@Edgar Allan Pillow make a bookmark on the squads post, please
The Modern / Current Players Draft
- Thread starter Edgar Allan Pillow
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Seems fair EAP
Definitely. Feels like there's a lot more to have opinions about plus the teams are very even, which made it more interesting to see them come together
We also need @antohan or someone to come in and rank all the teams in order of favourites and then shred them to pieces simultaneously
Done.
We also need @antohan or someone to come in and rank all the teams in order of favourites and then shred them to pieces simultaneously
I've been in London for the past two days and haven't been able to get on this, sorry for holding it up.
Cuadrado was who I was after but seeing as he's been picked I'll go for Raul Albiol who can play a couple of positions.
Pat are you able to play on the weekend, maybe Saturday?
Cuadrado was who I was after but seeing as he's been picked I'll go for Raul Albiol who can play a couple of positions.
Pat are you able to play on the weekend, maybe Saturday?
Now, that theon has made his pick. What are everyone's thoughts on banega? I spent most of my discussion arguing for his inclusion
Could have been a good pick up. Quite surprised he wasn't.Now, that theon has made his pick. What are everyone's thoughts on banega? I spent most of my discussion arguing for his inclusion
thought about picking Kasper Schmeichel for goal...should have swayed a few scan votes
Same with Maldini's kid
Yup, if we consider him at his best is as good as any cms picked in this draft.Could have been a good pick up. Quite surprised he wasn't.
thought about picking Kasper Schmeichel for goal...should have swayed a few scan votes
Same with Maldini's kid
What about Arshavin
What about Arshavin
Very fitting choice of picture! I thought he was a brilliant talent when I saw him in Zenit's UEFA Cup run in 2008 and in that year's Euro Championships. Was gutted when Arsenal got him and he initially looked the part for them too. His decline was very sharp though. Looking at his stats on Wiki he seems to have sustained a long enough peak in Russia to be a worthy pick, but its difficult to judge when I hadn't even heard of him before 2008.I considered his teammate Zhirkov as well. Another very skilled player who had an underwhelming stint in English football.
The most tempting unpicked player for me by some distance was D'Allesandro. I was heavily considering him from the very start right up to the end where he was my back up if someone knicked Bastos from me.
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D'Alessandro You'd hav got my vote anyway for that one Pat
You'd hav got my vote anyway for that one PatThat peak he has was something truly special though - and like you, after the Euro's I was annoyed that United didn't go him for him (it was after Ronaldo left IIRC) and for the 6 months he looked like he would be great in the Premier League. LIke you said, very sharp decline - but if we are judging purely on their peak, I think he would have been an awesome pick.
I considered his teammate Zhirkov as well. Another very skilled player who had an underwhelming stint in English football.
The most tempting unpicked player for me by some distance was D'Allesandro. I was heavily considering him from the very start right up to the end where he was my back up if someone knicked Bastos from me.
Another one that wasn't picked that was Forlan.
He was born in 79, he's not eligible.
Thought someone might...
My bad. Really didn't seem that old.
Giuseppe rossi anyone?
Joe Cole. Maxi Rodriguez. Pepe Reina (he's better than most of the goalkeepers that went, including mine tbf).
Checked this guy out to ensure that he was young enough... his stats here really should have merited a pick:
Valencia:
2010-11 44 (25)
2011-12 51 (27)
2012-13 46 (30)
It was these stats that really puts him down. (Although they look a lot better than what I had thought - his European goals push him up a bit).
Spurs:
2013-14 36 (11)
2014-15 31 (4)
Valencia:
2010-11 44 (25)
2011-12 51 (27)
2012-13 46 (30)
It was these stats that really puts him down. (Although they look a lot better than what I had thought - his European goals push him up a bit).
Spurs:
2013-14 36 (11)
2014-15 31 (4)
The draft had a tonne of really good strikers so it's not really a surprise that he wasn't picked.Checked this guy out to ensure that he was young enough... his stats here really should have merited a pick:
Valencia:
2010-11 44 (25)
2011-12 51 (27)
2012-13 46 (30)
It was these stats that really puts him down. (Although they look a lot better than what I had thought - his European goals push him up a bit).
Spurs:
2013-14 36 (11)
2014-15 31 (4)
Aye, Saturday would be okay with me mate. The earlier the kick off the better really, as I'll get home from a night shift at 7am ish. I'll probably be asleep for a large chunk of the afternoon/evening then around most of the night. Our paths might barely cross if you have a normal sleep pattern, but if we both have a reasonable amount of time to post in the match thread I reckon its fair enough.
Forlan just missed the date of birth cut off. He'd have been a really tempting pick, especially given the versatility and quality he demonstrated at WC10 in a more withdrawn role.
Metzelder was the surprising one for me. He was fairly injury prone yes, but did seem like a very good CB whenever I managed to watch him play, esp for Germany.
Cabaye and esp Gabi (nationality was a prob unfortunately) would have been very good picks. Mahmadou Diarra was pretty good for Lyon and for the back to back title winning Real as well.
Was expecting Mandzukic to get picked too.
Cabaye and esp Gabi (nationality was a prob unfortunately) would have been very good picks. Mahmadou Diarra was pretty good for Lyon and for the back to back title winning Real as well.
Was expecting Mandzukic to get picked too.
Subs: Van der Vaart (NED), Ramires (BRA), Nasri (FRA), Kagawa (JAP), Meireles (POR), Metzelder (GER)
Honorable mentions to Eboue (just because) and O'Shea (legend)
Tons of decent strikers, yet no outstanding one.
Really surprised that Bosingwa wasn't picked - especially with his unique nationality and overall fullback quality.
Arshavin is a lazy feck, but an underappreciated one, he was fantastic in Russia and was voted 6 in 2008 Ballon D'Or, only behind Torred and 4 players that can be considered as a GOAT material.
Zhirkov was fantastic for CSKA and NT and was unlucky to have Cole as his competition - probably the best LB in the world at this point + english.
And what's with Milito? Even Koscielny went before him
Edit: Gabi is a good call for a defensive midfield.
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Milito was quite high up on my list of centre backs @harms . Laporte was too tempting to pass on though given his quality and being a post-1990 player. Looking through my list, I'm a bit surprised Toulalan didn't go, and I thought Lucho gonzalez was good enough to be drafted. I'm midly shocked that noone went for Valbuena. Lovely footballer to watch.
Milito circa Zaragoza was absolutely brilliant. But, I guess many were worried if people would remember his form with Zaragoza. He never really justified his talent at Barca due to injuries. So, probably thats the reason many didn't go for him. I am very surprised no one went for Agger. When fully fit, he was absolutely brilliant. Granted, that wasn't a lot but he still he was very good.
I considered both. Another one I considered was Mama Diarra. But, I was worried if they would have got enough credit.
Yeah, I suggested him to someone. But Arshavin is a far superior player on the same position with better nationality. And you can argue that Nasri too. I'm enjoying Valbuena massively though.
The Sevilla versions of Jesus Navas and Luis Fabiano would have been a good combination to have.
Kevin de Bruyne and Gabi Fernandez are the most surprising misses to me.
Aye, I spoke about Mo Diarra with Skizzo via PM. Important player for some good sides, but not the most memorable in terms of style and talent.
I'd considered Valbuena as a left-sided attacking midfielder, and I think he might have been a better fit than Arshavin due to his superior workrate. IIRC Arshavin hated playing on the left for Arsenal. If it was a decision for a central attacking role with less defensive/tactical responsibilities I'd take Arshavin easily.
He hated playing essentially as a winger, like Wenger tried to make him, not on the left - he is a left-sided attacking midfielder like D. Silva is on the right today. I agree with you on the workrate, of course, but the gap in talent between them is too big, imo. Arshavin was a genius (and a lazy, arrogant bastard, sadly, who didn't even bother to learn English), Valbuena is just a quality technical player with a superior workrate.
And any excuse to post this:
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at that fecking video!Rafael van der Vaart
Shinji Kagawa
Daley Blind
Is Kagawa that forgotten now?
Shinji Kagawa
Daley Blind
Is Kagawa that forgotten now?
Kagawa and Nuri Sahin are the obvious 'can only play under Klopp's 'magical' guidance examples, doubt anyone will give them a lot of credit for their peak. Sahin is playing really great since his return from injury and could have easily been picked as well.
Jagielka had a better peak than about 5 picked centre backs.
@Edgar Allan Pillow
you should edit the final teams in the threadmarked post and add Raul Abiol as Theon's 12th pick.
-----------------------
4. Barzagli 5. Verratti
3. Chiellini 12. M. De Sciglio
11. Cassano
9. Bonucci
10. Sirigu
7. Marchisio 11. Balzaretti
3. De Rossi
10. Motta
I hope I didn't miss anyone. Is this the worst generation of Italian footballers ever? It's shockingly poor. And with the exception of Verratti the post '90 born players don't look impressive either so far.
/edit: I don't mean that all those players are poor, just that Italy really lacks top top players since the World Cup winning generation.
you should edit the final teams in the threadmarked post and add Raul Abiol as Theon's 12th pick.
-----------------------
4. Barzagli 5. Verratti
3. Chiellini 12. M. De Sciglio
11. Cassano
9. Bonucci
10. Sirigu
7. Marchisio 11. Balzaretti
3. De Rossi
10. Motta
I hope I didn't miss anyone. Is this the worst generation of Italian footballers ever? It's shockingly poor. And with the exception of Verratti the post '90 born players don't look impressive either so far.
/edit: I don't mean that all those players are poor, just that Italy really lacks top top players since the World Cup winning generation.
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@Stobzilla Your match is on today and I've not got anything from you yet.
Right, i've been called into work (meant to be my frickin day off, son of a bitch) so not hardly been able to get on today. I reckon I can have my write up done afterwards.
Fair point. They're missing a 9, a 10, a CB and a classy fullback to be a normal Italian generation.