SG Draft Competition--Semifinal 1

[ShiftyPowers]

Voting will be open for exactly 3 days. Vote for who you think would win if the teams lined up with these lineups taking into account substitutes.

Dutch Deluxe Delight All-Stars

Subs: Davide Santon, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Papiss Demba Cisse, Tom Huddlestone, Alvaro Dominguez, Clarence Seedorf, Vurnon Anita, Derk Boerrigter, Ron Vlaar, Ricardo van Rhijn, Michel Vorm, Hedwiges Maduro, Abel Hernandez, Kenneth Vermeer

Qatar Foundation

Subs: Pinto, Glen Johnson, Monreal, Chivu, Samuel, Alderweireld, Witsel, Guarín, Keita, Iturbe, Grosskreutz, el Shaarawy

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Kind of been anticipating this kind of mistake from Qatar Foundation from the beginning, taking someone out of the midfield and leaving Pirlo alone. Against Pastore, Hazard, and Nasri, this is horribly fatal. I've thought the defense of Alaba-Isla-Rakitskiy-Boateng was sketchy from the beginning, and that midfield 3 is ridiculous, not to mention the finishing of Huntelaar. None of those defenders could keep Huntelaar under control.

I'm also a little dubious of Ibra so far away from goal, and I'm not exactly shy about how much I like the defensive capabilities of a well run 4-2-3-1, which the Dutch employ.

I don't think it would be low scoring however, as I think Alexis would take advantage of Maxwell on several occasions, but that's the only real mismatch I see in Qatar's favor. I'm also underwhelmed by Qatar's central attacking players; with Oscar pushed out wide, I really don't see a defense breaking talent like a Hazard.

 

[Filipower]

Agreed 100%. I'd only add that pound-for-pound I do prefer Pirlo-Fellaini to Bender-M'Vila, but there's no way Pirlo would control that and deliver all those amazing balls like he does with 4 other Juve men beside him. Both side's defenses are rather poor and Qatar Foundation's crowded attack might take advantage of that occasionally, but with those 5 guys running the show on the Dutch side, this could end up being a rather easy win. But even if it's close, it would still fall to the Dutch.

 

[Mandieta6]

Ok, first off, I think Qatar is one of the best teams in the competition. Greatly balanced, one of the best benches, and it's just great. And to this point, I have never voted for the Dutch Delight, because that defense is simply awful. So, when I saw one of the most solid teams in the competition was facing one of the most unstable, I was sure I'd be giving this to Qatar. But then Arnau tinkered, and I just don't see it.

Zlatan's attack is fantastic, but I'm actually not a big fan of it. It's very narrow, and the fullbacks are laughable, the defense, as I said, is weak and central midfield doesn't have enough to compensate. Had Zlatan drafted a top, top keeper it would have helped slightly, but as I've said before, I just don't think this team is well formed and the bench is bad too.

But Qatar is playing Pirlo with Fellaini (who is awesome but as I've said before, doesn't fit the role he needs to be filling particularly well) and Oscar and that attack is very susceptible. With a diamond and a narrow midfield 5, this is gonna be a very scrappy battle, but I think Zlatan's attacking band would get much better opportunities than Pirlo.

It's a shame, because I think Qatar had a lot more to offer, but I give this to the Dutch.

 

[Mandieta6]

Wow, Zlatan killing it here, very surprised. Seriously, I was sure Arnau would go through.

 

[Back Door Skip]

I'm voting for Qatar, but I think if this game were played out, it would have been a huge mistake to take out a defensive oriented box to box type of midfielder and replace him with a really good attacker, that offers nothing in defense.

Dutch Deluxe is ridiculously stacked on attack and I was inclined to vote for the attack alone, but it seems as if the defense is nonexistent.

If this game were to be played out, I see this as an open, flowing, entertaining attacking game with either team coming out victorious. Too close to call.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I don't think the defense is as bad as you guys are making out for Zlatan. Vertonghen is good, van der Weil is good going forward, and Bonucci at least isn't a complete joke. I think those 3 are better than Alaba (hasn't proven that much yet and can't really defend), Rakitskiy, and Boateng.

 

[4ndr3i]

Bonucci is a complete joke and van der Wiel, from what I've seen of him, is awful. But that doesn't change the fact that Qatar Foundation is ridiculously top heavy, it's like a Fifa team, his midfield would easily be overruned by the likes of Hazard, Nasri and Pastore.

In the end it was a easy choice for me, Dutch Deluxe it is.

 

[Mus]

and Bonucci at least isn't a complete joke.

He's pretty bad.

 

[Zlatan]

I'll for once speak up for my defense, seeing as it gets a lot of criticism. Like ShiftyPowers, I also don't think it's as bad as you guys make it out to be.

Vertonghen is a good defender and above that a good passer and ballhandler going forward. Bender and also Bonucci can cover him up whenever Jan decides to rush forward to cause panic and confusion among the opposition's defense, like he often does.

You can say anything you want about Bonucci, but fact of the matter is that he's a regular for Juventus (the Italian champions) and played every game for Italy in the EURO's and is overall just a solid defender, IMO.

I can see why you guys would criticize the full backs from a defensive point of view, but the reason why I put them in the squad is mostly because of their attacking abilities. Seeing as my forwards all like to come inside and create something from there, my full backs will be able to spread the field wide whenever they get forward like they are very well equiped to do. By doing so they will keep the opposition's defense stretched out and prone to exploit by my attackers either through crosses from the coming fullbacks or through drawing opposition defenders out wide thus creating space in the middle. My defensive minded midfielders (M'Vila and Bender) can cover up for any gaps both Maxwell and Van Der Wiel could leave for the opposition to exploit in a situation where they go forward and leave space behind them.

Not trying to promote my team in any way or trying to make things look better than they are. I just try to explain to you guys the thinking behind my defense and also that when you look at it in more detail it's not really that bad even though obviously the vocal point of my team is the attack.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Not trying to promote my team in any way

Hahaha, that's so Dutch! Yes you are! You should be!

 

[Arnau]

Congrats Zlatan

 

[ShiftyPowers]

2.5 days left. It's only 5 votes.

 

[Arnau]

my idea (inspired in Spaletti) was to separate Nasri, Hazard and Pastore from the double pivot attracting them to my own half building the attack with many players behind the ball. fullbacks 1-on-1 with full backs to pin them wide. Obviously i can't miss any pass there, team will take his time building the attack with non dangerous passes without the intention of creating any superiority but not losing the ball until they could play direct like Zenit does.

Then when the obvious space appears playing direct to Zlatan (none can challenge him in the air, he will always win the ball) and the innate nature of Alexis, Oscar and Milito would acceletare the attack.


EDIT: Fellaini season is being too good to bench him.

 

[Mus]

You can say anything you want about Bonucci, but fact of the matter is that he's a regular for Juventus

Only due to injuries, and the fact we play 3 CB's and need one who's moderately comfortable on the ball, and even for that he had one of the highest balls lost (top 10 iirc) in the entire league last season, usually something attributed to strikers.

 

[Zlatan]

Say whatever you want, if you're a regular at Juventus and Italy you can never be complete ****, IMO.

 

[Mandieta6]

Wow, what a comeback from Arnau!

The quarters had 20 and 21 votes, so if Arnau gets another vote he could still win this.

 

[Jordi10]

Both are really interesting teams.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Waldo's vote is the first removed. Dutch Deluxe advance to the finals.