Your game philosophy + best XI that fits the plan

[Excape Goat]

Let's talk about how you like to play the game and the players that can fit into your game plan. The selection of players should be based on their roles.
Please do not post the best ever XI... so Maradona+Pele+Di Stefano should be on the same team. :)

I will post mine later.

[dannytoone]

I have always wanted to play with three true CMs. Not an AM/DM combination.

Here is an idea of what I would like, complete with my Portuguese bias:

Nani-Henry-Ronaldo
Kaka-Deco-Gerrard
Lahm/Bronkhorst-Andrade-Vidic/Rio-Miguel

The three CMs would play a little total football style, running wherever they are needed and as space allows, but also tracking back for defense. They would not be restricted to one side or another.

[hallelujah_united]

Yeah I agree that midfielders should be able to play both offensively AND defensively. They should know when to track back and drive forward, and be dynamic players that make things happen.

I like the feel of a 5-man midfield (wingers included) as well, seeing how it gives stability and control over the midfield areas, and allows teams to play neat little triangles in midfield to keep possession of the ball. With a little spark of invention, vision and creativity, defences can then be opened up with a wonderful through pass, or an incisive dribble.

If I was allowed to pick a best 11 it'd be such:

Schmeichel
Cafu-Puyol-Terry-Lahm
Maradona-Gerrard-Kaka-Keane-Garrincha
Muller

A team that crosses decades. :)

[Bob Morocco]

----------Toni------------
-Dinho----Kaka----Gerrard-
----------Pirlo------------
--------Makelele----------
-Riise-----------Zambrotta
------Puyol--Cannavaro---
---------Casillas----------

Decision making, passing over all distances, pace and power in the right places.

[dor02]

My team will play a 4-3-3 (players from the past are included):

---------------- Zoff

Kaltz ---- Gentile ---- Cannavaro ---- Breitner

Tardelli ------ Platini ----- Gattuso

Hamrin ----- Van Basten ----- Gento

My wingers must be players that also have great goalscoring abilities and Hamrin and Gento had that. Platini can shoot from long range, take free-kicks and distribute passes at will. Kaltz can provide runs from defence and bend crosses in. There can also be some nice interplay between Kaltz and Hamrin. Tardelli and Gattuso provide bite and Marco can cover a lot of ground too. Canna would just need to play like he did at the 2006 WC and Gentile just needs to get the opposing team's best player and do what he did to Maradona in 1982. Breitner will play as a left-back but if I want another AM, he can be shifted there.

I'll come up with a few other ideas later.

[Real Ray]

-----F. Gento------------Ronaldo------------G. Best


------------W. Overath------Roy Keane-----J. Tigana


-----R. Carlos---------F. Baresi----M. Desailly-----J. Zanetti

------------------------Schmeichel

It has to be 4-3-3 for me; lots of width and pace.

[sardus_pater]

A nice 4-3-2-1

---------------Buffon
--Cafu --Baresi --Beckenbauer --Maldini
-----Matthäus ---Platini ---Falcao
--------Pele ----------Maradona
-------------Van Basten

[Walter3000]

I've always favored a 4-2-3-1

and with current players who best suit my ideas...

-------------------Casillas

Zambrotta-------Nesta----Terry-------Cole

-------------Essien------Ballack

----Messi---------Kaka-----------Ronnie

--------------------RVN

Choosing the CMs was tough, as any of Gattuso/Pirlo/Gerrard/Xavi and others deserve mention, was choosing the hybrid wide right/playmaker spot and the poacher(RVN, Toni, or Klose).

[Bertje]

Intelligence, toughness, an amazing will to win and increadible skill:

Van Basten
Best---------------------------------Garrincha
Van Hanegem-------------------Neeskens
Keane
Maldini-----Campbell-----Koeman-----Thuram
Schmeichel

A midfield of Van Hanegem, Keane and Neeskens is just insane. I'd crap my pants. That, Van Basten upfront with two of the very best dribblers and a central defense of Ronald "I wipe my arse with your shirt, mister German" Koeman and giant Campbell makes my team a very mean machine.

[nikolaos1981]

5-4-1:buffon/roberto carlos, campbell, cannavaro, ayala, sagnol/cristiano ronaldo,vukcevic,kaka,kuyt/messi

[lanman]

Van Basten
Best---------------------------------Garrincha
Van Hanegem-------------------Neeskens
Keane
Maldini-----Campbell-----Koeman-----Thuram
Schmeichel

No Cruyff? No Keizer? Who are you and what have you done with Bertje?

[Bertje]

Keane ate him!

No, really, Cruijff could use a break. ;)
He's actually on Aruba with the queen to do some work for the less fortunate, I think, so I didn't want to bother him. :D

[WhiteBlood]

not much history in my team, very recent..

------------buffon------------
--cafu--terry--fabio5--carlos--
----xavi---essien---juninho----
---messi--kingHenry--robinho---

:D thoughts.?

[Walter3000]

not much history in my team, very recent..

------------buffon------------
--cafu--terry--fabio5--carlos--
----xavi---essien---juninho----
---messi--kingHenry--robinho---

:D thoughts.?

Great midfield and attackers, terrible choices on defense if you mean for recent times...

[Teso Dos Bichos]

I really hate when people use Henry in that way. Fair enough he gets more support in that system than at Arsenal but it all depends on whether that attacking trio can form a good partnership. Individually they are all good but none are natural scorers or penalty box players. We have all seen what happens when you try to force Henry into playing like one. I'm just waiting on the lopsided midfields to appear and I'm sure 11Best is as well. :D

[dor02]

Great midfield and attackers, terrible choices on defense if you mean for recent times...In regards to defending, Cafu and Carlos are hopeless. At least they have the great Cannavaro to save their arse.

[Walter3000]

In regards to defending, Cafu and Carlos are hopeless. At least they have the great Cannavaro to save their arse.
Theyre past it all together, much better choices could have been made at fullback.

And Cannavaro hasn't looked that "great" so far this season.

[Bertje]

Cannavaro is a typical Italian defender. He stays in his comfort zone, is basicly impossible to beat in his comfort zone, but is awfull when he get's out. In other words, he doesn't like covering for Real's fullbacks.

[dannytoone]

How about a nice attacking team:


----------Rene Higuita
Miguel-Pirlo-Beckenbauer-R. Carlos
Maradona-Scholes-Ronaldinho-C. Ronaldo
----------Ronaldo-Pele

[Bertje]

I think that team would do anything but attack.