----------------------------------------------- TEAM SJOR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TEAM MICHAEL ----------------------------------------------------
TEAM SJOR
Tactics
Attack built for Zico with both strikers capable of stretching the pitch to the maximum, both great selfless runners of the ball that Zico would love and Elkjaer who is well capable of holding the ball if needed. Behind that a strong defensive core with players that are more then capable on the ball so defending and countering or attacking through spells of possession isnt going to be a problem.
TEAM MICHAEL
My team will play a 5-3-2/3-5-2 formation with Boniek being free to drift from the AM position to either flank or to stay in the middle. I will discuss 4 of the lesser known players in my team before discussing my teams strengths.
My goalkeeper Jose Angel Iribar has 49 caps for Spain and has the Athletic Bilbao record for number of appearances. In Italy he was referred to as Zoff's twin not only because they looked similar but also because of his leadership and goalkeeping ability. Iker Casillas thought in 2010 that Iribar was one of the 10 greatest goalkeepers ever describing his abilities as follows:
Source
My Right Wing Back is Francisco Arce who was in the journalist voted Ideal Team of America (from players who played club football in South America) for seven consecutive years from 1996 to 2002 and in 1999 finished 2nd in the South American Footballer of the Year. He was also in the Bola de Prata (Brazilian league team of the year based on average rating) in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Arce was a brilliant crosser both from open play and from set pieces.
My Right Sided Centre Back is Bengt Gustavsson who was 1953 Swedish Footballer of the Year and in 1984 was ranked by France Football as the 5th best central defender of the century (Source). John Charles described Gustavsson as the best centre-back he played against. Gustavsson was decent on the ball, but his best attributes were strength, aerial ability and anticipating the play.
My Left Wing Back is Evgeny Lovchev who was considered the best LB in the Soviet league by the National Coaches council in 1969, 1972, 1973 and 1975 as well as the 2nd best LB in 1970 (Source). Additionally he finished 2nd in 1974 and 3rd in 1976 in a different position which judging from the other players is most likely CM but could also be winger. In 1975 he was the only non-Kiev player to regularly play for the Lobanovskiy managed USSR national team which Lovchev thought happened because he fit Lobanovskiy's concept of a fast mobile fullback (Source). Lovchev's strengths were his pace, passing and attack organising abilities.
Strengths
- Ronaldo, who in his 3 season peak from 1995 to 1998 scored 19 goals in 21 for PSV, 47 goals in 49 for Barcelona and 34 in 47 for Inter Milan while scoring 28 in 40 for Brazil across those years winning the FIFA World Player of the Year twice and the Ballon d'Or once. Nesta and Cannavaro (both better CB's than any my opponent has) have both stated that Ronaldo was the toughest opponent they faced.
- The crossing ability of Arce combined with the aerial ability of Riva.