Decades Chain draft R1 - Enigma vs Big Dunk

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

vs

-------------------------------------------------- TEAM ENIGMA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAM BIG DUNK ---------------------------------------------------

TEAM ENIGMA


Formation: 4-3-2-1, Christmas Tree
Style: Direct
Defensive line: Normal, press in own half.

GK: Ulbaldo Fillol - WC winner in 78. Second in SA player of the year in 78. One of the finest keeper in the 70's.
RB: Berti Vogts - Won 2 BL titles, EURO's and WC within the period. Player of the year in Germany in 1971 and regularly in the team of the season during the period. Balanced full back who can defend in a compact way and whip in a cross from the right when on the ball.
LB: Amadeo Carboni: attacking full back, with great stamina. Hard working able to cover the whole pitch. Won CWC and Coppa Italia during the period with Samp and Roma.
CB: Rune Bratseth - a sweeper/stopper hybrid who is excellent on the ball and burst of pace. Compliments well Godin. Won BL during the period and twice team of the season.
CB: Diego Godin - peak Diego had it all - solid, great in the air, able to cope with both small and technical forwards and the more traditional #9's. During the period the defence lead by him was reguarly the one that conceded the least in the league.
DM: Rodri - during the last three years of the period Rodri became a pillar of City's midfield anchoring in front of the defence and winning 2 PL titles along with a CL final.
CM: Marco Tardelli - one of Juve and Italy's elite. At his absolute peak he was most fondly remembered with scoring that goal in WC final. Defensively sound and able to contribute in both phases he provides additional steel in our midfield.
CM: Clarence Seedorf - during the period he has shown his playmaking ability but he was also the most well rounded, technical players of his era. He had the strength, pace and passing range to offer additional playmaking options in midfield combined with great stamina levels. During the time period he won the CL with Milan and was elected best midfielder in Europe in 06/07.
SS: Rivaldo - On his day he was fantastic player who had it all. Alongside Cristiano he will act as a SS with a free role able to drift out wide but also tuck in and occupy his favorite inside channel. Ballon D'or winner and someone who carried the Barca team in the end of the 90's.
SS: Cristiano Ronaldo - during that time he was at his physical peak and a phenomenon that scored abundance of goals. He's surrounded by creative and hardworking players that can exploit his movement.
ST: Denis Law - a complete CF who was at his absolute peak during the period winning 2 titles and a CL.

TEAM BIG DUNK

- A strike partnership that oozes tenacity, work-rate, creativity, killer instinct and technical brilliance. Villa and Tevez possess the versatility, pace, movement and team work to thrive in my 4-2-2-2 redux. Their ability to press from the front, operate wide and drop deep allows the attack to be dynamic and fluid.

- Hazard and Figo are my two dribbling wizards, who at most times are unplayable. Figo the perfect classic winger: crosses, assists and complete mastery running with the ball. Hazard is also deadly with one-on-one scenarios or slalom runs against multiple opponents: both a playmaker and deadly finisher. Both midfielders will be encouraged to attack their wing, cut in or change flanks. Our front two will create space for our wingers, and be grateful recipients of Hazard and Figo's passes.

- Falcao and Tigana represent my team's ideals perfectly: the marriage of technique, tenacity and football IQ. Both ballers, able to control the game from deep, break up play, bring the ball forward with grace and even contribute in the attacking third.

- Irwin, the ever-consistent and complete fullback will overlap Hazard. Bergomi, an elite defensive fullback holds the fort behind Figo, and stays back when Beckenbauer moves forward. Campbell is a formidable centreback: very strong, fast and dominant in the air. Mazurkiewicz's amazing reflexes and shot-stopping ability cemented him as Yashin's natural successor.

- It is a fantasy to have Der Kaiser combine with the players in my team. Beckenbauer will maximise the influence and offensive ability of my midfielders and attackers. Irwin, Campbell and Bergomi represent the non-sexy Mr. Reliables, the solid defenders needed for that back line. Beckenbauer will be the heartbeat and ringleader of the passing carousel: full of elite playmakers and dribblers, boasting fluid and intelligent movement. We can both stretch our opponent, get in behind them or pass through them.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Enigma_87 @BIG DUNK All the best

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Absolute no brainer this.

Great ensemble that by Enigma but it's missing a crucial piece in the puzzle. A proper great midfield playmaker. Without that, the setup will never really peak or score for fun like it should with that front 3.

Funny that the opposition has Beckenbauer/Falcao/Figo/Tigana/Hazard, such stark creative difference.

 

[Synco]

Totally missed this, so won't comment on the match. Only thing I'd like to say (already since the draft phase) is that I think Enigma's central defence is awesome. Godin and Bratseth may not be the shiniest names in drafts, but I think they're individually better than that - dominant world class defenders over a long time -, and as a duo close to perfection.

Don't think a case for Godin needs to be made, so I'd like to focus on Bratseth here. I've watched his domestic and international successes with Werder as a kid, and he was a household name as a top player and world class defender in Germany. 1.93m and rapid, physically and technically strong, intelligent, the leader in the backline. A few facts may make his reputation more transparent:

First up Bratseth's ranking by kicker magazine. He joined Werder Bremen in early 1987, playing a half-season and appearing in the 'broader circle' category at its end. He never failed to make the list (they're done every half-season), finishing 'international class' 7x and 'world class' 3x out of 15 overall inclusions. (The 94/95 season can be neglected.) The kicker ranking is often harsh on players (except when German sides score prestigious international successes), so landing in the elite brackets this consistently is an impressive statement.

Rehagel's Werder was a classic top side, and between 1988 and 1994 they won two Bundesliga titles, two DFB cups, and a Cup Winner's Cup. In 1987/88, a Bratseth-led defense set a BL record of only 22 goals conceded, which stood until 2008. In 1988/89, they reached the UEFA cup semi-finals, beating Maradona's Napoli 7-3 on aggregate on the way, only losing to Baggio's Fiorentina on away goals. The names in their squads from these years are ingrained in the memory of everyone who watched German football back then, and Bratseth was surely among the foremost figures.

To complement this with pictures, Joga made this match comp of his performance vs a Dutch side featuring Bergkamp and van Basten:



To me it's clear he fulfills all the criteria for an elite modern defender, including his intelligent mixture of passive and active defending. And he still has impressive pace at the age of 31 here. I'd generally say those liberos with superior physical and athletic attributes would be as good in today's football.

I also found a nice snippet of him going full throttle:




It's only Cyprus, and I wouldn't expect him to try this against better opposition (although I don't remember if he did). But it's a nice addition to the overall picture.

--------------------------------

tl/dr: I'd like to lobby for Bratseth to be included in the established pool of all-time draft options. Wonderful player. And to get back to the original point, I think him and Godin are a formidable, dominant pair that can be put up against all-time great forwards without a second thought.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

tl/dr: I'd like to lobby for Bratseth to be included in the established pool of all-time draft options

He already is rated appropriately high around here, picked very often by various managers and has won drafts too.

 

[Synco]

He already is rated appropriately high around here, picked very often by various managers and has won drafts too.

All the better, has passed me by then. Especially that he actually appeared in draft finals, which is cool. In the drafts/games I've noticed him, he was more of an afterthought. (And I never picked him either, tbf.)