TEAM MAZHAR13
VS
TEAM TUPPET
VS
TEAM TUPPET
TACTICS MAZHAR13
Formation: 4-4-1-1
Subs: Mauro Ramos, Simon Kjaer, Yannick Bolasie
Defensive style: normal line (neither high nor low); aggressive and compact
Attacking style: quick transitions; stretch the pitch; utilise the wings
Inspiration: Man. Utd. 2006-08
Starting Lineup
GK - Mazurkiewicz: He was one of the best goalkeepers in the world alongside Banks and Yashin. His sound positioning, high leaps, and strong hands made him a reliable keeper who was difficult to score against. He was so good that Yashin, in his farewell match in 1971, handed his own gloves over to Mazurka and deemed him his successor. Every top team needs a top keeper, and I definitely have that in Mazurka.
RB (Conservative) - Dzodzuashvili: To balance out the whole team, I needed a defensively assured yet cultured right full back, and I have that in Revaz. Even though he liked to go forward (he started off as a striker), he played quite conservatively against strong sides with dangerous left wingers. He was an aggressive, tight marker, and he will be quite difficult for any left winger to shake off. This is a player who shut down Lubanski, Dzajic, and Best, and he was a key proponent of the robust USSR side of the 1970 World Cup.
CB - Sanchis family: It's amazing how much both have in common with each other. Not only are their names the same, but they also have the same nickname (Manolo), and they both had similar football styles. M.S. Martinez was a cultured defender who can pass the ball out of the back. Defensively, he was strong on the tackle and positionally well-disciplined. His son, M.S. Hontiyuelo, was quite similar though more skilled on the ball, which allowed him to play in central midfield on several occasions. In our team, he will play a more defensive role, making more use of his aggressive marking to unsettle Tuppet's forwards when they get their first touch on the ball.
LB (All-Rounded) - Demyanenko: Having come up under Lobanovskiy, Demyanenko is your typical total footballer. Even though he was right-footed, he was quite a handful as a left full back, often switching between drifting infield and staying out at the left flank. His dribbling, pass-and-move playing style, and quick runs made him a threat going forward. His high energy levels mean that he will cover lots of ground and forge a great partnership with Czibor similar to the Irwin-Giggs partnership.
CM (Holding) - de Rossi: In a midfield 2, midfielders need to be well-rounded, and de Rossi is definitely that. He is tactically astute and well-aware of what happens around him (he did play as a centre half in a back 3 on several occasions). His high energy levels mean that he covers lots of ground and is tough to shake off. On the ball, he's a very good passer with a long passing range and the vision to dictate games from deeper areas. In this setup, he will be crucial in switching play to the opposite flank and leaving our wingers in 1-on-1 situations against the opposing full backs, and his accurate passing will allow us to transition quickly from defence to attack.
CM (Box-to-Box) - Edwards: A physical powerhouse, he was close to an ideal athlete. He was built like a brick wall but was deceptively fast. He combined this athleticism with elite football intelligence and a high level of skill on the ball. At a young age, he was seen as a leader on the pitch, and in tough situations, he was constantly relied upon to carry the team forward towards victory. In this team, he will be playing his natural, dynamic, box-to-box role, where he will be expected to disrupt the opposition both by carrying the ball forward and by playing a high-intensity, aggressive game off the ball.
Wingers - Hamrin and Czibor: With the solid platform that they have at the back, both will be allowed to play their natural offensive game. Both were exquisite dribblers who twisted and turned many of the full backs that they faced. On top of that, both were consistently accurate crossers who will provide a reliable supply to the central players, whether it's a cross into the box or a cut back to the edge of the box. Both were also capable goalscorers, with Hamrin in particular being Fiorentina's all-time top goalscorer (as a right winger)!
SS (Free Role) - Paul van Himst:
Spotlight on Paul van Himst
Most people don't seem to remember Paul van Himst, but what most people don't realise was that he was voted as Belgium's player of the century ahead of better-known players like Ceulemans and Scifo. In his time, he was a complete forward, and like Pelé, he combined the creativity of a trequartista with the goalscoring instinct of a striker. He made his Anderlecht debut at the age of 16 and Belgium debut at the age of 17 (also voted Belgian Player of the Year at that age). In 1962, he won the first of many trophies, and even in Europe, he was making an impact against the best of teams, including scoring a goal against Real Madrid at the age of 19. Lots of big European clubs took a strong interest in him, but he rejected their advances, willing to remain loyal to Anderlecht and remain in Belgium. He had lots of ups, but he also suffered a couple of downs with a heartbreaking final loss to Arsenal in the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (predecessor to UEFA Cup) and getting knocked out of the 1970 World Cup in the group stage. He was made the scapegoat after Belgium got knocked out too early, but he bounced back with a respectable 3rd place finish in Euro 1972, losing to the eventual champions West Germany 2-1.
Club goalscoring record: 235 goals in 478 appearances
National goalscoring record: 30 goals in 81 appearances (Belgian top scorer)
Playing Style
Traits: close ball control; mazy dribbling; lots of vertical movement; accurate, curled finishes; accurate passes; link-up plays
Finishing:
Team Honours
Belgium Championship: 8 times
Belgian Cup: 4 times
Belgian League Cup: 2 times
Euro 1972: 3rd place
Personal Honours
Top scorer: 3 times
European Cup 1967 top scorer
Belgian Golden Boot (Player of the Season): 4 times
Belgium's Golden Player of the last 50 years (UEFA)
IFFHS Best Belgian player of the 20th century
1971 Belgian Man of the Year
- Nickname: Pelé Blanc
- Role(s): second striker (primary), centre forward (secondary)
Most people don't seem to remember Paul van Himst, but what most people don't realise was that he was voted as Belgium's player of the century ahead of better-known players like Ceulemans and Scifo. In his time, he was a complete forward, and like Pelé, he combined the creativity of a trequartista with the goalscoring instinct of a striker. He made his Anderlecht debut at the age of 16 and Belgium debut at the age of 17 (also voted Belgian Player of the Year at that age). In 1962, he won the first of many trophies, and even in Europe, he was making an impact against the best of teams, including scoring a goal against Real Madrid at the age of 19. Lots of big European clubs took a strong interest in him, but he rejected their advances, willing to remain loyal to Anderlecht and remain in Belgium. He had lots of ups, but he also suffered a couple of downs with a heartbreaking final loss to Arsenal in the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (predecessor to UEFA Cup) and getting knocked out of the 1970 World Cup in the group stage. He was made the scapegoat after Belgium got knocked out too early, but he bounced back with a respectable 3rd place finish in Euro 1972, losing to the eventual champions West Germany 2-1.
Club goalscoring record: 235 goals in 478 appearances
National goalscoring record: 30 goals in 81 appearances (Belgian top scorer)
Playing Style
Traits: close ball control; mazy dribbling; lots of vertical movement; accurate, curled finishes; accurate passes; link-up plays
Finishing:
Team Honours
Belgium Championship: 8 times
Belgian Cup: 4 times
Belgian League Cup: 2 times
Euro 1972: 3rd place
Personal Honours
Top scorer: 3 times
European Cup 1967 top scorer
Belgian Golden Boot (Player of the Season): 4 times
Belgium's Golden Player of the last 50 years (UEFA)
IFFHS Best Belgian player of the 20th century
1971 Belgian Man of the Year
CF (All-Rounded) - Sandor Kocsis: The man to round it all off, Kocsis will be our main man up front who will provide a significant goalscoring threat. He will be a significant aerial threat, and he will also provide exquisite technique on the ground. He was a scorer of all kinds of goals, and his prolific goalscoring ability will be put to good use with the supply from Hamrin and Czibor. His refined link-up play will also allow Hamrin to get into goalscoring positions as well as play Demyanenko and Edwards past the opposition lines.
Strengths
- Technically sound footballers all over the pitch
- Fluid front 4 with the freedom to play their natural game
- High-energy midfield and full backs that can cover large distances
- Aggression and intensity across the pitch that will unsettle the opposition
- Goalscoring threat from out wide
- Long passing ranges from our midfielders and Sanchis will play our wingers and forwards into space and frequent 1-on-1 situations
TACTICS TUPPET
We are playing in a straight forward 4-2-3-1 tactic, with focus on moving the ball with purpose and quickly from defense to attack. With lot of pace and ball carrying ability in wings from Giggs & Julinho and through center from Masopust & Cubillas we can do quick counters. In Olsen / Monti / Masopust we have players with great passing range to provide a quick outball for counter as well. But at the same time we have players who are gifted with the ball on their feet and can also hold up the possession when needed.Puskas is the best player on the pitch and plays the role of all round forward, who can create as well finish chances. He forms a deadly partnership with Cubillas who is playing as a goalscoring number 10. Their partnership is similar to Puskas - Di Stefano partnership, where both of them would get lot of chances to score. Cubillas gives Puskas the freedom to drop deep, while still having an incredible goal scoring threat up front.
Masopust is playing as a box to box midfielder, while Monti would take the defensive midfielder role, shielding the defense and provide playmaking from deep midfield. Giggs & Julinho plays the role of traditional wingers. Both can cut in to take shots at goal (both have decent scoring records) or provide crosses from wings for Puskas & Cubillas.
Lizarazu & Djalma Santos are both playing as balanced full backs. They are facing two great wingers and so would be in defense first mode. Djalma is instructed to man mark Czibor, he was an excellent man marker. In 1958 world cup he played just one game that was final and was tasked to mark Skoglund. He completely neutralized him and was selected in all star team on the basis of that one game.
In the center of defense we have a pair of underrated CBs. Morten Olsen would play as ball playing defender while Billy Wright would take the job of no nonsense stopper. Billy Wright was one of the greatest defender English football produced, came second in a Ballon D'or vote and won FWA player of the year. He was the captain and heart of one of the greatest club teams Wolves of 50s. Olsen is considered one of the best Libero after Beckenbauer himself. Together they form a perfect partnership. In goals we have Roberto Fernandez, the second best Paraguayan GK after Chilavert. Known as "El Gato (The Cat)" for his reflexes, Fernandez won 78 international caps for Paraguay. He also won 1979 Copa America with Paraguay beating Brazil of Falcao & Socrates en route.
Why would we win:
1. Stifling Czibor: Czibor to me is the most dangerous player of opposition, his proven connection to Kocsis could be a good route for goals. Fortunately we have arguably the greatest defensive right back of all time in Djalma Santos and he would be tasked to mark Czibor out of the game. This could have same impact as what Victor Andrade had in WC 54 semifinal where they restricted Kocsis by cutting his supply and marking Czibor.
2. Overall quality: Both of our teams would be playing with similar tactics, so quality differential in players could be the deciding factor. And I believe we have a slight advantage on that front. Puskas was easily considered the best player in world at his peak and a better forward than Kocsis. He is also proven more outside the glorious Hungary team. Julinho - Hamrin is close, they both played for Fiorentina team at their peak and both were loved by their fans, but Viola fans pick Julinho as their best ever player. Giggs and Czibor is close but due to Czibor's proven connection with Kocsis, we'd have to give the edge to Czibor.
In midfield while there is not much between Edwards and Masopust, I would still give the edge to Masopust as he was the best midfielder in the world at his peak esp in attacking contribution and is the only other midfielder apart from Matthaus to win a Ballon D'or. Monti is undoubtedly better than whoever out of De Rossi or Ramos play. Van Himst and Cubillas is also close but I would again give the edge to Cubillas for what he achieved - highest scoring midfielder in world cups, selected in all star team & silver boot in WC 78, SA player of the year and Copa America best player in 75. I think overall our midfield is better than Mazhar's.
But the biggest difference is in Defense which is our next point -
3. Better defense - Especially in full back position. Since we both sport couple of great wingers, full back position could be the crucial difference maker. I would rate Lizarazu over Demyanneko, but this difference is particularly pronounced on right back position, where Djalma Santos is a few level above Dzodzuashvili. Our left side with Giggs / Lizarazu / Masopust would be looking to attack at this weakness. In the central of defense as well Billy Wright is best defender on the pitch and has a perfect partnership with Morten Olsen.
