Euro 2012 Draft

eagle eye

What do you guys think of this team? I think it will be very hard to score against them. Some of you probably don't remember Baresi but imo he was the best centreback I ever seen.

Nuri Sahin

No thanks

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Heres mine

Love the spine of the team, from Rui Patrico to Huntelaar. That is your strength and is obviously a good basis for any team having that foundation in place. CB pairing is just, well.. disgusting. I mean that in a good way of course. You have 2 out of the top 3 CB's in world football in your side. Boetang has been very good so far at RB in the Euros. Alba is a huge talent and could very well end up at Barca sooner rather than later. Lot of emphasis will be on them to provide width and I see you took stock of that with Alba more so.

Putting aside some of the nastiness at times, Cabaye is very good. Does a bit of everything especially in an attacking sense. Deschamps like all the legends doesn't need to be justified by many, you or whoever else

Been critical at times with Hunetlaar over the years, as I think he's been a bottler with certain clubs with a bit of a ****house attitude to boot. But based on this past season, you cannot doubt his form for club or country (in qualifying). He'll finish chances more often than not if created though you can say that much, just don't expect him to work the channels, drop deep or link up play.

The AM's (think that's the position you have them as) is interesting. I really couldn't add more to what GK has said. They are central wingers/attacking midfielders and if you note the positions they take up, it's all quite similar to Ozil which would cause an issue I feel. Wouldn't have gone with Arshavin myself but I can understand why some would.

___


Probably have a look at the other teams sometime tomorrow after the basketball and golf today.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

1 pick to go!

Copper_pipe

Maybe

G.K. wrote: »

1 pick to go!

Done

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

I said way back I'd do a team from players not picked. Here it is:



And beyond them, it goes to show the strength of the Euros that some of these didn't get picked:

Reveillere, Schurrle, Mexes, Diarra, Kuyt, Luuk de Jong, Rakitic, Veloso, Zyryanov, Mathijsen, Denisov, Kershakov, Perisic, Olic, Izmailov, Ox, Walcott, Sivok, Juanfran, Jiracek, Bender, Giaccherini, Borini, Perquis, Akinfeev, Yarmolenko, Meireles, Varela, Ogbonna, Jacobsen

All of those would have been perfectly acceptable last round picks at the very least.

FUN FACT: Greece were the only side with no players selected. Spain the most with 21.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Anyway, we move onto the draw, which I'm doing with the help of this randomiser: http://www.random.org/lists/

We have 8 matches in the first round, which will be drawn in a moment.

What I've drawn first is the matchups for the later rounds.

Without further ado:

Quater Finals:

Q1) Winner of Match 7 vs Winner of Match 6
Q2) Winner of Match 5 vs Winner of Match 2
Q3) Winner of Match 3 vs Winner of Match 8
Q4) Winner of Match 4 vs Winner of Match 1

Semis:

1) Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q3
2) Winner of Q2 vs Winner of Q4

Final is obvious.

I'll now proceed to do the draw for the matches.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Oh, and tonight I'll be posting the 1st 4 matches.

There'll be a spell of 48 hours from when I post the thread for the teams to be laid out and the 2 participants to debate, as well as people casting their votes (Remember, only developed answers (even if these are only 1 sentance long) will count towards the vote).

Do you guys think 48 hours is too long?

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

I should probably post this too:

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

AND NOW FOR THE DRAW *suspense music*

Match 1: Redzerdrog vs LuckyLloyd
Match 2: Blatter vs SirDelboy18
Match 3: Coletrickle88 vs Eagle Eye
Match 4: Copper Pipe vs ColeTrain
Match 5: Andy Carroll vs whatawaster
Match 6: Mikey5086 vs IncognitoMan
Match 7: Moneymaker vs Junior D
Match 8: Bounty Hunter vs bUILDERtHEbOB

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

I was very Suprised Thiago Motta wasn't picked . Decent enough player

Moneymaker

20 Participants

48 hours seems fine to me.

Blatter

Maybe

-Ade- wrote: »

Really liked your team up until the first proxy I gotta say, and I say that a fan of Balotelli. In the sense I know he could be world class, he has all the ability in the world but at the same time it's more than likely will never truly fulfill his potential.

Kroos and Martinez in the same midfield so, so good. They can do just about cover any position centrally and with the former, can do a job out wide if need be.

I don't rate Cahill myself, despite helping Chelsea to the European Cup.

Schmelzer is excellent, unfortunate to have Lahm ahead of him in the national team, thus ensuring he'll be a bench player for the near future unless Lahm is played at RB.

Szczesny as those who follow me on Twitter know (from my at times long winded rants at him ) I do not rate, at least not to the extent a lot of Gooners do... at present. I do stress that at present. Could be a very good keeper but for the time being, meh.

First of all, cheers for you input (and Rekop dog + others), really is fantastic to have outside opinion on this.

On Balotelli. We all know he can be a loose cannon, that is an undeniable fact. However nobody can argue with his productivity. 17 goals in 22 starts for City last season. Yes he could throw a strop, yes he could get sent off, but the man delivers more than he is given credit for. I don't think there was any player available in round 6 that is comfortable as an inside forward wide left and has a strike rate as prolific as Balotelli's. That was my reasoning for picking him, I think the positives outweigh the negatives with him. City would not have won the league without him, that I'm sure of.

With regards Gary Cahill, I used to not rate him, like you. But then I saw him get into his stride at Chelsea and honestly thought he was excellent in plenty of games for them. The CL semi v Barca at Stamford Bridge really stood out, he was superb. In the final he was very good again as he stood firm despite wave after wave of Bayern attacks. And he's generally been very good for England, and was their first choice CB after John Terry going into this tournament, and under Capello too.

On Szczesny, I don't think he's anything special yet but I also think he's quite reliable. The fact that pundits and Arsenal fans alike have stopped the old cliche ''Arsenal need a new goalkeeper'' speaks volumes IMO.

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

Gk im going for a week from friday so i dont know if that affects anything ? let me know if it does .

Moneymaker

20 Participants

JuniorD is a tough, tough draw. Probably one of the teams I wanted to avoid most.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Gk im going for a week from friday so i dont know if that affects anything ? let me know if it does .

Probably best to PM me a writeup for your team that I can post in your absence.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

First 4 threads are up.

48 hours for those matches.

Jesus Wept

16 Participants

Rushed out earlier and forgot to pm the very last picker. Pm sent to him now.

Edit: He got there anyway, wp.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Why didn't anyone pick reina?

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Why didn't anyone pick reina?

It's based on current form and Reina had his worst season for Liverpool is the reason I didn't pick him anyway .

LuckyLloyd

Thanks-based voting

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Why didn't anyone pick reina?

He's nowhere near one of the best 16 goalkeepers available no matter how you dress it up.

And, tbh, that I was able to get Valdes with my 10th / 11th pick backs up the point made when the first goalkeepers were selected - very deep position.

Junior D

Maybe

Moneymaker wrote: »

JuniorD is a tough, tough draw. Probably one of the teams I wanted to avoid most.

Same.

There was me thinking I couldhave most of the teams here, then I get this as 1st round!

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

How did Makele not get drafted he would have been an excellent pick .

Moneymaker

20 Participants

I remember saying the same thing. Amazing player.

Nuri Sahin

No thanks

G.K. wrote: »

I said way back I'd do a team from players not picked. Here it is:



And beyond them, it goes to show the strength of the Euros that some of these didn't get picked:

Reveillere, Schurrle, Mexes, Diarra, Kuyt, Luuk de Jong, Rakitic, Veloso, Zyryanov, Mathijsen, Denisov, Kershakov, Perisic, Olic, Izmailov, Ox, Walcott, Sivok, Juanfran, Jiracek, Bender, Giaccherini, Borini, Perquis, Akinfeev, Yarmolenko, Meireles, Varela, Ogbonna, Jacobsen

All of those would have been perfectly acceptable last round picks at the very least.

FUN FACT: Greece were the only side with no players selected. Spain the most with 21.

Similar enough team to what I would have went with. Veloso and Schurrle probably would have made it into my team.

For pick 9. Courtois, Xhaka, Sven Bender, Mertens, Witsel and Van Wolfswinkel could have been very good options for others.

elefant

-Ade- wrote: »

Similar enough team to what I would have went with. Veloso and Schurrle probably would have made it into my team.

For pick 9. Courtois, Xhaka, Sven Bender, Mertens, Witsel and Van Wolfswinkel could have been very good options for others.

Soldado also would have been a good pick for round 9 imo.

Nuri Sahin

No thanks

elefant wrote: »

Soldado also would have been a good pick for round 9 imo.

Completely forgot about him, and I had money on him till I got that bet changed pre-Euros Also forgot about Sommer at Basel too now I think about it! I'd have him ahead of Reina on form.

I know I included Sven Bender, but imo, it'd have been better if Pick/Round 9 didn't have players from a country already in the Euros.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Iraola too.

I actually took Schurrle out for Martin in my team, and I don't know why I forgot Veloso.

Bounty Hunter

Thanks-based voting

few days limited connectivity but if possible ill try and have imput / vote on match threads made, anywhoo still trying to pick a formation for my men... what do you think?

.........

leaning towards the first one atm id say

..whoops might need a keeper in no.3

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

I'd probably go #1 as well.

IncognitoMan

Developed answers only count toward the vote

Like the first one with sneijder, zidane and gerrard swaping around.

bUILDERtHEbOB

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Have you considered trying Zidane at left back?

1 looks the best though, tbh.

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

bUILDERtHEbOB wrote: »

Have you considered trying Zidane at left back?

1 looks the best though, tbh.

You smack your head building today bob ?

Nuri Sahin

No thanks

G.K. wrote: »

Iraola too.

I actually took Schurrle out for Martin in my team, and I don't know why I forgot Veloso.

Indeed. Hope Del Bosque has him in mind and makes him a starting XI player post-Euros. You'd think that would be the case anyway.

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

few days limited connectivity but if possible ill try and have imput / vote on match threads made, anywhoo still trying to pick a formation for my men... what do you think?

.........

leaning towards the first one atm id say

..whoops might need a keeper in no.3

Numero Uno for sure.

Small note man, Höwedes and Lloris

elefant

Don't go for number three...

You might be confident, but not playing a goalkeeper is a recipe for disaster!

Moneymaker

20 Participants

G.K. wrote: »

I said way back I'd do a team from players not picked. Here it is:



And beyond them, it goes to show the strength of the Euros that some of these didn't get picked:

Reveillere, Schurrle, Mexes, Diarra, Kuyt, Luuk de Jong, Rakitic, Veloso, Zyryanov, Mathijsen, Denisov, Kershakov, Perisic, Olic, Izmailov, Ox, Walcott, Sivok, Juanfran, Jiracek, Bender, Giaccherini, Borini, Perquis, Akinfeev, Yarmolenko, Meireles, Varela, Ogbonna, Jacobsen

All of those would have been perfectly acceptable last round picks at the very least.

FUN FACT: Greece were the only side with no players selected. Spain the most with 21.

That's a pretty good side!

Miccolli could be in there too, he had a superb season with Palermo. Unlucky not to be brought to the tournament.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Few more hours for the voting, when the winners will be announced and the next 4 games are going up.

Junior D

Maybe

So who are we left with so far after the 1st 4 games?

In the Blatter Delboy game, felt very sorry for Delboy, even though I voted for Blatter. Could've easily voted for Del.

Have to say, lookin forward to my game with Moneymaker. More nervous bout that than my dental exams tomorrow :pac:

Moneymaker

20 Participants

Junior D wrote: »

So who are we left with so far after the 1st 4 games?

In the Blatter Delboy game, felt very sorry for Delboy, even though I voted for Blatter. Could've easily voted for Del.

Have to say, lookin forward to my game with Moneymaker. More nervous bout that than my dental exams tomorrow :pac:

Indeed, have had exams myself and yesterday on the way in was more thinking about my tactics for the match-up then the exam.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Congrats to Lloyd, Blatter, Coletrickle and ColeTrain.

I'll put up the other half of Round 1 shortly.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

The other Round 1 matches are up.

Samich

First time viewing this thread.

Could you pick any european player?

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

9 of the 11 rounds were players in the confirmed 23 man squads (Including those who were injured after being confirmed in such as Cahill, Olic etc but not their replacements).

The wildcard rounds were a historical EUROs player one and a 'Not at Europe' one for any active player from a UEFA country who didn't go for whatever reason.

Jax Teller

Thanks-based voting

Gk im going to pm you with my write ups later on or tomorrow for my next game (hopefully games) as im off for a week from thursday night .

i better go over everyones team , i could face anyone in later rounds .

Moneymaker

20 Participants

I have an exam today, i'll try and get my write up later.

Moneymaker

20 Participants

Managed to get mine up, I think it's only fair voting be open a little longer and give Junior time to get a complete write up done.

Also, I don't think votes should be counted until he gets a fair chance to outline his team.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

He's still got till late tomorrow night.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

Congrats to AC, Bounty Hunter, Mikey and Moneymaker. (I'll try and post my full writeups for the 3 games I'm behind on by Saturday).

Anyway, the next round. here's the draw:

G.K. wrote: »

Quarter Finals:

Q1) Winner of Match 7 vs Winner of Match 6
Q2) Winner of Match 5 vs Winner of Match 2
Q3) Winner of Match 3 vs Winner of Match 8
Q4) Winner of Match 4 vs Winner of Match 1

This means we'll have the following matchups:

Q1) Moneymaker vs Mikeyt086
Q2) Andy Carroll vs Blatter
Q3) Coletrickle88 vs Bounty Hunter
Q4) ColeTrain vs LuckyLloyd

I'll just get these threads up.

G.K.

Historical Euro player Wildcard

They are up.

Moneymaker

20 Participants

Won't get a chance to make my post today alas.

eagle eye

I was just thinking about doing something mad for the final. I don't know if people will go for it either but I was thinking that we could have the final on xbox with no players controlling it. Just a game say 15 minutes per half and streamed live.

I think it would be fun. I'm willing to do it but I'd have to learn how to stream. I can do all the stuff like setting up the teams the way the managers like etc. What do people think?