70s Fantasy Draft - Rood v Zen

[Brwned]

Team Rood

TEAM ROOD

Shay Given: Ireland’s most capped player and still one of the best keepers in England.
2 time PL Team Of The Year (‘02&’06).

Roberto Carlos: The best full back in this draft by far and arguably the greatest full back of all time. Known for both defensive and attacking brilliance plus legendary dead ball specialist
UEFA Defender OTY ‘02 / World Cup Allstar Team ‘98&’02

Jaime Carragher: Always Mr.Dependable when called upon by club and country
PL TOTY '06 / CL Winner and Runner Up / Premier League = feck ALL

William Gallas: Defensive rock for Chelsea, Arsenal and France for many years – always known as a strong, speedy defender who can deal with the quickest of attackers.
2 time PL TOTY (‘03&’06) / 2 x PL Winner

Stephen Carr: His peak was at the start of his career with Spurs, knows for his tireless running for both attacking and defensive duties on the right side of the pitch.
2 time PL TOTY ‘01&’03

Pep Guardiola:He is the blueprint for all Barca’s current success; Xavi, Iniesta and Fàbregas have all stated that he was their role model and hero.
Euro Team Of The Tournament 1992 & 2000 / 6 x La Liga / 2 x Euro Cups etc

Dino Baggio: Will look to break up the opposition in midfielder, big game player who often saved his goals for the biggest stage and got his name on the scoresheet in two UEFA finals and also in the World Cup. Was a regular for the national team ahead of the likes of Donadoni and Albertini in their prime.
3 times UEFA Cup Winner / WC'94 Runner Up.

Bernd Schneider: Earned the nickname "The White Brazilian" for his dribbling and passing skills as well as his dead ball accuracy. A vital part of teams that reached World Cup and Champions League Finals.
Rudi Völler said: "Bernd was a great footballer, who produced magic for Germany and Leverkusen…”

Rivaldo: One of the greatest players of all time, won everything from World Cup to Champions League to Ballon D’or, plus has an award that no other player in this draft can claim, Uzbek League Top Scorer 2009! An unstoppable attacking player who could win games all on his own.

Michael Owen: Awarded the Ballon D’or in 2001, at his peak his movement was unrivaled and he was considered the deadliest finisher on the planet. Scored one of the all time greatest World Cup goals.
Twice winner of the PL Golden Boot, he was also selected in the PL Team Of The Decade.

Diego Milito A prolific and consistent center-forward, statistically averaged just over a goal every two appearances. Pivotal in Inter's recent treble winning season and his two goals in the Champions League Final gave him international recognition as one of the world's most effective front men.
Serie A and UEFA Footballer Of The Year 2010. Italian and Champions League Winner etc.

Tactics:
My team features not one but two Ballon D'or winners and when we are talking about players at their peak, there is no greater honour. Add to that a sack full of World Cup, European and domestic medals plus a plethora of individual honours spread all around my legendary players.
We set up with a midfield diamond involving Guardiola holding to protect the already strong central defensive partnership of Gallas and Carragher. My fullbacks will both be encouraged to get forward to exploit the space behind my opponents wide players.

My star player is Rivaldo and I have given him a free role behind the deadly strike force where he can provide both goals and assists. Baggio and Schneider are complete midfielders who will add value to both the defensive and creative side of the team.

Owen will be instructeded to hang off the shoulder of the last defender and use his speed to get in behind while Milito keeps them busy in the air - there are sure to be chances created by the likes of Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Schneider and these two only need a few half chances to convert to a bag full of goals.

SUB: Roberto Di Matteo

Zen

Sub: Elber

For the first game, gonna go with Totti in the false 9 position as Rood doesn't seem to use wingers, so it's going to be a midfield game so I want Sousa and Senna holding with Deco roaming about the middle dictating it all, Totti dropping back will allow both Kewell and Etxeberria to cut inside and both are more than capable of scoring doing as well as being consistent creators for Totti.

Think Thuram and Marquez are more than capable of dealing with his forwards with Kaladze also capable of moving into the centre to help with Rivaldos prowess, where the most danger comes from for me, thus why I've crowded that area with both Sousa and Senna, who aren't shy to getting a foot in.

Elber as sub.

Buffon - Probably the goalie of his generation despite the lack of a CL medal, although still winner of a best goalie in the CL, along with his World Cup Yashin Award and numerous Serie A and IFFHS goalie awards.

Salgado - A very important cog in two of Reals three CL wins of recent times. Tireless right back with a bit of aggression to the team. Spanish regular etc etc

Thuram - Again, one of the best of the generation in defence, a rock even when out of position by his own admission at right back, capable of adapting quickly and shutting out anyone. World cup winner and a superb performance in 2006 without Desailly, Blanc, Lebeouf with him that time.

Marquez - Not as great defensively as Thuram, but still a top class defender capable of coming forward and playing out of danger. One of Mexicans all time best, as proven by some brilliant performances in two world cups, once against his mate, Messi. CL winner of course.

Kaladze - A strong defender, consistent and versatile. Two time CL winner with Milan and once runner up, and proved with Genoa that he still has plenty to offer as one of the better defenders in Seria A last year.

Senna - The midfielders SAF wanted back in 2006, and has since gone to show the world exactly why Fergie wanted him, in the team of Euro 2008 and many pundits and fans claimed him as best player allowing Xavi the full freedom to be the best he's ever been imo, in my team that will be Deco, strong, can break up play, composed and take over playmaking duties if needed.

Sousa - Similar to Senna in that he can pass his way out of trouble as well being a composed DM in the tackle, back to back starter in CL finals, of which he ended up on the winning side both times with different teams. Injuries dogged him, but still a great talent with many deserved accolades to his name.

Deco - The man that made Joses Porto to click, who then went on to do the same for Rikjaards Barca winning CL's both times. Twice UEFA Midfielder of the year, and once Ballon d'Or runner up. Runner up in the Euros....although he faded quickly at Chelsea, for the first few months, showed his talent in the Premiership also.

Kewell - Once Young Player of the year in the Premiership and immense talent before injuries and eventual inconsistency dogged him after leaving Leeds. Both a creators and consistent scorer from anywhere in midfield or off a striker....and well....also a CL winner. YEAH!

Etxeberria - Only player in my team to win anything major, but don't let that fool you, an top talent and ultra loyal to Bilbao, even playing for free for a year pretty much. A consistent performance for both club and country, great attitude, and a solid scoring record too.

Totti - Living legend in Rome and deservedly so, World Cup winner, Euros Runner Up, Serie A Winner, Once italian top scorer playing as a false 9 pretty much...for a forward, has it all, movement, creativity, intelligence and scoring ability.

Elber - consistent 1 in 2 scorer, and fine striker, being instrumental in some of Bayerns late 90's to early 2000's success including goals home and away knocking out holders Madrid when they went on to win the CL in 2001. As with all in my team when it comes to the forwards, is capable of creating for others also, and not just being a selfish striker.

 

[Brwned]

Rood for me's got one of the weaker back 5's in it but at the same time while Zen's front three is very good it's not one that's going to tear that defence apart. At the opposite end Rood's front three would do some damage but Marquez, Thuram and Buffon is possibly the best back three in this, and with Senna and Sousa helping out when needed along with two very defensively able fullbacks they're well set up to cope. Rood edges it in midfield.

Could be Roberto Carlos pushing forward that makes the difference because from what I remember Exteberria was pretty lax when it came to tracking back. These games have been a lot more even than last time round.

 

[Snow]

I must say that I have little faith in a 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond. I don't think that tactic is all that. You have to fluid midfield and one striker who works his ass off.

What are Owen, Rivaldo and Milito going to do when Zen has the ball? Zen's strength in attack lies in width and both his wingers, Deco and Senna can switch the ball between flanks or pass it quickly. He's always going to get balls into the box or around it. Shame he hasn't a target man but Totti was quality at his best.

Rood has 3 passers, 2 goal scorer and one genius. He can produce magic and Carlos might help on the left but I still think he should have with something extra on the right. Just look at Zen's defense in the middle. It's so much physically stronger as well.

 

[antohan]

With hindsight, yesterday I was in a "solid defense and ball winning first" mode after seeing us concede three against the run of play and probably would have voted different otherwise.

Zen looks very strong at the back but don't see that much goalscoring potential. Roberto Carlos should have a lot of room to work that flank (don't think Etxeberria will trouble him much and Gallas can cover at LB, no problem, particularly with a false 9 being tracked by Guardiola and Carragher).

Guardiola was at his best pinging superb balls for players running into acres of space. On his left he will have Carlos bombing forward, on the right Schneider can drift wide, through the middle he's got Rivaldo to find or Owen further down if the backs have pushed up...

Rood for me here.