Team EAP
Style
Zona Mista
Central player
"El Príncipe" Enzo Francescoli
Basic Wiki for the Philistine's:
One of the greatest players of Uruguay, Enzo was classy and elegantly stylish elite playmaker. An elegant, creative, and technically gifted attacking midfielder, who was also capable of playing as a second striker Francescoli was noted in particular for his control, grace, fluidity, dribbling skills, and ability on the ball. A two-footed playmaker, with excellent vision and an eye for goal from midfield, he was also known for his ability from set-pieces, and also had a penchant for scoring acrobatic goals from overhead kicks.
Specific Tactical Role:
In my team Enzo is the star man, the "Fantasista" and has a free role upfront. The rest of the team is tailored to let Enzo have the centre stage. From Benarrivo to Junior of Muller to Cole, he's surrounded by creative players in a flexible set up which enhances the tactical freedom to let Enzo shine.
He can drift as a left sided striker linking up with Benarrivo/Junior when we attack down the left or cut into the middle in a playmaking role when I attack through Muller/Donadoni on the right.
Defense
Defensive Line - Normal
Marking - Zona Mista. Mix of zonal and individual man-marking systems.
Tucked in compact Central defensive trio with Montero and Gentile being the stoppers and the elegant Picchi sweeping up behind them in the role he did superbly as captain of Grande Inter. The versatility of both Montero and Gentile in operating centrally of drifting as fullbacks will ensure they are comfortable in their allotted roles.
Benarrivo as the attacking fullback is a one-man flank who can also act as makeshift wide midfielder. With tireless workrate, he'll be the offensive weapon from the backfield providing overlapping width to Junior and Enzo.
Midfield
A hardworking midfield anchored by the indomitable Nobby Stiles. A destroyer par excellence, his ability to sniff out attacks and hound dog opponents players needs no further introduction.
Leovegildo Junior provides the creativity from the defensive middle. A left back from Brazil and left Centre/Defensive Midfielder for Torino, he'll provide the creative attacking runs from the deep. With Benarrivo overlapping and Enzo ahead my left flank is as dynamic and lethal as they come. Solid, hardworking player who will provide cover a classy box-to-box presence.
Between Stiles and Junior, we'll have a strong shield to protect and aid the defensive line.
Ahead of them is Raumdeuter, Thomas Muller. A brilliant versatile player and a true trequartista, capable of orchestrating players from the middle, comfortable drifting across both flanks, he's in his prime position, a Centre/Right attacking midfielder.
To round it off, Donadoni mans the right flank. A hardworking wide midfielder with pace, stamina creativity and technical ability. He's flexible to operate through the middle when Muller drifts wide creating a dynamic duo that'll be difficult for any defence to handle.
Attack
Enzo-Cole is a complementary partnership. The younger version of Cole (Newcastle 1993-94), who rattled in 34 goals in 40 games in PL and 41 goals in 46 games overall. Cole was always good with partners, (Beardsley, Yorke etc) and here he has a stellar upgrade in Beardsley.
Enzo himself is no slouch in goal scoring department having won the top goal scorer in league twice and for having a brilliant partnership with Crespo.
Player Roles
Portiere (Goalkeeper) - Ronnie Hellstrom
Libero (Sweeper) - Armando Picchi
Difensore centrale (Centre-back) - Paolo Montero
Marcatore puro (Stopper) - Claudio Gentile
Terzino fluidificante (Wing-back) - Antonio Benarrivo
Mediano (Defensive midfielder) - Nobby Stiles
Centrocampista centrale (Central midfielder) - Leovegildo Junior
Raumdeuter (Free roaming Deep Forward) - Thomas Muller
Ala tornante (Side midfielder) - Roberto Donadoni
"Fantasista" (Seconda punta / Second striker) - Enzo Francescoli
First striker (Prima punta) - Andy Cole
Specific Tactical Manoeuvres
Benarrivo - Will be tasked with providing flanking/overlapping width.
Enzo - Free role. Will function as an attacking Left Forward when we attack down the left and drift in centrally in a more playmaking role when we attack from the right.
Team Viper
Ladislao MAZURKIEWICZ:- Uruguay's greatest ever goalkeeper and arguably the best to come out from South America as well. Mazurka, while not the tallest was an outstanding goalkeeper. Excellent reflexes, had a great leap which helped him gather and deal with crosses and set-pieces. Voted as the best goalkeeper of the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Mazurka was considered the heir to Lev Yashin by the great man himself.
Gianluca ZAMBROTTA:- One of the best full-backs of modern era. A versatile full-back who was great on either flanks, Zambro was quite a complete full-back. He had a great engine and could run up and down the flank the entire game but at the same time was a very good defender as well. Did a great job of restricting the likes of Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos etc whenever he was matched up against them.
Ciro FERRARA:- One of Italy's best ever defenders, Ciro Ferrara was the defensive lynch-pin of two great Serie-A sides. First with Maradona's Napoli team which won the Scudetto and UEFA Cup, where he was the pillar of that side which laid the foundation for Maradona to do his magic in attack. Secondly with Juventus from the mid 90s to early part of the 00s, where Ciro was the leader of the defense and organized that Juventus backline.
Alessandro COSTACURTA:- The stalwart of the great Milan defense starting from under Sacchi and Capello till Ancelotti, Billy Costacurta was one of the first names on the teamsheet for AC Milan for almost 15 odd years. A great defender, very few could read the game as well as Costacurta did. His ability to sense the danger out early helped him restrict oppositions' attacks at an early stage before they could create a clear chance.
Denis IRWIN:- One of the best full-backs to have played in the Premier League era, Denis Irwin was an extremely reliable and consistent player. A very solid defender, Irwin was really good going forward as well. Possessed a fantastic work-rate, was a good passer and a great crosser of the ball. So much so, that he was United's first choice set-piece taker until Beckham came along.
CLODOALDO:- An integral part of the great 1970 FIFA World Cup winning Brazil team, Clodoaldo was an excellent defensive midfielder who had the dribbling ability that could rival many great attackers. Great on the turn, very agile and could get out of tight spaces with ease. But he was primarily known for his defensive ability, energy and combativeness, which prompted him to be called the "the new Zito".
Xabi ALONSO:- A Rolls-Royce of a midfielder. Blessed with fantastic vision and range of passing, Xabi Alonso was one of the best midfielders of the modern era. A master at controlling the tempo of the game, Xabi was defensively solid, positionally aware, had great anticipation which helped him intercept many passes but what made him special and one of the best midfielders of the modern era was his ability to initiate swift attacks from deep in your own half and switch the play from defense to attack in a matter of seconds.
Bruno CONTI:- Italy's greatest winger of all time, Bruno Conti captivated spectators around the world with his skill and technical flair. Conti was instrumental in helping Italy win the World Cup in 1982 with his outstanding performances in the knock-out stages. Was also hugely influential in AS Roma winning the Scudetto in 1983, helping to break the domestic domination by Juve and Inter Milan. Blessed with lightning pace, possessing exceptional passing and dribbling ability, Bruno Conti was undoubtedly the finest winger of the 80s.
Pierre LITTBARSKI:- “The Demon of Baviera”, Littbarski is probably the best German winger ever. Gifted with jaw-dropping close control and agility, Littbarski was a nightmare to defend against. One-on-one, it was almost impossible to stop him as he could go past players at will. Along with being one of the most gifted dribblers ever, Littbarski was an excellent playmaker as well. His passing and crossing was vital in the German team during the 1980s as he was often the spark in attack who would unlock something out of nothing and create a good chance for Die Mannschaft.
Teófilo CUBILLAS [C]:- The Kid. The man whom Pelé himself anointed as his true heir. Renowned for his technique, flair, skills, insane close-control and breathtaking free-kicks, Cubillas is one of the greatest South American players ever to have graced the game. Inspite of playing mostly as an attacking midfielder, Cubillas was a prolific goalscorer. He was the Silver Boot winner in the 1978 FIFA World Cup and is 8th in All-Time FIFA World Cup Top Scorers. A complete maestro!
José ALTAFINI:- Regarded as one of the best strikers to have graced Serie-A, Altafini was a complete striker, with rapid pace, good skills, quick feet, an eye for goal, agile, and physically strong. In addition to his pace and physical attributes, he was gifted with excellent control, technique, flair, and dribbling ability, and he was also a very creative player. An ultimate predator, Altafini made a name for himself as a highly prolific goalscorer throughout his career, due to his powerful, accurate shot and instinctive opportunism inside the penalty area. Currently, Altafini is the joint-fourth highest scorer in Italian Serie A history. Also, held the record for the most goals scored in a single European Cup campaign for over 50 years with 14 goals until recently when he was overtaken by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013-14 season with 17 goals.
We will play the 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 formation. Ladislao Mazurkiewicz is the goalkeeper. The four-man defense comprises of Gianluca Zambrotta, Ciro Ferrara, Alessandro Costacurta and Denis Irwin. Ciro Ferrara and Alessandro Costacurta form the central defense while Gianluca Zambrotta and Denis Irwin play as right back and left back respectively, with the license to overlap. Both possess a great engine and are very good crossers of the ball. They would look to overlap down the flanks and support the wingers ahead of them.
In midfield, we would have a double-pivot of Clodoaldo and Xabi Alonso. Clodoaldo would play as the defensive midfielder, while Xabi Alonso would play in his natural role as a deep-lying playmaker. Clodoaldo would provide the steel in midfield. He has the engine and defensive nous to cover the backline. Xabi Alonso as a deep-lying playmaker, would look to initiate swift attacks from the back. He has the passing range and ability to switch the play from defense to attack in a matter of secs.
On the flanks, we have two excellent wingers in Bruno Conti and Pierre Littbarski. Two outstanding dribblers, who with their pace and ability to turn on a dime and leave defenders for dead would be vital in providing our attack with ammo down the flanks. Both were good passers and crossers of the balls. They were equally comfortable cutting in and getting involved in the build-up play as they were drifting out wide and beating the opposition full-back to provide the width.
At the heart of the team is, Teófilo Cubillas. The assigned player. Playing in a free-role behind the striker, Teófilo Cubillas has been given the license to roam all around the final third and link-up with others. With Alonso in the midfield, there won't be any need for Cubillas to constantly drop deep to get the ball. Conti and Littbarski can provide him with service and link-up from the flanks along with the full-backs while Xabi can get him the ball in and near the final third where he would get the chance to run at opposition defenders. He would be provided with adequate service to do his magic in the attacking third.
Up front, we have José Altafini leading the line. A spectacular finisher, Altafini would would look to utilize his pace and get at the end of those through-balls by Cubillas. He would also run the channels, thereby creating space for Cubillas to attack in a one-on-one situations along with dropping deep and linking up with Cubillas.
The team is perfectly built to take the best out of Cubillas. The entire front six along the full-backs, Zambrotta and Irwin were all very good passers. So, they would link-up really well with Cubillas. Cubillas had a tendency to drop deep to in and around the zone near the left flank, where he would often get the ball and look to run at opposition defenders. With Littbarski on that side, we have a wide attacker who could switch with Cubillas and play quick one-twos making it impossible for opposition defenders to deal with them because of the pace and insane close control they possess.
Last but not the least, I have paid special attention to the fact that the team had great dribblers in it who with their close control and agility could deceive opposition defenders into fouling them, thereby winning fouls and giving Cubillas great chance to score from free-kicks.
Style
Zona Mista
Central player
"El Príncipe" Enzo Francescoli
Basic Wiki for the Philistine's:
One of the greatest players of Uruguay, Enzo was classy and elegantly stylish elite playmaker. An elegant, creative, and technically gifted attacking midfielder, who was also capable of playing as a second striker Francescoli was noted in particular for his control, grace, fluidity, dribbling skills, and ability on the ball. A two-footed playmaker, with excellent vision and an eye for goal from midfield, he was also known for his ability from set-pieces, and also had a penchant for scoring acrobatic goals from overhead kicks.
Specific Tactical Role:
In my team Enzo is the star man, the "Fantasista" and has a free role upfront. The rest of the team is tailored to let Enzo have the centre stage. From Benarrivo to Junior of Muller to Cole, he's surrounded by creative players in a flexible set up which enhances the tactical freedom to let Enzo shine.
He can drift as a left sided striker linking up with Benarrivo/Junior when we attack down the left or cut into the middle in a playmaking role when I attack through Muller/Donadoni on the right.
Defense
Defensive Line - Normal
Marking - Zona Mista. Mix of zonal and individual man-marking systems.
Tucked in compact Central defensive trio with Montero and Gentile being the stoppers and the elegant Picchi sweeping up behind them in the role he did superbly as captain of Grande Inter. The versatility of both Montero and Gentile in operating centrally of drifting as fullbacks will ensure they are comfortable in their allotted roles.
Benarrivo as the attacking fullback is a one-man flank who can also act as makeshift wide midfielder. With tireless workrate, he'll be the offensive weapon from the backfield providing overlapping width to Junior and Enzo.
Midfield
A hardworking midfield anchored by the indomitable Nobby Stiles. A destroyer par excellence, his ability to sniff out attacks and hound dog opponents players needs no further introduction.
Leovegildo Junior provides the creativity from the defensive middle. A left back from Brazil and left Centre/Defensive Midfielder for Torino, he'll provide the creative attacking runs from the deep. With Benarrivo overlapping and Enzo ahead my left flank is as dynamic and lethal as they come. Solid, hardworking player who will provide cover a classy box-to-box presence.
Between Stiles and Junior, we'll have a strong shield to protect and aid the defensive line.
Ahead of them is Raumdeuter, Thomas Muller. A brilliant versatile player and a true trequartista, capable of orchestrating players from the middle, comfortable drifting across both flanks, he's in his prime position, a Centre/Right attacking midfielder.
To round it off, Donadoni mans the right flank. A hardworking wide midfielder with pace, stamina creativity and technical ability. He's flexible to operate through the middle when Muller drifts wide creating a dynamic duo that'll be difficult for any defence to handle.
Attack
Enzo-Cole is a complementary partnership. The younger version of Cole (Newcastle 1993-94), who rattled in 34 goals in 40 games in PL and 41 goals in 46 games overall. Cole was always good with partners, (Beardsley, Yorke etc) and here he has a stellar upgrade in Beardsley.
Enzo himself is no slouch in goal scoring department having won the top goal scorer in league twice and for having a brilliant partnership with Crespo.
Player Roles
Portiere (Goalkeeper) - Ronnie Hellstrom
Libero (Sweeper) - Armando Picchi
Difensore centrale (Centre-back) - Paolo Montero
Marcatore puro (Stopper) - Claudio Gentile
Terzino fluidificante (Wing-back) - Antonio Benarrivo
Mediano (Defensive midfielder) - Nobby Stiles
Centrocampista centrale (Central midfielder) - Leovegildo Junior
Raumdeuter (Free roaming Deep Forward) - Thomas Muller
Ala tornante (Side midfielder) - Roberto Donadoni
"Fantasista" (Seconda punta / Second striker) - Enzo Francescoli
First striker (Prima punta) - Andy Cole
Specific Tactical Manoeuvres
Benarrivo - Will be tasked with providing flanking/overlapping width.
Enzo - Free role. Will function as an attacking Left Forward when we attack down the left and drift in centrally in a more playmaking role when we attack from the right.
Team Viper
THE TEAM
Ladislao MAZURKIEWICZ:- Uruguay's greatest ever goalkeeper and arguably the best to come out from South America as well. Mazurka, while not the tallest was an outstanding goalkeeper. Excellent reflexes, had a great leap which helped him gather and deal with crosses and set-pieces. Voted as the best goalkeeper of the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Mazurka was considered the heir to Lev Yashin by the great man himself.
Gianluca ZAMBROTTA:- One of the best full-backs of modern era. A versatile full-back who was great on either flanks, Zambro was quite a complete full-back. He had a great engine and could run up and down the flank the entire game but at the same time was a very good defender as well. Did a great job of restricting the likes of Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos etc whenever he was matched up against them.
Ciro FERRARA:- One of Italy's best ever defenders, Ciro Ferrara was the defensive lynch-pin of two great Serie-A sides. First with Maradona's Napoli team which won the Scudetto and UEFA Cup, where he was the pillar of that side which laid the foundation for Maradona to do his magic in attack. Secondly with Juventus from the mid 90s to early part of the 00s, where Ciro was the leader of the defense and organized that Juventus backline.
Alessandro COSTACURTA:- The stalwart of the great Milan defense starting from under Sacchi and Capello till Ancelotti, Billy Costacurta was one of the first names on the teamsheet for AC Milan for almost 15 odd years. A great defender, very few could read the game as well as Costacurta did. His ability to sense the danger out early helped him restrict oppositions' attacks at an early stage before they could create a clear chance.
Denis IRWIN:- One of the best full-backs to have played in the Premier League era, Denis Irwin was an extremely reliable and consistent player. A very solid defender, Irwin was really good going forward as well. Possessed a fantastic work-rate, was a good passer and a great crosser of the ball. So much so, that he was United's first choice set-piece taker until Beckham came along.
CLODOALDO:- An integral part of the great 1970 FIFA World Cup winning Brazil team, Clodoaldo was an excellent defensive midfielder who had the dribbling ability that could rival many great attackers. Great on the turn, very agile and could get out of tight spaces with ease. But he was primarily known for his defensive ability, energy and combativeness, which prompted him to be called the "the new Zito".
Xabi ALONSO:- A Rolls-Royce of a midfielder. Blessed with fantastic vision and range of passing, Xabi Alonso was one of the best midfielders of the modern era. A master at controlling the tempo of the game, Xabi was defensively solid, positionally aware, had great anticipation which helped him intercept many passes but what made him special and one of the best midfielders of the modern era was his ability to initiate swift attacks from deep in your own half and switch the play from defense to attack in a matter of seconds.
Bruno CONTI:- Italy's greatest winger of all time, Bruno Conti captivated spectators around the world with his skill and technical flair. Conti was instrumental in helping Italy win the World Cup in 1982 with his outstanding performances in the knock-out stages. Was also hugely influential in AS Roma winning the Scudetto in 1983, helping to break the domestic domination by Juve and Inter Milan. Blessed with lightning pace, possessing exceptional passing and dribbling ability, Bruno Conti was undoubtedly the finest winger of the 80s.
Pierre LITTBARSKI:- “The Demon of Baviera”, Littbarski is probably the best German winger ever. Gifted with jaw-dropping close control and agility, Littbarski was a nightmare to defend against. One-on-one, it was almost impossible to stop him as he could go past players at will. Along with being one of the most gifted dribblers ever, Littbarski was an excellent playmaker as well. His passing and crossing was vital in the German team during the 1980s as he was often the spark in attack who would unlock something out of nothing and create a good chance for Die Mannschaft.
Teófilo CUBILLAS [C]:- The Kid. The man whom Pelé himself anointed as his true heir. Renowned for his technique, flair, skills, insane close-control and breathtaking free-kicks, Cubillas is one of the greatest South American players ever to have graced the game. Inspite of playing mostly as an attacking midfielder, Cubillas was a prolific goalscorer. He was the Silver Boot winner in the 1978 FIFA World Cup and is 8th in All-Time FIFA World Cup Top Scorers. A complete maestro!
José ALTAFINI:- Regarded as one of the best strikers to have graced Serie-A, Altafini was a complete striker, with rapid pace, good skills, quick feet, an eye for goal, agile, and physically strong. In addition to his pace and physical attributes, he was gifted with excellent control, technique, flair, and dribbling ability, and he was also a very creative player. An ultimate predator, Altafini made a name for himself as a highly prolific goalscorer throughout his career, due to his powerful, accurate shot and instinctive opportunism inside the penalty area. Currently, Altafini is the joint-fourth highest scorer in Italian Serie A history. Also, held the record for the most goals scored in a single European Cup campaign for over 50 years with 14 goals until recently when he was overtaken by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013-14 season with 17 goals.
THE TACTICS
We will play the 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 formation. Ladislao Mazurkiewicz is the goalkeeper. The four-man defense comprises of Gianluca Zambrotta, Ciro Ferrara, Alessandro Costacurta and Denis Irwin. Ciro Ferrara and Alessandro Costacurta form the central defense while Gianluca Zambrotta and Denis Irwin play as right back and left back respectively, with the license to overlap. Both possess a great engine and are very good crossers of the ball. They would look to overlap down the flanks and support the wingers ahead of them.
In midfield, we would have a double-pivot of Clodoaldo and Xabi Alonso. Clodoaldo would play as the defensive midfielder, while Xabi Alonso would play in his natural role as a deep-lying playmaker. Clodoaldo would provide the steel in midfield. He has the engine and defensive nous to cover the backline. Xabi Alonso as a deep-lying playmaker, would look to initiate swift attacks from the back. He has the passing range and ability to switch the play from defense to attack in a matter of secs.
On the flanks, we have two excellent wingers in Bruno Conti and Pierre Littbarski. Two outstanding dribblers, who with their pace and ability to turn on a dime and leave defenders for dead would be vital in providing our attack with ammo down the flanks. Both were good passers and crossers of the balls. They were equally comfortable cutting in and getting involved in the build-up play as they were drifting out wide and beating the opposition full-back to provide the width.
At the heart of the team is, Teófilo Cubillas. The assigned player. Playing in a free-role behind the striker, Teófilo Cubillas has been given the license to roam all around the final third and link-up with others. With Alonso in the midfield, there won't be any need for Cubillas to constantly drop deep to get the ball. Conti and Littbarski can provide him with service and link-up from the flanks along with the full-backs while Xabi can get him the ball in and near the final third where he would get the chance to run at opposition defenders. He would be provided with adequate service to do his magic in the attacking third.
Up front, we have José Altafini leading the line. A spectacular finisher, Altafini would would look to utilize his pace and get at the end of those through-balls by Cubillas. He would also run the channels, thereby creating space for Cubillas to attack in a one-on-one situations along with dropping deep and linking up with Cubillas.
The team is perfectly built to take the best out of Cubillas. The entire front six along the full-backs, Zambrotta and Irwin were all very good passers. So, they would link-up really well with Cubillas. Cubillas had a tendency to drop deep to in and around the zone near the left flank, where he would often get the ball and look to run at opposition defenders. With Littbarski on that side, we have a wide attacker who could switch with Cubillas and play quick one-twos making it impossible for opposition defenders to deal with them because of the pace and insane close control they possess.
Last but not the least, I have paid special attention to the fact that the team had great dribblers in it who with their close control and agility could deceive opposition defenders into fouling them, thereby winning fouls and giving Cubillas great chance to score from free-kicks.
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Stiles, Montero and Gentile....think everyone would drift out wide.