Synth Draft: R1- EAP/RT vs Ecstatic

[Physiocrat]

EAP/RT

Ecstatic

EAP/RT

Formation:

Lopsided 4-3-1-2

Defence:

David Seaman mans the goal. One of the top keepers of the 90s during his stint with Arsenal, he provides dependability and stability from the back.

Karl-Heinz Forster and Giuseppe Bergomi form the base of the defense. Two stand out stoppers who are capable of shutting down most opposition. Viv Anderson, a 2 x European Cup winner mans the right flank. Known as then"Spider" or "Extension" due to his long legs and high kneed running style, he was a attacking full back who was known for his skill, pace and elegant tackles. Under Brain Clough he turned into a top fullback instrumental in Forest's most successful era. Branco 1994 WC winner takes up the left flank providing a delicate balance between defence and attack.

Midfield:

A flexible midfield with Toninho Cerezo playing the Volante (steering wheel) dictating the game from the deep. He's supported by Franz Roth "The Bull" due to his immense physical presence and looks was one of the best midfielders of his generation and a Bayern Munich legend. Flexible to play in the center or through the right, he has a knack of scoring in big games as evidenced by his crucial role of Bayern’s three consecutive European Cups, scored in 2 consecutive European cup finals. Finalizing the midfield trio is Kraisimir Balakov, in his favored Left Midfield position where he ran game for Bulgaria's Golden Generation.

Attack:

Joahnn Cruyff plays a center/right role supported by Roth behind him. Nothing much needs to be said except that he'll be in a position to influence the whole game with freedom to roam. Roberto Bettega starts in his favoured Left Attacking role, but is capable of switching sides (which he played when Boniek had the left side) with Cruyff. George Weah leads the attack.

Tactics:

Flexible formation. Roth will primarily support the Cerezo in shoring up the defence and make his famous runs to score. Balakov has workrate and tactical nous to shine from the middle providing the creativity and making those late runs into the box to score.

Cruyff and Bettega are in free roles and both are capable of operating from either flank. Bettega will target in stretching the defence and opening hole by dragging defenders out of position. The interplay with the runs for Roth/Balakov will be a nightmare to defend against.

Ecstatic

ECSTATIC COACHED BY BECKENBAUER UNDER HIS FAVORITE TACTICAL SYSTEM

Target Striker - RUSH 84- 346 Goals/ 660 Games - Ballon d’Or 84: 4th place - Wales: 73 caps (28 goals)
Underrated because he's Welsh and never participated in a major international tournament. 1984 European Golden Shoe
Main Honours: European Cup Winners (1981, 1984), PFA team of the year five times + World Soccer Player 87: 6th place

Iconic Total-Football Forward - GULLIT 93 - Ballon d’Or 87 - 219 Goals/542 Games - Holland: 66 caps (17 goals)
'The Black Tulip" is one of the most complete footballers the World has ever seen: versatility, strength, technical skills, high stamina & work-rate, poise, excellent on the air...
Main Honours: Euro 88 winners + World Soccer Player of The Year (1987, 1989) + Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year 88 + Bronze Ball World Soccer Player of The Year 93

Spoiler: Vid

Left-Playmaker - Laudrup 92 - Art & Assists & Collective spirit - Denmark : 104 caps (37 goals)
Franz Beckenbauer "Pelé was the best in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s and Laudrup in the 90s."
Stoickhov "From more than hundred goals I scored I'm sure that over 50 were assisted by Michael. To play with him was extremely easy."
Romário: "The best player I have ever played with and the 4th best in the history of the game."

Spoiler: Vid

Right-Playmaker - HASSLER 92 - Unique style of play - Ballon d’Or 92: 4th place - Germany: 101 caps (11 goals)
Free-role playmaker known for his agility, tireless stamina and dazzling dribbling sprees. Free-kick specialist.
Obsession? Deliver assists from any location on the pitch: 6 assists in 14 World-Cup games
Honours: 1990 WC Winner + Euro 96 winners + Euro 1992 Runner-Up + 94 FIFA World Cup Top Assister + German Footballer of The Year (1989, 1992) + 1992 Euro Team of The Tournament

Spoiler: Vid

CM - STIELIKE 84 - World-Class Complete Defensive Midfielder with Gladbach & Real - Germany: 42 caps
Good sweeper with Germany but essentially a World-Class Defensive Midfielder at the club level.
Main Honours: 1980 Euro Winner + 1982 World Cup Runner-Up + 4 Times Spanish Foreign Player of The Year

LWB - LEO JUNIOR 82 - Orchestrating attacking moves as fulfilling his defensive remit - Brazil: 74 caps
Technique, Pass accuracy, Teamwork and Versatility: left-back, left midfielder or central midfielder
Main Honours: 1982 WC All-Star Team + SA Defender of The Year (1981,1982) + Bronze Ball SA Footballer (1981)

RWB - ANGLOMA - UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1992

RCB with playmaking skills - CHIVADZE - Soviet Footballer of the Year: 1980 - USSR: 46 caps

LCB - PEREYRA - The best Uruguayan defender born between 46 & 86. Legend in São Paulo - Uruguay: 32 caps

Sweeper - BELODEDICI - Roumania: 55 caps
Named "the deer" due to his elegant tackles, he spent the majority of his 1career with Steaua Bucureşti, winning the European Cup with that team and Red Star Belgrade, thus becoming the first player to win the trophy with two clubs.

GK - CONEJO - award of the best GK at the WC 90 best goalkeeper
His heroic saves against Scotland, Brazil and Sweden helped Costa Rica reach the second round

 

[Physiocrat]

@Edgar Allan Pillow @RedTiger @Ecstatic

Have a great game

 

[Ecstatic]

@Edgar Allan Pillow @RedTiger @Ecstatic

Have a great game

Thanks. Good luck @Edgar Allan Pillow @RedTiger

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Thanks. Good luck @Edgar Allan Pillow @RedTiger

Good luck to you too mate. Should be a good game!

 

[Ecstatic]

Speed, power and touch make modest Rush my top choice
Ian Rush's ability in front of goal was unparalleled, argues John Barnes


Friday 1 August 2008 00.01 BST First published on Friday 1 August 2008 00.01 BST

To celebrate the launch of The Guardian book of football, a collection of the best football writing in this paper from the last 50 years, we have asked five great names from the world of football and football journalism to nominate the best player from the UK in that time. Every day this week one of them will explain their choice, today John Barnes sings Ian Rush's praises. You can now vote for your favourite UK footballer of the last 50 years

Football is all about scoring goals. You could argue that a midfielder or a full-back is deserving of the accolade, but in my opinion Ian Rush is the best centre-forward of the past 50 years and that makes him the best footballer.

If you compare him with his contemporaries, Gary Lineker, Robbie Fowler and Alan Shearer were all capable of scoring 25 goals a season and were no different from Rush in that respect. But he was a prodigiously hard worker, constantly closing down defenders and trying to nick the ball off goalkeepers. When you think he played the majority of his career when keepers could pick up back passes it makes you wonder how many more goals he would have scored in his pomp if they saw him bearing down on them with that phenomenal pace and had to kick the ball.

As a finisher he was clinical and calm, very much like Jimmy Greaves who was a brilliant goalscorer if not as industrious as Rush. In front of goal I think Ian was Jimmy's equal and could poach and score tap-ins as well as anyone, but in every other area Rush was the better player. They say the best finishers are selfish and there's no doubt that Rush had a ruthless streak and could turn it on when the situation demanded, but what characterised him most was his all-round work and his selfless dedication to the team. First and foremost he was a team player, far more so than any other elite centre-forward.

People have this misconception that he was weak in the air but he wasn't really. He scored some powerful headers - he wasn't nicknamed "Tosh" after John Toshack as some kind of ironic joke - but they weren't his bread-and-butter goals. In the 346 he scored for Liverpool, a decent proportion were scored with his head, but because of his height people used to assume he would score more. But Liverpool did not play to his aerial strength all that often and instead exploited his intelligent positioning, speed, power and touch.

He is a self-effacing guy from north Wales and his modesty would prevent him from putting himself forward as one of the greats, never mind the greatest. He is a normal, down-to-earth guy and that's why the prevailing Italian football culture of his spell at Juventus just wasn't for him. Being isolated in a training camp for large parts of the season would never have made a home-loving boy feel comfortable.

Let us not forget either that he joined a team in transition - Michel Platini had retired the summer he joined - and most Serie A teams were still obsessed with dull, defensive conservatism. It did not work out for him there even if I think he performed creditably, but he thrillingly proved over the next decade that his ability was not diminished by his so-called "failure".

If anything, when he came back to Liverpool he worked even harder. Look at his record at Leeds and Newcastle and you would think that it showed signs of decline, but there were mitigating circumstances. At Elland Road he played most of the time in midfield and at Newcastle he took the role of second striker, starting much deeper than of old. It was a position he perfected in his latter years at Liverpool to accommodate Robbie Fowler, and I think Robbie appreciates how much his early success was down to playing with Rushie and the work he put in to allow Fowler to flourish.

Ian was the ultimate team player and, ludicrous as it may sound for a man who scored 408 career goals, I cannot think of a less selfish centre-forward in the history of the game. He is my kind of man and was a great, great player.

 

[Ecstatic]

Last video about Stielike

Good luck to you too mate. Should be a good game!

Cheers. I will come back in 4-5 hours.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Seems no feedback yet, so let me kick this off!

Leo Junior is the wrong kind of fullback for this formation. He's a midfield playmaker mostly and is apt to cut in and move into same space as Laudrup. I doubt you'll get the kind of overlapping width you'll need to make this work. Laudrup will end up drifting wide to accommodate Leo moving up. He certainly is capable of doing it, but it's not exactly optimal setup for both Leo and Michael due to overlaps and need to compromise.

And I don't know enough on the CB trio and GK to provide some comments.

 

[Gio]

Seems no feedback yet, so let me kick this off!

Leo Junior is the wrong kind of fullback for this formation. He's a midfield playmaker mostly and is apt to cut in and move into same space as Laudrup. I doubt you'll get the kind of overlapping width you'll need to make this work. Laudrup will end up drifting wide to accommodate Leo moving up. He certainly is capable of doing it, but it's not exactly optimal setup for both Leo and Michael due to overlaps and need to compromise.

Agree to a point although I don't think you have the set-up to necessarily exploit it. May as well narrow the park by 25 yards to make up for the lack of action there will be on your right and ecstatic's left flanks. Junior's inclination there could be a good thing though when Stielike looks a little isolated in the engine room there.

Good to see 'Belodideci', Chivadze and 'Peyreira' get the call. And that cnut Conejo was a miracle worker in 1990, broke my little heart at the time, setting me up for a lifetime of balloon-bursting support of the national team.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

to make up for the lack of action there will be on your right

Well, it's not as dynamic as my left...but Viv is slightly more offensive than, say Gary Neville. He'll get some runs up there, moreso with Leo ahead of him cutting in and not apt to take him one on one, Viv can provide decent width against Ecstatic's set-up imo.

Roth is also a competent right midfielder. Though he is primarily tasked with helping Cerezo, when in possession his knack of scoring in big games will help a lot.

 

[Gio]

Roth is also a competent right midfielder. Though he is primarily tasked with helping Cerezo, when in possession his knack of scoring in big games will help a lot.

Kudos on the Roth pick, he's a great fit there.

 

[idmanager]

Based on an initial look, seems to me that way too much is being expected of Stielike.

Looks a Pep - Man City sort of setup with Fernandinho the lone CM with attack minded players all around. (Don't mean to say it might not work, but looks unusual)

A libero would have been good to have here instead of a defensive sweeper (based on the write up, I am not sure if Belodedici ever played as a libero)

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Seems no feedback yet, so let me kick this off!

Leo Junior is the wrong kind of fullback for this formation. He's a midfield playmaker mostly and is apt to cut in and move into same space as Laudrup. I doubt you'll get the kind of overlapping width you'll need to make this work. Laudrup will end up drifting wide to accommodate Leo moving up. He certainly is capable of doing it, but it's not exactly optimal setup for both Leo and Michael due to overlaps and need to compromise.

And I don't know enough on the CB trio and GK to provide some comments.

No issues with Junior there. He is basically playing as a left midfielder which suits his skill set just fine. Its not like he just dwelled in the centre of the pitch when he played on the left. Also your formation is possibly even more narrow on that flank anyway.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

He is basically playing as a left midfielder

Physio is already playing Laudrup as left midfielder. Just mentioned that a overlapping Lizarazu type overlapping fullback would be more suitable for his team than Junior.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Where art thou @Ecstatic the thread is dead!

 

[Skizzo]

Where art thou @Ecstatic the thread is dead!

Now you know how I felt just talking to physio all day

 

[Šjor Bepo]

@Edgar Allan Pillow i know Balakov as a number 10, did he ever played as a midfielder? Even if he was it was probably in some sort of playmaking role, seems like an odd fit for a diamond IMO

as for @Ecstatic team, love the offensive setup(midfield included) but that defence looks a bit shaky, probably because i only know Belodedici in there!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Edgar Allan Pillow i know Balakov as a number 10, did he ever played as a midfielder? Even if he was it was probably in some sort of playmaking role, seems like an odd fit for a diamond IMO

Bulgaria in 1994 WC lined up like...

...............Sirakov.................
Stoichkov................Kostadinov
........Balakov.....Letchkov........
................Yankov...................
................ Back 4 ..................

Balakov was most successful and ran games from his left midfield role in a 4-3-3 exactly in the position he's fielded in above. Here he'll strike up a partnership with Bettega reminiscent of real life link with Stoichkov.

And it's not a diamond. I lined up as that to reinforce Cryuff's dominant position through the middle, but easily flexible to morph into a 4-3-3

............Weah...........
Bettega..............Cruyff
....Balakov.....Roth.......
...........Cerezo............
.......... Back 4 ............

Cruyff has a free role to drift. If Balakov moves up, he'll drift right into spaces. Not really a diamond.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Bulgaria in 1994 WC lined up like...

...............Sirakov.................
Stoichkov................Kostadinov
........Balakov.....Letchkov........
................Yankov...................
................ Back 4 ..................

Balakov was most successful and ran games from his left midfield role in a 4-3-3 exactly in the position he's fielded in above. Here he'll strike up a partnership with Bettega reminiscent of real life link with Stoichkov.

And it's not a diamond. I lined up as that to reinforce Cryuff's dominant position through the middle, but easily flexible to morph into a 4-3-3

............Weah...........
Bettega..............Cruyff
....Balakov.....Roth.......
...........Cerezo............
.......... Back 4 ............

Cruyff has a free role to drift. If Balakov moves up, he'll drift right into spaces. Not really a diamond.

Aye, Balakov was impressive in that WC as a classy and fairly industrious LCM. He's well-positioned here IMO, although it's not the most watertight side defensively with Branco at left back, which could be problematic against Angloma/Hassler/Gullit.

 

[Ecstatic]

Junior, from the pitch to the box

JUNIOR

Blessed with an outstanding array of talented individuals, including the likes of Socrates and Zico, the Brazil team that won the hearts of the footballing world at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain™ will live long in the memory. And it was not just in midfield or up front that the Auriverde showed their sparkle.

Bursting onto the global scene was one Leovegildo Lins da Gama Junior, better known as Junior, a right-footed left-back equally adept at orchestrating attacking moves as fulfilling his defensive remit. At the age of 28, the then Flamengo man was appearing at his first FIFA World Cup finals, the high point of a career that would last for a further 11 years.

"Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I played the game professionally for top-level sides for 20 years. It seems like a lifetime," says a man whose name grew to be synonymous with Brazil's best-supported club, Flamengo. "I never even considered playing for another Brazilian team," he tells FIFA.com. "It was simply out of the question. I spent all my youth with Flamengo and practically my entire professional career. I'm eternally grateful for having played a part in the most glorious period of the club's history," adds Junior, whose career lasted from 1974 to 1993 and also included spells in Italy with Torino (1984-87) and Pescara (1987-89).

Memorable moments
A quick glance at Junior's list of honours at Flamengo goes some way towards explaining his iconic status at the club. The player won no fewer than four Brazilian league titles in the fabled red-and-black hoops, as well as taking both the Copa Libertadores and the Toyota Intercontinental Cup in 1981, and making the starting berth on Brazil's left flank his own for the best part of a decade. In the wake of his stellar displays for the Seleção at Spain 1982, Junior was the subject of a flurry of offers to play in Europe until finally, in 1984, Torino won the race for his signature.

"One of the conditions I insisted upon was that I would be allowed to play in midfield, which was my position when I started out in football. I'm not a full-back, I'm a midfielder who ended up playing in defence," explains the gifted wide-man. "I knew that I could play on for longer as a midfielder. I really wanted to enjoy that experience and after that I'd already made up my mind to go back to Flamengo to finish my career."

Everything turned out according to plan. Over the course of his five-year sojourn in Italy, where he was known as Leo Junior, the Brazilian maestro won the admiration of fans and media alike, and was even voted Serie A player of the year for the 1984-85 campaign. He went on to appear for Brazil at Mexico 1986, his second FIFA World Cup finals, before making the journey back to his homeland in 1989. And at the age of 35, the evergreen star still had the legs to drive his beloved Flamengo to yet more glory.

"I was the last remaining member of that 1980s generation and so for me it was really special to play a part in winning the Brazilian Cup (in 1990) and particularly the Brazilian league title (in 1992)," says Junior, who was born in the Paraiba state capital of Joao Pessoa. "The latter title was probably the trophy that meant the most to me, because it helped me say a fond farewell (to Flamengo)."

But Junior was more than just a world-class footballer. His ample charm and generosity of spirit made a vital contribution to dressing-room harmony, while his famed ability to spin a yarn also remains intact. "I think I can only remember scoring one own goal in my career, but it was so ridiculous that it should count as several. It was in a Brazilian league match against Sport Recife in 1991, they were on the verge of relegation to the second division and needed to win," says the Rubro-negro legend.

"I was in middle of the park and, without looking up, I knocked the ball back to our keeper Gilmar, but he was on the other side of the box! The ball trickled into the net and we could only stand there looking at each other. We ended up losing 2-1 - how embarrassing!"

Today
Even before his playing days drew to a close; Junior knew his future lay within the boundaries of the beautiful game. "That said, I knew I wasn't going to be a coach. I tried my hand at it twice (in 1993-94 and later in 1997), but I did it because I love Flamengo. They asked me to do it and I could never say no to them," says Junior, who was also briefly a club director at the Carioca giants in 2004, before fully focusing on the job that has ensured his continued fame across Brazil, that of TV commentator.

"When I used to live in Italy I took part in a few TV programs and in Brazil I took up the profession for good from the 1998 World Cup. For me it's the perfect progression from a career as a player, because I always loved analysing the game," says Junior, who currently works for Brazilian channel Sportv.

"And I think I managed to learn something in those 20 years out on the pitch," he adds with a smile and just a touch of false modesty. And as anyone who saw Junior in action will attest, his knowledge of game is most definitely not in question.

Facts and figures

Clubs: Flamengo (1974-84 and 1989-93), Torino (1984-87), Pescara (1987-89)
National team: 79 appearances (1979-1992)
Honours: Four-time Brazilian league winner (1980, 1982, 1983, 1992), Copa Libertadores winner (1981), Toyota Intercontinental Cup winner (1981), Brazilian Cup winner (1990), appearances at two FIFA World Cup finals (1982, 1986

 

[Enigma_87]

Bulgaria in 1994 WC lined up like...

...............Sirakov.................
Stoichkov................Kostadinov
........Balakov.....Letchkov........
................Yankov...................
................ Back 4 ..................

Balakov was most successful and ran games from his left midfield role in a 4-3-3 exactly in the position he's fielded in above. Here he'll strike up a partnership with Bettega reminiscent of real life link with Stoichkov.

It wasn't a flat 4-3-3. We lined up more like 4-3-1-2 that was transforming into 5-3-2 in defence as Hubchev was playing in a libero role.

Stoichkov and Kostadinov were more like second strikers left and right that were cutting in and Sirakov more as a false 9 as he dropped quite a bit into midfield into the AM position.

Often you can see Letchkov and Balakov even on the flanks, whilst obviously Balakov drifted inside deeper to receive the ball.

Considering that you've depicted the formation as 4-3-1-2 and Balakov's position on the pitch he's as close as you can get to that role, albeit Cruyff playing as a #10 and Weah as a striker.

I'd say he'll do pretty good in the above formation being an understudy of Cryuff in the same sense he complimented the star man Stoichkov pretty well in that WC.

 

[Gio]

It wasn't a flat 4-3-3. We lined up more like 4-3-1-2 that was transforming into 5-3-2 in defence as Hubchev was playing in a libero role.

Stoichkov and Kostadinov were more like second strikers left and right that were cutting in and Sirakov more as a false 9 as he dropped quite a bit into midfield into the AM position.

Often you can see Letchkov and Balakov even on the flanks, whilst obviously Balakov drifted inside deeper to receive the ball.

Yeah thought you might be able to clarify that - a slightly narrower attack than a 4-3-3 was what I recalled.

 

[Enigma_87]

@Edgar Allan Pillow i know Balakov as a number 10, did he ever played as a midfielder? Even if he was it was probably in some sort of playmaking role, seems like an odd fit for a diamond IMO

as for @Ecstatic team, love the offensive setup(midfield included) but that defence looks a bit shaky, probably because i only know Belodedici in there!

Bala was a classic #10 in the later part of his career when he lost his step(he wasn't one of the fastest midfielder either mind). Before that he was industrious midfielder in Deco's sense and could play as a LM, as he did a lot for the national side and even early in his career at Sporting.

When he moved to Stuttgart he was 29/30 at the time and was more of a classic #10 due to forming the great partnership with Elber and Bobic - the magic triangle in a double pivot midfield:

all in all he's a natural fit for either LCM in a diamond or a LCM in a 4-3-3.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Stoichkov and Kostadinov were more like second strikers left and right that were cutting in and Sirakov more as a false 9 as he dropped quite a bit into midfield into the AM position.

Often you can see Letchkov and Balakov even on the flanks, whilst obviously Balakov drifted inside deeper to receive the ball.

You can see the parallels to the current side due to versatility of the players supporting Weah.

Bettega was fantastic at stretching play. He has played as Left Forward, Right Forward and through the middle. Nothing needs to be said of Cruyff's flexibility. If Balakov moves left, then Bettega will pull defenders ahead and Cruyff will position himself through the middle. If Balakov moves up through the middle, the Cruyff will drift wide right and Bettega will move to a more attacking position in the box.

............Weah..........
Bettega...........Cruyff
...........Balakov........
......Cerezo....Roth.....

The combinations are numerous and will be hard for any defence to track. Stielike will have his hands full. Balakov, Cerezo, Cruyff are all capable of making that genius pass to spring open the defence. Hardworking, industrious, flexible and more importantly team players who can play off each other and don't necessarily to accommodate or feed a single #10.

although it's not the most watertight side defensively with Branco at left back

I don't see Branco as a defensive liability by any stretch. He has a great left foot, quite industrious and is one of the better left backs in all of South America (I would only put Carlos, Marzolini and Junior ahead of him). He also has Balakov and Bettega who are hardworking players and capable of operating out wide ahead of him, so it's not going to be him being a one-man flank here. And more importantly Kh Forster has himself played LCB and can support, though I don't see the necessity. And I don't see Gullit as a typical wide man trying to beat branco for pace. He'll drift in and try to find find space behind Cerezo and will face Kh Forster mostly. I don't see Gullit vs Branco battle happening in the match throughout.

 

[Ecstatic]

Seems no feedback yet, so let me kick this off!

Leo Junior is the wrong kind of fullback for this formation. He's a midfield playmaker mostly and is apt to cut in and move into same space as Laudrup. I doubt you'll get the kind of overlapping width you'll need to make this work. Laudrup will end up drifting wide to accommodate Leo moving up. He certainly is capable of doing it, but it's not exactly optimal setup for both Leo and Michael due to overlaps and need to compromise.

And I don't know enough on the CB trio and GK to provide some comments.

Odd comment but not surprised by you! Great defenders are generally versatile from a tactical perspective: players like Beckenbauer, Braseth, Krol, Bergomi... are capable to play in multiples positions.

In his career, Leo Junior was deployed as a wing-back or midfielder. As you can see above, the expected role of Junior is to provide width and strengthen the defence.

Laudrup is really par excellence the smart player on the pitch.

THEORY

The unbiased Brian Laudrup

"My brother started as an attacker but became an elegant attacking midfielder, perhaps the most complete there has ever been. His vision, speed of thought and passing were on a different level; he always knew what was going to happen before anybody else did. If anyone had a 'football brain', it was him."

PRACTICE

In the presentation of my team (spoiler), there is a long video about Laudrup but below you have some extracts to get an idea of my expectations: all the combinations are possible between Leo Junior (cutting inside or providing width) & Laudrup





Last but not least, a player like Laudrup has played in all the possible roles for an offensive player: support striker for Denmark 1988, on the left, on the right, false 9...

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Odd comment but not surprised by you!

Great defenders are generally versatile from a tactical perspective: players like Beckenbauer, Braseth, Krol, Bergomi... are capable to play in multiples positions.

In his career, Leo Junior was deployed as a wing-back or midfielder. As you can see above, the expected role of Junior is to provide width and strengthen the defence.

It was a honest comment. He was akin to Breitner in playing style. Great footballer, but providing width was not really his playing style. His genius was playmaking from the middle (irrespective of whether he played LB or Left-DM). Nothing really odd about that. I like him and have regularly picked him in previous drafts, so know about him pretty well.

 

[Enigma_87]

Yeah thought you might be able to clarify that - a slightly narrower attack than a 4-3-3 was what I recalled.

Yes indeed. Stoichkov was the star man and usually more of a LWF, who usually cut in from the left, but in complete freedom to move around the attack.

Often he'd spearhead the attack as Sirakov was dropping in the hole.

It was indeed narrower and very fluid in transition.

 

[Ecstatic]

It was a honest comment. He was akin to Breitner in playing style. Great footballer, but providing width was not really his playing style. His genius was playmaking from the middle (irrespective of whether he played LB or Left-DM). Nothing really odd about that. I like him and have regularly picked him in previous drafts, so know about him pretty well.

Sorry, I thought it was an assumption.

As you can see in the posted videos, Laudrup is conformtable on the left to dribble or deliver the right pass.

Laudrup has a hybrid role here: sometimes on the wing, sometimes at the heat of the game... like Littbarski with Germany 1990.

 

[Gio]

Yes indeed. Stoichkov was the star man and usually more of a LWF, who usually cut in from the left, but in complete freedom to move around the attack.

Often he'd spearhead the attack as Sirakov was dropping in the hole.

It was indeed narrower and very fluid in transition.

Yeah, I like him in that role as well - not sure how it would go down in a draft, but in a fluid set-up it could be devastating.

 

[Ecstatic]

Agree to a point although I don't think you have the set-up to necessarily exploit it. May as well narrow the park by 25 yards to make up for the lack of action there will be on your right and ecstatic's left flanks. Junior's inclination there could be a good thing though when Stielike looks a little isolated in the engine room there.

Indeed, a 3-5-2 would give Leo Junior a lot of freedom.

Given the opposing tactical system, he will shape his game more towards the centre.

Good to see 'Belodideci', Chivadze and 'Peyreira' get the call. And that cnut Conejo was a miracle worker in 1990, broke my little heart at the time, setting me up for a lifetime of balloon-bursting support of the national team.

More challenging than I thought to find relevant videos: there are full games of Roumania or USSR though.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

When he moved to Stuttgart he was 29/30 at the time and was more of a classic #10 due to forming the great partnership with Elber and Bobic - the magic triangle in a double pivot midfield:

all in all he's a natural fit for either LCM in a diamond or a LCM in a 4-3-3.

yeah, thats the version i watched and the reason why i asked

 

[Enigma_87]

Yeah, I like him in that role as well - not sure how it would go down in a draft, but in a fluid set-up it could be devastating.

Agreed. Think with a false 9 like Cruyff/Messi or a striker that drops deep like Eusebio/Law and another RWF similar to that Bulgarian set up (upgrade to Kostadinov) - Jairzinho/Best would be absolutely devastating.

In Edgar's setup above in the place of Bettega he'd also thrive in.

I like generally EAP's idea above, I'm just not sure why he picked Viv Anderson as a RB.

A wing back (especially with Bergomi's presence at the RCB position) would make much more sense. @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[Ecstatic]

My inspiration for this game:

GERMANY WC 1990

GERMANY EURO 1992 - Start before Sammer replaced Moller

Euro 92 final - (brian laudrup below)

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Seems no feedback yet, so let me kick this off!

Leo Junior is the wrong kind of fullback for this formation. He's a midfield playmaker mostly and is apt to cut in and move into same space as Laudrup. I doubt you'll get the kind of overlapping width you'll need to make this work. Laudrup will end up drifting wide to accommodate Leo moving up. He certainly is capable of doing it, but it's not exactly optimal setup for both Leo and Michael due to overlaps and need to compromise.

And I don't know enough on the CB trio and GK to provide some comments.

Don't know he would naturally cut in rather than just push up the left flank. Which would be a good thing? ... it'd ensure Laudrup could stay in the central space to do what he did best, provide the passes for a deadly finisher to finish.

And even if he did go up/in, as others have said, you don't necessarily have the structure/player to mean it'd be a disaster?

Interesting matchup... I like half of one, half of the other.

 

[Gio]

@Ecstatic What's Denmark 1992 got to do with it?

 

[Ecstatic]

Agreed. Think with a false 9 like Cruyff/Messi or a striker that drops deep like Eusebio/Law and another RWF similar to that Bulgarian set up (upgrade to Kostadinov) - Jairzinho/Best would be absolutely devastating.

In Edgar's setup above in the place of Bettega he'd also thrive in.

I like generally EAP's idea above, I'm just not sure why he picked Viv Anderson as a RB.

A wing back (especially with Bergomi's presence at the RCB position) would make much more sense. @Edgar Allan Pillow

A team without wingers generally welcome very offensive fullbacks. I know the story of Viv Anderson but can't comment his abilities.

 

[Ecstatic]

@Ecstatic What's Denmark 1992 got to do with it?

Nothing.

It was just to show that Beckenbauer changed his tactical system used in the 2 previous year during the Euro 92 following the defeat against the Neterlands (1-3) to opt for a more defensive setup with Sammer replacing Moller.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I like generally EAP's idea above, I'm just not sure why he picked Viv Anderson as a RB.

A wing back (especially with Bergomi's presence at the RCB position) would make much more sense. @Edgar Allan Pillow

Well, I was in Boston and didn't do much research. I did look up Viv and Forest for a previous draft and he sort of stuck in my mind.

I had him as a balanced 4-4-2 fullback, good at supporting attack. A share more attacking than Gary Neville was my opinion. He was called as "Spider" and "Extension" for his long legs and loped running style and he participated in attacks frequently...summarized by a typical....

Oi, Anderson. I pay you to be a defender

Clough's philosophy was that an attack could stem from anywhere. Anderson frequently made passes to John Robertson (who played Left wing) switching the flank of attack and trying to break in. He had great acceleration and was a fantastic tackler. His skill and pace and ability to provide overlapping runs were the main reasons for his success with Forest.

I think he's perfect for the role here.

 

[Ecstatic]

Bulgaria in 1994 WC lined up like...

...............Sirakov.................
Stoichkov................Kostadinov
........Balakov.....Letchkov........
................Yankov...................
................ Back 4 ..................

Balakov was most successful and ran games from his left midfield role in a 4-3-3 exactly in the position he's fielded in above. Here he'll strike up a partnership with Bettega reminiscent of real life link with Stoichkov.

And it's not a diamond. I lined up as that to reinforce Cryuff's dominant position through the middle, but easily flexible to morph into a 4-3-3

............Weah...........
Bettega..............Cruyff
....Balakov.....Roth.......
...........Cerezo............
.......... Back 4 ............

Cruyff has a free role to drift. If Balakov moves up, he'll drift right into spaces. Not really a diamond.

You should have added some arrows maybe.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Don't know he would naturally cut in rather than just push up the left flank. Which would be a good thing? ... it'd ensure Laudrup could stay in the central space to do what he did best, provide the passes for a deadly finisher to finish.

And even if he did go up/in, as others have said, you don't necessarily have the structure/player to mean it'd be a disaster?

Never claimed it would be a disaster. Just said it was not optimal. It still if a good and functional side, but just one which doesn't get the best of both Laudrup and Junior was my opinion.

Laudrup is being played as Left Midfielder. Junior typically cut in and made his runs from Left midfield area too. As Ecstatic claims, Laudrup is flexible to drift out wide when Junior moves up....but if I had a Left midfield role and had to choose between Laudrup and Junior, I know who I'll push out wide. Sorry, Junior!

 

[Ecstatic]

Based on an initial look, seems to me that way too much is being expected of Stielike.

Looks a Pep - Man City sort of setup with Fernandinho the lone CM with attack minded players all around. (Don't mean to say it might not work, but looks unusual)

A libero would have been good to have here instead of a defensive sweeper (based on the write up, I am not sure if Belodedici ever played as a libero)

1. There is a video above about Stielike: style of play against FC Brugge with Borussia Monchengladbach v FC Brugge - 02/03/1977

2. Unusual, yeah!