UEFA Euros Draft R1- Enigma vs GSTQ

[2mufc0]

Players should be judged on Euros performances only
Team Enigma

VS

Team Scrappy

Enigma Writeup/tactics

Formation: 4-3-3 / 4-3-1-2 hybrid. Looking to dominate possession, lots of vertical movement when we are in transition and when we win the ball back
Defence:
Two attacking full backs in Reuter and Brehme. They will be looking to stretch the flank and provide width. In the defensive phase Lerby will be providing flank support on the left and Gullit dropping to the right. In the middle we have Burgnich and Sammer with Sammer bossing the defensive line. Burgnich will be in natural stopper role. Busquets will drop back to CB if Sammer surges forward.

Midfield:
Busquets will play his natural holder role where he will protect the back four and drop back to CB when Sammer changes the shape. In front of him we have midfield metronome Kroos, who will dictate the play, whilst Lerby will be in his natural B2B role. Gullit will transition to providing width on the right and attacking the box when we're on the ball with his movement, and transitioning to protecting the RB when we lose the ball.

Attack:
A dynamic duo of Elkjaer and Villa will mesh up together hassling the opposition and being our first line of defence whilst when on the ball they will constantly probe the defence with their movement and off the ball ability to find space.

EURO credentials:
Toni Schumacher - won it in 80, conceding only 1 non penalty goal en route. ToT in 1984 as well.

Schumacher was by far the best goalkeeper at the Euro.
If West Germany has disappointed, they can't repraoch anything to Harald Schumacher. He has proved one more time that he is the best in Europe not to say in the World. We can search, he has no weak points.

Stefan Reuter - he won it in 1996 and finalist in 1992. He has proven partnership with Sammer in the defensive line. Had a great game against England in 96 semi where he also scored a peno to put them through.
Andreas Brehme - two times ToT in 84 and 92. Was finalist in 92.
Matthias Sammer - probably one of the greatest EURO performances in 96, that bolstered him to win the Ballon D'or.
Tarcisio Burgnich - won it in 68, albeit very few games played at the time Italy had an excellent defence that led to the win with Burgnich playing part in it conceding only 1 goal .
Sergio Busquets - ToT in 2012. Played every minute on route to the win.
Soren Lerby - sofascore rating - 7.55. He transitioned from left back to left/centeral midfield with ease. All star team by Mundo Deportivo.
Toni Kroos - https://amp.marca.com/en/football/national-teams/2016/07/08/577f7362ca4741014d8b467a.html
From the SF lost where he was rated as the best German player by Marca

Toni Kroos - 6.5
Germany's best performer on the night and throughout the tournament, circulating the play with ease and wasn't intimated by French pressing as he was by that of the Italians in the last round.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...tri-payet-toni-kroos-wes-hoolahan-gareth-bale
Group stages by Guardian:

Toni Kroos (Germany)
The second highest rated player from the opening round of fixtures (9.41), Toni Kroos was at his metronomic best against Ukraine. The midfielder ran proceedings, completing 93.6% of a mammoth 109 passes, including 12 accurate long balls and five chances created. He registered the assist for Mustafi’s opener with a superb free-kick and looks likely to be Germany’s key player if the first match is anything to go by.

ToT based on Whoscored:

Toni Kroos (Germany) - 7.76 rating
Generally considered as Germany's best performer this summer, Kroos was instrumental in Die Mannschaft's progression to the semi-finals. The Real Madrid midfielder mustered 2.5 shots and 2.5 dribbles per game, as well as creating the fourth most chances this summer (16), while a total of 593 accurate passes was 46 per cent more than any other player at the tournament.

Ruud Gullit - ToT in 88 and 92. Imperious in 88. Gullit was voted as 2nd best in the competition by the press, he was thoroughly impressive in the final. Coaches were impressed with his play for the team.

fades for large stretches then all of a sudden at the end of the half a burst through the left flank and a threaded pass between two defenders so that Van Basten could score. The second half was similar, anonymous for more than 20 minutes and then at the top of the circle he received the ball and set Van Basten through to unlock the game. Gullit is also so versatile that it makes it hard for defensive coverage because he pulls back into his own half and throws any defensive assignment out the window. He attacks through any flank or through the center. In addition provides defensive cover to his fullbacks.

Gullit has not made a strong impression but has played well within the contexts of the team. He’s the most versatile player that does it all. At one point he can be in his own half defending and then 20 seconds later in the opponents box attacking. Norberto Outes, says it’s the stage where great players must shine and it’s Gullit’s moment to ratify his fame as the best Dutch player, but Van Basten and Rijkaard are the ones that steal the show.

David Villa - He had a great tourno in 08 - 2 games he was MoTM, won the Golden Boot and naturally included in ToT

"In Spain, one striker can hide another. Whilst Europe was expecting Torres, she has most of all seen , before the final, David Villa. The scorer of Valencia began spectacularly the tourney. 4 goals in 2 matches : a hat-trick against Russia and the winner against Sweden. Beyond that? An incessant pressing on the opponents' defenses, a real complicity with Torres, some gestures of class, but an unfortunate injury against Russia...

Best Forward

1. David Villa (Spain)

Was there ever any doubt? Scored one point less than Casillas did in the goalkeeping stakes, and though his impact was only well and truly felt in two games, it cannot be underestimated how important it was. He was the difference against both Russia and Sweden - scoring the tournament's only hat-trick and finishing top scorer - and put in great performances as well as a goal return to match. Four goals is not exceptional, but when considering he was rested for one game and tragically injured for most of the semi as well as the final, he grabbed four goals in three and a bit games - there was little more he could have done barring score against an impregnable Italian defence. Has become Europe's most wanted striker off the back of his performances and it remains to be seen where he will end up come the start of the season - or whether he will even choose to leave Valencia after all.

DAVID VILLA (SPAIN):

KEEPING Fernando Torres in the shade is no easy feat, but the best striker on display at Euro 2008 has managed exactly that. Became the seventh player to score a European Championships hat-trick when he single- handedly dismantled Russia in the group stage, and scored a last-minute winner in Spain's 2-1 victory over Sweden.

Preben Elkjaer - By all accounts and eye test he had an excellent EURO. Constantly probing and scoring as well as getting 3 penos on the way.

The strikers of this 1984 Euro have not even score 1/3 of the goals but they still exist though. Only one revelation all in all : the Dane Elkjaer-Larsen. More physical than technical player, he has, it is true, astonished much people along those two weeks, including the Belgian journalists who never saw him as good during this season at Lokeren. Larsen plays in force and likes to rush headlong in the free spaces. In this context, curiously, it happens to him that he has some stoke of genius like in his game against Belgium (Danish second goal). He has not always shown efficiency at the moment to conclude.

GSTQ writeup/tactics

Name	Year	Euro Credentials
Sepp Maier	1972	1. Won the tournament with West Germany 2. Conceded only 1 goal in 2 games with clean sheet in final
Yuri Zhirkov	2008	1. Reached the semifinals with Russia 2. Named in the team of the tournament 3. Nominated for Ballon dor
Fabio Cannavaro	2000	1. Reached final with Italy 2. Conceded only 3 goals in 6 games 3. Named in the team of the tournament
Anton Ondrus	1976	1. Won the tournament with Czechoslovakia 2. Beat Netherlands in semis and Germany in finals 3. Named in the team of the tournament 4. Finished 6th in Ballon dor rankings
Jaap Stam	2000	1. Reached the semifinals with Netherlands 2. Conceded only 3 goals in 5 games 3. Nominated for Ballon dor
Manfred Kaltz	1980	1. Won the tournament with West Germany 2. Finished 10th in Ballon dor rankings
Igor Netto	1960	1. Won the tournament with Soviet Union 2. Named in the team of the tournament
Jean Tigana	1984	1. Won the tournament with France 2. Named in the team of the tournament 3. Finished 2nd in Ballon dor rankings
Gunter Netzer	1972	1. Won the tournament with West Germany 2. Named in the team of the tournament 3. Finished 2nd in Ballon dor rankings
Luis Suarez	1964	1. Won the tournament with Spain 2. Named in the team of the tournament 3. Finished 2nd in Ballon dor rankings
Alan Shearer	1996	1. Reached the semifinals with England 2. Highest goal scorer in the tournament with 5 goals 3. Named in the team of the tournament 4. Finished 3rd in the ballon dor rankings

 

[2mufc0]

Good luck @Enigma_87 @GodShaveTheQueen

 

[harms]

Enigma's midfield feels odd to me. Like the two polar opposites meshed together — extremely vertical Sammer & Lerby and control-oriented Busquets & Kroos.

With Scrappy I also feel like Netzer is a little underutilized there. You'd want him to drop deeper and pick out attacking runners with his exceptional passing from deeper areas... but all he has is Shearer up front, Suarez, who wasn't much of a runner even in his younger days and 2 wingbacks who start out from deeper areas.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

but all he has is Shearer up front

That is something I am also not thrilled about. The team could use one more runner

I also feel like Netzer is a little underutilized there

This I am okay with. The team is built with an intent to boss as much of the ball as possible. Not exactly looking for those counter attacks to tear open the team with a needling pass. Probably looking at a patient slow boring build up.

2 wingbacks who start out from deeper areas.

Was a lazy draft for me or I would have made an image, but the team was supposed to look like a WW in attacking phase. It kind of amplifies the Netzer and Suarez picturization

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Not much to say about team Enigma, its pretty fine I guess, didnt really check up on their tournament performances individually, so wont go there, but this is what I expected to face. Dunno, looks better visually than the current team to me.

 

[Enigma_87]

Enigma's midfield feels odd to me. Like the two polar opposites meshed together — extremely vertical Sammer & Lerby and control-oriented Busquets & Kroos.

tbh the plan is the mixture of both. Spain have played more direct compared to Pep's tiki taka and I've watched quite a few highlights of 84 Denmark where they looked to play entertaining football and control the game but as you said with lot of vertical movement.
Idea is to have players able to press high and not give the opposition time on the ball and when we get it back to move it quickly towards free passing lanes and to goal.

Lerby played pretty well from what I've seen in that dynamic role, whilst Busquets is probably the less glove in fit here, but the main reason why I went with him was the ability to drop back to a CB when Sammer goes forward. He has the tactical and positional discipline to pull that role, as well the vision to move the ball quick into space.

Could've went a back 5 with Reuter and Brehme on the flanks and midfield of Kroos and Lerby but I thought that would be a very boring interpretation of 5-3-2 which Sammer always gets in these things.

 

[Physiocrat]

tbh the plan is the mixture of both. Spain have played more direct compared to Pep's tiki taka and I've watched quite a few highlights of 84 Denmark where they looked to play entertaining football and control the game but as you said with lot of vertical movement.
Idea is to have players able to press high and not give the opposition time on the ball and when we get it back to move it quickly towards free passing lanes and to goal.

Lerby played pretty well from what I've seen in that dynamic role, whilst Busquets is probably the less glove in fit here, but the main reason why I went with him was the ability to drop back to a CB when Sammer goes forward. He has the tactical and positional discipline to pull that role, as well the vision to move the ball quick into space.

Could've went a back 5 with Reuter and Brehme on the flanks and midfield of Kroos and Lerby but I thought that would be a very boring interpretation of 5-3-2 which Sammer always gets in these things.

I buy Sammer as a libero in a back 4 but I'd want a more reserved full-back. I actually think Brehme could work well as a playmaking LCB especially as Lerby is comfortable outwide. It would give a bit more balance IMO. Unless of course this is the idea anyway.

 

[Enigma_87]

I buy Sammer as a libero in a back 4 but I'd want a more reserved full-back. I actually think Brehme could work well as a playmaking LCB especially as Lerby is comfortable outwide. It would give a bit more balance IMO. Unless of course this is the idea anyway.

TBH I prefer Brehme out wide especially when you consider his delivery and Elkjaer/Gullit threat in the box. Lerby is the one who is IMO comfortable securing the flank if we lose the ball and covering for him. The idea is not to lose shape even when Sammer surges forward and it will be Busquets covering for him in the middle.

 

[Enigma_87]

Not much to say about team Enigma, its pretty fine I guess, didnt really check up on their tournament performances individually, so wont go there, but this is what I expected to face. Dunno, looks better visually than the current team to me.

First off, good luck mate.

yeah considered that one, but want to highlight Gullit's role like it was in the 88 euro - a more of a all round action one in both phases rather than just being a wide forward.

The current one also depicts a bit better the mechanics of how I envision them playing.

On your team the only one I don't really like is Zhirkov who I don't remember all that much from that EURO and personally rate him very low individually.

Love the Ondrus pick - the right theme for him too!

 

[Physiocrat]

TBH I prefer Brehme out wide especially when you consider his delivery and Elkjaer/Gullit threat in the box. Lerby is the one who is IMO comfortable securing the flank if we lose the ball and covering for him. The idea is not to lose shape even when Sammer surges forward and it will be Busquets covering for him in the middle.

Who drops into DM when Sammer surges forward or is it vacant?

 

[Enigma_87]

Who drops into DM when Sammer surges forward or is it vacant?

Depends on the attack really. if it is through the center I'd like to keep Kroos/Lerby in a line(or better said triangle with Sammer) so they can provide short passing option to Sammer as he was known for quick one twos in transition, rather than him carrying the ball. If it is from the side it's Lerby / Kroos, but if we lose the ball it's Gullit who will drop back to provide support on the right and Lerby on the left flank.

 

[Physiocrat]

Depends on the attack really. if it is through the center I'd like to keep Kroos/Lerby in a line(or better said triangle with Sammer) so they can provide short passing option to Sammer as he was known for quick one twos in transition, rather than him carrying the ball. If it is from the side it's Lerby / Kroos, but if we lose the ball it's Gullit who will drop back to provide support on the right and Lerby on the left flank.

That makes sense. I'm still not sure it's optimal but I'm happier with it than I was.

 

[Himannv]

@GodShaveTheQueen - do you have more on Ondrus?

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

First off, good luck mate.

Cheers.

Depends on the attack really. if it is through the center I'd like to keep Kroos/Lerby in a line(or better said triangle with Sammer) so they can provide short passing option to Sammer as he was known for quick one twos in transition, rather than him carrying the ball. If it is from the side it's Lerby / Kroos, but if we lose the ball it's Gullit who will drop back to provide support on the right and Lerby on the left flank.

Which is why I liked the other team better, avoids all the math

Everyone statically positioned while Sammer moves around without leaving holes makes it aesthetically pleasing at least.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@GodShaveTheQueen - do you have more on Ondrus?

Amongst the best liberos from I guess the goat era of liberos (Kaiser/Don Elias/Passarella etc).

Excellent on the ball but even better as a defender. Pretty tall guy and a stature similar to that of Don Elias.

Can classify as among the goat defenders for this draft at least as his most important legacy is as the best player and captain of 1976 Euro winning Czech team while beating the two best teams of the era Netherlands and West Germany in the semis and finals. Finished ahead of likes of Cruyff and Muller in the ballon dor rankings. Same for Ivo Viktor too. Look at the company they are in. Their legacy, the reason we rate them in drafts, is more or less linked to that 1976 Euro. Without the tournament, highly likely they wouldnt have been draft regulars across the years. Did anyone pick Ivo Viktor by the way? Shocking if he wasnt.

While watching the 1976 Euro games, one image was classic/funny to describe him. Motm in the semis against Netherlands, so good he scored for both the teams.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Not that far-fetched a comparison physical personality/stature wise I guess?

 

[harms]

Amongst the best liberos from I guess the goat era of liberos (Kaiser/Don Elias/Passarella etc).

Excellent on the ball but even better as a defender. Pretty tall guy and a stature similar to that of Don Elias.

Can classify as among the goat defenders for this draft at least as his most important legacy is as the best player and captain of 1976 Euro winning Czech team while beating the two best teams of the era Netherlands and West Germany in the semis and finals. Finished ahead of likes of Cruyff and Muller in the ballon dor rankings. Same for Ivo Viktor too. Look at the company they are in. Their legacy, the reason we rate them in drafts, is more or less linked to that 1976 Euro. Without the tournament, highly likely they wouldnt have been draft regulars across the years. Did anyone pick Ivo Viktor by the way? Shocking if he wasnt.

Personally I wouldn't put him in the above-mentioned company as there was still a huge gap in ball-playing ability between him and Kaiser/Figueroa/Passarella. He was good but nothing special on the ball, at least from what I've seen.

An absolute unit though and certainly among the best-performing centre-backs in the entire history of the tournament. Czechoslovakia had one of the toughest run-ins out of any winners — first* to convincingly beat Netherlands at their pretty much full strength (Cruyff, Krol, van Hanegem, Rensenbrink, Neeskens...) and then to battle it out with West Germany (Beckenbauer, Müller, Maier, Vogts...), actually being in front up until the 89th minute.

Only for Panenka to steal all the glory, Ondruš and Viktor carried that team, but people only seem to remember the former! And yeah, seeing so many keepers getting picked ahead of Viktor considering the criteria was very disappointing.

*not to mention finishing ahead England in the qualification

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Personally I wouldn't put him in the above-mentioned company as there was still a huge gap in ball-playing ability between him and Kaiser/Figueroa/Passarella. He was good but nothing special on the ball, at least from what I've seen.

Of course, that is not even arguable. There is a reason despite all the praises I posted, he was my 9th round pick and not 3rd round pick.

Put him in the company as he was an outstanding defender and more than involved in the team's build up box to box. Might not have been as pleasing or goat level as the others, but purely in the context of the Euro performances, shades all the others in his position along with Beckenbauer and Sammer in that elite bracket

 

[Enigma_87]

GG @GodShaveTheQueen all the best going forward!

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

GG @GodShaveTheQueen all the best going forward!

Cheers.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

The Czechoslovaks always seemed by far the mentally steadiest and calm of the communist national teams, even though they often had less technical quality through the full 11. I don't think I've watched a single game of them where I thought they were underperforming due to nerves/pressure (from manager or player) and that carried over for a time after the split as well.

Can Figueroa really be put on the same level as Beckenbauer and Passarella from the footage we have? I was very impressed with him defensively, and he definitely looked like he had great poise, but he seemed a cautious, simple player on the ball for the most part.

Zhirkov was vital at that Euro and was a class player talent-wise for a wingback, I'd say one of the first Euro ones i've seen that really had a large amount of flair and trickery to go along with a proficient pass, move and cross style. Injuries and the usual comfort zone mentality of that era stopped him from doing what he could have; I get not rating him overall because of that, but he's a strong choice for a Euro theme imo.

It's actually Netto I'd be worried about unless we're just going on overall career reputation. Maybe it's just me needing to rewatch the game, but I always thought he looked poor for quite a long time in the final, to the point of barely looking like the same player as the one from the W.Germany games (harms made a comp of). He eventually played solidly purely defensively, but as a midfield performance hugely disappointing to watch compared to Voronin in the '64 final. I'd guess he was given a very defensive brief by a cautious Kachalin, who no doubt had what happened to the '52 Olympics team in mind (even with Stalin dead) as Yugoslavia was still a politically loaded game to lose to, but the performance is what it is.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Can Figueroa really be put on the same level as Beckenbauer and Passarella from the footage we have? I was very impressed with him defensively, and he definitely looked like he had great poise, but he seemed a cautious, simple player on the ball for the most part.

Zhirkov was vital at that Euro and was a class player talent-wise for a wingback, I'd say one of the first Euro ones i've seen that really had a large amount of flair and trickery to go along with a proficient pass, move and cross style. Injuries and the usual comfort zone mentality of that era stopped him from doing what he could have; I get not rating him overall because of that, but he's a strong choice for a Euro theme imo.

It's actually Netto I'd be worried about unless we're just going on overall career reputation. Maybe it's just me needing to rewatch the game, but I always thought he looked poor for quite a long time in the final, to the point of barely looking like the same player as the one from the W.Germany games (harms made a comp of). He eventually played solidly purely defensively, but as a midfield performance hugely disappointing to watch compared to Voronin in the '64 final. I'd guess he was given a very defensive brief by a cautious Kachalin, who no doubt had what happened to the '52 Olympics team in mind (even with Stalin dead) as Yugoslavia was still a politically loaded game to lose to, but the performance is what it is.

Nobody cant be put on the same level as Beckenbauer from defenders - only Maradona, Pele and Messi.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Nobody cant be put on the same level as Beckenbauer from defenders - only Maradona, Pele and Messi.

It's just on the ball quality i'm talking about. Figueroa has that reputation as the South American Beckenbauer in style, but I struggle to really see it from the footage we have.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

It's just on the ball quality i'm talking about. Figueroa has that reputation as the South American Beckenbauer in style, but I struggle to really see it from the footage we have.

again, nobody.
But some of the lesser players come into picture then...

 

[Synco]

Can Figueroa really be put on the same level as Beckenbauer and Passarella from the footage we have? I was very impressed with him defensively, and he definitely looked like he had great poise, but he seemed a cautious, simple player on the ball for the most part.

Made the same point periodically. "More Nesta than Beckenbauer" was how I described it, or something along these lines.

Caveats are a) I watched only a few games, b) his outstanding ability on the ball hints at a massive potential for a more expansive game, and c) there were indeed sporadic pieces of such plays, for example vs GDR 1974.

Pity that (to my knowledge) none of his Internacional games have survived, maybe that would clear things up.

An all-touch comp from a long forgotten channel (@harms) illustrates all of this well, I think:

Spoiler

I'd describe it as a technically brilliant, but quite restrained, almost stopper-like performance. (Although technically that defense doesn't really look like a man-marking system to me.) Hints of libero plays in the 2nd half, but they never quite go anywhere.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Interesting game. Would have leaned towards Enigma. Love his team. Busquets does seem a odd fit, but he can just be a DLP without having to be in a possession based team.

Scrappy needs more of a goal threat than just Shearer.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

I am probably the guiltiest for bringing their names up, but the discussion about a libero or any position in general doesn't eventually have to lead to glorifying or discussing the same 2-3 goats always.

It was Ondrus' night. Feck Feckenbauer and Figueroa and Farcerella!