WC XI all star team

If I had to pick the starting XI for this WC so far, I'd pick :

Gk : Buffon ; HM : Ricardo
Buffon shoed why he's the best, and Ricardo was huge in the PK against England.

LB : Zambrotta ; HM : Cole
Zambrotta was everywhere in this WC. He played RB, but I put him here because I feel he and Sagnol were the two best sideback of the WC.

CB : Cannavaro, Ayala ; HM : Gallas, Thuram, Carvalho
Cannavaro and Ayala both had floawless tournaments. Gallas and Thuram have been huge as well. Carvalho had been dominant until that stupid foul in the semi.

RB : Sagnol ; HM : Miguel
Sagnol has been a beast in this WC. Miguel has been very good as well.

DM : Vieira, Ze Roberto ; HM : Essien, Frings, Gattuso, Cambiasso
Vieira was back to his old self in this WC, and Ze Roberto was suprisingly the best brazilian player of this WC.

AM : Zidane, Ribery ; HM : Figo, Deco
The french duo has been good enough in a tournament where AM didn't play well enough.

ST : Klose, Torres ; HM : Henry, Podolski
Klose was a no brainer, but Torres wins the second spot for me because he was the only dangerous spanish player against France. More dangerous than Adriano, Ronaldo or any other player since.

I agree on that list... I don't think Henry was very dominant though but I don't have any other forward name in mind instead so...

HM as in honorable mention.
Henry didn't make my team.

I think he was sub-par all tournament, and I feel much of it is due to the fact he plays alone in front.

Overall this is a very good list. :clap:

What I see different:

Christoph Metzelder should at least be a HM as a CB. He's only 24 but he was the leader of a very young German defense. He rarely makes a foul and wins about 70% of his one on one battles.

While I agree that Ze Roberto was the best brazilian player (that doesn't say a lot though ;) ) Frings is a step above him. He was THE best German player of the WC so far. He isn't overall flashy, you may even don't notice him during a game. But he gets his job done, does the dirty work and destroys the opponents playmakers.
Definitely one of the most underrated players on this globus.

I'll get back to this once the tournament is over.

One question though: what is the formation of the All Star lineup? Evilo's team had 2 DM's and no wingers. The reason I'm asking is that if I were to simply select the best 11 players of the World Cup so far, Klose would sadly be the only attacking player on the list.

No, I just picked a usual 4-4-2 formation.

My picks:
Gk : Buffon ; HM : Ricardo
LB : Lahm ; HM : Cole
CB : Cannavaro, Ayala ; HM : Gallas, Thuram
RB : Zambrotta, Sagnol ;
DM : Vieira, Pirlo; HM : Essien, Maniche
AM : Zidane, Riquelme; HM : C.Ronaldo, Figo
ST : Klose, Villa; HM : Crespo, Podolski

Ze Roberto was suprisingly the best brazilian player of this WC.Kaka before the injury, Lucio and Dida. All imo were better than Zé overall in the tourney.

Not when it counted.
In the group phase yes, but in the games against France and Ghana, Ze Roberto was easily the best brazilian.

Like the list but would add Pirlo and Thuram as my starters.

And to tell you the truth I was disappointed with the play of C. Ronaldo. I guess I expected way more from him. He's still young....

First XI
-------------------Buffon---------------------
Sagnol-----Cannavaro-----Ayala----------Lahm
---------------Mascherano--------------------
------------------Zidane----------------------
Rodriguez-------------------------------Ribery
-------------Torres---------------------------
------------------------Crespo----------------

Second XI
--------------------Cech----------------------
Zambrotta---Marquez---Gallas------Jankulovski-
------------------Gattuso---------------------
------------------Riquelme--------------------
van Persie--------------------------C.Ronaldo--
-----------Klose-------------------------------
-----------------------Drogba-----------------

Honourable mentions to F.Meira van de Saar Gusev & Ze Roberto.

Most promising youngster(s) Fabregas & Messi despite their limited playing time.

Biggest flop has to be Adriano.Overweight he looked as if he'd have a hard time punching his way out of a paper bag.

Great squads takharov. :)

Here's mine:

GK: Buffon HM: Ricardo
LB: Cole HM: Grosso (has to be. He singledhandedly eliminated two teams :biglaugh: )
RB: Zambrotta HM: Sagnol, Miguel
CB: Cannavaro (player of the tourney IMO), Ayala; HM: Gallas, Senderos (his team did not concede. Once!)
RW: Rodriguez HM: Ribery, Emerton (homer pick, but if you saw his play and saw how we missed him it is at least somewhat justified)
LW: Zidane HM: Joe Cole
CM: Vieira, Pirlo HM: Essien, Macherano (very underrated contribution)
ST: Klose, Torres HM: Podolski, Crespo

GK: Buffon (really came up big against Germany). HM: Lehmann, Ricardo
LB: Cole (not great, but really good). HM: Lahm
CB: Cannavaro, Ayala. HM: Gallas, Thuram, Sendo
RB: Zambrotta HM: Miguel, Sagnol
DM: Pirlo HM: Vieira, Zokora, Frings
AM: Zidane, Riquelme HM: Deco
LW: Ronaldo HM: Robben, Cole
RW: Ribery HM: Figo
ST: Klose, Torres HM: Podolski, Henry

Formation

----------Klose----------Torres
-Ronaldo--------Zidane------Ribery
-----------------Pirlo--------------
-Cole-----Ayala--------Cannavaro---Zambrotta
-----------------Buffon----------------

It's probably too attacking, but no matter.

Pirlo over Vieira seems like a huge stretch to me in this WC.

Pirlo over Vieira seems like a huge stretch to me in this WC.

I don't think so, Vieira was exceptional against Togo, Spain, and Brazil, but has been barely noticeable against Switzerland and Portugal. I can barely recall seeing him on the field yesterday. Pirlo has done a great job of orchestrating play in Italy's midfield. He's a great distributor of the ball and he's really helped to make him for Totti's subpar form.

Well Pirlo has lost 2/3rds of the ball he's touched, so I think he's completely missing his tournament.
Vieira was huge when it mattered.

Well Pirlo has lost 2/3rds of the ball he's touched, so I think he's completely missing his tournament.
Vieira was huge when it mattered.

I'm surprised it's been that much for Pirlo, do you have a source?

And Vieira certainly was not huge in the Portugal game and to be honest, Portugal did deserve more out of it. Portugal completely dominated midfield for the 2nd half.

Well Pirlo has lost 2/3rds of the ball he's touched, so I think he's completely missing his tournament.
Vieira was huge when it mattered.

speaking of huge when it matter.....how about setting up the goal that knocked the host nation out of the cup? And having Vieira as a DM for this world cup is debatable IMO, given the fact that Makelele is in the team and Vieira is getting foward an awful lot.

speaking of huge when it matter.....how about setting up the goal that knocked the host nation out of the cup?

You took my next point! :D

Don't forget that he had the shot too that set up that corner that led to the goal.

I'm surprised it's been that much for Pirlo, do you have a source?

No, that stat was just an estimation of my part.
I counted in a game (can't remember which) and he lost more than 2/3rds.

speaking of huge when it matter.....how about setting up the goal that knocked the host nation out of the cup? And having Vieira as a DM for this world cup is debatable IMO, given the fact that Makelele is in the team and Vieira is getting foward an awful lot.

hehe.
France needs to win 2-0 against Togo.
Vieira scores and gets an assist.

France faces Spain.
Vieira gets a goal and an assist.

Vieira is a DM. Going forward is exactly what modern DMs are all about.

You could make your argument about Pirlo and Gattuso anyway.

No, that stat was just an estimation of my part.
I counted in a game (can't remember which) and he lost more than 2/3rds.

I think your estimation is completely off to be honest, I know Italy haven't faced very stiff competition in the knockout stages (and I didn't see the Ukraine game), but he was exceptional against Australia when Italy were down a man and he was great against Germany. He also helped Italy win a very difficult group with ease.

How is it off when I can say it is what happenned in a game (was it Ukraine or Germany? I can't tell, but it was a knockout game).

I'm sure Helice can agree with me that Pirlo is losing WAYYYYYYY too many balls.

Vieira was exceptionnal when his team was doubting.
He also broke down Brazil's midfield.

Pirlo has been far from his best level in this WC IMO.

Hasnt been a very good WC has it?

Klose is the only forward to have actually impressed me. Dont understand the votes for Torres.. I expected much more out of him. But I guess there wasnt much competition. Dont think Zambrotta should be put as LB. I prefer xaclyx's combination of Sagnol/Zambrotta and Cole/Grosso. Although I like Lahm too. Full back is perhaps the only position that's actually quite difficult because they've played so well.

Great squads takharov. :)How can be that if there is C.Ronaldo in?? :sarcasm:

Not when it counted.
In the group phase yes, but in the games against France and Ghana, Ze Roberto was easily the best brazilian.Group phase games are not friendlies..
besides, Lucio was probaly better in both games you mentioned.

Dont think Zambrotta should be put as LB.

That's where he usually plays (well nearly everywhere except in this WC).

Group phase games are not friendlies..
besides, Lucio was probaly better in both games you mentioned.
Highly disagree.
Lucio was average against France. Ze Roberto was very good.

Pirlo has been far from his best level in this WC IMO.He has been better than his late CL level for sure. And actually i think against top competition, this is his real (on average) level.

I'm sure Helice can agree with me that Pirlo is losing WAYYYYYYY too many balls..More than the number of lost balls, it's that he loses too many balls that (and where) he can NOT lose!
That's what separates him from being a great player (actually he should also choose the vertical pass only when there is a real option-or when that's the safer option to not lose the ball in his own half- and sometimes just use the easy simple wide pass ).
Against Germany he had a positive game overall, still in the first half he lost with ease two balls in his own half without real reasons that could have killed a World Cup. And when he does, he often complains about a foul (be it real or not i don't care) instead of running back as soon as possible.

Highly disagree.
Lucio was average against France. Ze Roberto was very good.At east you agree about Ghana!? :eek:

My quick try:


---------------------Klose--------------
----C.Ronaldo-----Zidane(Rosicky)----M-Rodriguez
--------------Vieira--------idon'tknow-----------
-Zambrotta-----Lucio(Nesta)----Cannavaro----Sagnol
---------------------Buffon----------------------

GK: Buffon
RB: Sagnol
CB: Cannavaro
CB: Ayala
LB: Lahm
DM: Vieira
DM: Frings
RM: Rodriguez
CM: Zidane
LM: Cole
S: Klose

very good one. given the lack of quality strikers this is definitely the right formation

My attempt:

-----------------Henry------Klose----------
---------------------Zidane-----------------
--------------Vieira----------Pirlo------------
--------------------Gattuso-----------------
--Lahm----Lucio----Cannavaro(capt.)----Zambrotta--
---------------------Buffon-------------------

I think Podolski had a really really good WC and he's very young. I think even though Klose scored more goals (he's 1 of my fav players) Podolski was more mobile and a better ball carrier. That being said I guess most of you picked only one german and went with Klose because of the goals he scored (including that late equalizer in the match against Argentina).
So my WC Best XI would be:
Buffon
Sagnol Cannavaro Thuram Zambrotta
Vieira
Ribery Pirlo
Zidane
Klose (Henry) Podolski (Torres)

------------------Buffon--------------------
Zambrotta--Cannavaro----Thuram----Lahm
------------Gattuso---Vieira---------------
-------Zidane-----------M. Rodriguez-----
----------Klose---------Torres-------------

Incidentally, 6 of those are, or have been Juve players! :yo:

-------------------Buffon-----------
Manuel---Cannavaro---Thuram---Grosso
--------------Mascherano-----------
Ribery---------Riquelme---------Perrotta
--------Klose------------Henry

------------------Buffon--------------------
Zambrotta--Cannavaro----Thuram----Lahm
------------Gattuso---Vieira---------------
-------Zidane-----------M. Rodriguez-----
----------Klose---------Torres-------------

Incidentally, 6 of those are, or have been Juve players! :yo:

And pretty soon we will be able to use the 'have been juve players' expression for all of them :biglaugh:

The official team:


GK: Buffon, Ricardo, Lehmann

D: Ayala, Terry, Thuram, Lahm, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Carvalho,

M: Ze Roberto, Zidane, Vieira, Ballack, Pirlo, Gattuso, Figo, Maniche

F: Crespo, Klose, Totti, Toni, Henry

Terry? Uhkay. Should be Cole in there instead.

Terry? Uhkay. Should be Cole in there instead.

Take it up with FIFA:dunno:

Official team sucks, simply put.
No Sagnol or Cole, but Terry?
Totti, but not Ribery or Torres?

Figo is in there? He was good at the start but faded fast.

I didn't think Crespo was all that impressive either.

Official team sucks, simply put.
No Sagnol or Cole, but Terry?
Totti, but not Ribery or Torres?

I don't think Toni should have made the team either over Torres

I don't think Toni should have made the team either over Torres

The issue is whether the knock-out games should have any increased significance.

From one perspective, they shouldn't, because there weren't that many.

In other ways they should, given the pressure and the increased quality of the opposition.

(although in Italy's case, the competition may in fact have been easier before Germany in the knock-out phase)

I think Ghanas Stephen Appiah deserves some mention. Very strong WC for him.

I think Ghanas Stephen Appiah deserves some mention. Very strong WC for him.
I think Essien had more impact.
In fact, I think my prediction that he'd have the most impact our of any player of Group E might just have been right.