Page 9 Team: Twenty 26Six Overview - The 1974 World Cup is remembered as the World Cup of Total Dutch Football, but a couple of other stars of that particular tournament hope to remind us all of their own contributions: Deyna, the stylish and incisive Polish midfield player that will be the playmaker of this team and striker Gerd Muller who came up with the goals at crucial times including the winner in the Final and is expected to be a big threat again here. The Dutchman that is in this team is probably the quickest player on show, or even in history. The manager hopes his searing runs on one side and the more inverted play of Prosinecki on the other (with Lahm over-lapping as per his energetic performances in 2006) can help the side shine and even go all the way. Talking points - Beckham is left out - he had to work his way into the team in '98 but won't be able to do so this time with no substitutions allowed - there are rumours that the manager signed a deal with Brylcream for sponsorship to fund Blanchflower's travelling expenses and cunningly drafted Beckham as part of his agreement before leaving him out; several scousers state the manager high-fived them shortly after handing in his team sheet! He will hope that Deyna, Prosinecki or someone can do the business with the goals direct from free-kicks occasionally, but he didn't feel Beckham fitted well in the side and he felt he hadn't had much time in '98 to prove himself worthy of a place before his controversial sending-off. Likely stars - Deyna 74, Muller 74. Key partnership - Lahm 06 & Prosinecki 90. Young superstar but will he fade at a key moment? - Overmars 94. Past his very best or due a glorious swansong? - Seeler 66. Odds - 25/1. Top scorer odds - Muller 74 (6/1), Seeler 66 (30/1). Prospects/verdict - 13th favourites - the manager feels this is under-estimating his team and if they can set off on the right foot and gel perfectly they do have the capability to go deep into the tournament. Team: Vasu Overview - Another inspired piece of drafting allowed the manager to pick up up the 1982 version of Zico and he hopes complete the jigsaw of a great team with the final special piece. Like with Breitner's Wig's capture of Eusebio, it was most likely needed for the team to be contenders, but very much makes them that in our view. Much will depend on whether the integration of two South American stars in a team full of Northern Europeans can go smoothly so the players have been watching Ardiles/Villa era Tottenham all week; the feeling is that Matthaus might not be as easy to adapt to as Hoddle but that if it works he provides more in the way of drive both defensively and offensively with his energetic runs with the ball. As we state, Zico and Jairzinho could be the stars in this team but it is essential that Zico and Matthaus are on the same wavelength - if so their partnership could carry the team far. Talking points - Also involving Matthaus and how well he will get on with Van Hanegem in the heart of the midfield. Likely stars - Zico 82, Jairzinho 70. Key partnership - Matthaus 90 & Zico 82. Young superstar but will he fade at a key moment? - Jesper Olsen 86. Past his very best or due a glorious swansong? - Morten Olsen 86. Odds - 9/1. Top scorer odds - Jairzinho 70 (16/1), Klose 06 (16/1), Zico 82 (22/1). Prospects/verdict - 6th favourites - definately contenders but will probably need to score a lot of goals to win it.
lanman's performance analysis! Sheep Draft 4: No. of participants: 15 Total picks (Successful + Failed) = 293 Total successful picks: 151 Success rate: 51.54% Average success rate of all participants = 53.46% (^ Not sure why there's a discrepancy between the two, I'm sure there's a reason though ) Total sheep: 14 First round picks: 66 (43.71%) Second round picks: 61 (40.4%) Last round picks: 24 (15.9%) WC Draft: No. of participants: 19 Total picks (Successful + Failed) = 367 Total successful picks: 197 Success rate: 53.68% Average success rate of all participants = 54.59% Total sheep: 12 First round picks: 88 (44.67%) Second round picks: 76 (38.58%) Last round picks: 33 (16.75%) As we can see, despite the fact that SD4 had fewer participants, it still resulted in more sheep and an in general lower pick success rate; so as hard as this draft may have felt, there have been harder! (Although if I remember correctly, there were a couple of "bloodbath" rounds in SD4 which could have skewed the measurements)
I guess while we're all here I could mention this to anyone who missed it: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/new-game-idea-anyone-interested.1992060/ As PDG put it, it's like a retro PBM, run on BS forums, using a customised FM 2014 downdated database - probably based in the early 90s. Each player creates their own club and recruits via a draft on these forums and then an open transfer market. I'm going to let you play as chairman or manager and let you switch between the two, as I dont want it to have to be too time consuming for any one participant. There's been a decent amount of interest so far but I'm still getting the database together so nothing will begin just yet. But please do post any comments or ideas in the thread.
The registrations for the "ONE PLAYER PER NATION" draft is open. All those who are interested in participating kindly register in this thread. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/one-player-per-nation-draft-registrations.1997264/
@lanman ; imitation is the best kind of flattery and all that and looks like the fine denizens of the caf have started their own sheep draft. No credits of course. http://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-first-redcafe-sheep-draft.384211/ Just noticed it has gotten popular on rawk as well.
To be fair I didn't come up with the idea myself, I took the basics from a cricket forum and developed it somewhat.
I'd have joined in on that too, but they'd just ban me if I won, or at least make it extremely difficult to participate in future.