I'm sorry, but the story could've been written without them. If anything team guy could've fulfilled their role in most cases(Neji superior user of the Byakugan), with kakashi picking up the flack(dog tracking).
Team guy was the only realisitically ideally positioned to be the rival team. Neji was a genius/Sasuke was genius. Lee was a loser, Naruto was a partial loser. Sakura wanted to be trained by Tsunade, Tenten admired Tsunade. There sensei were rivals, they were literally ideal for one another.
In Neji's case he could rise up and decide on a new goal being possible. The goal of Hokage as a way to defy fate and go beyond even the Hyuga destiny.
Lee could've had a similar goal(loser trying to peove his worth) and found some way to learn shadow clone jutsu(may be have th earth element to use a couple of enhancement type Jutsu) to boost augment his thaijutsu. Or actually learn a SM to enhance his body and thaijutsu. I mean he was well positioned for it, no?
I will say I would've replaced Choji with Shino in team Asuma to make them more of a trapper unit. He had potential to ise bugg buzzing to create illusions, infect people, kill via poisons etc. Shadow bind to bug chakra devouring, maybe use bugs to transfer chakra to his team mates act as cloud cover like for them. That would allow Shikamaru more chances of landing shadow binding and Ino mind transfer maybe even via a bug
And I would've made Ino a little more like Psylocke in abilties. She has powerful sensory skills, mind techs, could create mind illusions as cover/confuse her opponents while fighting in thaijutsu. Also generate maybe a chakra Katana/dagger/stabber thing and a real Katana alongside sensory thaijutsu.
Asuma had his own weapons and couldve helped her develop a basic sword/katana/dagger thing. Maybe give her a hair based tech as well. Now that is what you call a proper rival to a female character.
Tell me you still disagree.