Behind the Curtain draft (Eastern Europe) | 1/8 | Skizzo vs Tuppet 11:5

[Skizzo]

Wow before i voted i was expecting a close match, surprised its such a comfortable lead even though im aware it means very little.
It was very close in my mind, few players on both sides that i love and rate very highly but in the end it was Berbatov that decided the close game, i just dont rate him at this level and see him as a liability.

I won't try and persuade you (as I know how stubborn you are in your view of players ) but while he lacks the "star power" of certain names, he's proven his ability in a league that was the best in the world at the time, and scored goals while doing it. 48 in 78 or so games for Bulgaria too.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

I won't try and persuade you (as I know how stubborn you are in your view of players ) but while he lacks the "star power" of certain names, he's proven his ability in a league that was the best in the world at the time, and scored goals while doing it. 48 in 78 or so games for Bulgaria too.

Whats crazy is that i like Berba, seems like a great guy and i enjoyed watching him in both Leverkusen(that goal against Roma) and Spurs but he isnt suited for a elite level of football, not for the current elite level(as we know, Fergie rarely used him in high profile games) nor for this and you both managed to create great teams so in a tight game between two top teams i cant see him having a positive impact.

 

[Skizzo]

Whats crazy is that i like Berba, seems like a great guy and i enjoyed watching him in both Leverkusen(that goal against Roma) and Spurs but he isnt suited for a elite level of football, not for the current elite level(as we know, Fergie rarely used him in high profile games) nor for this and you both managed to create great teams so in a tight game between two top teams i cant see him having a positive impact.

Well games sure don't get any bigger than against Liverpool

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Well games sure don't get any bigger than against Liverpool

changing my vote then

 

[Enigma_87]

Missed this one, but have to echo all said sentiments - two great sides and unlucky to face each other so early.

Commiserations @Tuppet and well done @Skizzo truly brilliant sides for a first round encounter. Tuppet had an excellent front five with Deak/Bene connection (didn't know that much about Deak before this one) and Muntyan/Cik/Albert triangle in the center is as good as any side in this round.

On the other side Skizzo managed to pull a brilliant midfield with Berba leading the line who meshes up pretty well and solid Gorgon/Popluhar pair at the back.

 

[Skizzo]

Good game @Tuppet hell of an attack you had put together, think in the end it was just a bit of unfamiliarity that caused some problems.

Certainly didn't deserve a first round exit.

 

[antohan]

Yeah I get that, you also mentioned that in Draft thread as well. I am just thinking aloud here but apart from Deak no body is really old old is it ? I mean you must know about my defenders. You have selected Chivadze before and Ivanov is 94's guy. Rats, Muntyan both from 80s. May be Beara & Cajkovski ? But everybody knows about Beara. Yeah Cajkovski & Durkovic are a bit more unknown quantity I suppose. Although both have appeared in drafts before. I actually consciously did not select any one from pre-war era.
Having said that I wouldn't begrudge anyone voting for skizzo's team, its a pretty fine team.

Deak I sort of thought I could allow for/read up on. It's the respective midfield pairs that sealed it. I get Skizzo's while I don't have a clue on how yours would operate and no amount of reading up (or scant reading I could muster) was going to make up for that.

That last part always seems to be the conflict people have. Stats and stories of the great players of days gone by, versus the first hand account and endless available footage of players we saw growing up.

I've no doubt @Tuppet has quality in that team, but I don't know how some of them played or operated. (Not to say I don't have the same issue with some of my own picks) but that was the reason I started Berbatov instead of Georgescu. Known quantity over great stats.

I did try and prioritize modernish players in attack, so people can visualize the players on hand.

You get my point, yet get hurt by the flipside: I'm not sold on Berbatov adding much to your front four. I rate the other three but think you have the wrong type of striker there, while you could probably sell me Georgescu even if he were a carbon copy of Dimitar.

 

[Tuppet]

Congrats @Skizzo was a good game

 

[Skizzo]

You get my point, yet get hurt by the flipside: I'm not sold on Berbatov adding much to your front four. I rate the other three but think you have the wrong type of striker there, while you could probably sell me Georgescu even if he were a carbon copy of Dimitar.

Yeah it's a fine line, and obviously it splits opinion. A few liked him and what he offers, others don't think the style adds anything. The good and bad with "known quantities"

 

[antohan]

Good game @Tuppet hell of an attack you had put together, think in the end it was just a bit of unfamiliarity that caused some problems.

Certainly didn't deserve a first round exit.

Indeed. Albert-Bene is the most mouth-watering combo I've seen so far and would have got my vote against less compelling sides.

 

[antohan]

Yeah it's a fine line, and obviously it splits opinion. A few liked him and what he offers, others don't think the style adds anything. The good and bad with "known quantities"

I like him, would just prefer a Vieri with so much flair and technique supporting him.

 

[Enigma_87]

You get my point, yet get hurt by the flipside: I'm not sold on Berbatov adding much to your front four. I rate the other three but think you have the wrong type of striker there, while you could probably sell me Georgescu even if he were a carbon copy of Dimitar.

What I like about Berba in this one is how well he could link with Deyna/Nedved/Kanchelskis. He used to lead the line and play as a #9 from his Bayer days, while undoubtedly early Berbatov was a bit hit and miss with his finishing.

Obviously having a Shearer type of goalscorer to be at the end of those Kanchelskis crosses and finishing off chances in the box is probably the best option with abundance of creativity behind him, but Berba fits right in with the team style and would operate and communicate pretty well with the rest.

 

[Joga Bonito]

Surprised by the scoreline here and I really expected it to be closer, would have voted for Tuppet here as I really loved his forward trio behind Deak and thought he did a great job of selling Bene here.

Skizzo has a great side too and the Nedved-Deyna-Kanchelkis trio is bang on the money. That's a potential draft-winning attack right there imo.

It's the respective midfield pairs that sealed it. I get Skizzo's while I don't have a clue on how yours would operate and no amount of reading up (or scant reading I could muster) was going to make up for that.

Interesting, thought it was one of his strong-points with Cajkovski being a the heavy-lifter and Muntyan being the classy operator on the ball. There isn't much if any footage on Cajkovski unfortunately but by all accounts he was a solid defensive midfielder and Muntyan was a really excellent player imo. Was really impressive in the 1970 WC for Soviet Union and for Dynamo Kiev too.

 

[harms]

Interesting, thought it was one of his strong-points with Cajkovski being a the heavy-lifter and Muntyan being the classy operator on the ball. There isn't much if any footage on Cajkovski unfortunately but by all accounts he was a solid defensive midfielder and Muntyan was a really excellent player imo. Was really impressive in the 1970 WC for Soviet Union and for Dynamo Kiev too.

One of the few (well, two) players that Lobanovsky allowed freedom on the pitch. Magical player, golden boy of that Dynamo side

 

[Ecstatic]

I like the Skizzo team but I've voted for @Tuppet because I like his midfield.

Boniek and Deak are maybe 'underrated' for different reasons.

Congrats to both managers

 

[Raees]

Sad to see you go out Tuppet.. great side that was but it was a shocker of a draw really, you and Skizzo two of the more star studded sides tbh.

 

[Ecstatic]

Sorry I meant Boniek, all I can find is top 10 goals type stuff and I don't have time to watch full games.

Remake Draft R16 | Downcast vs Tuppet

 

[Raees]

Remake Draft R16 | Downcast vs Tuppet

Thanks mate, couldn't see any of the match compilations. Think I'm just going to have to find some full matches

 

[Ramshock]

Nobody heard of Hagi or Stoitchkov then?

 

[Ecstatic]

Nobody heard of Hagi or Stoitchkov then?

 

[harms]

Nobody heard of Hagi or Stoitchkov then?

Their names sound familiar

On a serious note (maybe you're not familiar with the draft concept), they were picked by other managers. If it was a joke, it went over my head

 

[Ramshock]

Their names sound familiar

On a serious note (maybe you're not familiar with the draft concept), they were picked by other managers. If it was a joke, it went over my head

ah fair enough, makes sense

 

[antohan]

What I like about Berba in this one is how well he could link with Deyna/Nedved/Kanchelskis. He used to lead the line and play as a #9 from his Bayer days, while undoubtedly early Berbatov was a bit hit and miss with his finishing.

Obviously having a Shearer type of goalscorer to be at the end of those Kanchelskis crosses and finishing off chances in the box is probably the best option with abundance of creativity behind him, but Berba fits right in with the team style and would operate and communicate pretty well with the rest.

Sure, he will fit right in. My point was he didn't add to the front four what it needs.