duchene2MacKinnon

Firmino
Insigne-de Bruyne-Lo Celso
T. Partey-Rodri
Lodi- Varane-I. Martinez-Dest
ter Stegen
Bench: Cilissen, Perez, E. Garcia, Gaspar, E. Palacios, Fernandindo, Sarabia, Asensio, Chukwueze, Torres, Icardi​

Football Formation Creator - Make Your Team and Share Tactics


I went with the 4-5-1 or more like 4-2-3-1. It's the trending formation right now. A lot of teams and coaches are using it. When drafting my players this was always the plan. The wingers aren't the best for me. Didn't think so many of my picks would be taken so early. But i made do without them. I also picked full backs that will help in the attack rather than more well rounded considering I felt I needed more offence out wide. Other than that I think my team is pretty good. I have players who will press all up the field and players who are great in possession. Not many teams will have the ball more than us.

Keepers
MAtS is the perfect goalie for me. Elite in everything you want out of a keeper in the modern age. Passes the ball and creates plays it's like having an extra defender/midfielder. He's that good on the ball. This not mentioning how elite he is in shot blocking. His leadership qualities and mentality. He would be one of the captains and leaders on the team that would marshal his defence and won't stand for nonsense.

Cillessen is his back up, the pairing know each other well. He can come in at a moments notice and provide super keeping for the team. Now he doesn't have MAtS' elite passing but no one does. You cant find a better back up than Cillessen good teammate and can come in and bail his #1 out. Love him wish he never left barca.

Defenders
Lodi as I said I picked him for his offensive abilities. He wasn't my first or 2nd choice but honestly thinking about it he was probably the right player for me from the get go. Considering his offence and crossing ability. Teams will have trouble when both he and Icardi are on the pitch. I expect loads of assist from him while Icardi finishes his crosses. His defence needs work but make no mistake he's not a liability. He plays nuder Simeone so, that can never be a thing. Expect his defence to improve without sacrificing much offence. Anyway glad I picked him up, he's going to be a menace soon.

Varane among the very best in his positions. Elite player the only knock is that he has the ability to be the absolute best basically a VVD. If that's the only "problem" well then sign me up. The kid is well decorated a real and proven winner. He will continue to win and provide excellent football for his teams. On the ball he's no slouch, he has pace, intelligence,he provides the calm to the chaos of Ramos. Rarely out of position or in need to make a bad tackle, rarely loses his head and that is something that shouldn't be glossed over.

Inigo Martinez again a player I didn't plan on picking. He's not a sexy pick by any means. However, he's solid at the back and is a no-nonsense player who provides an honest shift every week. Also a leader on a team, you know what you're getting out of him every game. Solid and dependable, coming off another good year at Bilbao. More of the same will be required for a year or 2.

Dest I took this kid earlier than I wanted to but I lost out on a few players earlier I was determined to get this gem. I think considering the hype on other players he gets unnoticed. Pretty weird given that he's murican...sadly. but with his talent he might as well be from Rosario. He's still very raw but his talent cant be questioned. Going forward he's a treat to watch while teams focus and key in on Lodi I expect Dest to burn them from the other side. The sky is the limit for this kid. Hoping he rounds out his game and gives me better balance but that should come with age.

Gaspar I wanted Caesar who would've been an ideal caretaker for Dest but I settled for Gaspar. ONE PICK away thanks @Vasilevskiy. Still Gaspar is dependable and the right age so, I cant complain too much. That's all Dest needs really. Someone to fall back on while he irons out his game.

Garcia another young player with loads and loads of potential. He should be 3rd choice for city and with Laporte injuries he should have started way more games over the like of Otamendi lol. I expect him to have a great career. He's very young though so, he needs to be properly insulated on the team. Luckily I have many players to do just that. One for the near future but also can come in and provide good footy now in a pinch.

Perez this guy I'm high on. I obviously wanted Lisandro but he went way higher than I thought he would. Still Perez having already been nabbed by Simeone. I think he would know who to look for regarding young CBs this kid is going to be a star. I have no worries about him. He has good height, pretty quick, solid in possession, a high IQ who can lead the line. He's already captain his youth teams and I expect him to be a back bone for me in a couple of season. While also being a leader, he has that Simeone mentality. I cant get enough of apparently.

Midfielders
Fernandinho he's on the wrong side of 30 but I really only need him for a season or 2 max. Why I picked him was to usher these young guys and come in to lend a hand in a jam. He can play multiple positions pretty well. He's dependable on the ball which is how I want to play but he's also good at defending. Perfect mentor to Rodri who he knows well playing with city. He also expect him to be my eyes and ears on the pitch with Perez and Garcia. Basically a coach on the field. I don't usually like Braslians but Fernandinho is a proven player with the right mentality and footballing IQ that is invaluable.

Partey this guy is a workhorse, a ball hound. When other teams mange to get the ball I expect him to nic plays before they begin to formulate and steal the ball back quick to relay it to his more offensively capable teammates. Mind you he's not bad in possession but I don't want him being the ball carrier when you have others who's job is just that. He also is a player with that previously mentioned mentality. Not many players work harder without the ball than guy, he is invaluable to the way I want to play. Love stealing him sooo late too. It was icing on the top.

Rodri I wanted this player sooo bad I traded for him and was contemplating taking him where I took MAtS. He is just too vital to the way I wanted to set up my team. luckily it worked out for me I manage to get them in the same round. An absolute treat to watch, so aesthetically pleasing this player is. Biscuits 2.0. His passing is elite, IQ is off the charts, press resistant. He can even provide goals and creativity. Where as Partey is chaos Rodri is the calm. One is the other half of the other, they compliment each other so well I expect them to have instant chemistry and will be lennon and mccartney on the pitch. Partey steals the ball for me and Rodri make sure it's in safe hands.

Palacios I almost forget it include him in my write up... almost. This kid has a boat load of talent and potential but its to just potential he's already playing great footy in europe very early and minutes have been scarce given injuries and suspensions but its clearly there. He works incredibly hard to win the ball an engine. Basically a replacement for party but I think he will be better than Partey given how good he is going forward. He can provide a lot more offence and passing is better too. He can be elite I mean it was not by accident that Madrid wanted him and were a step away from buying him before his injury. I expect him to break out very soon.

Insigne I originally wanted other players in his position but they were taken way ahead for my liking. I "settled" with Insigne this player is tricky, fast, creative and pleasing to watch. I think he's highly underrated on here to be honest. He's very good in attack which is what I need from a LW. Happy to have him on board.

KDB the crown jewel in attack. No play will be formulate without him putting his honey on it. The guy is the straw the stirs the drink in offence. He is my engine and main creator. Absolutely elite player on the ball who is no stranger to putting in an honest shift. Works very hard and it pays off more often than not. He's one of favourite players to watch. When he creates his magic even the other team appreciates it. He will link the attack with the midfield connecting with pretty much all 10 other players. Cant ask for a better talisman.

Lo Celso one of the hardest picks I had to make the others relatively easy. Especially the beginning ones were no brainers. This one I didn't want to be a homer but considering the lack of good options out wide at the point I think I made a good decision. He would be better centrally but with KDB that won't happen unless rotations and injuries. Still he should give me a lot from the right side. For one thing he is very honest won't be lazy in defence, he will track back and win the ball for me in the midfield. Off the ball I cant ask for more from him especially given his talents on the ball. You would think he would be lazy or not caring in defence but nope Lo Celso is very dependable. While going forward he's extremely creative and flashy. Just oozes flair with substance too boot. I expect him to create a lot for his teammates and link up well with KDB and Bobby as well as Icardi to a lesser extent. He also can provide goals for me in bunches. The higher up the pitch I need him to go the more goals he will give me. Just look at how he played for Betis. He did everything for them. Played in multiple position very well and that's what I need from him. Happy to select him even though I could've gotten him later.

Fernan Torres young startlet just breaking out right now. He is coming off his best year and has become a staple to Valencia this year I expect him to progress more and more. Even though Major teams like Barca and city are after him another year will do him well. I wanted Oyer first but this guy can be as good as the la real man. Fast, creative and full of tricks. He will be a menace on the right side soon along with Dest. He can also play in a few positions so, that adds to his already insane value. Another player I was happy to get so late.

Samuel Chukwueze another player in La liga who is experiencing a break through year. He is stupid fast and can score goals and goals. A guy that can start for me now easily but has to settle for a bench position now and be that super sub one of the first choices off the bench (for now) when I need a goal or to stretch the oppositions defence. He can also play numerous positions So, minutes wont be a problem for this gem. Stoked to get him so late too. He will only get better as he matures, he too is very young.

Asensio another player who has to settle for the bench but can easily start. He can play 3 or even 4 positions so he won't mind not starting every game. A player with insane talent, a knack for scoring golazos but make no mistake he can provide more than just an odd goal from the outside. He can create for his teammates, score and press. Not to mention his passing that is integral in recycling the ball in the midfield. I can start him outride but I prefer him centrally.

Sarabia yet another player I had no plan on taking but fell on my lap this guy is a year removed from killing it in Sevilla and making his big money move to PSG. He got lost in the shuffle at PSG but here he will be valued for his goal scoring abilities as well as his assist that he will provide. Another player that can play across the forward line, very versatile and in that his real value to my team. A steal considering where I took him.

Forwards
Firmino this guy is basically two players without amount of work he provides for me, he just never stops on the ball or off the ball this guy is everywhere. He can create goals for his supporting cast or finish them off. He might not be the most lethal striker up front but with everything else he does that is hardly a problem for me. Flair and creativity that synonymous with Brasliain football. Luckily he doesn't have any of that Brazilian partying disease off the pitch. Another player that can play exactly how want this team to play. Hard working on and off the ball while playing sweet passing footy.

Icardi the only real diva on my team, the only player I can say that doesn't have the mentality of a winner or hard work that makes much of my team but what he lacks in hard work or drive he makes up for it in goals and that's pretty much all i want from him. GOALS GOALS AND GOALS. With Lodi crossing to him I expect just that. Hopefully he can keep him private life private and I will bear him.


I couldn't figure out how to embedded my team sheet into a pic. So, I just put the link up top.

YNWA14

Memphis-Mbappe
Muller
B. Guimaraes-Thiago
Witsel
Robertson-P. Torres-Rudiger-R. Pereira
Alisson
Bench: Meret, K. Tierney, B. Kamara, Tomori, Foden, Ihattaren, Goretzka, Havertz, Bale, Thuram​

The front 3 will be an absolute nightmare for any team to face. Mbappe doesn't need much introduction but he absolutely destroys with his speed and ability to control the ball at speed, not to mention his clinical finishing (most productive player on the planet on a per minute basis atm). Memphis can be equal parts creator and scorer and operates in a free attacking role which suits him best. Muller slots in behind those two to make best use of his intelligence on the field, and put him in the role that has seen him recapture his previous success with Bayern this season; he doesn't need much time on the ball but his off the ball movement and use of space is top notch while his contributions in the final third are about as consistent as it gets.

The midfield was shifted slightly to protect the defence a little more as it lacks a star, but with Guimaraes and Witsel especially they'll get all the cover they need. I absolutely love Guimaraes...he has it all, he's a deep lying defensive midfielder that only looks forward upon getting the ball, he's energetic, skilled, has great vision and has great tenacity. Witsel is a lot more calm these days and will operate as more of a half-back dropping deep to allow the two centrebacks to fan out wider a bit and control possession, and in Torres' case, make use of their on the ball abilities. Thiago meanwhile is just incredible with the ball and can link up amazingly with Muller and Mbappe especially. His defensive contribution is no joke either making this a very difficult midfield to play through while each member is also very comfortable with the ball and pretty creative to boot.

I think I have the best fullback pairing by a decent margin, as Robertson definitely has a claim for being the best leftback in the business at the moment, while Pereira is right up there with any rightback. They also have the industry and the offensive capabilities to contribute at every phase of the game. Torres is a monster in the making, and his relative inexperience being the only concern on my part, but his speed, height, defensive awareness as well as on the ball ability are all top notch. Rudiger isn't my favourite CB but I know Chelsea fans have been very happy with him and he is a German international; he's a very solid player.

Don't really need to say much about Alisson I imagine. Has a claim on being the best keeper in the world right now, but at the very least top 3. He can do it all; he's a great shot stopper, he commands his area well, and he has incredible distribution (I see you Kylian).

The Bench

Gareth Bale and Marcus Thuram provide great cover for Mbappe and Memphis. Bale is one of the more underappreciated stars of the last decade but he's a World Class player and has played in that free attacking role up front for Wales and continues to look fantastic for his country despite the issues with Real Madrid -- he's also a proven big game player that can come off the bench when needed. Thuram is a really surprising player to watch because his movement, speed and shiftyness aren't typically seen in someone with his size and build but he works really well up front or out wide if needed and he's proving he can produce at the top level, he's still young and getting better and can provide a bit of a different element up front when needed.

Kai Havertz very easily could fit into the starting XI where Muller is, but I think the experience and current level of Muller just edges him. By the next season I'm sure he'd be there as he's a top notch talent with incredible vision and an eye for goal to boot. He'll only get better and while this season has been a bit down for him he'd hit an upswing right before COVID-19 took over. Only last season he scored 17 goals from midfield (mostly) as a 19 year old. Top, top talent.

Phil Foden and Mohamed Ihattaren are two of the very best talents out there u20 in the world and both of them are incredibly versatile from being able to play in midfield up across the attack. Leon Goretzka is still young in his own right and has proven himself as a very solid contributor from midfield where he can play a defensive, box to box or attacking role as necessary.

Kieran Tierney, despite his injury issues, is a top end fullback and can provide adequate cover for the elite Robertson and Pereira. If he's healthy he could end up reaching a similar level to those two. Boubacar Kamara is an amazing defensive talent, and personally I think he's already better than Rudiger but he's lacking in exposure and experience two things that are essential for defenders especially for top teams which is why he starts on the bench, still, he's one of the best defensive youngsters out there and I would take him over most other u21 defenders (de Ligt included). He's also very versatile and can play fullback or defensive mid, too. Fikayo Tomori should choose Canada where he can link up with Davies and David because he has the ability to really make an impact from the back; I've heard he's Chelsea's fastest player or something like that and he's really impressed every time I've seen him in the PL so far while earning rave reviews the last two years for his performances. As he gains experience I expect he could easily fight for a starting spot but right now he deputizes and also provides more cover on the flanks.

Alex Meret could honestly start for most teams as he's a very gifted young keeper. Sadly here he's behind Alisson, but I would have no qualms whatsoever about him stepping in as needed.

Let's get it.

Venkman

Kane
Son-Griezmann-O. Dembele
Kroos-Casemiro
Gaya-van Dijk-Hummels-Wan Bissaka
Handanovic
Bench: Maignan, Halstenberg, Ake, Demiral, Mukiele, Kovacic, Ndidi, Vinicius Jr., Eriksen, Chiesa, Ben Yedder​

Kane
Son Griezmann Dembele
Kroos Casemiro
Gaya van Dijk Hummels Wan-Bissaka
Handanovic
​

I’m lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, mostly to get the best out of Griezmann, my most talented player. For Atletico and France he was at his best playing centrally, often with a strike partner. Allowing him to find space between the opposition defence and midfield to drag defenders out of position and to create opportunities. He’s also capable of scoring like a 9. So at times the formation may look more like a 4-4-2. Kane’s goal scoring record speaks for itself and his link up play is very good. He and Griezmann have the potential to become a great partnership.

Both my wingers are 2 footed, which is rare, quick and can dribble. With Son a big goal threat from wide. Dembele is one of the best dribblers at speed in the game and will be encouraged to run at the defence regularly. Both will push their opposing full backs deeper. Their pace will give us the chance to counter quickly when needed.

My midfield partnership plays together at their club which will help. Kroos is my deep playmaker, his excellent passing range will control possession and find my wide players and forwards making runs. Casemiro is one of the best DM’s in the world, capable of shutting down the best attackers.

In defence I have the best CB in the world. Allowing us to play a high defensive line to suffocate the opposing teams in their own half. Both my CB’s are elite with the ball. van Dijk’s pace will make up for Hummels lack of it. Wan-Bissaka’s pace and elite tackling ability will also help. At LB Gaya may push further forward due to his better attacking capabilities but Wan-Bissaka is improving in that area while being one of the best defensive full-backs around.

Handanovic is still an excellent and underrated GK as shown by his form for Inter this season and years previous. Overall I really like the spine of my team. There’s potential for a lot of goals with pace and dribbling ability down the sides.

Ben Yedder
Vinicius Jr. Eriksen Chiesa
Kovacic Ndidi
Halstenberg Ake Demiral Mukiele
Maignan
​

Ben Yedder is a great finisher providing a big goal threat from the bench. He’s also a pacy, agile striker to come on against tired defenders.

Eriksen is a great creative player to have on the bench, usually good enough to start for most teams. He could fit in behind Kane and Griezmann if necessary.

Vinicius Jr. is only 19 and still has good potential, another quick dribbler on the wing. Chiesa is 22 and has played nearly 125 games in Serie A. A quality attacker already with room to improve, he can play through the middle or wide.

Kovacic brings mobility and quality on the ball to my midfield and could start in a 3 with Kroos and Casemiro if necessary. Ndidi is only 23 and one of the best DM’s in the world already with Kante like defensive stats.

In defence I have Demiral who has been impressive for Juventus and Turkey. A tall, brave defender with very good potential. I picked Ake because I wanted a left footed CB, he’s quick, good on the ball and still decent in the air for his size. He could partner any of my other CB’s. At LB I have Halstenberg who has good size for a full back but still capable going forward. Mukiele has the same profile, can play RB or CB and has the potential to improve.

Maignan has had another good year after being voted Ligue 1’s best goalkeeper last season. A calm and composed presence with shot stopping, ball playing and penalty saving ability.

Overall I have a balanced squad with quality and cover in each position with the versatility to play different formations if necessary.

Wee Baby Seamus

Mane-L. Martinez-Di Maria
Pogba-Koke
Rabiot
Alba-Umtiti-R. Dias-R. James
Oblak
Bench: Lunin, Digne, Klostermann, Milenkovic, Gueye, Modric, Zaniolo, Lemar, Neres, M. Dembele (FWD), Abraham​

View attachment 342598

Alright here's the team, not gonna do a super detailed write-up.

FW:
Martinez
Dembele
Abraham

W:
Mane
Di Maria
Lemar
Neres

MF:
Pogba
Koke
Rabiot
Modric
Zaniolo
Gueye (he's a RB on the chart just because of space)

DF:
Alba
Umtiti
Dias
Klostermann
Milenkovic
Digne
James

GK:
Oblak
Lunin

Mane playing as an inside forward, Martinez leading the line, and Di Maria as a wide playmaker. Pogba surging forward from midfield, Koke drifting wide to whip balls in, and Rabiot anchoring. James and Alba both providing width as Mane and ADM cut inside, Umtiti and Dias can both move the ball well. Oblak's the best keeper in the world.

Coming off the bench, both Dembele and Abraham could very viably be starting strikers in some squads. Lemar has been hurt at Atletico, but I know he still has a lot of capability, and Neres showed last year for Ajax what he's capable of. Modric still has gas in the tank, and Zaniolo is one of the best young #10s in the game right now. Depending on the opposition, Idrissa Gueye might start over Rabiot. Klostermann and Milenkovic can both fill in at both CB and RB, and Lucas Digne would start on most people's squads. Lunin is a young GK who will hopefully not be ruined by Real.

Live in the Now

Messi
Oyarzabal-J. Felix-B. Silva
de Jong-Ndombele
Alex Sandro-de Vrij-J. Gomez-S. Roberto
Navas
Bench: Lloris, Castagne, Tah, J. Boateng, Guendouzi, A. Vidal, Oxlade Chamberlain, Kulusevski, T. Hazard, R. Jimenez, Lacazette​

View attachment 342613


As far as a draft like this goes, picking first can be both a blessing and a curse. Ultimately in every round other than the first, I found myself left at the mercy of everyone else, hoping they wouldn't take the players I wanted. Obviously what I have here are some very technically skilled players. That obviously was the point. In choosing to keep Messi and keep that first pick, it turned out that everyone took the strikers I would take by the time the second round was over. So, in that case, it's good that Messi is so prolific. I would take him and use him as a false nine. Can central defenders follow him around the field? Well, obviously not and there's years upon years of proof of that.

Joao Felix hasn't had the best season, but I remember how dominant he was in the season before that, and I also remember the last two games of the Nations League that he was dominant in against good teams. Ultimately he's 20 years old and playing in a new league for the first time. Bernardo Silva and Oyarzabal are proven, I don't really have much to say about them. That makes four players who I would rate among the best dribblers in the world. My two midfielders are in the same category. Do you notice a trend here? The primary defensive tactic in football these days is to provide pressure. I wanted to pick players who either could dribble out of that pressure or pass their way out of it. My two CB's are very good passers, and my fullbacks are strong going forward. This team should be able to control the game and force the other team to chase them around.

As far as the keeper goes, I took what was left. He's had a better season than the last few, that's for sure.

When it comes to the bench, I think everyone can admit that you really don't want those guys to play. I took some players with experience, players I thought should have already been taken. In the case of Jimenez and Lacazette I wanted to take players who I could use if slotting Messi into that #10 role. I only took one backup fullback because Castagne plays both sides. I'm pretty happy with my team.


Bench: Lloris, Castagne, Tah, J. Boateng, Guendouzi, Vidal, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kulusevski, T. Hazard, Jimenez, Lacazette

Vasilevskiy

Dybala
Coutinho-Odegaard-Sancho
Valverde-Pjanic
Chilwell-Marquinhos-Soyuncu-Cavajal
Courtouis
Bench: Kepa, Angelino, Manolas, Kimpembe, Azpilicueta, Keita, McTominay, Maddison, Ansu Fati, Adama Traore, Martial​

Posted it on the wrong thread. oops.

View attachment 342655

My main lineup will be a 4-2-3-1 with Odegaard dropping a bit from the 10 spot and being the main playmaker.
On net we have a very solid keeper in Courtouis, great shot stopper and good enough as a distributor.
Chilwell and Carvajal are solid offensively and defensively, in fact Carvajal is a top 5 player in his position.
Marquinhos is a great defender and he will be relied to organize play from the back, he also could play as a DMC if needed. Soyuncu will be a great complimentary CB to the brazilian and he's getting better. I'm happy with my back line to be honest.

The two guys acting as pivots in my team will be Valverde and Pjanic. The uruguayan has become a key player on Madrid this year playing on that position and has the toolbox to go into the attack if needed as a second line. Pjanic is a very good playmaker himself and he will be relied to stabilize the team and trusted to send balls into the wingers.
Odegaard will be the main linkup to the attack, he's a great dibbler and playmaker and he linking with Sancho and Dybala could be deadly.
Coutinho will play mainly on LW but he could go centrally to support Odegaard when needed.
Sancho main role will be on the RW but just like Dybala they will be given freedom to move around the attack as they see fit.
Dybala will be our 9.

An alternative formation could be a 3-5-2 as we have strong midfielders on the bench in Naby Keita and McTominay and three good bench CBs (one being also a RB in Azpilicueta)

View attachment 342654

Kepa was overhyped but he is more than capable to fill the back-up spot.
Angeliño is trending up and I think he's a player with a similar profile to Grimaldo, this kid can become really really good. Manolas and Kimpembe are established CBs and Azpilicueta is one of the most solid defenders of the last decade.

McTominay is improving and looks to be a late bloomer and Keita has loads of potential, both of them could easily fill Pjanic's spot in the near future.
Maddison is a player I like a lot and with a very similar profile to Odegaard so he would fit his shoes easily in case of injury or whatever.
Adama Traore would be one of my aces off the bench in some games and Ansu Fati has been quite impressive for Barcelona as a 17 year old.
Martial is a solid option off the bench though I admit I could have used an Icardi type too but somehow I missed those guys, he still provides good enough goalscoring.


Quite happy with my whole squad and think it can take it up to any team.

Robertmac43

E. Hazard-Suarez-Gnabry
Tielemens-Milinkovic Savic
Neves
Davies-S. Ramos-Koulibaly-Walker
Leno
Bench: Immobile, Tolisso, Mount, Reguilon, Henderson, Saliba, Pereira, Sarr, Henderson, Montiel, Jota, Dunk​

Having trouble uploading the photo for some reason, I'll try that again in the morning. I may also edit in some more individual players stuff tomorrow.

Main formation 4-3-3:

Hazard-Suarez-Gnabry
Tielemens-Savic
Neves
Davies-Ramos-Koulibaly-Walker
Leno

Bench/Reserves: Immobile, Tolisso, Mount, Reguilon, Henderson, Saliba, Pereira, Sarr, Henderson, Montiel, Jota, Dunk

In the attack we will hope to drive possession and breakthrough backlines with quick passing moves.
On the defensive end the team will try and contain the other team and will not look to press to hard. Once re-capturing possession we will want turn to the attack quick, going through Savic and Neves to turn play with passes.

I like the 4-3-3 because it gives more coverage through the center of the pitch and also gives more room for Hazard-Suarez-Gnabry up front. The front 3 will not lack for goals and all of them are solid in terms of link up play. Gnabry and Hazard will both have the freedom to cut inside and play off Suarez. Down the left Davies will push up looking to add another option in the attack, he can overlap with Hazard or take on more space on the wing if Hazard drifts central. The midfield will look to transition the ball quick with Savic being the main option His size and poise on the ball makes him a great target in the mid-field that can then play balls into the final third. Neves will sure up the central line and can deliver passes up the field in possession. He will also provide coverage on the Left side when Davies breaks forward.

I also like the options I have off the bench. There is some room to change formations based on personal and situation, some depth, and some promising young talent.

Secondary formation : 4-2-2-2. Tielemens out for Immobile
Suarez-Immobile
Hazard - - - - - - - - - - - -Gnabry
Neves---Savic
Davies-Ramos-Koulibaly-Walker

Click to read more...

 

[The Abusement Park]

My vote for me was supposed to go to @Cassano...

 

[YNWA14]

Didn't vote for myself, went with Venkman, SJS and Pavel.

Definitely thought pretty highly of my team though and a little surprised at some of the ones being voted ahead of it. Ah well.

 

[Gecklund]

Didn't vote for myself, went with Venkman, SJS and Pavel.

Definitely thought pretty highly of my team though and a little surprised at some of the ones being voted ahead of it. Ah well.

You can vote for yourself if you want. That’s why I did top 3 teams so it won’t just be us voting for ourselves.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I think there's a clear top 2/3 the rest are pretty arguable and close to one another. No team stands out good or bad.

Not surprised LITN and Vas' teams are the best ones. Considering who they have as strikers. The goat and the 2nd goat.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Went with LITN, SJS, and PB.

 

[Gecklund]

My vote for me was supposed to go to @Cassano...

Just made it so you can change your vote

 

[les Habs]

So in the wrestling draft people vote for themselves and there are 3-4 rounds depending on how far you advance. I've never voted for myself. However I did here as I feel this is different. Anyway, I was looking at the teams essentially in terms of how I think they'd stand up today and how I think they'd be set up for the future. In no particular order:

• @Live in the Now 's team is really stacked. Like I said, I think he needs to switch up his formation a bit, but he's got Messi and a strong midfield and attack that he'd be do well with now and in the future. However I'd be worried about the day Messi really slows down. At that point I think he'd really be relying on Felix which I don't think is a bad thing. He's got some good looking talent for the future when you look at some of his youngest players, but proven guys like Silva, De Jong and probably Ndombele would give him a lot of mileage considering their respective ages.

• @YNWA14 This is where it got hard for me. @Cassano @SJSharks39 and @Venkman were all under consideration. I could come up with arguments about right now for all the sides and if I went that route I could see @SJSharks39 take it. However when I thought about further down the road it came down to @Cassano and @YNWA14 . @Cassano has a starting defense that looks like he could rely on it for near a decade. Then he's got Arthur, Jesus, Hudson-Odoi and Richarlison. I could see all 8 of those players being good to great depending on who you're looking at. That said I'd say that half of them still have some proving to do. Then you have @YNWA14 who has Mbappe' and Havertz. He has more talent he'd likely be able to rely on in the future, but those are two likely generational talents there. Even if Havertz doesn't pan out as "elite", I think he'll be very good at worst. Mbappe' though is already there and both can compete right now. So @YNWA14 took it for me there even though I'm not sold on him being better in the moment than the other guys, but they're all close.

• Which of course leaves me with my team. I won't say much as I've said enough already. I think my attack would be fantastic and that my midfield and attackers are an excellent unit together that works really well as I've laid it out. Obviously my defense needs some proving though, and of course some depth, but I think it stacks up to most here in terms of starting defense right now. I like my team for the future though too as I think I have a lot of young/younger guys who are/can contribute now. Haaland for me is "elite" looking and he could score 400 goals over the course of his career. Werner, Fabian, Brandt and Onana are all 24 years old or younger and all have had pretty incredible careers already. Then I've got some other younger guys who look like they could be quite good.

 

[les Habs]

BTW @SJSharks39 that little midfield change made it even tougher not to give you my vote. I think in a real World setting that would give your side better balance and probably unlock Saul a bit.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I voted for @Venkman, @SJSharks39 and @Wee Baby Seamus.

Venkman was an easy choice. Not much to pick apart about his team. Very good all-around the pitch.

SJSharks has a good team. My only concerns are the defense centrally. I don’t like Alaba at CB, and I don’t think Donnarumma is a top keeper yet.

I was between WBS and Duchene2MacKinnon for the last spot. It’s the Argentine RW’s and right sides of the defense that I like least on both teams, but I think WBS has a better attack.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Damn Martinez getting really underrated here. GLC too. Definitely dont think hes the worst CB drafted who starts nor is my team at the bottom. Middle of the pack for sure

 

[Venkman]

Went with @Live in the Now, @SJSharks39 and @Pavel Buchnevich. @Cassano very close too.

 

[Venkman]

@YNWA14 close too. Hard to decide tbh.

 

[S E P H]

Voted for Venkman, LITN, and Pavel.

All the teams were extremely close except one. If I were to vote for one winner I guess it would be LITN even though he has a cancer as striker.

 

[les Habs]

@S E P H didn't vote me! Now I know my team is fantastic!

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Voted for Venkman, LITN, and Pavel.

All the teams were extremely close except one. If I were to vote for one winner I guess it would be LITN even though he has a cancer as striker.

Messi is the cancer? I guess for the opposition.

 

[S E P H]

Cancer, that was an amazing match though.

Les Habs, your team was good too. It was tough to vote.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Celebrating is cancer? oh thats a new one.

 

[S E P H]

Celebrating is cancer? oh thats a new one.

What fam? That's taunting since he did that at Bernabeu while also probably evading his taxes at the same time as well.

There is a difference in celebrating and taunting and yes he got a yellow card on that play.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

What fam? That's taunting since he did that at Bernabeu while also probably evading his taxes at the same time as well.

There is a difference in celebrating and taunting and yes he got a yellow card on that play.

He celebrated with his fans. He got a yellow for removing his shirt. Something every player would get even if they are paying respect to someone. Its an automatic yellow.

as for taxes he doesnt do his own and this is hardly a case for being a cancer.

I mean you have posted some seriously stupid things over the years but this one might just take the cake.

 

[Live in the Now]

He celebrated with his fans. He got a yellow for removing his shirt. Something every player would get even if they are paying respect to someone. Its an automatic yellow.

as for taxes he doesnt do his own and this is hardly a case for being a cancer.

I mean you have posted some seriously stupid things over the years but this one might just take the cake.

Lol dude, no way, the guy who makes millions of dollars in numerous countries every year SURELY must sit down and do all their taxes themselves.

 

[Live in the Now]

Cancer, that was an amazing match though.

Les Habs, your team was good too. It was tough to vote.

Hey dude, when was the last time Arsenal even had one player who did something important enough to rip off their shirt to celebrate it

 

[robertmac43]

Hey dude, when was the last time Arsenal even had one player who did something important enough to rip off their shirt to celebrate it

Auba with that bike kick at the dead against Olympiacos but we all know how that ended.

 

[les Habs]

The cancer donated $1 million to the effort against the coronavirus.

 

[Gecklund]

Poll closed so final standings!

1. @Pavel Buchnevich
2. @SJSharks39
3. @Live in the Now
4. @Venkman
5. @Cassano

Just going to do top 5 because past that it gets kind of weird with tie breakers. First tie breaker was how many from the draft voted for you, second was if you voted for yourself. I think the only tie in the top 5 was Pavel and me, which I voted for myself, he didn't.