Christmas Tree Draft - Group Stages - King Kendrick vs GSTQ

[Himannv]

King Kendrick's Starting XI




GSTQ's Starting XI

King Kendrick's tactics

DDG in goal, very few safer pairs of hands in the history of the game.
Koeman and Stam as the CBs, traditional stopper/ball playing combo.
Cole is the more attacking of the full backs, one of the best to ever do it. Maicon wont bomb forward as much, as his runs will more so be dependent on ball positioning.

In the midfield 5, again going for a yin and yang feel. Makelele is unfortunately injured, but Mascherano is a great replacement as the holding mid, tenacious tackler and competent recycler of the ball. He will drop back into the defense when faced with a counter, where he is more than comfortable.
An underrated aspect of KdB is his work rate, which will allow for Lamps to make his trademark late run without fear of being punished. KdB also tends to push out wide and play through the FB while dragging his marker with him, hence Cole pushing up to allow that interplay to happen.
Ballack wont push forward as much, but will pretty much partner Mascherano, both to cover for Rivera's deficiency in defensive work rate as well as to be the water carrier/DLP to get the ball into forward areas. However, if the ball is pushed out wide right, he will move forward to enter the space Rivera vacated.
Rooney up top, England's and United's record goal scorer. This version of Rooney is immediately post Ronaldo, where he was at his deadliest while still maintaining the last vestiges of his work rate.


GSTQ's tactics

Style of play - Attacking - dominate proceedings

 

[Himannv]

Good luck @King Kendrick @GodShaveTheQueen

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@King Kendrick

Despite both of us getting spanked comprehensively by @Isotope , I can say we have both built excellent teams as well. You have been a good addition to the drafting roster.

@Himannv , the draft was a really well conceived idea and I thoroughly enjoyed the drafting process. Admittedly, I did lose interest after the first round as I prefer changing formations from round to round, but that doesn't take anything away from a really good draft. Cheers.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

On my team, I have really fallen in love with Littbarski as a player. You will see me pick him almost always now. Has replaced Bonhof as my favorite German player.

Take this formation, he could be the back up for any of Nedved, Beckham, Del Piero, Socrates and still guarantee quality. What a player really, spent lots of time on YouTube watching him in my last draft. I won't say he is underrated here, but should be picked in more earlier rounds.

 

[Himannv]

@Himannv , the draft was a really well conceived idea and I thoroughly enjoyed the drafting process. Admittedly, I did lose interest after the first round as I prefer changing formations from round to round, but that doesn't take anything away from a really good draft. Cheers.

Yeah, I agree. It made sense with Christmas happening but now it's getting close to the end of January and I'm looking at too many trees.

On hindsight, I'd probably enjoy a draft with a random formation thrown at a manager every round and they'd have to fit their reasonably sized squad to it. It'd be tricky if you don't like your own formation, but it would really test your drafting skills to get players who might fit into multiple roles and make it all work.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

On hindsight, I'd probably enjoy a draft with a random formation thrown at a manager every round and they'd have to fit their reasonably sized squad to it.

That would be a draft of my dreams.

 

[Synco]

Yeah, I agree. It made sense with Christmas happening but now it's getting close to the end of January and I'm looking at too many trees.

On hindsight, I'd probably enjoy a draft with a random formation thrown at a manager every round and they'd have to fit their reasonably sized squad to it. It'd be tricky if you don't like your own formation, but it would really test your drafting skills to get players who might fit into multiple roles and make it all work.

Sounds great.

 

[Isotope]

@King Kendrick

Despite both of us getting spanked comprehensively by @Isotope , I can say we have both built excellent teams as well. You have been a good addition to the drafting roster.

@Himannv , the draft was a really well conceived idea and I thoroughly enjoyed the drafting process. Admittedly, I did lose interest after the first round as I prefer changing formations from round to round, but that doesn't take anything away from a really good draft. Cheers.

I was just really lucky, bro. Nothing inspiring about my picks.

Love that Littbarski position. I think this one is more exciting than your last one, although less of goalscorer.

 

[Physiocrat]

Yeah, I agree. It made sense with Christmas happening but now it's getting close to the end of January and I'm looking at too many trees.

On hindsight, I'd probably enjoy a draft with a random formation thrown at a manager every round and they'd have to fit their reasonably sized squad to it. It'd be tricky if you don't like your own formation, but it would really test your drafting skills to get players who might fit into multiple roles and make it all work.

That's an interesting concept. What you should do though is to give the required formations after the draw so that they can be evened out so you don't get a WM vs a 433. The former could still win but given how most of us think, the WM is almost certain to lose.

 

[Gio]

Not much to add to what was said in the previous games. Agree with Synco's take on Kendrick's team - love the defence and the set-up around Koeman. His partnership with Stam looks like an upgrade on the De Boer/Stam duo that they used well in 1998 and 2000. The spine of the team will be almost impossible to play through. That said, Drogba looks more natural as a foil for the midfield runners and it's quite busy in that 8/10 area with Lampard, Ballack, Rivera and De Bruyne.

For GSTQ Littbarski looks natural in that role and, after all, he played in a midfield 3 for West Germany in 1990. With Nedved ahead there is likely to be some tasty overloading of the flanks, while on the other side, Beckham or Kaltz to Charles is always a powerful combination.

Nice concept for a future draft @Himannv.

That's an interesting concept. What you should do though is to give the required formations after the draw so that they can be evened out so you don't get a WM vs a 433. The former could still win but given how most of us think, the WM is almost certain to lose.

Or both teams could be asked to play the same random formation.

 

[Synco]

Or both teams could be asked to play the same random formation.

Random formations for both would probably be more interesting, the same formation would certainly be fairer.

 

[Himannv]

That's an interesting concept. What you should do though is to give the required formations after the draw so that they can be evened out so you don't get a WM vs a 433. The former could still win but given how most of us think, the WM is almost certain to lose.

Is it only the WM that is thought of this way? If so only that formation could be excluded. I'd prefer if drafters can draft with the possibility that they might get that formation and try to have players who might perfectly fit that setup.

Definitely random formations for both players is a bit more fun - so I'd prefer that I think. Happy to run it but only if I find someone to help out in case I'm not around as much as I like.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

The former could still win but given how most of us think, the WM is almost certain to lose

I have won 2 draft finals with it mate. I rate that achievement higher than few of my real life achievements

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

I was just really lucky, bro. Nothing inspiring about my picks.

I would say Stoichkov/Kopa/Fontaine front 3 was inspired. The beauty of Kopa Fontaine sort of pair is, you don't even need to upgrade them even though they were not picked in the first couple of rounds. I still regret going for Socrates when Kopa was available

 

[Physiocrat]

I have won 2 draft finals with it mate. I rate that achievement higher than few of my real life achievements

Oh, yeah that's a serious achievement but it was the final and you had the perfect players to pull it off. All my thoughts are that les than perfect players in a 433 you will be ok, less than perfect players in a WM means you lose.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@Synco

I am banned from that thread, so replying here.

@Physiocrat is right, its a stupid formation to have in a beautiful idea of a draft which will most likely ruin the experience for quite a few.

All my thoughts are that les than perfect players in a 433 you will be ok, less than perfect players in a WM means you lose.

The above point is bang on. It really is possible to pull it off only by the final (if you reach there in the first place) and after you get a bunch of reinforcements (which need to be planned for a later round).

I'd say put in the most obvious and easy to build flexible formations and we should be good to go.

How we allocate formations and do they have to be the same for both managers is a different and more worth having discussion.

 

[Synco]

I'd say put in the most obvious and easy to build flexible formations and we should be good to go.

I don't know, I just like the idea of a 50s retro match being possible. Trickier tasks also add more spice to the drafting/teambuilding aspect.

How we allocate formations and do they have to be the same for both managers is a different and more worth having discussion.

Much prefer random formations in principle (with an exception for WM, as in my other post).

But in the end, I'll be fine with any consensus. It's a great idea for a draft no matter the details.

 

[Isotope]

I would say Stoichkov/Kopa/Fontaine front 3 was inspired. The beauty of Kopa Fontaine sort of pair is, you don't even need to upgrade them even though they were not picked in the first couple of rounds. I still regret going for Socrates when Kopa was available

Thank you.
You just jink it, man. Now watch I lose one of them on next round.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Thank you.
You just jink it, man. Now watch I lose one of them on next round.

Well, you face Gio in the final. Losing with a decent score is as good as winning from personal experience

 

[Isotope]

Well, you face Gio in the final. Losing with a decent score is as good as winning from personal experience

True.As it is, Gio has a more attractive team. Is this straight to Final? or another SF first?

 

[Ecstatic]

There is a lack of playmaking midfielders in this game

Both teams are overly reliant on the main striker to make things happen