The Impossible Draft - SF: Enigma vs Charly

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

................................................ TEAM ENIGMA ................................................VS.....................................TEAM CHARLY .........................................




TEAM ENIGMA:

Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defensive line: normal
Style: direct, fast tempo. Team build around Zico as main playmaker, solid powerful midfield, watertight defence and top notch attacking unit.

Team card:

70's - PAVEL NEDVED (CZECH REPUBLIC)
60's - GABRIEL BATISTUTA (ARGENTINA) + COPA, ANTONIO BENARRIVO (ITALY)
50's - ZICO (BRAZIL), KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE (GERMANY) + CL
40's - PAT JENNINGS (NORTHERN IRELAND), ALBERT SHESTERNYOV (RUSSIA)
30's - DUNCAN EDWARDS (ENGLAND), IGOR NETTO (RUSSIA)
20's - DJALMA SANTOS (BRAZIL) + WC, JOSE SANTAMARIA (URUGUAY) + CL
10's - OBDULIO VARELA (URUGUAY) + WC, Frantisek Planicka (CZECH REPUBLIC)

Team Profiles:

GK: Pat Jennings - the Irishman was undisputed number one for Spurs and Arsenal in the 1970's and 1980's. He was the first goalkeeper to save with his feet consistently, his clearances got a good length and his goal kicks had a great distance. During his time he was one of the best in one-on-one situations which invariably saved Arsenal and Spurs a lot of the time. Incredibly agile, he just flung out of the goal mouth and pretty much caught anything.

LB: Antonio Benarrivo - was considered to be one of the best attacking full backs during the 1990s in his time with Parma. Comfortable on both flanks, and was known for his attacking prowess, but also one of the most versatile and solid defenders of his time. Despite the plethora of quality of Italian full backs in the 90's he played a vital role on the left flank(playing in all but the opening game) in Italy's 94 WC run where they ended up runner-ups.

RB: Djalma Santos - While primarily known for his defensive skills, he often ventured upfield and displayed some impressive attacking skills, excellent crossing ability and distribution of the ball whilst also a dead-ball specialist.He was never sent-off during his career. Djalma went to the midfield to distribute the ball in great way was one of the first overlapping full backs along with Nilton on the other flank. It was very hard find Djalma misplaced at any position, his skills in one on one situations, anticipation, vision, passing(both long and short), reading of the game were superb. No wonder he's considered by many the best right back of all time.

CB: José Santamaría - the Uruguayan was a physically strong and complete defender who rarely allowed opposing players to get past—something that was truly remarkable given that Madrid often played with a 3-2-5 formation throughout the 1950s. Madrid's golden era was known for their attack, but it was their defense that made it possible—led on many occasions by the inspirational wall known as Santamaria. Santamaria was neither as cynical nor as roughhouse as some of his great Nacional or Penarol contemporaries but his strength, stamina, indispensable talent for interceptions in a team generally set up with only three defenders and his heading ability made him the best defender around in the Fifties.

CB: Albert Shesternyov - One of the greatest outfield Russian footballer of all-time, Shesternyov's career lasted just 13 years, but spanned the entire 1960's, which he spent exclusively with CSKA Moscow. He won nominated for the Ballon d'Or four times. He was phenomenal athlete and 100 metres for around 11 seconds in his youth, was champion not just area, but also of Moscow and Moscow region, showing excellent results in the 200 metres long and triple jump. His outstanding features included also a great jump and heading ability and fantastic defensive skills.

DM: Obdulio Varela - inspirational World Cup winning captain, he's probably the best DM in the pool with the absence of Desailly and Rijkaard. He was the archetype of the rioplatense No. 5, or deep-lying midfielder; able to handle himself physically, superb at shielding his defence and linking play to the midfield, Varela also had a ferocious shot from outside the penalty area, which England learned in Switzerland during the 1954 World Cup. In the quarterfinals, with the score at 1-1 and six minutes before half-time, Varela hit a fine drive from outside the box that England goalkeeper Gil Merrick couldn't reach - it was one of any number of long-rangers he scored during his career.

Great article on him for those interested - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-impossible-draft.439309/page-35#post-22784539

CM(box to box): Duncan Edwards - one of United's all time greats, held by Sir Bobby and many others from that time in the highest regard possible:

"He was the best player I've ever seen and the best footballer I ever played with," says Sir Bobby Charlton. "I always felt I could compare well with any player - except Duncan. He was such a talent, I always felt inferior to him."

Even Matt Busby, who was vehement in his refusal to acknowledge that one 'Babe' might be regarded as more important than the others, could not camouflage the tone of awe that entered his voice whenever Edwards' name was raised. "Duncan had everything. He was so big, so strong, so confident and still so young. Right from the start we gave up trying to spot flaws in his game. John Charles was another giant of a player, a giant with great, great skill. But as a player, even John didn't have as much as Duncan. He used to move upfield brushing people aside to lash in late goals when we needed them."

According to Busby, ". . . the bigger the occasion the better he liked it".

On the day of his funeral, more than 5,000 people lined the streets of Dudley, following which Jimmy Murphy offered the following valediction: "If I shut my eyes now I can see him; the pants hitched up, the wild leaps of boyish enthusiasm as he came running out of the tunnel, the tremendous power of his tackling, always fair but fearsome, his immense power on the ball. The greatest? There was only one and that was Duncan Edwards."

AMC(Playmaker): Zico - To me the best player in the draft and on the park. He’s the greatest Brazilian to never win a World Cup. Pele once said: “The one player that came closest to me in playing style was Zico.” He had it all - vision, passing, one of the best dribblers and close control, whilst having the goalscoring ability of any forward in history - scoring more than 500 goals for club and country, not playing as a striker.

AML/LW: Pavel Nedvěd - One of the best midfielders in the last 30 years and one of the best ever to wear the black and white stripes of Juve. You always know what you get with him; goals, assists, great play-making, and hardwork. All while playing with high energy and infectious passion. He was very good defensively as well. A truly complete player and a Ballon D'or winner to boot.

RWF: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - a quote from El Mundo Deportivo back in 82 describes him best - "It hasn’t been a coincidence that he’s been voted two consecutive seasons in a row as the best European player. He has been the undisputable best player in Europe and for his country. The WC won’t be a deciding factor to his reputation, because he is already an accomplished player at the age of 26, and regarded as one of the major stars in the world. Success at the WC will just confirm for Germany that they have one of the greatest players in their history."

CF: Gabriel Batistuta - One of the best and complete #9's in history. He was an agile, evasive and inventive forward. He’d drop deep, link play, run in behind. Bully, harass, out-smart. There is a reason Diego Maradona once said he was the best centre forward of all time. He passed it into the net, powered headers, dinked, chipped and clipped it past hapless custodians. And of course, from time to time, he simply smashed it.

Great article on him for those interested - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-impossible-draft.439309/page-29#post-22723285

Defence: Every great attacking team needs a solid foundation at the back and we have that with 2 of the greatest CB's of all time and certainly in their respective era's - Shesternyov and Santamaria. Both are defensive walls equally adapt to handle the danger in the air and on the deck. Then we have the most complete full back in Djalma Santos on the right and Benarrivo on the left.

Midfield: Our midfield unit is constructed of solid defensively so that it can shield the back four, but also move the ball to Zico and Nedved, which would be Duncan's role and win the ball back quickly to start prompt counter attacks. Edwards and Varela are great in the defensive phase, which will allow Zico to run the game, whilst Nedved's presence would add up to the midfield battle and give us another body in midfield.

In terms of pool and quite possibly all time, a midfield base of Duncan Edwards and Varela is as good as it gets and we would definitely have an edge there.

Varela vs Sivori or Mazzola would be a great battle and the former is someone who stacks up pretty well to Charly's AM's. A midfield of Edwards, Varela and with the help of Nedved and Zico would cut the supply to his forward line and limit the opportunities they will get in front of goal. Edwards enormous presence in midfield would only add up to our advantage there and overload the middle of the park.

Attack: A team that is definitely build around a fantastic attack, this is our focal point. Nedved, Kalle, Zico and Batistuta is an attacking unit that has it all and one of the best in their positions individually. Our attack has it all - the grit and determination of Nedved, Kalle and Batistuta, complimented by the incredible vision, pure flair and Dribbling ability of Zico. Zico, Batistuta and Kalle are phenomenal goalscorers and we have a lot of different routes for goal. Kalle would excel alongside physical and complete forward in Batistuta, to play off him and come from the right, whilst also Batigol creates space for him and Zico to make late runs in the box. Nedved with his endless stamina will buzz around the pitch add to the midfield battle as well as provide our forward line with creativity.

Advantages:

Our team is well set up very well to counter Charly's main strengths. We have a top CB pairing who are both excellent in the positional, pure tackling, in the air and athletic department with Santamaria and Shesternyov stacking pretty well to Kocsis. Varela would also limit the effect of Sivori, thus cutting off the supply to the forwards and the creativity in Pat's side.

The biggest threat in Charly's side is of course Dzajic but here he's well covered - there is none better to cover that threat than Djalma Santos.

On the other end we feel we have an advantage with Nedved challenging Jorginho (who also will have to provide width in attack) and Nestor Rossi as good as he is would have his hands full against explosive Zico.

Worth mentioning as well is Kalle's and Batigol teamwork and pressing ability forward, which will be our first line of defence.


TEAM CHARLY:

In this game we are clearly going as underdogs, Engima's team is packed to brim with firepower and so we have decided to play counter attacking football with deep defensive line and quick attack down the wings. The formation is 4-2-3-1

In this game we are packing the midfield with 2 of greatest defensive midfielders in Jean Tigana & Nestor Rossi to stop the game to flow through center. They would also helped by legendary Valentino Mazzola who was a very hard working player by all accounts.

The decision to drop Sivori for Mazzola wasn't easy but I feel my team needs not only the work rate and playmaking that Mazzola brings but also the leadership, determination and will to win. His rolled up sleeves would motivate my team to give everything they have.

WHEN VALENTINO MAZZOLA rolled up his sleeves on the pitch, it signalled to the rest of the team that he was about to take over, that the greatest player of calcio was about to buckle down, put his full fury into the match, and nothing would stop him or Torino from winning.

The idea is definitely to utilize the wings and the greatest header of the ball Kocsis, while blocking the center play in an attempt to neutralize Zico. Tigana & Rossi are fantasitc defensive midfielders and could be counted to break the attack through middle consistenly.

However it doesn't mean that my team is not able to attack from center when needed. Tigana and Mazzola were both brilliant technically and Mazoola in particular was a huge goal threat. Playing from midfield he was even Serie A top goal scorer once.

De God in the goal and probably the best modern defender Nesta in front of him is a solid defense with supporting cast of Thiago Silva. All three are well versed playing in defensive couter attacking football. Both Demyanenko & Jorginho have played for defense first sides and are brilliant crossers with great speed. They fit in the tactic perfectly.

In closing I'll say Enigma's team is amazing but I have the players with right mentality and skill set to frustrate as well as the correct tactic to get an upset vicotry here. My hope is that players like Dragan Dzajic who dragged an unfancied (more or less terrible) Yugoslavia team to European finals in 68 & semi final in 74, or Mazzola who transformed the Torino team to a force winning serie A 5 consecutive times, or De Gea who while playing for a terrible defense has still set impossibly high standards for goalkeeping to take center stage.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Enigma_87
@Charly

All the best!

 

[harms]

10's - OBDULIO VARELA (URUGUAY) + WC

+ Copa as well

 

[Enigma_87]

+ Copa as well

aye, must have deleted it by accident, cheers!

 

[Enigma_87]

Thanks for setting it up @Edgar Allan Pillow !

Best of luck @Charly !

 

[Enigma_87]

The only new face in our team is the great Duncan Edwards, so a nice piece on him which would describe him pretty well.

Duncan Edwards - The Greatest Thing That Has Happened In British Football

LESS THAN FOUR months before his life was tragically cut short, Duncan Edwards played one of his last internationals for England against Wales at Ninian Park in Cardiff.

On that day in November 1957, the Welsh manager was Edwards’ mentor and Manchester United’s assistant manager Jimmy Murphy.

Before the game Murphy stood in the centre of the Welsh dressing room, going through the strengths and weaknesses of each member of the England side in great detail.

He talked about ten players, but not Edwards, prompting Reg Davies, the Newcastle inside-forward, to put up his hand.

“What about Edwards?”


“Just keep out of his way son, there’s nothing I could say that could ever help us.”

Edwards inspired this kind of rare awe in all those who saw him play in the five years between his debut and his premature death.

The greatest Busby Babe of all, he has become an almost mythical figure, forever young. His legend is kept alive by only a few black and white newsreels and the memories of those who shared a pitch with him.

I once asked Sir Bobby Charlton to describe how good he was, and sitting in a box overlooking Old Trafford, he turned and looked at the pitch Edwards had once bestrode.

“He was the only player who made me feel inferior,” he said. “Duncan was without doubt the best player to ever come out of this place, and there’s been some competition down the years. He was colossal and I wouldn’t use that word to describe anyone else. He had such presence, he dominated every game all over the pitch. Had he lived, he would have been the best player in the world. He was sensational, and it is difficult to convey that. It is sad there isn’t enough film to show today’s youngsters just how good he was.”

By the time he died at 21, Edwards had already played for United 177 times, winning two League Championships, three FA Youth Cups, an FA Cup runners-up medal and 18 England caps. He had become both the youngest player to appear in the First Division at just 16 years and 184 years and the youngest England international of the 20th century, aged 18 years and 183 days, a record which stood for nearly 43 years before Michael Owen claimed it.

Edwards was revered for his all-round game and versatility, and how he could excel at almost every position on the pitch, whether it was centre-half, centre-forward, inside forward or half-back. “He was never bothered where he played,” said Murphy.

However, he would make the majority of his appearances as a left-half, a hybrid between a defender and a midfielder, which was his favourite position as he was constantly involved and could use both his defensive and attacking abilities.

“He was Roy Keane and Bryan Robson combined, but in a bigger body,” is how his former teammate Wilf McGuinness described him. “He could play as an attacker, creator or defender and be the best player on the pitch… He was world class when United had the ball, and when the opposition has the ball he was our best defender.”

“Most players they are good at certain things; in the air, or good with their left or right foot, they read the game well, or they have pace. But Duncan had it all, he really was better at everything than anyone else,” said Charlton. “From the first moment I saw him he could play anywhere and do anything. He was brave, great in the tackle, could pass it long or short and score goals. When I arrived at United Duncan was the only player who could do things I knew I wasn’t capable of.”

In February 1958 United made it to the semi-finals of the European Cup for a second consecutive season with a 3-3 draw against Red Star Belgrade. After the game Red Star’s Dragoslav Sekularac called Edwards: “Maybe the greatest player in the world.”

On the way back from Belgrade, United’s plane stopped to refuel in Munich. Amid the snow and ice, United’s plane twice aborted it’s take-off and the passengers returned to the terminal. Once inside, Edwards assumed they would stay overnight and sent a telegram to his landlady Mrs. Dorman in Stretford: ‘All flights cancelled. Flying tomorrow. Duncan.’

But the captain of the BEA Elizabethan decided to make one final attempt to take-off, which ended in the crash that would kill 23 people, including seven of Edwards’ teammates.

Edwards sustained terrible injuries, including damaged kidneys, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken pelvis and several fractures of his right thigh, and for fifteen days he bravely clung to life.

In the days after the crash Jimmy Murphy visited Edwards in the Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich accompanied by United’s goalkeeper Harry Gregg, who survived the crash physically unscathed. Gregg recalled how Duncan was lying still when they approached his bed, then suddenly opened his eyes and asked, “What time is the kick-off against Wolves? I mustn’t miss that game.” United’s next game was indeed against Wolves that weekend. An emotional Murphy bent down to him and whispered, “Three o’clock son.” Duncan replied: “Get stuck in!”

During those dark days, Bobby Charlton recalls visiting Edwards in his bed, and seeing how much pain he was in. A distressed Edwards asked where the gold watch Real Madrid had presented to him was, prompting Murphy to order a search of the wreckage. The battered watch was recovered and was strapped back onto Edwards’
wrist, bringing him some relief and happiness.

But on February 21 at 2.15am Edwards finally succumbed to his injuries. He was dead at only 21. “I have seen death many, many times, but not like this,” said one of the surgeons who tended to Edwards. “In all my years I have never seen a hospital staff so upset. This boy we have never seen before, he is so young, so strong… so
brave. Ach, but he had no chance.”

Maybe the passage of time has dulled the impact of this loss to English football, but imagine if Wayne Rooney or David Beckham had died at the same age. It is too dreadful to contemplate.

In the corridors of the youth academy at Manchester United’s training ground there is now an enormous 10ft poster of Duncan Edwards to inspire the generations that seek to follow him.

If Edwards had survived, it was believed his injuries were so serious he would almost certainly never have played football again. The sports writer Frank Taylor, who survived the crash at Munich, and recovered in the same hospital as Edwards, wrote about his harrowing experience in his book The Day A Team Died.

“One of Duncan’s nearest and dearest friends told me: ‘Maybe it was better this way. The doctors said, had he lived, he might have had to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Duncan couldn’t have stood that. Now I can remember him as he was: the greatest thing that has happened in British football for years.’


The complete footballer who could have played in any outfield position - though he is primarily remembered as a defensive midfielder - Edwards was only 18 when he became England's youngest post-War international, a record that stood until Michael Owen's debut in 1998. But long before he starred in England's crushing 7-2 defeat of Scotland at Wembley on April 2, 1955, every club in the land had been monitoring the movements of the boy wonder from the Black Country.

As early as 1948, a handwritten letter from United's chief scout in the Midlands, Jack O'Brien, landed on Busby's desk. "Have today seen a 12-year-old schoolboy who merits special watching. His name is Duncan Edwards, of Dudley. Instructions please." O'Brien's recommendation was promptly passed on to coach Bert Whalley with the added instructions: "Please arrange special watch immediately - MB."

With the young man in question turning out for Wolverhampton Street Secondary School, Dudley Schools XI, Worcester County XI and Birmingham & District XI, arranging a 'special watch' represented something of a full-time occupation. At the age of 13, he walked out at Wembley on April 1, 1950, to win his first 'cap' for England Schoolboys against Wales Schoolboys in front of a crowd of 100,000; at 14 he was appointed England Schools captain - a position he would hold for two seasons. With Wolverhampton Wanderers hovering, on June 2, 1952, United pounced, Whalley banging on the Edwards front door at 31 Elm Road on the threadbare Priory council estate at 2am, brandishing amateur forms. Having put pen to paper, young Duncan, still in his pyjamas, left Whalley and his father, Gladstone, to sort out the details while he climbed the stairs to bed, muttering: "I don't know what all this fuss was about. I've said all along that Manchester United were the only club I wanted to join."

Ten months later Edwards made his first-team debut at left-half aged 16 years and 183 days against Cardiff City at Old Trafford; not that the date April 4, 1953, is writ large in the history of Manchester United, a 4-1 defeat leaving the reigning champions in the no-man's land of mid-table. Busby was fully aware that despite his side's league title success the previous season, the majority of the United players belonged to the over-the-hill gang and Edwards' fellow 'Babes', David Pegg, Dennis Viollet, Bill Foulkes, Mark Jones and Jackie Blanchflower, were also introduced during the closing weeks of the season.

A permanent fixture in the England Under-23 side from the age of 17, United's teenage sorcerer may have grown in fame with every passing game but he remained engagingly modest throughout his all-too-brief career. "He might have been the Koh-i-Noor diamond among our crown jewels," Murphy explained, "but he was an unspoiled boy to the end, his head the same size it had been from the start. Even when he had won his first England cap but was still eligible for our youth team, he used to love turning out with the rest of the youngsters. He just loved to play anywhere and with anyone." (He had one known vice as a child - as well as representing his school at football, he was also a member of the Morris dancing team.)

According to Busby, ". . . the bigger the occasion the better he liked it", and there were few bigger occasions than England's 1956 international against World Cup holders West Germany in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, where Edwards scored a goal. With 25 minutes gone and the score 0-0, he gained possession on the edge of his own penalty area and set off on a run that left a trail of West Germans in his wake before smashing the ball into the net from 25 yards.

Inspired by Edwards' 'wonder goal', England went on to win 3-1, after which captain Billy Wright observed: "The name of Duncan Edwards was on the lips of everyone who saw this match; he was phenomenal. There have been few individual performances to match what he produced that day. Duncan tackled like a lion, attacked at every opportunity and topped it off with that cracker of a goal. He was still only 19, but was already a world-class player."

He was also the original Boy Wonder, the first player to create the kind of unfettered excitement that George Best, Paul Gascoigne, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney brought later. One of the old newspaper reports I found researching this piece – from 1 April 1953 – is a few days before Edwards makes his first-team debut for United. The impression I had was that sportswriters of that generation were less prone to extravagant predictions than the modern-day journalist. Yet George Follows, writing for the News Chronicle, seems to be ahead of his time.

“Like the father of the first atom bomb, Manchester United are waiting for something tremendous to happen. This tremendous football force they have discovered is Duncan Edwards, who is exactly sixteen and a half this morning. What can you expect to see in Edwards? Well, the first important thing is that this boy Edwards is a man of 12st and 5ft 10ins in height. This gives him his first great asset of power. When he heads the ball, it is not a flabby flirtation with fortune, it is bold and decisive. When he tackles, it is with a man-trap bite, and when he shoots with either foot, not even Jack Rowley – the pride of Old Trafford – is shooting harder. Though nobody can tell exactly what will happen when Edwards explodes into First Division football, one thing is certain: it will be spectacular.”

 

[Moby]

Enigma's team is a wet dream.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Hamrin vs Benarrivo would be a point in Charly's favour imo. Kocsis will also have some joy against those CBs.
Enigma shades everywhere else.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Enigma's team is a wet dream.

Yeah. Sorry - but that team won't lose this match.

 

[harms]

Yeah, @Charly's team is fantastic as well but I'm leaning towards Enigma

 

[Enigma_87]

Enigma's team is a wet dream.

Yeah. Sorry - but that team won't lose this match.

Cheers, guys.

Definitely one of the best I've ever had the chance to build.

That Edwards,Varela, Zico triangle could really challenge whatever midfield combination you throw at them and come back strong.

 

[Enigma_87]

Hamrin vs Benarrivo would be a point in Charly's favour imo. Kocsis will also have some joy against those CBs.
Enigma shades everywhere else.

Surely Hamrin is a big threat for the opposition but IMO we're well suited to that task. From that side we have Edwards covering, as well as very industrious winger in Nedved.

Santamaria and Nesta are the outstanding CB's on the pitch, but Shesternyov wasn't far off. Most historians rank him pretty high in all time lists and he's pretty versatile - excellent pace and strength as well as ability in the air. His credentials are top notch as well. Ballon D'or regular nominee, Soviet player of the year.

His international career is also immense - finalist at the 1964 EURO, finalist in 1968 and Team of the Tournament, 4th place in the 66' WC and undisputed captain of the side for most of the 60's accumulating 90 caps - something pretty hard to do during that time.

I'd say both Santamaria and Shesternyov are well equipped physically and mentally with dealing with Kocsis threat and with Varela shielding the back 4 Kocsis would have hard time finding space there or dropping a bit deeper.

 

[harms]

finalist in 1968

Semi — he actually cost us a place in the final . He should've picked first (and the manager advised him which side of the coin to pick), but chickened out, the referee decided not to wait anymore and gave the choice to Facchetti (who chose that side that Shesternyov should've chosen — and won).

 

[idmanager]

Hamrin vs Benarrivo would be a point in Charly's favour imo. Kocsis will also have some joy against those CBs.
Enigma shades everywhere else.

It would have been a different story if Di Stefano was there in place of Mazzola albeit both offer the same things at the highest level. Some names dont sell I guess.

Having a number 10 as hard working as Mazzola is a very Mourinho thing to do in big games.

Cant discount that in the middield battle when the other number 10 Zico wont contribute anything defensively.

Edwards Varela is a great base but in real games, Mazzola's presence would be tremendous.

The midfield battle is not so obviously tilted on either side IMO

 

[Enigma_87]

Semi — he actually cost us a place in the final . He should've picked first (and the manager advised him which side of the coin to pick), but chickened out, the referee decided not to wait anymore and gave the choice to Facchetti (who chose that side that Shesternyov should've chosen — and won).

Aye, stand corrected, hardly anything separated the teams on the pitch of course

Think it's the only high profile game that was decided by coin toss? There was Spain and Turkey in 54, but it was drawing lots?

 

[Enigma_87]

It would have been a different story if Di Stefano was there in place of Mazzola albeit both offer the same things at the highest level. Some names dont sell I guess.

Having a number 10 as hard working as Mazzola is a very Mourinho thing to do in big games.

Cant discount that in the middield battle when the other number 10 Zico wont contribute anything defensively.

Edwards Varela is a great base but in real games, Mazzola's presence would be tremendous.

The midfield battle is not so obviously tilted on either side IMO

There's also Nedved in the picture tho, who can challenge him in terms of work rate and beat him in stamina levels.

Dzajic and Hamrin aren't really known for their defensive contribution so I'd say it more or less equals out - Zico/Mazzola and Hamrin/Dzajic/Nedved.

 

[harms]

Think it's the only high profile game that was decided by coin toss?

Probably, can't remember any other off the top of my head

 

[idmanager]

There's also Nedved in the picture tho, who can challenge him in terms of work rate and beat him in stamina levels.

Dzajic and Hamrin aren't really known for their defensive contribution so I'd say it more or less equals out - Zico/Mazzola and Hamrin/Dzajic/Nedved.

Nedved helping out in the midfield battle works well for Jorginho IMO. You'd ideally want Nedved to torture Jorginho all the time.

Charly's full back pairing is what is not very impressive for this stage and that is where you have the edge IMO.

Front 6 vs Front 6, I'd take Charly's all day long. Amazingly balanced with a clear defined system. Not to say yours is not clear, but his just makes me think will click no matter what.

 

[idmanager]

Since semifinalists votes dont count, just voting to see the score.

 

[Enigma_87]

Nedved helping out in the midfield battle works well for Jorginho IMO. You'd ideally want Nedved to torture Jorginho all the time.

Charly's full back pairing is what is not very impressive for this stage and that is where you have the edge IMO.

Front 6 vs Front 6, I'd take Charly's all day long. Amazingly balanced with a clear defined system. Not to say yours is not clear, but his just makes me think will click no matter what.

The beautiful thing about Nedved is that he can do it both really. Besides we won't need him there on permanent basis as well as Charly would definitely need Mazzola in the final third otherwise he'll be devoid of a lot of creativity. Without him pulling the strings in the final third (like Zico does for our side) it would be easier for our defensive and midfield line to anticipate the attacks, especially when you factor in the defensive acumen of Djalma, Shesternyov, Santamaria, Edwards and Varela.

As for the front 6 vs front 6, fair comment, but I'd obviously disagree with that and IMO there's more quality in ours.

 

[Don Alfredo]

Charly just lacks a little bit and I think the game would be much closer than what the polling says. Put Matthaus instead of Nestor Rossi and you have Charly doing a classic smash and grab like Utd 3-1 at the Emirates last season.

 

[idmanager]

As for the front 6 vs front 6, fair comment, but I'd obviously disagree with that and IMO there's more quality in ours.

No denying that. Individually of course.

Varela-Edwards-Zico is as great as it gets in this draft but then the lesser shining Tigana-Rossi-Mazzola is perfect for what it is supposed/expected to do IMO.

I would take Dzajic-Kocsis-Hamrin 10/10 times over Nedved-Batistuta-Kalle though. Which is what made me prefer his front 6.

If I was a neutral, I probably would have still voted for you though.

Replace Demyanenko and Jorginho there and Charly would have won my vote.

 

[Theon]

Bit off topic but I really like the presentation of your team in the formation graphic @Enigma_87

Looks like some effort went into it and looks really good.

 

[Enigma_87]

No denying that. Individually of course.

Varela-Edwards-Zico is as great as it gets in this draft but then the lesser shining Tigana-Rossi-Mazzola is perfect for what it is supposed/expected to do IMO.

I would take Dzajic-Kocsis-Hamrin 10/10 times over Nedved-Batistuta-Kalle though. Which is what made me prefer his front 6.

If I was a neutral, I probably would have still voted for you though.

Replace Demyanenko and Jorginho there and Charly would have won my vote.

Yeah Charly has a great team as well mate.

My initial plan was to set the stage for Zico and then for that front four and IMO Edwards/Varela are really the perfect stage for that so I'm pretty happy with my front 6 obviously in terms of dynamics.

Djalma was key pick for me to provide the solidity at the back as well exactly due to facing left wingers like Dzajic. Can say the same for Benarrivo as well, as he's the few full backs stylistically who can provide in both phases and is pretty solid in defence.

Bit off topic but I really like the presentation of your team in the formation graphic @Enigma_87

Looks like some effort went into it and looks really good.

Cheers, mate.

Yeah, I've done a bit of photoshop tuning here and there with the FIFA cards base. It's easy to read with straightforward teams and not much to explain between the lines which makes it less dependent on using arrows etc.

 

[Gio]

@Charly Did you have a chance to upgrade Jorginho for another World Cup winning right back or am I missing something?

 

[Charly]

Looks like end of the road. Oh well can't really fault anyone for voting Enigma, he's got a fantastic team although my boys would surely give a better game than whats on the scoreline right now. Appreciate you getting the Mazzola start @idmanager it was surely an attempt to do Mourinho-esque park the bus job and Mazzola seem both by talent and by mentality a perfect player for that style.

 

[Charly]

@Charly Did you have a chance to upgrade Jorginho for another World Cup winning right back or am I missing something?

I did, but I think I reinforced horribly, wasting 2 picks on going from Van Hanegem -> Mazzola -> Tigana and another one on going from Dasayev to De Gea. After 2 rounds of reinforcement the only player who is definitely better than my original squad is Hamrin.

 

[Gio]

I did, but I think I reinforced horribly, wasting e picks on going from Van Hanegem -> Mazzola -> Tigana and another one on going from Dasayev to De Gea. After 2 rounds of reinforcement the only player who is definitely better than my original squad is Hamrin.

Aye, it's been tricky and reliant on the lottery of which players have become available. Thought if you'd made a couple of good upgrades in that last round you'd have been right in the mixer here.

 

[Jim Beam]

Went for Enigma, think he just edges it. Adding Edwards in the midfield with that front 4 and I just can't see Enigma's attack not breaking through, even if it's very well countered on the other side. Fine margins though and it would be a tight game.

Charly's tactics and the team are still impressive and made me think more than twice before voting.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Enigma has a shit team. Don't like anyone bar Batigol and Edwards. lol

 

[idmanager]

Appreciate you getting the Mazzola start @idmanager it was surely an attempt to do Mourinho-esque park the bus job and Mazzola seem both by talent and by mentality a perfect player for that style.

Cheers mate.

I am really glad he got so many outings in this drafts in different roles and multiple teams. Would have been great to see him in the final.

 

[Enigma_87]

Went for Enigma, think he just edges it. Adding Edwards in the midfield with that front 4 and I just can't see Enigma's attack not breaking through, even if it's very well countered on the other side. Fine margins though and it would be a tight game.

Charly's tactics and the team are still impressive and made me think more than twice before voting.

Cheers mate. Yeah I loved Charly's team from the off as well. His midfield/attack is also obviously pretty hot.

I can understand the issue with the reinforcements as I've also basically reinforced 2 positions in the last 2 rounds(one time Netto and then a keeper) till I get to the Varela/Edwards combo which I was looking from the off.

@Charly has set up really well and I think he was a bit unlucky in the last RR where he could've picked Carlos Alberto on for Jorginho but idmanager got him first.

 

[Enigma_87]

Commiserations @Charly you had a terrific team from the off and really unlucky with the challenging reinforcement rounds.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I did, but I think I reinforced horribly, wasting 2 picks on going from Van Hanegem -> Mazzola -> Tigana and another one on going from Dasayev to De Gea. After 2 rounds of reinforcement the only player who is definitely better than my original squad is Hamrin.

I feel your pain mate, having managed the novel feat of not reinforcing at all between rounds . You drafted a brilliant team though and your writeups and arguments in the match threads were excellent so well played! Congrats @Enigma_87 and kudos on managing to put together that formidable Varela/Edwards pairing.

 

[Enigma_87]

I feel your pain mate, having managed the novel feat of not reinforcing at all between rounds . You drafted a brilliant team though and your writeups and arguments in the match threads were excellent so well played! Congrats @Enigma_87 and kudos on managing to put together that formidable Varela/Edwards pairing.

Cheers mate. I almost(cause I really love my team and want to go forward) feel bad for eliminating yours, P-nut and Charlie's team as along with Moby's those 4 were my favorites this draft and each in its own merit. Think all those teams I mentioned peaked early which made it really tough to upgrade. Especially if you try to keep shape and not shuffle too much with the original formation.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Cheers mate. I almost(cause I really love my team and want to go forward) feel bad for eliminating yours, P-nut and Charlie's team as along with Moby's those 4 were my favorites this draft and each in its own merit. Think all those teams I mentioned peaked early which made it really tough to upgrade. Especially if you try to keep shape and not shuffle too much with the original formation.

Thanks mate. Honestly I didn't think I had any shot of winning our match so I didn't mind losing at all, although I do regret not rolling the dice and changing formation with Blokhin coming into the team. Settled lineups are never likely to be a recipe for success in draft matches

 

[Enigma_87]

Thanks mate. Honestly I didn't think I had any shot of winning our match so I didn't mind losing at all, although I do regret not rolling the dice and changing formation with Blokhin coming into the team. Settled lineups are never likely to be a recipe for success in draft matches

Tell me about it, still remember one particular draft where I lost due to sticking with the formation I had in mind and Mario Gomez as CF, although having the option in Cruyff as false 9...