The Selection Draft (1994 - 2014) - Formations and Tactics

Category 1 - Has played for only one club: Iker Casillas
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries: Patrice Evra
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps: Patrick Vieira
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team: Andrea Pirlo
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated: Jaap Stam
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division: Cristiano Ronaldo
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup: Cesc Fabregas
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup: Gareth Bale
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final: Daniel Alves
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final: Gerard Piqué
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup: David Villa

 

I've gone for 4-3-3 again. My front three is a bit lopsided with Ribery more of an out-and-out winger while Rooney will tuck in from the right. The idea is to get the best out of Messi in his preferred central role while maintaining a major goal threat with my other forwards.

This is definitely a side built to keep the ball on the floor and dominate possession (although there's enough pace to thrive on the break as well). I've also got a hardworking front three and a pacy back four so I should be able to press high up the pitch like most of the top sides do nowadays. As a bonus nearly all my outfield players are very intelligent tactically and can play several positions.

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club - Andrés Iniesta
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries - Esteban Cambiasso
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps - Fabio Cannavaro
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team - Denis Irwin
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated - Gennaro Gattuso
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division - Andriy Shevchenko
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup - Fredrik Ljungberg
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup - David Ginola
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final - Maicon
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final - Fabien Barthez
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup - Fernando Hierro

I think I have a great team with a great balance. I've gone for a solid 4-2-3-1 with wingers. I've got Shevchenko up-front who was a great striker for Dynamo Kiev and Milan and was the Ballon d'Or winner in 2004. He can do it all. He can head, hit the ball with both feet and take set pieces. I've got Iniesta in AM, he will probably go down as one of the best playmakers of all time and he has made Barcelona tick for years now. I've got 2 very capable wingers in Ginola and Ljungberg. Both of my DM's are solid and will provide my defence with amazing cover. My defence has arguably one of the best defenders of all time with Cannavaro and another solid defender who once scored 21 goals in a season (Not even joking) and is great on the ball. Both of my full backs are good at both attacking and defence. My goalkeeper is also solid and I hope his time at Manchester United doesn't do me in.

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club Valdes
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries Zé Roberto
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps Alonso
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team Blanc
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated Di Canio
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division Shearer
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup Scholes
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup Baines
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final Ferdinand
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final Henry
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup Srna

 

I ended up going for a 3-4-1-2.

The 3-4-1-2 uses three defenders who are excellent in the air to combat the lack of full-backs, but were also fine tacklers who read the game well. Desailly and de Boer are both comfortable with passing the ball around, meaning that once the ball has been won, there is no need to lump it up-field. Petit will play as an Anchorman, the role he often played at Arsenal. He'll also drop deep to pick the ball up from the defenders and ferry it forward. Scholl is the main player to link attack from defense, either playing the ball out wide to the two wingers; Bode and Figo, or playing it to Zola who is going to be played in a Trequartista role, free to float around doing whatever the f*ck he likes, because he's Zola.




The Diamond has f*cked off, because I'm ill and tired and f*ck all of you.


Dida (World Cup Final)
De Boer (3 Countires)
Hyypia (Never World Cup)
Desailly (F.A Cup)
Bode(One Club)
Petit (Scored @ world cup)
Scholl(Champions League)
Figo (100 caps)
Zola (Promoted)
Romario (Top scorer)
Batistuta (Relegated)

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club: Steven Gerrard
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries: Gheorghe Hagi, Márquez, Lucio, Petrescu, Makelele, Berbatov, Julio Cesar
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps: Rafael Marquez, Lucio, Gerrard, Hagi
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team: Alessandro Del Piero, Hagi, Petrescu
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated: Julio Cesar, Hagi
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division: Dimitar Berbatov, Hagi, Del Piero
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup: Claude Makélélé, Gerrard, Petrescu
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup: Mikel Arteta, Alaba, Berbatov
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final: David Alaba, Marquez, Lucio, Makelele, Gerrard, Berbatov, Del Piero, Hagi, Julio Cesar
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final: Lucio, Makelele, Del Piero
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup: Dan Petrescu, Márquez,Hagi, Gerrard, Del Piero

Nothing outrageous going on here tactically. Makelele will do what he was so famous for, with Arteta and his great close control joining him deep keeping it simple allowing them to control the middle of the park. Gerrard has freedom to bomb forwards as much as he desires because of the solidity of his midfield partners.

My front 3 is set to be very fluid. Del Piero was prolific and played a lot for Juve in the inside left forward position I'll utilise him in. Hagi was just a magician, capable of some truly outrageous flicks, turns, and shots from improbable positions, and he can drift in onto his preferred left foot from an inside right role, although his right foot wasn't half bad either. They will be free to interchange both behind and with Berbatov, who combines a lethal poaching and finishing ability with a good touch and he should work well with the movement of Del Piero and Hagi around him.

Defensively my centrebacks, Makelele and Arteta should cover the centrebacks enough to allow Alaba and Petrescu to rampage up and down the flanks, as they both did/do for their clubs to good effect. Petrescu and Hagi have a neat little Romanian link, but that's mainly just ornamental

I think I fell down by not having enough goals in my team in the Current World Draft (despite having Ronaldo and Hulk), so I've got 4 mega goal threats in this (Berbatov, Hagi, Del Piero, Gerrard) plus 2 full-backs who are no slouches in attack.

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club (Daniel De Rossi)
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries (Nigel De Jong)
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps (Roberto Ayala)
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team (David Seaman)
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated (Micheal Laudrup)
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division (Francessco Totti)
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup (Branislav Ivanovic)
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup (George Weah)
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final (Steve Mcmanaman)
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final (Sergio Ramos)
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup (Phillip Lham)

Typical 4231 from me. Fullbacks will bomb forward. Two holding midfielders providing protection and a fluid front 4.

Probably the most balanced team in the draft again.

Good luck all

 

Roberto Carlos basically LM too.

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club Giuseppe Bergomi
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries Alexis Sánchez
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps Jürgen Kohler
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team Henrik Larsson
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated José Luis Chilavert
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division Luis Suárez
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup Ashley Cole
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup Ryan Giggs
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final Javier Mascherano
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final Cafu
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup LotharMatthäus


Really pleased with how my team has worked out. Every one of my picks is world class, my defence is unpassable and that is assuming they get through the midfield rocks . Going forward my front 4 are all lethal in front of goal but just as importantly are all creative all work hard and all will help out if needed although when you have that team behind you they will be able to concentrate on getting the ball in the net. The only trouble I see in my team is the fighting between my keeper and suarez over who takes the free kicks.

Once again a great draft, best one yet .

 

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Category 1 - Has played for only one club (Neville, Baresi)
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries (Roberto Carlos, Robben, Vieri, Silva, Pires, Sneijder)
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps (Roberto Carlos, Buffon,)
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team (Cantona, Buffon, Baresi, Vieri, Silva)
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated (Baresi, Vieri)
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division (Vieri)
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup (Cantona, Neville, Robben, Pires, Silva)
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup (Cantona)
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final (Roberto Carlos, Neville, Buffon, Vieri Baresi, Robben, Silva, Sneijder, Pires, Costacurta)
Category 10- Has played in a World Cup Final (Roberto Carlos, Buffon, Baresi, Robben, Silva, Sneijder)
Category 11- Has scored at a World Cup (Roberto Carlos, Sneijder, Robben)


Brief run through my team. The formation is 4-4-1-1

Goalkeeper: Buffon is regarded as one of the best goal keepers ever. In terms of players that qualify for the draft only Schmeichel and Kahn come close. He is the most expensive goalkeeper ever having moved from Parma to Juventus for a fee of £33 million making him the most expensive Italian footballer ever too.

Defence: Franco Baresi and Billy Costacurta form the heart of my defence. They played at the heart of what is regarded by many to be the greatest ever defence.... The AC Milan from the late 80's to mid 90's under Saachi and Capello.
Gary Neville fills in at right back, consistently one of the best right backs in world football from the mid 90's to the bid 00's.
Roberto Carlos slots in at left back, he is a dead ball specialist and a genuine threat down the left wing. I regard him as probably the 2nd best left back in the past 20 years behind the great Paolo Maldini... however he offers much more going forward.

Midfield: Gilberto Silva is the anchor in my midfield. He was part of the great invincibles of 2003-04 and will link up well with Pires.
Wesley Sneijder is the creative player of my midfield duo. Silva breaks up the play and Sneijder pushes the team forward. He will link up quite well with international team mate Robben.
Robben and Pires will both provide plenty of width (something that appears to be lacking with a lot of teams this draft). Pires of course was a key member of the Arsenal Invincibles of 2003-04 and Robben has won pretty much everything at club level (Premier League, La Liga, Bundasliga and Champions League)

Attack: Cantona is a wizard, capable of scoring out of nowhere with an ability to score both sublime and ridiculous goals.
Joaquin Phoenix... I mean Christian Vieri is my front man. Not as good as some of the other front men picked but he is a proven goalscorer, he's won Italian footballer of the year twice, top scorer in La Liga in 1997-98 with 24 goals for Atletico Madrid and Seria A in 2002-03 with 24 goals for Inter Milan. His transfer from Lazio to Inter Milan in 1999 was for a then world record fee of £32 million. He is the 2nd most expensive Italian footballer after Buffon.

 

My tactic is the 4-2-3-1 currently employed by Chelsea, with Lampard in the role he played recently against West Ham, this will utilise his energy and link up play. Dunga will sit and screen the defence at all times as part of a rock solid 5 man unit. Baggio is credited with the creation of the trequartista role so he plays there. Stoichkov was a (left) wing forward, he provides balance. Rui Costa, an advanced playmaker who finds a home on the right of a fluid 3. Thanks for reading.

 

Category 1 - Has played for only one club (Carles Puyol)
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries (Clarence Seedorf)
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps (David Beckham)
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team (Giorgio Chiellini)
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated (Peter Schmeichel)
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division (Ruud Van Nistelrooy)
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup (Yaya Toure)
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup (Christian Chivu)
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final (Alvaro Arbeloa)
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final (Ronaldinho)
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup (Michael Ballack)

 

Good team, mate. Just so you know Lampard has been playing in that role for us for the last 2.5 seasons. It wasn't just against West Ham.

 

Ah great, thanks for that info mate.

 

4-1-2-1-2 is the formation of choice for our side. Tony Adams will be the captain.

Narrow diamond with Deschamps at the base doing what he did best: winning the ball and using it effectively. Essien will also do defensive work but will be allowed to go box to box. Deco and Zidane will do what they do best: unlock defenses. And the two big man/little man combination of Ibra and Owen have tons of goals in them, easily frightening any back 4 they would come across.

Think the back 5 is very solid; Ziege and Babbel can both defend but will provide width down the flanks - something both could do quite well in their day - while Hummels and Adams dominate aerially but are also comfortable on the ball and read the game excellently. Behind them is the best GK in the world right now, Manuel Neuer, a fantastic shot stopper but also an excellent distributor of the ball.

Category 1 - Has played for only one club (Tony Adams)
Category 2 - Has played domestic football in three or more countries (Michael Essien)
Category 3 - Has over 100 International Caps (Didier Deschamps)
Category 4 - Was part of a promotion winning team (Deco)
Category 5 - Was part of a team that got relegated (Michael Owen)
Category 6 - Has been the top scorer in a top division (Ibra)
Category 7 - Has won the FA Cup (Markus Babbel)
Category 8 - Has never played at the World Cup (Mats Hummels)
Category 9 - Has played in a Champions League Final (Manuel Neuer)
Category 10 - Has played in a World Cup Final (Christian Ziege)
Category 11 - Has scored at a World Cup (Zinedine Zidane)

Hopped in late but had fun, cheers Joga. Happy with that team tbh.