....................................... TEAM OAENCHA ..................................................................................... TEAM ECSTATIC .......................................
Team Oeancha
Rüştü Reçber Goalkeeper
Sergi Barjuán Full Back / Wing Back
Sami Hyypiä Centre Back
Fabio Cannavaro Centre Back
Christian Panucci Full Back / Wing Back
Zinedine Zidane Playmaker / Free Role
Roy Keane Ball Winning Midfielder
Ryan Giggs Winger
David Beckham Winger
Alessandro Del Piero Second Striker
Ruud van Nistelrooy Poacher
Subs
Demetrio Albertini
Juan Sebastian Verón
Francesco Totti
Short Summary
I've decided to go with a good old fashioned attacking 4-4-2; similar to Fergie's Utd.
Giggs, Beckham, Keane and Van Nistelrooy are reunited (excuse the pun) with the added genius of Zidane and Del Piero. That's a pretty tasty front six.
Giggs and Del Piero will cause havoc on the left. Beckham will deliver those trademark crosses to van Nistelrooy. Zidane has a free role as playmaker with Keane controlling the midfield.
My defence is not as glamorous but they are all very accomplished players. Cannavaro will lead the back line with Hyypiä providing height and vision. Sergi and Panucci are solid full backs who can both contribute to the attack when needed.
Detailed Summary
Reçber at his best was a class act. So much so he was included in Pele's top 100 list. Sure he was prone to the occasional error but very few goalkeepers had flawless careers. He was a sensational shot stopper with a commanding presence. If it wasn't for his injury just after joining Barcelona he could have had a special career.
Sergi was a product of Barcelona's youth academy. He spent nine years at the club and was their first choice left back for six of those years. He was also capped 56 times for Spain. When defending he was a solid tackler and strong passer of the ball. When attacking he was an absolute speed demon with excellent dribbling and crossing skills. He used to regularly burst forward and overlap with the winger. This will work a treat with Giggs and will be reminiscent of his time playing with Evra.
Panucci is often underrated. He put in some excellent performances for Milan and was a starter for Real Madrid when he followed Capello there. He was a strong and technical player with great distribution. Like Sergi he was a threat going forward and will offer support to Beckham down the right.
Cannavaro was an outstanding centre back and is one of the only defenders to ever win Ballon d'Or. Strong and athletic with exceptional passing and tackling skills. Despite his short stature he was very effective in the air.
He is partnered by Hyypiä. Tall, composed and intelligent with strong tackling skills and aerial ability. He was a key member of the Liverpool team that won the Champions League and the mini treble (FA Cup, League Cup & UEFA Cup).
We all know Keane's qualities. Here he will play as a ball winning general; dominating the midfield, charging into tackles and cutting passing lanes. His main job is to control the midfield and provide cover for Zidane but he is allowed to push further forward when we are in control.
Zidane was exceptionally skilled and has a free role in this team. He is the main playmaker and will be given the space to run the show. He has free reign to dazzle with his footwork and will launch defence splitting passes through the middle and out to the wings. He is of course no stranger to a screamer and is allowed to shoot on sight.
Giggs was a constant menace and will use his pace and dribbling skills to take on players and attack the left wing. He can either deliver the ball into the box for van Nistelrooy, take long shots or interchange passes with Del Piero.
Beckham was incredible with the ball. His crossing skills are up there with the GOAT and he had a great understanding with van Nistelrooy. The right wing is his to own and he is primed to deliver those pin point crosses into the box.
Del Piero was an outstanding talent and is playing as a second striker. He has been given a lot of freedom and will provide a serious attacking threat. He will cut inside from the left, interchange passes with Giggs, unleash long range shots and set up chances for van Nistelrooy.
There's no doubt that van Nistelrooy was lethal in front of goal. He has Zidane, Giggs, Beckham and Del Piero setting up chances for him and he will thrive with this kind of service. His sole job is to get into the right positions in the box and put the ball into the back of the net.
Reçber at his best was a class act. So much so he was included in Pele's top 100 list. Sure he was prone to the occasional error but very few goalkeepers had flawless careers. He was a sensational shot stopper with a commanding presence. If it wasn't for his injury just after joining Barcelona he could have had a special career.
Sergi was a product of Barcelona's youth academy. He spent nine years at the club and was their first choice left back for six of those years. He was also capped 56 times for Spain. When defending he was a solid tackler and strong passer of the ball. When attacking he was an absolute speed demon with excellent dribbling and crossing skills. He used to regularly burst forward and overlap with the winger. This will work a treat with Giggs and will be reminiscent of his time playing with Evra.
Panucci is often underrated. He put in some excellent performances for Milan and was a starter for Real Madrid when he followed Capello there. He was a strong and technical player with great distribution. Like Sergi he was a threat going forward and will offer support to Beckham down the right.
Cannavaro was an outstanding centre back and is one of the only defenders to ever win Ballon d'Or. Strong and athletic with exceptional passing and tackling skills. Despite his short stature he was very effective in the air.
He is partnered by Hyypiä. Tall, composed and intelligent with strong tackling skills and aerial ability. He was a key member of the Liverpool team that won the Champions League and the mini treble (FA Cup, League Cup & UEFA Cup).
We all know Keane's qualities. Here he will play as a ball winning general; dominating the midfield, charging into tackles and cutting passing lanes. His main job is to control the midfield and provide cover for Zidane but he is allowed to push further forward when we are in control.
Zidane was exceptionally skilled and has a free role in this team. He is the main playmaker and will be given the space to run the show. He has free reign to dazzle with his footwork and will launch defence splitting passes through the middle and out to the wings. He is of course no stranger to a screamer and is allowed to shoot on sight.
Giggs was a constant menace and will use his pace and dribbling skills to take on players and attack the left wing. He can either deliver the ball into the box for van Nistelrooy, take long shots or interchange passes with Del Piero.
Beckham was incredible with the ball. His crossing skills are up there with the GOAT and he had a great understanding with van Nistelrooy. The right wing is his to own and he is primed to deliver those pin point crosses into the box.
Del Piero was an outstanding talent and is playing as a second striker. He has been given a lot of freedom and will provide a serious attacking threat. He will cut inside from the left, interchange passes with Giggs, unleash long range shots and set up chances for van Nistelrooy.
There's no doubt that van Nistelrooy was lethal in front of goal. He has Zidane, Giggs, Beckham and Del Piero setting up chances for him and he will thrive with this kind of service. His sole job is to get into the right positions in the box and put the ball into the back of the net.
TEAM Ecstatic
The Orange Team - The video sums up the Orange Project - to be watched
Team Captain: Johan Cruyff (Holland 1974)
Inspiration for the Game #1: Holland 1974 (Cruyff, Krol, Jansen)
Philosophy: TotaalVoetbal. 'Controlled chaos'. Very Fluid style that led to the Netherlands' & AJAX sucesss: WC 1974-78 runner-up, European Cup 71-72-73
Tactical requirement: A player who moves out of his position is replaced by another teammate, thus retaining the team's intended organizational structure.
Style of Play
1. Romantic players with a strong team spirit: we attack and defend together
"We discussed space the whole time. He always talked about where people should run and where they should stand, and when they should not move" Hulshoff
2. Aggressive defending: hard pressing and hard players
Figueroa: “The box is my house; I decide who let in!”
3. Adaptability & Versatility: adaptability of any of my players and ability to quickly switch positions depending on the on-field situation. Players comfortable in multiple positions
4. Demanding system that places high technical and physical demands on them. Players with a high work-rate
"We discussed space the whole time. He always talked about where people should run and where they should stand, and when they should not move" Hulshoff
2. Aggressive defending: hard pressing and hard players
Figueroa: “The box is my house; I decide who let in!”
3. Adaptability & Versatility: adaptability of any of my players and ability to quickly switch positions depending on the on-field situation. Players comfortable in multiple positions
4. Demanding system that places high technical and physical demands on them. Players with a high work-rate
GK - Mazurkiewicz - 1970 FIFA WC Best Goalkeeper
Helped the Uruguay national team to qualify to the semifinals of the 1970 World Cup. He totally kept five clean sheets in World Cup final tournament.
LB - Krol - Greatest defender in the history of Dutch football
2 Times European Defender of The Year (1978, 1979) & FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (Left-back 1974 as a Left-Back, Sweeper1978)
CB - Figueroa - 5 Times South American Defender of the Year (1973 - 1977)
Very strong defenders who cuts out opposition attacks and immediately launch counter attacks from the back.
CB - Trésor - Another complete world-class defender (SF WC 82, Euro 84 Winner)
When he joined AC Ajaccio in 1968 he was classed a centre-forward, but with his physicality and athleticism he was quickly moved into the defence
RB - Vogts - 2 Times German Footballer Of The Year (1971, 1979)
Instrumental player in the successes of Germany between 1970 -1976
CM - Jansen - 65 caps with Netherlands
Key player of Feyenoord that won the European Cup & UEFA Cup
RCM - Pirri - The greatest Spanish Box-to-Box - 3 times in the top 10 Ballon D'or
Defensive midfielder for Real Madrid/Spain until he's 28 and then deployed as a sweeper. High stamina. Impressive stats: 152 goals in 493 games.#Total Football
Left-Attacking Midfielder - Cubillas 312 goals/533 games - to switch roles with Cruyff
A Peruvian Impact player. World Cup Participation : 1970,78,82 (13 Games/10 Goals/2 Assists)
RW - Lato - 6th place in the 1974 Ballon'Dor as the best place of winger (WC 74: 7 goals in 7 games)
Versatility: second striker during his club career and winger position under Poland shirt. Poland: 45 goals in 100 games
LW - Best - Ballon D'Or 1968
“Soccer Beatle” was ambidextrous and fantastic all over the pitch
True 9 & False 9 - Johan Cruyff (371 Goals/ 663 Games) - Ballon D'Or 1971-73-74: the greatest European footballer of all-time?
Orchestrator of “The Controlled Chaos” of The Orange Machine as a deep-lying Forward (48 Games, 33 Goals, 26 Assists). 1974 FIFA World Cup Best Player
Maybe you are right. Maybe you are wrong. After all, one can argue Total Football means nothing and everything. So, the question should be rather to discuss if the proposed strategy is harmonious or not.