Moby
Dick
wide forwards (Messi, Cristiano, Stoichkov, Messi, etc).
So good they named him twice
wide forwards (Messi, Cristiano, Stoichkov, Messi, etc).
While Garrincha did played in the wings for almost all of his career, he too would mostly cut in and shoot, and was not traditional English WM style winger tbh.
@Gio @Enigma_87
Just limiting it to the Figo v Robben battle, I think it is fair to say talent wise, Figo wins - easily but if we are looking at it in terms of impact in terms of club/international football and placing Robben's lack of Ballon D'or in the context of him having to compete with machines like Messi/Ronaldo year in and year out.. that shouldn't be held against him as I highly doubt Figo would have won a Ballon D'or in the more modern era.
Ballon D'or aside, Figo took Portugal to a Euro Final at home, but Robben took dutch side to world cup final and a world semi final. He's also made an impact in several euros (2004, 2008).
He was also arguably the main driving force in Bayerns CL win other than Ribery, whereas one could argue Figo was a part of a greater attacking unit, where the game plan afforded attacking talents more freedom.
Robben's ability to run at players from the first minute to the last, time and time again shouldn't be underestimated.
Figo is probably all-round the better player, but Robben's exploits were damn impressive for a wide player. His CV almost had a world cup win, in fact it might possibly have even been two world cup wins. End of the day it wasn't.. but it leaves alot of the rivals in the dust from the other tiers.
No hints towards scores ffs.I'd like all you gents to realize that the game is very close right now in the last few hours and the thread and match is being ruined with irrelevant discussion.
I have Sneijder is the driving force for Holland in that tournament.Robben took dutch side to world cup final
Behave nowFor Country: Looked great at Euro 08 but got knocked in QF by fecking Russia
I have Sneijder is the driving force for Holland in that tournament.
I have Sneijder is the driving force for Holland in that tournament.
@Gio @Enigma_87
Just limiting it to the Figo v Robben battle, I think it is fair to say talent wise, Figo wins - easily but if we are looking at it in terms of impact in terms of club/international football and placing Robben's lack of Ballon D'or in the context of him having to compete with machines like Messi/Ronaldo year in and year out.. that shouldn't be held against him as I highly doubt Figo would have won a Ballon D'or in the more modern era.
Ballon D'or aside, Figo took Portugal to a Euro Final at home, but Robben took dutch side to world cup final and a world semi final. He's also made an impact in several euros (2004, 2008).
He was also arguably the main driving force in Bayerns CL win other than Ribery, whereas one could argue Figo was a part of a greater attacking unit, where the game plan afforded attacking talents more freedom.
Robben's ability to run at players from the first minute to the last, time and time again shouldn't be underestimated.
Figo is probably all-round the better player, but Robben's exploits were damn impressive for a wide player. His CV almost had a world cup win, in fact it might possibly have even been two world cup wins. End of the day it wasn't.. but it leaves alot of the rivals in the dust from the other tiers.
Behave now
Behave now
Nah Skizzo's current frontline is the obvious fit for those three. Those wingers will cause problems with their pace and directness outwide especially with that kind of support behind them.
Anyhow with all that being said I think Robben would have a top game here, especially with Zanetti overlapping. With Brehme providing width in attack and his overlapping runs, they are bound to create trouble for Pat.
I think Gerrard helps Pat a lot in this. Very handy in drifting wide and will keep Cabrini from running this game off.
Agreed, and I've no idea why people assume Neymar would stay in Thuram's pocket all game rather than roam across the frontline. It's a counterattacking setup, if they were meant to dominate the game then the head to head matchups are more relevant (mind you, Cabrini is being ignored), but when countering both Neymar and Robben will start from deep and take positions/advance into space looking for the path of least resistance rather than sticking to a flank come what may.
Got to hand it to Pat. First manager to have actually made Gerrard a tactical benefit rather than a liability.
I think Gerrard helps Pat a lot in this. Very handy in drifting wide and will keep Cabrini from running this game off.
Thanks mate. As much as I dislike the fecker I'm pretty happy with the reception he's got here.
I'm pretty sure we tried to stay well clear of him in the Premier Leagie draft so we wouldn't have to try and big him up
I'm a sell-out. I still wince thinking about having him in my fantasy football team back in the day and those conflicting feelings of happiness and utter disgust when he scored. One of the reasons I stopped playing it IIRC.
my first pick of the whole draft was Van Basten. Partly because the chain took me that way , but in terms of strikers to lead the line, there's not many more well rounded that are on his level.
Physical, technical, clinical finisher with both feet and in the air, and his movement helps keep that defense from settling. He won't be bullied down by Vidic, and he can create some space to finish on his own, or get on the end of deliveries from Neymar/Cabrini or Robben/Zanetti
one of the reasons why I voted for your team.
Nobody is talking about him, while IMO he is a supreme figure.
one of the reasons why I voted for your team.
Nobody is talking about him, while IMO he is a supreme figure.
Falls under one of those spots where you assume people know what he brings, so focus elsewhere.
Definitely deserves to be highlighted here though as I think he matches up well with the defense, and won't be physically bullied by Vidic, and (as I keep repeating myself with for all the front 3 ) his directness could cause all sorts of problems when running at Vidic and Schulz.
Well I have my own obvious reasons for not wanting to talk about him . That said, I think Vidic is a fine stylistic fit against him. I had van Basten last time and came up against Vierchowod, and was dismayed to discover that Vierchowod actually had a stellar record against him, conceding only 2 goals in 8 games or something similar. Now there's plenty of other factors at work there, not least small sample size and pure chance, but it does strengthen the case that an aerial beast like Vidic, with such a superb aptitude for physical duels, can at least limit his threat. Particularly given that van Basten was quick, very quick even, but not the sort of Usain Bolt-esque pace merchant that generally ends up bumming Vidic in these drafts.
I wouldn't equate Vierchowod to Vidic at all.Well I have my own obvious reasons for not wanting to talk about him . That said, I think Vidic is a fine stylistic fit against him. I had van Basten last time and came up against Vierchowod, and was dismayed to discover that Vierchowod actually had a stellar record against him, conceding only 2 goals in 8 games or something similar. Now there's plenty of other factors at work there, not least small sample size and pure chance, but it does strengthen the case that an aerial beast like Vidic, with such a superb aptitude for physical duels, can at least limit his threat. Particularly given that van Basten was quick, very quick even, but not the sort of Usain Bolt-esque pace merchant that generally ends up bumming Vidic in these drafts.
He was a monster, I was constantly looking for him in this draft, but could not get him.Well I have my own obvious reasons for not wanting to talk about him . That said, I think Vidic is a fine stylistic fit against him. I had van Basten last time and came up against Vierchowod, and was dismayed to discover that Vierchowod actually had a stellar record against him, conceding only 2 goals in 8 games or something similar. Now there's plenty of other factors at work there, not least small sample size and pure chance, but it does strengthen the case that an aerial beast like Vidic, with such a superb aptitude for physical duels, can at least limit his threat. Particularly given that van Basten was quick, very quick even, but not the sort of Usain Bolt-esque pace merchant that generally ends up bumming Vidic in these drafts.
He does, although you have to see how it unfolds as he does.
Gerrard is looking after Overath, and him moving wide let's him move on unopposed and get at Veron. If he doesn't, then Cabrini can help overload with the space.
And it still doesn't address the Robben-Zanetti flank and how you slow them down enough to not dominate that flank.
Through the middle there's not a clear and distinct advantage for either side, especially as we both have a DM (Makelele on this side) and a set up to stifle that space.
Out wide however, there is a bit of a clear advantage and ability to impact the game, which makes a difference in a tight game such as this. Especially if we score first and give ourselves even more space to counter as they push forward.
Ive already set the scenario of Vieira
passing the ball to Robben
who bursts forward...Gerrard goes to help cover, but over he goes
He recovers, as the true captain and midfield general he is...but one poor challenge later
The game now opens up. There's less cover for Vidic, who is suddenly exposed to all that pace and he goes for a tackle..but oh no
He's given a red card as some little Professor Snape midget lookalike casts a spell on the referee.
So as you see, things are definitely in our favour with that clear 2 man advantage we'd enjoy
So as you see, things are definitely in our favour with that clear 2 man advantage we'd enjoy
The one that looks woefully underrated is Overath, shits all over your [better known] midfielders IMO.
The only man in World Cup history, along with Beckenbauer, to win gold, silver and bronze in the World Cup.
In 1966, '70 and '74, this 'No10 par excellence', as he was known, played all West Germany's matches at three World Cups. He ended his career having appeared in 19 matches in the competition, with 15 wins, one draw and three defeats. A tidy record by anyone's reckoning that saw him win the title in 1974, finish runner-up in '66 and third in '70.
Mexico was doubtless Overath's finest hour, whereby the international media voted him as the best midfield player in the tournament.. Pundits at the tournament were in raptures at his ball skills, particular when he scored the only goal of the game in the third-place play-off against Uruguay.
"Overath has the grace of a prima ballerina, the staying power of an astronaut, the intelligence of an Einstein and the footballing qualities of… well, what is the greatest superlative we could possibly find? Yes, he has the footballing qualities of a Wolfgang Overath," said a Brazilian sports paper at the time.
Overath himself remembers the tournament in Latin America only too well. "For me, Mexico 1970 is the greatest World Cup there ever was," he said in an interview with Zeit magazine. "I rate it above the 1974 tournament, even though we obviously won that one on home soil. All the greats were there like Pele and Bobby Charlton. The quality of the football and the fantastic atmosphere in the stadiums were second to none."
You could claim he won't be a liability etc but to claim he would 'dominate midfields' or hold his own defensively ala van Hanegem or Overath is simply going over the top.
Hmmm, how about Overath instead? Perfect blend of quality and team ethic too.
I looked into the transfermarkt data for Germany...
They have even assists for the older days but I do not think that they are made in the same way it is today and that the data of that years are relieable.
The 20-top-players in assists of Alltime would be like this (the bold ones still playing in the Bundesliga)
Rank/Name/Country/Age/Games/Assists
1 Andreas Möller Deutschland 47 428 107
2 Gerd Müller Deutschland 69 427 106
3 Franck Ribéry Frankreich 31 193 99
4 Zé Roberto Brasilien 40 336 97
5 Mehmet Scholl Deutschland 44 392 91
6 Thomas Häßler Deutschland 48 400 85
7 Wolfgang Overath Deutschland 71 409 83
It's just a rarity to find a pure playmaker who's so bloody complete and well rounded. Van Hanegem is the only one who springs to mind and perhaps Overath and Falcao
Congrats @Pat_Mustard
Looking forward to seeing how and what you tweak and shuffle from here. Good luck!
feck that was tense. Hard luck @Skizzo that couldn't have been any closer. I don't know if you were aware, but you beat me on average pick times by something like 4 minutes a pick, so one vote at the death would have won it for you. The discussions were excellent, although I'd have happily seen this match drift off into obscurity towards the end .