Classic 3-5-2 against a attacking nuanced 4-2-3-1/4-4-2.
Got to say that forward line of harms is frightening, with Law's dynamism meshing exceptionally well with that forward line. Can't think of a more suitable centre forward for Pele in terms of fit and the set up that harms is utilizing here. I've not seen a more industrious (not Tevez/Seeler working hard at the front lines but dropping into midfield and making his presence felt) and pre knee injury Law is ideal for this attacking set up, esp with Pele unleashing him here. Tostao thrived playing with Pele and both of them enhanced each other's games, and I can see that here with Law and Pele, with Law's dynamism freeing up Pele to wreak havoc in and around the penalty box at will, and vice versa.
Figo's wingmanship and Rensenbrink's trickery and goalscoring prowess meshes together nicely (ideal FB complements too) and they have quite the deadly yet creative duo up front to fully exhibit their quality. Needless to say Suarez ties up everything nicely whilst also adding additional gloss to harms offensive thrust.
Would have preferred a more rounded midfielder in lieu of Desailly given the nature of the set up here but Pele and Law's ability to drop deep and facilitate play and Gion's lack of pressing or industry up front does lessen its impact for me. Also would have preferred a more resolute FB pairing (nothing wrong with them, esp Evra
) but it is an all time draft final after all.
Great synergy and complementary fits in the back 5 and midfield duo for Gion esp the Brazilian WB duo and the dream midfield pairing of Breitner-Schweinsteiger
. Esp Breitner who's probably the best supporting playmaking B2B to dovetail with Maradona. Scirea seriously enhances that back 5 in a way that I can't even see Beckenbauer doing, just easy to see him fitting in and how it'll all work out. Maradona will be in his element here with a solid back 5, an industrious and complete midfield duo and the trickery and the innate understanding of the forward duo. Nearly the perfect set up for Diego.
Really tight match up but I can just see harms squeaking this fairly high scoring game as I can see quite a few things going in his favour.
Harms full back duo (harsh on Evra again but given the company he is in) is arguably his weakest point but I don't see Gion capitalizing on it a great deal. Granted Cafu and Marcelo are amazing attacking wing backs but I don't see adequate offensive support* for them and they are up against the lethal and tricky wing duo of Rensenbrink -Figo, with Law and Pele waiting to get on the end of one of their balls.
*Ideally a wide forward or a midfielder who can forage out wide (Breitner as RCM but can see why he's on the left here to help out Marcelo defensively) would have been ideal. Romario was fairly central for a CF and not necessarily a Ronaldo in terms of attacking from out wide and Bebeto was more of an intelligent second striker who could attack the channels but not necessarily a Elkjaer or Rummenigge. I actually preferred Rivaldo (or even del Piero in his 'zone') for this reason and could see Maradona's playmaking and ability to tear apart defenses being better utilized (Careca-Carnevale/Valdano/Cannigia etc). As it stands the offense is a wee bit vertically oriented for me with the wing backs being solely expected to provide width.
On the other hand for all of Scirea's defense organising ability and ability to put out fires, there's just far too much fluidity, firepower and service from various multi faceted forwards for Chillieni and Barzagli to handle, and I can see the defense being stretched and them facing Law or Pele, or Rensenbrink cutting in, one on one isn't ideal.
That could have so easily have been the case had Rivaldo been playing here with Neal as the RB, and the additional movement and trickery and threat from wider areas could have unsettled and stretched harms defense and esp isolate Vidic against Romario for instance. As it stands I can see harms defense being relatively more organized and Moore getting a good handle on Romario's predatory prowling and Vidic being a decent supporting act who won't necessarily be exposed as much as he (or Neal and to a lesser extent Evra) could possibly have been here.
