40s Draft SF1 : harms vs Joga Bonito

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Team harms
​

PLAYER PROFILES

Formation and tactics
In this semi-final I chose "brazilian" 4-2-4 - a flexible formation that is good both for possession and counter-attacking football. I won't give the ball to Joga without a fight but I won't cry if he has more - the sheer pace and ability on the ball of my attacking quartet with a quality of supply screams goals to me.

In possession, Facchetti runs forward and Lennox cuts inside more often than not, which makes it basically a W-M with 2 wing players and three forwards. Krol possesses the unique defensive ability and is able to cover for the Italian, playing LB/CB hybrid.

Cruyff and Albert will play as "9,5" - a role that both mastered to perfection - Cruyff interchanged with Neeskens, dropping deaper and Albert was named the successor to Hidegkuti - the inventor of "deep-lying forward" style. The rest of the players has a pretty straight-forward roles, the ones that they played in and peaked in.

Van Hanegem is the team's playmaker, Roth will help him, and together they will form a ridiculously physical and talented midfield duo (look at their pictures above, they look like brothers ). Johnstone, one of the best players on the park will thrive in the outside right position, facing John Greig, his beloved opponent.

Kaplychnyi and Dzodzuashvili is a formidable duo that kept quiet Best, Dzajic and a few other big names while playing together in USSR team.

All phases of the game in a gif:


Spine
A successful team requires strong spine. My team is built on Netherlands foundation - in Van Beveren, Krol, Van Hanegem and Cruyff I have four world-class players, all of whom played with each other and were raised in the same philosophy.

Pace
Johnstone, Lennox, Facchetti, Cruyff and Albert were all very fast players, both in terms of pace and acceleration - and with the quality support from Van Hanegem, Albert, Cruyff, Krol and Facchetti they will force my opponent to sit deep - or they will punish him on the counter. They also not limited as a runners and were all absolutely fantastic ball players, from Cruyff to Albert, Johnstone and Facchetti.

Familiarity
My team is built on proven partnerships.

• All of my Dutch players played together for Netherlands, most notably in 1974 (already without Van Beveren though) when they reached the WC final.
• Johnstone and Lennox is one of the classic vintage British wing pairs. Johnstone as a creative genius and Lennox as the fast and smart inside-forward who always was on the end of Johnstone's crosses. Lennox is the 2nd highest goalscorer in Celtic's history and it was Johnstone, the best Celtic player ever, who was directly responsible for almost half of his goals.
• Kaplychnyi and Dzodzuashvili played together in Soviet team that faced and shut down plenty of scary opponents, like, most notably, Best and Dzajic. They reached European final in 1972 but lost to the all-time great German team, which Joga tried to recreate - but my team is better than it's Soviet counterpart in every position.

Match-winners
I believe that I have more match-winners - not only in the forward lines but also in midfield and defense.

• Van Beveren - look up what Dutch legends say about him. The most gifted goalkeeper that Netherlands ever had he had amazing reflexes - and you all know what a difference can a world-class keeper made to the final result, just look at De Gea;
• Facchetti is the most influential fullback that the game has ever seen;
• Krol is one of the most gifted defenders of all-time;
• Van Hanegem was the leader of the first Dutch team to win the European Cup;
• Roth scored two winning goals in consecutive European Cup finals (winning total of three with Bayern);
• Florian Albert showed the whole world what a player he is when he dominated the World Champions Brazil in 1966 - you all saw the individual highlights from that game. Ballon D'Or winner in 1967;

Spoiler

• Jimmy Johnstone is the best Celtic player ever and I found him quite underrated, sadly. He never played for the English "big boys" which probably cost him some individual honours - in 1967, when his team won the European Cup, he finished 3rd for Ballon D'Or - the highest ever position to a player that played in Scotland at the time;

Spoiler

• Cruyff. The best European player of all time and the best player on the pitch.

Good luck, Joga! You have a beautiful team. May the best man win.

TEAM HARMS​

vs

TEAM JOGA BONITO

​

 

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Team Joga Bonito​

Players Write Ups (Click on the hyperlinked names below)
In depth Günter Netzer profile
A video that I made for those who haven't watched Netzer before

Spoiler: Netzer vid compilation

Detailed Denis Law write-up

Spoiler: Law video

Overview: The team takes a minute diversion from a standard 4-3-3 formation and now sports an asymmetrical one, whilst staying true to the fundamentals it was built on - namely fluidity, incisiveness and a passing game with elements of totaalvoetbal-ing universality. The additions of The Black Panther and O Capitão do Tri provide an injection of explosiveness and sheer class, to a side already boasting the formidable talents of Beckenbauer, Netzer, Law and Ball, whilst opening up the possibilities of some truly mouthwatering combinations.


Mr Perpetual Motion & O Capitão do Tri

The indefatigable Ball and the classy Carlos Alberto make for a terrifying cocktail of penetrative zest and tranquil collectedness. Both players have played starring roles for World Cup winning teams and most importantly, have excelled at manning their flanks almost single-handedly in these tournaments.


(Here is a compilation that I made, please try and watch it if you can. From hounding players, carrying the ball forward, providing defense splitting balls, making an inordinate amount of ball recoveries and of course, tormenting the left backs, the video goes to show you what a complete and ubiquitous phenomenon Ballie was.)

Ball played as a RAM for Alf Ramsey's wingless wonders and delivered a MOTM performance in the final, where he drove one of the greatest LBs of all time in Schnellinger, to the ground in brutal fashion. It was a fiercely competed match with both Germany and England, two heated rivals, refusing to concede an inch of space and were laying everything on the line. When just about every single player on the pitch was sapped of every last iota of their energy reserves, it was Ball who was still zipping about, like as though the match had just started.

Just an insight into the gruelling conditions of the final.

The darkness came when, with the score at 3-2 for us in the second half of extra-time, I ran ahead of the ball and took a pass from Bally in the outside right position. The roar of the crowd swelled as I raced on the overlap. I looked up and said to myself, 'Yes, near post, I'll go for that.' But when I came to make contact with the ball something shocking and terrifying happened. I felt everything go. The sensation was of 'whoosh,' and everything had left me. The ball trickled off the toe of my boot and over the line. I just stood there, empty, and one concern was that my bowels had emptied, which would have been a terrible embarrassment because unlike by team-mates I did not wear a jock-strap or a slip beneath my shorts. But if my worst fear proved to be unfounded, I still had a dreadful problem.

In the last desperate minutes of a World Cup final, and at a time when the fresh legs of substitutes were not available, it took a tremendous effort just to move. Bally had run to take a return pass and he came past me, rooted to the spot where the breakdown had come, my socks around my ankles, his eyes were blazing. 'Move, you bastard, move,' he screamed. Bally was on fire and prepared to run forever. Before the mist came, I knew the best I could do was drag one foot in front of the other.

The German great Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, a star in the Italian league but, in the most important match of his life, was left absolutely ragged and demoralised in the wake of the red-haired young Lancastrian with the squeaky voice. Whilst Ball's performance in the final is well-renowned, his master-class against another great in Marzolini, in the quarter finals is criminally overlooked.

They’ve got a very attacking left fullback called Marzolini who, if not stopped, will cause us problems; and you’re the best person in this squad to stop him.

And boy, did he put a stop to the best left back of the tournament. Ball once again made mince meat of a defensive great and completely nullified his influence on the game, at times hounding the measured Marzolini and winning possession off him or emphatically forcing him into uncharacteristically giving the ball away.



Carlos Alberto was a cerebral influence from the back, capable of building up attacks and supporting the offense in a sophisticated manner but he was also an immensely powerful runner capable of foraging forward purposefully when the occasion called for it. Whilst he played a supporting full-back role for the most of the WC 1970, he was called on to play a buccaneering wing-back role in the final.

Always, if it's possible, make a movement to the left side to bring Facchetti with you to make space for Carlos Alberto to go forward.

Carlos Alberto simply owned that right flank single-handedly and as Bobby Moore remarked, his creative influence down the right was a critical aspect to unlocking the Italian catenaccio defense and getting one over Facchetti. It would be disingenuous of me to claim a repeat of that happening here, as Facchetti was largely preoccupied with Jairzinho, but in tandem with one Alan Ball, and two fluid forwards who were at ease dropping off to either flank***, Carlos Alberto would be a force to be reckoned with here.

***

Spoiler

(Eusébio winning the penalty in a European Cup Final against Real)

(Law providing the assist for fellow Scot Paddy)

 

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BASIC OVERVIEW

Spoiler: Basic Overview

DEFENSE

Thrice Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year, Schalke's legend, Norbert Nigbur stands guard between the sticks. He was a phenomenal shot stopper, saving 23 out of the 71 penalties that he faced whilst also holding the record for the consecutive clean sheets in the Bundesliga for over 10 years.


Quite simply the greatest defender of all time, Franz Beckenbauer would be in his pomp here surrounded by complementary personnel and cerebral influences - such as Netzer and Carlos Alberto which makes for the tantalising prospect of some truly sumptuous build up play. Be it marshalling the defensive line or striding forward elegantly, Beckenbauer would be at the peak of his powers here.

Der Kaiser's trusted lieutenant Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, was a rock-like figure at the back who dove-tailed seamlessly with Beckenbauer. Together they formed an impenetrable barricade which was the foundation on which the all-conquering German and Bayern sides were built upon. One of the greatest central defensive duos ever and arguably the most successful defensive combination of all time, they swept aside everything in front of them - 3 European Cups, 1 World Cup, 1 European Championships, 4 Bundesligas, 3 DFB Pokals, 1 UEFA Cup winners Cup and 1 Intercontinental Cup.

The Greatest Ranger Ever, John Greig provides both steel and class in equal measure at the left-back position. It was in this role that he was twice voted as the Scottish footballer of the year and netted a record 13 goals in the 67/68 campaign. The Scotsman was the bedrock around which the Scottish and Rangers defense were built around. He provided plenty of bite, defensive solidity and was an excellent man-marker, frequently being entrusted to square up against the tricky Jinky Johnstone, who just so happens to be on the pitch today.

Spoiler: Quotes

I had my usual tussle with wee Jimmy and I had him on top of those bales at regular intervals. By the time the teams trooped off at half-time, the wee man looked like Wurzel Gummidge because of the amount of straw he had in his hair.

Rangers would play John Greig at left-back against us to thump wee Jimmy. In one game, in the first five minutes, Greig went right through Jimmy and sent him off the park and on to the running track. I went right up to Willie Henderson and said, "Hey wee man, you're getting the same as Greig just dished out to wee Jinky". He turned and looked at me, alarmed, "What have I done to you?"

John Greig was all hustle and bustle, putting himself about all over the pitch and giving everything for the cause. He could put in the welly, too, as Jimmy Johnstone could have told you! I'm not saying he was dirty, but he was hard and there is a world of a difference between the two.

It was a transcendental moment in football history that also illustrated the full extent of the type of player a right-back could be. And we’re not talking the run and drive that rounded off both Brazil’s flowing move in the 1970 final as well as the tournament itself. Rather, it was another famous moment from Mexico 1970. But an oft-forgotten part of it. Gambolling forward, Carlos Alberto hit an exquisite 40-yard ball with the outside of his right foot that fell perfectly into Jairzinho’s path - a move which would soon herald the greatest save the game has ever seen.

It was that outrageous technique, allied to pure tenacity and intelligence, which made Carlos Alberto such an outstanding all-round defender and the perfect right back. Not to mention the captain of the greatest international side of all time.


MIDFIELD

Iron Lung Herbert 'Hacki' Wimmer was an irrepressible piston in the engine room, tirelessly toiling around and being the defensive lynchpin in midfield. A renowned combative water-carrier, Wimmer was actually an accomplished all-round midfielder imbued with blistering pace, intelligent movement, great passing skills and electric dribbling skills, which gave rise to his nickname 'Hacki' whilst his other nickname is fairly self-explanatory. In fact he took over the mantle of being the creative influence when Netzer left for Real and led Gladbach to 3 consecutive Bundesliga titles, an European Cup final and an UEFA Cup.

The cornerstone of the enthralling Gladbach vintage and the greatest German national side of all time, Günter 'von karajan' Netzer will reprise his usual role as the orchestrator. With the sheer fluidity, pace and technique on show here, the harbinger of chaos would thrive being the hub of this free flowing side, and will actively look to combine with Beckenbauer, create a slew of chances for his forwards whilst rampaging forward lethally whenever he spots an opening. The Greatest German Playmaker ever has the ideal platform here, with complementary midfielders and rapier-like forwards, to wreak havoc.

The effervescent and ubiquitous Alan Ball was a real livewire on the ball, capable of leaving one Schnellinger on his arse repeatedly, whilst being a real terrier off it and could cover every single blade of the grass. An unique footballing package with his infectious enthusiasm, sublime skill, boundless energy, goalscoring knack, sheer consistency, flame coloured hair, high pitched voice and white boots, Ball was a real whipper snapper. It was Ball who was key to the wingless wonders of 1966, and stepped up to the plate when Charlton was having an off day against ze Germans in the 1966 WC final, winning the MOTM and put in a virtuoso midfield performance.


OFFENSE

The fleet-footed Robert Gadocha was an inventive supply line whose flawless crossing meant his fellow forwards revelled in an unrelenting stream of quality service. In fact, of the 16 goals that Poland scored in the 1974 WC finals, 5 were directly assisted by Gadocha (the most assists in the tournament with Cruyff coming second with 3 assists) and two more were from crosses by Gadocha, which were headed down by Szarmach to Lato. It's no wonder that these two forwards ended up with the Golden Boot & Silver Boot with Gadocha in the team. With the likes of Beckenbauer, Netzer and Carlos Alberto capable of repeatedly finding him in dangerous positions, the cultured Gadocha would will have plenty of opportunities to exhibit his splendid crossing and dribbling skills, and he will be an immense creative force to be reckoned with here.

Facing the formidable and whirlwind duo of Denis Law and Eusébio would prove to be a daunting task for just about any defender out there. Not only were they magnificently gifted players technically, they were also forces of nature, capable of laying waste to defenses with their devastating explosiveness. Eusébio was arguably the most explosive and complete goalscoring forward of all time, alongside El Fenomeno, and his mind-boggling runs allied with his sheer power and deadly finishing, made him a truly unstoppable force. Law on the other hand was a selfless and a total footballing craftsman, who mastered the dualities of being a spearheading goalscorer and a dropping deep facilitator, to absolute perfection. The pair together boast a stunning 1012 goals, 2 Ballon d'Ors, 2 European Cups, 1 World Cup Golden Boot, 4 European Top Scorer accolades amongst other trophies. It truly is a match made in heaven.

 

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Specific Tactics/Instructions

Defense

Beckenbauer takes charge of the defense as always and will be playing a more reserved game here positionally. Der Kaiser's iron-clad leadership, peerless build-up play and unrivalled ability in marshalling the defensive line would be at the fore here. He will also be given a more proactive role off the ball, given that the opposition doesn't sport a traditional centre-forward up front, meaning he could actively try and cut off supply lines and nip attacks in the bud, or he could choose to drop deep and sweep up play. Schwarzenbeck plays his trademark stopper role, tailoring his movements to Beckenbauer's motions defensively whilst keeping a firm eye on Lennox's inward runs. John Greig will be playing a defensive left back role and will be primarily tasked with shutting down Johnstone. It's a role which he was regularly tasked with in the Old Firm clashes and he will give a good account of himself. The cultured Carlos Alberto will be playing a supporting wing-back role here and will look to leave his mark on the right flank in tandem with Alan Ball. A majestic presence on the right flank, Alberto was equally adept at overlapping, playing deep crosses or playing incisive central balls from the right flank.


Midfield

The multi-faceted Wimmer would be the chief defensive presence in the engine room and will primarily be tasked with keeping the midfield tight and secure. He'd mostly be concerned with keeping tabs on van Hanegem's forays forward whilst keeping his eye out on Cruyff dropping deep. On the ball, he will play a supporting and a reserved role, looking to stretch play with his lateral movement and contribute to the fluidity of the side.

The flame-haired whipper snapper Ball would be reprising his dedicated RAM role here and would be the midfielder with the most tactical freedom positionally. The presence of Eusébio instead of Byshovets, means that Ball can now focus on his right wing duties exclusively, and he will be tasked with providing primary width, quality service from out wide and keeping Facchetti on his toes both on the ball and off it. With Carlos Alberto contributing supplementary width, two fluid forwards who were at ease on either flank and a phenomenal aerial presence in Law, Ball has plethora of options and the ideal platform to thrive in his RAM role.

The star of the show, Netzer would absolutely cherish playing ahead of cerebral build-up specialists Beckenbauer & C.Alberto; alongside midfield dynamos Ball & Wimmer; behind wide outlets Gadocha & Ball and the ravenous Eusébio & Law. Be it linking up with Der Kaiser and building-up play, playing a perceptive between-the-line ball to Eusébio, Ball or Law; spreading play out wide or galloping forward powerfully at the opportune moment, Netzer would be at his unsurpassable peak of powers as the complete playmaker. The side's got the perfect blend of directness, incisiveness and most importantly, a constant flux of motion and Netzer would relish taking full command over it and elevating it to the next level.


Offense

Gadocha would be the relatively fixed point in offense, looking to provide an out-ball for Netzer, stretch play, provide width and also deliver quality service for both Law and Eusébio. Law's aerial dominance needs no introduction and Eusébio in particular loved service from the flanks - as his relationship with Simões would attest.

Law wasn't your average spearheading striker but rather a complete forward who meshed both the ability to drop deep, link-up with players and the propensity to spear-head and play as a focal point up top, to absolute perfection. Funnily enough, when the duo played together in the FA centenary match for the World XI in 1963, it was Law who was playing the deeper role of a creator and Eusébio playing the role of a scorer - highlighting Law's multi-faceted gameplay. Law would flourish lapping up the gloriously flighted balls from Ball, Gadocha or C.Alberto from out wide; linking up with Eusébio as a deeper facilitator or as a spearhead; or popping out of nowhere to poach one of Eusébio or Netzer's rebounds. THE complete forward, Law's all-roundedness would come right to the fore here.

Eusébio would simply be doing what he does best here - taking the ball and rampaging through the masses before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner. It was his bread and butter and what made him such an irrepressible presence on the pitch. With Beckenbauer & Netzer's sublime passing capable of facilitating his clever in between the line running, Eusébio would gorge on a never ending supply line and he has the perfect complementary forward in Law, to dovetail with here. All in all, Eusébio has the stage set for him.


Other Points

Spoiler

Ultimately, I'd say harms has a fine team assembled but I'm not too sold on his forward line functioning seamlessly here. Johnstone was a fantastic creative right winger but he was an extremely individualistic ball-hogging player who loved taking on players repeatedly - almost Garrincha-esque. He also doesn't offer the same interchanging potential that Cruyff demanded from his wing-forwards, as it was crucial to him dropping deep whenever he saw fit. I can't see Johnstone being the ideal partner for Cruyff who played alongside far more fluid and less domineering players on the ball - Rensenbrink-Rep, Keizer-Rep, Rexach-Sotil etc. I can't see both these great players enjoying the same synergy here which leads to a serious disconnect in attack imo.

Also, I'm sure harms must be tempted to play Bedin to man-mark Eusébio here but it would be a counter-productive measure imo. Firstly, in their match-up, Benfica had their keeper injured and had to play a good chunk of the match with 9 men, as there weren't any substitutes available back then and their defender Germano went into goal. Secondly, the Benfica team was heavily dependent on Eusébio which meant man-marking him was a worthwhile investment and that simply isn't the case here with the likes of Beckenbauer, Netzer, Law and Ball on show here. Thirdly, the catenaccio set-up catered to Bedin man-marking strengths and allowed him to exhibit just that but surely, there is no place for that in a total footballing team that harms is sporting and that too a player from midfield. It would leave Bedin severely exposed and also more importantly, hamper their play on the ball as their midfield would be heavily compromised, without the same fluidity and interchanging ability with a pure man-marker in their midst.

 

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@Rado_N could you please help to add a poll?

Who will win based on all the players at their peaks?
harms
Joga Bonito

 

[green_smiley]

@Rado_N for the poll options

Allow voters to change their votes
Allow the results to be viewed without voting
Close this poll after: 1 day

 

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Good luck @harms @Joga Bonito

 

[harms]

ffs, @Joga Bonito

 

[Joga Bonito]

Thanks for setting up the match @green_smiley
Good luck @harms

Will post my opening comments on the match in a while.

 

[harms]

Thanks for setting up the match @green_smiley
Good luck @harms

Will post my opening comments on the match in a while.

Good luck to you too, mate!

 

[Joga Bonito]

Wasn't expecting the inclusion of Flórián Albert tbf, but I don't quite see how he and Cruyff will mesh together cohesively. I was already apprehensive on the Johnstone and Cruyff combo and now there is another extremely individualistic and ball-carrying forward added to the forward line up front. Someone who imo, overlaps heavily with Cruyff in terms of gameplay. They both loved dropping deep and being the creative influences in their sides, I just don't see the synergy there that Law-Eusébio enjoy for instance.

 

[harms]

Wasn't expecting the inclusion of Flórián Albert tbf, but I don't quite see how he and Cruyff will mesh together cohesively. I was already apprehensive on the Johnstone and Cruyff combo and now there is another extremely individualistic and ball-carrying forward added to the forward line up front. Someone who imo, overlaps heavily with Cruyff in terms of gameplay. They both loved dropping deep and being the creative influences in their sides, I just don't see the synergy there that Law-Eusébio enjoy for instance.

Meh. Look at Hidegkuti and Puskas, for example. Or Tostao and Pele in 4-2-4. They are not identical, yet both are versatile and all-rounded enough to make it work. Cruyff played as the focal point of the attack most of the time yet he was more than comfortable to drop left-back-right to open the space for Neeskens, for example, or whoever - that's the beauty of the total football. Not sure how Law - Eusebio have better synergy tbf.

 

[harms]

On the first glance - Joga's attack is a wee bit centre-oriented, which makes it easier to defend against him. His goalscoring threats are mostly Law, Eusebio and Netzer, while I have the whole front four of players that were capable of deciding the game single-handedly. Also, Gadocha is the weakest attacker on the pitch, even if he plays a restricted role.

 

[Joga Bonito]

Meh. Look at Hidegkuti and Puskas, for example. Or Tostao and Pele in 4-2-4. They are not identical, yet both are versatile and all-rounded enough to make it work. Cruyff played as the focal point of the attack most of the time yet he was more than comfortable to drop left-back-right to open the space for Neeskens, for example, or whoever - that's the beauty of the total football.

Lajos Tichy- He would come deep, gallop past [opponents] like they didn’t exist, and then thread these wonderful through-balls for us to run on to.

[QUOTE-="Independent"]The younger man, who scored 32 times in 75 internationals from 1959-74 and created countless chances for the likes of Lajos Tichy, then later Ferenc Bene, was a destructive attacking wanderer capable of dictating the tempo of play. His technique was exquisite, the accuracy of his passing was matched by its intelligence, he could shoot ferociously with either foot, he dribbled divinely and was a shrewd tactician.[/QUOTE]

Sounds a lot like Cruyff doesn't it. Honestly, there seems to be a bit of an overlap there and unlike Tostão-Pelé with well defined roles (Tostão as the facilitaing false 9 capable of dropping deep or to the flanks and Pelé as the defined central second striker and the star of the side) I don't quite see the same happening here. Hidegkuti and Puskas played behind Kocsis for the Mighty Magyars as well.

Not sure how Law - Eusebio have better synergy tbf.

I'd recommend you to watch the FA centenary match where both of them played for the World XI then .

On the first glance - Joga's attack is a wee bit centre-oriented, which makes it easier to defend against him.

I don't quite see how it's centrally oriented with the likes of C.Alberto, Ball and Gadocha and 'easier to defend against'. Likewise you only have Johnstone and Facchetti who were the only real wing presences on your team, with Cruyff capable of dropping there.

His goalscoring threats are mostly Law, Eusebio and Netzer, while I have the whole front four of players that were capable of deciding the game single-handedly.

Well Law and Eusebio alone boast a goal tally of approximately 1000, and in addition to Ball, Netzer and Gadocha who were all capable of banging one in, I certainly don't see how you have more goalscoring threat or match-winners (Beckenbauer, Netzer, C.Alberto, Law, Ball & Eusebio for eg were players equally capable of deciding a game single-handedly). It's more or less evenly poised imo.

Also, Gadocha is the weakest attacker on the pitch, even if he plays a restricted role.

Likewise you sport the weakest defenders players on the pitch in Kaplychnyi and Dzodzuashvili on the same side of the pitch, although they play restricted roles.

 

[Joga Bonito]

I won't give the ball to Joga without a fight but I won't cry if he has more

Also it seems quite unexpected that you are willing to not actively try and establish possession dominance given that you sport the likes of Krol, van Hanegem and Cruyff here. I seriously doubt whether the 4-2-4 system is the right system to get the best out of your Dutch spine and your team overall. The 4-2-4 formation is a rather rigid system positionally and doesn't quite offer the same positional interchangeability and lateral movement and fluidity that the 4-3-3 offered - the set-up in which your Dutch and Ajax vintage of stars thrived in.

 

[harms]

Let's just agree to disagree then. I see them dovetailing each other beautifully with both of them capable of playing like №9 and №10.

Hungary nevertheless lost 1-0 to Czechoslovakia in the last eight, though their No9 could at least take consolation on an individual level as he succeeded Pele as the tournament’s Best Young Player recipient and finished it as one of six joint-leading marksmen, with the other five four-goal men having all played more games than him

He was as good of a No10 as he was a No9. It’s rare to see a player who is outstanding at both scoring goals and creating them. Albert could do everything, and he did it with such elegance.

 

[harms]

Also it seems quite unexpected that you are willing to not actively try and establish possession dominance given that you sport the likes of Krol, van Hanegem and Cruyff here. I seriously doubt whether the 4-2-4 system is the right system to get the best out of your Dutch spine and your team overall. The 4-2-4 formation is a rather rigid system positionally and doesn't quite offer the same positional interchangeability and lateral movement and fluidity that the 4-3-3 offered - the set-up in which your Dutch and Ajax vintage of stars thrived in.

My 4-2-4 transforms in W-M and into 4-5-1 easily, look at the gif. And the versatility of my players is the main reason for it.

 

[Joga Bonito]

My 4-2-4 transforms in W-M and into 4-5-1 easily, look at the gif. And the versatility of my players is the main reason for it.

Come on mate, it's just a gif of Facchetti, going forward and Lennox tucking in. It most certainly isn't anywhere near the same interchanging and fluidity that the Ajax and Dutch sides boasted with their side midfielders playing a pivotal role, in interchanging with their full-backs or their wing-forwards. Let's also not forget how much interchanging potential and fluidity that the entire team and most importantly the wing-forwards offered for Cruyff - Rensenbrink-Rep, Keizer-Rep, Rexach-Sotil etc which allowed Cruyff to be the totalfootballing connoisseur being at the heart of it all with all the freedom in the world. What you have here is a rather static and a holding midfield duo, an extremely reserved and a limited RB, a British wing-duo with a cutting inside wing-forward (who I see working well with Cruyff tbf) and a relatively more static outside-right and an overlapping influence in Albert.

Goes without saying that the forward line boasts three extremely domineering players on the ball in Cruyff-Albert and Johnstone, who was almost Garrincha-esque with his game-play and dribbling style. I just can't see it being the ideal platform for Cruyff, or van Hanegem or Krol, for that matter to shine here.

Before someone gets me wrong, I'm not stating that you MUST play an extreme total-footballing version of the 4-3-3 for these Dutch legends to thrive in. What I'm saying is that the 4-2-4 and the personnel that harms is sporting here isn't ideal for them.

 

[Gio]

On the first glance - Joga's attack is a wee bit centre-oriented, which makes it easier to defend against him. His goalscoring threats are mostly Law, Eusebio and Netzer, while I have the whole front four of players that were capable of deciding the game single-handedly. Also, Gadocha is the weakest attacker on the pitch, even if he plays a restricted role.

Have to admit to being quite impressed with Gadocha.

 

[harms]

Goes without saying that the forward line boasts three extremely domineering players on the ball in Cruyff-Albert and Johnstone, who was almost Garrincha-esque with his game-play and dribbling style. I just can't see it being the ideal platform for Cruyff, or van Hanegem or Krol, for that matter to shine here.

I would agree if they were not extremely direct players - both Albert and Cruyff. And I find it boring just to replicate old teams and not to experiment with the players and their roles. I believe that I have all what I needed to play 4-2-4 and it fits all my players.

And Johnstone is Rivelino's "replacement" here, albeit being the different player - but he loved the ball at his fit as well which didn't affect that Brazilian 4-2-4 team in a bad way.

I am yet to see a valid reason for my front four not to work tbf.

 

[harms]

Likewise you sport the weakest defenders players on the pitch in Kaplychnyi and Dzodzuashvili on the same side of the pitch, although they play restricted roles.

But their familiarity with each other elevates them on a different level - the same with Lennox - Johnstone, imo. Also, not sure if Dzodzuashvili is a worse player than Greig, but that's another matter.

 

[harms]

By the way, in the 14 years that Johnstone played in Celtic he won 9 league titles, while Greig only won 3 in that time (2 were won after Johnstone's departure).

They played against each other every year and it's fair to say that Johnstone absolutely dominated Greig domestically.

 

[Joga Bonito]

I would agree if they were not extremely direct players - both Albert and Cruyff. And I find it boring just to replicate old teams and not to experiment with the players and their roles. I believe that I have all what I needed to play 4-2-4 and it fits all my players.

And Johnstone is Rivelino's "replacement" here, albeit being the different player - but he loved the ball at his fit as well which didn't affect that Brazilian 4-2-4 team in a bad way.

I am yet to see a valid reason for my front four not to work tbf.

I don't dispute their directness on the ball, however it is their extreme individualism and their ball-hogging tendencies and overlapping features (dropping deep, linking midfield to attack, being the primary playmaker with two wing-forwards etc) that is the issue here. Granted they played in slightly different positions, Cruyff as the false 9 and Albert as the second-striker but they essentially played the very same role for both their teams - as you aptly stated the #9.5.

Cruyff and Albert will play as "9,5" - a role that both mastered to perfection - Cruyff interchanged with Neeskens, dropping deaper and Albert was named the successor to Hidegkuti - the inventor of "deep-lying forward" style. The rest of the players has a pretty straight-forward roles, the ones that they played in and peaked in.

The difference between the link-up between Neeskens and Cruyff was that Neeskens was a central midfielder who loved surging forward, complementing Cruyff as the false 9 dropping deep, as opposed to Albert, a #9.5 who dropped deep. There is a significant clash of styles there with two rather similar players and two phenomenal individuals, but ball-hogging and individualistic players who required a certain amount of tactical subservience. Can you expect one to play a facilitating role when the other dropped deep or surged forward, as say Tostão did with Pelé? That simply wasn't either of their game play and both players had the play revolving around them - albeit in slightly different manner given the drastic and inimitable composition of Cruyff's style.

Secondly, it's obvious that Cruyff was the dog's bollocks and required a certain amount of tactical subservience to thrive, and most importantly, be allowed to roam wherever around the pitch as he saw fit. When he dropped deep centrally, he had the magnificent Neeskens to interchange positions or link-up with, when he dropped to the left or the right, Rensenbrink/Keizer/Sotil or Rep/Rexach tailored their movements perfectly by dropping into a deeper position or cutting inside. That static midfield duo won't offer that for Cruyff and neither would Johnstone who was a relatively static outside right who didn't roam much, predominantly operating on the right flank/channels and loved taking on players repeatedly. Lennox for my money, would play extremely well with Cruyff for example but Johnstone and Albert won't link up well with Cruyff imho.

Finally, Cruyff was the most dominant player on the ball for his teams and saw the lion's share of the ball. Keizer was arguably the most individualistic player that Cruyff played alongside but in both Johnstone and Albert you have two extremely domineering players on the ball and distinctly talismanic players. It simply is an excess of indulgence imo and I can't see it functioning well here.

And Johnstone is Rivelino's "replacement" here, albeit being the different player - but he loved the ball at his fit as well which didn't affect that Brazilian 4-2-4 team in a bad way.

I honestly don't see how he is in anyway Rivelino's replacement here nor do I see Rivelino's relevance here. Rivelino was an inside left who barely went on the outside and loved cutting inside. Johnstone constantly looked to take his man on and was an outside right in the mould of a Garrincha.



Just look at him hogging the ball and repeatedly beating 2-3 players and going on the outside etc. Fantastic player btw, just not the right complement for Cruyff. As I stated above it isn't just his ball-hogging tendencies but rather his relative lack of movement and fluidity on the ball. I'd even say a more fluid and roaming winger such as Best would be much much more suitable for playing with Cruyff, than a relatively more 'static' winger like say a Garrincha/Johnstone for example.

But their familiarity with each other elevates them on a different level - the same with Lennox - Johnstone, imo. Also, not sure if Dzodzuashvili is a worse player than Greig, but that's another matter.

I doubt whether many neutrals would have the Russian over Greig - the greatest player to ever play for the esteemed Rangers.

By the way, in the 14 years that Johnstone played in Celtic he won 9 league titles, while Greig only won 3 in that time (2 were won after Johnstone's departure).

They played against each other every year and it's fair to say that Johnstone absolutely dominated Greig domestically.

I don't see the relevance of that here. Likewise I could erroneously state that Greig has won two Scottish Footballer of the Year awards whilst Johnstone has none, and that Greig has nearly twice the amount of caps as Johnstone - 44 against 23 - and was the captain of the Scottish national team. I really don't see how 'Johnstone absolutely dominated Greig domestically' makes any sense or has any bearing on the match here. Keep in mind that Johnstone played for a magnificent team in Lisbon Lions and whilst he was the star of the team, that obviously played a role in his trophy haul and it quite frankly is bizarre comparing the individual accolades and the trophy haul of an attacker against a defender to claim dominance here.

What I claimed was in my write-up was that Greig was frequently entrusted to deal with Johnstone and always gave a good account of himself in the Old Firm clashes. Now I'm not saying, he will shut down Johnstone here or keep him in his pocket, but what it will be is a fairly equal battle with the greatest Rangers player and the greatest Celtic player squaring up against each other.

I had my usual tussle with wee Jimmy and I had him on top of those bales at regular intervals. By the time the teams trooped off at half-time, the wee man looked like Wurzel Gummidge because of the amount of straw he had in his hair.

Rangers would play John Greig at left-back against us to thump wee Jimmy. In one game, in the first five minutes, Greig went right through Jimmy and sent him off the park and on to the running track. I went right up to Willie Henderson and said, "Hey wee man, you're getting the same as Greig just dished out to wee Jinky". He turned and looked at me, alarmed, "What have I done to you?"

John Greig was all hustle and bustle, putting himself about all over the pitch and giving everything for the cause. He could put in the welly, too, as Jimmy Johnstone could have told you! I'm not saying he was dirty, but he was hard and there is a world of a difference between the two.

 

[Joga Bonito]

The Day I Turned Wee Jimmy Into Wurzel Gummidge

Greig kept knocking rival into hay bales at pitchside.

RANGERS legend John Greig remembers the day he turned Jimmy Johnstone into Wurzel Gummidge at Celtic Park and the pair retained their mutual respect for each other at the same time.

Greig is the Ibrox equivalent of wee Jinky, recognised by the Rangers supporters as the greatest player ever to wear a blue jersey.

Their Old Firm battles against each other throughout the 60s and early 70s were therefore the stuff of legend. But 'Greigy' was yesterday as sorely affected as any Celtic fan by the loss of his great adversary.

He said: "I still find it hard to accept the wee man's gone. Those of us who played the game professionally like to think they're indestructible.

"It's difficult to remember that you're only human after all.

"I know how Jimmy suffered in recent years because I kept in touch with him to see how his battle with illness was progressing.

"Our rivalry on the park was second to none but that didn't mean to say that a Celtic player and aRangers player couldn't have a civilised relationship with each other."

Greig's favourite moment on the park came when the Old Firm clashed at Celtic Park in the middle of a particularly severe Winter.

He said: "Undersoil heating hadn't even been thought of in those days.

"Celtic had covered their pitch in straw to prevent the frost from biting and when it came to match day they simply swept the stuff into bales and had it at the side of the pitch.

"I had my usual tussle with wee Jimmy and I had him on top of those bales at regular intervals.

"By the time the teams trooped off at half-time, the wee man looked like Wurzel Gummidge because of the amount of straw he had in his hair."

Greig and Johnstone played in an era when the majority of Scotland's national side was drawn from the Old Firm, something which helped cement the bond between the two men. He said: "I'm not saying we were always out socialising with each other but we met up occasionally and there was agenuine, mutual respect between us.

"Jimmy could turn on a sixpence, as they said in those days, and he was an entertainment in himself. The crowd lapped up players like him and wee Willie Henderson, who was his opposite number at Rangers.

"People today would say it was an old-fashioned way of playing football but the crowd loved it and they were the paying customers."

Greig's favourite theatre outside of Ibrox was playing to the gallery in front of the old-style Celtic Park "Jungle". The area that housed the most fanatical Celtic fans reserved it's "warmest" welcome for Greig whenever he came near them.

He said: "I'd go over there on an Old Firm day and could hear the crowd shouting about what they would do to me if I was too rough on wee Jinky.

"At the same time as they were baying for my blood, I'd be saying to the wee man, 'Now, Jinky, if you're going to go past me then keep on going because if you come back for a second go I might be forced to take action against you'.

"The two of us would be laughing our heads off.

"Jimmy appreciated I had to do my best for Rangers and I understood he was out to destroy me.

"Jimmy was a great personality and he was like a rubber ball on the park.

"You could keep dunting him but he'd always get up and come back for more to help Celtic."

 

[Joga Bonito]

Anyway, let's not overlook the influence that Netzer is going to have here. It is essentially a midfield trio against a midfield duo - a pretty good one at that if I'm to be honest - but one that wouldn't be able to reduce Netzer's influence on the game. With complementary midfielders alongside him, Beckenbauer to dovetail with on the ball, and the likes of Ball, Law and Eusébio - whom he can unleash time after time with his unparalleled repertoire of passing, Netzer's impact would be significant here.

 

[harms]

3:6 from 3:1, wow

 

[Joga Bonito]

Any feedback guys?

Will just post Invictus's great write-up on Eusébio to get the juices flowing.

Eusébio : O Rei.

Football fans called him the Black Panther, in the manner of the day, because he was from Mozambique, playing for Portugal, but there was little feline about Eusébio. At the age of 24, he was the most captivating player of the 1966 World Cup. He was the center of gravity in that tournament. It was his time. Eusébio’s legacy is best seen and heard in the documentary, “Goal! The World Cup,” issued in 1967, with commentary by Brian Glanville. In the third match of the first round, a Portuguese player steamrollered the sport’s greatest star, Pelé, already playing with an injury. Eusebio stood by Pelé as the medics attended to him. The rumor was that Eusébio chastised his teammate, but he said, no, he stood by Pelé because “He is my friend.”



Eusébio's Portugal eliminated Brazil, but then fell behind, 3-0, to North Korea in the first 25 minutes. He then personally willed Portugal back from a shocking 3-0 deficit to North Korea to win the match 5-3, the strangers who had already stunned Italy into a tomato barrage back home.

That was the best game of my life in a Portugal jersey,” Eusébio said. “It left its mark on me.”

The semifinal was supposed to be played in Liverpool, where Portugal was ensconced, but it was hurriedly shifted to Wembley, outside London, for its great capacity. Playing in its national stadium, England seemed truly at home. The match ended in a 2-1 win for England, Eusébio himself scored his ninth goal of the World Cup in the third-place victory over the Soviet Union, the fourth highest in a single edition behind Just Fontaine, Sandor Kocsis, and Gerd Muller; winning 1966 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, and the Bronze Ball. People in England were so impressed by Eusébio's performances that he was immediately added to Madame Tussaud's collection of waxwork.



Eusébio had carried Portugal to a third-place finish at the World Cup in 1966, after seven failures to qualify. In 1998, a panel of 100 experts gathered by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, named him one of the sport’s top-10 greats of all time. Unfortunately Eusébio would never play in another World Cup again even though he took part in both the 1970 and 1974 qualifying series.

IFFHS named him the 9th greatest footballer of all time in the World Player of the Century rankings, 6th in the Europe Player of the Century rankings, and he is undoubtedly the greatest Portuguese Player of the 10th century.

http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/iffhs-century.html

Eusébio was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1965 as Europe’s player of the year, and made the Ballon D'Or shortlist an astonishing 11 times - among the highest ever for a footballer - finishing 2nd in 1962 and 1966, 4th in 1964, 5th in 1963 and 1967, among others. He won won the Golden Boot twice - in 1968 - the year the Golden Shoe was introduced, and 1973 - for being the top scorer in Europe, and the European Cup Top Scorer three times. Measuring only 5 feet 9 inches, and weighing 160 pounds in his prime, Eusébio somehow seemed much bigger, and intimidating on the football pitch. Perhaps that was because he stood up tall and did not waste motion or energy. He was dignified, in a sport that encourages nasty little shoves and exaggerated stumbles, in search of the slightest advantage. And the possessor of one of the most fearsome shots to have graced the planet, powerful stamina and strength, great in air, and also had sublime dribbling and passing skills. At his peak, Eusébio was a one man army, someone who could single-handedly dismantle a defense, and change the outcome of an entire game all by himself - the scariest and most devastating attacker in European football, the kind that had to double and triple marked just to reduce his effect on the game.



Eusébio had many, many great moments for his club Benfica. In one of his first games for Benfica, Eusébio scored a hat-trick against Pelè's Santos. He won the Portuguese First Division's top scorer (Bola de Prata) seven times from 1964 to 1973, helped Benfica to 11 league championships (1961, 1963–1965, 1967–1969, 1971–1973, 1975) and 5 Taça de Portugal Cup wins (1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1972). He also reached 4 European Cup finals, and some even claim he was one of the main reasons why Catenaccio was invented in the first place by Helenio Herrera and Nerio Rocco.


Eusébio against a Real Madrid team boasting the talents of Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Francisco Gento, José Santamaría, and Luis del Sol.

Eusébio just had supernatural speed. It's like cars. They used to have 5 gears then they suddenly got 6 gears. Eusébio generally played in 5th but when he needed to, he could always find another gear.

In a metaphorical passing of the torch after the game, Di Stéfano passed his shirt to the young Portuguese.

“Di Stéfano’s shirt is still the most prized possession I have from football. I held onto it tight! When the fans lifted me into the air, I had one hand waving at everyone and the other was squeezing the shirt very tight. In my innocence, the most important thing for me was to have my idol’s shirt.”

At the time of Eusébio's passing :

Eusébio was one of the finest players I had the privilege to play against. Not only that, he was a true sportsman, as he proved in applauding Alex Stepney for his save in the 1968 European Cup final. His goals record is incredible and stands the test of time. I met him on many occasions after our playing careers had finished and he always represented his club and his country in exemplary fashion. I feel proud to have been both an opponent and friend. - Sir Bobby Charlton.

He's a man that doesn't belong to Benfica, doesn't belong to a club, he belongs to a country and I prefer to say that people like him are immortal, because their history and their legacy remains forever.

He was a great, great player...he could hit it with the inside of his foot, the outside. It made me quite pessimistic when he was taking free kicks. He was a gentleman. A real nice guy and he shook my hand after the World Cup semi-final and wished us all the best.

One of the greatest football players ever has passed away.

O rei! Great loss for all of us! The greatest!

He was a football genius, an example of humility, an excellent athlete, a generous and supportive man. He was for all the fans an example of professionalism, determination and dedication.

After some injury issues that plagued his later years at Benfica, like many other stars of that era, Eusébio headed out west to America to play in the North American Soccer League towards the end of his career, he made appearances for a number of clubs in Mexico and USA. Eusébio retired in 1978 and is today regarded as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the game. Overall, Eusébio scored 473 goals in 440 matches wearing Benfica's jersey, including 317 goals in 301 Portuguese league matches, scoring a total of 679 goals in 678 official games according to FIFA. At the time of his retirement, Eusébio was the highest scorer in Benfica's history, the highest scorer for the Portuguese national team by far with 41 goals in 64 games, and the second highest scorer in history of the European Cup with 46 goals in 65 matches, 3 goals behind Di Stéfano's haul of 49 goals in 58 matches. That mark stood for decades until Raúl surpassed both him and Di Stéfano in the 2000s with Real Madrid.​

 

[harms]

bump.

I read the same articles as you did about Greig and Johnstone, yet this article didn't exactly prove anything bar their great relationships off the pitch. The fact stands - Johnstone was the best player in that Celtic team which dominated domestic scene against Greig (9 consecutive championships) and was very successful in Europe (1 European Cup win and another final)

edit: feck, now I'm against Joga who can post Invictus write-ups?

 

[RedTiger]

@harms tell me how you did the gif tactics and I'll give you my vote.

 

[harms]

@harms tell me how you did the gif tactics and I'll give you my vote.

The site address is in the bottom right corner. You'll need a subscription to make gifs though, they used to give a free month to every new member but I'm not sure if that's still the case

Counting on your vote

 

[harms]

@Invictus haven't provide the same write-up about another one of his players, sadly, but I'm exceptionally glad to have Van Hanegem in my side. He is one of my all-time favorites and I don't think I ever was lucky enough to pick him - until this very moment. Best midfielder in the draft (with the second best also present on the pitch tbf) and one of the all-time greats. Check out his performances in 1974 WC:

 

[Joga Bonito]

I read the same articles as you did about Greig and Johnstone, yet this article didn't exactly prove anything bar their great relationships off the pitch. The fact stands - Johnstone was the best player in that Celtic team which dominated domestic scene against Greig (9 consecutive championships) and was very successful in Europe (1 European Cup win and another final)

Yes a large part of that was due to the strength of the Lisbon Lions side, although Johnstone was a class act for them, but I still don't understand how him dominating the domestic scene and winning trophies, has any sort of relevance to this match. Ultimately what matters here is the great individual duel, and a fairly equal one at that, between Greig's dogged defending and all-round game against the trickery and creativity of Johnstone.

 

[harms]

Yes a large part of that was due to the strength of the Lisbon Lions side, although Johnstone was a class act for them, but I still don't understand how him dominating the domestic scene and winning trophies, has any sort of relevance to this match. Ultimately what matters here is the great individual duel, and a fairly equal one at that, between Greig's dogged defending and all-round game against the trickery and creativity of Johnstone.

Team trophies usually mean great performances from their star players. I haven't watched their games against each other (not sure if they are available on the web) but I think Celtic's domestic dominance proves that Johnstone won his duel against Greig more often than not.

 

[Joga Bonito]

Team trophies usually mean great performances from their star players. I haven't watched their games against each other (not sure if they are available on the web) but I think Celtic's domestic dominance proves that Johnstone won his duel against Greig more often than not.

It means that Celtic played better domestic campaigns than Rangers and they had the better team (even then it went right down to the wire for most of the sixties), but I really don't know how you've made the jump from there to Johnstone winning his duels against Greig more often than not?

 

[harms]

It means that Celtic played better domestic campaigns than Rangers and they had the better team (even then it went right down to the wire for most of the sixties), but I really don't know how you've made the jump from there to Johnstone winning his duels against Greig more often than not?

I guess we can only hope that there is an eyewitness somewhere on redcafe. You have the upper-hand here as I can't prove anything, but after watching Johstone play I doubt that there are many defenders capable of handling him.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I guess we can only hope that there is an eyewitness somewhere on redcafe. You have the upper-hand here as I can't prove anything, but after watching Johstone play I doubt that there are many defenders capable of handling him.

@Gio should have something to say about this, I'd think.

In general, though, Johnstone isn't known for having Greig's number - nor the other way around - as far as I know. It's more a case of one of the great wingers versus one of the great defenders, i.e. a genuine rivalry.

The obvious "selling" problem with Greig is that his prime largely coincides with Celtic dominance, but it doesn't make sense to use this as an actual argument against him as a player, especially not in a fantasy draft.

Johnstone would be a handful for any defender, that's a generally valid point, obviously. But unless you can demonstrate that Greig isn't up to the task (and you certainly can't do that by referring to the number of league titles won by Johnstone's Celtic), you don't have much of a point beyond the obvious fact that Johnstone is a tricky player to defend against.

 

[Gio]

Team trophies usually mean great performances from their star players. I haven't watched their games against each other (not sure if they are available on the web) but I think Celtic's domestic dominance proves that Johnstone won his duel against Greig more often than not.

Not that I've lived through it, but from what I've heard it was often Lennox who caused the greatest problems for Rangers during the late 1960s. He was great at getting in behind and finishing off through-balls. Johnstone though was obviously top class and, again from what I've heard, caused Facchetti a load of problems in the 1967 final, no doubt due to his low centre of gravity.

Nice to see Greig get some recognition though. In fairness the Greatest Ranger ever award is as much due to his contribution off the park for the club and particularly following the Ibrox Disaster in 1971, but he was evidently a great all-rounder who'd likely get into an all-time club XI.

 

[Joga Bonito]

@Gio should have something to say about this, I'd think.

In general, though, Johnstone isn't known for having Greig's number - nor the other way around - as far as I know. It's more a case of one of the great wingers versus one of the great defenders, i.e. a genuine rivalry.

The obvious "selling" problem with Greig is that his prime largely coincides with Celtic dominance, but it doesn't make sense to use this as an actual argument against him as a player, especially not in a fantasy draft.

Johnstone would be a handful for any defender, that's a generally valid point, obviously. But unless you can demonstrate that Greig isn't up to the task (and you certainly can't do that by referring to the number of league titles won by Johnstone's Celtic), you don't have much of a point beyond the obvious fact that Johnstone is a tricky player to defend against.

Agreed with this, never claimed Greig will have Johnstone in his pocket but rather claimed that it would be an equal match up.

Unfortunately this was the only fairly comprehensive footage that I was able to find of an Old Firm Clash and that too was only 15 minutes long. The others I could find were just 2-3 minutes highlights of goals.



Don't want to make any more gifs and clog up the page any further - the Alan Ball video I made only has 1 view right now (that too probably being me ) and the Carlos Alberto one has zero .

Anyway, you can see the class of Greig being apparent in the video here - composed on the ball and equally collected when facing the likes of Lennox and other Celtic forwards. The size differential between the Rangers #3 and Johnstone though .

I do rate him pretty highly and I've seen a fair few of the Scottish games and Rangers European Cup Winners Cup matches and he's always struck me as a mighty fine defender.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

The size differential between the Rangers #3 and Johnstone though .

It's crazy, ain't it? He really was a midget - Messi would tower above him.

 

[Balu]

edit: feck, now I'm against Joga who can post Invictus write-ups?