Also just another point that I'd like to make is that most of the players have thrived in similar roles to the ones in this set-up. Have already touched upon them in the OP but will just reiterate them but be sure to check out the OP and the individual write-ups as well.
For instance,
Gadocha played the creative outside-left role in a 4-3-3 for Poland in the 1974 WC, being part of a great forward trio - with a goalscoring striker in Szarmach and an inside right in Lato. It previously used to be a more complete central forward in Lubanski who unfortunately was injured.
The Fifa technical report had him as one of the most impressive attacking players of the 1974 WC, "giving consistently good displays".
Fifa Technical Report said:
Against Argentina, Poland concentrated on attack on a wide front from the start, with particularly active performances from Szarmach, Gadocha and Lato.
Gorgon was an effective sweeper and Lato, Szarmach and Gadocha were fast intelligent and dangerous strikers.
He was capable of stretching play and providing quality wing supply, playing in an expansive side and excelling in a fearsome forward triumvirate.
A decent video of his quality crossing and set-piece ability
Law was the complete forward and he played a similar fluid role for Scotland vs England 1967 - a historic victory against England, the World Cup holders - a game which ended England's 19 match unbeaten run. A win against Scotland would have equalled England's highest unbeaten run of 20 games - a run that was coincidentally broken by Scotland's very own Wembley Wizards in 1928. Law has had more impressive games than this one, although he still managed to nab a goal, but his fluidity and interchanging with a fluid forward trio (alongside Wallace and Lennox) was nothing short of brilliant to watch.
Scotland vs England 1967
Byshovets loved playing in a forward trio and was more of a second striker/withdrawn forward than a winger.
Byshovets from a translated Russian article said:
Which option do you prefer? - I'm used to the three forwards Khmelnitsky - Puzach - Byshovets. We are more than a year was playing due, and it seems that we have achieved mutual understanding. We know how someone plays, who need a pass, where each of us it is easier to attack.
He loved attacking from the channels and dropping to the wings occasionally. With the sheer dynamism and interchanging potential that Law offers, Byshovets would be able to showcase his eclectic range of talents here - from dribbling, cutting inside, dropping deep or unleashing fearsome shots into the top corner.
A decent compilation vid of Byshovets including his 4 goals at WC 1970
A great match where Belgium simply couldn't cope with Byshovets and had to constantly resort to fouling to stop him.
As I've just touched on a few posts above,
Alan Ball played in the RCM/RAM role for England, where his verve, tenacity and skill proved to be a potent cocktail. He was constantly on the move, with the BBC commentator labelling him 'a player in perpetual motion' in the WC final where he won the MOTM, despite Hurst scoring the only ever hat-trick in a WC final and gave one of the greatest LBs ever in Schnellinger, an absolutely torrid time. A fantastic goalscorer as well
Great vid highlighting the goalscoring nous of Ball
Here is Schnellinger being "Boateng-ed" by Ball.
I've already gone in depth about
Netzer & the Wimmer duo, a proven parternship for both Gladbach and Germany 1972, playing in a 4-3-3 with usually a more talented yet industrious B2B player (Danner, Hoeness, Kulik etc)
Likewise,
Sieloff has played this same exact role for Gladbach (just have a peek at the post that Gio just quoted above).
Kappellmann played for the expansive and total footballing side of Bayern, winning several Bundesliga titles and 3 consecutive Champions League title. Not exactly a player on the level of Müller, Beckenbauer or Maier, but no player can be limited or be carried in a total footballing side. Kappellmann was the record transfer for Bayern and particularly saved his best performances for the European Cup (assisting the 2nd goal for Müller in an European Cup final). He was, just like Wimmer, extremely versatile and capable of playing as a wing-forward/midfielder/Full back to a high level. He too would be at ease in this side and in the wing-back role, providing width and thrust down the left hand side.
Reaney played for the notorious Leeds side, but despite their sinister outlook, they were a pretty excellent and open footballing side.
Reaney, alongside with Cooper formed an formidable attacking full-back partnership and was capable of providing width with great overlapping runs and quality crosses. However, he was equally capable of playing a reserved role, just as he did with Best to great effect, and he'd be playing the defensive role here - similar to Höttges's role for Germany 1972.
Only
Greig didn't play for a overly expansive side, although I could be off here about the Rangers side (perhaps
@Gio could provide more valid insight here). Tbf, I was always impressed with the Scottish side of the 60s whenever I watched them, plenty of great footballers and they most certainly played attacking and direct football. Greig was a complete footballer, capable of playing as a DM/LB/CB all to an equally impressive level, and he would fit into this team quite nicely imo.
He was as imposing as he was composed and an excellent defender all round but equally capable of great attacking football and his 120 goals in 755 appearances, despite playing from the back are testament to that. His swashbuckling display at the wing-back position for Scotland, against a formidable Italian vintage in a WC qualifier where he smashed in the winner, is another one of the Scottish classics that Greig took part in, in addition to skippering Scotland to victory over England in the historic encounter in 1967.
Denis Law said:
That said, it's at Hampden, which may only be about one third the size of old but still generates an intimidating atmosphere. And, of course, we have the memory of 1965 to act as an inspiration."
Law is referring to a frosty night 42 Novembers ago when Burgnich, Facchetti, Mazzola, Rivera and their cohorts were put to the sword at Hampden in a World Cup qualifying tie, a victory which owed much to the tactical wisdom of their manager, Celtic coach Jock Stein, who, abandoning the tried and trusted full-back partnership of Alex Hamilton and Eddie McCreadie, raised eyebrows around Parkhead by opting for the Rangers' pairing of John Greig and Davie Provan. As Stein envisaged it, Scotland wingers Willie Henderson and John Hughes would drag Burgnich and Facchetti all over the pitch leaving space for the over-lapping Greig and Provan.
And so it came to pass that with 88 minutes gone and on his umpteenth forage into Italian territory, Greig rifled home a right-foot shot past goalkeeper Negri. "Jock's script was carried out to perfection," recalls Law. "Even the timing couldn't have been bettered. Italy just about had time to kick off before the game was over."
A player someone who the Scotland Herald rated as the 8th greatest Scottish player and their best ever defender (although it should have been Hansen in all fairness but Greig does frequently feature in most greatest ever Scottish XIs) and is recognised as the greatest Rangers player of all time by the fans.
To cap off, it's a team where I believe the individual quality and most importantly the tactical synergy, will mesh together really nicely. It's a proven tactical system with great individuals, in addition to proven players playing in familiar roles.
