WWII Draft Finale - Joseph Beam vs Michaelf

[Šjor Bepo]

vs


Team Beam

THE FINAL BATTLE: Conscious decision or not, the final product is pretty much made for war and 90+ minutes battle in every area of the pitch and hard to see this team pulling back or slowing down for the whole 90 minutes.

Tactics: 4-3-3/4-2-3-1/4-4-2 with plenty of movement and—thanks to the players available—interchanging of positions in midfield and attack. Some of the combination which will form as a result of interchanging especially because of Charlton, Futre and Best style of play where they roam all over the field.

General idea is to overwhelm the opposition with pace, power, intensity and relentlessness. Invite the opposition team forward and left them open for the swift counter - attacks, pretty much straight from Alex Ferguson and United style of play.

Instructions: Attack in numbers/defend in numbers as a collective at all times. Emphasis on high tempo, quick, incisive passing and especially quick transition in the attack once the ball is won.

Team strengths: Immense defensive ability throughout the team with proactive GOAT keeper Lav Yashin as the last hurdle for the opponent. The team is capable of building more patiently, but is an absolute monster in transition once the ball is won which is no wonder considering the strong United spine in Robson, Charlton and Best supported with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Paulo Futre and Robert Lewandowski.

Thoughts on the opposition: Despite being a lovely team, it does have a significant weakness in an all-time sense on LB position which (along with sheer attacking potential across the whole front line) will decide the game. Also, the Axis powers did lose the war in the end. D'oh!


Team Mike

My team will be playing a 4-3-3 formation with Messi as a False 9 with Heynckes playing as an inside forward from the left with Littbarski playing wider on the right hand side. I will now provide some information about Carboni who is the least frequently drafted player in my line up before detailing some strengths and advantages that I feel my side has in this match up.

My left back is the 33+ version of Amedeo Carboni which covers most of his Valencia spell (barring the 1st season) during which time he reached two champions league finals; won two La Liga's, a Copa del Rey, and a UEFA Cup; and was included as part of the IFFHS World Team of the Year in 2004 (when he was 39 years old).

Strengths

• I think Matthaus gives my team the edge in a midfield battle between 6 elite (even by all time standards midfielders)
• In central defense, Rio Ferdinand is joined by Alessandro Nesta who was Serie A defender of the year for 4 years in succession and in the UEFA team of the year 4 times (including 3 years in succession). They are up against Lewandowski who has played less than 2 seasons after his 33rd birthday
• I think my front 3 is an upgrade on the Villa-Messi-Pedro Barca front 3 from the early 2010's. Littbarski provides the same off the ball work rate as Pedro while being better on the ball. Messi has been kept the same but it is still worth pointing out that from the 2010/11 season through the 2012/13 season Messi got 186 goals and 76 assists in 165 games for Barcelona. On the left Heynckes for Borussia Monchengladbach scored 47 in 53 games in 72/73, 40 in 43 in 73/74, and 42 in 43 in 74/75

 

[Šjor Bepo]

@Michaelf7777777 @Jim Beam good luck

 

[Šjor Bepo]

if someone can fix mikes team i really dont have time for it:
cech
lahm rio nesta carboni33
voronin
lothar edwards
litt messi heynckess

 

[Pat_Mustard]

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Oh FFS...

 

[Pat_Mustard]

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Can you edit that into the OP @Šjor Bepo ?

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Voted for Joseph Beam for now. Precious little to seperate the teams, but Beam looks a bit stronger with his deeper build up play with two top-class passers at CB, and Charlton as probably the most creative of the incredible array of midfielders on the pitch. I hesitate to pinpoint Carboni as a weak link as he was an excellent player who maintained a high level to a ripe old age, but Best attacking him does seem like possibly the most compelling 1v1 advantage on the pitch. Schweiny's history of stepping up when it matters to mitigate the Messi threat is another positive.

Mike's spine is fantastic though, and would be horrible to try to play through.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Best vs Carboni is a edge for Beam.

Though I love Mike's midfield. I'm not sure if Messi is the best fit for that forward line.

 

[Jim Beam]

I think my front 3 is an upgrade on the Villa-Messi-Pedro Barca front 3 from the early 2010's. Littbarski provides the same off the ball work rate as Pedro while being better on the ball. Messi has been kept the same but it is still worth pointing out that from the 2010/11 season through the 2012/13 season Messi got 186 goals and 76 assists in 165 games for Barcelona. On the left Heynckes for Borussia Monchengladbach scored 47 in 53 games in 72/73, 40 in 43 in 73/74, and 42 in 43 in 74/75

Villa is superior to both Heynckes and Littbarski, but the obvious problem when comparing anything to that Barcelona team is that you won't have anywhere close to the amount of control which Barcelona had as a result of their midfield/playing style. The lack of playmaking behind Messi is also evident and this game would be played at much more frantic pace resulting in more turnovers which benefits my unit.

I think Matthaus gives my team the edge in a midfield battle between 6 elite (even by all time standards midfielders)

However, here lies the key. Disagree. By not eliminating Robson out of the game, you locked both teams down in the midfield area. Playing through Bastian - Overath (despite my new finding love for Overath) is much, much different than playing through Bastian - Robson with Charlton on top. Now, I can definitely see more attacking firepower going forward from my midfield, but realistically it is almost impossible to declare a winner here. And it hurts you way more than me because your biggest attacking threats are going through the center where there is CB partnership of Moore and Silva with Schweinsteiger and Robson covering upfront. Pretty much a perfect safety net, can't ask for better than that.

Which, well, just emphasizes wide area where I have a clear advantage and the biggest mismatch. That is not to say Carboni is not a good player, but having him against Best is simply a definite weak spot that doesn't appear anywhere else on the field. It also hurts you going forward a bit as that left flank is screaming for more width with both teams locking horns centrally.

I also have a better keeper.

Fine margins and all that...(heh)

 

[Jim Beam]

Oh, and also a better name. Joseph.

 

[Himannv]

What's the thinking with Futre and Best? I'd normally expect them to switch flanks in a more modern 4-3-3. @Jim Beam

What is Littbarski's role here exactly? I don't quite see the Pedro comparisons but maybe I haven't seen a performance that I can map to him. @Michaelf7777777

Generally difficult to split these two sides - both have similar levels of quality

 

[Michaelf7777777]

What is Littbarski's role here exactly? I don't quite see the Pedro comparisons but maybe I haven't seen a performance that I can map to him. @Michaelf7777777

Hard working wide player was the area of comparison I saw with Pedro. Littbarski should also create chances particularly for Heynckes.

 

[Jim Beam]

What's the thinking with Futre and Best? I'd normally expect them to switch flanks in a more modern 4-3-3. @Jim Beam

I wanted Best on Carboni, pure and simple. Behind Best there is McGrain who is a more conservative fullback as Best doesn't need so much support.

Also, aside from Futre being much more present on the left througout his career, from that position he is more dangerous with his crossing or lay-offs which fits having Lewandowski in the middle.

Still, as I said, I can see those players around Lewandowski (Futre, Best, Charlton, even Robson) interchanging a lot.

 

[Physiocrat]

What's the thinking with Futre and Best? I'd normally expect them to switch flanks in a more modern 4-3-3. @Jim Beam

What is Littbarski's role here exactly? I don't quite see the Pedro comparisons but maybe I haven't seen a performance that I can map to him. @Michaelf7777777

With Littbarski he played a sort of second-striker role (IIRC) for Koln scoring 1 in 2 for a number of seasons. I think he could work well here. I do though think Michael needs more of a playmaker in his midfield.

 

[harms]

I feel like Mike would’ve benefited from someone like Overath (or, say, Charlton) — 3 pure all-rounders in midfield is a bit of an overkill, plus, this midfield doesn’t feel natural for Messi. And Best on Carboni looks like the most obvious route to goal. A close one but had to give it to Beam.

 

[Himannv]

I'm somewhat swayed by Best on older Carboni. Voted based on that.

 

[Jim Beam]

Tough luck Mike, was obviously much closer.

Went a tad too pragmatic in this putting most of my chips into targeting Carboni. Obviously it paid off, so fine with that but tbh I slightly preferred my semi-final team with Overath/Boniek in it. Maybe because I recently watched Overath more (fabulous player), but in general felt that team a bit more for some reason. If I had to make reinforcement without considering the opponent it would be RB and CF.

Anyway, war is over. Joseph won, Joseph out.