The Final: Mitch vs. Mr. Nice Guy

Bubs101

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I'm very pleased to be able to introduce to you fine people of the soccer forum my Premiership draft write-up. Firstly I'd like to say I enjoyed the game as well as the spirit of the contest so credit to Lloyd for overseeing everything. Hopefully the good nature of the game will continue. OK then without further ado may I present to you F.C. (First Class) Athletic, a team I hope you'll agree is the classiest, most stylish team of the draft.





Team Formation:

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Defoe

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Bergkamp

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Zenden

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Petit

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Carrick

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Robben

Heinze----Ferdinand (c)----Brown

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Geremi----

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Van Der Sar

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Right folks I'll break down my argument on why I feel my team is a worthy winner of the contest in three parts. Firstly, I'll explain my overall strategy and line of thinking, secondly I'll give a brief final explanation on why I picked the guys I did, and lastly, I'll give my overall assessment on the strengths and weaknesses of my team. By doing so I hope you'll be impressed with my efforts.

My strategy:

I enjoy good, attacking football as I'm sure you all do and I set out from the outset to mould a team that would have great passing and movement. I believed from the beginning that the core areas of all teams would be up front, central defence, central midfield and to a lesser extent on the wings. These are the areas where I feel more often than not games are won and lost.

I'll be brutally honest here - I think those people in the game who picked full backs and goalkeepers early on made a mistake. I don't see the benefit in choosing an outstanding full back or goalkeeper when, with a bit of patience, you could have gotten very good players in these areas later on. I felt confident I would get a good goalkeeper if I was patient. This turned out to be the case. I also feel I ended up with solid full-backs despite me picking them in the latter half of the draw.

I was keen to get myself a great, versatile winger early on who could play either flank as I believed this would give me greater scope later on when picking my second winger. For example, if you choose someone who works solely as a left winger you're forced later on choose a right-winger. However if like I did you go for a player like Robben who can work either flank (Duff was in my thoughts too some of you may recall), by adopting this strategy you are free to choose from a wider range of wingers from both flanks later on and you're not leaving yourself limited. I feel that was a smart strategy.

I think stategy-wise it was important to plan out the importance of not just the players you're thinking of, but also the positions themselves. I would argue I did well in this regard and I hope you'll agree!


Some final thoughts on my picks...


Pick 1: Dennis Bergkamp



I was fortunate in that I was given a fairly early pick in the first round. I can honestly say the only guy I would have wanted ahead of Bergkamp would have been Roy Keane. Bergkamp as I've said before on this board is one of my favourite players of the nineties and is a genuinely world-class player and a legend. I was delighted to get him and I feel he is a magical player that would grace any team.

Pick 2: Rio Ferdinand



Ferdinand in truth was a pretty easy pick for me for the second round. I felt I needed to pick a great defender as I planned on prioritising other areas in the next rounds. In Rio I got one of the most praised defenders in the Premiership. As I recall I was going to go with him or Carragher and would have been happy with either as both are leaders. I plumped for Ferdinand as I felt he was a classier option. He will be my team's captain.

Pick 3: Arjen Robben



Robben as I touched on above was the versatile winger I felt I needed and I'm very happy to have him. I'd say one of the most explosive, impactful wingers the Premiership has seen.

Pick 4: Emmanuel Petit



At this point I turned my attention towards central midfield and felt I needed a defensive-minded player who was also a good passer of the ball. Manu Petit certainly fit the bill as he provided a combatative presence in the middle and yet meant I didn't have to compromise class for brawn.

Pick 5: Michael Carrick



I'd decided on the type of midfield I wanted - one that would be built on good passing. I didn't feel I needed an 'attacking midfielder' as I believed in Bergkamp I had the best playmaker around. This pick, as I kind of expected, got a bit of criticism as Carrick is someone that seems to divide people. Personally I believe he does an underrated job at Man United and I think alongside Petit, Carrick would have a great partnership. I reckon they'd compliment each other well. The only other guy I had in my thoughts for this role was Alonso but I felt his dip in form last season for Liverpool meant Carrick was the better overall draft choice.

Pick 6: Edwin Van Der Sar



As I mentioned above I felt a bit of patience would lead to a good goalkeeper pick and I feel relative to the rounds, Edwin Van Der Sar was one of my better picks. To get a guy I consider a man for the big occasion at round 6 was very pleasing. I'd acknowledge he's had his shaky moments at times but I think overall he's been an outstanding success at United and the best goalkeeper since Schmeichel.

Pick 7: Jermain Defoe



At this point I felt I needed to act fast to ensure I had a true goal machine up front. Defoe was the logical choice. His stats speak for themselves and alongside Bergkamp I felt the two of them would pose a frightening threat.

Pick 8: Wes Brown



I regarded Brown as a really important pick. I was surprised he was left at round 8 as he can do a fine job in two positions. My only concern really was where I would play him but because as mentioned above I don't really rate the full-back positions as that significant, I felt more confident having him play alongside Rio.

Pick 9: Gabriel Heinze



Again, relative to the rounds this was probably one of my better picks. To get such a talented guy in the third-last round was a great bonus.

Pick 10: Boudewijn Zenden



Initially I had gone for Stewart Downing not realising the guy had been picked beforehand but I'm happy to end up with my second choice of Zenden. I think Downing would have provided a better crossing ability for me but I think in my team that's not really going to be that important. With my team I think wingers who can run at defenders and link up with the front men matters more so I think my two Dutch wingers provide a good threat for me.

Pick 11: Geremi



Right-back was the last slot I needed and other than Geremi I considered Abel Xavier and a few others but I felt Geremi was the smartest choice available to me as he is strong and a good distributor, plus he can provide some set-piece competition with Bergkamp. I also felt the Robben/Geremi partnership on the right was a nice Chelsea-style combination.

My overall thoughts:

Funnily enough when I look at this team I think this is the kind of team Giovanni Trapattoni would give his right arm to have. It strikes me as a formation and style similar to the current Irish one. The central midfielders in my team won't be asked to do anything too elaborate. Just keep things tight and distribute to the wings and forwards. I feel my defence and goalkeeper are as solid as any in the game. I also feel I have wingers who can cause problems, a legend in Bergkamp who can pull the strings and in Defoe, a goal machine who can take chances that come his way.

I see this team's major strength being in its passing play. I have players comfortable on the ball whose job would be to try and get it to the quicker, pacier players. I feel this is a team that won't leak many goals but will create many chances. I think that's a fair assessment when you look at the talent on show.

I also feel I have created a team of winners, something I spoke of often when making my picks. My back four and goalkeeper for example have all won the Premiership. In fact only two players in my team haven't won the league, Defoe and Zenden. Five of my eleven have won the Champions League. One of them has won a World Cup. So this is not a team that is going to panic if it encounters some difficulty.

What are my team's weaknesses? Well I think my main concern would probably be the defensive nature of my wingers. I'd be concerned that Zenden and Robben whilst good up front, wouldn't be thorough enough in getting back and helping out. I would hope that the full-backs behind them would be able to cover in such instances and that my deep-sitting central midfield would be able to deputise too. I believe they would.

Overall I think this is a team with enough class, resilience, tenacity and ingenuity to be able to provide a tough match-up for any team. I feel my team strikes the best balance in attack and defence. I feel it's able to cause problems for opposition back fours and yet able enough to fend off and deal with attacking threats. I guess that's up to others to determine though.

Well that about sums up my case and assuming you've read this far I thank you for your time and hope you've been suitably impressed. Cheers. :cool:

vs.

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Pick 01 - Ruud Van Nisteelroy
Pick 02 - Frank Lampard
Pick 03 - Andrie Kanchelskis
Pick 04 - Kolo Toure
Pick 05 - Xabi Alonso
Pick 06 - Mikel Arteta
Pick 07 - Sylvan Distin
Pick 08 - Obafemi Martins
Pick 09 - Joleen Lescott
Pick 10 - Pascal Chimbonda
Pick 11 - Tim Howard

Team Name - Drenai FC.
Captain - Lampard
Free Kicks - Arteta, Lampard.
Corner Kicks - Arteta, Lampard.
Penalties - Lampard.

Tim Howard.

Voted Premiership 'Keeper of the Year in his first season with United. In his time at Everton, he has established himself as the first choice keeper in a team that has performed very well over his time with them, and I think he has been a big reason for that. Got him as my last pick, so I was delighted to have a keeper of his class available at that stage.

Pascal Chimbonda.

Another player who has been very impressive when he has played in the premiership, and another player to be voted as the best in his position - voted premiership right back of the season in his debut season with Wigan. Fast and strong, good going forward with the ball. A solid and top right back.

Joleen Lescott.

An absolute star for Everton over the last few seasons. Strong defensively, solid going forward and a very dependable goal scoring threat from set pieces. As far as left backs go, I'll admit he is not world class, but he is a damned fine choice, and a damned fine player. I don't think there will be any wingers that will have the ability to dominate him, and he will force them back up the pitch themselves.

Kolo Toure

The first of my centre backs. Strong, fast, good on the ball and not afraid to move forward with it. A solid central defender, who has been rated as among the best in the world during his career at Arsenal. With him at the back, along with his defensive partner, no one is going to be beating my team pace, and we'll go toe to toe with them for power too.

Sylvan Distin

Another big, fast, strong centre back. A massive player for Newcastle, City and Portsmouth in his time win the premiership. Recently named vice-captain at Pompey, so has definate leadership qualities which i think is important.

Xabi Alonso

Probably the most defensive of my midfielders, which isn't too great i'll admit. However, he is a top player, and on his day one of the very best central midfielders in world football. A great passer, with great vision, and quality with set pieces. Great positional play as well and not afraid to tackle either. Was delighted to get him into central midfield.

Mikel Arteta

Again, another great midfielder, a great passer and creative force and a great goal threat, from open play and set pieces. A massive reason for the recent success of Everton (along with Howard and Lescott). Can play centrally and left sided, so offers me a bit of variety in my midfield deployment, which was a reason for going for him. Has won the Everton Players Player, and Fan player of the year awards, so his quality should be undoubted.

Frank Lampard

Frank gets me goals - there can be no argument about that. 80 goals and counting for Chelsea, and there are his assists too. Leadership qualities also, so i think he is a very good pick.

Andrie Kanchelskis.

A bit of a 'heart' pick - one of my favourite ever players. Lightening quick and and a goal threat - 50 premiership goals, and Uniteds leading goal scorer in the 94/95 season. Goals, assists and frightening pace for swift and deadly counter attacks.

Obafemi Martins.

Another player bringing undoubtable power and pace to my side. A quality striking partner for my main striker; with a 1 in 3 strike rate for Newcastle. Gives me the option of putting the ball over the top for him to chase, as i don't think there is a defender who will beat him to the ball, and another player adding to my counter attacking ability with Kanchelskis.

Ruud van Nistlerooy.

My first pick, and one i was delighted with. A premeership goal scoring king - hammering in 23 premiership goals in his debut season, his first full season after injury. Followed this up with 25 prem goals the next season, 20 the following season, then 6 (in a season ruined by injury) and 21 in his final season. 95 prem goals in 5 seasons (with one ruined by injury), and another 14 FA Cup goals in 14 appearances. A player i think would thrive on the service he would get from my midfield.

Formation.

With the players I have, i think i can succesfully go 442, 433 attacking of 451 defensive. Attack being the best form of defence; my team will be one of the best on possession of ball, some great passers in midfield and a defence not afraid to actually lose the ball. In Ruud, I have a striker my team can play to and off in any of those formations. Martins can drop out wide to the left offering a pacey outlet down the left to mirror Kanchelskis on the right, giving my team possibly the best counter attack in the game, and the ability to streatch the opposition down both flanks and get in behind. Chimbonda and Lescott down each side offer more width on each side.

If both MNG and Mitch want it I will allow commentary from everybody in this thread considering it's the final but both of the finalists must agree

Mitch Connor

MNG

Quick comment - the order of the poll options doesn't match the order the teams are posted in the thread, might result in some american style voting mistakes. Will try to do a write up for this later, busy in work at the moment so don't have much time to do a proper write up. Will try tonight.

I don't mind people commenting in this thread, as long as people don't start really having a go like in the MNG/eagle eye thread.

Mr.Nice Guy

I likewise don't mind if people want to give their thoughts but I'd suggest it would be better for that to happen in the discussion thread as it would leave this thread a lot clearer for those who just want to read the summaries offered by Mitch and myself.

I'll offer my thoughts now on why I deserve to win the final using the style I have previously...

Defense

Without a doubt I think it is in this area that Mitch has his biggest problems. His back four consists of Sylvin Distin, Kolo Toure, Pascal Chimbonda and Joleon Lescott. While I rate Toure and Lescott as top Premiership players who could perhaps pull their weight in a title-chasing side, I wouldn't have the same confidence in Distin and Chimbonda. For me there are big question marks over not just the qualities of these players but also their temperament.

Ahead of this back four Mitch has Tim Howard in goal. Now while I think Howard is a very good and solid keeper, again I don't think he is someone that can carry the pressure of a title-chasing side. This is why he was let go from Manchester United.

In contrast, I think my team's back line is one of the most impressive in the game. I have Van Der Sar in goal (a man who Fergie has said he should have signed when Schmeichel retired rather than go through the other keepers which included Howard). My central defence pair of Ferdinand and Brown with Van Der Sar behind them is a very solid triumvirate which is unlikely to leak goals over a season. My full-backs of Heinze and Geremi are also hard-working, talented players and I don't think I would have temperament issues with any of these players nor problems with commitment.

I would therefore say that my team has a stronger defensive backbone than Mitch which I believe would prove to be crucially important in a title race and which I reckon would see me be able to grind out important results if need be.

Midfield

In midfield I think the playing field is a lot closer and in terms of attacking threat, I would actually give the edge to Mitch seeing as he has Arteta, Alonso, Lampard and Kanchelskis. However, I think there is a major problem here which Mitch didn't take into account - his lack of defensive options in midfield. This I think is a big factor which Mitch has overlooked.

In his write-up for instance Mitch wrote, "With the players I have, i think i can succesfully go 442, 433 attacking of 451 defensive. Attack being the best form of defence; my team will be one of the best on possession of ball, some great passers in midfield and a defence not afraid to actually lose the ball."

This to me suggests Mitch went for a somewhat gung-ho approach without any midfielders providing cover for the back four, and while I'd agree with him that his team would be one of the best with possession, I'd have to strongly disagree with him that he has a defence not afraid to actually lose the ball. There's no one in midfield to give them a hand and protect them!

Lampard is an immense player who provides a dangerous threat to any team but he needs someone behind him to allow him to do that. Whether it be John Obi Mikel or Michael Essien. Lampard isn't one to do this role. Similarly Alonso is one of the best passers of the ball around, but I feel he needs a Mascherano alongside him to protect the back four and give him the freedom to make things happen.

This is why I think my central midfield strategy worked so well. I made a pretty bold move in the game to pair Emmanuel Petit with Michael Carrick as I believed this pair would complement each other well. Both are class players with Petit providing the extra steel and Carrick providing that extra bit of guile and vision. I said before that I felt this central area was the core aspect of my team and I think that's true for a lot of teams. Unfortunately for Mitch, I believe he has left himself very vulnerable. In terms of our outside midfielders I think my pair of Robben and Zenden and Mitch's pair of Arteta and Kancheskis are quite evenly matched. If pushed I think I'd give the edge to Mitch in that respect but in terms of the overall midfield, I think my team looks far more functional for operating both in defense and attack.

Attack

I think I have the edge here in this respect. We have different forward styles here as I will have Bergkamp operating just off Defoe whereas Mitch has gone with Martins and Van Nistelrooy in a two-pronged attack it seems. I would argue my front pair would have a better chemistry than Mitch's front pair which to me doesn't look like a well-suited partnership. I definitely think they will get goals but I reckon my team would get a bit more and would be more clinical in front of goal than his pair (I'm mainly referring to Martins here not Ruud who would certainly be clinical)

Conclusion

In conclusion then I think my team deserves to win because I think it is stronger in all the key areas. In defense and in between the sticks I think my team is significantly more solid, in midfield I think my team is superior as I have players who can not only open up defences but can protect their own defence whereas I don't think Mitch can say the same. Finally I think my team has a slight edge over Mitch up front.

I do think Mitch has chosen some top players and engineered a side that will certainly get him goals and help him finish highly, but I don't believe he has a defensive spine to his team that can sustain a title-chasing season. I would argue my team has enough attacking threat as well as defensive toughness to be able to sustain a title-chasing campaign.

I believe I achieved the right balance in attack and defence to merit winning the contest and I hope ultimately the people of Boards will agree with me on that.

Mitch Connor

MNG

ok, I don't have much time to write this, but i'll give it a go.


Tough game for my lads, against a very, very good side.

Starting with defence, MNG has the names, but i do think my defence is better overall. Geremi can be used as a fullback, but he is not a full back and is not 100% comfortable there. He best time in the premiership has been as a midfielder imo. Brown.... Good player, occasionaly great, but he is a right back really. To say that he has had a better impact on the premiership as a CB than either Toure or Distin is simply wrong imo. As for Rio, fair enough, better. Heinze.... I hate the guy. However, I would still contend that Lescott has had a bigger impact on the premiership, and also point out Heinze had a shocker of a final season with United.

In midfield, I do feel I have to point out the injury proneness of both wingers. Zenden is a player I don't rate that highly, and wouldn't take over any of my midfielders. Robben - great in his first season but injury prone and was not at his best once the injuries took hold; he still had flashes of brilliance, but overall I think his impact on the prem was limited. Carrick and Petit are both very good CMs, but neither are dominating. I would take Alonso over both and he is as combative as either imo. I think Lampard and Arteta, if required can crowd the midfield and offer almost as much protection to the back line while offering a lot more going forward.

Up front, I think both sets of forwards would get about the same amount of goals, with Ruud being the main source of mine, but i feel the versatility offered by Martins, being able to move him out to the left is a plus.

Tough game as I say, and I won't begrudge victory to MNG should he get it.

As an aside, i reckon it would be a great game between the two sides in a one off encounter, not that it really matters in this voting process.

Bubs101

Bump, poll will close tommorow at 2. This is a very close final

Mitch Connor

MNG

Oh well, fair play MNG, a rather resounding result.

Mr.Nice Guy

Cheers Mitch. Good game.

Bubs101

Was 9-7 at one stage with Mitch one vote closer on the acceptable vote (I think) but MNG pulled ahead after the bump.

Worthy winner and he got a hell of a tough draw from stage 1