Sheep draft - NoPace vs Edgar Allan Pillow

[antohan]

@antohan how would you have lined up with my side.

You were beyond redemption TBH. This could fluke a lucky draw or 1-0 once in a blue moon.

You never know, Drogba is 100% the specialist for this, Xavi's long passes are excellent (you shouldn't have picked him though, you would never have much if any possession) and Carlos and Bebeto could work well in tandem in a quick counter.

Should have fielded 11 Eboues in protest at him not being a poll option.

 

[MJJ]

You were beyond redemption TBH. This could fluke a lucky draw or 1-0 once in a blue moon.

You never know, Drogba is 100% the specialist for this, Xavi's long passes are excellent (you shouldn't have picked him though, you would never have much if any possession) and Carlos and Bebeto could work well in tandem in a quick counter.

Should have fielded 11 Eboues in protest at him not being a poll option.

Thats not far from what I had in mind. I was hoping you gave me all sheep defenders when was making my lineup. The plan was to plan ten defenders and one drogba

I so should have done that.

 

[NM]

Thats not far from what I had in mind. I was hoping you gave me all sheep defenders when was making my lineup. The plan was to plan ten defenders and one drogba

I so should have done that.

I think the whole get Indians to vote for you by selling pieces of Kashmir was better

 

[MJJ]

I think the whole get Indians to vote for you by selling pieces of Kashmir was better

So I should have had a map of kashmir as my lineup.

 

[kps88]

You've done well to distract people from the fact the emperor has no feckin' clothes so far, I'll give you that.

Ancelotti is very underwhelming GIVEN THE CONTEXT, is what I said. And he fecking well is, no matter how many fairytales you manage to stuff down people's throats. A midfield duo of Ancelotti and Paintsil indeed. It's not underwhelming, it's utter shite - and there it is.

 

[crappycraperson]

How many managers am I playing against here

This.

Other people drawing up formation for managers in play has to be outlawed.

 

[Gio]

This has been amusing. I don't buy a back three without wing-backs unless there are special circumstances where the other eight players fit like a glove. It's just fantasy bollocks to pretend otherwise.

Both teams are messy, but at least NoPace has some sort of credible shape (although those arrows on Liedhold and Beckham just look Toure stranded in some sort of fecked up 4-1-5 formation). Realistically, it would be a fairly straightforward job of keeping the ball wide, working it down the flanks and into the area for Hugo Sanchez. And while EAP has an individually brilliant back three, Sanchez thrived on crosses and cut-backs and would eventually grab a goal or two.

 

[mazhar13]

Do I still have time to vote? I hope I don't miss the deadline.

I like how both teams are set up going forward. Defensively, both have their weaknesses as already highlighted by many in this thread. Without a proper defensive midfielder, NoPace's defence will often be exposed, and with the crazy attack that EAP has assembled, there's no way he could take that risk.

EAP, on the other hand, doesn't really have the midfielders required to link the back and front together. As a result, he will face a similar issue that Man. Utd. have faced several times this season: two separate units (attack and defence) with nothing linking them. Half backs in such a setup need to be exceptional in reading the game, man-marking, energy levels, and passing. Ancelotti isn't really a spectacular player, and Pantsil is...you got the idea.

Given how NoPace mentioned that his team will sit deep, I really don't see how Liedholm and Toure can really do well enough in a more defensive role given that both are more attack-minded midfielders (Toure of Man. City by the looks of things). Then again, EAP's team is very disjointed.

I think EAP loses here because of his disjointed setup. I analogise that to Man. Utd. and their disjointed setup even with the world class players they have on offer against even opposition as meager as Cambridge Utd.

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

Jesus 21-20, as close as it gets here! what a thriller

 

[antohan]

This.

Other people drawing up formation for managers in play has to be outlawed.

There are different takes on what gamethreads (and games, let alone drafts) are for, that's not something you are going to sanitise via some sort of rule standardisation, all you would do is impoverish threads.

It is pretty much the norm that the team trailing gets more "advice" on how they can improve. It's nothing to do with being biased, just that the team that is trailing will always have more discussion points by definition. When the discussion seems to be going round in circles over nuances a teamsheet is a good way of portraying them.

I think everyone to a man has acknowledged EAP has done a very good job of arguing his corner, all the way to the sneaky dirt-slinging (T-Shab ).

Feel free to outlaw them in the drafts you run, of course. GameMaster prerrogative IMO.

 

[antohan]

This has been amusing. I don't buy a back three without wing-backs unless there are special circumstances where the other eight players fit like a glove. It's just fantasy bollocks to pretend otherwise.

Both teams are messy, but at least NoPace has some sort of credible shape (although those arrows on Liedhold and Beckham just look Toure stranded in some sort of fecked up 4-1-5 formation). Realistically, it would be a fairly straightforward job of keeping the ball wide, working it down the flanks and into the area for Hugo Sanchez. And while EAP has an individually brilliant back three, Sanchez thrived on crosses and cut-backs and would eventually grab a goal or two.

there you go @crappycraperson, some don't like it.

@Gio, I suppose it all depends on how you interpret arrows. The idea was showing what sort of runs players could make given we were arguing the midfield. I'm still sitting on a fence here because despite @NoPace adopting the teamsheet, he has persisted in that his midfielders would stay deep at all times (no could make = no arrows).

What I have a hard time with is believing someone like Liedholm will be insane enough (as per Einstein's definition) to spend the entire 90 minutes sticking to that. Every time he gets the ball, he passes, then watches the move unfold from his midfield position... It makes absolutely no sense to me. I don't think football players are robots that will adhere to instructions against their better judgement of a situation. After 3-4 instances of that, Liedholm would get the ball, ease past Pantsil's ïnterference and just attack the ocean's of space before him. I can't for the life of me see him not doing it and every time he does EAP would be in trouble because he is outnumbered.

 

[Balu]

I don't think Liedholm would interpret the role in such an extreme way. He'd play a more conservative game, but that wouldn't prevent him from dribbling around fecking Pantsil in his slow motion style all the time and play through-ball after through-ball to Rummenigge, who's running in behind the defense. It would be beautiful to watch and unstoppable. He wouldn't stay around the penalty box though, but drop deeper quickly again after releasing the ball, nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

If no one is stopping Liedholm's passes to Rummenigge and no one is stopping Beckham's crosses to Sanchez, it's just too much, even for that fantastic back three. If the service is perfect, the strikers always have an advantage and those two forwards did the job against the best defenders in the world often enough to give them credit for a few goals here. Sorry Edgar.

 

[antohan]

I don't think Liedholm would interpret the role in such an extreme way. He'd play a more conservative game, but that wouldn't prevent him from dribbling around fecking Pantsil in his slow motion style all the time and play through-ball after through-ball to Rummenigge, who's running in behind the defense. It would be beautiful to watch and unstoppable. He wouldn't stay around the penalty box though, but drop deeper quickly again after releasing the ball, nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

If no one is stopping Liedholm's passes to Rummenigge and no one is stopping Beckham's crosses to Sanchez, it's just too much, even for that fantastic back three. If the service is perfect, the strikers always have an advantage and those two forwards did the job against the best defenders in the world often enough to give them credit for a few goals here. Sorry Edgar.

Yeah, that's very much how I'm seeing it. You know who would have absolutely killed it here? Masopust. That's why I was talking about slalom runs earlier. Poor chap can't catch a break, but his loss is Liedholm's gain.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

there you go @crappycraperson, some don't like it.

@Gio, I suppose it all depends on how you interpret arrows. The idea was showing what sort of runs players could make given we were arguing the midfield. I'm still sitting on a fence here because despite @NoPace adopting the teamsheet, he has persisted in that his midfielders would stay deep at all times (no could make = no arrows).

What I have a hard time with is believing someone like Liedholm will be insane enough (as per Einstein's definition) to spend the entire 90 minutes sticking to that. Every time he gets the ball, he passes, then watches the move unfold from his midfield position... It makes absolutely no sense to me. I don't think football players are robots that will adhere to instructions against their better judgement of a situation. After 3-4 instances of that, Liedholm would get the ball, ease past Pantsil's ïnterference and just attack the ocean's of space before him. I can't for the life of me see him not doing it and every time he does EAP would be in trouble because he is outnumbered.

I think EAP has persisted with that point rather than NoPace .

Liedholm and Yaya will NOT have the full license to go forward that they did in their best goalscoring years, but are still decent secondary goal threats and very capable of scoring after Sanchez and Rummennigge cause hurried clearances or last-ditch tackles. Ancelotti aside, there’s a massive hole in EAP’s midfield and that will mean chances for Liedholm and Toure to create for others or beat a man and have a pop.

Now that could still be perceived as overly cautious, but for me he's unambiguously stated that Liedholm and Toure will attack and won't play pure holding roles. It reads to me very much like Nopace emphasising that he's playing tactically-disciplined Barca Toure rather than prolific but occasionally lazy Man City Toure.

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

Bump, 40 minutes to go, will NoPace equalize?

 

[NoPace]

Can I vote?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Can I vote?

Yes, you can.

But it won't be counted.

 

[NM]

Can I vote?

Manager votes usually aren't counted mate.

 

[NM]

Yes, you can.

But it won't be counted.

I can't believe you are actually going to pull this off. You will be a favorite after the reinforcements.

 

[NoPace]

Ah, no worries then. Thanks, EAP.

 

[Balu]

Unbelievable . I expected @antohan to vote for a draw in the last seconds.

 

[NM]

Daylight robbery right? I am here

 

[NoPace]

That's it. Congrats, EAP.

Good luck reinforcing. For the record, I'd vote for a DM or CM and then play a 4-2-3-1 trying to counter, since it would suit the running and counter-threat posed by T.Muller out left, Baggio as the 10 and Jairzinho out right, and the defensive skills of Montero tucked in left, Ancelotti just having to clean things up. You'd still have Pantsil at RB, but at his peak he actually wasn't a terrible RB going forward Internationally, and that was damn near always on the counter, so that's something.

I can't deny that I think your formation and tactics wouldn't work in modern football, but you definitely outdrafted me in most rounds, and pulling off Baresi-Baggio was a legit coup. Congrats and good luck!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Somehow I don't feel like celebrating. I expected my GOAT's to bring in a handful of scan votes to avoid a total washout, but a win is so undeserved for this team, I'll be honest.

Sorry @NoPace

 

[NoPace]

As for the voters, I'm far less gracious. This is how United ended up as unbalanced as we are. Shiny objects, people.

 

[NoPace]

Somehow I don't feel like celebrating. I expected my GOAT's to bring in a handful of scan votes to avoid a total washout, but a win is so undeserved for this team, I'll be honest.

Sorry @NoPace

Thanks.

I opened the door for you by getting a sheep and drafting older players. As fun as this was (Thanks @Skizzo and @Balu) I would love it if the next one was current players only, since it would increase the certainty of opinions and arguments. I slagged off Jairzinho's defensive skills based on watching his Brazil teams stand around sleepily when defending, but he was a Brazilian footballer when that's what players in his role did. Seems unfair.

 

[antohan]

Unbelievable . I expected @antohan to vote for a draw in the last seconds.

Was stuck in a meeting. Didn't plan to vote tbf. Mixed feelings re: who deserved to go through and, your personal favourite, who contributes more to the competition.

I couldn't help but feel the demise of EAP could imbalance things too much. E.g. those with great attacks/defences would be a bit hard done by seeing those with great midfields picking GOATs for fun.

Sorry @NoPace, just how I felt about it.I would have missed it anyway.

@Edgar Allan Pillow not celebrating... probably in hospital after chewing all his fingers after his nails.

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

That's it. Congrats, EAP.

Good luck reinforcing. For the record, I'd vote for a DM or CM and then play a 4-2-3-1 trying to counter, since it would suit the running and counter-threat posed by T.Muller out left, Baggio as the 10 and Jairzinho out right, and the defensive skills of Montero tucked in left, Ancelotti just having to clean things up. You'd still have Pantsil at RB, but at his peak he actually wasn't a terrible RB going forward Internationally, and that was damn near always on the counter, so that's something.

I can't deny that I think your formation and tactics wouldn't work in modern football, but you definitely outdrafted me in most rounds, and pulling off Baresi-Baggio was a legit coup. Congrats and good luck!

As for the voters, I'm far less gracious. This is how United ended up as unbalanced as we are. Shiny objects, people.

Second quote is the basic idea, but you lost with class here mate, EAP is a great winner and with a bit of luck in the next draw and not meeting a team that will play on his one weakness that he'll have and he'll be amazing.

 

[MJJ]

As for the voters, I'm far less gracious. This is how United ended up as unbalanced as we are. Shiny objects, people.

As leader of the sheep Union it felt wrong to vote against my protégé.

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

As leader of the sheep committee it felt wrong to vote against my protégé.

As leader of the sheep Union it felt wrong to vote against my protégé.

The leader of the organization of many names

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I've decided to quit my job and start selling Snake Oil.

 

[MJJ]

The leader of the organization of many names

too fast vj too fast.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

 

[Gio]

Well done Edgar. Anto's done some magnificent selling jobs in the past, but that's got to be the best yet.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Seriously, though - congrats to Ed, that was a truly great swindle.

Kudos to NoPace for taking it like a gent as well. I would have been boiling myself.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I've decided to quit my job and start selling Snake Oil.

I can't believe you pulled that off mate . You have to be one of the favourites to win the whole thing now that you can ditch my esteemed friend John "Fecking" Pantsil.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I can't believe you pulled that off mate . You have to be one of the favourites to win the whole thing now that you can ditch my esteemed friend John "Fecking" Pantsil.

I can't believe it either, tbh. Favourite? Nah, I still have to carry "Mr. Underwhelming" Ancelotti and confront @Chesterlestreet again. Think almost all others would ditch their sheep/mediocre players and leave few gaps as obvious King Carlo.

 

[NoPace]

The part I didn't get about the sell job was that 3 at the back should be pretty goddamn unpopular right now on a United forum.

 

[NoPace]

Seriously, though - congrats to Ed, that was a truly great swindle.

Kudos to NoPace for taking it like a gent as well. I would have been boiling myself.

After this, I realized that I'd be invested way more if the draft was all modern players. It's hard for me to get too angry when I've never even seen Chumpitaz or Hugo Sanchez play.

I really do think we should do a sheep draft of only modern footballers. Would make for better arguments and less generalizing.

 

[Stobzilla]

After this, I realized that I'd be invested way more if the draft was all modern players. It's hard for me to get too angry when I've never even seen Chumpitaz or Hugo Sanchez play.

I really do think we should do a sheep draft of only modern footballers. Would make for better arguments and less generalizing.

Aye, we haven't had a current draft in a good while.