Discussions should take place in the main thread. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/one-player-per-nation-draft-registrations.1997264/ 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.
Basic Tactics The key to my tactics is to move the ball around the field efficiently. The offense must maintain the flow of the game. So I drafted a deep lying playmaker (Andrea Pirlo) to orchestra the backfield, and an attack midfielder (Matthias Sindelar) to quarterback the front half of the field. The Attackers: Gerd Muller would be the focal point of the attack. He was one of the most prolific goal scorers in history. He would have a lot of support from his teammates. Several of whom are known to be great providers. Matthias Sindelar was known for his ball control, his passing, dribbling, and his creativity. He was the main creator of the Wunderteam. He would play a similar role on this team too. He would have the freedom to roam. Both Kurt Kamrin and Dragan Dzajic are considered to be among the greatest wingers in history. They have all the assets of a traditional winger (great dribblers, crossers, and fast runners), but they also scored plenty of goals in their careers. Hamrin is the 7th all-time leading scorer in Serie A history. Dzajic has scored over 400 goals in his career. They would cut inside and shoot, and/or drive down the wing and cross. They would be supported by two of the best wingbacks in history, namely Manuel Amoros and Roberto Carlos. My lateral offense would be very dangerous, especially, on the left side where Roberto Carlos and Dzajic would seem unstoppable. The Midfielders Obdulio Varela(Captain) is the defensive anchorman. He would be my “Gattuso”. His role is to protect the midfield and allow the more creative players to play their game. The team would also look to his leadership. He is also my captain. Andrea Pirlo is the deep lying playmaker. He is perhaps the player who first brought the position to prominence. He would move the ball forward and around the field. He is also known for his trademark lethal passes to the wings. As mentioned, I have great wingers and wingbacks. This would be a very dangerous combination. Imagine Pirlo sending these passes to Dzajic, Hamrin, Roberto Carlos and Amoros: The Defense Pat Jennings, Alan Hansen and Sol Campbell are all from the United Kingdom. So communication should not be a problem. Sol Campbell was a physical stopper while Alan Hansen was known for his elegant style. My two fullbacks would be Manuel Amoros and Roberto Carlos.
Style of play : My team is very well-balanced. I will seek to maintain possession with highly technical players like Masopust and Zico but I will also be able to play more direct and aggressive football when needed. I got the perfect combination of skill, power, speed and vision I think as well as true leaders like Baresi and Rossi. I got some formidable fire-power up-front with Zico, Nordahl, Lato and Rensenbrick : no doubt they will be a nightmare for any defense they'll face. Tactics : In defense, I got one of the best GK of the draft : Zamora. He will be protected by a strong and complementary backline. Baresi will command it acting as a sweeper. He'll be the captain of my team. He'll occasionnally move forward with the ball in his feet to play as an extra-midfielder. Förster -known for his man-marking and tackling skills- will play as a stopper. On the flanks I got two complete and agressive fullbacks -Lizarazu and Andrade- whose job will be to shut down the opposite wingers. They'll also be free to move forward. In midfield I got a pair of two-ways central midfielders : Rossi and Masopust. Both are excellent ball-winners : their job will be to protect my backline. Both are also highly technical players with excellent passing skills : they'll be asked to start attacks from deep.The tough and fearless Rossi -often seen as the greatest Argentinian defensive midfielder ever- will have a slightly more defensive job whereas Masopust will be my primary deep-lying midfielder, making clean and precise passes and moving forward when he wishes. In front of them Zico will be free to roam between the lines. With Masopust and Rossi filling the gap behind him he won't need to drop back a lot. Indeed I want him to stay close to the penalty box from where he will either try to score or to set up one of his team-mates with his precise passes. Naturally, he will take free-kicks and PK's as well. On the flanks I got two players who can beat beat any defender : Rensenbrink and Lato. The Dutchman will mostly rely on his dribbling skills and ball-control to create confusion whereas Lato will use a more direct style and his lightning pace to pick the opposite full-back. Both are excellent goal-scorers : I expect them to cut inside frequently to create a chance for themselves. They'll frequently connect with my two overlapping fullbacks Lizarazu and Andrade. They'll also seek to cross the ball to my centre-forward, a naturally gifted header of the ball : Nordahl. The Swedish big man is one of the most prolific goalscorer ever. No doubt he will have a lot of support from his team-mates, a lot of them being brilliant passers. Thanks to his surreal physical power he will force a defender to always have an eye on him, thus creating space for Zico.
Formation: *To explain the lines in my graphic, the red lines are runs forward players will regularly make, while the blue dotted lines are connected – the fullback will not make the overlap unless the man ahead of them cuts inside, as a result they will rarely only do so together, and Chumpitaz will not make his run forward unless there is at least one other fullback back to assist Nesta in the event of a counter attack. Blanchflower will push forward a little here if we are putting the opposition in extreme pressure, but not enough to leave the defenders behind him exposed. The red lines that are faded are just to avoid confusion. Quick Player Profiles and Accolades: Basic Tactical Overview:In total my team has a lot of leadership the whole way up the spine with six international captains, is a true 'team of men' mentally, and will be playing a controlled style of play. All of my players are amongst the very best in their positions, possibly all ranking within their respective top 10s at their role. We will look to control the game from the back and midfield as an incredibly difficult unit to score on, with an emphasis on passing and movement coupled with some explosive play in our attacking positions that should prove a very difficult task to stop. My fullbacks will move forward and overlap without being overly-aggressive unless necessary, and my centrebacks were excellent passers with Chumpitaz having a knack for scoring goals (thus he will move forward a little more), but both really excelled most in defence without any exploitable weaknesses for either. My central midfield combo will contribute to the defence and attack in different ways (Keane running, passing and moving, Blanchflower passing from deep and spraying the ball around), while my wingers can play wide and cross or cut inside to dribble, create or score a lot goals. Platini is one of the most complete attacking players the game has ever seen and will string it all together as a classic #10 while being prolific in front of goal, and Batistuta will act as a classic #9, scoring from the slightest of chances and pulling defenders out of position. Captain: Keane Penalties: Platini Free kicks: Platini (occasionally with Batistuta also lined up in shooting range) Corners: Platini Long Throws: Djalma Santos (a lesser known strength of his game) Detailed Tactics:
Players 1 - Gyula Grosics (Hungary) 2 - Javier Zanetti (Argentina) 3 - Antonio Cabrini (Italy) 4 - Patrick Vieira (France) 5 - Anton Ondrus (Slovakia) *Played for Czechoslovakia 6 - Bobby Moore (England) 7 - Pierre Littbarski (Germany) 8 - Ernst Ocwirk (Austria) 9 - Marco van Basten (Netherlands) 10 - Dejan Savicevic (Montenegro) * Played for Yugoslavia 11 - Ronaldinho (Brazil) Captain - Moore Penalties - Van Basten, 2nd choice Littbarski Direct free-kicks - Ronaldinho, Littbarski, occasionally Savicevic with the left foot Indirect free-kicks - Ronaldinho, Ocwirk, Moore from deep (unless we play it short and quick) Corners - Littbarski, Savicevic Starting line-up Tactics We will use a 4-2-3-1, similar to what Milan employed at times in the mid 90's including Savicevic. The 3 behind the striker will interchange freely and occasionally switch roles too. The formation is also a bit similar to what Arsenal used with Dennis Bergkamp in the team - Savicevic will use his own instincts (with occasional suggestions from the manager) to drop deep or play up as a sort of second striker more - he will spend more time going wide than Bergkamp would, as he used to do at Milan indeed. Like at Arsenal, Vieira will be a box to box midfielder backing up the four in front (all except mostly Van Basten will be asked to retreat a bit out of possession though). Ocwirk will play a bit more of a static game, vacating midfield less. He will look to control midfield as well as find some visionary forward passes. Obviously we will look to get the ball down and play fluidly at every opportunity, but some long passes may be played to Van Basten or down the wings into space ahead of a runner. Van Basten will get involved with receiving passes during the course of moves as well as being available to finish things off. Moore will get involved in moves and when he comes forward (or when Ondrus does) either of the central midfielders might hold back a bit until the defender gets back in place. Possible adjustments When Littbarski is most central - he could play more as a forward (perhaps with Van Basten moving left a bit more often) as he did in the early 80's - leaving Savicevic and Ronaldinho to play freely across the pitch but from a bit deeper. When Ronaldinho is most central - he could start playing from a bit deeper, with Littbarski and Savicevic taking it in turns to play from the right and left ahead of him. Ronaldinho could for a short spell play in support of Van Basten (who might then tend to move right more) if we need to try and throw off the opposition. The most likely change (and none of these will necessarily happen - the interchanging positions in the main formation will be more frequent anyway) would be to withdraw Littbarski into midfield ahead of Vieira and Ocwirk from where, although he'd still play as his sprightly self from the early 80's with dribbles and energy, he could help out either full-back when necessary on the wings. It wouldn't be a negative change as Savicevic and Ronaldinho would then play more freely as outright forwards, but could help with a higher work-rate and an extra number in midfield when appropriate.
My initial attempt at the lineup. I will update it with animations and some explanations soon. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/115256667/Lineup.html
"UNXI: UNITED NATIONS ELEVEN" by Twenty26Six GK Dino Zoff CB Oscar Ruggeri "El Cabezón" CB Billy Wright LB Leovegildo Lins da Gama Júnior RB Branko Stanković CM Lothar Matthäus (C) CM Johan Neeskens LW Zoltán Czibor RW George Best "El Beatle" FW Teófilo Cubillas "El Nene" FW Just Fontaine ...names are hyperlinks to each player's wiki profile. Team Objectives :: Attacking * This team will look to possess the ball as much as possible and do so in the attacking third. * The team's attack will be based on pass and move, interchanging with the front four and attackers joining from midfield. * Matthäus, Neeskens, Júnior, Wright, and Stanković are skilled players with the ball and will look to start attacks my moving the ball forward with their feet, finding Cubillas, Czibor, or Best with good passes on the ground, or sometimes looking long to space in front of Fontaine, Czibor, or Best. * Júnior and Stanković will both push forward into the negative space left open by Czibor and Best moving forward or inside. Júnior will mostly underlap and act as an auxiliary third CM as Czibor creates width. Stanković will not get as far dwon the line but will support Best and provide negative support to keep ball possession, recycle passing in the attacking half, or send in early crosses when possible. * Matthäus and Neeskens will play as conventional box-to-box CMs. Neeskens will be more box-to-box. Matthäus will hold in a deeper position more often or shift left to fill space left open by Júnior. Both will slide outside if necessary to support wide players. Team Objectives :: Defending and Countering * The teams defensive strategy will be to press the ball high up the field and win it back close to their goal. * All 4 backs will be expected to defend in a zonal manner as a four player unit. Ruggeri will try and match up with the opposition's "poacher" if they have one. * Both Júnior and Stanković will try to meet opposition wingers farther up field in order to stifle the other teams counterattack. * Matthäus will not get ahead of the ball very much, and Neeskens is expected to use his stamina to track back. * When defending, Best will cut-in to match any 3-man midfield we may face. Cubillas will drop back in and use his speed/stamina to harass the opposition's deep-lying playmaker. * Fontaine, Best, and Czibor will look to provide counterattacking outlets higher up the field. If the ball cannot be played directly to them with a direct ball, they will check back to the midfielders and others will make runs from deeper positions. Special Considerations * Matthäus and Júnior will tale left or right-footed free kicks that require power. Best will take short free kicks that require finesse. Cubillas and Neeskens will be involved in and organize all short indirect set pieces where more than a shot is involved. * Matthäus is the captain; Neeskens takes penalties, and Zoff is the player-manager. Special Skills * Fontaine holds the record for most goals scored in a single World Cup. ('58). * Matthäus, Neeskens, and Júnior have a dangerous shots from distance. * Ruggeri and Wright are accomplished man-markers. * Wright is an accomplished ball-playing CB and also mentioned as the best Englidh defender to have ever played. * Cubillas is well-known for his leadership, humility, incredible touch with both feet, and superior game intelligence. * Matthäus is known for his great stamina, power, and determination as a box-to-box central midfield player. * Júnior is known for his great ball skill and attacking ability. * Best is an accomplished dribbler, playmaker, and finisher. * Czibor is an accomplished dribbler, crosser, and finisher. * Stanković possesses great technique/grace/poise and is known as the model for all successive Yugoslavian fullbacks. Individual Awards and Team Honors Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year) 1957 - Billy Wright (2nd Place) 1968 - George Best (1st Place) 1971 - George Best (3rd Place) 1973 - Dino Zoff (2nd Place) 1990 - Lothar Matthäus (1st Place) 1991 - Lothar Matthäus (2nd Place) South American Footballer of the Year 1972 - Teófilo Cubillas (1st Place) 1981 - Júnior (3rd Place) Bola de Ouro (Brazilian Footballer of the Year) 1992 - Junior (1st Place) Copa América 1975 - Teófilo Cubillas (1st Place) 1991 - Oscar Ruggeri (1st Place) 1993 - Oscar Ruggeri (1st Place) European Championship (European Nations' Cup; Euro) 1968 - Dino Zoff (1st Place) 1976 - Johan Neeskens (3rd Place) 1980 - Lothar Matthäus (Runner Up) Olympic Soccer Tournament 1948 - Branko Stankovic (Silver Medal) 1952 - Branko Stankovic (Silver Medal) FIFA World Cup 1954 - Zoltán Czibor (Runner Up) 1974 - Johan Neeskens (Runner Up) 1978 - Johan Neeskens (Runner Up) 1982 - Dino Zoff (1st Place) 1982 - Lothar Matthäus (Runner Up) 1986 - Lothar Matthäus (Runner Up) 1986 - Oscar Ruggeri (1st Place) 1990 - Lothar Matthäus (1st Place) 1990 - Oscar Ruggeri (Runner Up) FIFA World Cup Golden Ball 1958 - Just Fontaine (3rd Place) 1990 - Lothar Matthäus (Runner Up) FIFA World Cup Golden Boot 1958 - Just Fontaine (1st, 13 Goals) 1974 - Teófilo Cubillas (T-2nd, 5 Goals) 1978 - Johan Neeskens (T-2nd, 5 Goals) 1990 - Lothar Matthäus (T-3rd, 4 Goals) FIFA World Cup Golden Glove 1982 - Dino Zoff (1st) FIFA World Cup Best Young Player 1970 - Teófilo Cubillas (1st) FIFA World Cup All-Star 1954 - Zoltán Czibor 1958 - Just Fontaine 1974 - Johan Neeskens 1978 - Teófilo Cubillas 1982 - Dino Zoff 1982 - Júnior 1990 - Lothar Matthäus UEFA Jubilee Awards France's Golden Player - Just Fontaine Italy's Golden Player - Dino Zoff Northern Ireland's Golden Player - George Best
BESTIE'S ELEVEN FROM ELEVEN 4-3-3 The Line-Up : Jean-Marie Pfaff : Between the posts is the Belgian keeper Pfaff, who enjoyed a very successful career at clubs like Beveren and Bayern Munich. With world class reflexes and anticipation, Pfaff was one of the best keepers in the world at his peak and could pull off match winning saves, such as in this game. Jimmy Armfield : Possibly the best fullback to play for England, Armfield was held in very high regard by the fans and peers alike. Narrowly missing out to the footballer of the year in 66 to Sir Bobby Charlton, Armfield, still the player of the year for Blackpool was also rated as one of the best rightbacks in the world at his peak. Known for having great pace and tackling ability he could nullify some great wide players. Not to forget his ability on the ball that helped the team's attack in great effect thanks to his great overlapping runs. His partnership with Sir Stanley Matthews down the right flank was one of the great scenes in British football in the 50s. Fernando Hierro : A commanding presence in the team, Hierro captained the Madrid side for ages while also winning 3 Champions Leagues and multiple leagues during his time in the Spanish capital. One of the best passers from the back, his mind boggling passing range and accuracy added another dimension to the team and made him even more valuable. An excellent sweeper, defensively he excelled in reading of the game and organization of the defense. A valuable source of goals as well, could take free kicks and was a menace in set pieces. His maturity and intelligence will allow the defense to stay compact and tight against dangerous attacks. Marcel Desailly : A very complete center back, Desailly was a proper beast in his day. Excelling in teams like AC Milan, Chelsea and France, Desailly or as they call him "le roc", was very true to his nickname and won almost every trophy he could. Pacy, Strong, great balance, great anticipation and a winner's mentality, Marcel could be trusted against most forwards and could mark them out of the game. A lynchpin of the mighty French defense that was pivotal in winning the 98 World Cup, as well as the defensive shield that protected the injury ridden Milan backline against Barcelona's dream team in the European Cup final 1994. Giacinto Facchetti (C) : One of the, if not the, best in his position of all time, Facchetti was one of the first truly attacking fullbacks alongwith the likes of Nilton Santos. Defensively faultless, the Italian was a born leader and a big game player, scoring some crucial goals for Inter in European Cup knockouts. Going forward he was a serious threat, with lightning quick pace and good control on the ball and an excellent cross, while he could track back his opponents equally quick and rarely allowed someone to get the better of him. His defensive nous and organization was always world class, along with attributes like great stamina and tackling that even allowed him to play center back at times. One of the most talented defenders to ever grace the pitch, a true national hero and without a doubt the best defender in my team. Frank Rijkaard : I couldn't think of a better player to shield the defense to be honest, and I believe Frank has proven that throughout his career for Ajax, Milan and Netherlands. A vital player in the great team assembled by Sacchi, Rijkaard constantly performed at world class levels and could be trusted never to be overrun by any midfield. A towering presence, physically strong and agile, great balance and anticipation, a complete central midfielder, he also could easily turn defense into attack with his ability on the ball and more importantly the ethics learned at Ajax. A little temperamental at times, he usually channeled his aggression and strong mentality into his game and could easily mark some of the great attacking players he faced. A multifunctional player as well, he was at comfort as a DM or a CB. Stefan Effenberg : Another fierce competitor, Effenberg captained Bayern in their Champions League win in 2001, while enjoying a very high peak during those years. A true box to box midfielder, Effenberg had immense stamina, workrate and tenacity. Also possessing an excellent passing range, Effenberg was an important component of Bayern in attack as he could start attacks as well as surge forward when needed and hit a venemous shot. Along with Rijkaard, he should form a very complete axis for the team to work around. Mario Coluna : The fans called him "The Sacred Monster", such was his impact to his club and nation. A cornerstone for Benfica and Portugal in the 60s, Coluna showed impeccable technique and tactical understanding of the game, running the shows in most games he played and establishing himself as one of the best central midfielders in the world. Such an elegant performer, a joyful dribbler, and like the rest of the team a great presence in big games with a very strong mentality, he could also make long range goals look effortless. Needless to say he will be pulling the strings from midfield here. Jairzinho : Here comes the Hurricane! A World Cup hero and the one who filled in the shoes of the great Mane Garrincha, Jairzinho was one of the most "effective" wide players of his time and possibly, ever. Having great link up play, reactions, one touch passing ability and like most Brazilian attacking greats, a unstoppable dribbler at times, his strength was in making darting runs into scoring areas with great pace and latching on to any chance to score. One of the three players to score in every game of the World Cup, he adds another big game player to the team. Laszlo Kubala : Voted Barcelona's player of the century, Kubala was one of the most complete attacking players the game has seen. A global superstar, so much so that the construction of Camp Nou was hurried up by his signing, he mesmerized the audiences in the 50s. Dribbling, creating chances, scoring and crossing, he could virtually provide everything in the final third. A nightmare for defenders. Lionel Messi : The Golden Boy of Barcelona, I don't think much is needed to say for him. Records, Ballon D'ors, league titles and Champion Leagues, everything but the WC has fallen to his feet. In his favoured false 9 role from where he has influenced the game like few others could, he is leading the attack and the best player in the team. Brief Tactics : We are playing a 4-3-3. DEFENSE The back 4 is composed of pacy and strong defenders. All four were great leaders and known to be extremely organized. Armfield and Facchetti are fullbacks who have the license to go forward and provide width like they always did, with Rijkaard slotting in as the third CB making it a back 3. Both have enough pace to return in time and not let the opposition any space. Effenberg was a defensively sound midfielder who would always close down his opponents. Due to the pace we will play a high backline and suffocate the space in midfield and not let the opposition function. Hierro and Rijkaard are both multifunctional, so when one comes forward the other would slot in the backline to cover for him. MIDFIELD Coluna is the puppet master in the midfield, using his technique, one touch passing, link up and creativity to control the game. Rijkaard and Effenberg would provide the platform for the creative players to do their job. The workrate will be VERY high with every player being tenacious and closing down will always be very quick. Rijkaard would usually play the role of the defensive midfielder countering the strongest threat from the opposition down the middle while Effenberg will be playing as a box to box midfielder. ATTACK The attack revolves around Lionel Messi, who is playing as false 9 here. Kubala and Jairzinho are wingforwards in the team. The front 3 will be very fluid and all 3 can interchange as needed, but largely Messi will be playing the wide men through a lot. Kubala is on the left as I want him to have his stronger foot towards goal which will suit the false 9 setup. Jairzinho is one of the best options to have as a goalscoring winger and would allow the width to stretch play and make the well timed darting runs to make the best use of the passes from Messi, Coluna and even Hierro. A Team of Winners As described earlier, the team comprises of a very very strong mentality. Right from Facchetti to Desailly to Rijkaard to Effenberg to Coluna to Kubala, Jairzinho and finally to Messi, this is a collection of players who have usually brought the best in the biggest of games. In a competition like this you need players not only to be talented but also to raise their game in the toughest circumstances. I can hope to get a tremendous amount of consistency throughout the line up in that regard. Possession and Teamwork As we have seen the great Barca and Spain teams recently show us the importance of keeping the ball, my team also understands that well and is largely based on that principle. Every single player in the team is known to have great ability on the ball including the central defenders. Players like Rijkaard, Coluna, Kubala, Messi and Jairzinho excel in one touch passing and would be able to come up with some great strings of one touch moves that combined with the individual ability of the players should unlock top defenses. Their will be a lot of fluidity and having players who would provide understanding, off the ball movement and energy for the whole of 90 minutes is important to implement to that strategy. Aerial Threat If there was one thing that Messi's Barca fell short in, it was providing a plan B. There is no shortage of that here. I have some absolutely towering players in Desailly, Rijkaard, Facchetti and Effenberg to make the best use of corners and freekicks. Kubala who is generally regarded as one of the greatest free kick takers of all time should be able to come up with the goods. Completeness The above strategies require players to perform multiple roles at different times in a game and that is where having "complete" players is an advantage. The team has a set of players who were uncompromising physically while being artists on the ball. The likes of Desailly, Rijkaard, Facchetti, Effenberg are the ones in question here, and it is no wonder they occupy some of the most vital positions on the pitch. Overall, the team will never be starved from possession of the ball, while also not easily out muscled. The buildups would usually be patient but precise. The front 3's individual talent combined with the team players supporting them behind should lay a successful foundation and find a way to win games against the toughest of teams.
Perú FC Lineup 01 SCHMEICHEL, Peter (Denmark) 02 CHARLES, John (Wales) 03 VASOVIC, Velibor (Serbia) 04 SUURBIER, Wim (Netherlands) 05 BREHME, Andreas (Germany) 06 EDWARDS, Duncan (England) 08 DIDI (Brazil) 10 RIVERA, Gianni (Italy) 07 KOPA, Raymond (France) 11 SÍVORI, Omar (Argentina) 09 SHEVCHENKO, Andriy (Ukraine) Brief Tactics Defense Peter Schmeichel is the first big name of this team. The great Danish goalkeeper is almost the perfect complete package being an spectacular shot-stopper with a fantastic technical side to his game in positioning and distribution. A great leader that's famous for his intimidating physique, he could rival one-on-one with any of the best attackers of all-time. Ahead of him the famed all-round footballer John Charles will take the central defender role with which he became one of the finest stoppers ever in England. Provided with a striking physical, the giant should be unbeatable in the air, a very strong marker and still with a delicate first touch and good ball control. His complement will be the legendary Yugoslav sweeper Velibor Vasovic, renowned for his defensive positioning, never-say-die attitude, tactical awareness and leadership. On both sides will be two of the best wing-backs of all-time (Wim Suurbier and Andreas Brehme). They will provide the width game of the team defending and attacking, especially crossing. Midfield An extremely luxurious midfield is supported by the strong and complete Duncan Edwards. The boy who played like a man is widely considered one of the most complete midfielders in history and capable to play as the main anchor man for balance and also support the defensive line. Alongside him will play probably the greatest deep-lying playmaker of all-time, the elegant Brazilian Didi. In charge of controlling the tempo of the team, his distribution and the enormous precision of his passes ensure the fluidity. Gianni Rivera will be the classic playmaker of the team. Renowned for his passing range, vision and dribbling ability, will be the offensive orchestrator behind the attackers, but he will also be supported in this creative construction by Raymond Kopa and Omar Sívori to complete a marvelous creative trident. Attack Raymond Kopa and Omar Sívori were both of them two of the best free-role attacking playmakers and support strikers of all-time. From the midfield they'll have the task of the creation and assistance in the attack, but also free to penetrate frontally to the attack with their speed and gifted technical skills and define for themselves (supporting by the wide game of the wing-backs). Andriy Shevchenko will be the main striker. The Ukranian was a goal machine capable to create his own spaces and define with his explosive speed and ferocious shoot. Taking into account the assistances of Didi, Rivera, Kopa and Sívori and the crosses of Suurbier and Brehme, he's seriously running for being the top goalscorer of the draft.
POINT99 FC ROSTER GK - I. Casillas (ESP) RB - Cafu' (BRA) CB - H. Schwarzenbeck (GER) CB - J. Terry (ENG) LB - D. Irwin (IRL) RM - B. Laudrup (DEN) CM - A. Haan (NED) CM - Z. Zidane (FRA) RM - R. Giggs (WAL) FW - R. Baggio (ITA) FW - M. Kempes (ARG) FORMATION (4-4-2) PLAYER PROFILES AND TACTICS Defense The back four will be marshaled by 2006 World Cup all-star John Terry. A superb tackler and great in the air at both ends of the pitch, Terry captained Chelsea to three Premier League titles and a Champions Leagues victory. Next to him is Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, whose discipline and infallibility in Germany’s World Cup-winning back four allowed Beckenbauer to make his famous forays forward and earned him the nickname “The Bodyguard”. Together, they will form the spine of defense just behind the most decorated Dutch player of all time and fixture of two World Cup finalist Oranje squads, Arie Haan. The ever-present Haan will close down the midfield in front of the back four breaking up plays and playing balls to the midfield attackers to facilitate counter-attacks. Cafu’, whose longevity as a top fullback is matched by his tireless energy, will play outside right, where his speed and tenacity will be an asset both getting forward and running down opposing wingers. Similarly, on the outside left, the dutiful Denis Irwin, one of the top fullbacks of his era and considered one of Manchester United’s all time greatest players, will switch between staying home to defend and making blistering forward runs. Iker Casillas, the most accomplished keeper in the modern era, will defend the goal should anyone penetrate this stalwart defense. Generally, the defense will absorb attacks and play for the counter, pushing the ball quickly out to the wings or to the midfield maestro Zidane to spring the attack. In addition, Irwin, Cafu, Haan and Schwarzenbeck all possess the ability to make devastating strikes from distance, while Terry is an accomplished long passer out of the back. Midfield & Attack The midfield will be managed by the masterful Zinedine Zidane, whose vision and passing are paralleled by few in history. With the ability to make key passes from both a deep position and while leading the attack, Zidane will roam freely in midfield, coordinating seamlessly with his center midfield partner, Arie Haan (who also played as an attacking mid in his club career) to maintain shape and coverage. To facilitate quick transition play, he’ll spray passes out wide to his speedy wingers: World Cup All-Star Brian Laudrup, whose unmatchable pace and mazy dribbles out right helped lead Denmark to a European title and their deepest World Cup run ever and Ryan Giggs, whose blistering runs have made him a Manchester United legend and the most decorated Premier League player. Closest to goal will be world champion Mario Kempes, whose deadliness in the box earned him a Golden Boot during Argentina’s 78 WC victory run. Playing underneath him is Robert Baggio, another all-time great who was master at creating chances for himself and others with his superb dribbling and visionary passing. In all out attack, Laudrup and Giggs can both get to the endline and deliver crosses or cut in and attack directly with the outside backs overlapping aggressively. In possession, the wingers will also make speedy interchangeable runs with Baggio and the overlapping wingbacks and play quick combinations with Zidane near the edge of the box to get in behind. Generally, the attack will focus on speed in transition and quick, simple interplay in front of bunkered defenses. In Zidane, Baggio, Irwin and Cafu, there are ample free kick specialists on the team, both for service and direct attempts.
My team then fellas... Defence In net is one of the strongest keepers of the modern age, King Kahn who organises the defence. Scirea acts as sweeper alongside the first World Cup winning captain Jose Nasazzi who played what was called full back in the 1930s. The greatest ever British (modern) full back Danny McGrain adds a bit of extra steel with his famous tackling while both he and the greatest South American left back offer attacking potency and hence some width in attack. Midfield For added protection to the defence, Luis Monti is arguably one of the most valuable midfielders ever in terms of defensive ability. Monti also gives the impetus to set the attack in motion initally, although much of the midfield passing will be dealt by Charlton and particularly van Hanegem, who ranks as an all time great in terms of passing range and accuracy. Charlton is the main link physically moving forward of the three while van Hanegem remains relatively static. In front of them Boniek is a very pacey and dynamic attacking midfielder who covers a lot of ground and looks more than comfortable getting out wide to vary the play. Both this and van Hanegem's splitting passwork should open up some occasional space in front of the defence for Charlton to move into, where he becomes a serious goal threat with his thumping shots. Attack In the attack, one of the most accomplished and stylish players of the modern game Thierry Henry plays off the main man, threatening with pace, exellent technique and ingenious finishing. At the focal point though is the pièce de résistance, one of the greatest players of all time, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira who passed away aged 71 earlier today. A physical wonder of his time (despite being no taller than me at 5'9'') he could run faster than some could strike a ball, but he struck it himself like no other. On a side note that shouldn't factor into anyone's ranking, I thought that unlike most of his very few peers, he was and remained a good sport both on and off the pitch, and that aspect of him along with his very evident ability displayed in the mid-late 60's explains why he became one of the few truly respected players in this country, to an unusual level, that never played in our domestic game. Overall I think this is well balanced, filled with quality throughout and a veritable nightmare for opposition defenders. A diamond midfield might seem narrow but with Nilton Santos marauding down one side, McGrain lurking on the other and Boniek liable to move, there's actually just as much threat out wide, only it's harder to pin down.
Draw your tactical diagram with this11.com My team will be playing a possession based narrow 4-2-3-1 formation with Bozsik (Who according to this post from an ex Hungary, Honved and Real Madrid scout was just as good as Beckenbauer but a more direct ball winner: http://www.xtratime.org/forum/showpost.php?p=9024953&postcount=87 ) as the main ballwinner in midfielder.
4-3-3 Captain: Sarosi Penalty: Pele My DF/GK: Planicka, Maldini, Gerets should be clear. Tresor as Stopper, Krol Sweeper/Libero which he played later on. My MF: Dave Mackay for some toughness, mainly defensive duty. There might be some confusion about Sarosi because of his goalscoring record and mainly being listed as a Striker, but he seemed to play as also a centerhalf already early on in his career/prime and was also seen to be the 'complete' player. (here some good posts about him http://www.xtratime.org/forum/showthread.php?t=266542) Major sucess on the biggest stages back then, you might check out the Mitropa Cup thread from Tom Stevens when it reaches his years if interested. Similar can be said about another 'balanced' played - Andrade who will be the more defensive oriented in this midfield pairing out of those two, though still was quite a joy to watch and something they've never seen before for Europeans 90 years ago. My Attack: The Maradona, Di Stefano and Messi hybrid from the 40s Moreno and Rummenigge (could play on both sides, but on the right for NT) as free role forwards/SS or whatever you might call it, one on the right the other to the left. Pele scores some goals.
La Máquina Formation 4-2-3-1 Defensive Profile #1. Gordon Banks #2. Patrick Battiston -- #4. Jürgen Kohler -- #5. Fabio Cannavaro -- #3. José Antonio Camacho #8. Graeme Souness -- #6. Fernando Redondo I have a solid central defence partnership of Jürgen Kohler and Fabio Cannavaro. Together they form a defensive wall of immense strength and tactical discipline. Effective as both ruthless man-markers and able to distribute the ball neatly to our midfielders. Patrick Battiston and José Antonio Camacho are my two mobile fullbacks - both are confident with the ball going forward, but most in important they are true defenders. Playing in goal, behind the solid, stubborn and impenetrable wall of Battiston-Kohler-Cannavaro-Camacho is Gordon Banks. A complete goalkeeper who possessed amazing reflexes, great athleticism and expert positioning skills - his goalkeeping ability was so flawless many believed he was undoubtedly the finest goalkeeper in the world. Protecting my back four is the double pivot of Graeme Souness and Fernando Redondo. Fernando Redondo is a fantastic footballer at the heart of my team. Highly technical, strong and a tactically complete midfielder. He has the ability to fulfill both a defensive and playmaking role. Alongside Redondo is Graeme Souness, my tenacious enforcer. The Scotsman was a combative anchorman - both a skilled passer and a scorer of important goals, Souness will add steel, intelligence and leadership to a strong spine. Attacking Profile #11. Michael Laudrup -- #10. Gheorghe Hagi -- #7. Cristiano Ronaldo #9. Ronaldo Luís The lethal offensive trio of M.Laudrup-G.Hagi-C.Ronaldo will interchange positions freely, cutting in from the wing and feeding Ronaldo Luís. 'O Fenômeno' is the greatest striker of all time, able to score from nearly every position - one of the most unstoppable goalscorers who will run at the opponent's defence. Ronaldo Luís was also an intelligent playmaker who'll be able to assist Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most effective footballers of the modern era. In his false-winger/wing-forward role, Cristiano Ronaldo is a proven clinical goalscorer. Cristiano Ronaldo possesses a great all-round attacking ability: pace, power, direct dribbling skills, dangerous headering ability, an excellent crosser and passer of the ball, lethal from inside the box and from long distance, positionally sharp and one of the best finishers playing today. My #10 playmaker is Gheorghe Hagi - a player so technically gifted they called him "The Maradona of The Carpathians". Hagi was a footballer you could not take your eyes off - sensational ball control and dribbling skills, excellent vision, near-perfect short and long passing and one the finest goalscorers from long distance. The vision and playmaking ability of Michael Laudrup and Hagi will be a thing to behold - both Ronaldo's will have the supply they need to finish the game off. Laudrup was an elegant dribbler, with the tactical intelligence and expert reading of the game to unlock any defence.
Good line up ... but I would place Pele on left and Rummenigge as #9 striker. Pele + Moreno would be devastating pair in creation of attack
Tactics:Formation: 4-2-3-1 Basic Tactics:The team is built around a strong midfield. DiStefanowith a free role as the team's playmaker but will also help in defense, Breitner as a box to box midfielder and Makelele Anchor/Destroyer. The team also possesses legendary wingers Gento, Garrincha who can run, dribble and cross the ball towards the target man Hugo Sanchez. Cole will play as a supporting Full Back to Gento. Bergomi will be a defensive Full back, to make-up defensively for Garrincha's absence in defense. Although both the centre-backs are sweepers, Makelele will always stay back in front of the defence to stop any passes and long balls. Attack: The team's main attack will be through wingers. Garrincha, who can dribble anyone and Gento who can outpace anyone. So the main attack play will revolve around them and Di Stefano will be the key-man, orchestrating the attack as the team's playmaker. As the wingers move forward, Di Stefano will either support them or move into the box with Sanchez. Sanchez and Di Stefano both are strong at scoring from crosses. Additionally Breitner will move into atttack, supporting the 4 players in front of him as well as posing a threat from long range. Koeman will also move forward, his long range shot power and accuracy with passing ability will help keep the ball against defensive teams. Makelele, Shesternyov and Bergomi will stay back. Tempo: The tempo will generally be Fast with freedom to Di Stefano to dictate the tempo. Keeping the ball: Di Stefano, Breitner, Koeman, Gento and to quite an extent Cole and Makelele are very good passers. They will help retain possession and with the help of fast and creative attacking midfielders look for through balls. Counter-Attack: The wingers are fast and can dribble well. Most importantly, Gento's speed. Transition from defence to attack will be very swift with his speed and midfielders can pass the ball into space behind fullbacks fully assured that Gento will get there. Garrincha and Sanchez will always stay in front for clearances from defenders or long ball Sanchez will be the main point for these kind of balls, to collect and pass the ball to Garrincha or Di Stefano, whoever is free.Garrincha [will dribble and shoot or cross. [ Garrincha: Garrincha will always dribble, dribble dribble, make the defenders look stupid and shoot or cross. The player who won a world cup single handedly for Brazil and the greatest dribbler the world has ever seen will not be dispossessed easily and always 2 or more opposition players will be found marking him, more than 2 really, if they want to have any chance of stopping him. The advantage of Garrincha is that when he goes wide, he will take a lot of players with him creating more open spaces in the box. Letting other player, Gento, Di Stefano, Hugo Sanchez and even Breitner sometimes making late runs into the box, a better chance to score. Koeman will move slightly forward in this case, waiting to hit long shots outside the box and he can surely hit home. He could easily as well cut inside and run towards the defense dribbling and moving in towards goal to shoot. Gento and Di Stefano: Both these players played for Real Madrid during its golden years, together winning five consecutive European Cups 55,56,57,58,59 and 1960. They had a very good chemistry and Di Stefano scored a lot of goals from Gento's assists during his time at Real Madrid and Gento also greatly benifited from Di Stefano's passing ability and creativity. Di Stefano is given a free role to move anywhere on the field in order to keep the ball and help with the transition from attack to defense and to move into the box when the chance appears. Defence: Makelele, Shesternyov and Bergomiwill always stay back and only in rare cases, Makelele will move forward. When the team will lose the ball, Koeman will make his way back to the defense line and during which Bergomi will cover his position and with Makelele stop any counters. Once Koeman is back in defense, Bergomi will move back to right back. Cole will make his way back to leftback to defend. Gento will support him on the left. Breitner will move into defensive midfield and Di Stefano helping him and Makelele. Sanchez will stay up front as Target Man and Garrincha will stay there too for counters. Against Counters: When the counter is through passing Makelele will be the first to stop the attack who reads the game very well. In cases of areal balls Bergomi will handle them and Shesternyov will sweep any through balls or long balls in case of fast strikers using his pace, strength and reading of the game. Against Possession play: The team will play as a solid unit with high pressing against teams that like to build from back and retain possession. Both centre backs are sweepers and so the team will play with slightly higher defensive line to give the opposition less space to pass. DiStefano, Gento, Breitner will close down opponents high up the pitch and Makelele will remain in front of the defense to intercept and win balls from atacking midfielders and strikers and break the opposition's play. The Full Backs will guard the flanks. Captain: Di Stefano Free Kicks: Ronald Koeman Penalties: Paul Breitner Corners: Garrincha
@Excape Goat I just checked and apparently if you click on it, the image goes to full size. This screenshot might help?
DER HAMMERS THE FORMATION THE TACTICS We will play a 4-2-3-1 formation. Rinat Dasayev is the goal-keeper. Ahead of him, is a four man defence which comprises of Carlos Alberto Torres, Claudio Gentile, Daniel Passarella and Hans-Peter Briegel. Carlos Alberto Torres and Hans-Peter Briegel will play as attacking full-backs who will overlap and provide the width down the wings. Daniel Passarella will play as a sweeper while Claudio Gentile will be the stopper. Daniel Passarella was master at bringing the ball out of the back and provide another option in the attack. He will look to do the same here as well. If we need to man mark a top attacker, Claudio Gentile will be assigned to do it. Jean Tigana and Luis Suárez Miramontes will form the double-pivot in the midfield. Jean Tigana will be the holding midfielder with Luis Suárez Miramontes playing slightly ahead of him as the deep-lying playmaker. Jean Tigana would sit in front of the defence and cover the back-four. He had understanding of the game as a midfielder. So with his anticipation skills, he would intercept the passes aimed for opposition attackers and nip them right in the bud itself. In Luis Suárez Miramontes, we have a brilliant play-maker who was a master at initiating the attacks and counter-attacks from deep midfield with the help of his fantastic range of passing and vision. With Luís Figo and Hristo Stoichkov stretching the play, Ferenc Puskás leading the line, attacking full-backs in Carlos Alberto Torres and Hans-Peter Briegel and Ruud Gullit, Luis Suárez Miramontes would have more than enough options to pass to and with his vision, he would pick the right pass most of the times. Ahead of the double-pivot, is an attacking quartet of Luís Figo, Ruud Gullit, Hristo Stoichkov and Ferenc Puskás. Luís Figo will play in his natural role as a right winger, where he would not only provide width and stretch the play, but also drill in plenty of crosses for the other attackers to exploit. Hristo Stoichkov would play in a slightly more attacking role as a left wing forward. Like he used to do in his prime at Barcelona, Hristo Stoichkov would not only stretch the play but also cut inside and be involved in the build-up play. Ruud Gullit is the joker card of the team. One of the most complete players of all time, Ruud Gullit's role would be to not only provide in attack but also drop deep and support Jean Tigana and Luis Suárez Miramontes in midfield by making it a three man midfield. Ferenc Puskás would lead the line. Along with being a brilliant finisher, he was great at linking up with other attackers and bringing them into the game. So during the games, Ferenc Puskás would look to drop deep and attract opposition centre-backs along with him, thereby creating space for the likes of Luís Figo and Hristo Stoichkov to exploit it. One of our primary attacking plan involves Luís Figo and Carlos Alberto Torres providing crosses from the right wing for Ruud Gullit and Daniel Passarella, who would make his trademark late runs into the box from the defence occasionally. Ruud Gullit and Daniel Passarella can either try to head it in the goal or knock it down for the likes of Ferenc Puskás and Hristo Stoichkov to smash it in with their vicious left foot. Also, during the games, there would be instances where Ferenc Puskás and Hristo Stoichkov would interchange their positions and create havoc and confusion for the opposition defence in the final third. CAPTAIN:- Daniel Passarella. CORNERS:- Luís Figo & Hristo Stoichkov. FREE KICKS:- Luís Figo & Hristo Stoichkov. PENALTIES:- Ferenc Puskás. PLAYER PROFILES Rinat DASAYEV:- The Iron Curtain is one of the greatest goal-keepers of all time and arguably the best keeper in the world during the eighties. Known for his spectacular shot-stopping and command over the area while defending set-pieces, Rinat Dasayev's long throws were quite famous as well and they would be extremely vital while launching counter-attacks from the back. CARLOS ALBERTO Torres:- The captain of arguably the greatest side ever and the scorer of the best team-goal ever, Carlos Alberto Torres is one of the best full-backs of all time. Known for his overlapping runs and crosses from the right wing, Carlos Alberto Torres was equally adept defensively as well due to which, he was voted in the WORLD TEAM OF 20TH CENTURY. Claudio GENTILE:- "Football is not for ballerinas!" is what Claudio Gentile said when he was accused of being over-aggressive with his defending after he had successfully man marking Diego Maradona out of the game. Few days later, he was assigned to man-mark another all-time great in Zico. Like Diego Maradona, Zico found it very hard to influence the game as much as he usually does. Italy went on to win that World Cup. It was Claudio Gentile's defending against Zico and Diego Maradona which resulted in many experts calling him the best man-marker of all time. Daniel PASSARELLA:- One of the best defenders of all time, El Gran Capitán led Argentina to their first ever World Cup win in their own home soil. Not only was he a brilliant defender, but also a great asset in the other end of the pitch with his attacking play. He was renowned for his ability to initiate and often finish the attacking moves. By the time he finished his career, he ended up with 150 odd goals as the highest goal scoring defender ever, a record which was later broken by Ronald Koeman. Hans-Peter BRIEGEL:- Known as Die Walz Von Der Pfalz (The Steamroller From Palatinate), for his aggressive and physical style of play, Hans-Peter Briegel was one of the best defenders in the eighties. An extremely versatile defender, he could play as a left back, right back, centre back or as a central midfielder with ease. Hans-Peter Briegel's performances for Hellas Verona during their only ever Scudetto winning campaign in 1984-85 resulted in him winning the German Footballer Of The Year award that year, the first foreign-based awardee in the history of the award. Jean TIGANA:- One fourth of Le Carré Magique, Jean Tigana was one of the best midfielders in the eighties. A complete midfielder, he was not only solid defensively but also could could initiate plays from the midfield. Alongside Michel Platini, he was France's best player when they won the UEFA Euros in 1984. His performance for French National Team and FC Girondins De Bordeaux that year resulted in him winning the Silver Ball award in the 1984 Ballon D'or. 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. Blessed with great vision and a fantastic range of passing, Luis Suárez Miramontes 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. Luís FIGO:- Everything one needed from a great winger, Luís Figo had it all. Great close control to get out of tight spaces, the burst of pace and skills to go past the opposition full-back with ease, the perfect technique to execute a pass or a cross and the vision as well as creativity which helped him create so many chances from out wide. The 2000 Ballon D'or Winner and 2001 FIFA World Player Of The Year, Luís Figo is without doubt the best winger in modern era and one of the best wingers of all time. Ruud GULLIT:- One of the best players of all time, Ruud Gullit led Netherlands to their first major trophy in football when they defeated Soviet Union in UEFA Euros 1988. A two-time World Soccer Magazine's World Footballer Of The Year in 1987 and 1989 and the 1987 Ballon D'or winner, Ruud Gullit would go down in history as one of the most complete players to have played the game. No one epitomized Totaal Voetbal or as we know it as Total Football as well as Ruud Gullit did. He could play well in defence, midfield or attack with ease. He was one of the rare players who not only had the athleticism but also the poise and grace to go along with it. Hristo STOICHKOV:- European Golden Boot winner in 1990. World Cup Golden Shoe winner in 1994 World Cup. Onze D'or winner in 1992. Ballon D'or winner in 1994. Very few wide attackers could boast of having as many individual honours in both club level as well as International level like Hristo Stoichkov did. One of the best attackers in the nineties. At his peak, he was unstoppable. He was fast, a good passer and crosser of the ball and had a vicious left foot which helped him score so many goals. Ferenc PUSKÁS:- Ferenc Puskás, The Galloping Major, is one of the greatest footballers to have graced the game. He was the captain of the legendary Mighty Magyars in the fifties and led them to winning a gold medal in the 1952 Olympics and a silver medal in 1954 World Cup. Even though he was out injured for few games, he still ended the 1954 World Cup with the Golden Ball as well as Bronze Boot. Till date, he remains the only footballer to have scored more than one hat-trick in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League Final, a feat he had achieved with Real Madrid when he was past his peak. This quote by Jeno Buzanszky, The Mighty Magyars' right back, gives a brief idea about the genius of Ferenc Puskás:- "If a good player has the ball, he should have the vision to spot three options. Puskás always saw at least five."
Technical ball-playing team; with Kocsis as an all-time great finisher, Maradona as a deeper left-sided forward so that he can run at defenders and cut inside with Zebec as a marauding left wing back who can overlap. On the right, we have a conventional touchline hugging winger in Matthews and a more defensive fullback in Bergmark to compensate. Zizinho, Xavi and Davids form a classic 3-man midfield with Zizinho the attacking midfielder, Xavi as the retainer and Davids as a ball-playing nominal defensive midfielder. When in possession with Sammer advancing into midfield, Davids (who used to play in a nominal left-sided midfield role) and Sammer would form a very nice midfield 2. At centre back, we have the very cultured Santamaria who fits in nicely with the ball-keeping mentality of the rest of the team together with one of the great attacking liberos in Sammer; with a cultured goalkeeper in Buffon providing the last line of defense. Every player bar Bergmark iirc has been picked in every all-time draft on here so require no introduction. Bergmark was from the 1958 Swedish team that reached the WC final, a tournament in which he was the best right back. He was also the 1958 Swedish player of the year - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guldbollen. To sum up; idea of this team is a ball-playing possession retaining spine (central midfield, centre backs and goalkeeper) to which an all-time attack is added on top comprising of 4 players (Maradona, Matthews, Zizinho and Kocsis) who should make every all-time top 50 list.
Link to Poetgooner's Football Manager draft (All-Time with Football Manager gameplay replacing the voting phase) for anyone who did this draft and might like to take part in that one too: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/football-manager-draft-signup.2082734/