TEAM TUPPET
VS
TEAM SJOR / INDY
VS
TEAM SJOR / INDY
TACTICS TEAM TUPPET
A straightforward 4-2-3-1 formation set around the genius of Cruyff. We'll be playing high defensive line and try to play positive attacking football. While holding possession is not the goal with the virtue of my midfield we would have our fair share of possession and we would try to move the ball forward as fast as possible.
Cruyff is the heart beat of the side, and everything is built around him. Traditionally he is often played as false 9 role as that's the role he played mostly but he was first and foremost a playmaker. which shows in his 36 chances created at WC 1974. If Netherlands had access to a great number 9 I have no doubt that Cryuff would have taken the traditional number 10 position and since we have a great striker to free Cruyff from scoring burden he is free to influence midfield and/or wings as he pleases.
Up front I have Nistelrooy, deadly finisher whose role is to stay up, push defense back and make room for 3 behind him to do their thing. He doesn't need to be creative or dribble 4 defenders, all he needs to do is to convert the service that is being provided to him from my creative cast and there are very few who can do this job better.
Boniek and Littbarski are both hard working, creative, mobile wide players who were great dribblers. They would often interchange with Cruyff and each other and can also provide both playmaking and goal scoring from wide areas. Boniek is more direct and provide some excellent off the ball work with his movement and work rate, creating space for Cruyff. Littbarski would be more of a provider with his great dribbling and crossing. Littbarski and Boniek were comfortable on both sides and through the middle, there would be plenty of interchanging and overloading.
Behind Cruyff we have midfield duo of Davids and Ocwirk. Both were amongst finest midfielders of their generation and deliver a solid base for my attack to act upon with their work rate and technical abilities. I have lot of faith in Davids when it comes to arrest the flow of the game of someone as electric as Laudrup. He was very tenacious, had great athleticism & speed and low center of gravity he could keep up with Laudrup.
Davids have great help available in the form of Ocwirk. A top class midfielder widely regarded as the greatest post war era player for Austria and the best midfielder of his generation. English media in particular loved him and dubbed him "clockwork" for his consistency. Ocwirk was at the heart of the team which reached the semi-final of the World Cup in 1954. One of the last old-fashioned attacking centre-halves, he was the only other Austrian apart from Sindelaar to make it to Team of the Tournaments. He was also one of the first Austrians to make an impact in Serie A. His style of play later helped to define the position of a holding defensive midfielder. IFFHS voted him 31st greatest European player of the century over the likes of Bozsik and Matthaus.
Here's a description from Glanville - "In Ernst Ocwirk, tall muscular and dark, possessor of a wonderfully strong and accurate left foot and impeccable technique, last of the great attacking center-halves, they had a player worthy in style and quality of the wunderteam."
He was also selected as captain of the FIFA XI against England for FAs 90th anniversary match, which also shows how highly he was rated at the time.
Here Ocwirk's role is to be holder when Davids is roaming around the pitch winning balls, Ocwirk would provide a defensively solid, deep lying playmaking to keep the team ticking.
Our defense is also very good with two world cup winning full backs in Vogts and Zambrotta, both of who also featured for all star team in those world cups. Both would play as modern fullbacks, defending and attacking in equal measure. Vogts would be slightly more conservative to incorporate Zambrotta's attacking game.
Thiago Silva and Laurent Blanc forms the defensive pair. Silva with his modern athleticism and all roundedness would play as more aggresive CB, while Blanc is more sweeper-ish and calming presence with his fantastic passing range and dominance in air. Finally In Courtois we have a very reliable young keeper with great reflexes.
TACTICS TEAM SJOR/INDY
Formation: 4-2-3-1 (fluid)
Defensive line: normal
Style: mixed, team capable of playing both very direct and very possession oriented
Player profiles and roles:
GK: Claudio Taffarel - One of the best keepers of the 90's. World Champion in 94 and a member of brazilian Hall of Fame.
LB: Marcelo - Key player in Madrid's back to back CL titles, best modern day wingback alongside Dani Alves. Will have a lot of freedom in the team and should have a great partnership with Nedved.
RB: Giuseppe Bergomi -Uncle was an extremely versatile defender, who was capable of playing anywhere along the backline although he was primarily a rightback. Quick, athletic, and hard-working player, as a full-back he was known for his strength, stamina and his ability to make attacking runs up the flank, and was also capable of contributing to his team's offensive plays with goals, courtesty of his good right foot and powerful shot from outside the area. Above all, however, Bergomi was known for his excellent man-marking skills.
Hoettges was playing behind Seeler in WC 66 and Uncle offers everything he offered + more so it should be a great partnership just like on the left side.
CB: Marcel Desailly - Nicknamed "The Rock", due to his consistency, strength, and hard-tackling playing style, Desailly is considered one of the most accomplished players of his generation, and one of the finest defenders ever, who stood out for his leadership throughout his career. A quick, hard-working and powerful player, who excelled in the air, he combined his aggression, stamina, and ability to read the game, as well as his physical, mental, and defensive skills, with a notable confidence on the ball, which also allowed him to play in the midfield throughout his career.
CB: Leonardo Bonucci - One of the rare modern defenders that can actually defend. Equally good in both three man defence as well as back four, quality that is very important as he should play in both systems form this team. Bonucci is well known for his technique, passing range, and his ability to launch attacks from the back with his long passes. A tall and strong defender, with a good positional sense, as well as good anticipation, solid tackling, and an ability to read the game and mark opponents, he also excels in the air, and frequently poses a threat from set pieces. He established himself as one of the best defenders in world football, also drawing praise from manager Pep Guardiola, who described Bonucci as one of his "favourite ever players". His unique playing style has led Giovanni Galli to compare him to former sweeper Gaetano Scirea.
LCM: Paul Scholes - The man needs no introduction, immense footballer. We are using his post 06 version. Probably the most underrated midfielder defensive wise and we dont have to talk about his qualities on the ball. Should enjoy his football in this team and specially paired with Cambiasso who is a good player but will have no problems to let Scholes do all the talking.
RCM - Esteban Cambiasso - Madrid fans were livid when he left and Inter fans quickly realized why. He was instrumental for them, key player in 5 back to back league titles along with probably their greatest season ever. Defensive b2b player that will do tons of dog work off the ball but is also very capable of playing a good possession game which he showed numerous times for his national team, back in the day when Argentina didnt play like a team managed by Tony Pulis.
LW: Pavel Nedved - Balon D'or winner from 2003 was a complete, tenacious and consistent two-footed player. Nedved frequently played as a left-sided, offensive wide midfielder or as a left winger throughout his career, due to his crossing ability with his left foot, as well as due to his ability to cut inside and shoot with his right foot, although he was capable of playing anywhere in midfield due to his offensive and defensive work-rate.
RWF: Uwe Seeler - Probably my favorite "classic" player, you couldnt ask for a better teammate and im pretty sure 99% of the players that played with him would put him in their ideal XI. Teamwork and Workrate at the highest level, and while he was pretty short he was immense in the air, every goalkick would go towards him and more often then not he would win the aerial duel against a much taller defender. But he was brilliant on the ball as well, most often a victim of his own brilliance and selflessness as he would play smart passes and make smart runs but would be ignored by others as they didnt understand that way of playing. Probably the reason why he had such a great partnership with Kaiser, both on the same wave length. Although mainly a striker Uwe was capable playing anywhere in the offensive line and he played this specific role in WC 66 for which he was awarded with a place in the WC All-Star team.
#10/AM - Michael Laudrup - A quick, intelligent and talented midfielder, known for his pace on the ball, Laudrup is regarded as one of the most effective and versatile attacking midfielders, as well as one of the most skillful and elegant players in the history of the game. Although primarily an offensive playmaker, he was capable of playing in several positions in or behind the front-line. Laudrup is considered by many as one of the best passers of all time, and as one of the most technically accomplished players ever.
Throughout his career, Laudrup was acclaimed for his technique, balance, elegance, vision, ball control, deep passes and dribbling ability. In regard to his vision, Jorge Valdano Argentinian coach of Laudrup in Real Madrid, said, "[H]e has eyes everywhere." His trademark move – looking one way and passing the other – fooled countless opponents during his career. The Laudrup dribble, a feint also known as the croqueta, was perhaps the best-known part of his game, and involved him quickly moving the ball from one foot to the other away from the defender. Back to his passing, numerous teammates of his have said, "Just run, he will always find a way of passing you the ball." Here we got to the most important part, Seeler and specially Eto'o is a match made in heaven.
CF - Samuel Eto'o - running and goalscoring machine. With the speed and quality of his final third movement and the creative supporting cast he has goals shouldnt be the problem in this team. In addition to that i can see him having a great partnership with Uwe and their constant swapping of positions should be a big asset.
Tactics and advantages:
Defence - a more then solid back four consisting of a perfect stopper/sweeper combo, wingback and a full back that can support the attack as well as dropping back and forming a back three. One big asset is also that all 4 players are great possession wise so playing from the back, playing under pressure and launching quick counters wont be an issue.
Midfield - Ginger prince paired with a player that funnily enough has certain(important) qualities of both long term midfield partners Scholes had during his career. Playing and defensive style similar to Keane and a mental side of Carrick. Even though both are more then good on the ball(Carrick more so then Cambiasso though) when paired with a better or a more dominant partner they will sacrifice their game to the benefit of the team and let the midfield alpha run the game.
Attack: Hard to decide where the attack is stronger, on goal threat or in of the ball side of the game that is often neglected by the masses.
Advantages:
- Potentially great partnership throughout the whole team.
- Team capable of playing very different styles of football as well as the team that is very strong both on and off the ball.
- Goal threats, all sorts of goal threats - going behind(Eto'o), individual skill(Eto'o, Laudrup), in the box(Eto'o, Seeler), aerial threat(Seeler) and from distance(Nedved, Scholes).
will edit in a second.