Redafe Champions League Draft - Gio vs Nahealai

[Theon]

Formation

A balanced and cohesive 4-2-3-1 provides the perfect platform for the considerable quality on display to showcase their collective ability. Balance is provided through complementary partnerships (Ferdinand/Montero; Silva/Fabregas; Rivaldo/Nedved) up and down the park, while cohesion comes through the Juventus Montero/Zambrotta/Nedved axis and the Brazil/Depor link through Mauro Silva/Rivaldo/Taffarel.

Where the difference will be made:

• Domination of the flanks. Nahealai lacks wide midfielders or attackers to deal with the huge threat posed by Zanetti, Zambrotta, Joaquin and Nedved. His four central midfielders are all strong technicians but collectively lack mobility to undertake the pressing into wide areas that enable such narrow midfields to work (see Italy '06, Milan '00s, France '98), affording our highly talented full-backs space to take control of the game.

• Stronger defence. No chinks in a bulletproof back line. In contrast, Couto, Marchena and Abidal are suspect at this rarefied level and will be vulnerable to Owen's sheer pace, never mind Rivaldo's penetration.

• Counter attack. Nahealai has the midfield for a possession game but not the defence comfortable playing a high line to back it up. The counter-attacking threat of Nedved, Rivaldo, Owen and Joaquin, supported by Fabregas's passing, will surely expose it.

PLAYER PROFILES

Claudio Taffarel
Almost flawless at three World Cups for Brazil as he racked up 101 caps for the Selecao. Expert at pulling off big saves when it mattered most, see his penalty shoot-out stops against Holland (1998 World Cup Semi-Final) and Italy (1994 World Cup Final), his fantastic save from a Thierry Henry header in the UEFA Cup Final or even this save-of-the-tournament in the last minute of the group stages against Scotland (had that gone in we would've qualified for the knockout stages for the first time in our history - you cnut Taffarel).

Javier Zanetti
Along with Thuram and Cafu from this generation, he is one of the greatest right-backs of all time. Probably the most complete player of the last 20 years bringing together physical (check out the size of those thighs), technical (gifted user of the ball, as shown by his finish against England in '98) and mental (versatile, consistent and even at 37 see his snuffing out of a prime Messi in the 2010 CL semi-final) attributes into one supreme package.

Rio Ferdinand
The Premiership's outstanding defender and the best centre-back in the world between 2006 and 2008. Complete centre-half who thrives next to a hardman like Montero in the mould of a Vidic, Terry or Campbell.

Paolo Montero
Uncompromising, left-footed and classy, Montero complements Ferdinand and Zambrotta perfectly. A key component of the great 1990s and early 2000s Juventus sides. Very highly rated in South America, he was a huge influence on the success of the Uruguayan national team:

Spoiler

WC2002 qualifiers with him organising the defence: Uruguay conceded the least goals in the South American qualifiers (13 in 18 games, 4 of these in the 3 games he missed making it 9 in 15 games - 0.6 per game).

WC2006 qualifiers with him left out because he was "past it": Uruguay conceded 23 in 8 games (3 per game).

WC2006 qualifiers once recalled to sort out the defence: Uruguay conceded 5 in 10 games (0.5 per game, that's a SIXfold improvement).

Gianluca Zambrotta
Another member of that great Juventus side who also counts Barcelona and AC Milan amongst his employers. Excelled internationally at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 where in both instances he was named in the official team of the tournaments. Only five Italians have more internationals caps than the all-rounder Zambrotta who was reliable and capable on either flank or in midfield.

Cesc Fabregas
From 2008 to 2012 Fabregas was the Premiership's outstanding midfielder, racking up more assists than any other midfielder in Europe. Precociously gifted with a penetrating eye for a pass.

Mauro Silva
Along with Dunga, Brazil's most influential central midfielder of the last 30 years. Together their midfield-anchoring ability changed the way Brazil played with a host of copycat-but-not-quite-so-good midfielders following in their considerable footsteps. At club level, Mauro Silva remains a legend at Deportivo and it's no coincidence that his time at the club aligns exactly with the rise and best years of Super Depor.

Nobody could get through Brazil in 1994 as they kept 5 clean sheets in 7 matches (essentially 6 out of 7 for Mauro who left the fray prior to Sweden's equaliser in a group stage dead rubber). With Silva absent in 1998, they managed just 1 in 7 as opposing attacking midfielders had a field day (Zidane, Laudrup, Jorgensen all netting). Many La Liga followers will remember his display in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, a match effectively set up to celebrate Madrid's centenary and the inevitable victory of Perez's all-conquering Galacticos. Silva spoiled the party with one of the great defensive midfield performances, his domination such that Zidane and Raul were reduced to taking petulant swipes after they were dispossessed for the umpteenth time.

Pavel Nedved
Goalscoring midfielder brimming with energy and commitment. His repertoire of goals in Serie A was exceptional such was his ability to find the net from long range. Two-footed and aggressive, he inspired Juventus to the CL final in 2002-03, only to miss the match as a result of suspension. No less of a legend on the international stage as his talismanic performances at Euro 1996 and 2004 testify.

Rivaldo
Between Maradona and Messi, nobody bettered the peak that Rivaldo achieved with Barcelona and Brazil (Ronaldinho and Ronaldo hit similar zeniths). Possessor of one of the greatest and most multi-faceted left-feet the game has ever seen, he was a scintillating and talismanic match-winner between 1998 and 2002. His hat-trick against Valencia on the last day of the 2000/01 season remains one of, if not the greatest performances in the history of the game.

Joaquin
Between the fall of Figo and the rise of Ronaldo, Joaquin was the outstanding right-winger in Europe. Orthodox winger who was Spain's best player at the 2002 World Cup and was fantastic for Betis, a level he did not maintain at Valencia and Malaga. In his peak form (2002-2005) likely to get the better of a number of the weaker left-backs in the draft.

Michael Owen
Embarrassed an array of world-class defenders during his career thanks to his blistering pace and always reliable finishing - particularly on the biggest stages. Plundered a hat-trick the last time he faced Oliver Kahn.

Roy Makaay
Gifted forward who was both a great goalscorer and a scorer of great goals. 108 goals in just three seasons while at Deportivo and Bayern testify to his onion-bag-rattling ability. Normally deployed as the lone frontman in Irureta's 4-2-3-1, or occasionally wide right in recognition of his rounded skillset, Makaay was excellent at finishing from range with both feet, while a 6ft 2' frame made him a potent threat in the air.

Team Gio​

Sub - Makaay on, Owen off​

Spoiler

 

[Theon]

VS​

​

Nahealai FC​

Sub - Abidal for Juninho​

Spoiler

TEAM INFORMATION

Tactics
I’ll start with a 4-4-2 diamond, but with the flexible personnel at my disposal, I can effortlessly switch between this formation and 4-4-3, 4-5-1, 3-5-2 and a 5-3-2. With the diamond formation, the onus will be on my full/wing-backs to provide the width in the attacking third, and this is where Sergio Busquets is vital. He’ll slot back into defence and make it a back three, with Irwin and Lizarazu making up a five-man midfield. Ballack and Xavi are experienced enough to protect the middle, leaving van Nistelrooy, Raúl and Juninho to link up with the attacking nous of two of the best attacking full-backs in the draft. Raúl will also be dropping off van Nistelrooy and linking up with Juninho, and that will force Gio’s centre-back pairing to make a decision on whether to follow him or not.

Leadership
I am a big believer in having a strong sense of leadership in these draft competitions, and this has been the basis for my team again. In the last twenty years, you’d struggle to name more influential captains – both internationally and at club-level - than Xavi, Raúl, Ballack, Kahn, and they are superbly supported by other celebrated captains such as Couto, Marchena and Juninho. Although never full-time captains, Irwin and van Nistelrooy often wore the Manchester United armband with distinction, too. That’s basically my entire first XI whom are all natural leaders and who you know will stand up to be counted on the big day. There are some leaders in the opposition’s XI, but not as many, and certainly not as decorated either.

Natural Partnerships
Along with natural leaders, I also think natural partnerships are fundamental to a winning draft side. In my squad, I have no fewer than eight examples/connections of players who’ve played together at the highest level (Kahn – Lizarazu; Kahn – Ballack; Marchena – Busquets – Xavi; Marchena – Raúl; Abidal – Busquets – Xavi; Irwin – van Nistelrooy; Xavi – Raúl; van Nistelrooy – Raúl). Many of these connections form the spine of my team and this natural understanding should be significant when the teams play. Again, the opposition has some examples of this, but not on the same scale as my squad, nor have these connections been as successful.

Set-Pieces
In my squad, I have many quality exponents of the art of the set-piece. Juninho, Irwin, Ballack, Xavi – all fantastic free-kick takers, and all with varying styles, too. With my superior aerial advantage over the opposition, I expect this facet of the game to be crucial. With Paolo Montero in defence, I fully expect to be getting plenty of free-kicks inside the opposition’s half, and with Couto, Marchena, Ballack and van Nistelrooy all being dominant in the air, they will thrive on those dangerous free-kicks peppering Gio’s penalty area.
In terms of penalty-kicks, I also have a fantastic selection of takers. van Nistelrooy, Raúl, Irwin and Ballack are all excellent from the spot and will expertly punish any rash challenge inside the penalty area.

Champions League Winners
I know the objective of the draft was to form a strong squad that was to include some non-tournament winners, but that shouldn’t overlook the strength of players who actually did win it. Of the winners in my squad, some of them played a hugely prominent part in their respective team’s victories: (Kahn was voted Man of the Match in the 2001 Final, Xavi was voted Man of the Match in 2009, as well as Midfielder of the Year, Raúl was awarded UEFA Best Forward in 2000, 2001 and 2002, when Real Madrid were winners twice in three years). Furthermore, players such as Ballack (UEFA Best Midfielder 2002) and van Nistelrooy (UEFA Best Forward 2003) are fantastic players to have in the “non-winners” category.


OPPOSITION WEAKNESSES

Taffarel
Despite making over 100 appearances for Brazil, Taffarel will always be remembered as a cock-up waiting to happen. Taffarel was fine in a team which had two solid lines of defence in front of him, which Perreira did in 1994 when he sacrificed attacking flair to pick Dunga, Mauro Silva, Mazinho and Zinho in the midfield berths, and leaving the goalscoring solely to Romario and Bebeto. Gio’s XI does not have the luxury of guarding Taffarel like this, and I’d expect my team to expose him.

Defending Set-Pieces
I have an embarrassment of riches in terms of options from set-pieces. Often called the “greatest free-kick taker of all time”, Juninho will be a lethal option with his wide array of free-kicks. Ballack, Irwin and Xavi are all top quality free-kick takers in their own right too, should the need arise. To add to the quality delivery from my players, I also have several players who are extremely dominant in the air. Couto, Marchena, Ballack, and van Nistelrooy were all renowned for their heading ability, and I don’t see the personnel on Gio’s team to combat this and defend adequately. Throw in Taffarel’s weakness under the high ball/crosses, I think my XI will profit here.

Midfield
The only two natural central midfielders in Gio’s team are Mauro Silva and Fabregas. I feel they have a monumental task on their hands to get the better of Xavi, Busquets and Ballack, not to mention having to pick up Juninho playing in the hole. I can see my team dominating this crucial area of the field. In addition to this, Nedved, Rivaldo and Joaquin aren’t necessarily known for their defensive duties and playing all three together will definitely weaken Gio’s middle third if he chooses this approach.

Lone Striker
Both Couto and Marchena are very experienced defenders (starring in international tournaments for their respective national teams) and have been talismanic leaders for various teams they’ve played for. Both tenacious in the tackle, aerially dominant and pacy for big men, I think they will nullify the lone striker of Gio’s team if he chooses this tactic.

Champions League Winners
Many commentated throughout the draft that Gio’s squad has a lot of non-Champions League winners in it. Some will see this as an achievement that he was able to assemble a strong squad considering this fact, but (naturally!) I don’t agree. I appreciate some great players haven’t won the tournament, and that’s understandable, but the spine of my team has some multiple-winners, and I think they will make the difference against players who, for whatever reason, never saw ultimate success in the club game.


SUMMARY

Head-to-head

Defence: In between the sticks, I think I have the best goalkeeper in the draft, even ahead of Buffon. Kahn was exceptional for Bayern and Germany, a tour-de-force who seemed impossible to beat. Taffarel was nowhere near his equal and this mis-match could be very decisive. Admittedly, I think Gio’s center-back pairing is stronger than mine, if only by a small margin. However, they will need to be to be able to handle Raúl and van Nistelrooy, the best strike partnership in the draft in my opinion. In terms of full-backs, I think Lizarazu and Irwin are every bit as good as their counterparts, and arguably more dependable. Zambrotta, in particular, can be less-than-convincing in the tackle and in his positioning.

Verdict: Draw

Midfield: The key area of the field, for me. Midfield battles are almost always the match-winners in draft competitions and I think I have one of the strongest, if not the strongest, in this one. Busquets – Xavi – Ballack is extremely strong and have just the right blend of strength, guile and technical superiority. I’d fancy these three against any three in the draft, let alone a midfield two if Gio goes with Mauro Silva and Fabregas. In the attacking sense of midfield, Gio has the edge with Nedved, Rivaldo and Joaquin, but they will leave his middle third very vulnerable so this offsets their danger, in my opinion. Juninho will be difficult for Gio’s midfield to pick up as they’ll have other priorities in the other midfield triumvirate, and he has the technical game to unlock Gio’s defence.

Verdict: nahealai

Attack: In terms of goalscorers, I have two of the top three in the draft. Raúl and van Nistelrooy have 127 Champions League goals between them and formed a deadly partnership together at Real Madrid. van Nistelrooy’s physical strength was a powerful attribute and his technical ability belied his size. Capable of any type of finish, on the ground or in the air, he’ll complement Raúl’s guile and cunning in and around the penalty box. Gio’s squad has Makaay and Owen, and with all due respect to those two, they are not in the same league as my frontmen. Indeed, without trying to sound patronising, Makaay is inferior to van Nistelrooy in every respect and Owen, despite his great pace, wasn’t as technically gifted nor intelligent as Raúl.

Verdict: nahealai

Overall verdict: I think Gio has built an excellent side which is among the best in the competition, but I feel my team shades this match. Defence is a 50/50 call, but midfield, where all games are won and lost, goes to me, and I think my attack is more potent than – and reliable – than Gio’s.

 

[Theon]

PLAYER PROFILES

Oliver Kahn
Regarded as being one of the best goalkeepers of all-time, Kahn is excellent last-line of defence. Capable of extraordinary acrobatic saves, Kahn’s main strength lay with his astonishing presence in 1v1 situations. He’s the only goalkeeper to win the Man of the Match award in a Champions League Final following his heroics in Bayern’s win in 2001, and still the only goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball (Best Player award) at a FIFA World Cup after his imperious goalkeeping in 2002. Legend.

Denis Irwin
Irwin was not called “Mr. Dependable” for nothing. In fact, you could count the number of poor/average games Irwin had at Old Trafford on one hand. Irwin’s game was built on his tremendous anticipation and wonderful positional skills. Solid as a rock defensively and clinical in the final third, Irwin is a fine option to have on the right-wing. One of the finest two-footed players of his generation, Alan Hansen once said, that given a choice of full-backs to have on his all-time team, he’d pick Denis Irwin at left-back and Denis Irwin at right-back. Guaranteed to be an 8/10 performer, and capable of nullifying many of the wingers in the draft.

Carlos Marchena
World and European champion with the all-conquering Spanish national team, Marchena is an ultra-experienced defender. Marchena closed off a fine Euro 2008 campaign when he was chosen by UEFA at centre-back in their Team of the Tournament at Euro 2008. Strong in the tackle and comfortable in possession, Marchena can also play in the heart of midfield, and has a good goalscoring record from both positions (1, 2). Another team captain to form part of my squad, Marchena can lead by example beside other captains such as Kahn, Couto, Xavi, Ballack, Juninho and Raúl. Marchena also holds a FIFA international record of 52 consecutive games unbeaten with his national team.

Fernando Couto
With over 100 caps for Portugal, as well as playing for European heavyweights such as Barcelona, Lazio, Porto and Parma, Couto was a resolute defender in the South American mould. Physically and dominant and with pace to match it, Couto was a key member of Barcelona’s 1997 La Liga winning side, as well as Lazio’s famous team around the turn of the millennium and Parma’s UEFA Cup winning side. Captain of Portugal and Lazio simultaneously, Couto was an inspirational leader. Indeed his performances four years earlier at Euro 2000 were even better when he was placed second overall in clearances and third overall in successful blocks. Despite his size, Couto was known for his graceful skills and surging runs from deep, which Busquets can naturally cover. He’s also a huge threat from set-pieces which will be expertly taken by Juninho, Irwin, Xavi and Ballack.

Eric Abidal
Another hugely-decorated member of my squad, Abidal can operate at centre-back or left-back. Known for his anticipation and reading of the game, Abidal is an elegant defender whom is extremely comfortable in possession. His natural understanding with Xavi and Busquets will be invaluable.

Bixente Lizarazu
When you think of the best left-backs of the Champions League era, Lizarazu is one of the first names that immediately springs to mind. Excellent in defence and attack, he was rarely bettered for both club and country. Lizarazu’s legacy is summed up with the fact he was the first player to hold World and European titles simultaneously, both with the national team and club side (France – World Cup ’98 & Euro 2000; Bayern – Champions League 2001 & Intercontinental Cup 2001). He complements Irwin on the opposite flank brilliantly.

Sergio Busquets
Busquets is the premiere player of his type in the world, and up there with the best of all-time. In a team which likes the full-backs to get forward, Busquets’ role is vital. Majestic in possession, imperious anticipation and extraordinary defensively, not to mention incredible at passing between the opposition’s midfield lines, Busquets is the archetype defensive midfielder-cum-center-back. A major part of the unprecedented success of both Spain and Barcelona can be attributed to Busquets and his presence in my side is significant.

Xavi
The team’s “chess player”. In football, many things occur through luck or by accident, but Xavi is the antidote to that philosophy. He sees the game ten steps ahead of everyone else. Great teams need great players, and Xavi has been the heartbeat of arguably the best club side and best national team of all-time. Precision personified, he’s almost without equal in his position. He specialises in finding space where there simply isn’t any, and his understanding with Busquets (1, 2, 3), in particular, will see both men prosper.

Michael Ballack
The outstanding complete midfielder of his generation, Ballack was unstoppable for much of the 2000s, for both club and country. Germany’s voyage to the World Cup Final in 2002 can be largely attributed to two players: Kahn and Ballack, both of whom feature prominently in my XI. Defensively brilliant, physically imposing, aerially dominant, two-footed, technically outstanding and possessing a great engine, Ballack was a tour de force. His eye for goal from midfield is legendary and his leadership skills in a team full of natural leaders will make him fit right in. He was the full package. The German completes one of the best midfields in the draft.

Juninho Pernambucano
A cult hero of the Champions League after his exploits with Lyon over eight seasons, Juninho is a fantastic asset for any team. Famous for his outrageous free-kicks, Juninho’s game was about much more than that. Great vision and a fantastic eye for a pass/assist, he was creator-in-chief for a Lyon side that won 7 consecutive Ligue 1 titles and more than held their own in Europe. 40 caps for Brazil around the time they were World champions, Juninho’s technical quality could decide the tightest of games.

Raúl
The top goalscorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League with 71 goals and top goalscorer in Real Madrid history with 323 goals in all competitions. Three-time winner of the competition makes him one of the most decorated in the draft. Comfortable as a striker or in a withdrawn role, Raúl is dangerous from anywhere around the box. Technically brilliant and extremely intelligent, he’ll be very difficult to nullify for 90 minutes. Another natural leader who’ll be invaluable in the draft.

Ruud van Nistelrooy
One of the best finishers the game has seen in the past twenty years, van Nistelrooy is third in the top goalscorers charts in UEFA Champions League history (56 goals). One of my non-tournament winners, he has built a reputation as being a single-minded goalscorer (like that’s a bad thing!) but his game is more well-rounded than that. van Nistelrooy’s prowess in front of goal is confirmed with the wide-ranging type of goals he scored: right-foot, left-foot, headers, volleys, back-to-goal, and individual efforts (1, 2), he did it all. Capable of exquisite pieces of skill and physically imposing, van Nistelrooy is comfortable as a lone striker or with a partner. His Real Madrid partnership with Raúl plundered plenty of goals for both players, and it will take a good defence to keep them both quiet in this draft.

 

[Fergus' son]

Woah, great write ups guys, puts mine and snows to shame!

 

[Theon]

Yup, absolutely top class

 

[Thisistheone]

Excellent, fair play.

 

[Cutch]

Hi Gio, remember me?

Joking, i'll vote fairly. Not yet but

 

[Fergus' son]

A few points IMO so far:

- Nahelai has the far superior strikers. Was never Owens biggest fan even at his peak but that in a way is made up for by having the greatest goal scoring number ten since Baggio in Rivaldo.

- nahelais CBs are a weak link IMO, good/great players but definitely a couple of the worst in the draft. Can anyone remind us of how much pace they had? Will be a key factor when dealing with Owen.

- Gio has opted for just the one, albeit beastly, midfielder focused on defence. The rest really won't contribute much IMO, apart from maybe Nedved. Will this be enough?

- I hate seeing RVN without natural width or wingers in his team. He has teammates that have great deliveries but will they be coming in often enough from the right places?

- Good point in nahelais write up about Montero conceding free kicks, bound to give Juninhos an oppurtunity and he's the best at them. That is somewhat countered by Feridnands presence though, who can go months without conceding a free kick!

- I would've preffered Makaay instead of Joaquin, even in a like for like position. Zanetti can provide great width on his own and I do feel Owen needs a little more help. Pretty sure not everyone will see it that way though.

 

[Fergus' son]

Hi Gio, remember me?

Joking, i'll vote fairly. Not yet but

Haha! He made me sweat too!

 

[Theon]

So many videos to look through!

I have a shit load of work to do but I reckon I'll get through most of them - Nahealai's Taffarel video is a brutal find

 

[Nighteyes]

The lack of width for Nahelais could be telling I think. For Gio the midfield looks a wee bit bare as Fabregas is very attack minded.

 

[Amar__]

Negatives:

Gio's midfield is weak defensively, and Nahealai's team lack's agility almost everywhere, I don't think neither of Ballack, Xavi and Juninho complement too much to eachother.

Lots of positives in both teams, like the Nahaelai's fullbacks.

 

[Fergus' son]

So many videos to look through!

I have a shit load of work to do but I reckon I'll get through most of them - Nahealai's Taffarel video is a brutal find

Great find. To be fair, if ever a goalkeeper is going to be a difference maker in this draft it had to be Kahn, can single handedly save games on occassion!

 

[kps88]

Gio's team would have been near perfect if he managed to get an all action midfielder in place of Fabregas. Not a fan of Nahelai's center backs at all though.​

 

[Thisistheone]

Both manager's have put a lot of effort into this, with great depth to their write-ups. Going to be tough to seperate.

 

[Gio]

nahelais CBs are a weak link IMO, good/great players but definitely a couple of the worst in the draft. Can anyone remind us of how much pace they had? Will be a key factor when dealing with Owen.

Both Couto and Marchena were notoriously slow. Fine if dealing with a big target-man in the mould of an Ibrahimovic or Drogba, less appropriate for someone as rapid as Owen.

New York Times, previewing the Euro 2000 semi-final between Portugal and France, wrote:

Couto has neither the pace nor finesse to cope with Thierry Henry

CBC World Cup 2002 preview:

"Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa make up for their lack of pace with guile and experience"

Planet World Cup - World Cup 2002 preview:

"Portugal's central defence is slow, but strong in the tackle."

As for Marchena, again a solid centre-back, but the typical view on him is:

Bluemoon:

"Slow and clumsy, good defender but won't suit Prem"

PESDatabase:

"he's terribly slow" and "the man has absolutely no pace at all, no pace at all."

 

[TheGame]

Bluemoon, PESDatabase

 

[Buchan]

I know, tell me about it, TG!

On those quotes about Couto, how convenient that they come from a time when he was 34 years old and coming to the end of his career. When at Barcelona, Parma and Lazio, his was a fine physical specimen and regarded as one of the best centre-backs in Europe. I know modern football fans will rate modern players higher, but folk rating Carvalho ahead of Couto is downright laughable. He was a rock during the late 90's/early 2000s and quite rightly regarded as a Porto and Portugeuese legend. He was also highly rated in Italy during a time when good centre-backs were plentiful, and was very impressive for both Lazio and Parma.

 

[Fergus' son]

Gio might aswell vote for himself to balance up nahelais vote.

 

[Fergus' son]

Let's bump this up towards the top again, would be nice if fellow participants could vote, half of them didn't in the last game!

 

[Buchan]

Also, on the Owen issue. If we are considering players in their primes, Owen's undoubted prime came between the ages of 18-23. I would not expect a relatively inexperienced player to dominate a centre-back partnership consisting of a World and European Cup-winner and one of the finest Portoguese center-backs of all time. Both of whom were excellent leaders and captains for various teams. They have too much nous and ability for that, and I think Busquets hoovering up in front of them is another reason why I don't expect to be exposed defensively at all. In fact, I can see Owen being isolated, and thus, nullified by my whole defensive unit.

 

[JaffyJoe]

I think Gio has a good team the best/most balanced I have seen so far. I would rather see Makkaay up front just a more complete and cultured striker than Owen was.

 

[Buchan]

In the personal match-ups, I also think I hold a few trump cards:

Kahn v Taffarel is an easy win for me.

Lizarazu v Joaquin is also a win for me
Couto & Marchena won't be dominated by an inexperienced Michael Owen
Irwin v Nedved is pretty much a stalemate. Irwin's positioning and defensive nous was excellent

Busquets v Rivaldo is intriguing. It's a preference on who you personally prefer but I'd argue that Busquets is far more reliable and consistent, despite Rivaldo being capable of moments of magic

Ballack & Xavi v Fabregas is a comfortable win for me

Juninho v Silva is is a win for Gio but Juninho's expertise from set-pieces makes him a match-winner

van Nistelrooy & Raúl v Ferdinand and Montero is a narrow win for me. Montero is quite cynical and will find it hard to match Raúl's intelligence by fair means, which my expert set-piece takers will punish. van Nistelrooy is more than capable of winning his duel with Ferdinand, who, even in his prime, was known to drop a bollock occasionally. Ruud will be there to pounce when he does. When you consider the natural partnership van Nistelrooy and Raúl formed in real life, I cannot see them being nullified by Ferdinand and Montero.

 

[Moby]

It took Fernando Redondo at his very best to put brakes on Rivaldo when he was in top gear, mate. As much as I like Busquets and rate him, he's not really gonna do that.

 

[Buchan]

If Gio brings on Makaay, I can see it playing into my hands. Makaay's style will suit my defence just fine. Should be choose to pair Owen and Makaay, he'll have to take one of his attacking midfielders off, and he has no genuine winger to suit a 4-4-2 other than Joaquin, who is far and away his weakest attacker. If Gio re-jigs his midfield, I can see that only weakening his middle third further.

I think my substitute (Abidal) affords me far more options and flexibility than what Gio's substitute does for his side.

 

[Nighteyes]

Gio has the better Center Backs for me. Not only are they excellent but they compliment each others style very well as well and it won't be easy to get past them. In comparison Nahe's backline is lacking both in quality (relatively speaking) and in terms of complimenting each other. The pace and trickery of Owen and Rivaldo could cause cause them problems.

On the other hand Nahe wins the midfield is the better of the two and will outnumber Gio's midfield easily.

Not sure who to vote for

 

[Buchan]

It took Fernando Redondo at his very best to put brakes on Rivaldo when he was in top gear, mate. As much as I like Busquets and rate him, he's not really gonna do that.

I haven't got time to upload videos of Busquets' defensive talents (look back at the ones I included in the OP), but that's nonsense, mate. Busquets is fantastic at reading the game and dispossessing the opponent. What makes him even better is his ability to win possession and re-cycle the ball to Xavi, starting counter-attacks for his side. He's not a destroyer type like a Makelele who doesn't care where the ball goes when he tackles, Busquets primary concern is winning the ball back and then passing to a teammate.

He's re-defined the role and the premiere exponent of that type of player in my view.

 

[Buchan]

On the other hand Nahe wins the midfield is the better of the two and will outnumber Gio's midfield easily.

Midfields win games. Whomever wins the midfield battle normally the wins the game.

I cannot see Gio's midfield protecting his back four, not to mention the unreliable Taffarel. van Nistelrooy and Raúl will have a tonne of chances.

 

[Moby]

I'm well familiar with his abilities, as I said I rate him really highly and he's one of my favourite players of the last few years, but you are highly underestimating the unstoppable force Rivaldo was. He must be one of the most underrated players of the last 20 years seeing how he doesn't get rated among the very best which he really deserves to be. Not only do you find insane attacking qualities in him that combine both goal scoring and vision and creativity to amazing extent, but you also have a player who has plenty and determination and fire in him to get a win for his team no matter how tough it is. He's gonna be all over the pitch here, dropping in positions where a very few, if any, can predict him to be. With Nedved he'd be interchanging oh so comfortably and dragging players all over the place. That's his game, it always has been, and he has faced tougher opponents than Busquets and showed that. It isn't something he did once in a blue moon, he'd do that day in day out. You possibly can't speak of keeping a player like Rivaldo quiet for 90 minutes. It is the same as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo or Messi, you can do you best to curtail them but it's virtually impossible to stop them when they are in mood, which is what we are considering here.

His performance against Valencia is my outright winner for the best individual performance I've seen in my lifetime.

 

[JaffyJoe]

I think Gio has the better more balanced midfield and transition into attack. Juninho bar free kicks is out of his depth at this level in all honesty. Tidy player but meh he won't create enough chances imo. Gio's teams is just better/more balanced all over the pitch.

 

[Gio]

Also, on the Owen issue. If we are considering players in their primes, Owen's undoubted prime came between the ages of 18-23. I would not expect a relatively inexperienced player to dominate a centre-back partnership consisting of a World and European Cup-winner and one of the finest Portoguese center-backs of all time.

Age has nothing to do with it. Ronaldo, perhaps the greatest centre forward of all time, hit his peak at 20-22 years old. Owen at 18 was making far better centre-halves than what he's dealing with here - Roberto Ayala for one, but many others in England and Europe - frankly shit themselves at the prospect of him getting any space. And he's not got Heskey or Vassel serving him, it's Rivaldo, Nedved, Fabregas all expert at finding the oceans of space that Couto and Marchena won't be able to cover.

 

[Gio]

I haven't got time to upload videos of Busquets' defensive talents (look back at the ones I included in the OP), but that's nonsense, mate. Busquets is fantastic at reading the game and dispossessing the opponent. What makes him even better is his ability to win possession and re-cycle the ball to Xavi, starting counter-attacks for his side. He's not a destroyer type like a Makelele who doesn't care where the ball goes when he tackles, Busquets primary concern is winning the ball back and then passing to a teammate.

He's re-defined the role and the premiere exponent of that type of player in my view.

The earlier videos you posted on Busquets are essentially him on the ball, showing off his fantastic touch and one-touch football. That's what he excels at, why he is a central figure for Barcelona. It's not his Keano-esque defensive qualities. And he'll have a hard time of it dealing with a player as devastating and as influential as Rivaldo. Look at the way Pato embarrasses him when he's called upon to do a purer defensive job:

 

[TheGame]

This is another close one, not sure which way to vote, gonna see how things go on for a bit before I make my decision.

 

[Theon]

My biggest concern with Nahealai is that it isn't the most natural diamond I have ever seen. Xavi will have a lot of closing down to do in that role and I'd rather he was just focusing on playmaking, plus I don't think much of him defensively despite Barca's pressing system.

One of the main reasons Chelsea failed with the diamond under Ancelotti IMO was that they lacked the centre mids for the role, with Lampard and an older Ballack IIRC. Even though Nahealai has got Ballack he was well past it at Chelsea so I wouldn't read too much into that, a younger, prime Ballack would probably be okay with this system - it is more Xavi I am concerned about here.

In possession though you can't really fault it, whilst Xavi isn't perfect for this system defensively, in offense and in possession he is ideal and much of the game will depend on Gio getting the ball of him. That striking partnership up top is perfect too, Raul dropping off and Ruud smashing in any chances that come his way - though they are facing a colossal centre back partnership.

 

[Theon]

With Gio it is much more self-evident how his team will play and there are no clear weaknesses. Owen is possibly a touch soft at this level as a lone forward, but it's not a huge issue as 1) Rivaldo is a huge goal threat himself, more so that most of the top number 10's, and 2) Nahealai's centre backs aren't a strength of his side.

I think a big focus for Gio is simply how well he can win possession from that Busquets/Xavi/Ballack trio. Once in possession I think he has an easier route to goal than Nahealai, as the centre backs are weaker and I've got a few doubts on how well that diamond would work without the ball.

 

[Moby]

I'd have gone with Makaay in this one. Owen has his own strengths, deadly pace and finishing and everything, but Das Phantom was extremely deadly in front of goal himself and overall I'd rate him more than Owen. Owen probably would have been better as an impact sub later in the game.

 

[TheGame]

I'd have gone with Makaay in this one. Owen has his own strengths, deadly pace and finishing and everything, but Das Phantom was extremely deadly in front of goal himself and overall I'd rate him more than Owen. Owen probably would have been better as an impact sub later in the game.

I agree, feel Owen could do with a partner while Makaay has that strength and physical ability to play up to by himself.

 

[mufcwarm92]

Love the idea of Rivaldo supporting Owen up top. Neither sustained their status for long enough but the thought of both at their peak is brilliant. Makaay was a cracking player but I'd take Owen in his youthful peak ahead of him every day of the week. Ruud and Raul would obviously work well too but that partnership is easier to imagine with both having lengthy spells at the highest level.

I'd say, despite some real gems in nahealai's lineup, a better defence and better cohesion as a team would mean Gio edges it.

 

[Cutch]

I'm gonna go for Gio. Think Nahaelai's side will have no bother keeping the ball but is lacking a dribbling outlet, whereas Gio has Nedved, Rivaldo and Joaquin. Gio has the better defence also, Zanetti is one of my favourite ever players and Rio is in the top 2-3 centre halfs in the draft. Not a massive fan of Couto or Marchena.

 

[Gio]

I think Gio has a good team the best/most balanced I have seen so far. I would rather see Makkaay up front just a more complete and cultured striker than Owen was.

I agree with you about Makaay. It was purely a tactical choice to expose a lack of pace in Nahealai's back line, and while Makaay's very quick himself, Owen was the perfect man for the job.