All time best team built around Andrea Pirlo

Edgar Allan Pillow said:
What your opinion on their skill difference?
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A list of their similarities is much shorter.

Didi was an elegant conducting playmaker with silky smooth dribbling and average work rate (not a liability in any way, but he relied much more on his positional intelligence rather than on physicality and stamina, hence the introduction of Zito and new role for Zagallo), while Neeskens was an energetic, hard tackling box-to-box (you can even say that he is the very ideal of an energetic box-to-box) who covered an insane amount of ground and scored a fair few with his surging runs into the box. The only obvious similarity that I see is in their long range shooting (but even then Neeskens relied more on his power and Didi on his technique).
 
harms said:
A list of their similarities is much shorter.

Didi was an elegant conducting playmaker with silky smooth dribbling and average work rate (not a liability in any way, but he relied much more on his positional intelligence rather than on physicality and stamina, hence the introduction of Zito and new role for Zagallo), while Neeskens was an energetic, hard tackling box-to-box (you can even say that he is the very ideal of an energetic box-to-box) who covered an insane amount of ground and scored a fair few with his surging runs into the box. The only obvious similarity that I see is in their long range shooting (but even then Neeskens relied more on his power and Didi on his technique).
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What would be your all time didi xi harms? From what I read on the net, he is considered near the top of the best midfielders of all time but is never rated as such over here.
 
MJJ said:
What would be your all time didi xi harms? From what I read on the net, he is considered near the top of the best midfielders of all time but is never rated as such over here.
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I think we need to take a little break from those :lol:
An interesting challenge though. Will think about it but only on the next week.
 
MJJ said:
What would be your all time didi xi harms? From what I read on the net, he is considered near the top of the best midfielders of all time but is never rated as such over here.
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IMO, Didi is underrated in drafts because despite his glorious credentials, he's a bit of a niche player without offering GOAT level upside...like a more high maintenance version of Suárez, if you will — considering the latter is roughly comparable from a historical and skill set related standpoint but was a bit more industrious and proven in Catenaccio. Most of the teams towards the business end have powerhouse attacking midfielders like Maradona or domineering forwards like Cruyff, and Didi's fit with them can be a fairly tenuous in a myriad setups — which eliminates him from the plans of a lot of managers, and that's on top of the Di Stéfano stigma. Additionally, if you opt for a strike duo with a support striker, Didi's not robust enough to handle a double pivot at the highest level unless his partner does a significant portion of the heavy lifting in terms of defensive workrate and potentially marking the opposition #10. That's entirely too much to account for in most situations because while Didi was great, he's not comparable to the absolute GOATs and easier to mark in a specialized role, so you can't always make a lot of concessions, and you have to be very particular about striking the perfect balance...which can be a thankless, and oftentimes unrewarding task.

As regards his ideal or All-Time team, I think it isn't that hard to construct if you consider harms' description here (on top of the fact that he was pretty much in his elements in the 1958 World Cup in a lopsided 4-2-4 — which gives you a superlative historical reference point):
harms said:
Didi was an elegant conducting playmaker with silky smooth dribbling and average work rate (not a liability in any way, but he relied much more on his positional intelligence rather than on physicality and stamina, hence the introduction of Zito and new role for Zagallo)
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  • He has to have a noteworthy conducting/playmaking role in the team.
  • To explore the potential of his ability, you need to create some space in front of him — which ideally means no classic AM directly in front of him to avoid overlaps.
  • The defensive structure around him should be reasonably solid because while he was positionally intelligent, he wasn't a real grafter.
  • Procure an upgrade on Zito.
  • Procure an upgrade on Zagallo — who frequently tucked in to shore up the midfield area.

Eminently doable even if we disregard proven All-Star caliber team-mates like young Pelé, Nílton, Djalma and the likes:

Didi.png


Ri-Ro up front to maximize Didi's creative skill set (6 assists in the 1958 World Cup). Jairzinho goes in Garrincha's spot — not a proper winger and less flamboyant, but more direct — adding another noteworthy Brazilian scoring threat — makes sense to select Carlos Alberto as well considering their chemistry. Rest of it is pretty straightforward with the Nedvěd-Rijkaard duo accounting for Zagallo-Zito in a broad functional sense, despite not being like-for-like replacements. The team no glaring weaknesses, but Didi will have an important role to play in terms of playmaking and directing the game from midfield. Mix-and-match a bit, or select less decisive players than Ronaldo and co. to put a greater emphasis on Didi.
 
Joga Bonito said:
Excellent post @Sonnet XVII
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Cheers, mate — originally planned on going with this inverted 4-2-4/4-4-2:

Seeler Eusébio
Best Rijkaard Didi Nedvěd
Krol Figueroa Kohler Cafú
Dasayev​

Eusébio ~ Pelé, Best ~ Garrincha...but it had precious little Brazilian soul — which seemed really wrong for a team focusing on Didi.
 
Good post @Sonnet XVII

I still think though that the even that midfield could be considered in drafts a little lightweight.

Given Didi's preference for the inside-left channel I reckon he'd fit nicely in a lopsided 442.

Something like-

----------Pele-----MVB---------
Didi----Rikjaard---Falcao---Best
R. Carlos-Nesta-Baresi--C.Alberto
------------------Keeper---------------------
 
MJJ said:
Good post @Sonnet XVII however there still seems something off about that midfield.

Personally I would prefer didi in a three man mid or with a back five.
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Yeah that's another option. I think he's positionally similar to Pogba.

In a three I reckon something like this would work-

Didi--Modric
--Rikjaard---

I think he's link up best with a defensively astute ball-playing CM in Modric. There are probably better players than Modric to work with him but off the top of my head it's what I'd go for.

Edit - :wenger::wenger: I already mentioned him in my first post on the subject - Falcao. Essentially you could play the same midfield I suggested above with Best at right forward and someone else in for Pele, maybe Dinho
 
Does anyone else see similarities between Iniesta and Didi?
Workable in tiki taka for me.
Iniesta was more direct that Xavi and so is Didi
 
idmanager said:
Does anyone else see similarities between Iniesta and Didi?
Workable in tiki taka for me.
Iniesta was more direct that Xavi and so is Didi
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Iniesta is a good comparison although Didi is more direct than Iniesta. I think Didi would find tiki taki not direct enough to suit him.
 
harms said:
A list of their similarities is much shorter.

Didi was an elegant conducting playmaker with silky smooth dribbling and average work rate (not a liability in any way, but he relied much more on his positional intelligence rather than on physicality and stamina, hence the introduction of Zito and new role for Zagallo), while Neeskens was an energetic, hard tackling box-to-box (you can even say that he is the very ideal of an energetic box-to-box) who covered an insane amount of ground and scored a fair few with his surging runs into the box. The only obvious similarity that I see is in their long range shooting (but even then Neeskens relied more on his power and Didi on his technique).
Click to expand...

Valid points, but the comment was in context with the formation he posted. Having had Pirlo and Neeskens already, I don't see Didi offering anything else the other two can't provide to a better extent.
 
Sonnet XVII said:
IMO, Didi is underrated in drafts because despite his glorious credentials, he's a bit of a niche player without offering GOAT level upside...like a more high maintenance version of Suárez, if you will — considering the latter is roughly comparable from a historical and skill set related standpoint but was a bit more industrious and proven in Catenaccio. Most of the teams towards the business end have powerhouse attacking midfielders like Maradona or domineering forwards like Cruyff, and Didi's fit with them can be a fairly tenuous in a myriad setups — which eliminates him from the plans of a lot of managers, and that's on top of the Di Stéfano stigma. Additionally, if you opt for a strike duo with a support striker, Didi's not robust enough to handle a double pivot at the highest level unless his partner does a significant portion of the heavy lifting in terms of defensive workrate and potentially marking the opposition #10. That's entirely too much to account for in most situations because while Didi was great, he's not comparable to the absolute GOATs and easier to mark in a specialized role, so you can't always make a lot of concessions, and you have to be very particular about striking the perfect balance...which can be a thankless, and oftentimes unrewarding task.

As regards his ideal or All-Time team, I think it isn't that hard to construct if you consider harms' description here (on top of the fact that he was pretty much in his elements in the 1958 World Cup in a lopsided 4-2-4 — which gives you a superlative historical reference point):

  • He has to have a noteworthy conducting/playmaking role in the team.
  • To explore the potential of his ability, you need to create some space in front of him — which ideally means no classic AM directly in front of him to avoid overlaps.
  • The defensive structure around him should be reasonably solid because while he was positionally intelligent, he wasn't a real grafter.
  • Procure an upgrade on Zito.
  • Procure an upgrade on Zagallo — who frequently tucked in to shore up the midfield area.

Eminently doable even if we disregard proven All-Star caliber team-mates like young Pelé, Nílton, Djalma and the likes:

Didi.png


Ri-Ro up front to maximize Didi's creative skill set (6 assists in the 1958 World Cup). Jairzinho goes in Garrincha's spot — not a proper winger and less flamboyant, but more direct — adding another noteworthy Brazilian scoring threat — makes sense to select Carlos Alberto as well considering their chemistry. Rest of it is pretty straightforward with the Nedvěd-Rijkaard duo accounting for Zagallo-Zito in a broad functional sense, despite not being like-for-like replacements. The team no glaring weaknesses, but Didi will have an important role to play in terms of playmaking and directing the game from midfield. Mix-and-match a bit, or select less decisive players than Ronaldo and co. to put a greater emphasis on Didi.
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Give this man a draft place.
 
@Ecstatic

A wide forwardy diamond could work well although I'm not sure Baresi with his deep playmaking skills would dovetail that well with Pirlo - the could both be wanting to do the same thing.
 
Physiocrat said:
@Ecstatic

A wide forwardy diamond could work well although I'm not sure Baresi with his deep playmaking skills would dovetail that well with Pirlo - the could both be wanting to do the same thing.
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Baresi doesn't play like Scirea, more aggressive and incisive so Pirlo is still the playmaker but to initiate counter-attacker Baresi is just perfect

 
Ecstatic said:
Baresi doesn't play like Scirea, more aggressive and incisive so Pirlo is still the playmaker but to initiate counter-attacker Baresi is just perfect

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Christ that music gives me ear cancer
 
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