Team Raees
SUMMARY
My team will line up in a
fluid 3-4-1-2. The first thing to note is that this formation brings out the multifaceted attributes we possess in this side. It allows us to demonstrate the sheer versatility and athleticism of our side.. it is very much a total footballing side with all time legends who could easily defend and attack in equal measure.. Zebec, Beckenbauer, Rijkaard. The formation allows us to defend in great numbers yet in an instant allow us transition into attack in great numbers with threat out wide and through the centre.
THE DEFENCE
My man between the sticks is
"The ballet dancer with the hands of steel" 'Big' Vladimir Beara. Lev Yashin and Ricardo Zamora ...probably two of the biggest goalkeeping legends of all time considered him the greatest they had ever seen. Upon his death, the British press and Jonathan Wilson in particular penned articles on his passing.. which for a Eastern European keeper speaks volumes about his status within the game. Extremely agile, a great shot stopper, ferociously brave when coming for crosses.. he even saved a penalty against Puskas during a game v the Mighty Magyars. Widely regarded by his Central European International Cup peers as one of, if not the, greatest ever.
In the heart of defence is the
greatest man marker of the draft Jurgen Kohler, aged 26 and coming off the back of an exceptional season with Juventus, was at his absolute peak in Euro 1992. Marshalled Germany to the final in '92, and also has a strong Euro '88 to his name at just 22. He will dovetail delightfully with the pacy and left-sided
Branko Zebec a superhuman footballer. He was considered to be world class in 4 separate positions, Sweeper/Left Back, Left Midfield and Striker. Blessed with pace (he could run 100m in less than 11s in football boots), agility, aerial ability and a wonderful ability to read the game - there is no wonder that he is often included in the greatest of the 50-60's era teams and
rated the best centre half of that era.
On the right is
Manuel Amoros, the captain of France's Euro 1992 side. At his peak he was reknowned as the arguably the best full back of the 86 world cup but nevertheless in 92 Amoros was one of the few French players who came out of that tournament with their reputation upheld, and featured in exactly the same system we have now. On the left is the legendary
Giacinto Facchetti arguably the greatest left back at all time and in peak form, he lifted the Euro 1968 trophy as captain to add to his multiple European cups. A man mountain of a defender who was like Maldini in defence but like nothing else we have ever seen going forwards, he was a genuine threat... a playmaker/goalscorer from left back and that is why he trumps Paulo for me especially in European Championship football.
THE LIBERO
Facchetti was said to have been the inspiration for our
captain and leader Franz Beckenbauer. Leading Germany to the 1972 Euro title and a penalty shoot out defeat in 1976 - winning the Ballon d'or in both years, he is without doubt undisputed greatest defensive player of all time and at his peak here. He will play as a sweeper in this set up and be free to dominate the game in both defence and attack.
THE MIDFIELD
In midfield we have a brilliant trio of footballers. Firstly we have arguably the best defensive/centre midfielder in the draft in
Frank Rijkaard. He will dominate the centre of the park, reprising the role he excelled in during 1992. Tactically perfect, he spent both Euro 1988 and Euro 1992 (and the rest of his career) switching position as the needs of the game demanded. As well as running midfield, Rijkaard offers significant threat at set-pieces as demonstrated by the inch-perfect header against Germany and a one-step-ahead-of-everyone-else headed assist for Bergkamp to grab the winner against Scotland in 1992. The thought of him and Beckenbauer patrolling the midfield/defence, switching positions is unbelievable.
Partnering Rijkaard in the heart of the midfield is the
danish dynamo and Bayern legend Soren Lerby - in Gazzetto dello Sport's team of the tournament for Euro '84, a proper all-round midfielder, mixture of steel and class who fits like a glove here. He will ensure we have the edge in what is sure to be an intense midfield battle.
Ahead of them will be
1960 Ballon D'or winner 'El Arquitecto' Luisito Suarez - FC Internazionale Milano inside-forward Suárez was theundisputed man of the match in the 1964 UEFA European Championship final against the USSR. He controlled the game in the stylish, swaggering manner of a player full of confidence after inspiring Inter to a 3-1 victory against Real Madrid CF in the European Champion Clubs' Cup final a few weeks earlier. A mixture of Iniesta and Platini, he is the ideal player you would want in the number 10/Attacking midfield role here.
THE ATTACK
Up front we have the sensational duo of Henry and Ibrahimovic.
Thierry Henry was at his absolute best in Euro 2000 and
tore the three italian defensive gods of Nesta, Maldini and Cannavaro apart. Pace, guile, strength.. some of his hold up play in the final was magnificent. He would drift to the left and tear strips out of the opposition, turning defence into attack in an instant.
Zlatan Ibramhimovic is the perfect partner for Henry (check his relationship with Bergkamp). His Euros CV is exceptional: the joint third highest Euros goalscorer of all-time, including
three outstanding goals against Italy in 2004, Greece in 2008 and France in 2012. Beyond the goals he brings unique technical ability, match-winning invention and serious strength to the table.
Flaws in EAP's side
- Lack of a striker who can genuinely hurt us... As good as Kluivert is and his record in Euro 2000 was incredible, tactically I just don't see him as the type of striker our defence would struggle to contain. To be fair to him our defence is arguably one of the best compiled in drafting history and any striker would struggle including Pele but Kluivert isn't the dynamic presence that EAP needs here to truly give us something to think about.
- Deschamps v Suarez... as good as Deschamps was, I feel this is a mismatch in our favour as it would take an absolutely all time great holding mid to keep tabs on Suarez and I don't think Deschamps is in that class. Interesting battle none the less, it won't be easy for Suarez mind, just think he will find/create pockets of space to do damage.
- His defence bar Breitner... I love Sol Campbell and I like Breitner, but when you compare Campbell, Blanc and Durkovic to the defence we have it is a big mismatch in our favour. The lack of pace of Blanc could prove incredibly costly and it will impact upon EAP's desire to take the game to us. Henry and Ibra will definitely prove too much of a handful for that side and Mr I am Sol Campbell will be left at sea by the guys around him in my opinion.
Why we will win
- We have tailored our tactics to counter EAP's strengths and exploit his weaknesses. We have shifted from a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond to a classic 3-5-2. It is all about cancelling EAP out through the middle, then feeding our talented wing-backs to exploit his lack of cover on the flanks. Simple yet effective.
Zebec goes onto Gullit as he has exceptional physical qualities that match up well to Ruud - great in the air, plenty of pace, and a natural fit (centre-half-cum-left-back) for the Gullit inside-right role. Facchetti comes in and can pick up Gullit as and when required. Facchetti's exceptional physical qualities will be tremendously useful in negating Gullit's strengths.
Kohler will be tasked to man-mark Puskas. It will be a fascinating battle - the greatest man-marker of all time against one of the greatest goalscorers. If Puskas drops into midfield, Rijkaard picks him up. If he goes wide, Amoros tucks in. And backing them all up is Franz fecking Beckenbauer.
- In midfield Soren Lerby and Frank Rijkaard to form a powerful yet technically and tactically brilliant platform. They will physically match up to Masopust and Schweinstreiger and ultimately it will be Rijkaard who runs the show. The impeccable Luis Suarez whose Euro CV is so impressive will fit like a glove into this set-up and feed through balls for the onrushing Thierry Henry to exploit. And exploit he will as he reprises his Euro 2000 role and outstrips Durkovic down the right or cuts inside and leaves Blanc for dead.
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Good luck
@Edgar Allan Pillow
@MJJ
@coolredwine
@Raees
@Gio
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