Auction-Trade Madness Draft - QF: Raees/Invictus vs Skizzo

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

VS

..................................... TEAM RAEES/INVICTUS ............................................................................ TEAM SKIZZO .............................................

TEAM RAEES/INVICTUS

• Formation: Vertically oriented 4-3-1-2 with a strong focus on midfield given Rivera's ability to control games and Masopust's excellence as a left half/auxiliary playmaker.
• Ideology: Fairly direct and robust given the incisive nature of the attackers, but with the nous to control possession to stifle the game - especially with the addition of The Golden Boy - who could recede deeper to give us even greater control over proceedings in midfield, if need be.

Manuel Neuer is one of the best keepers in the draft and of all time. Given his trademark style of play in terms of using his feet in the build-up phase or launching counters with his hands, he can be the ideal genesis of several attacks as well - the perfect complement to what is an elite ball-playing defence.

Puppeteering the slightly staggered defense is perhaps the greatest defensive organizer in all of football - Gatenao Scirea. Aside from his obviously titanic aura as a grandmaster of the art of pure defending (up there with Baresi and Nesta for Italian central defenders), Scirea brings excellent control to the backline given his nigh unmatched ability to leave an imprint on the entire structure in inimitable fashion and orchestrate his team from the defensive third. To the right of him is another legendary centerback - El Capitán de America, Héctor Chumpitaz - widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in history and as one of the true Sudamerican greats - behind Figueroa and Passarella, but alongside the likes of Santamaría and Nasazzi

• 1969 Best Defender CONMEBOL
• 1971 Best Defender CONMEBOL
• 1973 All Stars CONMEBOL: Captain
• 2000 World Soccer's: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
• 2004 South American - Player of the Century: Ranking Nº 35
• 2007 Midfield Dynamo's 10 Heroes of the Copa América
• 2007 Copa América All-Star team, all-time
• 2008 All Stars CONMEBOL in the last 50 years

A quick, resolute and powerful figure belying his small-ish frame, Chumpitaz is a seamless fit with Scirea, and the collective defensive and leadership ability of the duo will help safeguard the central zones.

To the left of Scirea is one of the most most tactically malleable players of all time, Leovegildo Júnior. A world class player as leftback, box-to-box playmaker, or defensive midfielder, here Júnior will operate as a playmaking leftback who can dovetail wonderfully with Masopust while boasting good levels of defensive awareness given the relatively complete nature of his game and the intelligence with which he operated on the pitch:



Completing the defence is a bona fide X-Factor in the offensive phase, Manfred Kaltz - whose crossing threat is perhaps second best to only Beckham down the right - and suits our offensive cast to a tee given their individual and collective prowess in the air as Manny's renowned GOAT-ish level Bananenflanken will add an extra wrinkle to our team composition:

Kaltz was famous for his right-footed crosses, which he hit with so much spin that they curved like a banana. They were affectionately called "Bananenflanken" ("banana crosses"). He often used this technique to set up hulking striker Horst Hrubesch, whose 96 goals with HSV included many from Kaltz crosses that Hrubesch headed into the opposing goal. Hrubesch once described their partnership when he explained one of his goals with the often quoted words "Manni banana, I head, goal".

Patrolling the defensive midfield third is Two Time World Champion, Zito - a precursor to the likes of Makelélé in the post-modern era, Zito was a renowned midfield organizer - with a knack for being in the right place at the right time to mitigate danger as the defensive pivot for Brazil's attacking behemoth as well as Santos' nigh all-conquering '60s team (which is considered by many to be one of the greatest club teams of all time). Pretty much the ideal building block as holding/defensive midfielder for our setup. To the left of him is arguably the finest left-half in football history and the first Eastern European Ballon D'Or winner, Josef Masopust - a dominant force in his half of the field, he will play a big part in our build-up play with his strength in possession, drag markers slightly wider towards his favorite inside and outside left channels (thus providing auxiliary width), and link up with the forwards with his ability to go on surging runs. On the right is arguably the most dynamic and irrepressible box-to-box midfielder since the days of Davids and Keane - Arturo Vidal. An enforcer par supreme, Vidal's infectious energy and drive and ball-winning/pressing ability and verticality is the ideal complement for Masopust and Zito and Rivera, and his prowess as a supplementary goalscorer should keep should keep the opposition midfielders on edge as well. Also crucial is Vidal's knack for driving onto the outside channels - mirroring Masopust on the left - where Il Guerriero can link up with Kaltz.

Spearheading the attack is one of the most clinical and brutal classic strikers of all time, record 5 time Serie A Top Scorer as Capocannoniere, the most efficient goalscorer in Serie A ever with 0.77 goals/match, and the highest scorer for Milan to date - Gunnar Nordahl. A behemoth in the opposition box, naturally athletic and quick despite his imposing frame - boasting devastating power and aerial dominance, Nordahl will stretch the field and look to unsettle the defense. In the attacking midfield role is Gianni Rivera, The Golden Boy - a masterful playmaker with tons of flair and skill, precise passing, great vision and a good shot. Surrounded by hard working and technical players, Rivera will be in his elements as a pristine creator of goalscoring opportunities for others around him:

Though he wasn't a rough player, it would be a mistake to say he wasn't gritty and played with supreme intelligence and creative flamboyance. His vision for passing was immaculate; he created room for himself and provided high-percentage assists. His midfield dominance was not one warranted by an intimidating presence, but more so by his tactical and technical brilliance, of which there are few parallels.

And in a free second striker role akin to his peak is The King of Football, Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé - scorer of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games during his career who has the license to pretty much do what his heart desires as a dazzler in attack, because that would be the best role for him, in our opinion.

“The greatest player in history was Di Stéfano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that.” — Ferenc Puskás

“We went up together to head a ball. I was taller, had a better impulse. When I came back down, I looked up in astonishment. Pelé was still there, in the air, heading that ball. It was like he could stay suspended for as long as he wanted to.” — Giacinto Facchetti

“There's Pelé the man, and then Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God.” — Michel Platini

“Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic.” — Johan Cruyff

TEAM SKIZZO

Formation - 532

Oliver Kahn stays in between the sticks and the fiery German will look to organize the defense consisting of other fiery-tempered, mean spirited bastards.

Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Gentile will feel more at home here in this set up, leaving Chiellini in his favored 3 man back line, and Gentile able to be freed up with Sammer there as cover. With Sammer coming in, it allows the other two the freedom to read the game and react appropriately, and the German can fall into his libero role, moving back from the defense to midfield, and back again as needed. To steal from Invictus (and changing teammates as appropriate to the match)

So, let's talk about Matthias Sammer. But wait, first - let's segue into another issue - what separates the good from the truly great? Consistency, length of career, achievements, performances in key moments, peaks - all these things are generally at the top of the list when separating them in a spectrum. But one thing that is often underrated is the ability of the greats to play beyond their limits - to be overtasked and still perform exceptionally - that can often separate them from the hoi polloi.

Within the framework of our team, Sammer has complete freedom to help out defensively and offensively as he feels fit, just like he's done a thousand times before. He is joining the midfield battle to make it a 3 and assert his dominance as an advanced libero (which is kind of what the modern defensive midfielder is) - fluidly transitioning between roles, reading the game and act accordingly, operating in the free/ libero role to influence the game, linking up with Coluna/Cerezo, moving the chains for Zico, dropping slightly deeper from time to time to stifle out attacks, cutting off the supply routes to Pelé, and supporting the attacking game from a 'sunken' midfield position with grace and skill - he will be exactly where he needs to be - the active heartbeat of our XI.

Is he overtasked with all these roles? You betcha. But that's the beauty of it, and that's why Sammer was chosen - he can perform this free role as well as probably anyone in football history bar only Der Kaiser himself. That's just what great players do, especially ones as intelligent as Sammer - they operate at 110%, and they make physical sacrifices for the team when the match is at stake. The more that's asked of Sammer, the better he'll perform, the more he's stretched to his limits defensively, the better he'll tackle. They didn't call playing against him like playing with a team that has 12 players for nothing. And since he's a better defender than every defensive midfielder in the draft by virtue of actually being a world class pure defender, he provides a magnificent sense of stability and dynamism to our team from the general defensive midfield area.

Hans-Peter Briegel and Manuel Amoros will take up the wingback spots and look to stretch play when they can, as well as deliver balls into the box for both Law and Seeler, who are both prolific in the air.

The two midfield spots will be taken up my Mario Coluna, and joining him will be the vanquished foe from the last match, Toninho Cerezo. Between the two of them, we have a blend of physicality, control, technique, and the passing range to hold the ball, moving it around as necessary to find the openings of runners, or find the man looking to probe ahead.

That man being Zico. The Brazilian finds himself in familiar company, but in a new set up this game. With the wing backs probing up the sidelines, opening up space, the Brazilian will look to get on the ball and leave his mark on the game.

Uwe Seeler will look to occupy space in the box, get on the end of crosses, and link play with Zico and his new striker partner, the King Denis Law. While Seeler will look to occupy the defense, Law will look to do what he does best. Dropping deeper, foraging wide, probing the defense, linking up with players around him, and scoring when he gets the chance.

With the change in set up, and the addition of the new players, we now have a very industrious side from front to back, with only Zico being considered as one who wouldn't work his socks off defensively. The rest will all look to pressure from the front, harass in the midfield, and destroy on the defensive end.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Raees @Invictus @Skizzo All the best!

 

[Raees]

All the best Skizzo and credit to @Šjor Bepo for the Junior video.. one word - WOW

 

[harms]

Don't know why R/I went with Chumpitaz to be honest. He doesn't look like an ideal fit with Scirea, especially with the aerial threat of Seeler/Law.

 

[sincher]

Ooh tricky.

But Kahn is overrated. So that's that.

 

[idmanager]

Pele, Rivera and Masopust in the same lineup is a bit of an overkill.
Agree with the height problem. Chumpitaz and Scirea look an amazing combination, but against aerial lineups, it can hurt them.
Funnily enough, it would do well against a Ronaldo/Romario setup. Sort of its kryptonite here although still not the tallest opponents. Should be just okay I guess.

Personally would have put Sammer in the B2B role with Cerezo behind.
The opposition setup demands a dedicated DM and not a free roaming libero IMO.
In fact Sammer in the B2B role on the right would do well to contain Masopust.

 

[Invictus]

Wrt. the aerial threat, Neuer at his peak was phenomenal at sweeping up crosses, and Chumpitaz was a very good header of the ball:

Chumpitaz, like Passarella, despite being short, are known for being absolutely brilliant in the air - their leap and positioning nullified the difference in height.

I know it's shit, but here are his PES stats, for example, which depicts exactly the player I saw:
Header: 85
Jump: 90

Never saw the criticism of his aerial game despite him being only 1,71

Ever the perfectionist, there was still much about his team’s performances that frustrated Didi. While losing 4-2 to a vibrant Brazil was, on paper, no disgrace; the Brazilian was angry that his players had been guilty of too many defensive lapses and the sort of tactical naivety he had worked so hard to eradicate. Héctor Chumpitaz’s performances encapsulated everything that was good and bad about this Peruvian side. This was a player who was quick and powerful and although not tall for a central defender, he could often leap and win crosses against much taller opponents.

https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/06/18/didis-revolution-in-peru-part-two/

And Scirea wasn't a mug in the air, either - even though the tendency is to pigeonhole sweepers as fragile, withering creatures that are going to get dominated against a more direct style. Mind, Seeler and Law were class in the air - but both Chumpitaz and Scirea match up well from a physical standpoint. I could acknowledge Chumpitaz being less-than-ideal vs. say Van Basten - who boasted GOAT tier leap and immense stature, but not against Seeler and Law - who lack the latter in terms of pure overpowering physical profile where leap becomes a diminishing factor because there's a difference of 7-8" in height. On the other hand, you could argue that Gentile (nominally accustomed to marking #10s) is in for a relatively sterner battle vs. a bettering ram who can match Gentile's brutality on the ground in Nordahl as regards aerial threat - especially with Kaltz being the best crosser on the pitch - but don't wanna pursue that further right now.

 

[Skizzo]

All the best Skizzo

Same to you and @Invictus mate!

 

[Skizzo]

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/cla...ward-in-uniteds-history.430924/#post-21224535

Any platform to be able to give @Joga Bonito credit for this amazing write up and compilation of Denis Law.

And a video from the write up because it’s always a treat to watch him.



I’m picturing some of the link up between him and Zico to be quite delightful.

 

[harms]

And Scirea wasn't a mug in the air, either - even though the tendency is to pigeonhole sweepers as fragile, withering creatures that are going to get dominated against a more direct style. Mind, Seeler and Law were class in the air - but both Chumpitaz and Scirea match up well from a physical standpoint. I could acknowledge Chumpitaz being less-than-ideal vs. say Van Basten - who boasted GOAT tier leap and immense stature, but not against Seeler and Law - who lack the latter in terms of pure overpowering physical profile where leap becomes a diminishing factor because there's a difference of 7-8" in height.

They are both good in the air without being excellent, and Scirea usually had a towering Brio next to him to compensate for that (and he orchestrated that defensive unit perfectly, using Brio's height and physicality when needed). While Seeler's and Law's aerial game, despite both not being that tall at all, was absolutely brilliant (Seeler especially is close to the GOAT status in that particular component, not only with his head but also with acrobatics).

I would've understood if you were stuck with Scirea-Chumpitaz pairing in a sheep/criteria draft, but I don't like the pick considering that you've had a much bigger pool. Not sure if Vidic was available (Scirea — Vidic is an old wet dream of mine), but I'm sure many similar defenders were.

 

[harms]

On the other hand, you could argue that Gentile (nominally accustomed to marking #10s) is in for a relatively sterner battle vs. a bettering ram who can match Gentile's brutality on the ground in Nordahl as regards aerial threat - especially with Kaltz being the best crosser on the pitch - but don't wanna pursue that further right now.

That - definitely. Don't like to see Gentile being limited to man-mark #10's — he spent most of his career dealing with other threats, but Nordahl-Pele on the end of Kaltz's crosses is more than a potent threat.

 

[Raees]

Pele, Rivera and Masopust in the same lineup is a bit of an overkill.
Agree with the height problem. Chumpitaz and Scirea look an amazing combination, but against aerial lineups, it can hurt them.
Funnily enough, it would do well against a Ronaldo/Romario setup. Sort of its kryptonite here although still not the tallest opponents. Should be just okay I guess.

Personally would have put Sammer in the B2B role with Cerezo behind.
The opposition setup demands a dedicated DM and not a free roaming libero IMO.
In fact Sammer in the B2B role on the right would do well to contain Masopust.

They all occupy very different roles (not just in this game but generally in their careers). One is a left sided B2B player, who whilst being creative and industrious was not a number 10/or Iniestaesque number 8.. very versatile direct player who will do the hard running, as well as provide the forward thrust and graft to complement the more cerebral and free-roaming Rivera. Those two are a great fit IMO.. its like combining Seedorf with Pirlo (albeit an advanced number 10 version).. the styles would work perfectly.

Then you have Pele, the master of working within super gifted set ups, and FWIW this is the younger at his absolute peak Pele.. who will be a sensational presence all over the final third, taking people on and performing magic.. I can't see how that gets in the way of a Rivera or a Masopust. The older Pele, yes I could see how him and Rivera might not be the perfect match as older Pele to compensate for waning pace, began to be more of a deep-lying forward/10 but Pele in his prime will feed of Rivera and stay closer to Nordahl.

That area between Chiellini and Briegel, where Pele will predominantly start from.. very scary threat to deal with for Skizzo. Talking about the GOAT at his absolute prime, running at his defence and causing real havoc. I think Chiellini is underrated in the modern game, but this is way outside his comfort zone. Below is a great video of Pele in that inside right position targetting LCB and LB (mostly but with freedom to drift)..

 

[harms]

Can see something like 4:3 here. I have a slight individual preference towards R/I personnel, so in the end went with them.
And it wasn't a good decision to sell Finney, the prospect of him playing with Uwe and Zico A loopsided formation with him instead of Amoros (and probably a different libero) would've made more use out of Uwe/Law's aerial threat.

 

[Invictus]

I would've understood if you were stuck with Scirea-Chumpitaz pairing in a sheep/criteria draft, but I don't like the pick considering that you've had a much bigger pool. Not sure if Vidic was available (Scirea — Vidic is an old wet dream of mine), but I'm sure many similar defenders were.

We didn't want to pigeon-hole ourselves by picking Vidić, truth be told. You never know how these drafts go, or how the narrative flows - one match, Nemanja is a good fit as a fill-in for the Brio role, and then in the other - he's getting beat for pace because of the Torres narrative (which might have been suicidal if we'd drawn say Pat with Fenómeno up front in this game). Chumpitaz covers a lot of bases given the relatively complete nature of his game from an athletic standpoint as well as his overall billing as arguably the best South American defender after Figueroa and Passarella.

On a side note, since defenders are being mentioned - Chiellini received a fair degree of criticism in previous drafts as regards his historic stature (including when we picked him once), and here he's facing a GOAT even within the GOAT tier. Be interesting to see how that pans out from an individual-matchup standpoint.

 

[Skizzo]

Agree with the height problem. Chumpitaz and Scirea look an amazing combination, but against aerial lineups, it can hurt them.

It’s not the height necessarily, none of them necessarily tower over the opposition, but I agree the threat there is very real. People quote Chumpitaz as being good in the air and negating any advantage of taller attackers, but Seeler especially is a while different animal. While Invictus used a harms quote above about pes stats for example, Seeler is high 90’s in both those same categories (97 and 95 I believe it was). While I don’t think anyone here is going to base the merit of their arguments on pes stats, it highlight the point that Seeler is (as harms said) probably GOAT level aerially.

Personally would have put Sammer in the B2B role with Cerezo behind.
The opposition setup demands a dedicated DM and not a free roaming libero IMO.
In fact Sammer in the B2B role on the right would do well to contain Masopust.

He’s not necessarily “free-roaming”. He’s in the position he is because I want his defensive nous closer to our goal, and to help cut off the supply to Pele. Cerezo is better positioned to keep tabs on Masopust as he roams, and Sammer is going to be a bit of a physical mismatch for Rivera, who I saw as more of a direct threat to try and link up with Pele farther up the field.

When we do have the ball, Sammer will step into midfield and push forward, with Cerezo dropping in as necessary to cover. They’re all intelligent players who understand the roles, and Sammer especially thrives on that kind of responsibility.

 

[Skizzo]

Also to look at us going forward offensively, there’s already been a discussion along the lines of

think that Zito's skillset isn't ideally suited to deal with Tostao/Bochini as he was more about positioning and reading of the game, while they both were known for their ball-control and dribbling in tight spaces

And that was Bochini, not this man



With Zico dribbling around the box and Zito and Vidal looking to stop him. There’s a decent chance we’ll get to see some of these too.

 

[Enigma_87]

Love the effort by @Skizzo . That midfield 4 of Sammer, Cerezo, Coluna and Zico look mouth watering and Zico linking the midfield with Law/Seeler is not only top tier attack but can imagine working pretty well.

From tactical point of view his team is spot on and perhaps the only weakness I see is Chielini on Pele, whilst Rivera is occupying Sammer in the hole. Gentile is pretty good fit for Nordahl and Law/Seeler will create problems for Chumpitaz and Scirea in the air.

Having said that I think R/I edge it in terms of overall quality, although if they go forward the'd need to add a stopper to Scirea(or Chumpitaz) as indeed that pairing is a bit off. I'd suggest a more attacking wing back instead of Junior in that set up as with Masopust, Zito and Vidal already in the middle they don't need another playmaking left back.

So far Pele edges it for me against Chiellini in a 5-4 goal thriller, but great effort by Skizzo once again.

 

[Skizzo]

Uwe Seeler



https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/...o-became-one-of-germanys-greatest-goalscorer/

With a key role here, stretching the defense deeper, opening up the space for Law and Zico to operate in. @Enigma_87 i agree that Pele on Chiellini is far from ideal, but the plan is set up to limit the call getting to him, hence Sammer and Cerezo limiting service from Masopust and Rivera. Coluna will also help cut some space out when tracking back, and Briegel’s athleticism will help out when working defensively. Obviously Pele is Pele, so limiting his service is our best bet. As they said

Pele in his prime will feed of Rivera and stay closer to Nordahl.

With Sammer on Rivera, the Italian will struggle to influence much and get the ball forward consistently. If Pele starts to drop deeper to get involved, that’s better for us as it keeps more men in between him and our goal.

On the flip side, Zico will be an integral part of our attack, and playing a little deeper should be able to influence the game for us more than Pele on the other side since he will still have two amazing forwards ahead of him in Seeler and Law. Zito, while a great player, isn’t quite the mobile DM you want to try and track the pace and trickery of someone like Zico, especially with the fluidity and movement of the front 3.

 

[Enigma_87]

And Scirea wasn't a mug in the air, either - even though the tendency is to pigeonhole sweepers as fragile, withering creatures that are going to get dominated against a more direct style. Mind, Seeler and Law were class in the air - but both Chumpitaz and Scirea match up well from a physical standpoint. I could acknowledge Chumpitaz being less-than-ideal vs. say Van Basten - who boasted GOAT tier leap and immense stature, but not against Seeler and Law - who lack the latter in terms of pure overpowering physical profile where leap becomes a diminishing factor because there's a difference of 7-8" in height. On the other hand, you could argue that Gentile (nominally accustomed to marking #10s) is in for a relatively sterner battle vs. a bettering ram who can match Gentile's brutality on the ground in Nordahl as regards aerial threat - especially with Kaltz being the best crosser on the pitch - but don't wanna pursue that further right now.

I disagree there mate. Some of the best headers of the ball are hardly battering rams - van Basten, Muller, Seeler, even if we count also Cristiano here - all are far from physical presense in the box. It's a bit of a combination of many qualities - height, leap, positional sense, movement, etc.. Chumpitaz is efficient in the air, but for both him and Scirea I'd add a taller and more physical presence alongside them.

Chumpitaz can keep up with both Seeler and Law on the ground and neither of them would budge him, but both of them I think will have the edge when the ball is crossed in the box.

 

[2mufc0]

Love the effort by @Skizzo . That midfield 4 of Sammer, Cerezo, Coluna and Zico look mouth watering and Zico linking the midfield with Law/Seeler is not only top tier attack but can imagine working pretty well.

From tactical point of view his team is spot on and perhaps the only weakness I see is Chielini on Pele, whilst Rivera is occupying Sammer in the hole. Gentile is pretty good fit for Nordahl and Law/Seeler will create problems for Chumpitaz and Scirea in the air.

Having said that I think R/I edge it in terms of overall quality, although if they go forward the'd need to add a stopper to Scirea(or Chumpitaz) as indeed that pairing is a bit off. I'd suggest a more attacking wing back instead of Junior in that set up as with Masopust, Zito and Vidal already in the middle they don't need another playmaking left back.

So far Pele edges it for me against Chiellini in a 5-4 goal thriller, but great effort by Skizzo once again.

Was wondering when this was going to get brought up as you know in the sheep draft I spent the whole draft fighting this argument wasn’t good for the stress levels.

 

[Indnyc]

Was wondering when this was going to get brought up as you know in the sheep draft I spent the whole draft fighting this argument wasn’t good for the stress levels.

I think this has become the rhetoric for Junior unfortunately and will be a common theme for anyone selecting him

 

[Skizzo]

I think this has become the rhetoric for Junior unfortunately and will be a common theme for anyone selecting him

Which is a shame since he’s a great player, but one that’s becoming a victim of people needing to think he’s only viable in certain specific set ups.

 

[Enigma_87]

Was wondering when this was going to get brought up as you know in the sheep draft I spent the whole draft fighting this argument wasn’t good for the stress levels.

Maybe is the modern full back thingie for me and with Skizzo having more possession R/I would need a more counter attacking type of full back rather than playmaking one.

He’s a great player but I’d rather have a more penetrating and fast full back on that side given it’s Nordahl peeling on the left not Pele.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

A team with Zico focusing on a cross the ball into the box strategy
Should've just kept Finney and Dzajic and sold the poor Brazilian Messi

 

[Skizzo]

A team with Zico focusing on a cross the ball into the box strategy
Should've just kept Finney and Dzajic and sold the poor Brazilian Messi

Who said that was our primary strategy? You seem to have taken what discussion others focused on and taken that as our game plan. You might as well assume they’re lumping balls into the box for 90 minutes for Pele too.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

one match, Nemanja is a good fit as a fill-in for the Brio role, and then in the other - he's getting beat for pace because of the Torres narrative (which might have been suicidal if we'd drawn say Pat with Fenómeno up front in this game).

Now that would have been a moral dilemma for me . I adore Vidic and I'm loath to feed into that narrative that he gets roasted every time he faces a pacey attacker, so I'd probably have just hoped that all the neutrals would bring it up and I wouldn't have to.

 

[Skizzo]

Now that would have been a moral dilemma for me . I adore Vidic and I'm loath to feed into that narrative that he gets roasted every time he faces a pacey attacker, so I'd probably have just hoped that all the neutrals would bring it up and I wouldn't have to.

Ever the diplomat

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Who said that was our primary strategy? You seem to have taken what discussion others focused on and taken that as our game plan. You might as well assume they’re lumping balls into the box for 90 minutes for Pele too.

How would you describe your overall strategy and tactics?

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Ever the diplomat

In this hypothetical case, more of a sneaky cnut who would prefer others to do the Vidic-bashing for me

 

[Skizzo]

How would you describe your overall strategy and tactics?

Defensively the idea is to cut the link to Pele as much as possible. Cerezo minding Masopust in the left channel, and Sammer imposing himself on Rivera. Sammer is more than able to read the game and adjust his positioning as he see’s fit, whether to press out or sit in a little deeper. When he does press forward, Cerezo looks to cover his space.

Offensively, we look to go through Zico. His ability on the ball, imo, is favorable against the style of player that Zito is. With Law and Seeler both technically astute on the ball, Zico can play with both of them, as well as make his trademark runs into the box as Seeler stretches play into the box, and Law can drop deep and forage out wide. Briegel and Amoros are both physically capable to get up and back, and will stretch space for Zico to operate in. With Seeler and Law to occupy, the centerbacks can’t really deal with Zico as he attacks from deep.

We’ve also added ball players front to back, so we can look to hold more of the possession and further limit the times Pele will get a chance to be Pele. I certainly don’t think we’ll keep a clean sheet, but with the possession, and the above mentioned points, I think we can do enough to win.

 

[Skizzo]

In this hypothetical case, more of a sneaky cnut who would prefer others to do the Vidic-bashing for me

Ever the “diplomat” then

 

[Raees]

Hope Skizzo doesn't mind but we both have some pretty sumptuous footballers on display and it would be a shame if this isn't a celebration of football and not just a tactical slugfest..

but before I delve into the archives @Enigma_87 just on Junior, would anyone have argued the last thing Brazil 1982 needed was 'a play-making leftback' when they had one of the best midfield quartets in footballing history? surely in theory.. a pure width-stretching left back would have been a better tactical fit and yet Junior who could provide width and also link up inside was a beautiful fit and allowed the midfield to move into a plethora of spaces knowing that Junior had that intelligence to move into whatever space was right in the football sense, his intuitiveness was second to none and with Masopust able to slalom down that left.. we have a wonderfully compatible pair down the left who can stretch it out down that wing as well as help us to dominate the midfield exchanges.

 

[Skizzo]

Cock block for “see below”

 

[Enigma_87]

but before I delve into the archives @Enigma_87 just on Junior, would anyone have argued the last thing Brazil 1982 needed was 'a play-making leftback' when they had one of the best midfield quartets in footballing history? surely in theory.. a pure width-stretching left back would have been a better tactical fit and yet Junior who could provide width and also link up inside was a beautiful fit and allowed the midfield to move into a plethora of spaces knowing that Junior had that intelligence to move into whatever space was right in the football sense, his intuitiveness was second to none and with Masopust able to slalom down that left.. we have a wonderfully compatible pair down the left who can stretch it out down that wing as well as help us to dominate the midfield exchanges.

They surely didn't mate. But as fun to watch that 82' Brazil team was by no means perfect. It had flaws and width has always been notoriously stated as one. From the two sides it was Jorginho as the more width providing one on the right whilst Eder was dropping to the wing on the left.

It is kinda beat up topic(the width of that 82' team) but by no means strange as a critique. Junior wasn't one of the most agile and fast full backs of his time and his strength lied in the understanding and reading of the game. Sure he would support the attack and is no stranger to assisting or scoring goals himself, but personally I'd prefer a more of a modern type of full back from that side. Especially with no dedicated right winger across the field who has to be minded in defence.

 

[Raees]

WAS PELE THE MOST COMPLETE ATTACKER OF ALL TIME?

How does one determine what makes a player complete? or in this instance an attacker complete?

In the overall sense, one would easily make reference to someone like Di Stefano who was able to participate in the defensive phase of the game in addition to the build up (midfield) phase and the attacking phase but when limiting it to the question of the most dangerous and complete operator in the final third.. it becomes tougher - which players could claim to have mastered the following arts or possess the following attributes:

• Long-range shooting (curl, power)
• Long-range passing (spreading play, crossing)
• Press resistance/possession play under pressure (decision-making)
• Heading
• Set-Pieces
• Controlling the build up (control of tempo)
• Killer passes in the final third
• Finishing (bicycle kicks, lobs, volleys, chips, megs, standard)
• Dribbling (body feints, tricks)
• First touch/Hold up play (flick ons, chest, one touch play)
• Movement off the ball/Timing of runs
• Pace, Power and Agility
• Ambidextrous

Shortlist for most complete attacker:

1. Messi
2. C. Ronaldo
3. R9
4. Cruyff
5. Pele
6. Van Basten
7. Di Stefano
8. Zico
9. Maradona
10. Puskas
11. Eusebio

So a rough shortlist of some very complete forwards (included Zico, because on closer inspection - seems to be an incredibly complete player who was not your typical 10 but a super productive forward in equal measure). Now grading these players 1-10 at each attribute is a very subjective exercise, so to avoid that.. I will just discuss if certain players were able/unable to demonstrate mastery of a particular ability and compare how many areas of attack this list of footballers could master.

Long-range shooting

Now, alot of players on that list have obviously scored a range of long-distance goals but I would argue R9, Cruyff, Van Basten can instantly be ruled out as evidence of their long-range prowess isn't as pronounced as the others. Some like Zico who clearly had great set piece ability and could score from range tended to choose not to and majority of his goals result from dribbles into box/being a fox in the box.. so for me from open play Eusebio, Messi stand out.. with the former having a cannon of shot off either foot and Cristiano is also a great threat from range (though his efficiency is questionable). Pele for me is right up there, and I'd have him just behind Messi and alongside Eusebio. Lets not forget his attempt from the halfway line too.





Long-range passing (spreading play,crossing)

An area for me where Pele falls short. His style of play just didn't incorporate long range passing/crossing, as he preferred shorter passes for quick-fired combination play. In this category, Messi, Maradona, Zico reign supreme though crossing wise - for the outside of the foot, I'd probably give it to Cruyff and CR7 is underrated in this respect too.

Press resistance/possession play under pressure (decision-making)

Whilst you'd expect all of these footballers to be A* at this, for me R9, CR7 and Eusebio fall slightly short here. Sort of footballers who were prone to losing the ball under pressure due to the high octane nature of their game and the sheer directness of their play. The rest are as gold standard as it gets, supremely intelligent footballers under pressure.

Heading

Cristiano, Van Basten are real stand outs from this list and everyone else falls short (though Messi makes a decent fist of it to be fair) but Pele absolutely matches them in this regard and is recognised as one of the GOAT headers in the game, some brazillians would argue the greatest leap ever.

We went up together to head a ball. I was taller, had a better impulse. When I came back down, I looked up in astonishment. Pelé was still there, in the air, heading that ball. It was like he could stay suspended for as long as he wanted to.” — Giacinto Facchetti

Set-Pieces

Now Zico stands out as probably the best of all time, but in terms of ruling players out.. R9, Van basten can certainly be as they're not renowned for free-kick brilliance. Pele is criminally underrated for his set-piece prowess. He is 5th on all time list of set-pieces scored (70+ free-kicks scored during his career) Whilst he didn't possess the sublime grace of a Zico in this regard, he was a threat from a variety of ranges due to his sheer power and accuracy.. mastering the lace knuckleball technique 50 years ago..but also capable of the more deft 'falling-leaf' technique from closer range too.



Controlling the build up (control of tempo)

Whilst I wouldn't place Pele at the top of the list in this regard alongside the likes of Maradona/Di Stefano/Cruyff, he definitely had the ability to control a tempo of a game and was a ball-magnet. He had a playmakers mindset in the final third, in contrast to CR7, R9 and knew when to accelerate or slow a game down in the final third which kept opponents guessing as to when he'd go for the kill.




Killer passes in the final third

Pele was an absolute master in this regard.. Jairzinho goal in 1970 as well as Carlos Alberto goal in the final. Two iconic assists in the same tournament which have stood the test of time and they were just the tip of the iceberg. Once again the same culprits probably come up short, CR7 for example is very average IMO when it comes to killer passes. Whilst this is a highly contested category, for me Pele has the perfect blend of insane imagination, flair technique and efficiency of execution to reign supreme in this category.



Finishing (bicycle kicks, lobs, volleys, chips, megs, standard)

During the second half of the twentieth century, the bicycle kick would again be brought forth to international acclaim by Pelé. Pelé's capability to perform bicycle kicks with ease was one of the traits that made him stand out from other players early in his sports career, and it also boosted his self-confidence as a footballer.[60] After Pelé, Argentine midfielder Diego Maradona and Mexican forward Hugo Sánchez became notable performers of the bicycle kick during the last decades of the 20th century

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/how-pele-made-bicycle-kick-famous

Now that is just one aspect of finishing, but it is fair to say with a reputed 1000 goals to his name.. Pele has to go down as one of if not the most versatile finisher of all time. I'd have him alongside Zico, Van Basten and Messi as my favourite finishers in that list of players.. any situation in the box, they have all the tricks in the locker to make the ball land in the back of the net.. But the first two and Pele - could also do it with either foot effortlessly.

Dribbling (body feints, tricks)

In football you tend to get guys who either excel at the classical lace dribbling, with slaloming runs and use of body swerves to weave through opponents or you get guys who are the 5* skill masters and like to embarrass and confuse opponents with their street skills. Very rarely do you find a guy who possesses a blend of both.. Dinho in his prime perhaps, Maradona to an extent but for me Pele in his prime combined all the best attributes you want as a dribbler.. both simple, yet superfluous and entertaining in equal measure. He could body swerve with the best, yet he was a pioneer in bringing street skills.. that Brazilian magic to the big stage.



First touch/Hold up play (flick ons, chest, one touch play)

Now this is where guys like Cruyff, Pele, Eusebio and Di Stefano distinguish themselves from Messi, Maradona and Zico. They could hold the ball up as good as your best strikers, and play with a man up behind them as well as win tough physical encounters by outmuscling opponents not just out-thinking them. For example, the way Messi regularly got snuffed out by sides like Chelsea.. I can't see that happening to Pele, who eventually proved he could dominate a physical defensive side for example Italy in 1970. His first touch was simply sublime and allied to his athleticism made him virtually unstoppable at times.



Movement off the ball/Timing of runs

We have recently seen from CR7 just how important this attribute is. He is a GOAT footballer in this regard. For me Pele's performances in the 1970 World Cup were reminiscent of recent Cristiano performances, in that he knew his body wasn't the powerhouse it once was but through his sheer ability to read the attacking third, and the ability to time runs and pick up space.. he was an incredible goal threat. The way he times this run and makes the goalkeeper look silly.. iconic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UzRsvCsC4c

Pace, Power and Agility

The original Ronaldo is probably the greatest force of nature the game has ever seen, and the two portuguese powerhouses Ronaldo and Eusebio were also fine physical specimens.. but Pele is right up there and IMO with his superior sense of balance/agility, arguably eclipses all of them as the perfect footballing specimen from a physical perspective. That is what gave him that God-like quality which transcends the likes of Messi/Maradona.. they seem like demi-gods, the most gifted humans ever due to their diminutive stature and mortal nature, whereas Pele is truly divine in that sense. He just seems to have it all.

Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic.” — Johan Cruyff

Ambidextrous

Messi, Maradona, Puskas and probably Cruyff (who had a penchant for preferring the outside of the foot) probably fall short when compared to the others in this regard. Pele dare I say it, is arguably one of the most ambidextrous player in history, he has zero hesitation in unleashing shots with his weaker foot (bit like Cristiano) which is incredible considering he's from the 60's. He was like Bobby Charlton in this respect and even in his other videos, he doesn't hesitate to play killer passes with the weaker foot either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGiLXL0RmRY

SUMMARY

I'd say long range passing aside, Pele pretty much nails every other aspect of being an elite attacker. I wish I'd seen more of Di Stefano in his physical prime to see if he can also be a real competitor, I'd say Messi is an outstanding challenger despite his physical deficiencies and lack of a top tier right foot but O Rei do Futebol is truly the indisputed king for me.

“The greatest player in history was Di Stéfano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that.” — Ferenc Puskás

 

[Skizzo]

As I know that some gloss through the thread and don’t always follow links, a few quotes from Joga’s write up (linked above).

Law is well primed to link up well with Seeler and Zico, as well as Amoros when he moves forward. The space between Scirea and Junior would be his playground. He’d also work his socks off from the front to make sure Scirea and Junior don’t have an easy task of moving the ball forward.

It's no wonder that the fans of the Stretford End were quick to crown him as their 'King' when he moved to Manchester United from Torino in 1962. He was in the early years of his incredible career, but he had already stamped his mark on the game. Lightning quick, fearless, dynamic, good with both feet, spectacular - and sometimes unbelievably devastating - in the air, he was as near as damn it the perfect goalscoring individual.

Anyone who saw him in his halycon days was privileged in the extreme to see a total footballing craftsman in action and I'm immensely proud to say that he's a Scotsman.

He cost around £100 000, big money for a British player in those days. The speed and technical brilliance of Law reminded the supporters of their former hero, Valentino Mazzola. They had never seen anyone quite as quick-thinking as Denis. He was always two or three moves ahead. It was a pity he only stayed a year.

I admired Denis as a player because he was exceptional and very different from a lot of British players from his era. Then British football was characterised by stamina and determination of the players, who had excellent physical fitness. This is true, too of other European countries - including the Germans, who are superbly prepared physically. But the British and the Germans, generally, both lacked technique. I have played against Denis Law quite a few times and have also played with him for FIFA and UEFA representative teams.

Law is a very fine footballer and thoroughly deserved the European Footballer of the Year award he gained in 1964. He as a good team man with fine individual skills.

When I signed Denis I knew that we had the most exciting player in the game. He was the quickest-thinking player I ever saw, seconds quicker than anyone else. He had the most tremendous acceleration and could leap to enormous heights to head the ball with almost unbelievable accuracy and often the power of a shot. He had the courage to take on the biggest and most ferocious of opponents and his passing was impeccable. He was one of the most unselfish players I have ever seen. If he was not in the best position to score, he would give the ball to someone who was. When a chance was on for him. even only half a chance, or in some cases, no chance at all for anybody but for him, whether he had his back to goal, was sideways on, or the ball was on the deck or up at shoulder-height, he would have it in the net with such power and acrobatic ability that colleagues and opponents alike could only stand and gasp. No other player scored as many miracle goals as Denis Law. Goals which looked simple as Denis tapped them in, were simple only because Denis got himself into position so quickly that opponents just couldn't cope with him.

His first touch was very good, with your first touch, you control the ball, which gives you more time and space to play. The more touches, the more time and space. All the great players have this, and Denis had it to a very high degree, at speed, in competitive matches. I was with Denis for about a year at United, after his move from Italy, and I never heard him talk much about the game. He was just a great talent, who went out there and did it. He was a good header of the ball and reasonable on both sides, but the main thing about Denis was that he was the most dynamic player I have ever seen, and I'd include everyone in that, be they English, Irish, Italian or Spanish. He had this natural urgency and aggression which meant that if the ball broke loose, he would be the first onto it, smacking it into the back of the net. With his quick reflexes, he could not be stopped. If he was going to head it, he'd do that too, into the back of the net.

Denis was always full of enthusiasm for the game and full of awareness. He scored the goals that one should score. It sounds funny saying that. A lot of players score spectacular goals, but don't score the ones they should score. Denis didn't blast the ball or try to burst the net. All he wanted to do was get the ball over the line. If Denis was through on his own with only the goalkeeper to beat, you could get your tea out and drink it - it was going to be a goal. Every player should be taught what to do in any given situation; Law always knew what to do. If the keeper stayed on the line, he would take the ball right up to him and say: "Thanks very much," before slipping it into the net. If the keeper came out, he sidestepped him, angled himself and put it into an empty net. Law was quicker than most inside the box. NO keeper stood a chance when he had a sniff at goal.

And the highlights of the “all star” game featuring legends of the time, in which his star shined brightest

After the Wembley extravaganza, the much decorated Brazilian defender Djalma Santos, winner of two World Cup medals in 1958 and 62, was asked who he believed was the most accomplished performer in the game. In a hesitant combination of Portugese and English, he answered, 'Number eight. Law. Muchos'. Anyone who had ever witnessed Denis Law going through his unrivalled repertoire at his unsurpassable peak, would have known exactly what Santos meant. No translation was required.

The mid-sixties saw Denis rightly don the mantel 'King' of Old Trafford, for while Bobby Charlton was respected and George Best adored, Law was a fan's footballer, living out the dreams of his admirers before the Stretford End. Even his (non-existent) role in United's eventual fall from grace and relegation to the Second Division didn't dim the supporters' affection for him. Quite simply he remains 'the King'.

 

[Raees]

They surely didn't mate. But as fun to watch that 82' Brazil team was by no means perfect. It had flaws and width has always been notoriously stated as one. From the two sides it was Jorginho as the more width providing one on the right whilst Eder was dropping to the wing on the left.

It is kinda beat up topic(the width of that 82' team) but by no means strange as a critique. Junior wasn't one of the most agile and fast full backs of his time and his strength lied in the understanding and reading of the game. Sure he would support the attack and is no stranger to assisting or scoring goals himself, but personally I'd prefer a more of a modern type of full back from that side. Especially with no dedicated right winger across the field who has to be minded in defence.

Have to disagree there mate, he looks very agile and powerful to me in that video and he also played as a B2B midfielder.. can't play that role without being a physical powerhouse in some respects.

Also would argue that Brazil 82's weaknesses lay in lack of elite striker/finishers and top CB's, rather than any flaws in the chance creation front. Regardless, criticisms of Brazil irrelevant to our side which has Kaltz providing GOAT level crossing threat down the right, a GOAT level CB duo in Scirea and Chump and in Nordahl one of the finest strikers of all time.

 

[Skizzo]

While Sammer’s defensive nous has been the focus so far, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for him to grab this game by the scruff of the neck as he did for Dortmund and Germany. With Cerezo and Coluna able to cover, there’s not much resistance for Sammer to barrel forward and drive the ball up the pitch to Zico et al.



The Balón D’or Winner was more than capable of driving his team on from deeper positions, as anyone that watched EURO 96 can attest to.

http://www.thefalse9.com/2017/02/matthias-sammer-dortmund-bayern.html

Spoiler

A star turn at an international tournament is often a show of real quality. At Euro 1996, Matthias Sammer was the star, showing the ability he had shown in the Bundesliga. He had already been German Footballer of the Year in 1995 and starred for Dortmund. He took over the libero position for Germany when Lothar Matthaus injured his achilles in qualification and made it his own. As much as a German side always is expected to do well, the 1996 team were not favourites and described as the poorest German side for years. The honour of favourites went to the Netherlands, whilst Italy, France, Spain and even England were fancied. The group stages went as well for Germany as they could have hoped. They conceded no goals despite being a somewhat makeshift defence. Sammer was central to that with Vogts explaining that “he called the shots in defence.” He was also the key in inspiring a win against Russia. At 0-0, he made a lung-busting run and after receiving a pass from Andreas Moller would split the defence and scored the rebound after the keeper saved his initial attempt.

Croatia, containing the core of the side that finished third in the 1998 World Cup, would be the quarter final opponents. It was a tremendous game. Sammer was booked early in a highly physical game. He would create the first goal though with a driving run that became typical of him. It drew a mistake from Nikola Jerkan to win a penalty which Klinsmann slotted home. Later, Klinsmann and his strike partner Fredi Bobic were both struck down with injuries and Germany seemed to lack the cutting edge in attack without the pair. Of course the hero would be Sammer! He rose to meet a cross from Babbel and headed it off the Croatia defender. Of course, he was first to the rebound and coolly slotted it home. Perhaps his best game came in the semi finals against England. The home nation were in inspired form and grabbed an early goal through Alan Shearer. Sammer was majestic in defence as the Germans were constantly under pressure. His calmness and assurance in defence gave Thomas Helmer the license to attack and he assisted Stefan Kuntz for the equaliser. The Germans after a bout of inspired defending would emerge through on penalties. The German team should have been heavy favourites heading into a final against a Czech team they had already defeated in the group stages. They were but only marginally. The squad had been wrecked through injury and suspension. They only had 12 fit men and were given special permission to call up an extra player. Sammer was one who played despite clearly being injured. He was part of an inspired, battling performance which saw Germany prevail in extra time. Sammer was named player of the tournament for the Euro 1996 champions. He was joined by Hristo Stoichkov as the only men to win two man of the match awards in that tournament.

 

[Invictus]

Sammer barreling forward will likely create holes for Nordahl and Pelé to exploit. One feature of both Germany and Dortmund was the presence of a harsh marker to block the opposition #10 or drop into defense as Sammer surged forward - Dieter Eilts for Germany and Lambert for Dortmund. Toninho will likely have to contend with Masopust, so that should create room for Rivera to exploit - and there were precious few who could carve a defense open like Rivera.

Individual Accomplishments:

Ballon D'Or: 1969, runner up 1963
FIFA XI: 1967
Serie A Top Scorer: 1973
UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: #35
IFFHS World Player of the Century: #19
IFFHS Italian Player of the Century: #1
Coppa Italia Top Scorer: 1967, 1971

Team Accomplishments:

European Cup: 1963, 1969
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1968, 1973
Intercontinental Cup: 1969
Serie A: 1962, 1968, 1979
Coppa Italia: 1967, 1972, 1973, 1977

Profile

Gianni Rivera is a man fondly remembered as the 'Golden Boy' of Italian football, the captain of AC Milan for 12 seasons, rated 1st in the Italian Player of the Century poll, and 9th in the European Player of the Century poll, 1 spot behind George Best - one of the most technically gifted, cunning, perceptive attackers in football history. His exploits on the European Cup stage are legendary, starting with Milan's defeat of Eusébio's Benfica, where the 19 year old provided 2 assists and finished 2nd in the Ballon D'Or, taking the continent by storm:

And extending to Milan's dismantling of young Cruyff's Ajax, where Rivera was at the heart of almost every attacking move, setting up innumerable chances for his team-mates, eventually winning the Ballon D'Or:



Not just a grand orchestrator of attack, Rivera peaked as a lethal convertor, ending up as the Serie A Top scorer in 1973:



And Rivera with the Coup De Grâce to settle one of the greatest matches of all time, scoring Italy's crucial 4th, after being the genesis of the forward creative move at the half way line:

 

[Invictus]

And just to reiterate, Nordahl can exploit Gentile in the air, especially with Kaltz providing the crosses:

GUNNAR NORDAHL

World Player of the Century: #46
IFFHS Sweden Greatest Player of The Century

A behemoth in the opposition box - naturally athletic and quick despite his imposing 95 kg frame - boasting devastating power and aerial dominance. He is known as one of the most clinical strikers ever - constantly challenging the defense with penetrative runs and finishing a record five times Serie A top goalscorer (no body else has managed more than three).

Serie A Top Scorer (5): 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955
Allsvenskan Top scorer (4): 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948
Olympic Games Top Scorer (1): 1948

He scored more than one goal per game if we take a three year peak - 442 goals in 504 matches and at international level 43 goals in 33 games. It was not easier to score in the Italian league back then either, the average top scorer finished at similar amounts every year as these days: 20-30. Only Nordahl has won 5 top scorer awards in the Serie A history - which stands as a record to this day. Nordahl was completely dominant, by having won 5 times in 6 seasons - an unparalleled feat. He dominated the box like Müller and was always in the right place after having made or found space for himself.

Nordahl remains the highest scorer in the history of AC Milan (incredible for a club that hosted Van Basten, Shevchenko, Weah, Inzaghi - among others), the 3rd highest scorer in Serie A history with with 225 goals in 291 games (his ratio of 0.77 goals per game is the highest among the Top 50 scorers of all time), and was until recently the highest scorer in a single Serie A season with 34 goals in 37 matches - a record that stood for over 60 years. That's aside from his record of 1.3 goals per game at international level.

* Credit: Caf's resident Scandinavian football expert @Annahnomoss.

MANFRED KALTZ

1980 European Championship Winner
1982 World Cup Runner-up
1976 European Championship Runner-up
1983 European Cup Winner
1977 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winner
1983 Intercontinental Cup Runner-up
1980 European Cup Runner-up
1982 UEFA Cup Runner-up
Bundesliga Champion: 1979, 1982, 1993
German Defender of the Year: 1987
Kicker Defender of the Year: 1979, 1989, 1981
Bundesliga 20th Anniversary Kicker All Time Positional Ranking: #2 Rechter Verteidiger after Berti Vogts

A model of sustained excellence, 'Manni' Kaltz played in 581 Bundesliga games for Hamburger SV - which to this day remains the second greatest total of an individual in Bundesliga history, and 69 games for West Germany; apart from his record of 291 league wins, which rates second only to Oliver Kahn. A hard-running, attack-minded right-back with a nose for goal, Kaltz will will provide great energy down the right flank in trademark fashion - and one skill that made him famous is of particular use to the team - Kaltz was famous for his right-footed crosses, which he hit with so much spin that they curved like a banana. They were affectionately called "Bananenflanken" ("banana crosses"). He often used this technique to set up hulking striker Horst Hrubesch, whose 96 goals with HSV included many from Kaltz crosses that Hrubesch headed into the opposing goal. Hrubesch once described their partnership when he explained one of his goals with the often quoted words "Manni banana, I head, goal". He will seek to form a similar kind of understanding with forwards who are excellent in the air in Nordahl, Pelé and Kubala.



Then there's of course Pelé vs Chiellini: