Sunday, March 02, 2008

Wizards Fantasy Draft Rounds 11 and 12

Rounds 11 and 12. Also with the team's 11th round pick, they are posting how their current lineup would look.

Previous Rounds
1 & 2
3 & 4
5 & 6
7 & 8
9 & 10

11(1). Team Shook - Scott Sealy - Sealy, the only current Wizard selected by Team Shook, has been with the team for three seasons netting 26 goals in 75 games, which puts him in sixth in all time goals scored for the Wizards, and only 6 goals out of third place. Sealy burst on to the team in 2005 with 9 goals, setting a KC rookie record, leading all rookies in goals, and was a finalist for MLS Rookie of the Year. In 2006, Sealy lead the team in goals with 10 (in just 20 starts) and though slowed by injuries in 2007 still netted 7 more, good for second place on the team, behind Team Shook teammate Eddie Johnson.

For Team Shook, Sealy provides depth at striker, as both a late game option, and as a fill-in-starter for the streaky Josh Wolff and EJ.

Team Shook's starting roster is as yet incomplete, as we are still lacking a keeper, but the rest of the starting eleven shakes out as follows:

Team Shook will be playing a 3-5-2 formation.
Keeper
Bowers - Lalas - Garcia
McKeon - Gutierrez
Klein - - - Preki - - - Henderson
Johnson - Wolff

The formidable three man backline of Sean Bowers, Alexi Lalas, and Nick Garcia has the speed and talent to shut down most teams attacks, especially with the help of dual-holding midfielders Matt McKeon & Diego Gutierrez.
Chris Klein and Chris Henderson can push the attack on the edges from the right and left flanks, respectfully; while Preki controls the middle of the field, with the ability to push forward and add to his MLS record assists dishing to the dual-USA-National team strike force of Josh Wolff and Eddie Johnson, with T&T international Scott Sealy able to step in later in the game if additional offensive firepower is needed (most likely at the expense of a holding midfielder).

Though the Wolff/Johnson/Sealy strike force was a disappointment for the Wizards in 2006, they never had players like Klein, Preki, and Hendo offering them midfield support and precision passes. Likewise, even at its height during the 2000 MLS Cup run, this midfield combo has never had two (or three) as naturally gifted strikers as this team offers.

Additional flexibility also exists as McKeon and Gutierrez both can play on the back line if the current three-man unit needs additional support.

11(2). Team DTB - Shavar Thomas - With the selection of Sealy the pick before, I had to look a different way at addressing my team's needs. Thomas spent 3 years in KC playing in 76 games and scoring 2 goals after coming over from Dallas. He came into his own playing behind Conrad and Garcia, and has shown it since he's moved on.

With the Sealy selection, Team DTB had to change their tactics on how the team would set up. Instead of going with a standard 4-4-2, we'll be going with a 3-5-2 like the current Wizards and the 2000 team.
Meola
Thomas-Conrad-Okafor
Zavagnin - Victorine
Zotinca - - - - Chung - - - - Harrington
Arnaud - Takawira

A much more defensive lineup then I had originally planned, but starting in the back, Team DTB has the best keeper in Wizards history behind a very strong back line of Thomas, Conrad, and Okafor. The midfield is also defensive minded with both wingers being able to play as a wingback as well. Zavagnin and Victorine will cover the defensive mid position, although Victorine will be the one that pushes forward of the two. While Chung spent a lot of time on the left wing, he also pushed central at times as well. Up top, Team DTB will have two of the highest scoring players in Wizards history in Arnaud and Takawira. Overall I expect to be playing a much more defensive style with my team. Getting the goal and then killing the game off.

11(3). Bravado FC - Carey Talley - Appearing in 50 games for the Wizards, Talley notched three goals and two assists. Although plagued with injuries during his stint with Kansas City, Talley still mustered 32 regular-season starts for KC. He will slot into a holding midfield role in either a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2.

The lineup for Bravado FC is expected to look like this.

Hartman
Gough - Vermes - Prideaux
Jewsbury - Talley - Johnston - Burciaga
Marienlli
Molnar - Simutenkov

"We went into the draft with the knowledge that the players were there to play either a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2, but our coaching staff feels that the 3-5-2 allows for more flexibility and creativity in our offense. With the veteran leadership of Vermes and Gough in our backline, we feel comfortable slotting both Carey Talley or Jack Jewsbury in the back line should we need to go to a 4-4-2 if the game situation warrants."

12(1). Bravado FC - Adegboyega "Bo" Oshoniyi - Despite a rough start to his MLS career - he was selected by the Columbus Crew in the fifth round of the draft and saw action in 13 contests for the Crew before being beaten out by pre-faux brit Brad Friedel - Oshoniyi returned to the league, eventually making his way to the Wizards. He compiled a 33-33-27 record, recording 22 shutouts and a 1.52 goals-against average. Despite being criticized as not quite good enough to be a starter in some circles, he is a great backup keeper for any team.

12(2). Team DTB - Chris Brown - Brown appeared in 123 games for the Wizards over his career, scoring 15 goals and 11 assists in MLS play. While not a fan favorite, Brown always came on and did his job. Brown is also the Wizards all time leading scorer in international competitions with 4 goals. For Team DTB he'll provide support at striker as well as on the wing.

12(3). Team Shook - Mike Ammann - Ammann was with the Wizards from the inaugural 1996 season till his trade to New York in 1999 for Team Shook teammate Alexi Lalas and future Wizards icon Tony Meola; spending the last two seasons as the starter. His best season in MLS came in 1997 where he started 29 games in net for the Western Conference's best regular season team, and set a then league-record with 21 wins. After his trade to New York, Ammann had several solid seasons for the Metrostars and DC United before suffering a series of injuries that ended his career.

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