TEAMS HARMS
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TEAM IDMANAGER
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TEAM IDMANAGER
TACTICS HARMS
Tactics
It's quite simple, really. I'll comment on the detail later, but it's a counter-attacking set up, well capable of withstanding the pressure and to release my forwards on the quick counters. Thuram and Zebec will be fairly conservative — with both having experience of playing not only as fullbacks, but also as centerbacks; excellent service from Beckenbauer, Netzer and Breitner will find my rapid and skilful front three in good positions to punish idmanager on the counter.
A key tactical mismatch is Francisco Gento (supported, at times, with Zebec) against the makeshift right-back, be it Costacurta (probably) or Santamaria. idmanager gave this explanation to his first round formation
But you have to have someone like Conti providing the balance on the right side - and Garrincha is the wrong type of winger to play in such formation (the picture is from Jonathan Wilson's book "Inverting the Pyramid")
Another point I wanted to make was about Franz Beckenbauer. It's easier to focus all attention on the flashy Maradona, but I have a player who performed at an absolutely ridiculous level for more than a decade, influencing a game from a libero position like no one before or after him — being, incredibly, at the same time a world-class center back and a world-class playmaker. His consistent brilliance is definitely underestimated, just look at his positions in Ballon D'Or list:
1st - 1972, 1976
2nd - 1974, 1975
3rd - 1966
4th - 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973
5th - 1971
7th - 1969
17th - 1965
Key battles
There is no doubt on whenever Scirea is an all-time great defender. But even all-time great defenders have some players they struggled against. Paolo Maldini and Brian Laudrup, Alessandro Nesta and Luis Ronaldo… can we say the same about Gaetano Scirea and Preben Elkjær?
Fantastic performance against the Scirea-led Italian defence (Zoff, Scirea, Gentile, Collovati, Cabrini. Elkjær makes 2 assists and hits the post with his long range attempt.
Elkjær’s most iconic goal came on October 14 at the Stadio Bentegodi in a 2-0 win over Juventus, again with the great Scirea leading the black and white defence, which earned him the nickname of ‘Cinderella’. The Dane broke down the left flank, beat two defenders, lost his right boot in a tackle before carrying on to stroke the ball into the far corner of the net. He also should’ve been awarded a penalty in a different episode of that game in my opinion. Hellas Verona famously beat that Juventus not only in this game, but also in a race for the league title, securing one of the least likeliest underdog achievements in football’s history.
Fantastic performance against the Scirea-led Italian defence (Zoff, Scirea, Gentile, Collovati, Cabrini. Elkjær makes 2 assists and hits the post with his long range attempt.
Elkjær’s most iconic goal came on October 14 at the Stadio Bentegodi in a 2-0 win over Juventus, again with the great Scirea leading the black and white defence, which earned him the nickname of ‘Cinderella’. The Dane broke down the left flank, beat two defenders, lost his right boot in a tackle before carrying on to stroke the ball into the far corner of the net. He also should’ve been awarded a penalty in a different episode of that game in my opinion. Hellas Verona famously beat that Juventus not only in this game, but also in a race for the league title, securing one of the least likeliest underdog achievements in football’s history.
Not sure who Gento will be facing in this game, be it Mel Charles, Bosingwa, Santamaria or Costacurta, only Bosingwa is natural at this position and neither of them will be a good match for his frightening pace and skill.
Gento was so fast it was funny: At first fans laughed at this player who was forever running out of field, hurtling into the billboards beyond the byline. Di Stéfano complained that he was too quick, telling teammates, especially Rial, not to play the ball into space for Gento too soon. “I’d be there shouting ‘stop, stop,’” he remembers. The reason was simple: the rest of the team could not catch up.
“Gento’s speed was terrifying. It was impossible to stop him and as fast as he went he could stop—in a meter, while the other guy kept on running, skidding past, trying to put the brakes on. He’s out of the game, and Gento’s going the other way.”
Gento was so fast it was funny: At first fans laughed at this player who was forever running out of field, hurtling into the billboards beyond the byline. Di Stéfano complained that he was too quick, telling teammates, especially Rial, not to play the ball into space for Gento too soon. “I’d be there shouting ‘stop, stop,’” he remembers. The reason was simple: the rest of the team could not catch up.
“Gento’s speed was terrifying. It was impossible to stop him and as fast as he went he could stop—in a meter, while the other guy kept on running, skidding past, trying to put the brakes on. He’s out of the game, and Gento’s going the other way.”
While it’s not fair to label John Charles a battering ram, he was a great footballer as well, it’s obvious that his main strength is his size and aerial game (especially with the support of Garrincha and Dzajic). It’s hard to find someone better equipped to face him than Oscar Ruggeri, named «El Cabezon» (big-headed) for his incredible aerial dominance. Although he was equally sharp in the air and on the ground — and when Maradona surges forward, he won’t be hopelessly lost too:
There are no two ways about it — idmanager has the best player on the pitch in Maradona, and that makes him a favourite — and me an underdog. But football is full of stories of successful underdogs, and that's why we like it — or, as Fergie put it: «Football, bloody hell». There are also lots of examples of lesser players negating the influence of better ones — Gentile vs Maradona & Zico, Stiles vs Eusebio etc. In this game van Bommel will be faced with the incredible task — to make Maradona play worse than he can, but he has the skillset to, at least, try to succeed. His main strength for me was always his intelligence, and not only in the good way — and with his cunnings, provocations, constant bending of the rules he'll make sure that their duel is not only about who plays better at football. But, of course, he's not facing him alone — in behind I have the great Kaiser marshalling my defence, next to him — Netzer and Breitner, who'll make their best to help him here. Denying Maradona not only the ball, but also the space to operate in is my best (and only) chance to succeed — and I'm sure that my players will do their best to win here.
Additional points
There is only one ball
And now, as expected, the «too many cooks» argument. In a Soviet fairytale an old wizard, when he first encountered a football game, generously gave every one of the 22 players their own ball — why are they fighting for one ball when they can each have their own? But on the football pitch you’ll only ever have one ball (unless you’re playing Sunderland away), and you need to share it. Dzajic - Maradona - Garrincha looks great on paper, but I don’t think that they’ll work perfectly, complimenting each others style. All of them are the very embodiment of a ball-hogger, always being the main men in their respective teams, and they’ll get frustrated by each others will to have the ball at their feet at all times.
On my team I have a complimentary playmaking duo of Beckenbauer and Netzer, the brains and vision behind Germany’s European success in 1972; and my wingers are better suited for their respective roles — Gento played with Di Stefano and Puskas, Finney was often willing share the ball with Matthews and other English stars — even though both were very capable of being the main men themselves. Netzer also formed a formidable and complimentary duo with Breitner in Real Madrid’s midfield in the 70’s (plus the earlier version of Breitner worked wonders with them in 1972).
Multiple goalthreats
Incredibly, 7 players from my starting 11 scored more than 100 goals in their career — Elkjær, Finney, Gento, Netzer, Breitner, Beckenbauer and, surprisingly, van Bommel. A vast array of goalscorers is, obviously, a big plus for me — as literally anyone from my team is capable of scoring the winning goal. To illustrate my point — one of my all-time favourite goals. Elias Figueroa provided one of the best individual defensive performances in history, completely marking the great Gerd Müller out of the game, but Paul Breitner was not having that — a thunderbolt strike and the West Germany were through to eventually win that World Cup
Notably, a very few midfielders won Ballon D’Or — just Matthäus, Masopust, Suarez and Charlton. And while they’ve never won it, Netzer and Breitner both finished as runners up, Netzer — in 1972 (only 2 points behind the eventual winner Beckenbauer), also finishing 4th a year before; Breitner — in 1981, when he was bested only by his beloved partner Rummenigge (Breitner also had a 4th place finish in 1974). However good, neither of their opponents in midfield can match that — Maradona, obviously, aside.
TACTICS IDMANAGER
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Tactics : The front 4 will produce attack after attack with quick play and tire the opposition and punish any mistakes they make. The defense will stay back and protect against any counters. We expect to dominate the game and win the midfield battle.
Defence:
The defense is marshaled and organized by Gaetano Scirea, the greatest Italian defender alongside Baresi. Partnering Scirea is one of the greatest stoppers of all time, Jose Santamaria.
On the left side is Silvio Marzolini, the greatest Argentine left back of all time. He will be playing a strictly defensive role and only go forward if required to link up and not beyond the centre line. On the right side of the defense in a tucked in role is Alessandro Costacurta, one of the greatest Italian defenders of all time. Costacurta has played as a right back plenty of times for both Milan and Italy. He has played it at the highest level as well in the 2003 Champions League final which Milan won and maintained a clean sheet.
The defense is designed to make Scirea feel at home in a setup he enjoyed playing the most. The tucked in right back Costacurta allows Scirea to venture into the midfield battle without compromising on the defensive side of things. A role which Claudio Gentile played alongside Scirea with great success.
With the attacking talent on the pitch, the defense will stay back to avoid any counters getting through.
Midfield:
The midfield comprises the usual GOAT setup. A defensive deep lying play maker capable of dictating the game at the top level. A high energy box to box midfielder capable of supporting in both the offense and defense. And of course an attacking midfielder capable of tearing teams apart.
Fernando Redondo and Clarence Seedorf form the two man base with the greatest player of all time, Diego Maradona ahead of them.
With Scirea joining the midfield battle in a diamond of sorts, the midfield is highly capable in both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game with no chance of being outnumbered or dominated.
Seedorf will have the additional responsibility of supporting against attacks on the right side.
Attack:
The attack has a very simple setup.
The greatest undisputed right winger of all time in Garrincha.
A top 3 greatest left winger of all time in Dragan Dzajic.
The greatest attacking midfielder and the greatest player of all time, Diego Maradona
The best part of the attack is that all three of them operate in different areas of the pitch leaving loads of space for each other.
Garrincha will terrorize the right flank, Dzajic the left flank and Maradona through the centre and roam about as he wishes.
The idea is to make the pitch as big as possible and tire the hell out of the opposition while opening gaps for others.
A team built with two greatest wingers of all time and the greatest AM of all time time demands a striker to suit all three of them. And leading the attack is John Charles, a complete striker. He was supremely talented, possessing a delicate first touch and good control, and in the air he was masterful. Not just because of his spectacular ability to rise above defenses, but also the awesome power with which he could head the ball. Apart from his versatility, he was comfortable with either foot, possessed great stamina and strength. He would use his tremendous poaching abilities in the box to terrorize the defense with all the supply behind him.
