Maybe you shouldn't start your posts by putting words in my mouth. Surely you can see how that makes it slightly annoying for me? I agree that Rui Costa is a better example than Kaka, but that's not how you said you want Platini to play.
It also leads to the question if Rui Costa ever had the same influence on the game as he had at Fiorentina? Personally I don't think Costa ever reached his peak form at Milan, he was still good in his first two years, but was benched soon enough for Kaka, who was the way better fit for the team when Pirlo's influence on the team grew and grew. The whole Rui Costa vs Kaka situation at Milan actually shows perfectly that the problems some of us have with Pirlo and Platini in the same midfield are very real and that a different kind of number 10 is a better fit, if you want to play a diamond with Pirlo pulling the strings from deep.
He did for the next game and had to go back to it for the semifinal because he sold his only striker without realising that he can't buy a new one. And again, that semifinal line-up you posted is a different set-up, because he had 1. width on both sides, therefore didn't miss out on something important because he played Guardiola and 2. didn't have someone like Puskas upfront, but instead Cristiano Ronaldo making runs behind the defense. Surely you agree that getting the best out of Cristiano and false 9 Platini is different to getting the best out of Puskas and number 10 Platini?
I've never put any words in your mouth Balu and I've replied to every point that you have raised, so I'm not sure what you are upset about there.
But surely you can see how it's a little bit annoying that you're subjecting NM's team to a level of scrutiny which is far beyond being reasonable? It's a very good team and you've taken this tiny little issue (which isn't even an issue for most people) and blown the whole thread up with in.
And surely you can see how it's a little bit annoying that the criticisms that are being raised have pretty much never been raised before? Platini has been used lots in these drafts and I've never seen close to the level of fixation on his deep lying role as is being raised here. I think it's hugely unfair to NM.
And I do not understand what you mean when you say I won't discuss how the team works, as I've written some really long posts talking about why I don't see a problem here? As I said in the last post, the overall point is that there is nothing wrong having some minor overlap between players. It happens all the time and I've given lots of examples in which great players have done the same. So I am really not sure what else I can say?
One example I raised was one that you actually approved off - having Platini and Guardiola in the team. To me that is a good example of a near identical side in which there is an overlap between the two players. Yet for one you have no issues but for the other you'll bang on about how unsuited it is for the entire thread.
For my view I had no issues with Aldo's use of Platini with Guardiola, nor Gio's side when he played Platini with Xavi. Likewise I don't see a problem with Pirlo and Platini because the overlap is relatively unimportant and something which happens often in great teams.
Occasionally Platini will be in the same areas as Xavi, Guardiola or Pirlo - and as I said earlier you just seem to be viewing this as a negative whereas others see them linking up well together, which is not an outrageous view IMO and the more likely scenario given the quality and intelligence of the players.
On Rui Costa – He was 33 years old by the end of his third season at Milan, so that is why he started to decline and eventually gave way to Kaka. I don't think you can draw any conclusions there and I don't think you even need to, because it is obvious that Rui Costa and Pirlo linked up well together from the games that they played.
On Aldo's team - I'm not talking about whether or not Aldo or NM has width, the specific point I am countering is the one that has been fixated on in the thread i.e. whether or not having a regista picking the ball up deep somehow limits Platini. That is the criticism that I have found unfair. It's been banged on about for Pirlo yet it was fine for Guardiola. And additionally, the first team Aldo used had Weah instead of Boniek i.e. only width on one side, but you again did not have a problem.
Whether or not the diamond has enough width is a different conversation and one I'm happy to have in the next game, it's certainly a more legitimate concern in my view but not one that I agree with given the suitability of all of the players.
I do not know what you mean about getting the best out of Puskas/Platini and I hope you're not suggesting that NM is not doing that. Di Stefano had a similar tendency to Platini in dropping extremely deep and is another player who could have played as a pure midfielder, yet Di Stefano and Puskas had no issues.
If you want to spend your time discrediting my opinion by quoting old posts out of context instead of actually discussing how your team works, I'm out.
Don't worry, I won't bring it up again in the next game, if you want to continue to play Pirlo and Platini together. I've said my opinion on the topic and that's it. (I wouldn't have discussed it at length if the game wasn't over anyway).
I apologise for being frank but you can catch yourself on with this part Balu. If you think you have been discredited then that is due to the way in which you have changed your views. Nothing has been taken out of context there, I've no qualms in bringing up your opinion of Platini/Guardiola in a discussion on Platini/Pirlo.
On the last part, it's okay you can bring it up if you want again and quite clearly the damage has been done anyway. Whoever NM draws in the next round would be a fool not to bang on about this, given the way the discussion has dominated his game.
Had me laughing. You are the least aggressive poster about pretty much, even if your dad was obsessed with Hugo Boss you couldn't be raised in a militant fashion.
