Team Harms/Joga
Philosophy/Ideology of tactical set-up
The side is built around "the crazy man from Lokeren", Preben Elkjaer Larsen, and is mainly inspired by the legendary Danish Dynamite (Denmark's national side in the 80's) - while also keeping in mind the Italian Champions of 1985, Hellas Verona. And despite Verona achieving arguably the greatest underdog accomplishment in history (winning the league where the likes of Platini, Zico, Falcao and Maradona played for different competitive sides), you can already see the pattern - both teams never had a period of prolonged success because both were too romantic and, you can even say, a little naive. Elkjaer Larsen was the epitome of both sides - batshit crazy, energetic, direct and fearless, always running forward with the ball regardless of the amount and quality of defenders he faced; the style that will later be associated with the young Fenomeno.
We tried to fill our team with the players who were all incredibly direct (and sometimes even frustratingly so) and, which was quite probably as much important, who shared the same mentality and perception of the game itself. At the same time, the attack is as well-rounded as it can be: Elkjaer is the complete package; Streltsov provides (apart from the obvious goalscoring threat) incredible link-up play, bustling physicality and razor-sharp off the ball movement; Deyna is the prime playmaker of this side whose vision and ingenuity ensures that Elkjaer's ceaseless movement and shrewd runs off the ball will be rewarded; Kaltz (especially) and Demyanenko deliver mouth-watering service from the flanks and a supplementary goal-threat; Robson is the prototype of the all-encompassing goalscoring box-to-box and Bonhof too a complete specimen whose creative faculties matched his destructive ones and tactical acumen.
Style
We won't try to dominate the possession - in fact, our side will be morbidly direct***. The 3-5-2/5-3-2 is naturally a counter-attacking formation and we won't be changing that - because if there is a one thing Preben needs most, it's the liberty and free space to execute his incessant off the ball runs. Blankenburg-Bonhof-Robson and Deyna are all very capable of launching the counter with an accurate ball forward; in Kaltz and Streltsov we have two absolutely unique players with special and quirky deliveries - the German with his bananaflankens and the Russian Pele with his distinctive flick-ons and back-heels; Demyanenko, on the other flank provides a varied threat and his ability to stretch play with his motoring runs would prove to be a vital facet of our play here
***Whilst we have an extremely direct side, the likes of Robson and Deyna possess cool calm heads and are very much capable of providing the direction, composure and most importantly the leaderships qualities to go with the explosiveness. Vital qualities which shouldn't go under the radar.
Central player
If Laudrup characterized the genius at the heart of the Danish Dynamites, Lerby the sheer drive, then Elkjaer was the epitome of the sheer explosiveness and verticality behind his sides. Elkjaer on his trademark barnstorming rampages, like a man possessed was always quite the sight to behold. A potent blend of explosiveness, nifty footwork, pace and sheer physicality made Elkjaer a unique and at times unstoppable tour de force, capable of wreaking havoc on even the most sturdiest and organised defenses (just ask the peak eighties Serie A defenses).
He was determination incarnate, and his seemingly endless lung capacity is even more amazing given that he was a chain smoker. Often he would go on me-against-the-world runs, culminating most notably in famous strikes against Belgium and USSR. He would simply run through defenders (see his goal against Scotland in 1986) and if a brick wall got in the way, well, he'd take his chances. In short, nothing was going to stop him scoring, and it was fitting that, in the 1984-85 season in which he inspired little Verona to the Serie A title, he scored a superb solo goal against the reigning champions Juventus with no boot on his right foot, having lost it during a surge down the left. He nagged away at defenders constantly, inverting the 80s relationship between defender and attacker, and must have been a nightmare to play against.
Yet there was so much more to Elkjær than raw desire. He had wonderful balance and sublime skill: one ninja-like turn on Russell Osman during the 2-2 draw in 1982 boggles the mind almost as much as the famous Dennis Bergkamp goal at Newcastle; he developed the Elkjær turn, a spin-off of the Cruyff turn, when he was on holiday in Barbados and saw kids playing with coconuts on the beach. He was an incredibly aggressive finisher with both feet, from short – and long range; and if he was occasionally iffy in the air, his overall record – 38 in 69 games – brooks no argument. Truly, there have been very few forwards in the game's history with such a complete range of skills. He came third in the Ballon d'Or in 1984, second in 1985 and fourth in 1986. He also won the Bronze Ball at Mexico 86, the only instance of a player knocked out in the last 16 winning this award.
Defense
As always it very much starts from the back. 2 buccaneering wing backs, 2 physical all-rounders as center backs and an outstanding libero. There are very few phenomenons in football which gives rise to an indescribable feeling when you first witness it. Blankenberg and Hulshoff, the CB pairing, playing like #10s for Ajax is definitely one of them. Very few encapsulated the adventurous nature and the free-spirited essence of the libero like Blankenberg did (so much so that Cruyff invited him to play for the Dutch).
Morten Olsen very much played a key role for Denmark and those long sweeping balls from the back which accurately found Elkjaer in the midst of his barnstorming runs or allowing him to exploit his physicality against deep lying defenses with his link-up and hold-up play, were very much a frequent feature of the Danish Dynamites.In Blankenberg we have an accolmplished passer of the ball and an adventurous libero in every sesne of the word, who'd be a critical facet of our set-up here.
Schwarzenbeck made it his life's work to cover for a similar player, Vierchowod, with his pace and aggressiveness, is exactly what we need in this covering role. Demyanenko was the captain of Lobanovsky's spirited Dynamo and a rampaging presence who singlehandedly manned the flanks for club and country, with Kaltz is one of the greatest wingbacks ever and his bananaflanken-fuelled partnership with Hrubesh is the stuff of legends.
Midfield
Our multi-faceted and aggressive midfield is inspired by the Danish Dynamites with Elkjaer in mind. Instead of Laudrup we have Deyna, who shares the same elegance, vision and ubiquity - yet at the same time you can't blame him for the welcome injection of graft and goalscoring prowess that he brings to the table. With the link-up play and roaming nature of Elkjaer and Streltsov, this is an aspect we'd like to highlight.
Right at the heart of everything we have Bryan Robson, the epitome of a talismanic attacking box-to-box (Stevie who?), flying into crunching tackles and scoring screamers, whilst critically allying it with tactical acumen and awareness, with the craft to be at the fore of the supplyline for the forward line, and the dynamism to dovetail with our incredibly dynamic attacking unit. In lieu with Bonhof, one could hardly ask for a more dynamic or solid midfield base. Bonhof's defensive expertise and versatility, is well known, having played in every role in defence and midfield and even being a dedicated man-marker of Gerd Müller when Borussia faced Bayern; yet he also offers something else - an understanding of our a gung ho, idealistically direct system (I also see similarities with Mönchengladbach's side of the 70's), and a perfect set of skills to glue everything together. Both are very much capable of unleashing a fiercesome thunderbastard from 35 yards (poor Clemence should know a thing or two about that), executing a crunching tackle, foraging forward unpredictably or onto the flanks, pinging a lovely lofted ball for an assist - Robson's lovely left peg is testament to this Bonhof's vital assists speak for themselves - Gerd Muller's winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final as well as 4 assists in the semi-final and final of the 1976 European Championship.
Attack
Naturally it's built around Elkjaer, and he has the spatial freedom and tactical liberty to roam around, receiving a steady stream, and most importantly, a varied supplyline, whilst doing his thing - probing and opening up the gaps for his teammates (like he did for Briegel, Laudrup, Lerby et cetera). Streltsov combines outstanding physicality with his unique understanding of the game and willingness to bring others in play. It's really his link up play that made him that stand out, even though he was a goalscoring sensation in his early years. He also naturally drifts to the left, so they won't be bothering each other much - and Elkjaer will cherish all these smart flicks, one-twos and cheeky backheels.
Player Roles
H. Schumacher - Goalkeeper
H. Blankenburg - Libero
P. Vierchowod - Stopper (right)
H.-G. Schwarzenbeck - Stopper (left)
M. Kaltz - Right wingback with full creative freedom
A. Demyanenko - Left wingback
R. Bonhof - Defensive minded midfielder
B. Robson - Attacking box-to-box (more videos on the same channel)
K. Deyna - Attacking playmaker
E. Streltsov - "Target" striker (more videos here)
P. Elkær Larsen - Free-roaming forward
Specific Tactical Manoeuvres
Some of the examples. Of course we are not limited to that - and all the situations can be mirrored (Demyanenko instead of Kaltz, Bonhof instead of Robson etc)
Team Oeancha
Formation
Possession: 3-6-1
Defending: 6-3-1
Attacking: 3-4-3
Style
Free flowing, creative, attacking football. Sit deep and compact when defending, ready to spring a fast counter attack.
Ideology
The team is set up to be extremely versatile. Both sides of the pitch are packed with pace. Alaba, Reuter, Giggs and Bene are seriously fast players and all four have free reign to attack down the wings. Rosato, Guardiola and Kante will stay back while the team is attacking and create a solid core in the event of losing possession. Verratti can provide extra defensive support or push forward if Netzer has no space. Netzer has a completely free role. His main objective is to push the ball forward and create opportunities for Inzaghi, Giggs and Bene. However, he also has the freedom to take on players and shoot if he wants. Inzaghi’s sole job is to stay in the box and convert easy chances.
Player Roles
*Detailed instructions in Defending / Attacking
*More information about Preud’homme, Rosato and Bene at the end of post
Michel Preud’homme: Goalkeeper
Excellent reflexes, handling and technique. First point of distribution.
Stefan Reuter: Wing Back / Full Back
Ridiculously fast with a lethal long shot. Free reign to get forward while attacking. Reverting to full back while defending.
David Alaba: Wing Back / Full Back
Fast, versatile and intelligent. Free reign to get forward while attacking. Reverting to full back while defending.
Roberto Rosato: Centre Back / Stopper
A strong, aggressive, ‘You shall not pass’ defender who throws his body into tackles. Despite his lack of height he is a menace in the air. He will be the last line of defence.
Pep Guardiola: Deep Playmaker / Ball Winner
Fantastic passing and tackling skills. His positioning and awareness make him ideal to organise the defence. He will just be on defensive duties.
N’Golo Kante: Ball Winner
Limitless energy. He will chase down opposition players and win possession back as quickly as possible. He will primarily be on defensive duty but can push forward if necessary.
Marco Verratti: Playmaker / Ball Winner
Calm, collected and an expert in accurate passing. He will track back when defending and support Netzer as a second advanced playmaker while attacking.
Günter Netzer: Advanced Playmaker / Central Player
Phenomenal passing range and composure. The main playmaker who will focus on getting the ball forward, creating chances and shooting from distance.
Ferenc Bene: Winger / Wide Forward
A dynamic, lightning-quick dribbler with an incredible scoring record. He will attack the right wing, crossing low into the box or cutting inside to shoot.
Ryan Giggs: Winger / Wide Forward
No introduction needed as we all know how good Giggs is. He will attack the left wing, crossing low into the box or cutting inside to shoot.
Filippo Inzaghi: Poacher
Not pretty to watch but he knows how to score. He will be stationed in the penalty area waiting for the right time to pounce.
Central Player - Günter Netzer
A truly gifted player with a phenomenal passing range, elegant technique and lethal finishing abilities; not to mention being a set piece and crossing specialist. He was an undisputed leader and displayed an aura of subtle arrogance.
Excerpt
‘Deployed mainly as an attacking midfielder, he spent the majority of his career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, scoring 108 goals in 297 games. The most famous being in the 1973 DFB-Pokal final against FC Köln. He started as a sub and went onto the pitch during extra time, on his own authority, simply telling the coach "I'll go and play now" whilst removing his tracksuit. He then went on to score the winning goal with only his second contact three minutes later. In 1973 Real Madrid needed to respond to Barcelona signing Johan Cruyff and convinced Netzer to come to the Santiago Bernabéu. He spent three years with Real Madrid winning two La Ligas and two Copa Del Reys’.
I am not trying to re-create any of the past formations Netzer’s played in. I have built a squad which compliments his skill set and gives him absolute freedom; much like the freedom he was given by manager Hennes Weisweiler at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Guardiola, Kante and Verratti will all provide him cover so he has no defensive duties at all. He just has to focus on pushing forward and utilising his fantastic passing range. If Netzer gets man-marked then Verratti will push further forward and become a second attacking playmaker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Günter_Netzer
Defending
Despite the attacking nature of the team they are rock solid when defending.
Preud’homme is more than equipped to deal with shots and crosses at any distance. His presence and reliability will give the team confidence.
Guardiola, Kante and Verratti will drop deep, providing Rosato with support. All three are fantastic tacklers and they will create a wall in front of the penalty area. Kante will press the opposition hard and attempt to win the ball back as quickly as possible. Guardiola and Verratti will stay composed and wait for the right time to tackle. If the opposition manage to break through, Rosato will charge in and clear the ball by any means necessary.
Reuter and Alaba will revert to full backs and block any attacks down the wings.
Inzaghi will stay forward, while Netzer, Giggs and Bene will drop to the halfway line ready for the counter attack. None of these four have any defensive responsibilities.
Attacking
One of the main strengths of the team is the myriad of options going forward.
Netzer has support from every position on the pitch and wherever he passes there will be a player who can provide an attacking threat. He can play the ball out wide to Giggs and Alaba on the left or Bene and Reuter on the right. He can cut out the middle man and just play the ball through the centre to Inzaghi. Alternatively, he can just take the shot on himself. He scored countless goals from outside the area and has free reign to shoot if he has space. If he is heavily marked he can also play the ball back to Verratti who can continue the attack himself.
Rosato, Guardiola and Kante will stay back and cover in case possession breaks down.
There are three playmakers in the team; Netzer (advanced), Verratti (defensive or advanced) and Guardiola (defensive). All three have incredible passing skills and vision. They have the option of passing to each other through the middle or passing down the wings to Giggs and Alaba or Bene and Reuter.
Alaba and Reuter are both blessed with pace and have free reign to get forward. They have the option of either passing through the middle to Verratti and Netzer, passing down the wings to Giggs and Bene or overlapping them and crossing low into the box for Inzaghi. Reuter has a history of scoring screamers and is allowed to shoot from distance if he sees the right opportunity.
Giggs and Bene are both dynamic, lightning quick dribblers who can easily beat their man. Both are free to either speed down the wings and cross low into Inzaghi, wait for Alaba and Reuter to overlap or cut inside and take shots themselves.
Inzaghi will do what Inzaghi does best; hang around in the area looking for tap-ins, while creating space for Giggs and Bene.
Lesser Known Players
For those not familiar with Preud’homme, Rosato and Bene
Michel Preud’homme (Career 1977-1999)
A world-class, elegant, efficient, and consistent goalkeeper, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 World Cup. Preud'homme was mainly known for his excellent shot-stopping abilities, quick reflexes, agility, strength, tenacity, handling, and his ability to come off his line to collect crosses, as well as his tendency to produce spectacular and decisive saves. After his professional football career, Michel Preud'homme stayed at Benfica to become technical director. In September 2000, he suggested to the club that they should attract José Mourinho to become the head coach. At that time, Mourinho was just an interpreter at Barcelona. Preud'homme met Mourinho when he once visited Barcelona.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Preud'homme
Roberto Rosato (Career 1960-1079)
A powerful, hard-tackling, man-marking centre back often regarded as one of the greatest and most complete Italian defenders of all time. In addition to his tough, determined, physical, and aggressive style of play, he was also extremely composed and elegant on the ball, due to his notable technical ability and balance; he was also known for his commanding influence on the pitch. Rosato is mostly remembered for his highly successful time with Milan, where he won a host of domestic and international trophies (1 Serie A title, 3 Coppa Italia titles, 1 European Cup, 2 European Super Cups, and 1 Intercontinental Cup), forming a formidable back-line alongside Cudicini, Schneliinger, Anguilletti, and Trapattoni.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Rosato
Ferenc Bene (Career 1961-1979)
A vastly underrated player who spent his entire career playing for Újpesti Dózsa. Predominantly a striker, he scored an incredible 303 goals in 417 games. He was pushed out wide right while playing for the Hungarian national team to supplement Flórián Albert. However, he made the position his own and scored an impressive 36 goals in 76 games. Putting that into context the legendary Flórián Albert scored 31 goals in 75 games. He was best known for his performances with Hungary at the 1966 World Cup. A crucial member of ‘The Mighty Magyars’, he tormented defenders and ended up as Hungary’s top scorer at the tournament.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Bene
Philosophy/Ideology of tactical set-up
The side is built around "the crazy man from Lokeren", Preben Elkjaer Larsen, and is mainly inspired by the legendary Danish Dynamite (Denmark's national side in the 80's) - while also keeping in mind the Italian Champions of 1985, Hellas Verona. And despite Verona achieving arguably the greatest underdog accomplishment in history (winning the league where the likes of Platini, Zico, Falcao and Maradona played for different competitive sides), you can already see the pattern - both teams never had a period of prolonged success because both were too romantic and, you can even say, a little naive. Elkjaer Larsen was the epitome of both sides - batshit crazy, energetic, direct and fearless, always running forward with the ball regardless of the amount and quality of defenders he faced; the style that will later be associated with the young Fenomeno.
We tried to fill our team with the players who were all incredibly direct (and sometimes even frustratingly so) and, which was quite probably as much important, who shared the same mentality and perception of the game itself. At the same time, the attack is as well-rounded as it can be: Elkjaer is the complete package; Streltsov provides (apart from the obvious goalscoring threat) incredible link-up play, bustling physicality and razor-sharp off the ball movement; Deyna is the prime playmaker of this side whose vision and ingenuity ensures that Elkjaer's ceaseless movement and shrewd runs off the ball will be rewarded; Kaltz (especially) and Demyanenko deliver mouth-watering service from the flanks and a supplementary goal-threat; Robson is the prototype of the all-encompassing goalscoring box-to-box and Bonhof too a complete specimen whose creative faculties matched his destructive ones and tactical acumen.
Style
We won't try to dominate the possession - in fact, our side will be morbidly direct***. The 3-5-2/5-3-2 is naturally a counter-attacking formation and we won't be changing that - because if there is a one thing Preben needs most, it's the liberty and free space to execute his incessant off the ball runs. Blankenburg-Bonhof-Robson and Deyna are all very capable of launching the counter with an accurate ball forward; in Kaltz and Streltsov we have two absolutely unique players with special and quirky deliveries - the German with his bananaflankens and the Russian Pele with his distinctive flick-ons and back-heels; Demyanenko, on the other flank provides a varied threat and his ability to stretch play with his motoring runs would prove to be a vital facet of our play here
***Whilst we have an extremely direct side, the likes of Robson and Deyna possess cool calm heads and are very much capable of providing the direction, composure and most importantly the leaderships qualities to go with the explosiveness. Vital qualities which shouldn't go under the radar.
Central player
If Laudrup characterized the genius at the heart of the Danish Dynamites, Lerby the sheer drive, then Elkjaer was the epitome of the sheer explosiveness and verticality behind his sides. Elkjaer on his trademark barnstorming rampages, like a man possessed was always quite the sight to behold. A potent blend of explosiveness, nifty footwork, pace and sheer physicality made Elkjaer a unique and at times unstoppable tour de force, capable of wreaking havoc on even the most sturdiest and organised defenses (just ask the peak eighties Serie A defenses).
He was determination incarnate, and his seemingly endless lung capacity is even more amazing given that he was a chain smoker. Often he would go on me-against-the-world runs, culminating most notably in famous strikes against Belgium and USSR. He would simply run through defenders (see his goal against Scotland in 1986) and if a brick wall got in the way, well, he'd take his chances. In short, nothing was going to stop him scoring, and it was fitting that, in the 1984-85 season in which he inspired little Verona to the Serie A title, he scored a superb solo goal against the reigning champions Juventus with no boot on his right foot, having lost it during a surge down the left. He nagged away at defenders constantly, inverting the 80s relationship between defender and attacker, and must have been a nightmare to play against.
Yet there was so much more to Elkjær than raw desire. He had wonderful balance and sublime skill: one ninja-like turn on Russell Osman during the 2-2 draw in 1982 boggles the mind almost as much as the famous Dennis Bergkamp goal at Newcastle; he developed the Elkjær turn, a spin-off of the Cruyff turn, when he was on holiday in Barbados and saw kids playing with coconuts on the beach. He was an incredibly aggressive finisher with both feet, from short – and long range; and if he was occasionally iffy in the air, his overall record – 38 in 69 games – brooks no argument. Truly, there have been very few forwards in the game's history with such a complete range of skills. He came third in the Ballon d'Or in 1984, second in 1985 and fourth in 1986. He also won the Bronze Ball at Mexico 86, the only instance of a player knocked out in the last 16 winning this award.
Defense
As always it very much starts from the back. 2 buccaneering wing backs, 2 physical all-rounders as center backs and an outstanding libero. There are very few phenomenons in football which gives rise to an indescribable feeling when you first witness it. Blankenberg and Hulshoff, the CB pairing, playing like #10s for Ajax is definitely one of them. Very few encapsulated the adventurous nature and the free-spirited essence of the libero like Blankenberg did (so much so that Cruyff invited him to play for the Dutch).
Morten Olsen very much played a key role for Denmark and those long sweeping balls from the back which accurately found Elkjaer in the midst of his barnstorming runs or allowing him to exploit his physicality against deep lying defenses with his link-up and hold-up play, were very much a frequent feature of the Danish Dynamites.In Blankenberg we have an accolmplished passer of the ball and an adventurous libero in every sesne of the word, who'd be a critical facet of our set-up here.
Schwarzenbeck made it his life's work to cover for a similar player, Vierchowod, with his pace and aggressiveness, is exactly what we need in this covering role. Demyanenko was the captain of Lobanovsky's spirited Dynamo and a rampaging presence who singlehandedly manned the flanks for club and country, with Kaltz is one of the greatest wingbacks ever and his bananaflanken-fuelled partnership with Hrubesh is the stuff of legends.
Midfield
Our multi-faceted and aggressive midfield is inspired by the Danish Dynamites with Elkjaer in mind. Instead of Laudrup we have Deyna, who shares the same elegance, vision and ubiquity - yet at the same time you can't blame him for the welcome injection of graft and goalscoring prowess that he brings to the table. With the link-up play and roaming nature of Elkjaer and Streltsov, this is an aspect we'd like to highlight.
Right at the heart of everything we have Bryan Robson, the epitome of a talismanic attacking box-to-box (Stevie who?), flying into crunching tackles and scoring screamers, whilst critically allying it with tactical acumen and awareness, with the craft to be at the fore of the supplyline for the forward line, and the dynamism to dovetail with our incredibly dynamic attacking unit. In lieu with Bonhof, one could hardly ask for a more dynamic or solid midfield base. Bonhof's defensive expertise and versatility, is well known, having played in every role in defence and midfield and even being a dedicated man-marker of Gerd Müller when Borussia faced Bayern; yet he also offers something else - an understanding of our a gung ho, idealistically direct system (I also see similarities with Mönchengladbach's side of the 70's), and a perfect set of skills to glue everything together. Both are very much capable of unleashing a fiercesome thunderbastard from 35 yards (poor Clemence should know a thing or two about that), executing a crunching tackle, foraging forward unpredictably or onto the flanks, pinging a lovely lofted ball for an assist - Robson's lovely left peg is testament to this Bonhof's vital assists speak for themselves - Gerd Muller's winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final as well as 4 assists in the semi-final and final of the 1976 European Championship.
Attack
Naturally it's built around Elkjaer, and he has the spatial freedom and tactical liberty to roam around, receiving a steady stream, and most importantly, a varied supplyline, whilst doing his thing - probing and opening up the gaps for his teammates (like he did for Briegel, Laudrup, Lerby et cetera). Streltsov combines outstanding physicality with his unique understanding of the game and willingness to bring others in play. It's really his link up play that made him that stand out, even though he was a goalscoring sensation in his early years. He also naturally drifts to the left, so they won't be bothering each other much - and Elkjaer will cherish all these smart flicks, one-twos and cheeky backheels.
Player Roles
H. Schumacher - Goalkeeper
H. Blankenburg - Libero
P. Vierchowod - Stopper (right)
H.-G. Schwarzenbeck - Stopper (left)
M. Kaltz - Right wingback with full creative freedom
A. Demyanenko - Left wingback
R. Bonhof - Defensive minded midfielder
B. Robson - Attacking box-to-box (more videos on the same channel)
K. Deyna - Attacking playmaker
E. Streltsov - "Target" striker (more videos here)
P. Elkær Larsen - Free-roaming forward
Specific Tactical Manoeuvres
Some of the examples. Of course we are not limited to that - and all the situations can be mirrored (Demyanenko instead of Kaltz, Bonhof instead of Robson etc)
- Strikers lure away defenders, Robson runs to the free space (and scores)
- Overcrowding the opposition's box before the cross (in dynamic)
- Lots of options to start a counter with the long ball to one of our strikers, sorry for the amount of arrows, but you can also add Demyanenko and Bonhof to it
For example - Elkjær against Scirea's Juve, Streltsov against West Germany in 1956
- Streltsov flicks the long ball towards already running Elkjaer with his first touch
- Overcrowding the opposition's box before the cross (in dynamic)
- Lots of options to start a counter with the long ball to one of our strikers, sorry for the amount of arrows, but you can also add Demyanenko and Bonhof to it
For example - Elkjær against Scirea's Juve, Streltsov against West Germany in 1956
- Streltsov flicks the long ball towards already running Elkjaer with his first touch
Team Oeancha
Formation
Possession: 3-6-1
Defending: 6-3-1
Attacking: 3-4-3
Style
Free flowing, creative, attacking football. Sit deep and compact when defending, ready to spring a fast counter attack.
Ideology
The team is set up to be extremely versatile. Both sides of the pitch are packed with pace. Alaba, Reuter, Giggs and Bene are seriously fast players and all four have free reign to attack down the wings. Rosato, Guardiola and Kante will stay back while the team is attacking and create a solid core in the event of losing possession. Verratti can provide extra defensive support or push forward if Netzer has no space. Netzer has a completely free role. His main objective is to push the ball forward and create opportunities for Inzaghi, Giggs and Bene. However, he also has the freedom to take on players and shoot if he wants. Inzaghi’s sole job is to stay in the box and convert easy chances.
Player Roles
*Detailed instructions in Defending / Attacking
*More information about Preud’homme, Rosato and Bene at the end of post
Michel Preud’homme: Goalkeeper
Excellent reflexes, handling and technique. First point of distribution.
Stefan Reuter: Wing Back / Full Back
Ridiculously fast with a lethal long shot. Free reign to get forward while attacking. Reverting to full back while defending.
David Alaba: Wing Back / Full Back
Fast, versatile and intelligent. Free reign to get forward while attacking. Reverting to full back while defending.
Roberto Rosato: Centre Back / Stopper
A strong, aggressive, ‘You shall not pass’ defender who throws his body into tackles. Despite his lack of height he is a menace in the air. He will be the last line of defence.
Pep Guardiola: Deep Playmaker / Ball Winner
Fantastic passing and tackling skills. His positioning and awareness make him ideal to organise the defence. He will just be on defensive duties.
N’Golo Kante: Ball Winner
Limitless energy. He will chase down opposition players and win possession back as quickly as possible. He will primarily be on defensive duty but can push forward if necessary.
Marco Verratti: Playmaker / Ball Winner
Calm, collected and an expert in accurate passing. He will track back when defending and support Netzer as a second advanced playmaker while attacking.
Günter Netzer: Advanced Playmaker / Central Player
Phenomenal passing range and composure. The main playmaker who will focus on getting the ball forward, creating chances and shooting from distance.
Ferenc Bene: Winger / Wide Forward
A dynamic, lightning-quick dribbler with an incredible scoring record. He will attack the right wing, crossing low into the box or cutting inside to shoot.
Ryan Giggs: Winger / Wide Forward
No introduction needed as we all know how good Giggs is. He will attack the left wing, crossing low into the box or cutting inside to shoot.
Filippo Inzaghi: Poacher
Not pretty to watch but he knows how to score. He will be stationed in the penalty area waiting for the right time to pounce.
Central Player - Günter Netzer
A truly gifted player with a phenomenal passing range, elegant technique and lethal finishing abilities; not to mention being a set piece and crossing specialist. He was an undisputed leader and displayed an aura of subtle arrogance.
Excerpt
‘Deployed mainly as an attacking midfielder, he spent the majority of his career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, scoring 108 goals in 297 games. The most famous being in the 1973 DFB-Pokal final against FC Köln. He started as a sub and went onto the pitch during extra time, on his own authority, simply telling the coach "I'll go and play now" whilst removing his tracksuit. He then went on to score the winning goal with only his second contact three minutes later. In 1973 Real Madrid needed to respond to Barcelona signing Johan Cruyff and convinced Netzer to come to the Santiago Bernabéu. He spent three years with Real Madrid winning two La Ligas and two Copa Del Reys’.
I am not trying to re-create any of the past formations Netzer’s played in. I have built a squad which compliments his skill set and gives him absolute freedom; much like the freedom he was given by manager Hennes Weisweiler at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Guardiola, Kante and Verratti will all provide him cover so he has no defensive duties at all. He just has to focus on pushing forward and utilising his fantastic passing range. If Netzer gets man-marked then Verratti will push further forward and become a second attacking playmaker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Günter_Netzer
Defending
Despite the attacking nature of the team they are rock solid when defending.
Preud’homme is more than equipped to deal with shots and crosses at any distance. His presence and reliability will give the team confidence.
Guardiola, Kante and Verratti will drop deep, providing Rosato with support. All three are fantastic tacklers and they will create a wall in front of the penalty area. Kante will press the opposition hard and attempt to win the ball back as quickly as possible. Guardiola and Verratti will stay composed and wait for the right time to tackle. If the opposition manage to break through, Rosato will charge in and clear the ball by any means necessary.
Reuter and Alaba will revert to full backs and block any attacks down the wings.
Inzaghi will stay forward, while Netzer, Giggs and Bene will drop to the halfway line ready for the counter attack. None of these four have any defensive responsibilities.
Attacking
One of the main strengths of the team is the myriad of options going forward.
Netzer has support from every position on the pitch and wherever he passes there will be a player who can provide an attacking threat. He can play the ball out wide to Giggs and Alaba on the left or Bene and Reuter on the right. He can cut out the middle man and just play the ball through the centre to Inzaghi. Alternatively, he can just take the shot on himself. He scored countless goals from outside the area and has free reign to shoot if he has space. If he is heavily marked he can also play the ball back to Verratti who can continue the attack himself.
Rosato, Guardiola and Kante will stay back and cover in case possession breaks down.
There are three playmakers in the team; Netzer (advanced), Verratti (defensive or advanced) and Guardiola (defensive). All three have incredible passing skills and vision. They have the option of passing to each other through the middle or passing down the wings to Giggs and Alaba or Bene and Reuter.
Alaba and Reuter are both blessed with pace and have free reign to get forward. They have the option of either passing through the middle to Verratti and Netzer, passing down the wings to Giggs and Bene or overlapping them and crossing low into the box for Inzaghi. Reuter has a history of scoring screamers and is allowed to shoot from distance if he sees the right opportunity.
Giggs and Bene are both dynamic, lightning quick dribblers who can easily beat their man. Both are free to either speed down the wings and cross low into Inzaghi, wait for Alaba and Reuter to overlap or cut inside and take shots themselves.
Inzaghi will do what Inzaghi does best; hang around in the area looking for tap-ins, while creating space for Giggs and Bene.
Lesser Known Players
For those not familiar with Preud’homme, Rosato and Bene
Michel Preud’homme (Career 1977-1999)
A world-class, elegant, efficient, and consistent goalkeeper, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 World Cup. Preud'homme was mainly known for his excellent shot-stopping abilities, quick reflexes, agility, strength, tenacity, handling, and his ability to come off his line to collect crosses, as well as his tendency to produce spectacular and decisive saves. After his professional football career, Michel Preud'homme stayed at Benfica to become technical director. In September 2000, he suggested to the club that they should attract José Mourinho to become the head coach. At that time, Mourinho was just an interpreter at Barcelona. Preud'homme met Mourinho when he once visited Barcelona.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Preud'homme
Roberto Rosato (Career 1960-1079)
A powerful, hard-tackling, man-marking centre back often regarded as one of the greatest and most complete Italian defenders of all time. In addition to his tough, determined, physical, and aggressive style of play, he was also extremely composed and elegant on the ball, due to his notable technical ability and balance; he was also known for his commanding influence on the pitch. Rosato is mostly remembered for his highly successful time with Milan, where he won a host of domestic and international trophies (1 Serie A title, 3 Coppa Italia titles, 1 European Cup, 2 European Super Cups, and 1 Intercontinental Cup), forming a formidable back-line alongside Cudicini, Schneliinger, Anguilletti, and Trapattoni.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Rosato
Ferenc Bene (Career 1961-1979)
A vastly underrated player who spent his entire career playing for Újpesti Dózsa. Predominantly a striker, he scored an incredible 303 goals in 417 games. He was pushed out wide right while playing for the Hungarian national team to supplement Flórián Albert. However, he made the position his own and scored an impressive 36 goals in 76 games. Putting that into context the legendary Flórián Albert scored 31 goals in 75 games. He was best known for his performances with Hungary at the 1966 World Cup. A crucial member of ‘The Mighty Magyars’, he tormented defenders and ended up as Hungary’s top scorer at the tournament.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Bene
