.............................................. TEAM ENIGMA ................................................................................ TEAM PAT .............................
TEAM ENIGMA
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defensive line: normal
Style: direct, fast tempo. Team build around Zico as main playmaker, solid powerful midfield, watertight defence and top notch attacking unit.
Team card:
70's - PAVEL NEDVED (CZECH REPUBLIC)
60's - GABRIEL BATISTUTA (ARGENTINA) + COPA, ANTONIO BENARRIVO (ITALY)
50's - ZICO (BRAZIL), KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE (GERMANY) + CL
40's - PAT JENNINGS (NORTHERN IRELAND), ALBERT SHESTERNYOV (RUSSIA)
30's - DAVE MACKAY (SCOTLAND), IGOR NETTO (RUSSIA)
20's - DJALMA SANTOS (BRAZIL) + WC, JOSE SANTAMARIA (URUGUAY) + CL
10's - OBDULIO VARELA (URUGUAY) + WC
Team Profiles:
GK: Pat Jennings - the Irishman was undisputed number one for Spurs and Arsenal in the 1970's and 1980's. He was the first goalkeeper to save with his feet consistently, his clearances got a good length and his goal kicks had a great distance. During his time he was one of the best in one-on-one situations which invariably saved Arsenal and Spurs a lot of the time. Incredibly agile, he just flung out of the goal mouth and pretty much caught anything.
LB: Antonio Benarrivo - was considered to be one of the best attacking full backs during the 1990s in his time with Parma. Comfortable on both flanks, and was known for his attacking prowess, but also one of the most versatile and solid defenders of his time. Despite the plethora of quality of Italian full backs in the 90's he played a vital role on the left flank(playing in all but the opening game) in Italy's 94 WC run where they ended up runner-ups.
RB: Djalma Santos - While primarily known for his defensive skills, he often ventured upfield and displayed some impressive attacking skills, excellent crossing ability and distribution of the ball whilst also a dead-ball specialist.He was never sent-off during his career. Djalma went to the midfield to distribute the ball in great way was one of the first overlapping full backs along with Nilton on the other flank. It was very hard find Djalma misplaced at any position, his skills in one on one situations, anticipation, vision, passing(both long and short), reading of the game were superb. No wonder he's considered by many the best right back of all time.
CB: José Santamaría - the Uruguayan was a physically strong and complete defender who rarely allowed opposing players to get past—something that was truly remarkable given that Madrid often played with a 3-2-5 formation throughout the 1950s. Madrid's golden era was known for their attack, but it was their defense that made it possible—led on many occasions by the inspirational wall known as Santamaria. Santamaria was neither as cynical nor as roughhouse as some of his great Nacional or Penarol contemporaries but his strength, stamina, indispensable talent for interceptions in a team generally set up with only three defenders and his heading ability made him the best defender around in the Fifties.
CB: Albert Shesternyov - One of the greatest outfield Russian footballer of all-time, Shesternyov's career lasted just 13 years, but spanned the entire 1960's, which he spent exclusively with CSKA Moscow. He won nominated for the Ballon d'Or four times. He was phenomenal athlete and 100 metres for around 11 seconds in his youth, was champion not just area, but also of Moscow and Moscow region, showing excellent results in the 200 metres long and triple jump. His outstanding features included also a great jump and heading ability and fantastic defensive skills.
DM: Obdulio Varela - inspirational World Cup winning captain, he's probably the best DM in the pool with the absence of Desailly and Rijkaard. He was the archetype of the rioplatense No. 5, or deep-lying midfielder; able to handle himself physically, superb at shielding his defence and linking play to the midfield, Varela also had a ferocious shot from outside the penalty area, which England learned in Switzerland during the 1954 World Cup. In the quarterfinals, with the score at 1-1 and six minutes before half-time, Varela hit a fine drive from outside the box that England goalkeeper Gil Merrick couldn't reach - it was one of any number of long-rangers he scored during his career.
Great article on him for those interested - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-impossible-draft.439309/page-35#post-22784539
CM(box to box): Igor Netto - one of the elite midfielders of the 50's and 60's. A dynamic box to box midfielder, who liked the left side, but was versatile enough to move all across the pitch with his outstanding passing in dribbling ability and one of the most gifted Soviet players of all time.
AMC(Playmaker): Zico - To me the best player in the draft and on the park. He’s the greatest Brazilian to never win a World Cup. Pele once said: “The one player that came closest to me in playing style was Zico.” He had it all - vision, passing, one of the best dribblers and close control, whilst having the goalscoring ability of any forward in history - scoring more than 500 goals for club and country, not playing as a striker.
AML/LW: Pavel Nedvěd - One of the best midfielders in the last 30 years and one of the best ever to wear the black and white stripes of Juve. You always know what you get with him; goals, assists, great play-making, and hardwork. All while playing with high energy and infectious passion. He was very good defensively as well. A truly complete player and a Ballon D'or winner to boot.
RWF: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - a quote from El Mundo Deportivo back in 82 describes him best - "It hasn’t been a coincidence that he’s been voted two consecutive seasons in a row as the best European player. He has been the undisputable best player in Europe and for his country. The WC won’t be a deciding factor to his reputation, because he is already an accomplished player at the age of 26, and regarded as one of the major stars in the world. Success at the WC will just confirm for Germany that they have one of the greatest players in their history."
CF: Gabriel Batistuta - One of the best and complete #9's in history. He was an agile, evasive and inventive forward. He’d drop deep, link play, run in behind. Bully, harass, out-smart. There is a reason Diego Maradona once said he was the best centre forward of all time. He passed it into the net, powered headers, dinked, chipped and clipped it past hapless custodians. And of course, from time to time, he simply smashed it.
Great article on him for those interested - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-impossible-draft.439309/page-29#post-22723285
Defence: Every great attacking team needs a solid foundation at the back and we have that with 2 of the greatest CB's of all time and certainly in their respective era's - Shesternyov and Santamaria. Both are defensive walls equally adapt to handle the danger in the air and on the deck. Then we have the most complete full back in Djalma Santos on the right and Benarrivo on the left.
Midfield: Our midfield unit is constructed of solid defensively so that it can shield the back four, but also move the ball to Zico and Nedved, which would be Netto's role and win the ball back quickly to start prompt counter attacks. Netto and Varela are great in the defensive phase, which will allow Zico to run the game, whilst Nedved's presence would add up to the midfield battle and give us another body in midfield.
Varela vs Rivera would be a great battle and the former is someone who stacks up pretty well to Rivera. A midfield of Netto, Varela and with the help of Nedved and Zico would cut the supply to Pat's forward line and limit the opportunities they will get in front of goal.
Attack: A team that is definitely build around a fantastic attack, this is our focal point. Nedved, Kalle, Zico and Batistuta is an attacking unit that has it all and one of the best in their positions individually. Our attack has it all - the grit and determination of Nedved, Kalle and Batistuta, complimented by the incredible vision, pure flair and Dribbling ability of Zico. Zico, Batistuta and Kalle are phenomenal goalscorers and we have a lot of different routes for goal. Kalle would excel alongside physical and complete forward in Batistuta, to play off him and come from the right, whilst also Batigol creates space for him and Zico to make late runs in the box. Nedved with his endless stamina will buzz around the pitch add to the midfield battle as well as provide our forward line with creativity.
Advantages:
Our team is well set up to counter Pat's main strengths. We have a top CB pairing who are both excellent in the positional, pure tackling and athletic department with Santamaria stacking pretty well to Romario and Shesternyov to Leonidas. Varela would also limit the effect of Rivera, thus cutting off the supply to the forwards and the creativity in Pat's side.
Facchetti will have to use the left flank on his own, but that would mean he'd leave space for Kalle to exploit whilst on the other end he'll be met by none other than Djalma Santos. When Facchetti is not bombing forward, Djalma would tuck in and help the defence coping with Romario on the side.
On the other end we feel we have an advantage with Nedved challenging Bessonov (who also will have to provide width in attack) and Bozsik as DLP not the greatest fit against explosive Zico.
Worth mentioning as well is Kalle's and Batigol teamwork and pressing ability forward, which will be our first line of defence.
TEAM PAT
So says the greatest mind in football today, and if it's good enough for this man it's good enough for me:
Formation/Tactical Synopsis: Possession-orientated 4-4-2 Diamond
Defence:
Three time IFFHS World Goalkeeper of the Year Jose Luis Chilavert takes his place in goal. Ahead of him Willi Schulz, rated world class on 6 occasions by Kicker Magazine in their bi-annual rankings, partners Diego Godin, who conveniently for me continues to elevate his reputation by the match during the current World Cup. Our attacking build up will generally be funneled through our two all-time great playmakers towards the scintillating Brazilian pairing up front, but outlets in the wide areas are still essential and to that end I’ve drafted two athletic attacking full backs in Bessonov and the legendary Facchetti. With Bonhof in particular also providing supplementary width, I feel I've addressed the most obvious potential weakness of the diamond quite well.
Midfield:
With arguably the greatest deep-lying playmaker of all time in Bozsik at the base of the diamond, and the elegant, lavishly gifted classic playmaker Gianni Rivera at its tip, we’re aiming to establish a meaningful edge in possession and midfield control. With two playmakers at either end of the diamond, it was essential to flank them with mobile, powerful ball winners. As a box to box midfielder who also played in both full back positions, Bonhof’s suitability for the role should, I hope, be clear. As ever when attempting to situate an older player in a modern formation, Edwards as the LCM may attract some more scrutiny. I’ll elaborate more in the match thread, but my own stance is that his old left half back role translates well to this LCM engagement, and his own attributes translate even more effectively: Colossal strength and stamina, formidable ball-winning prowess and a redoubtable, team-orientated mentality.
Attack:
Romario is quite possibly the best centre forward in the draft, and with the likes of Luis Ronaldo and Eusebio on the blocked list he’s a stylistic rarity, with most of the other standouts tending towards the target man category and few possessing Romario’s quicksilver, jinking genius with the ball at his feet. His partner Leonidas, the best player and top scorer at the 1938 World Cup, seems to have been cut from a similar stylistic cloth. Comfortable at inside forward as well as centre forward, he was famously agile and inventive, as well as being utterly prolific.
Restrictions
10s: Leonidas (BRAZIL) Benbarek (MOROCCO)
20s: Bozsik (HUNGARY) CARRIZO (ARGENTINA)
30s: Edwards (ENGLAND) Schulz (GERMANY)
40s: Rivera (ITALY) Facchetti (ITALY)
50s: Bessonov (UKRAINE) Bonhof (GERMANY)
60s: Romario (BRAZIL) Chilavert (PARAGUAY)
70s: AYALA (ARGENTINA)
80s: Godin (URUGUAY)
6 x EUROPE
6 x SOUTH AMERICA
1 x AFRICA
1 x ASIA
CL: Rivera, Facchetti
WC: Romario, Bonhof
CA: Romario, Godin
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