This thread is for the sole purpose of drafters submitting their final team and tactics. Discussions should take place in the main thread. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/sheep-draft-v-main-thread.2000793/ All drafters should submit their final team for judging. If you have 12 players, you must leave out one player from your selections, although you can detail multiple formations using your chosen XI. Last years thread is available for reference https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/sheep-draft-4-line-ups-and-tactics.1983879/
Draw your soccer tactics with this11.com Formation: 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-2-2(depending where Teofilo Cubillas moves). Defense. With his teammate Julinho, Giuliano Sarti helped Florentina to reach the European Cup Final in 1957. Later, he won two European Cups as the starting keeper for Inter Milan(La Grande Inter) in 1964 and 1965. The defense consists of three English defenders and a Frenchman. In the center, I drafted two of England’s greatest centerbacks, Terry Butcher and Billy Wright. They were contrasting characters and in style. “Terry Butcher is a name that evokes toughness and character,” Bobby Robson wrote about him. He was a six foot four giant who was known for his aggressive plays. Billy Wright, on the other hand, was small for a centerback. He was an elegant, cultured defender who was never booked or sent off in his career. My two fullbacks are Jimmy Armfield and Bixente Lizarazu. Both were known for their overlapping runs down the wing. They would provide width on the team. On my team, I have three English defenders and an offense consisted entirely of Latin American/Spanish players. I hope to combine the “lion-hearted-never-say-die” attitude of the English with Latin flair and artistry. Attack My offense has a lot of Latin flair and artistry. All of my midfielders and attackers come from Spain or Latin America. They all have incredible technique. They would play a possession-oriented style of football. I expect a lot of dynamic pass combinations and superb dribbling. Xabi Alonso, Julinho, Teofilo Cubillas and Rivelino are also known for their powerful shots. In the midfield, Xabi Alonso is the deep-lying playmaker. His job is to control the flow of the game and to move the ball around the field. He stays behind the attackers and organizes the team by spraying both long and short passes around the field. Danilo Alvim “the Prince”, considered one of the greatest Brazilian defensive midfielder ever, would anchor the midfield. Blessed with solid defense skills, great passing abilities and elegant dribbling skills, he would help the defense and joins the attack if necessary. I have two Brazilians on each side of my midfield. Julinho was considered one of the best right wingers ever played in Serie A. He would make marauding runs down the flank and provide width for the team. On the left side, Rivelino would be more of a false left winger. He would operate as a creative midfielder on the left side just liked he did at the World Cup in 1970. Lizarazu is expected to be wide player on the left while Rivelino cuts inside. Teofilo Cubillas would be the attack midfielder or secondary striker. He would score goals and create chances for his teammates. I expect a lot of combination between Cubillas and Rivelino. Cubillas had played with Cesar Cueto and Rivelino had played with “5 No.10’s” in 1970. They had done well playing with another playmaker. Hugo Sanchez plays at the front of the attack. He was one of the most prolific scorers in history. He won the La Liga scoring title 5 times. I have visions of Cubillas, Rivelino, etc doing this with my offense. However, my offense could stretch the field better with Xabi Alonso's long passes and Julinho 's wider game better than Peru did. And I also have a pair of great wingbacks. My offense would use the wing more often.
Die Mannschaft Evidently, the team was assembled on a German base, the spirit of Die Mannschaft lies in 7 German players, some of the best in the history of that country, and the addition of foreign talent reinforcing each line. The Goalkeeper Sepp Maier, Die Katze, is renowned as the best German goalkeeper ever. He established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world at 70's showing outstanding performances for Bayern Münich and Germany during their golden years. He was awarded as the German Player of the Year 3 times. The Defense A 3-men line forms the defense. Klaus Augenthaler occuped the position of sweeper as the last man according to his best year at late 80's and early 90's and at the same role he did for Germany during the 1990 World Cup. In front of him will be Jürgen Kohler, one the finest man's marker of all-time, playing his ideal role in the tactical mark of the most skilled attacker of the rival side. Roberto Cravero will complete the defense as the organizer sweeper as in his best years in Torino and Lazio restarting the actions with long relaunches or going himself forward and constructing the game. The Wing-Halves José Leandro Andrade and Andreas Brehme would be the wing-halves of the team. The Black Marvel in his ideal role like in the Uruguayan national team at 20's will be a free marker supporting the defense by his side but also capable to be the anchor man in the midfield and a creative attacker by puzzling movements that gave him worldwide fame at the 1924 Olympics. The German will occupy the left side projecting himself to the attack constantly, make crosses to the penalty area and taking advantage of any free-kick. The Playmaker Günter Netzer, The Karajan of European Football, will take his favorite role as the main playmaker of the team. He was a powerfully-built who put his size and huge feet to good use, but also a gifted midfielder with superb dead-ball skills and very accurate passes. From a deep position he may join to the attack looking for any angle for his long kicks. The Attacking-Midfielders The enormous versatility of Luis Enrique places him as an all-round midfielder playing in the attack with his remarkable technical skills but also supporting the defensive system from the midfield alongside Andrade with his tireless haul. On the other side, the inspiration, leader and captain of the team, Fritz Walter, will be the main link to the attack being the man behind the forwards. His huge legend as a winner star against the adversity is the reflection of the soul of the team and is free to get forward to contribute with his great productivity. The Attack Ernst Wilimowski, a former inside-left forward, will take the role of the support striker opening spaces in the one on one attack and approaching the rival area where he was a frightening scorer. If he wasn't enough, Gerd Müller, Der Bomber, will be ahead there. Arguably the greatest scorer ever of the modern football is responsible for completing any move in front of goal.
Make your football formation with this11.com 1 - Toni Turek (Germany) 2 - Cafu (Brazil) 3 - Antonio Benarrivo (Italy) 4 - Velibor Vasovic (Yugoslavia) 5 - Filippo Galli (Italy) 6 - Ivan Gudelj (Yugoslavia) 8 - Giacomo Bulgarelli (Italy) 10 - Mario Kempes (Argentina) 14 - Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) 18 - Faas Wilkes (Netherlands) 20 - Dominique Rocheteau (France) Captain - Vasovic. Penalties - Kempes. Indirect free-kicks - Cruyff, Bulgarelli. Direct free-kicks - Kempes, Gudelj. Corners - Wilkes, Cruyff. Tactics - Plenty of movement and interchanging of positions among the 3 behind Kempes. Kempes himself coming deep to get on the ball often too and both central midfielders looking to get involved with passing combinations with those ahead and sometimes surging forwards with or without the ball. Vasovic to be in charge of the defensive line, and pick his moments to bring the ball into midfield. Positional adjustments - Wilkes and Rocheteau will play freely anyway, and track back from wherever they are when a move breaks down, but they can switch the sides they primarily play from too when desired. This can be an option in any formation. Alternative formations: (4-3-2-1 with sweeper) --------------------Turek------------------ -----------------------Vasovic-------------- Cafu--------------Galli--------------Benarrivo --------Gudelj---Bulgarelli----Cruyff------ -----------Wilkes------------Rocheteau------ ---------------------Kempes------------------- This option allows Cruyff to exert control over the game as a playmaker from deep, but still with the intention to run or dribble towards the opponents area often. Gudelj plays more cautiously but with a tendency to support attacks down the right wheras Bulgarelli sits back a bit more as the midfield pivot, intercepting balls and starting attacks while sometimes advancing further when the opportunity arises for a passing combination or a dribble forwards; Gudelj probably filling his space at these times unless he himself is part of the attack. Cruyff can play as a completely free midfielder ahead of the Gudelj/Bulgarelli duo if he decides. (4-2-1-3 with sweeper) -------------------------Turek------------------------ ---------------------------Vasovic-------------------- Cafu------------------Galli------------------Benarrivo ----------------Gudelj--------Bulgarelli------------- ----------------------------Kempes------------------- ------Wilkes------------Cruyff-----------Rocheteau----- We can play with Cruyff in his famous false 9 role, supported to the right and left by Wilkes and Rocheteau who'll both move wider and more infield with and without the ball. Kempes spent some time during WC78 playing more from the midfield and he'd do similar here, looking to drive forwards and interact with the 3 attackers at will. The midfield 3 could switch to a flat line, with Kempes as the most attacking player lining up on the left of Gudelj, and with Bulgarelli playing as two-way midfielder from a nominal position to the right of Gudelj who'd still be able to get forwards but who'd be more of the anchor midfield player generally.
Captain: Coluna Free-kicks, Corners: Del Piero, Figo Penalties: Del Piero, Shevchenko A well-balanced team perfectly tailored to each individual player's strength. Offensive strategy: Constant movement of the front 5 with Figo and Coluna pulling the strings. Nominally positioned on the wings, Figo and Loustau are free to move in at will with Del Piero (typically positioned just off Shevchenko) moving to one of the sides. Coluna is patrolling the middle, and Edwards (considered by some to be the greatest England and Manchester United player ever *) is essentially a wild card, free to roam into open spaces during attacks. Shevchenko would typically be the furthest man forward, on the end of most attacks, but he'd also be moving to a side on occasion (especially during fast breaks) and help to provide outlet/distract central defenders of opponents, allowing the likes of Del Piero and Loustau (and sometimes Coluna/Edwards) making runs in the box. Depending on situation, Buzanszky and/or Carvalho may join certain attacks (particularly fast breaks) and Carvalho/Nesta would go forward during free-kicks and corners. Defensive strategy: Constant pressure on the ball carrier and tight marking starting in opponents half (around center circle). The only player that would not be doing a lot of pressing is Del Piero (he's never really done it in his career anyway), so he will often be the furthest man forward while Shevchenko would drop back to one of the wings and help out with the press. Edwards is responsible for covering opponents right inside-forward or a winger (so he essentially becomes a 4th defender), Coluna and Davids are tasked with physically dominating the midfield, forcing turnovers and generally making life miserable for opponents AMs and forwards. Davids provides primary cover for Edwards when he moves up. One of the main keys is to prevent fast breaks, force opponent to pass laterally/backwards and allow no time on the ball for opposing playmakers. All of my midfielders are very athletic and known for their high work-rate and supreme stamina, so my team should be able to keep up the pressure for full 90 minutes. The defense is anchored by one of the greatest defenders of our time, 4-time Serie A Defender of the Year, Alessandro Nesta with Ricardo Carvalho and Jeno Buzanzsky. Jan Tomaszewski, exceptional shot-blocker, one of the finer GKs of 1970s and a key figure in Poland' 3rd place finish in World Cup in 1974 and silver medals in Olympics in 1976, is my GK. * I highly recommend reading this article by Tom Clare about Duncan Edwards.
My team will be using a base 4-4-1-1 formation and for a change in these drafts my team are not focusing first and foremost on ability (although this hasn’t been omitted completely) but more on desire, heart and a will to win. Most, if not all teams in this draft will be at best better or close to us in terms of skill and ability but I would wager that few, if any, will be more determined or have a greater will to win. My team will be set up to defend, harass, frustrate and finally, counter. To pull this off I have drafted a group of players who, whilst being talented footballers in their own right, also have bags of all the afore mentioned ingredients but also plenty of experience. I will run through the players briefly before outlining the defensive and attacking formations. The Back Four Moving from left to right we begin with Nigel Winterburn at left back. Often overlooked at international level Winterburn has a wealth of experience domestically and is arguably one of the best ever left backs to have played in the English Premiership. Winterburn was part of a watertight back four at Arsenal. Fierce in the tackle he had a great engine allowing him to bomb up and down the left flank and he was also tactically sharp. Wingers often found it difficult work to steal a yard on him. The centre back pairing consists of Fernando Couto and Billy McNeill. Couto is another who brings a wealth of experience to the team (110 caps for Portugal). A born leader, as many are in my 11 he also brings a more technical element to my defence and is able, if required, to bring the ball out from the back due to a mixture of his technique and good composure. The other half of my centre back pairing is a Celtic living legend who I have had the great opportunity to meet. A wonderful man and a fantastic footballer and leader of men, he will be my on field captain. McNeill played his entire career with Celtic making well over 700 appearances for the club he loved. In that time he played in two European cup finals (4x European Cup semi finals 67, 70, 72, 74) and won more than 20 domestic trophies in a time when the Scottish league was in a far more healthy condition than its current and recent guises. Cesar was unbeatable in the air (or so it seemed at times) and was a terrific tackler. He was and will be, for this team, an inspirational captain. It is a travesty that he only ever received 29 caps for his country but that is a debate for a different day. Richard Gough will complete my back four at right back. Gough may be one of the unluckiest footballers out there seeing as he was cheated out of appearing in Europe’s premier football final on not once, but two separate occasions (Marseille 92-93 & Roma 83-84). How much higher rated would Gough be considered if he had a European title under his name…? Nevertheless, Gough was an immaculate defender and again, an inspirational captain with a strong desire to win. The following summation pretty much nails this footballer – he was quick enough to outpace all but the fastest of opponents , with a mind sufficiently sharp to anticipate danger and immediately snuff out any threat. What shone through however, was his sheer skill and poise. He won challenges through impeccable timing rather than brute force. Entirely comfortable in possession, the abiding memory is of a player who in most situations simply got there first and came away with the ball, without undue effort, breaking up opposition offensives to begin a counter attack with smooth, accurate distribution. So that’s my back four. Gough will not provide the same attacking thrust and impetus on the right as Winterburn provides on the left but that will be covered in the attacking section. My main concern is how well McNeill will gel with Couto. Cesar only ever played for Celtic and I cannot judge therefore, with any degree of certainty, how he will work in conjunction with Couto. I hope that the fact that Couto played for quite a few clubs in quite a few countries that he will adapt easier to play with McNeill and form a solid partnership with him. Midfield Four Starting from right to left this time and first up on right midfield is the German international Thomas Hassler. He is another of the 100 club (101 caps for Germany). Hassler has won both the World Cup and the Euro’s in his time with the national team and also individually he has been German footballer of the year on two separate occasions. Arguably one of Germany’s best players in the 90’s he has tons of ability combined with a wealth of experience. In the middle we have a Scottish tandem of Graeme Souness and Bobby Collins. If there is a harder midfield pairing in this draft then I would like to see it. I’d argue these two against anyone. But don’t be fooled. Yes they both have plenty of steel and determination coupled with a fierce, almost borderline psychotic will to win but both players are also highly talented footballers. Bobby Collins began his career as an inside right before moving into his central midfield berth at Leeds Utd to become the heartbeat of Don Revie’s side. I’ve written a piece on Collins in the draft thread for everyone to peruse. Souness needs no introduction. Here is a man that hated to lose almost as much as Collins. Fortunately he didn’t lose that often. Again he was the heartbeat of two hugely successful sides. Liverpool in the late 70’s-early/mid 80’s and Rangers in the late 80’s. These two players will combine to devastating effect (so I believe anyway) in terms of both disrupting and stopping the opposition but also in controlling the game for us when we have possession of the ball. Both players are accomplished passers of the ball and are unflappable when in possession. This is a crucial point. I expect not to have the majority of possession in most matches so when we do have the ball it is important we do not give it away again cheaply. My final position in midfield is on the left. Going into the final round I only wanted 1 player. There were a huge number of outstanding options left. Many better in terms of overall talent than this player but he fitted my team dynamic better than anyone else could have. He is Pavel Nedved. Not quite a member of the 100 club (91 caps) he is though, arguably the Czech Republic’s finest footballer and an outstanding dribbler with excellent technique. Able to cut inside and unleash screamers with either foot he is an excellent option on the left side for me. But again his game is not one dimensional. Nedved also brings a strong desire and determination to win football matches backed up by a great engine and hunger for both the attacking side of the game but also his defensive duties as well. The Creator of Chances (no 10) There is only 1 South American in my side and he was always going to be a player of elegance. Immaculate balance added to great vision and ability gives us Enzo Francescoli. He is my defense unlocker and will be the main player my team looks to when looking to instill that little bit of magic sometimes required to beat the best defenders in the game. For all the good in his game I am willing to accept that he will be the only player in my team who will shirk defensive responsibilities the majority of the time. I am not going to write down anything regarding asking Francescoli to drop back and cover. If anything that would be massively detrimental to his game. He will be the main creative hub of this team and his job is to make and take chances. Forward My striker is, in my opinion, the greatest post war British striker, Kenny Dalglish. Legend at Celtic and even bigger legend for Liverpool. Raised in Milton, Glasgow (as was I) Dalglish knew how to take care of himself on the pitch that’s for sure. Another member of the 100 club (102 Scotland caps) Kenny has been voted the best player ever by Liverpool supporters and with very good reason. He was simply outstanding. He proved time and again he was almost impossible to mark and could score against any opposition. Dalglish also brings a tremendous work ethic to the team and will be my first line of defence. One thing I have tried to incorporate throughout my team is compatibility between players and playing styles. I feel that I have a predominantly British theme throughout my side and only one S.American. With this in mind I believe that my team will be a totally cohesive unit and the roles and positions each player has to play will be well within their comfort zones. Defensive Formation Essentially, other than Francescoli it is all hands to the pumps. I have selected players especially in the midfield areas who have the stamina for this kind of workload. Dalglish will press from the front and the midfield 4 will drop back to form a blanket shield for the defense. I would expect Collins to sit slightly deeper than Souness to negate any no.10 (or similar) playing between the two banks of four players. As mentioned, the midfield four have the fitness required for this kind of effort and would not be found wanting. McNeill especially, but also Couto will be dominant in the air. Ceding possession and space means there will not be many instances for strikers to run into space behind my defenders. Closing down and limiting space for opponents to work in allied to fierce, competitive tackling and instincts will nullify the majority of the threat from opposing teams. It may not be pretty to watch but it will be effective. Attacking Formation Apologies. Discard the line. I always have problems using this11 for movement lines so I'll need to explain and hope that doesn't count against me. Dalglish is the main man in and around the area. Ably supplied by Francescoli, Nedved, Hassler and Souness. Dalglish is the complete striker and is intelligent enough to read the clever through balls of Francescoli to the crosses of Hassler to the long balls from Souness and the 1-2's from Nedved. Nedved, Francescoli and Souness will provide distance shooting. Hassler and Nedved will work on the wings but will also move inside when they feel the need to link with Enzo and Dalglish. Winterburn has the engine to bomb forward all day long and will do so. Gough is a more conservative fullback. With this in mind Enzo will drift to the right from time to time to help Hassler. All three attacking mids are good dribblers and difficult to dispossess. Add in the unflustered style of Souness and Collins and I believe that when we retain the ball we will be difficult to get it back from. When countering Francescoli has no defensive role to play so either him or Dalglish should be open to quick break long balls from Souness or Collins. Additionally, all front players have the potential to win plenty of set pieces through foul play against them. Be this a direct effort at goal (Nedved, Souness) or a ball into the box (McNeill, Couto, Gough) we have the necessary players to inflict damage on the other team.
Attack: I have two speedy wingers in Helmut Rahn and Marko Marin; one admittedly much better than the other. These guys will be able to run onto balls held up by the classical number 9, Dixie Dean, or those long diagonal balls that Paul Scholes is famous for. Liedholm, the master of the pass can also send some through balls their way. The main tactic will be to exploit the flanks of the opposition in this manner which will especially bother those teams that have slow defenders. Midfield: I have two famous passers in Liedholm and Scholes so ball retention should not be too much of a difficulty. They will be supported by two excellent fullbacks who move up during attack in Sa and Camacho. Hopefully the ball is retained enough to not rely on Horst Rick's or Scholes' questionable ball-winning and defensive skills. The objective will be to move the ball on sharply and quickly to the attack to once again, try and get behind the flanks of the opposition. Defense: Apart from quality fullbacks, I have a world class defender in Oscar Ruggeri and a no-nonsense "hard man" in Erhardt. Together, they have both the mobility and the aggression to form a successful centre back pairing which should hopefully intimidate opposition attacks. Add to that Camacho who is one of Real Madrid's most succesful defensive products and Francisco Sa, one of the most decorated players in South American football, and I feel I have a back 4 that can do well on its day.
Otimo FC From front to back, Otimo FC has technical skill on the ball which allows for a quick, ball-control orientated game focused on short and medium passing. The team will line up in a 4-2-4 formation similar to Brazil 1958. GK -Alexei Khomitch SW -Domingos Da Guia CB- Jose Santamaria RB -Orvar Bergmark LB -Antonio Cabrini DM -Toninho Cerezo CM -Steven Gerrard (c) RW -Omar Corbatta RIF -Raymond Kopa LIF -Pele LW -Raimundo Orsi Sub CB/DM -Pak Chol-Jin (North Korea) Defense My keeper is Khomic. “Who?” you may ask. He played for the Dynamo team that toured England just after World War II. He is known for bring great athleticism to the position in a way that had not been seen before, diving left and right, flying though the air. He is the father of Soviet/Russian goalkeepers and steady at the back. He mentored Lev Yashin. Perhaps you know him. The defensive until will focus on shutting down opponents and quickly starting the attack. On the preventive side, the opposing attack will be first shut down by Santamaria and then da Guia. The combination of those two stop almost any attack. On the right is the legendary Swedish right back Bergmark. Big and strong, he is just as difficult to pass by as either of the two in the middle. On the left is Cabrini, part of the legendary Italian defense from WC1982. That the defense will be very difficult to break down, whether man-marking or positional/zonal. And anything arial will be summarily dismissed. As for starting the attack, this will first start with da Guia. As do many Brazilians, he possesses great ball skills which will come into play upon the opponents giving Otimo the ball. Either outside back is an option as both are well able to get forward, Cabrini in particular. Midfield The midfield is where the attack continues. The pair here are both box-to-box types with a more specific focus in the formation. Toninho Cerezo will take the position of being a defensive midfielder looking to get forward when ever he can. His technical ability, tactical awareness and endless running make him a danger both defensively as well as in attack. His partner is the Liverpool great Gerrard. Another tireless worker with solid technical skill and great heart. He will play further forward in the middle and look to lead the attack, but not at the expense of defensive responsibilities. In this way, Toninho Cerezo and Gerrard will continuously be switching positions with will cause confusion to the opponents. Yet it will not just be those two in the midfield. As mentioned, the backs will cover the space on the outside, and there are a couple of attacking players that will drop into midfield to assist bringing the ball forward. Attack The attacking four are in a slightly concave formation with no true striker, though Pele will fill that role when necessary. On the left is Orsi, the Argentine/Italian left winger who scored in the 1934 WC final. He will primarily play far forward on the left, though he might drop back into an attacking midfield position. Next to Orsi is the legendary Pele. Pele will play a variety of rolls roughtly in an inside-left forward position, But due to his versatility, his ability to pass, dribble, and finish, he will be somewhat of a trequerista, though sticking primarily to the middle and left side of the field. Playing what can best be called an inside-right will be Kopa. Due to his teammate, he will play the rule similar to how he started at Real Madrid. This will allow him to drop into an attacking midfield role or get forward. To his right is Corbatta, known as the Argentine Garrincha (and like Garrincha, became a heavy alcoholic after his career ended). Corbatta has devastating skill and a solid strike rate. A prime penalty taker, he is considered the premier Argentine right winger. Captain: Gerard Penalties: Corbatta Corners: Gerrard, Kopa Free Kicks: Gerrard, Toninho Cerezo Chol-Jin will be on the bench and is unlikely to see any of the pitch despite having World Cup experience. Agents for the team are working on his defection. Alternate formations: 4-2-1-3 (Kopa as AM) 4-2-1-3 (Pele as a pseudo trequerista)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wizards & Warriors By Twenty26Six ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11-Zoltan CZIBOR-----9-Adolfo PEDERNERA-----7-AMANCIO Amaro 8-Jan CEULEMANS ----10-Alex JAMES 5-ZITO(C) 6-Nilton SANTOS----4-Sami HYYPIÄ----3-Rio FERDINAND----2-CARLOS ALBERTO Torres 1-Bert TRAUTMANN ** Individual and Team Honors ** Bert Trautmann (goalkeeper) English Football Hall of Fame FWA Player of the Year 1956 FA Cup Winner Carlos Alberto Torres (right back) FIFA World Cup Winner 1970 FIFA 100 1970 World Cup "All-Star" Rio Ferdinand (right center back) 6x Premier League Winner UEFA Champions League Winner 2008 6x PFA Team of the Year FIFA/ESM World XI 2008 Sami Hyypia (left center back) UEFA Champions League Winner 2005 UEFA CUP 2001 2x FA Cup Winner UEFA Team of the year 2x PFA Team of the Year Nilton Santos (left back) FIFA World Cup Winner 1958 & 1962 FIFA 100 1958 World Cup "All-Star" Zito (holding midfielder) FIFA World Cup Winner 1958 & 1962 2x Copa Libertadores Winner 1962 World Cup "All-Star" Jan Ceulemans (box-to-box central midfielder) FIFA 100 1986 World Cup "All-Star" 1980 Euro Cup "All-Star" Alex James (attacking midfielder) 3x Football League Winner 1930 FA Cup Winner Zoltan Czibor (left winger) 1952 Olympic Gold Medalist 1953 Central European Champion 2x La Liga Winner Adolfo Pedernera "El Maestro" (false 9) 2x Copa America Winner 5x Argentine League Winner Amancio Amaro "El Brujo" (right forward) 1964 European Football Championship 1964 Ballon d'Or Finalist (3rd) 1966 European Cup 9x La Liga Winner 2x Pichichi ...tactical write-up coming soon.
Positive Transition (from Defense to Attack) * Both fullbacks will jump into midfield and beyond looking to bolster the attack. * Amancio will leave his defensive responsibilities and look to take up the best space ahead of him - eventually settling into the RW position if possession is kept for a long period. * Ceulemans will be a "runner" between defense and midfield - linking Zito and James with Pedernera - as well as looking to get shots off outside the 18 or make runs into the 18. Negative Transition (from Attack to Defense) * Nilton Santos, Carlos Alberto, Zito, James, and Ceulemans will look to pressure immediately if the ball is ahead of them in their channel - regardless of what 1/3 the ball is in. * Pedernera will work when he needs to, but otherwise, he will look to be the first outlet pass and remain in between the opposition midfield and back lines. * One of Czibor or Amancio will stay high and wide as a target - taking up whichever wing he needs to help advance the ball forward when it is regained. The other will track their FB into the defensive phase. Special Considerations * Czibor and Amancio will switch sides depending on opposition. * Ceulemans and James will switch sides depending on where ZC or AA are. Ceulemans always with Czibor and James with Amancio. * Czibor and Amancio will surge above Pedernera to lead the line and look for breaks in the inside channels. * Pedernera will roam the pitch depending on game conditions: in deep midfield to control play, as a true "striker," or usually as a false 9 (modern inside forward) that can dictate play in the attacking phase. Team Objectives in Attack * Can we play direct and use our speed up top? If not, can we find Pedernera? * Build-up will be quick, one-touch, with fast recycling of the ball. * Can we make the opposition chase the ball for long periods of the match? * Can we work the ball forward into Pedernera's or James's control as much as possible? * Can we sometimes use long switches or forward passes to find the runs of Czibor and Amancio. * Can we combine quickly upfront to create shooting chances for any of the front 5 plus both fullbacks.
Style of play : I've got a well-balanced team combining -I think- skills, vision, pace and physical power. I will seek to maintain possession but when needed my team won't be afraid of playing a more aggressive, direct football. Tactics : The default formation is a 4-3-3 with Sindelar playing as a false-nine between the lines from where he will create confusion. His job will be to create chances for himself -his goalscoring record speaks for itself- and for his team-mates. Moreno will have a similar role but more on the right-side, though both will swap positions frequently. With two such creative forces playing next to him, Bican -the most prolific goalscorer of the history- will score goals for fun. He'll usually play as a classic centre-forward but when Sindelar moves forward he'll play wider on the left in order to pick up the opposite full-back with his pace and dribbling skills, thus creating space for Sindelar. Moreno will do the same on the opposite side. My midfield is the team's engine. I want it to be the perfect platform for my forwards. Middleboe on the left and Szymaniak on the right are two great ball-winners with a lot of stamina but they're also skilled enough to make clean passes, create from deep and move forward. Both will compose a strong shield for Gerson who'll focus on his playmaking duty. Needless to say he is -like Sindelar- a key player of my team. My defense is strong and composed of complementary players. Tresor and Shesternev form one of the most physically intimidating centre-backs pair of the draft. They're also highly skilled and clean defenders and both are able to go forward. They'll dominate the aerial game. My two fullbacks Needham and Ramos will provide some width to my team. Defensively, they'll shut down the opposite wingers. Offensively, they'll move forward and overlap frequently down their wings. Lastly, my GK Hiden -who is also accidentally the third Austrian player in my team- was known for being one of the very best and reliable at his position. He'll provide confidence to his teammates. Captain : Sindelar Vice-captain : Shesternev PK : Bican, Sindelar, Moreno FK : Sindelar, Bican, Moreno, Gerson Corners : Sindelar, Gerson
In goal is Edwin van der Sar, protected by a back four. At the heart of it are stalwarts of two of the most prominent club sides ever - Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck acting as stopper and Armando Picchi as sweeper. This should work as an experienced and well proven pairing - Schwarzenbeck won every major trophy going, whereas Picchi captained La Grande Inter to two successive European Cups. At either side the full backs Josimar and Zambrotta offer some attacking threat and an opportunity to link up with the midfield with a little width - the former with his agile dribbling and rasping piledrivers, the latter able to operate as an accomplished winger yet with the responsible positional sense lacking in most offensive fullbacks. The back four are heavily protected themselves with a fearsome duo. Frenchmen Vieira and Makelele have very modern physical and defensive qualities of the highest order and are comparatively very well equipped to deal with the great playmakers seen in an all time draft. It is possible for them to act as a double pivot, however the differences between them in their natural game are important enough to mean this is not the main Modus Operandi of the midfield. Makelele's conservative holding position is permanent here, whereas Vieira, although acting as a defensive player, possesses the skills and licence to move the ball or receive it further forward into the midfield. Here he has those fullbacks for wide support but his colossal strength also buys him opportunity to link directly with the three advanced midfielders. Most importantly, as Laudrup drops slightly deeper and shows interest for the ball (not shown on the graphic since the arrow disappeared!), a dominant triangle is formed with the three central players, meaning a strong share of possession against any lineup. In front of these two and behind the striker there are three options with a variety of strengths. Hamrin is a natural winger as a fast dribbler, but directly attacks the box and with goals like no other; Laudrup offers excellent dribbling but is more the selfless supplier with clever, incisive passing born from his unrivalled vision; Best offers the flair and magic on top of a very complete skillset, a touch of a the unexpected. With the six man shield behind them they are not burdened with as much positional responsibility as they might be in other formations and have licence to express their inventiveness. It's possible here for Best to sometimes draw a full back in field and allow Zambrotta to overlap, while Vieira and Makelele cover. Finally to cap it off, a man who is his own strike partner, Marco van Basten. There are incredibly few better all-round goalscorers and fewer still that have had the level of service this team offers - a variety of power, speed, creativity and pure goals of any description. Whatever the three behind him can conjure, van Basten knows how to finish.
Due to the players at my disposal, and the high quality opposition I will likely be against, my strategy (Plan A) will be to run with the now infamous "Mourinho el bus parko". It consists of a 5 man defence, where the fullbacks main job is defence and not to be caught out on any breaks. Tigana is the sheild covering any gaps, with Falcao a more free role. The front 3 will put in a shift with closing down, and look to hit teams on the break when we suck them in, repel.....and strike with quick ball.
I have been wanting to try out an attacking diamond inspired by Cruijff's interpretation of a diamond (fixed in shape in both attack and defense with the fullbacks still getting protected) and the first few picks in this draft did force me the route. Not an exact implementation of what Cruijff suggests below but the idea is similar. The main strengths of this team is the central spine from Erico (one of the top 5 South American strikers ever), Sivori (top 3 best left footed dribbler/forward?) , a midfield 3 comprising of the passing and stamina of Didi and "clockwork" Ocwirk and the enforcing done by Mackay, and a strong Czech-Dutch defensive spine of Krol, Planicka and Popluhar. Both the fullbacks are attacking by nature to provide the width. On paper, the team looks like (there is a continuous line for Byrne, this11 issues) In possession of the ball, The idea is that there are 3 regular waves of attacks with a potential 4th used as a wildcard - the first wave involves attacking centrally through the diamond with Didi, Ocwirk or Djorkaeff all capable of playmaking and using the runs of Sivori or Erico to create opportunities. - the second wave involves using the attacking nature of both fullbacks and providing them an outlet to both cross (to Erico who was renowned for his heading ability - Argentine striker Francisco Varallo remembers Erico as a "phenomenon" that would excel in scoring headers due to his high jumps) or cutback to Sivori, Djorkaeff and Didi who could all finish - the third wave is to exploit Sivori's dribbling ability by letting him drop deeper to get the ball and use runs from Didi and Djorkaeff to open up space and create opportunities for Sivori to run at defenders. The wildcard is one of the most complete players of all time in Krol and use his pace, savage shot, brilliant long passing and superb attacking instincts to make the right decisions and overload a flank when required or to make a run from deep which are always the hardest to pick up. Defensively, it is all about maintaining the attacking diamond and protecting the flanks. Krol with his excellent long passing ability together with Sivori's dribbling provides the opportunity to spring counter attacks. To sum up, - team chemistry - defensive partnership of Krol (great passer, pacy with fantastic anticipation) together with Popluhar (1v1 marking and good at covering and heading); Ocwirk with his long and short passing and Mackay with his tacking in central midfield; and an attacking trio of the out and out finisher in Erico, dribbler with goalscoring prowess in Sivori and the one touch explosiveness of Djorkaeff. - great passers and passing options throughout the team - formation which can overload both centrally and in the wings while attacking without breaking up when defending. - lots of goalscorers (even the defenders in Krol and Byrne were scoring every 12 matches or so at Ajax and United with both Ocwirk and Mackay scoring 80+ goals in their professional careers. Djorkaeff scored 1 in 3, Sivori 1 in 2 and Erico a goal a game over their entire professional careers).
DER HAMMERS THE FORMATION THE TACTICS We will play a 4-3-2-1 formation, otherwise known as The Christmas Tree formation. We will play a possession based game as the entire team is very comfortable on the ball and would retain possession quite well. But at the same time, if needed we can be direct and completely catch the opposition out of guard with the quick counter-attacks. Sergio Vargas is the goalkeeper. Ahead of him is a four man back-line which comprises of Branko Stanković, Willi Schulz, Elías Figueroa and Ashley Cole. Branko Stanković and Ashley Cole would be the full-backs, who would overlap regularly and provide width down the wings. Both are very good crossers of the ball. So would give the team another dimension with their attacking game. We will have Elías Figueroa as the sweeper with Willi Schulz in the reserved centre back role. Elías Figueroa was a master at bringing the ball out of the back and provide another option in attack. Willi Schulz himself was very good on the ball as well but he wasn't as adventurous on the ball as Elías Figueroa. So, he would play his normal game. We would play a three-man midfield of Fernando Redondo, Bernd Schuster and Luis Suárez Miramontes. The midfield shape would be similar to that of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. Fernando Redondo would be the holding midfielder, Bernd Schuster would be the creative central midfielder while Luis Suárez Miramontes would be the advanced playmaker. All three were brilliant on the ball and were blessed with great vision and passing-range. So, it would be almost impossible to take the ball off the midfield. At the same time, all three, especially Bernd Schuster and Luis Suárez Miramontes along with retaining the possession could break any defence with their though-balls. Fernando Redondo, being the holding midfielder, would sit in-front of the defence and cover the back-four. His primary role would be to anticipate and intercept the passes aimed for opposition attackers and then initiate the attacks from deep midfield. Both Bernd Schuster and Luis Suárez Miramontes would also help Fernando Redondo out defensively. Upfront, we have an attacking triumvirate which comprises of Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo, The Three R's, who helped Brazil win their fifth FIFA World Cup in 2002 with their sensational attacking display. All three have played together a lot and have a great understanding between them. In Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo, there are three attacking players who can penetrate any defence with pace, trickery, creativity and goals. Rivaldo would play on the right side while Ronaldinho would play on the left side to ensure both can either cut inside and shoot with their stronger foot as well as get involved in build-up play. Ronaldo would lead the line. With the kind of creativity and quality of passers he has around him, he will get plenty of service and chances to score which an ultimate finisher like him would relish. CAPTAIN:- Elías Figueroa. CORNERS:- Ronaldinho & Rivaldo. FREE KICKS:- Ronaldinho & Rivaldo. PENALTIES:- Ronaldo. PLAYER PROFILES Sergio VARGAS:- The Argentine born-Chilean goal-keeper spent his best years at Universidad De Chile and by the time he retired, he was considered as the best goal-keeper in Universidad De Chile's history who are the second most successful side in Chile. Nothing spectacular, but he was a very reliable keeper who was also good on the ball. Branko STANKOVIĆ:- The Ambassador was one of the best right backs in the world during forties as well as fifties. Along with being solid defensively, he was influential in attack as well with his overlapping runs, crossing and shooting which had plenty of venom behind it. Rated extremely high by the great Sir Stanley Matthews, he was a complete right back with no major weakness in his game. Willi SCHULZ:- Willi Schulz was one of the best defenders in the world during the sixties. Calm and composed as a defender, his biggest strengths were his tackling, positioning and his ability to organize the defence. A conservative libero by style, it was because of Willi Schulz's brilliant performances as a libero, the great German coach, Helmut Schön chose to play Franz Beckenbauer in midfield. A great testament to Willi Schulz's ability as a player. Elías FIGUEROA:- Don Elías is one of the best defenders to have graced the game of football. Extremely assured on the ball and a commander at the back, his quote “The area is my domain, and I decide who enters it.” shows how supremely confident he was as a defender. His performance against Gerd Müller and West Germany in 1974 World Cup still remains to be one of the best individual performance by a defender Ashley COLE:- Arguably the best left back since the start of the new Millenium, Ashley Cole is a very complete full-back who is not only good in terms of overlapping and providing width from the full-back position but also is extremely solid defensively. Nothing flashy but his consistency in the past ten odd years has been his greatest asset. Fernando REDONDO:- One of the finest midfielders of all time. Everything one needs from a top holding midfield, El Principe had it all. Defensively solid, positionally aware, great anticipation which helped him intercept many passes and at the same time, he was a master at initiating attacks from the deep midfield thanks to his tremendous ability on the ball. Sir Alex Ferguson's quote, “What does he have in his boots? A magnet?” after his masterclass performance against Manchester United in 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League campaign said it all. Bernd SCHUSTER:- A Rolls-Royce of a midfielder. Blessed with fantastic vision and range of passing, Bernd Schuster was one of the best midfielders in the eighties who announced himself on the world stage with after a brilliant midfield display in the 1980 UEFA Euros. A one-time Silver Ball winner(1980) and two-times Bronze Ball winner(1981 & 1985) in Ballon D'or, Der Blonde Angel was a midfield general extraordinaire. Luis SUÁREZ Miramontes:- Arguably Spain's greatest footballer ever, Luis Suárez Miramontes till date remains to be the only Spanish born player to have won the Ballon D'or award, which he won in 1960. After winning the Ballon D'or, Luis Suárez Miramontes went to Inter Milan where he helped the Grande Inter side under Helenio Herrera to win two European Cups on the trot. Nicknamed as El Arquitecto, Luis Suárez Miramontes is one of the greatest creative central midfielders of all time. RONALDINHO:- A two-time FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and one-time Ballon D'or winner in 2005, Ronaldinho is often considered as one of the most skillfull players to have graced the football field. Renowned for his technique, flair, tricks, insane close-control and no-look passes, no one embodied the Joga Bonito spirit like Ronaldinho did. RIVALDO:- FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon D'or winner in 1999, Rivaldo is one of the best attackers of modern era. Massively underrated as he was often overshadowed by the brilliance of Ronaldo. But in terms of impact, he was as vital for Brazil NT as Ronaldo was in the 2002 FIFA World Cup win. And who could forget his outrageous performance against Valencia in the last game of the 2000-01 La Liga season? His overhead kick in the last minutes of the game ensured him a hattrick and a 3-2 Barcelona win, which also meant Barcelona leapfrogged Valencia for the fourth position and qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League. One of the best individual attacking performances ever. RONALDO:- Whats there to say about O Fenômeno? At his best, he was untouchable. Never mind unstoppable. Blessed with great upper body strength, lightening pace, close control and a wicked shot shot required minimal backlift, O Fenômeno gave nightmares to some of the best defenders to have played the game. A three-time FIFA World Player of the Year(1996, 1997 & 2002) and two-time Ballon D'or winner in (1997 & 2002) as well as the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo at his peak had it all. He was the ultimate striker who could score all kinds of goal, irrespective of whether the opposition is playing with a deep backline or a high backline.
BRAZILIAN SAMBA? NOT EXACTLY! FOOTBALL TEAM 1. Iker Casillas (Spain) 15. Lilian Thuram (France) 2. Hideraldo Bellini (Brazil) 3. John Buttigieg (Malta) 4. Javier Zanetti (Argentina) 6. Javi Martinez (Spain) 8. Clarence Seedorf (Netherlands) 5. Zinedine Zidane (France) 10. Lionel Messi (Argentina) 11. Neymar (Brazil) 9. Just Fontaine (France) Captain: Thuram Free Kicks: Zidane and Messi Penalties: Messi Style of play: A kind of offensive 4-2-1-3. It is a basic formation. Not much to complicate because all the players are familiar with their roles. He is experienced, talented and extremely decisive team. Do not forget what these players have done in the most important games of their respective careers. The back four total almost 450 caps and 3WC's titles. But experience is not the only positive point. Bellini is a reliable defender and provides energy. Zanetti and Thuram can defend and attack with the same quality and it is likely that sometimes Thuram run to the attack as surprise element. Buttigieg is the sheep, the weak point, but I believe there is no big problem, there are great defenders on the side. Javi Martinez is the holding midfielder. Javi has great physical skills. He can play as a central defender and is able to help in the air balls because Bellini and Buttigieg are not so tall and I admit it's can be a problem. Javi is a good distributor of passes and also a type of ''ball-destroyer" in the center of the pitch. I like him and, in my team, I want him to worry primarily on defense. Javi does not have a remarkable international career. Of course, he is only 25. But he is promising. In the 2012/13 season, with the impressive Bayern Munich, he proved how important it can be for a team. Seedorf is slightly ahead. The Dutch central-midfielder can defend and has good passing skills. I want him making a mix between the two roles. Zinedine Zidane is the playmaker. Operating in the center, it is expected that Zidane protect the ball, give good passes and appear in key moments. Lionel Messi is the star. Why he will play as a right-winger/forward than a false nine? I like Messi in his 08/10 version. A player who receives many passes, play like a secondary playmaker, provide assists, a great dribbler and scores many goals. Messi 91 goals in a single year is fantastic, but I want see the Argentine participate in all movements, not just in the front. On the left, I chose Neymar. I know him more than Munoz. And Munoz is a right winger Would not be correct I put him on the left side because I never saw him play. So I chose the Brazilian. Neymar is young, but he was extremely decisive in his short career with goals in all competitions, against all the big teams. Plus, on the Brazil Scolari's side and Barcelona, the proved that is able to press the opponent and return to defense with lots of energy. He always battle for the ball. Just Fontaine is the striker. He has impressive stats in his career, especially in the 1958 World Cup. I am totally convinced that it can be crucial to our team and a torment to our rivals.
The team is playing a 4-2-3-1 formation. The defense is composed of the Hungarian lynchpin during their years as the mighty magyars in Lorant and the ever so versatile Branko Zebec who lit up the two World Cups during those years. Flanking them are Bobby Cox - one of the best Scottish left backs ever and Hatem Aqel. The central midfield is composed of Stefan Effenberg and Gaizka Mendieta. Effenberg will be his all action self providing the shield for the defense and dominating the midfield with his strong mentality and leadership skills. Mendieta was one of the best CMs in the world in his prime and led Valencia to back to back CL finals, being the best midfielder in the tournament both times. He is creative, energetic and excellent at linking up the midfield and attack. In attack on the left is Boniperti, playing as an inside forward with Zico playing in his favoured number 10 role. One of the best players of all time, the Brazilian is a complete attacking midfielder capable of fulfilling various roles depending on the opposition and situation. Creativity, vision, energy, passion, flair and an excellent goalscorer, Zico could tear apart any defense on his day. On the right is Stan Matthews, possibly one of the best if not the best right wingers of all time, he was the first winner of the Ballon D'or award. Another tireless player, he would run up and down the pitch all day long bring electic pace and dribbling to the pitch capable of going on the inside or the outside and skinning any fullback in sight. Up front to finish things off is the deadly Romario. Impossible to mark, the Brazilian should make a top partnership with Zico bringing his immense skillful finishing to the fore.
Use this11.com for tactics for football GK: Harry Gregg RB: Johnny Carey CB: Billy McCracken CB: Wladyslaw Zmuda LB: Patrice Evra CM: Johan Neeskens CM: Bobby Murdoch RW: Garrincha AM: Giancarlo Antognoni ST: Alberto Spencer My team will play a 4-2-3-1 formation. In goal we have Harry Gregg who was the best goalkeeper at the 1958 World Cup Finals who was particularly well known for his reflexes and his ability at organising defenses. At right-back we have Johnny Carey, both Ireland and Manchester United's greatest ever RB, who was particularly known for his pace, positioning and tackling duties. He will be the more defensive fullback in my team, given Garrincha's lack of interest in defending although his early career as an inside forward (equivalent to an AM/SS in modern day formations) should enable him to be useful in bringing ther ball out of defense in order to both retain possession and to start off counter-attacks. My 1st centreback is Billy McCracken who was a master of the offside trap and one of the two best defenders to have played the entirity of his career prior to the 1st world cup having won 3 league titles for Newcastle during his career. My 2nd centreback is Wladyslav Zmuda, the star defender of the Polish teams which finished 3rd at the 1974 and 1982 World Cups and was particularly known for his marvelous consistency, tackling, positioning and ability to organise a defense. At leftback we have Patrice Evra, one of, if not the finest leftback in world football in the 21st century a mainstay of the Manchester United team which dominated English football in the late 2000's and early 2010's. Having great quickness and stanima, Evra has freedom to attack down the left while still handling his flank defensively. My first central midfielder is Johan Neeskens one of the key players in the Ajax and Holland total football sides of the 1970's. Neeskens was a brillant all action box to box midfielder good at tackling, passing and shooting in equal measure, he will play as a box to box central midfielder in my team. My second central midfielder playing as a deep lying playmaker is Bobby Murdoch. Murdoch was considered by many including Jock Stein and Helenio Herrera to be the key player in the Lisbon Lions generation of Celtic. Murdoch had a brilliantly accurate pass both long and short, a fearsome long range shot and was also good in the tackle. On my rightwing is Garrincha, winner of two world cups, and one of only two people (Maradona being the other) who is considered to have won the world cup singlehandedly. He is considered the greatest rightwinger of all time particularly noted for his mastery of the dribble which is part of the reason why many in Brazil consider him better than Pele. In my central attacking midfielder slot I have Giancarlo Antognoni who was in Italy's 1982 world cup winning squad playing in every game except for the final. He is considered a great leader, technician, dribbler, passer (particularly long range) and shooter with good pace. On my leftwing is Ryan Giggs a 1st team regular at Manchester United for over two decades and one of the greatest leftwingers of all time. He is particularly quick an excellent dribbler and a good passer and crosser. My lone striker is Alberto Spencer, the top scorer in the history of the Copa Libertadores particularly skilled in heading, off the ball movement, pace and goalscoring instinct. My team will look to highly skilled wing play and incisive counter attacks to create chances while also being good at maintaining possession. Corners: Giggs Free-Kicks: Giggs (From wide), Garrincha (From the middle) Penalties: Neeskens Captain: Zmuda Penalty Shoot Out: Neeskens, Spencer, Garrincha, Antognoni, Murdoch
Storie di Calcio Legends of Serie A #1. Enrico Albertosi portiere (GK) #2. Alfredo Foni terzino destro (RB) #3. Giacinto Facchetti terzino fluidificante sinistro (LWB) #4. Giuseppe Furino mediano di spinta (DM) #5. Giorgio Chiellini stopper (CB) #6. Gaetano Scirea libero (SW) #7. Bruno Conti ala destra (RW) #8. Daniele De Rossi centrocampista (CM) #9. Silvio Piola centravanti (CF) #10. Valentino Mazzola fantasista (AM) #11. Juan Alberto Schiaffino seconda punta (SS) 'Il gioco all'Italiana' 'The Game in the Italian style' Zona Mista (‘mixed zone’) combines the strength of zonal marking and Catenaccio. In Zona Mista, there are four defenders. My libero, Gaetano Scirea, is free to roam and assist the other defenders. Scirea will be the leader of the backline, organising his defence, covering for Foni and Chiellini, while orchestrating play from deep. Considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, Scirea won every recognised UEFA and FIFA trophy in his career with Juventus and Italy, including the 1982 FIFA World Cup. The primary defensive tactic of Zona Mista is zonal marking, however Scirea may be assigned man marking duties against a dangerous opponent. Giacinto Facchetti is my terzino fluidificante sinistro – he is acknowledged as the greatest attacking fullback of all-time – tall, strong and elegant, Facchetti was the most talented fullback of his era, a rock for La Grande Inter. Facchetti will surge forward to create chances down the left, but not as often as Bruno Conti on the right. The two stoppers, Alfredo Foni and Giorgio Chiellini mark their zones. Foni will mark the right zone in his terzino destro (stopper) role. Alongside the great Pietro Rava, they forged one of the greatest defensive partnership in the 30’s, winning both Olympic Gold in 1936 and the 1938 FIFA World Cup. Alfredo Foni is familiar with supporting his defensive partner and covering the penalty box - a defensive libero role - Foni was one of the most respected ball-playing fullbacks in the world. Giorgio Chiellini is my stopper, one of the most consistent centrebacks of the 00’s. A left-footed and physically imposing defender, Chiellini will not shy away from hard-tackles, dominant on the floor and in the air. The Zona Mista tactical solution marries the best features of both Zonal Marking and Catenaccio. A combination of full-pitch zonal pressing and efficient man-marking will make Scirea-Foni-Chiellini-Facchetti a seemingly impenetrable wall. Enrico Albertosi is my goalkeeper. Albertosi was a special breed of goalkeeper – very strong but agile, possessing expert positioning skills, sharp reflexes and a tough mentality. A hero of Florence, Albertosi would later win the Scudetto with both Cagliari and AC Milan. Albertosi would receive International acclaim for his masterful performance in the ‘Game of the Century’ versus Germany at the 1970 World Cup. The midfield consists of four midfielders. Giuseppe Furino is my mediano di spinta, the defensive midfield enforcer of Juventus. His hard-tackling and dynamic displays will be the driving force that protects Foni and Chiellini, and also providing the platform for Bruno Conti and Valentino Mazzola to freely attack and create. Furino was the courageous and never-tiring ‘water-carrier’ of the great Juve sides throughout the 70’s and 80’s – playing 15 consecutive seasons and winning a record 8 Serie A Championships - a true titan of Calcio. Daniele De Rossi is my centrocampista - a complete footballer, skilled in tackling, short and long distance passing and shooting. De Rossi has proved to be a modern one-club Giallorossi legend, amassing over 400 appearances for Roma and 91 caps for Italy. The tenacity, energy and industry of the Furino-De Rossi partnership will provide both protection in front of my defence and great link-up between the defence and the attack. De Rossi will launch forward on the counter and curve his run in order to fill the space left by Juan Alberto Schiaffino, my wide left-inside forward. De Rossi and Furino will focus their passes to my more direct and creative players. Bruno Conti is my ala destra, a right winger blessed with lightning pace, exceptional passing and dribbling ability and a creator and scorer of important goals. He will own that right flank, also cutting in from the wing acting as a support striker for my centravanti, Silvio Piola. Conti was instrumental in Italy’s World Cup triumph in 1982, proving to be one of the best players of the tournament. My Zona Mista midfield is completed by the most important player on my team, Valentino Mazzola. Valentino Mazzola is my fantasista, a box-to-box inside forward. Defensively sound, creative and a goalscoring threat - Mazzola was Grande Torino's leader and heartbeat. Mazzola is considered to be the first great modern all-round footballer. When not in possession, Mazzola will be seen dropping deep supporting the midfield or pressing the opponent's defenders - to regain the ball high up the pitch with my talented attackers will prove lethal in the last third. Zona Mista employs a two-prong attack. Silvio Piola is my centravanti, a spectacular goalscorer, and a scorer of spectacular goals - the main focus playing upfront. An All-Time Italian great, Piola is the All-Time highest goalscorer in Serie A history with 290 goals, and the third highest goalscorer for the Azzurri – Silvio Piola is the deadliest marksman in Calcio history. A World Cup winner in 1938, Piola scored two goals in the Final. Key to Zona Mista is the counter-attack mentality – thus, Silvio Piola is the perfect centre forward to lead my offensive line, able to finish the chances he receives with lethal accuracy and consistency. Juan Alberto Schiaffino is my seconda punta - a playmaking inside-left forward who plays wide to the left and drifts inside to act as a forward. The light footed magician is considered as one of Uruguay’s greatest ever players, possessing immense technical ability - stunning ball control, superb vision and accurate passing. In his inside-left forward role, Schiaffino created many goals for his team-mates, but he also possessed great speed and an accurate left-footed shot which made him a significant goal threat in the most important games. Schiaffino was the star of the 1950 World Cup (Silver Ball winner, Team of Tournament), scoring a decisive goal against Brazil in the Final. Schiaffino was a hero for C.A. Peñarol (winning 3 National titles) and a Rossoneri legend – winning 3 Scudetto’s with AC Milan, amassing 47 goals in 149 games. Schiaffino will also drop deep in order to provide a link with the overlapping Facchetti, my left wing-back, so as not to over-commit men forward. Adopting the Zona Mista tactical system, we aim to soak up pressure and hit teams on the break - we will have a high counter-attack mentality. Therefore, the goal-scoring efficiency of Silvio Piola, Schiaffino and Valentino Mazzola is paramount, since very few chances will be created.The main creative thrust of the system is from Mazzola (the fantasista), De Rossi (central midfielder), and Conti and Schiaffino in the wide offensive areas. Silvio Piola will have a sublime supply of ammunition, through Conti’s delivery from the right wing, Mazzola’s through balls, Schiaffino’s artistry on the left, and De Rossi’s accurate passes from deep.When counter attacking, this gives us the possibility of flooding the oppositions' area with a total of five attacking players (Conti, Piola, Mazzola, De Rossi/Facchetti and Schiaffino).
@Lamaquina nice catennacio one, but I would put Donadoni, Tardelli in DM/CM and Bergomi/Gentile in place of Foni (unless they were booked?)
GK - Lev Yashin (Soviet Union) CB - Billy Bonds (England) RB - Gary Neville (England) CM/DM - Roy Keane (Rep. Ireland) CM/AM - Michael Ballack (Germany) CM/AM - Johnny Haynes (England) LB/LM - Jim Baxter (Scotland) AM/CM/FW - Gheorghe Hagi (Romania) RW/FW/ST/LW - Jairzinho (Brazil) FW - Raul (Spain) ST/CB - John Charles (Wales) Tactics Formation- 4-2-3-1 Captain-Billy Bonds Vice Captain- Lev Yashin, Johnny Haynes Free Kick- Hagi, Raul Corners-Raul, Hagi Penalties-Hagi The Defense The greatest Goalkeeper of all time is in goal for my team. Well known for his leadership, Yahsin will help rally the back line with Billy Bonds. While Jim Baxter and John Charles push up, I want Neville and Bond to stay back, as many of the defenders will be pushing up. John Charles will go up and help in the attack, but also use his imposing size when needed to help defend. Jim Baxter will push up and help with link up play in the midfield, but not go as far up Charles, as he will be more of a box to Box midfielder. Ballack will also take the role of a box to box midfielder, helping defend at times. When the entire team is on defense, I want everyone except Hagi and Raul in the edge of the box or in the box, making blocks and congesting the entire final third. Due to the amount of attacking defenders, I want those who do stay behind to play conservatively, and defensively. However, I don't want it so that the temp of the game is slowed, unless I want them too. The Midfield In the midfield is the greatest Irish Player of all time, Roy Keane, as well as one of Germany's best, Michael Ballack. They will help link up the ball to the attack, distributing and passing it. Ballack, being a box to box midfielder, will help act as added defense when not having the ball. Overall, Keane and Ballack will dominate the central midfielder, controlling the tempo of the game by controlling possessing and linking up to the attack. I want them both breaking up the opposing attack when on the receiving end. Baxter will be up there, also helping in breaking up plays and attacking. The Attack Leading the attack is one of Spain's greatest, Raul. He will try to look for openings in the defense, and make chances for himself. Assisting in the attack is Hagi, who will take more of his deadly long range attacks, which he is famous for. Jairzinho is to create chances for Raul or Hagi, as his technical ability and dribbling made him legend and a perfect assist machine. John Charles is also up in the attack, and would play as more of a target man due to his size and ability. Haynes will be there to pass the ball and receive the link up passes, along with Jaizinho. He will pass it and create chances for Hagi and Raul. Both he, and Jaizinh will also be used to create with, as he is right footed, he will create width playing on the left wing. Being a vice Captain, Haynes will provide leadership in the attack.
-----------------Friedal------------------ -------Brian Said ----- K.H. Forster----- McJannet-------------------- Nomenjanahary --------------Beckenbaur------------------ ---Mun Ik-Guk---------- Donato---------- Ginola----------------------------Hans Schaefer ---------------Telmo Zarra--------------------- Captain, Set Pieces, Penalties: Frank Beckenbaur This team will play deep. Just short of parking the bus. 9 field players behind the ball with only Zarra staying upfront. Beckenenbaur will move between the lines. Mostly playing as a Sweeper, but also playing in front of the defense when we have the ball, being responsible for moving the ball from deep. The only time we press is when we lose the ball, other wise drop back. Ill be relying on the pace of Shafer and Ginola to get up quickly and support Zarra. I also expect Franz to have some late run, maybe cleaning up at the top of the box.