So, pretty much, your only sources of width are your wing backs? I don't see Rivaldo or Suarez doing that. Both of them, at the furthest, will occupy the inside channels, so you will basically congest the midfield. This is absolutely perfect for me. With Summer, Pirri, and Pogba putting tons of pressure on the midfield and keeping things tight, you will barely have any options through the middle. This is exactly how I saw the match panning out, and then with my wing backs also being quite hardworking, your team will be forced into giving the ball away more often than not.
No. My sources of width are Rivaldo dropping left, Suarez dropping right(as shown in the video I posted), Ze Roberto, Bessonov and occasionally Tigana/Davids. That's 6 players comfortable playing wide and dropping wide as well. Rivaldo played as a left wing forward in his prime at Barcelona in a 4-3-3 with Figo on the right side and Kluivert/Anderson in the middle. He's comfortable as it gets, plus he'll have a massive support from Ze Roberto there. You'll need Sammer to follow Pele for sure, I don't think his impact on midfield will be that massive that you are trying to describe it. If you get Sammer to help the midfield that would free Pele against your two center backs and Suarez/Rivaldo in the mix. Pele played in congested defences/midfields in his whole career it's not something he's not used to. Also all of my midfielders and forwards are very comfortable on the ball and working into tight spaces. Seedorf, Tigana, Davids, Rivaldo, Pele, Suarez, Ze Roberto are as technical as it gets.
A nice video of Pele:
In the middle of that video there is an interview with Pele which he describes his position on the pitch - that he wasn't a center forward, used to come from behind and play deeper and help the midfield as he describes himself as often a "third men" in attack.
I'm not sure having Pogba in a holding role is the best idea to use him as well. We have seen him in such a role at the EURO and he didn't excel there(here he will have a lot of defensive and covering to do having in mind Le Tiss would be a passenger in midfield). Our midfield possesses a lot of dynamic characteristics and will move a lot, which will stretch the play not be static at all.
I wish I was able to spend more time on the Caf just so I could falsify this statement. I already stated in my OP that we will play with a higher line than normal and look to keep the field compact, particularly with Neuer as the sweeper keeper, speedy defenders in Vierchowod and Zambrotta, and tireless runners in Camacho, Vierchowod, Rosato, Sammer, and Zambrotta. If I had someone sluggish like Terry, for example, you have a point, but not this time.
If you play a higher line that suits me the best. Higher line will mean more space in behind your defensive line. You are having 3 central defenders playing in a line with Sammer moving forward, which means Suarez can play in his best role - on the shoulder on the last defender and I don't think Rosato can keep a peak Suarez or Rivaldo at bay during the game. Neuer is a great sweeper keeper granted, but a high line against Rivaldo/Pele/Suarez forward line is asking for trouble. They need probably 2-3 chances in this game to win it.
Another wrong statement. I have Pogba who naturally likes to drift out to the left wing and influence games from there. Pogba has been crucial to Juve in his left central midfield role under both Conte and especially Allegri. In Juve's diamond, Pogba is the main source of width on the left particularly as Evra is quite old and not fit enough to cover the full flank. As you can see from the Pogba video I posted earlier, Pogba spends lots of his time on the left flank, providing the width and stretching the play. He will do the same here and drag your midfielders out of shape. Of your midfielders choose to leave him they do so at their own peril.
Pogba had Khedira, Vidal, Marchisio, Pirlo - usually two of them next to him in Juve midfield. Here he's asked to do a lot of defensive work - he and Pirri. They are up against one of the most defensive sound midfielders in the game on top with excellent technical ability and can keep possession. I don't think in this game particular you can let Pogba spend a lot of time on the flank, because that would leave your midfield quite open. If you leave either of our forward line in 1 on 1 situation it's asking for trouble.
They don't need much space either - take for example Rivaldo:
^^ second and third goal from that compilation, as well as many others of course.
That's absolutely wrong. My defenders are all strong in the air. Vierchowod, in particular, was quite strong in the air. Rosato may have been shorter than normal, but that didn't make him aerially weak. He had a good leap for a short defender that allowed him to be as good as he was at the back.
Pele had enormous jump, Here your tallest defender is 2 inches higher than him at most. He used to jump above much taller defenders than him. Bergomi and Figueroa on set pieces have a good 2-3 inch advantage as well.
Interestingly, I possess the same attacking threat, except that my game plan of suffocating you and keeping things tight and compact will force your team into more mistakes than normal, thus allowing my attacking players to capitalise on the gaps on the quick break.
I don't think your players are dynamic enough to do what you expect them to do. I don't think Pogba can keep with the defensive work he's tasked to do or Sammer can cover the same ground as Pele will hovering around. With more possession on our side it would be us that will stretch the play and move your defenders/midfielders out of position - not the other way around.
