Ultimate Club Legends Draft - R1 - GSTQ vs Pythagoras

[GodShaveTheQueen]

---------------------------GSTQ--------------------------------------------------------------PYTHAGORAS---------------------------

GSTQ TACTICS -

This team is inspired by the legendary Barcelona Dream Team managed by Johan Cruyff in the early 90s and the iconic Ajax team managed by Louis Van Gaal in the mid-90s. The formation features three defenders at the back, a midfield diamond, two wide forwards, and one forward, embodying the tactical brilliance and fluidity of these historic teams.

Formation: 3-4-3 (Diamond Midfield)​

Goalkeeper: Claudio Bravo (Colo-Colo)​

• Age Range at Peak: 22-24
• Accomplishments: Claudio Bravo was a standout performer at Colo-Colo, where he showcased his exceptional shot-stopping abilities and leadership. During his peak years from 2005 to 2007, he helped Colo-Colo win the Chilean Primera División twice and was named Chilean Footballer of the Year in 2006.

Right Centre Back: Fabio Cannavaro (Parma)​

• Age Range at Peak: 25-27
• Accomplishments: At Parma, Cannavaro was a defensive rock, winning the UEFA Cup in 1999. From 1998 to 2000, he also won two Coppa Italia titles and the Italian Super Cup. His defensive prowess during these years earned him widespread acclaim and solidified his reputation as one of the best defenders of his generation.

Centre Back: Velibor Vasovic (Partizan)​

• Age Range at Peak: 25-27
• Accomplishments: Vasovic was a key figure for Partizan, leading them to the European Cup final in 1966. During his peak years from 1960 to 1965, he won four Yugoslav Championships (1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65) and was known for his leadership and defensive skills. Vasovic was also renowned for his ability to distribute the ball and initiate plays from the back, making him a crucial part of the team's build-up play.

Left Centre Back: Oscar Ruggeri (San Lorenzo)​

• Age Range at Peak: 31-33
• Accomplishments: Ruggeri was a dominant force at San Lorenzo, known for his tough tackling and aerial ability. From 1994 to 1996, he was instrumental in their defensive success, winning the Argentine Primera División in 1995.

Defensive Midfielder: Franky Van Der Elst (Club Brugge)​

• Age Range at Peak: 27-29
• Accomplishments: Van Der Elst was a midfield general at Club Brugge, winning multiple Belgian league titles. He won five Belgian championships (1987-88, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98) and four Belgian Cups (1985-86, 1990-91, 1994-95, 1995-96), establishing himself as a legend at the club. He was also awarded the Belgian Golden Shoe in 1990 and 1996.

Left Central Midfielder: Philip Cocu (Vitesse)​

• Age Range at Peak: 24-25
• Accomplishments: Cocu's versatility and technical skills shone at Vitesse, where he was a key player from 1994 to 1995. His performances earned him recognition as one of the top midfielders in the Eredivisie, contributing significantly to the team's success. Cocu's ability to play both as a central midfielder and a left winger allowed him to adapt to various tactical setups, making him an invaluable asset to the team.

Right Central Midfielder: Cafu (São Paulo)​

• Age Range at Peak: 24-26
• Accomplishments: Cafu was a dynamic presence at São Paulo, winning the Copa Libertadores in 1992 and 1993 and the Intercontinental Cup in those same years. His attacking runs and defensive contributions were unmatched, making him a key player for the team. Cafu was also named South American Footballer of the Year in 1994.

Attacking Midfielder: Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)​

• Age Range at Peak: 30-34
• Accomplishments: Di Stefano was a legend at Real Madrid, leading them to multiple European Cup victories. From 1956 to 1960, he won five European Cups and eight La Liga titles. He scored 308 goals in 396 appearances for Real Madrid, showcasing his creativity, vision, and goal-scoring ability, which made him one of the greatest players of all time. He was also awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1957 and 1959.

Left Wing Forward: Hristo Stoichkov (CSKA Sofia)​

• Age Range at Peak: 23-25
• Accomplishments: Stoichkov was a prolific scorer at CSKA Sofia, winning multiple Bulgarian league titles. From 1984 to 1990, he scored 81 goals in 119 appearances, and won three Bulgarian championships and four Bulgarian Cups. He was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 1989 and 1990.

Right Wing Forward: Johnny Rep (Bastia)​

• Age Range at Peak: 26-28
• Accomplishments: Rep was a key player for Bastia, leading them to the UEFA Cup final in 1978. From 1977 to 1979, he scored 33 goals in 65 appearances, making him a fan favorite and a legend in French football. Rep's ability to score crucial goals and his partnership with other forwards made Bastia a formidable attacking force during his tenure.

Centre Forward: Luigi Riva (Cagliari)​

• Age Range at Peak: 25-27
• Accomplishments: Riva was a legendary striker at Cagliari, leading them to their only Serie A title in 1969-70. From 1963 to 1976, he scored 164 goals in 315 appearances, known for his clinical finishing, strength, and aerial ability. He was the Serie A Top Scorer in 1966-67, 1968-69, and 1969-70.

Tactics​

Defense​

Our three-man defense is built on a foundation of solidity and tactical intelligence. Fabio Cannavaro, Velibor Vasovic, and Oscar Ruggeri form a formidable backline. Cannavaro's ability to read the game and make crucial interceptions, Vasovic's leadership, organizational skills, and ability to distribute the ball and initiate plays from the back, and Ruggeri's physicality and aerial dominance ensure a robust defense. This trio will play a high line, pressing the opposition and maintaining compactness to prevent counter-attacks.

Midfield​

The midfield diamond is designed to control possession and dictate the tempo of the game. Franky Van Der Elst anchors the midfield, breaking up opposition play and distributing the ball efficiently. Philip Cocu and Cafu provide both width and central support, adding numbers to the midfield to maintain control and fluidity. Cocu's versatility allows him to contribute both defensively and offensively, while Cafu's energy and pace enable him to cover the right flank and join central play. Alfredo Di Stefano, the playmaker, orchestrates the attack with his creativity, vision, and goal-scoring ability, linking play between the midfield and forwards. The midfield's energy and pressing ability ensure that the team can effectively disrupt the opposition's build-up play.

Attack​

The attacking trio of Hristo Stoichkov, Johnny Rep, and Luigi Riva is designed to stretch the opposition and create scoring opportunities. Stoichkov and Rep, as wide forwards, provide width and pace, cutting inside to create chances and take shots on goal. Riva, the centre forward, leads the line with his clinical finishing and aerial prowess, converting chances created by the dynamic midfield and wide forwards. The forwards' pace and work rate allow them to press the opposition's defenders and force errors, creating opportunities for quick transitions and counter-attacks.

Alfredo Di Stefano's Unique Role​

Alfredo Di Stefano is considered one of the best players of all time due to his unparalleled versatility and understanding of the game. Di Stefano's ability to play multiple positions and his tactical intelligence make him the perfect playmaker in this team. His vision and creativity allow him to dictate the tempo of the game, while his goal-scoring ability adds an extra dimension to the attack. Di Stefano's work rate and intelligence enable him to press effectively, contributing to the team's high-pressing strategy. His exceptional defensive work rate allows him to drop into midfield to support defensive duties, enabling Cocu and Cafu to cover wide areas when needed. This ensures the team remains defensively solid while maintaining their attacking threat. Di Stefano's presence elevates the team's overall performance, making him an indispensable part of this setup.

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PYTHAGORAS TACTICS -

Our players (nearly all in their prime/peak club version) should thrive in our 4-4-2 diamond formation:

• We aim to control centrally with our midfield combination of passing ability, high workrate and intelligent movement: i) Pivot anchorman Batista, screens passes into the opposition striker, breaks up play, dropping into the back line when needed (between or to the side of the centrebacks) and provides the link between defence and the rest of midfield. ii) Box-to-box midfielders Larsson and Ball, move the ball between the lines, offering width when necessary, assisting their fullbacks to negate overloads and can push forward when the strikers move wide. iii) Bochini, our creative number 10, is the main link between the midfield and the attack, whose main responsibility will be to create chances.
• Our two complete forwards, Seeler and Henry, occupy the opposing centrebacks. They can hold the ball up to bring Bochini or the advancing Larsson/Ball into play, or they can threaten the space in behind the opposition, Henry's pace especially being utilised. They can also move into wide positions to receive long passes in space, creating space centrally for midfield runners. By pressing from out to in, Henry and Seeler can force the opposition inwards, setting up a central pressing trap, where we are strongest.
• Our fullbacks will have space to get forward, providing attacking width: Gordillo the more attacking of the two, who will make constant overlapping runs. Vogts, a defensive rock, still contributes going forward with his intelligent build-up play. Vogts can invert when Ball advances forward, ensuring the diamond is maintained. Belodedici and Chivadze are two complete central defenders who can share both man-marking and covering roles. Both are excellent on the ball, press resistant and composed playing from the back, helping us to maintain possession.

Player list

GK 1

Oswaldo SÁNCHEZ (Guadalajara | 310 Apps)
RB 2

Berti VOGTS (c) (Borussia Mönchengladbach | 526 Apps, 42 Goals)
CB 4

Aleksandre CHIVADZE (Dinamo Tbilisi | 400 Apps, 55 Goals)
CB 6

Miodrag BELODEDICI (Steaua București | 235 Apps, 21 Goals)
LB 3

Rafael GORDILLO (Real Betis | 411 Apps, 41 Goals)
DM 5

Sergio BATISTA (Argentinos Juniors | 299 Apps, 25 Goals)
RM 7

Alan BALL (Everton | 254 Apps, 80 Goals)
LM 8

Bo LARSSON (Malmö FF | 546 Apps, 289 Goals)
AM 10

Ricardo BOCHINI (Independiente | 718 Apps, 109 Goals)
RF 9

Uwe SEELER (Hamburg | 581 Apps, 496 Goals)
LF 14

Thierry HENRY (Arsenal | 377 Apps 228 Goals, 93 Assists)

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@Pythagoras

 

[Pythagoras]

GK 1

Oswaldo SÁNCHEZ (Guadalajara | 310 Apps)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"He is highly regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in Mexican footballing history."
"Sánchez's extraordinary goalkeeping skills and leadership helped Guadalajara reach the finals of the Clausura 2004 season."
"Throughout the start of the 2000s, there was one goalkeeper that stood out in Mexico and arguable around in the CONCACAF. Standout performances with the national team of Mexico and club teams placed Oswaldo Sanchez as an elite goalkeeper. Sanchez will go down as one of the top 3 goalkeepers of all time in the history of Mexican soccer as his leadership was shown on and off the field and always having crucial saves inside the box to keep his team level on the scoring side."

Spoiler: Guadalajara legacy

Mexican Primera División: Apertura 2006
Mexican Primera División Golden Glove: 2000 Invierno, 2002 Apertura, 2003, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005 Apertura
Mexican Primera División Golden Ball: 2003–04, 2005 Apertura
Goalkeeper with most penalty shots saved in the Mexican Primera División: 25

RB 2

Berti VOGTS (c) (Borussia Mönchengladbach | 526 Apps, 42 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Played as a defender with a hard-tackling, no-nonsense style. He was known for his man-marking skills and tenacity. Vogts was known for his man-marking skills. He was able to understand strikers' intentions. Vogts was also a technically proficient player who could contribute to his team's build-up."
"His tenacity earned him the nickname Der Terrier", always fighting for every ball as if it were his last, Vogts was a big favourite with his home crowd. Possessed incredible stamina and never gave up on a ball, constantly pressing and harassing opponents. Used his physical strength and aggressive tackling to disrupt attacking play. While not known for his attacking prowess, he could contribute to build-up play with decent passing ability."
"He was also a quality 'footballer', technically proficient and a very balanced player who could also contribute strongly to his teams build up. What aided Vogts in possession was his low centre of gravity and his close ball control. He could twist and turn as if he was tailor-made to play for Barcelona but admittedly lacked flair in possession. When he did play as a free-roaming defensive midfielder, he was positionally very astute. His know-how of how to behave in various areas of the pitch was impressive."

Spoiler: Borussia Mönchengladbach legacy

Bundesliga: 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77
DFB-Pokal: 1972–73
UEFA Cup: 1974–75, 1978–79
kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77
Footballer of the Year (Germany): 1971, 1979
FUWO European Team of the Season: 1970
Sport Ideal European XI: 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977
World XI: 1971, 1975, 1977
Onze Mondial: 1976, 1977

CB 4

Aleksandre CHIVADZE (Dinamo Tbilisi | 400 Apps, 55 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"A dominant sweeper with great defending skills, vision and technical abilities. Brings ball out of defence, marks his opponents tightly, shoots with power and tries long range passes. Chivadze had a deep understanding of the game, reading the play well and positioning himself effectively to receive the ball and initiate attacks.
Was the best player in his position in the USSR (according to the National Coaches Council) every year from 1979 to 1986 (except 1985 where he was 2nd) and was the USSR Footballer of the Year in 1980. Craig McCracken described Chivadze as having a greater mastery of the ball than any creative outfield British player I had seen."
"The technically sublime Chivadze deserves a special mention here, as he'll play an important role in establishing our passing game and building out from the back. He looked astonishingly good technically to me, and the fact that he captained the USSR for half of his international appearances reflects positively on his leadership skills and standing in the squad."

Spoiler: Dinamo Tbilisi legacy

Soviet Top League: 1978
Soviet Cup: 1976, 1979
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1980–81
Soviet Footballer of the Year: 1980

CB 6

Miodrag BELODEDICI (Steaua București | 235 Apps, 21 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"A classy, elegant player, whose ball winning technique is matched with his amazing positioning. Brings ball out of defence, dives into tackles and tries long range passes.
One of the greatest defenders ever to emerge from Romania. He was classy, elegant player, whose ball winning technique is matched with his amazing positioning. Also, he possessed good speed for a libero, and with all those skills combined, he was practically impossible to trick. He possessed good technical skills, he was a decent passer of the ball and a good dribbler, often tricking one or two opponents before delivering a pass. He was always calm at the pitch."
"He was known for his calm demeanor and ability to stop world-class attackers. Belodedici was nicknamed The Deer" for his elegant tackles."

Spoiler: Steaua București

Divizia A: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 2000–01
Cupa României: 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1998–99
Supercupa României: 1998
European Cup: 1985–86
European Super Cup: 1986
Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1986
Gazeta Sporturilor Romanian Footballer of the Year runner-up: 1986; third place: 1987

LB 3

Rafael GORDILLO (Real Betis | 411 Apps, 41 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Rafael Gordillo was known for his attacking style of play as a left wing-back, combining strong defensive capabilities with a flair for going forward, essentially acting as both a defender and a midfielder on the left flank, often overlapping to create attacking opportunities with his pace and crossing ability; he was also recognized for his high work rate and consistent performance level throughout matches. Gordillo was known for his quick acceleration and ability to deliver accurate crosses into the box, making him a threat for creating scoring chances. Despite his attacking focus, Gordillo remained a reliable defender, capable of holding his position and making tackles when needed. He was recognized for his high work rate, covering significant ground both offensively and defensively throughout the game. Gordillo possessed good technical ability, allowing him to control the ball effectively and play precise passes in tight spaces."
"A tireless and tenacious left back, hugs the line and runs with the ball down the left. An attacking style as a left wing-back, defender, and midfielder. Gordillo was an attacking left wing-back who was equally comfortable as a defender and midfielder. Gordillo was known for his tireless and tenacious style of play. Gordillo was known for his good effort rate.
Rafael Gordillo is a myth. A legend. The most important footballer in Real Betis modern history. He was a left back with great potential both in defence and attack. His runs on the left with his low socks are and image engraved forever in the memory of Real Betis fans."

Spoiler: Real Betis legacy

Copa del Rey: 1976–77
La Liga Spanish Player of the Year (Don Balón Award): 1979–80
La Liga Team of The Year: 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84

 

[Pythagoras]

DM 5

Sergio BATISTA (Argentinos Juniors | 299 Apps, 25 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Batista was known for his passing ability and his ability to read the game. He was also a tough tackler and was not afraid to put in a challenge."
"The defensive shield for Argentina's 1986 World Cup winning side. An excellent reader of the game, solid tackler and a tidy passer."
"A defensive midfielder with great vision and good passing abilities, dictates the tempo."

Spoiler: Argentinos Juniors legacy

Argentine Primera División: 1984 Metropolitano, 1985 Nacional
Copa Libertadores: 1985
Copa Interamericana: 1985
South American Team of the Year: 1986

RM 7

Alan BALL (Everton | 254 Apps, 80 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Considered one of the greatest players to have played for Everton, Ball was a complete and combative midfielder with good technique who possessed high levels of stamina, accurate passing abilities, and was capable of providing scoring chances for his teammates as well as scoring some spectacular goals himself. Primarily an attacking box-to-box midfielder who drove forward towards the opponents' goal, Ball would also help out the defenders of his team when they were in a pinch. Ken Rogers noted that Ball's fiery mentality was the key to his success as a footballer. Ball also stood out for being a motivator, with John Morrissey noting that whenever Ball played one-twos with any of his teammates, they would be motivated to play."
"Alan produced this non-stop style week in, week out to help his club, Everton, win the League championship. He is the perfect example of the modern ‘all-purpose footballer’, clearing from his own goalmouth one moment, shooting for goal the next, and like Bremner he is now using his fiery qualities to his club’s advantage, and avoiding trouble with referees. Alan is a footballer who makes others play. He is a driving force, and a fine example who plays only to win. It would be difficult to imagine a more devastating midfield ‘team’."
"Alan Ball was a midfielder for England's 1966 World Cup-winning wingless wonders" team, managed by Sir Alf Ramsey. Ball was a key player in the team, and his all-action style of play fit well with Ramsey's vision. Ramsey wanted players who could contribute when the team didn't have the ball. Ball was able to come inside to defend and go out to the wing when needed."

Spoiler: Everton legacy

Football League First Division: 1969–70
FA Charity Shield: 1970
FA Cup runner-up: 1967–68
The Top Eleven Players in Great Britain 1969-70 (Rothmans Golden Boots Awards): 1970

LM 8

Bo LARSSON (Malmö FF | 546 Apps, 289 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Known for his versatility, considered one of the most complete players in Swedish football history, able to play effectively in almost any position on the pitch, primarily as a midfielder and striker, with strengths in both attacking and defensive play, making him a well-rounded player capable of contributing in various aspects of the game. His most notable characteristic was his ability to play across different positions, including midfield and attacking roles, making him a valuable asset for team flexibility. While capable of scoring goals, he was recognized for his excellent passing skills and ability to create opportunities for teammates. Bo Larsson was known for his high work rate and understanding of the game, contributing defensively as well as offensively. Often seen as a leader on the pitch due to his experience and ability to influence the game in various ways.
Beside Nils Liedholm, Bosse Larsson is regarded as Sweden's most complete player ever, being able to actually play at almost any position on the pitch. In Malmö FF and among its supporters Bosse holds an iconic status and is regarded as the club's greatest player ever."
"Known as “Bosse”, a tireless and versatile player known for his great reading of the game, his great technique and his passing skills. Moves into channels, places shots and tries killer balls often."

Spoiler: Malmö FF legacy

Allsvenskan: 1965, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977
Svenska Cupen: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978
Allsvenskan top scorer: 1963 (17 goals), 1965 (28 goals), 1970 (16 goals)
Guldbollen (Swedish Footballer of the Year): 1965, 1973
2005 Swedish Football Association Hall of Fame inductee
Honorary member of Malmö FF

AM 10

Ricardo BOCHINI (Independiente | 718 Apps, 109 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Although he was not a prolific goalscorer, he was considered one of the best playmakers of the 1980s, often making assists for teammates to score, due to his vision and accurate passing. Even after he retired, the expression pase bochinesco (bochinesque pass") is used to refer to a precise pass made to a forward to leave him one on one against the goalkeeper, bypassing the opponent's defenders. Bochini became a master of 'la pausa', the moment when a number 10, poised to deliver a pass, delays a fraction, waiting for the player he is looking to feed to reach the ideal position."
"Ricardo Bochini's style of play was known for his accurate passing and vision, which often led to assists for his teammates. He was a master of la pausa", a Spanish passing style that involves delaying a pass to wait for the ideal position of the player receiving the pass. He was known for his precise passes to forwards, leaving them one-on-one against the goalkeeper."

Spoiler: Independiente legacy

Argentine Primera División: Nacional 1977, Nacional 1978, Metropolitano 1983, 1988–89
Copa Libertadores: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1984
Copa Interamericana: 1972, 1974, 1975
Intercontinental Cup: 1973, 1984
Supercopa Libertadores runner-up: 1989
Footballer of the Year of Argentina: 1983
South American Player of the Year: Bronze award 1983
South American Team of the Year: 1989
One Club Award, 2022

 

[Pythagoras]

RF 9

Uwe SEELER (Hamburg | 581 Apps, 496 Goals)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Uwe Seeler's style of play was characterized by his aerial ability, overhead kicks, and fighting spirit. He was a powerful striker for the German national team and his club, Hamburg. Seeler was known for his flying headers and scissor kicks. He was able to jump higher than taller defenders. His stocky build and low center of gravity gave him an advantage in the air. Seeler was tough and didn't whine, even when he was injured. He was a fighting character who didn't back down from his opponents. Seeler was a prolific scorer who was rarely absent from match reports. Seeler was captain of both his club and the national team for many years."
"An extraordinary center forward who is too seldom discussed, Uwe Seeler was, after Gerd Muller and Rummenigge, the greatest German center forward of all time. A symbol of HSV Hamburg, he was more than the classic number 9, he had a nose for goals, was lethal in aerial play and acrobatics, but also had solid technique and played a lot for the team.
In the center forward position is Uns Uwe, three times Footballer of the Year for Germany. The greatest striker the nation has ever produced behind Gerd Müller, he possessed the unique ability to form a telepathic understanding with his co-attackers and involve himself in the deeper or wider game to a point where he was almost a dual striker-winger or forward; all while establishing himself as one of the best examples you'll ever see of aerial prowess at the position, working hard on and off the ball and being an extraordinary natural goalscorer — to date, boasting the second highest goal tally of a German footballer with 575 scored in competitive matches. Good fit for the approach, and a terrific companion with another forward — given his tactical intellect, goalscoring prowess, penchant for making clever dummy runs, linking up the other forwards and offering cut-back passes."

Spoiler: Hamburg legacy

German football championship: 1959–60
DFB-Pokal: 1962–63
Ballon d'Or third place: 1960
Footballer of the Year (Germany): 1960, 1964, 1970
FIFA XI (Reserve): 1963
Bundesliga Top Scorer: 1964
European Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer: 1967–68
kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1969–70
FIFA 100
Member of Germany's Sports Hall of Fame
Silver Laurel Leaf

LF 14

Thierry HENRY (Arsenal | 377 Apps 228 Goals, 93 Assists)

Spoiler: Playstyle

"Henry's ability to dribble past opponents with exceptional pace, skill and composure, meant that he could get in behind defenders regularly enough to score. When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position, something which enables him to contribute heavily in assists: between 2002–03 and 2004–05, the striker managed almost 50 assists in total and this was attributed to his unselfish play and creativity. No one has terrorised defenders with such a combination of bewitching grace and phenomenal power. Coming in from the left, Henry's trademark finish saw him place the ball inside the far right corner of the goal. Henry would also drift offside to fool the defence then run back onside before the ball is played and beat the offside trap, although he never provided Arsenal a distinct aerial threat. Given his versatility in being able to operate as both a winger and a striker, the Frenchman is not a prototypical out-and-out striker", but he has emerged consistently as one of Europe's most prolific strikers. In set pieces, Henry was the first-choice penalty and free kick taker for Arsenal, scoring regularly from those situations."
"Possessing extraordinary speed, great individual technique, and elegance. Henry was known for his explosive pace. Henry was a technically brilliant player with great ball control. Henry was able to use his speed and technique to create scoring opportunities. Henry was a composed player who was able to effortlessly glide past opponents."

Spoiler: Arsenal legacy

Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04
FA Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004-05
FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004
UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06
UEFA Cup runner-up: 1999–2000
Ballon d'Or runner-up: 2003; third-place: 2006
FIFA World Player of the Year silver award: 2003, 2004
European Golden Shoe: 2003–04, 2004–05
Onze d'Or: 2003, 2006
PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2002–03, 2003–04
PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2002–03, 2003–04
PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Premier League, 2001–02 Premier League, 2002–03 Premier League, 2003–04 Premier League, 2004–05 Premier League, 2005–06 Premier League
FWA Footballer of the Year: 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
Premier League Player of the Season: 2003–04, 2005–06
Premier League Golden Boot: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
Most assists in the Premier League: 2002–03
Golden Boot Landmark Award 10: 2004–05
Golden Boot Landmark Award 20: 2004–05
Premier League Player of the Month: April 2000, September 2002, January 2004, April 2004
Arsenal Player of the Season: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005
BBC Goal of the Season: 2002–03
UEFA Team of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
French Player of the Year: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer of the Year: 2003
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2006
FIFA 100: 2004
Time 100 Heroes & Pioneers no.16: 2007
English Football Hall of Fame: 2008
Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992–93 – 2001–02)
Overseas Team of the Decade
Premier League 20 Seasons Awards
Fantasy Team (Panel choice)
Fantasy Team (Public choice)
Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020
Premier League Hall of Fame: 2021

 

[Pythagoras]

Posted the profiles separately, as the site kept crashing on me when I tried to combine them all in one post.

Good luck GSTQ!

 

[Šjor Bepo]

two brilliant teams!

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Good match up.

I see two points that give my team a significant edge.

1. A good 4-4-2 diamond really demands offensive minded fullbacks to be effective, While Gordillo (more so) and Vogts certainly were two-way players, neither was as aggressive and technical a fullback going forward as the formation demands.
2. I dont see a player capable of matching up to Di Stefano in the opposition midfield. Keeping his stature and aura aside, just the fact that he will run his socks off while Bochini probably wont come anywhere close would always mean we would be better capable at both maintaining and winning back the ball.

 

[Himannv]

Tough to vote here. Will follow the discussion.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

good point about fullbacks though his right side is more then good enough in width department with both seeler and ball loving to drift out wide and being brilliant at it....

no idea about the left side though asi dont know the midfielder.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

good point about fullbacks though his right side is more then good enough in width department with both seeler and ball loving to drift out wide and being brilliant at it....

no idea about the left side though asi dont know the midfielder.

Of course, he does have players who can drift wide. But it still doesn't get the best out of the diamond setup. If you need to compensate for your fullback not bombing forward with your midfielders or forwards constantly drifting out wide, you are sacrificing on numbers elsewhere on the pitch and that makes it a not so effective diamond, especially against a team that also is loaded in the midfield numbers wise with Di Stefano of all people running the whole thing.

Against a narrow opposition without dedicated fullbacks, not having at least that constant wing back threat plays into our hands and makes it easy to organize and defend.

 

[Pythagoras]

Good match up.

I see two points that give my team a significant edge.

1. A good 4-4-2 diamond really demands offensive minded fullbacks to be effective, While Gordillo (more so) and Vogts certainly were two-way players, neither was as aggressive and technical a fullback going forward as the formation demands.
2. I dont see a player capable of matching up to Di Stefano in the opposition midfield. Keeping his stature and aura aside, just the fact that he will run his socks off while Bochini probably wont come anywhere close would always mean we would be better capable at both maintaining and winning back the ball.

I disagree, Gordillo is Spain's/Betis' best ever one-man left flank player, an attacking fullback who could play in midfield on the wing too. One of the best dribbling wingbacks who delivered accurate crosses - I see his partnership with Seeler being very productive (Seeler in the air, is all-time great, in terms of heading, volleys and running on to crosses).

In Borussia Mönchengladbach's narrow 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, Vogts usually played alongside a box-to-box midfielder who would move wide when needed (Herbert Wimmer/Rainer Bonhof) and a forward who would move wide to the flank (Henning Jensen, Allan Simonsen) - thus, he had possessed great chemistry and solid build-up play without natural wingers or side midfielders.

Two wingback types wouldn't work for balance, so Gordillo-Vogts is a balanced fullback partnership (Gordillo the more adventurous left back, overlapping Henry and Larsson; and Vogts a more balanced game on the right flank where Alan Ball and Seeler loved to move wide). Gordilllo and Vogts recorded some of the highest goals/assists records for defenders for their respective clubs too.


Di Stefano may be the greatest club legend on the pitch, but Bochini playing perfect though-balls to Henry and Seeler is a tactical dream.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

In Borussia Mönchengladbach's narrow 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, Vogts usually played alongside a box-to-box midfielder who would move wide when needed (Herbert Wimmer/Rainer Bonhof) and a forward who would move to flank (Henning Jensen, Allan Simonsen) - thus, he had possessed great chemistry and solid build-up play without natural wingers or side midfielders.

I'd argue but your opening post already does the work for me mate. Below are your own words on Vogts from your tactics -

While not known for his attacking prowess, he could contribute to build-up play with decent passing ability.
He was also a quality 'footballer', technically proficient and a very balanced player who could also contribute strongly to his teams build up. What aided Vogts in possession was his low centre of gravity and his close ball control. He could twist and turn as if he was tailor-made to play for Barcelona but admittedly lacked flair in possession.

Two wingback types wouldn't work for balance, so Gordillo-Vogts is a balanced fullback partnership (Gordillo the more adventurous left back, overlapping Henry and Larsson; and Vogts a more balanced game on the right flank where Alan Ball and Seeler loved to move wide).

That would be true for a formation like a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or any other formation. But not in the diamond which is heavily reliant on both its wingbacks being strongly involved in the final third, constantly touching the opposition teams goal lines

I disagree, Gordillo is Spain's/Betis' best ever one-man flank players, an attacking fullback who could play in midfield on the wing too.

To be honest I havent watched too much of him and definitely never picked him in drafts as well for the same reason. I have tried to watch stuff over the last couple of days and it didn't scream to me that he was a really technically proficient one-man flank sort of player. Sure, he was no nut with the ball, but playing with a wide presence like a winger/WF ahead and being the main width provider of the team are two very different things. I'd love to watch evidence of him manning the flank on his own of course.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Di Stefano may be the greatest club legend on the pitch, but Bochini playing perfect though-balls to Henry and Seeler is a tactical dream.

I dont disagree. Henry-Bochini-Seeler is a terrific front 3.

Yet, I dont see Bochini leaving as much of a mark on this game as Di Stefano potentially could.

In a crowded midfield, I can see Bochini not having enough space and time to express himself.

While that can be true for Di Stefano as well, his goalscoring traits, off the ball work rate and ability to contribute from all areas of the pitch would mean he would have way more of a say on the proceedings.

Just to compare on goal scoring, Di Stefano scored 308 in 396 games at Madrid while Bochini scored 97 in 634 games at Independiente

 

[Pythagoras]

Oscar Ruggeri - perhaps more suited to a back five in his prime, but in his 30s-version lacking pace, in a high line, with no leftback/left wingback for cover, the pace of Henry, movement of Seeler, passing combinations between Ball-Vogts will be too much for him (even with the support of a young Cocu) - a more mobile fullback or side centreback is crucial for a back three.

I don't believe your midfield would dominate possession which is required for Cruyff's system.


Yes, Vogts needs to be a more balanced fullback, and not an attacking/flair fullback like a peak Roberto Carlos/Dani Alves type. He will also do an admirable defensive job against Stoichkov.

 

[Pythagoras]

I dont disagree. Henry-Bochini-Seeler is a terrific front 3.

Yet, I dont see Bochini leaving as much of a mark on this game as Di Stefano potentially could.

In a crowded midfield, I can see Bochini not having enough space and time to express himself.

While that can be true for Di Stefano as well, his goalscoring traits, off the ball work rate and ability to contribute from all areas of the pitch would mean he would have way more of a say on the proceedings.

Bochini is one of Argentina's greats working in tight spaces / hard-marking set ups. His quick feet, ball carrying/dribbling and through-the-eye-of-a-needle-passes inspired Diego Maradona.

I need Bochini to connect the midfield to the attack, while Larsson, Ball and Batista possess enough destructive/breaking up-play workrate behind him.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Oscar Ruggeri - perhaps more suited to a back five in his prime, but in his 30s-version lacking pace, in a high line, with no leftback/left wingback for cover, the pace of Henry, movement of Seeler, passing combinations between Ball-Vogts will be too much for him (even with the support of a young Cocu) - a more mobile fullback or side centreback is crucial for a back three.

I do concede that he is not the strongest suite in my team purely because of his age, even though he did win the Argentine league with San Lorenzo as a starter.

But this is where having a genuine threat at right wing back instead of Vogts would have come handy to take advantage of the potential weakness at LCB and stretch the defense.

But now, we can sit compact and defend. If Seeler drifts wide desperately to provide width, its all good as the 3 at back would do well defending against Henry alone

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Bochini is one of Argentina's greats working in tight spaces / hard-marking set ups. His quick feet, ball carrying/dribbling and through-the-eye-of-a-needle-passes inspired Diego Maradona.

I need Bochini to connect the midfield to the attack, while Larsson, Ball and Batista possess enough destructive/breaking up-play workrate behind him.

Keeping Bochini and Di Stefano aside (both legends in their own rights), I'd say even Maradona and Messi would have a tough time bossing the game purely as an AM in this game with 8 midfielders right in the thick of things.

This is when the other traits come in handy and I dont think anyone would disagree that Di Stefano has a ton more of those as compared to Bochini

 

[Gio]

Good match up.

I see two points that give my team a significant edge.

1. A good 4-4-2 diamond really demands offensive minded fullbacks to be effective, While Gordillo (more so) and Vogts certainly were two-way players, neither was as aggressive and technical a fullback going forward as the formation demands.
2. I dont see a player capable of matching up to Di Stefano in the opposition midfield. Keeping his stature and aura aside, just the fact that he will run his socks off while Bochini probably wont come anywhere close would always mean we would be better capable at both maintaining and winning back the ball.

I thought Gordillo was excellent on a technical level. He also played as a left-midfielder ahead of Camacho at times.

That said your shape suits Pythag's set-up (two man-markers and a spare defender).

@Enigma_87 Views on this version of Stoichkov? His stats are sensational from CSKA. I almost picked him but don't think he was quite optimal for what was needed in my team.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

I thought Gordillo was excellent on a technical level. He also played as a left-midfielder ahead of Camacho at times.

Yea quite likely might be the case, as my exposure to him has been very limited and the content on youtube didn't impress me as much as I expected after reading his wikipedia page.

No compilations available as well. @Šjor Bepo needs to pick him up sometime in a draft and make a couple of videos.

 

[Enigma_87]

@Enigma_87 Views on this version of Stoichkov? His stats are sensational from CSKA. I almost picked him but don't think he was quite optimal for what was needed in my team.

He had disciplinary issues as a young player and also not following coach instructions so a bit hard to deal with (a personality that ensued after his retirement btw). However in his last 2 seasons he was indeed phenomenal. The league at the time wasn't as competitive in terms of quality apart from CSKA and Levski the two top teams, although after Stoichkov left there were some teams that made their mark Etar (led by Balakov) won the league, Slavia and Botev also made some runs in Europe.

It was pretty similar to the Yugoslav league where you had teams like Red Star that on their day could trouble the top teams.

Stoichkov himself won that move to Barca when they met in the CWC in 89 where he scored 3 goals and was a threat no different to any time in his prime:


He was tearing it in that last season at CSKA and won the Golden Boot. Pretty much at his physical peak. At Barca he became more experienced and more refined but really at the time he had everything in his locker. His temper continued at Barca but as mentioned being more mature helped him in decision making. I'd say that last two seasons at CSKA he was close to his prime so it was definitely an excellent pick.

 

[2mufc0]

Probably the game of the round, 2 excellent teams which are difficult to separate. Scoreline is a bit harsh on A² + B² = C²

 

[Physiocrat]

Really hard to seperate the sides. Nice to see Franky van Der Elst again. I had him years ago but everyone thought Zico would dominate him which was a shame as the rest of my team was really good.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Cheers @Pythagoras, amazing write up and of course a great team