The Fifth Redcafe Sheep Draft Round 1 - Enigma_87 vs. Edgar Allan Pillow

[green_smiley]

TEAM ENIGMA_87

VS

TEAM EDGAR ALLAN PILLOW

TACTICS TEAM ENIGMA_87

Formation: 4-3-3
Defensive line: Normal
Style: Direct style - high work rate

Players:
GK: Julio Cesar - one of the best modern day goalkeepers. Been Seria A best goalkeeper of the year in two consecutive years, and a name always among the top keepers in the late 00's.
LB: Ruud Krol - a fantastic defender who could play all across the backline and a total footballer himself.
CB: Diego Godin - probably the best CB since Rio and a pillar of Atletico's defence.
CB: Carlos Mozer - Mozer is characterized with an extraordinary jump for a guy of his height(186cm) and one of the greatest central defenders ever in the French national championship. Before his arrival in Marseille he was described as one of the best CB in Europe according to France Football magazine and a lethal offensive weapon on set pieces with an extraordinary jump and header. He's incredibly strong and was able to scare away attackers by his physical prowess being also quick and everywhere at the backline.
RB: Steve Finnan - solid RB who was integral part of two CL finals for Liverpool, whilst winning one of them. A dependable and defensively sound full back he formed a strong backline for Pool in the early to mid 05's.
DM/cover - Philipp Lahm - Lahm was known only as a full-back, though granted he was viewed as both the best left-back and right-back in the world, thanks partly to his two-footedness and positional awareness.
Guardiola changed all that, and in the August 2013 Super Cup against Chelsea, he decided mid-match to move Lahm into the pivote (defensive midfield) role, on the advice of his assistant Domenec Torrent.

Bayern ended up winning the match on penalties, but all Guardiola could talk about in the weeks and months after was Lahm's metamorphosis into a midfielder. In his post-match interview, Guardiola gushed that Lahm was "at another level", and he explained that football matches are decided in midfield – so you must play your best players, namely Lahm, in that part of the pitch.

His role is a bit similar to that, but he would also cover for Finnan on the right flank and mind Cristiano Ronaldo at the opposite end, particularly cutting his path when the latter tries to cut in.

B2B: Arturo Vidal - A monster of a player capable of producing both in attack and defence he's in his natural b2b role and being the engine in midfield.

B2B: Michael Ballack - at his peak he was a complete midfielder and a great fit for Vidal in the middle, linking up midfield and attack. His long range ability will come handy in this game as well considering Edgar's keeper.

LWF/Playmaker - Johan Cruyff - he'll be the star of the team pulling the strings in the final third and controlling the game.

RWF - Willy Ortiz - the best Colombian player alongside Valderrama - Willington Ortiz, is still considered one of the greatest players in South American soccer history and remains a legend of the Colombian soccer team thanks to his astonishing speed, skills and accuracy.

Ortiz retired in 1988 with 215 goals in over 700 appearances. Ortiz had everything, strength, power and pace coupled with dribbling, feints, anticipation and vision. He leaves an indelible mark on Colombian football.

ST: Mario Gomez - certainly not the flashiest striker around but incredibly clinical - he struck 90 goals in all competitions for club and country in 11-12 for two years straight and was key player for Bayern winning 3 Bundesliga titles (1 with Stutgard also won player of the year in Germany in 2007), 1 CL and numerous cups during his stay.

Key points:
Solid defensive line that consists of two very strong and sound CB's, a GOAT LB and balanced full back on the right side.
Excellent midfield that would control the game including one of the best modern day midfielders in Ballack and Vidal, aided by the ever present Cruyff and of course Lahm putting a shift in.
A diverse attack - with Cruyff pulling the strings, top finisher to convert the chances the midfield will create and a dazzling dribbler with a ton of pace on the right.

Advantages:
- An upper hand in the midfield battle with Edgar probably having to field Muamba and Cleverley, who wouldn't stand a chance against Ballack and Vidal.

- Another key point is Ballack and Vidal ability to score from outside the box and a relatively unknown keeper in Sosa.

- Two strong and rigid CB's who would stifle Ruud in the box and could well cope with the crosses Becks is likely to put in.

- Without a designated DM (or worse Cleverley/Muamba) - Cruyff will likely run rampage in the hole dropping in and utilizing the space and time on the ball our midfield is likely to produce.


TACTICS EDGAR ALLAN PILLOW

Formation:

4-3-3

Players:

Roberto Sosa - Uruguayan goalkeeper who played for in the 1962 and 1966 FIFA World Cups.
.
Patrice Evra - Balanced/Attacking Left Back
Roberto Matosas - Not just a phyiscal stopper, but a cultured CB with excellent reading of the game, very good ball skills and comfortable stepping out to defend/support midfield.
Albert Shesternyov - Best football defender in Soviet football history. Sprinter and athlete with innate understanding of the game. Fast and workrate enough to cover the length of pitch, what set him apart from other defenders was being in right place at right time. A true libero!
Manuel Amoros - Balanced/Attacking Right Back
.
Fabrice Muamba - Defensive midfielder with simple task. Protect the back 4.
Pavel Nedved - Balon d'Or winner. High workrate. Drift outside and inside.
David Beckham - Passer/Crosser par excellence.High workrate. Drift outside and inside.
.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Left forward in free role.
Ruud van Nistelrooy - Lethal Centre forward.
Angel Cabrera - as a Uruguayan forward who played for in the 1962 World Cup. He was a spectacular forward of Peñarol during their greatest and most successful period. A fine player, technically a phenomenon and a good goal-scorer.

Tactics:

A Solid defence with stellar players having Muamba operating ahead running interference. Nedved and Beckham have both operated centrally and wide. Depending on flank one will drift wide with other moving in centrally to support. They have good support from attacking instincts of fullbacks. They have the vision, intelligence and ability to give my forwards a constant supply of good balls to take advantage of. Nothing needs to be said of Cristiano and Ruud. Cristiano has free role and switch flanks and overload as needed. Between him and Ruud, there are plenty of goals. Angel Cabrera will play Right Forward with intent to pull defenders out of position.

 

[green_smiley]

Good luck @Enigma_87 @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[prath92]

Banter lineup from @Edgar Allan Pillow. Very kloppesque

 

[idmanager]

 

[Enigma_87]

thanks @green_smiley for setting it up! Good luck @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[Enigma_87]

To kick it off a bit info about some of our players:

World Cup Legends: Colombia & Willington Ortiz

Di Stefano, Best, Schuster, Weah, Cantona, Brady, Ginola – just some of the great players never to have appeared at a World Cup. One name that should be included in the list is Willington Ortiz. Born Willington Ortiz Alfonso Palacio in 1952 in Tumaco, a port city near the Ecuadorian border “El Viejo Willie” would become recognized as one of, if not the best footballer in Colombian history.

Joining his local youth team, Ortiz’ skills were soon noticed and he left Tumaco for Atlético Girardot before joining the youth ranks of Millonarios in 1971. He made his senior debut in a friendly against Internacional de Porto Alegre – scoring the winning goal. Along with Alejandro Brand and Jaime Morón, Ortiz would form “la tripleta goleadora” that would propel Millonarios to the league title. In the process ‘Old Willy’ would earn a place in the 1972 Olympic team. This would be a prominent period for Los Embajadores. League runners-up in 1973 and 1975 before winning the title again in 1978; Copa Libertadores semi-finalists in 1973 and 74 as well as participating in the 1976 and 79 editions. Ortiz was instrumental to the team.

In 1973 Ortiz made his debut for the Colombian senior team and would make 49 appearances at national level over the next 12 years, getting to the final of the Copa América in 1975.

Skillful, fast and talented Ortiz was a target for big defenders, [Ortiz himself had praise for two Oscar Bolanos and Oscar Muñoz for their technical abilities]. It was another Antonio ‘Gringo’ Palacios with a horror tackle who was feared to have ended Ortiz’ career in 1979.

His return from injury was followed by a move to Deportivo Cali [rejecting offers from Barcelona and Valencia]. Whilst success was elusive for Los Azucareros, Ortiz continued to enthrall most markedly in an away leg of the 1981 Copa Libertadores to River Plate’s all-star cast. Ortiz dazzled, ending by scoring the winning goal.

In late 1982 Willington transferred across town to América de Cali and La Mechita [The Fuse] era began. In a fearsome partnership with Juan Mauel Battaglia, Ortiz won the league title in the next four seasons and were runners-up in the Copa Libertadores in 1985, 86 and 87.

Ortiz retired in 1988 with 215 goals in over 700 appearances. Ortiz had everything, strength, power and pace coupled with dribbling, feints, anticipation and vision. He leaves an indelible mark on Colombian football.

 

[Enigma_87]

A compilation of Ballack being a threat outside the box.

and another one of Vidal at his pump:



A midfield duo of one of my favorite modern midfielders (having picked them up in several drafts already)...

 

[Enigma_87]

And some of Lahm defensive ability and great reading and understanding of the game.

The idea behind him covering that inside right channel is stifling Edgar's greatest strength - Ronaldo cutting in:

 

[harms]

Edgar's midfield

 

[Enigma_87]

btw @antohan who is this Angel Cabrera lad, seeing that you probably gave Edgar the sheep? According to wiki and transfermarkd he played about 6 games of football in his career.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Cristiano vs Finnan?

 

[Enigma_87]

Cristiano vs Finnan?

and Lahm.

Cruyff vs Muamba?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Edgar's midfield

What? It's pretty even, I'd say. Lahm gives him a edge, but I like Nedved and Becks more.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

and Lahm.

Cruyff vs Muamba?

Lahm peak was RB. He's going to be constantly supporting Finnan that you might as well played him there. I doubt Lahm as a DM will have any better effect than Muamba.

 

[Enigma_87]

What? It's pretty even, I'd say. Lahm gives him a edge, but I like Nedved and Becks more.

I see you have brought in the snake oil

Nedved and Becks are obviously excellent players but your holder is safe to say pretty much a sheep - Muamba. He won't give them the protection and Becks/Nedved against Ballack/Vidal - the latter playing in their natural positions, would give us an obvious edge. Nedved can play obviously all across the midfield but neither Becks is the box to box type to compliment him, neither Muamba has the quality to protect the back four.

Vidal/Ballack aided by Lahm tucking in and Cruyff helping out would fare against any midfield, given the work rate and defensive skill in all of them, an even battle is far from what I see here tbh.

 

[Enigma_87]

Lahm peak was RB. He's going to be constantly supporting Finnan that you might as well played him there. I doubt Lahm as a DM will have any better effect than Muamba.

Lahm could play on any flank and also as a midfielder in Pep's Bayern. The reason why he's in that role is because he indeed will be supporting Finnan(and also overloading the midfield) as Ronaldo will have to have 2 players minding him in this game for couple of reasons:

1. Ronaldo is your best player and main weapon in attack.
2. RvN is well covered in the center whilst Becks and Nedved will have their hands full in midfield.
3. your third forward is a sheep.

 

[crappycraperson]

Edgar's midfield

I saw the first line up and thought to myself - "Don't like Lahm in DM role".. but then saw the opposition MF ..trying to shoe-horn two wingers in a 3 anchored by might Muamba .. lolz ..

Both teams seem pretty flawed to me. Don't really want to vote for either

 

[idmanager]

For all the other circus around in his team, EAP has had a brilliant back 4 in two consecutive drafts now.
Add a Makalele there and suddenly it looks not too bad.

 

[Enigma_87]

I saw the first line up and thought to myself - "Don't like Lahm in DM role".. but then saw the opposition MF ..trying to shoe-horn two wingers in a 3 anchored by might Muamba .. lolz ..

Both teams seem pretty flawed to me. Don't really want to vote for either

Well Lahm is in a bit of a transitional(or better say pivotal) role between defence and midfield. His main duty will be to mind the inside right channel where Ronaldo is likely to operate. The main idea is to push inside when he's needed in midfield and of course neutralize the Ronaldo threat along with Finnan. That and of course his distribution from the back when we start our attacks which is a plus considering the two rugged CB's in our team.

Taking out Ronaldo is the biggest priority in our defensive setup as with two wingers inside as CM's anchored by Muamba Edgar won't control the midfield and would struggle to build from the center. That and of course having a sheep in attack(Cabrera) makes it a bit easier for our defence to have a spare man minding Cristiano.

 

[idmanager]

@Edgar Allan Pillow , why not went with Cleverly instead of Cabrera?
If you have a body to waste, I'd rather throw it in the midfield battle with an already over flowing attack in your ranks.
Cleverly is not an out and out sheep too. Has played quite a few big games and could lend a hand.

 

[antohan]

btw @antohan who is this Angel Cabrera lad, seeing that you probably gave Edgar the sheep? According to wiki and transfermarkd he played about 6 games of football in his career.

That's because they don't count league games that far back.

He was Peñarol's striker before Spencer arrived, his sub thereafter. Won 4 league titles (one as the starting striker and league top scorer), three Libertadores and started two out of 3 games for Uruguay in the 1962 WC (not precisely our best vintage), scoring against Yugoslavia.

Hardly a sheep, but the closest to one in the game EAP got tied up in.

 

[Enigma_87]

That's because they don't count league games that far back.

He was Peñarol's striker before Spencer arrived, his sub thereafter. Won 4 league titles (one as the starting striker and league top scorer), three Libertadores and started two out of 3 games for Uruguay in the 1962 WC (not precisely our best vintage), scoring against Yugoslavia.

Hardly a sheep, but the closest to one in the game EAP got tied up in.

Cheers, not a AM or SS depicted here as well if he was Spencer's sub then.

 

[harms]

For all the other circus around in his team, EAP has had a brilliant back 4 in two consecutive drafts now.
Add a Makalele there and suddenly it looks not too bad.

Don't think that an ukulele would help him.

It's Makelele, ffs (why do people always misspell it? It doesn't even sound like it)

 

[antohan]

Cheers, not a AM or SS depicted here as well if he was Spencer's sub then.

Classic 9. I'd play 4-4-2 myself, be it with Cristiano as a winger and Nedved in midfield or Cleverley in midfield and Cristiano roaming. I'd favour the former as Cabrera would exploit Beckham's crossing superbly and Cleverley-Muamba would be a very soft centre.

 

[idmanager]

Don't think that an ukulele would help him.

It's Makelele, ffs (why do people always misspell it? It doesn't even sound like it)

Probably to piss people like you off

 

[Gio]

Don't mind Beckham and Nedved in those more central half-and-half roles. They certainly had the energy and the overall game to do that kind of job, while Nedved arguably played some of his best football for Juve in a notional central position. Agree with anto's 4-4-2 suggestion, EAP could probably tilt the three across to allow Beckham to feed crosses and isolate Cristiano on Finnan.

 

[Enigma_87]

Don't mind Beckham and Nedved in those more central half-and-half roles. They certainly had the energy and the overall game to do that kind of job, while Nedved arguably played some of his best football for Juve in a notional central position. Agree with anto's 4-4-2 suggestion, EAP could probably tilt the three across to allow Beckham to feed crosses and isolate Cristiano on Finnan.

That’s true but Nedved played more of a AM in that Juve side and usually had a holder/ defensive box to box next to him to balance it out.

Becks also played more of a wide role at Real and didn’t really like him when occasionally played in 4-3-3.

To pull that off tho Edgar would need a world class holder and not Muamba. On top of that he’s playing with two out and out strikers on the pitch along with Ronaldo who is unlikely to offer anything in midfield either.

 

[harms]

Don't mind Beckham and Nedved in those more central half-and-half roles. They certainly had the energy and the overall game to do that kind of job, while Nedved arguably played some of his best football for Juve in a notional central position. Agree with anto's 4-4-2 suggestion, EAP could probably tilt the three across to allow Beckham to feed crosses and isolate Cristiano on Finnan.

It's not even them, it's Muambe in the most crucial and important position for Edgar. You'd think that people will try to hide their sheep, not put them under the spotlight

 

[idmanager]

It's not even them, it's Muambe in the most crucial and important position for Edgar. You'd think that people will try to hide their sheep, not put them under the spotlight

It's Muamba, ffs (why do people always misspell it? It doesn't even sound like it)

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

It's not even them, it's Muambe in the most crucial and important position for Edgar. You'd think that people will try to hide their sheep, not put them under the spotlight

Muambe is not a sheep (technically) as I picked him as last gasp option. He does not have a dedicated #10 facing off. Cruyff is played left forward and when drifting him will get the upper hand, but then I have a strong Back 4 behind him to soften the blow.

Honestly Lahm ain't any better. He's never been a pivot DM, but a player of his caliber could be expected to put a decent shift in there.....only here Lahm has a tough job supporting Finnan from being roasted by Cristiano. Between Nedved and Cristiano, I don't expect Lahm to have any more impact in this game than Muamba tbh!

That’s true but Nedved played more of a AM in that Juve side and usually had a holder/ defensive box to box next to him to balance it out.

Becks also played more of a wide role at Real and didn’t really like him when occasionally played in 4-3-3.

That not really true. Nedved is comfortable centrally or out wide. Becks has played in 2 man midfield many times here. I don't buy any argument that both are not good fits in a 4-3-3.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Edgar Allan Pillow , why not went with Cleverly instead of Cabrera?

I didn't want Muamba and Cleverly in same midfield. And Angel Cabrera is a far better player than Cleverly.

Lahm could play on any flank and also as a midfielder in Pep's Bayern. The reason why he's in that role is because he indeed will be supporting Finnan(and also overloading the midfield) as Ronaldo will have to have 2 players minding him in this game for couple of reasons:

1. Ronaldo is your best player and main weapon in attack.
2. RvN is well covered in the center whilst Becks and Nedved will have their hands full in midfield.
3. your third forward is a sheep.

Cristiano will roast Finnan. Lahm and Godin will get consistently get pull out of position trying to lend support. And that leaves an oncoming Nedved, Becks crosses plus RvNs finishing a bit too much for rest of your defence to handle.

As to your team, you'll have a upper hand when Cruyff runs rings around Muamba....but then I still have a strong and steady back 4 on hand to hold the fort.

Cristiano vs Finnan will have considerable more direct impact on this game than Cruyff vs Mumaba.

 

[harms]

It's Muamba, ffs (why do people always misspell it? It doesn't even sound like it)

Well deserved

It was an autocorrect on my phone, I don't know why it haven't liked Muamba

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I'd play 4-4-2 myself

Agree with anto's 4-4-2 suggestion, EAP could probably tilt the three across to allow Beckham to feed crosses and isolate Cristiano on Finnan.

It's tactically flexible team. Cristiano vs Finnan is the most damaging mismatch in the match.

 

[harms]

Honestly Lahm ain't any better. He's never been a pivot DM, but a player of his caliber could be expected to put a decent shift in there.....only here Lahm has a tough job supporting Finnan from being roasted by Cristiano. Between Nedved and Cristiano, I don't expect Lahm to have any more impact in this game than Muamba tbh!

Ehm... he has played there, quite successfully, under Pep. And you're talking about probably the most versatile of modern defenders on one hand... and Muamba on the other.

What's Lahm's record against Cristiano by the way? Genuinely don't remember

 

[Enigma_87]

Muambe is not a sheep (technically) as I picked him as last gasp option. He does not have a dedicated #10 facing off. Cruyff is played left forward and when drifting him will get the upper hand, but then I have a strong Back 4 behind him to soften the blow.

Honestly Lahm ain't any better. He's never been a pivot DM, but a player of his caliber could be expected to put a decent shift in there.....only here Lahm has a tough job supporting Finnan from being roasted by Cristiano. Between Nedved and Cristiano, I don't expect Lahm to have any more impact in this game than Muamba tbh!

Muamba is not a sheep because you technically picked him. Technically there are better sheep players than Muamba so if we're going by the quality alone he's pretty close to a sheep level being exposed here.

Muamba played total of 6 seasons at top level - one in Championship and 5 in relegation battlers Bolton, whilst being against a GOAT here in Cruyff who will of course attack the middle when Krol overlaps.

That not really true. Nedved is comfortable centrally or out wide. Becks has played in 2 man midfield many times here. I don't buy any argument that both are not good fits in a 4-3-3.

Not saying Nedved is not comfortable centrally but he is an AM in those cases and not supported by a sheep certainly in those Juve teams.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Ehm... he has played there, quite successfully, under Pep. And you're talking about probably the most versatile of modern defenders on one hand... and Muamba on the other.

What's Lahm's record against Cristiano by the way? Genuinely don't remember

Not on Lahm's position...but his role. A pivot DM is necessary for a 4-3-3...but having to support Finnan against Cristiano is a bit too much to ask. And we are not really seeing a possing team here. Between Cristiano and Nedved, Lahm will be overwhelmed.

 

[Enigma_87]

I didn't want Muamba and Cleverly in same midfield. And Angel Cabrera is a far better player than Cleverly.

Er, according to anto he's an out and out #9. You have two of them in your line up. With RvN already there it's clearly a misfit to begin with.

Cristiano will roast Finnan. Lahm and Godin will get consistently get pull out of position trying to lend support. And that leaves an oncoming Nedved, Becks crosses plus RvNs finishing a bit too much for rest of your defence to handle.

As to your team, you'll have a upper hand when Cruyff runs rings around Muamba....but then I still have a strong and steady back 4 on hand to hold the fort.

Cristiano vs Finnan will have considerable more direct impact on this game than Cruyff vs Mumaba.

Finnan actually have good record against Cristiano and I think Cristiano only scored one peno up until 07 when Finnan was playing for Pool. He of course will not face him 1vs 1 as we have Lahm there who is probably the best full back in the defensive phase in the last decade along with Zanetti.

Godin and Mozer are actually excellent fit for RvN in the air so that tactic IMO is not very profitable here considering our CB's.

 

[Enigma_87]

Not on Lahm's position...but his role. A pivot DM is necessary for a 4-3-3...but having to support Finnan against Cristiano is a bit too much to ask. And we are not really seeing a possing team here. Between Cristiano and Nedved, Lahm will be overwhelmed.

By pivot I mean he'll be transitioning into two roles - overloading the midfield and taking the ball out of the defence when needed and supporting Finnan on the right to counter Cristiano, not the traditional DM dropping back to CB - not at all.

Besides out 4-3-3 consists of Ballack and Vidal playing in natural roles. Them two alone can play in a two man midfield and have the energy to do so(young Ballack).

Lahm has played a lot as a DM and also in covering and transitional roles, you are talking about probably the most all rounded defender in modern times, a little piece on him:

Farewell Philipp Lahm - the understated genius who revolutionised the role of the full-back


By the time Pep Guardiola took over as Bayern Munich manager in the summer of 2013, he had already worked with many of football's greatest ever players.

Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta were among the stars who blossomed under his tutelage at Barcelona, and when he arrived in Bavaria four years ago, he was greeted with a Champions League winning team that included the likes of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Manuel Neuer.

But no-one before or since has impacted Guardiola as profoundly as the scruffy 5 ft 7 in phenomenon that is Philipp Lahm, a player Pep described shortly after becoming Bayern manager as "perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained in my career."

Lahm, who announced on Tuesday night that he will retire from football at the end of the season, will be looked back on as a footballing revolutionary.

Nominally a full-back, he has blurred the lines between what it means to be a defender and midfielder, and at times made our conventional views on positions seem laughably outdated.

A one-club man (bar a loan spell at VfB Stuttgart) and Bayern captain since 2011, Lahm has picked up 18 major honours in a glittering career, including the Champions League and the 2014 World Cup as Germany captain.

But the honours list only tells half the story, because it is Lahm's intelligence and versatility that has marked him out as such a special talent.

When Guardiola began managing Bayern, Lahm was known only as a full-back, though granted he was viewed as both the best left-back and right-back in the world, thanks partly to his two-footedness and positional awareness.

Guardiola changed all that, and in the August 2013 Super Cup against Chelsea, he decided mid-match to move Lahm into the pivote (defensive midfield) role, on the advice of his assistant Domenec Torrent.

Bayern ended up winning the match on penalties, but all Guardiola could talk about in the weeks and months after was Lahm's metamorphosis into a midfielder. In his post-match interview, Guardiola gushed that Lahm was "at another level", and he explained that football matches are decided in midfield – so you must play your best players, namely Lahm, in that part of the pitch.

Philipp Lahm is perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained in my career. He is at another level.Pep Guardiola, in 2013
In November 2013 after beating rivals Borussia Dortmund, the Spaniard was even more effusive and said: "If we win anything this season, it will be thanks to that decision to move Lahm. All the other pieces fell into place the moment we put him in central midfield."

Bayern did indeed win something that season, claiming a domestic double after a defeat in the Champions League semi-final, and for Lahm things were about to get even better a couple of months later.

The German captained his country to victory at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and typically played half the tournament in midfield before moving to right-back for the final three matches to help marshall a creaking defence. With Lahm in the back four, Germany conceded just one goal, and that was a late consolation in the 7-1 semi-final win over Brazil.

In many respects Lahm is far from the archetypal modern footballer. He is not someone who can be condensed into a YouTube highlights package, or whose skills can be easily captured in a computer game, and Lord knows what his Emoji would be. Partly as a consequence he has never won the German Footballer of the Year award, let alone the more vaunted Ballon d'Or.

Instead Lahm has always stood out because of his professionalism, versatility and intelligence - qualities that have stood out since he was a teenager.

When Lahm was 19 in 2003, Bayern's reserve team coach Hermann Gerland was trying to arrange a loan move for the youngster. Gerland called Felix Magath, then the manager of Stuttgart and offered him the services of a player "who looks like he's 15 but plays as if he 30". A sceptical Magath asked where he should play this kid. Gerland replied: "At right-back. Or left-back. Or right-sided midfield. Or central midfield."

Two months later Stuttgart beat Manchester United in the Champions League, and according to Gerland, Sir Alex Ferguson was so impressed by Lahm that he immediately wanted to sign him.

Gerland later reflected: "Lahm was already perfect when he was 17. He could do it all, there was nothing left for me to teach him. Philipp never played a bad game for me. He is incapable of playing badly."

Trying to explain what makes Lahm so special, Guardiola is quoted in Marti Perarnau's seminal work Pep Confidential as saying: “Have you seen how smart Philipp [Lahm] is? How the guy turns and protects possession and also splits the opposition?”

Hesse pointed out that Germany's fall from grace after Lahm's international retirement following the World Cup win was hardly surprising: "From one day to the next, he [manager Joachim Low] had to make do without one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, one of the best left-backs in the world, the best right-back in the world and his right-hand man on the pitch, a player whose understanding of the game is so faultless that the most famous coach in the world has called him the most intelligent footballer he's ever worked with. These four key figures are called Philipp Lahm."


Lahm modestly places himself as merely part of a wider trend where the traditional labels for players are no longer relevant. "Football as a whole has changed. Look at the top teams and you see a lot of midfielders on the pitch. You don’t really have traditional full-backs any more," he said in an interview with the Daily Mail last year.

"I have played as a right winger at times but this season (2015-16) I’ve also played more in the middle of midfield and right back. It depends on the tactics used against the different opponents."

There were even times under Guardiola when Lahm was essentially given the whole right side of the pitch to himself, such was the trust placed in him to make the best of whatever position he was put in.

And partly thanks to Lahm the role of the full-back has changed dramatically across Europe over the past decade. Where once it was seen as a primarily defensive position, now it is viewed as a vital starting point for attacks and a way of pinning opposition wingers back. A decade ago the best right-back in the Premier League was Gary Neville; now it is Hector Bellerin or Kyle Walker, and Lahm was at the vanguard of the shift in emphasis.


Perhaps what separates Lahm from his peers though is his almost unique ability to defend as well as he can attack, where often it is a case of either/or for even the best full-backs.

The late Brazilian Carlos Alberto, himself a former full-back and World Cup-winning captain, once said: “Sometimes Lahm is just breathtaking. He doesn’t make any mistakes. Is he a machine? No, Weber, Schulz, Hottges, in my day, they were machines. Philipp Lahm is an artist.”



Of this flexibility and creativity, Lahm says: "I’ve always placed great value on tactics. Secondly, I was always smaller and more slightly built so I had to adapt my approach and I learnt a lot through that. Pep then added ideas that made it more fun and put me in midfield — and that gave me a different perspective."

In Guardiola's final year at Bayern, Lahm primarily reverted to playing at right-back, and that is largely where he has played this season under Carlo Ancelotti - with distinction of course.

Lahm insists he will never be a coach, but is keen to stay involved with the club in some capacity, which will likely mean an ambassadorial role and/or a position on the board.

Perhaps the greatest legacy Lahm has left will be with the German national team. The previous two captains to have led Die Mannschaft to the World Cup were Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthaus, both physically imposing players who fed into a mythology in German football that the national team could only win titles with conventionally strong leaders at the helm.

But then along came the diminutive Lahm, whose understated intelligence and diligence inspired everyone who worked with him and marked him out as one of the finest players of his generation.

 

[antohan]

Not saying Nedved is not comfortable centrally but he is an AM in those cases and not supported by a sheep certainly in those Juve teams.

He was superb as a playmaker from left midfield at Lazio. Not sure what you are going on about other than Muamba.

 

[Enigma_87]

He was superb as a playmaker from left midfield at Lazio. Not sure what you are going on about other than Muamba.

I meant that he's a superb player, who possess a great versatility and will certainly factor in the defensive phase for Edgar, but he won't do all the midfield work by himself. He had players like Simeone and Almeyda at Lazio, Davids and Tacchinardi at Juve, etc. Becks excelled on the right and in this role he will have a lot of defensive work here as well, considering both of them are up against Vidal and Ballack. Nedved will have a good game no doubt, but the anchor that Edgar badly needs to stitch up that midfield is a player who had 5 pro seasons under his belt with the following results:

07/08 - relegated with Birmingham.
08/09 - 13th with Bolton
09/10 - 14th with Bolton
10/11 - 14th with Bolton
11/12 - Bolton are relegated.

And he's up against Cruyff in the attacking phase when Krol will move forward...