Premier League All Time Nationality Cup

[diarm]

In my boredom this morning, I decided to create some of the best 11's I reckon different nations have produced within the Premier League.

I'm going to post them here in a little tournament and I'd be interested to see who everyone thinks would come out on top. Obviously expecting these teams to be torn apart as well!

Match 1

vs

Match 2

vs

Match 3

vs

Match 4

vs

Have at it! Looking forward to seeing what other countries people can come up with as well!

 

[quethenoo]

The Dutch front 5...ooft!

 

[diarm]

The Dutch front 5...ooft!

Back 3 isn't bad either! Themselves and the French would battle out the final for me. I'd pay €1000 for a ticket to watch prime Cantona and Henry play together.

 

[duffer]

Albert Ferrer ahead of Bellerin at right back for Spain, surely.

 

[diarm]

Albert Ferrer ahead of Bellerin at right back for Spain, surely.

Completely forgot him. Great shout.

 

[Berbaclass]

Pedro Mendes over Moutinho?

 

[Josh 76]

The Spanish look the weakest out of the big teams.
Goes to show it's probably the only country where there top players stick to playing in their own country. (Barca and Real)

 

[Dumbstar]

No Germany? Klinnsman, Babbel, Reidle, Ballack, etc?

 

[quethenoo]

Back 3 isn't bad either! Themselves and the French would battle out the final for me. I'd pay €1000 for a ticket to watch prime Cantona and Henry play together.

Agree with that, England 3rd place I reckon but if they got their shit together could win it too. That is frightening and I suppose it has pace that the Dutch duo lack.

 

[Invictus]

P.S. Hierro for the Spanish lot...

Spoiler

 

[2 man midfield]

Is this players as they were in the prem, or at their peak?

 

[diarm]

P.S. Hierro for the Spanish lot...

Spoiler

That's a brilliant Ivory Coast 11 and yes, Hierro should be in ahead of Pique who was a bit of a cheat selection anyway.

 

[Red Stone]

Are the players picked based on how they performed in the PL or based on how good they were in their prime? Because if it's the latter Blanc needs to go in over Evra. I'd even consider putting Koscielny, Laporte or Leboeuf in there. As much as I love Pat, he wouldn't work in a back three, even with Vieira, Makelele and Kanté in midfield.

Either way the French team walks it for me. They can put together a bench full of players with a decent claim for a starting spot in any of the teams in the OP as well.

By the way, whoa are the best eligible players that didn't make any of the teams? Hasselbaink, Anelka, Carrick, Andy Cole, G-Nev, Campbell, Kane, Owen and Fowler come to mind.

 

[diarm]

Is this players as they were in the prem, or at their peak?

I didn't worry too much about that. If there was a call to be made between two similar players, I leant towards their Prem performance but in general, I just wanted to get the best players I could into each XI.

 

[Gio]

@diarm Post-92 or all time top tier?

 

[diarm]

@diarm Post-92 or all time top tier?

I just looked at post 92 but would love to see what you can come up with for all time.

 

[Sylar]

That's a brilliant Ivory Coast 11 and yes, Hierro should be in ahead of Pique who was a bit of a cheat selection anyway.

Especially the goalkeeper.

 

[Red Stone]

For Argentina. A lot of PL flops coming out of there. I guess I could have added Crespo, Higuain, Lamela, Lanzini and Caballero as well, but most of them sucked arse in the PL so it's hard to choose.

EDIT: Completely forgot about Coloccini. Probably put him in ahead of Demichelis.

 

[Rozay]

Argentina:

Romero

Zabaleta
Colloccini
Otamendi
Arca

Veron
Mascherano
Di Maria

Lamela
Aguero
Tevez

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

That Dutch team is very top heavy. 3 defenders 7 attackers. I guess Gullit was a total all-rounder, and certainly less attacking by the time he joined the PL, but more attack-minded at his peak.

It would be great to see that team in action.

 

[Gio]

I just looked at post 92 but would love to see what you can come up with for all time.

Only really worth it for Scotland I reckon...

 

[V.O.]

The defence is shocking, but they're still having those Italian and Irish sides on toast with that front 4.

 

[Rozay]

Only really worth it for Scotland I reckon...

How do you embed this stuff please?

 

[Rozay]

 

[diarm]

Allison
Rafael Alex Luiz Sylvinho
Silva Fernandinho
Willian Juninho Coutinho
Firmino

That Dutch team is very top heavy. 3 defenders 7 attackers. I guess Gullit was a total all-rounder, and certainly less attacking by the time he joined the PL, but more attack-minded at his peak.

It would be great to see that team in action.

You have Stam and Van Dijk at the back. You can be as top heavy as you like.

 

[Chabon]

Looking at that England midfield, and then at their opponents in the quarter finals, gave me PTSD.

 

[Rozay]

So many countries are let down by the lack of a goalkeeper.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

You have Stam and Van Dijk at the back. You can be as top heavy as you like.

True.

You could delete "and Van Dijk", and the sentence is still accurate.

 

[horsechoker]

France or Holland for me. Wasn't Gulit past his best in the PL though?

All those French players were in their prime in the PL. Only weak link is Lloris.

 

[MrMarcello]

USA

-----------------------McBride------------------------
Donovan----------Pulisic-----------Dempsey
-------------Harkes------------Cameron----------
Spector---Bocanegra---DeMerit---Yedlin
-------------------------Friedel--------------------------

Pulisic hasn't yet proved himself but other options would be Moore and Wegerle, but Pulisic is going to be better than both.

Can't embed the tactics sheet. http://sharemytactics.com/142604/

 

[Rozay]

France or Holland for me. Wasn't Gulit past his best in the PL though?

All those French players were in their prime in the PL. Only weak link is Lloris.

Gullit had at least one brilliant season in the PL I’m sure. Might have even won Player of the Year if I remember correctly.

 

[harms]

Only really worth it for Scotland I reckon...

Welsh can benefit from some older talents (although many of them barely played even a few seasons in top-flight English football)



edit: @V.O. already made one — I think this one can really benefit from adding some older talents, especially Charles brothers. Sherwood is on the wrong wing iirc, but he'll be mostly a defensive option.

 

[montpelier]

That ENG team has the same old personnel and balance problems.

I'd pretend a peak John Barnes could play wide, ask Wazza to drop off the front and 3 in MF, say Scholes Gerrard and a DM. You lot would say Carrick. I'm not sure I don't prefer Butt, Hargreaves or Scottie Parker or someone


Banjo Frank with his penalties and deflections is on the bench anyway. Unless you can persuade Stevie to play RB, bombing forward.

 

[montpelier]

Hoddle, Robson are non prime I suppose.

 

[Gio]

How do you embed this stuff please?

Aye, had to save it then re-upload it at another image hosting site.

 

[Rozay]

Aye, had to save it then re-upload it at another image hosting site.

Yea, I did something similar eventually. Thanks.

 

[Gio]

Argentina:

Crespo - Aguero - Tevez
Ardiles - Veron
Mascherano
Heinze - Otamendi - Coloccini - Zabaleta
Romero​

 

[Chipper]

Norway?

Erik Thorsvedt

Henning Berg
Brede Hangeland
Ronnie Johnsen
John Arne Riise

Oyvind Leonhardsen
Gunnar Halle
Lars Bohinen

Joshua King
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Morten Gamst Pedersen

Nobody else seems to have done them yet so why not? There was a time when they had their training camps in England because so many of them played here. Not sure on that lineup in truth. Ole leading the line in a front three when there's Carew and Flo out there who would arguably do the job better on their own, but then I couldn't think of a decent right winger/midfielder to play in a 4-4-2 so that Ole would have a partner unless we stick King out there.

Could maybe put Thomas Myrhe in net, possibly put in Claus Lundekvam or Erland Johnsen instead of Hangeland but I did like Hangeland, and perhaps Alfe Inge Haaland or Erik Bakke could win a place in midfield ahead of one of the others.

 

[Tiber]

That Dutch side is scary

 

[BlackShark_80]

England:
-----------------------Greaves------------------------
Finney------------Charlton-----------Matthews
--------------Robson----------Edwards----------
Cole-------Moore------------Terry-----Armfield
-------------------------Banks--------------------------
Subs: Shilton, Ferdinand, Wilson, Scholes, Barnes, Keegan, Lineker