All Time Soccer Tourney Group B Joneseed v. Brady Marino (1 Viewer)

Everyone should know the drill by now.  I will try to post the starting lineups in a link to a graphic.

Polk High FC

I ended up building my team much in the same manner as I build my FM teams.  I spent quite a bit of time not just researching the players individually, but how they would fit into the team and the tactics.

 

Tactics:

• High-tempo, counter-attack
  
• What I looked for in players: High work rate, defensive ability, flexibility, and football IQ/teamwork.  Building a team that knows when to push forward and overload a zone and when to cover was essential with all of the offensive talent out there.  Everybody needs to be on top of it.
  

 

Attacking:

Luisito will set the tempo from the back using his playmaking ability and/or bringing in the solid playmaking/passing abilities of Nedved/Donadoni/Gullit.  The goal in transition is to get the ball out quick and use the speed of the front four to exploit space (with fullbacks joining in where appropriate).  Goals will mostly come from Pele, but Gullit, Nedved, and Luisito will score their share as well.

 

Both wide players are good with both feet and have the ability to cut inside and shoot or stay wide and cross.  Nedved is naturally two-footed while Donadoni is right-footed with a very good left.  This was important to draw coverage off of Pele and gives different options on attacks stemming from the outside based on how the opposing fullbacks are playing.

 

• Cut inside and shoot or through ball to Pele.
  
• Stay wide and cross.  Pele was actually very good in the air, but many of these central defenders are modern physical players.  I am going to rely on Gullit, who was a monster in the air, to take pressure off of Pele in the box as a physical presence (much like he did for Van Bommel at Milan).
  

 

Defense:

Team defense.  Pele and Luisito are off the hook a bit, but every other player is known for their teamwork, work rate, and defense.

 

Key rotations

Luisito/Gullit - Rijkaard is one of the greatest DMs ever and is capable offensively, but given the offensive juggernauts in this league he will mainly stay back and launch counter-attacks.  Luisito has the ability to pick the ball up deep and transition to the wings or to carry it forward.  Gullit was an all-around beast who excelled at everything.  Strong on the ball, technically gifted, great vision, great finishing, powerful in the air, intelligent, and a fantastic defender (how he started his career).  I expect he and Luisito to work together in transition to maintain shape.

 

Santos/Nedved - Santos is going to get forward which meant I needed a wide midfielder that could not only be effective in attack but also had exceptional speed, work-rate, and defensive abilities.  Nedved fit that bill perfectly.

 

Zombrotta/Donadoni  - Donadoni stood out as another tactically smart winger/inside-forward with a high work-rate and defensive ability.

 

 

Team:

(ST) Pele – The most successful league goal scorer in the world (1281 goals in 1363 games).  Pelé began playing for Santos at 15 and the Brazil national football team at 16. He won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player ever to do so; and is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 91 games. Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals made him a star around the world.

(DM) Frank Rijkaard - Three Champions League titles with AC Milan and Ajax (and one more as manager of Barcelona).  One of the three Dutchmen with the early 90's AC Milan and Holland teams (Van Bommell, Rijkaard and Gullit).  After finishing at AC Milan he subsequently transferred back to Ajax to nick the 94-95 Champions League title from his old club as a central defender. Regarded as one of the greatest players in his position, Rijkaard was quick, strong, and tenacious. Praised by pundits throughout his career for his physical and athletic attributes, his work rate, positioning, tactical intelligence and decision making.

(AM) Ruud Gullit - Ballon d'Or in 1987 and World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989, he was a complete and versatile player, epitomizing the ethos of Total Football.  He was naturally adept in several positions, and was capable of aiding his team defensively as well as offensively due to his work-rate and tactical intelligence.  His foremost attribute was his athleticism, as he used his strength and speed, combined with his technique, to great effect.  Superb in the air, yet an elegant dribbler and passer he possessed an outstanding natural balance, and poise that gave a graceful style to his game.

(CM/PM) Luisito - The only spaniard to ever win the Ballon d'Or.  He was noted for his elegant, fluid, graceful style of play, perceptive passing and explosive shot.  Nicknamed El Arquitecto (The Architect) Suarez originally achieved prominence as a creative inside forward or attacking midfielder for the great Barcelona team of the 1950s before he joined Inter Milan where he reached his prime as deep lying playmaker for the legendary Grande Inter team of the 1960s.

(LF) Nilton Santos – A key member of what is considered the greatest team of all time and a member of the World Team of the 20th Centuryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Team_of_the_20th_Century.  He won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups with Brazil.

(CD) Carles Puyol - UEFA Team of the Yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Team_of_the_Year: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010.  Longtime team captain for his only club Barcelona, he went on to win 21 major titles, notably six La Liga trophies and three Champions League.  Puyol was known for his commanding presence in the air, his composure on the ball, and his intense commitment and ruggedness. According to Barcelona's head doctor, he was "the strongest, who has the quickest reactions, and who has the most explosive strength."[3] Club fans referred to him as "The Wall".

 

(LM) Pavel Nedved - Ballon d'Or and European Footballer of the Yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballon_d'Or_(1956–2009) in 2003.  A complete, tenacious and consistent two-footed player Nedved frequently played as a left-sided, offensive wide midfielder or as a left-winger due to his crossing ability with his left foot, as well as due to his ability to cut inside and shoot with his right foot.  He was actually capable of playing anywhere in midfield due to his offensive and defensive work-rate.

(RF) Gianluca Zambrotta - Zambrotta is regarded by pundits as one of Italy's greatest attacking full-backshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-back_(association_football)/wing-backs.  A key member of the Italian squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Juventus, Barcelona, and AC Milan.  Naturally right-footed, he was an ambidextrous player who excelled both at offensive and defensive play, which made him tactically versatile, allowing him to be deployed on the left as well as on the right side of the pitch.  His main attributes were his pace, marking ability, tackling, strength, tenacity, and stamina.

 

(GK) Sepp Maier – Germany’s GK of the 20th century, three time German footballer of the year, three time European Cup winner, FIFA World Cup winner, and UEFA European Championship winner.  Maier had nineteen successful years at Bayern and barely missed a game. He played almost 400 consecutive matches between 1966 and 1977.  In that period he was ranked as the best goalkeeper ever alongside the likes of Gordon Banks and Dino Zoff.

(CD) Giorgio Chiellini-  My only currently active starter, 5 time Serie A winner, and 3 time Serie A defender of the year, An aggressive, physical, hard-tackling center-back in a 3 or 4 man defence with a penchant for scoring headers from set-pieces, due to his aerial prowess and strength.  Walter Mazzarri once labeled him as "a force of nature.  He is from another planet; he can mark three players by himself.”

 

(RM) Roberto Donadoni – Winner of six Serie A titles, three European Cups, four Italian Supercups, three European Super Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups during his time at Milan. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest ever wingers Donadoni was a quick, consistent, and complete wide midfielder, capable of playing on either wing or through the centre. He was also known for his stamina, which allowed him to contribute defensively as well as offensively.  A powerful and accurate striker of the ball from distance with both feet, despite being naturally right footed.  Michel Platini described him as Italy's greatest player of the 90s.

 

(M) Jose Mourinho – Onze d’Or Coach of the Year, FIFA World Coach of the Year, 3-time Premiere League Manager of theYear, Two time Serie A Manager of the Year, and 2-time UEFA Manager of the Year.  In ten seasons of club management, Mourinho has led his club to win its domestic league eight times, the UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup once. Between 2003 and 2012, Mourinho did not go a single calendar year without winning at least one trophy.

 

(S) Santiago Bernabeu – Mourinho at the Bernabeu!  With a seating capacity of 81,044 the Santiago Bernabeu is home field to Real Madrid and one of the worlds most famous and prestigious football venues. It has hosted the European Cup finalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League on four occasions, the UEFA Champions League Final in 2010, the finals for the 1964 European Nations' Cup and the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

 

Subs:

(RM) David Beckham - Twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Player_of_the_Year , Ballon d'Or runner-up, and the first English player to win league titles in four countries: England, Spain, the United States and France.  Renowned for his long-range passing, crossing, and bendinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curl_(football) free-kicks Beckham's Real Madrid teammate Roberto Carlos regarded him as the best free-kick taker he had ever seen.

 

(ST) Kevin Keegan – Two-time Ballon d'Or (’78 and ’79), 4-time league winner, 2-time UEFA Cup winner with a playing style not unlike Pele.

 

Lui Costa

Carvalho

Khedira

Ospina

I will finish up later.

Please use lineup builder or some other tool to show your formation. 

pre-match interview with Laura Ling-

--------Are you excited to get this tournament kicked off for you guys?

BRADY MORENO- (Passionately) Training has been excellent and we're confident of securing a result.

--------What are your thoughts on @jonessed calling Wayne Rooney your weak link?

BRADY MOARINO- (Assertively)  The boys had a good laugh...it appears jonessed is losing the plot!

--------Well, might be time to talk about the elephant in the room; Wayne Rooney. Between him and Terry will anyone's WAG*s be safe?

 

*wives and grannys

BRADY MORINHO- (Cautiously)  North Korea has strict laws for that sort of thing, so I'll just leave that to the proper authorities. I have reminded my players that a North Korean gulag is not a nice place to be in January and I believe they have taken that to heart.

--------Thank you for your time...

 

 

 

Rooney was still a bad pick, but good luck.

BRADI MORENO- (Aggressively)  Your face was a bad pick.

*STORMS OUT*

Odds that this game features me linking to a scene in Victory ... 98.6%

The Democratic People's Republic of Marino is all about diversity. 14 different countries are represented, starting from the obvious like Brazil and England and we even have a Cameroonian and a Liberian, too! Most of our players are fairly modern, with Didi and Gento being our elders from the 50s and 60s, but they are both players that I think could adapt well to a modern style. Most players on the team are from the 80s to present day. I'm a supporter of the modern game and because of that, I think my team will match up with anyone in this tourney.

Manager: Bob Paisley This may seem like an odd selection for this team, but people forget how adaptable Paisley was. He introduced Liverpool to possession soccer when he saw the game change in the 70s/early 80s and, if he saw the modern game, he'd see the need to adapt his 4-4-2 tactics by pushing his wingers up. The guy just knows how to freaking win and get the most out of his team's talents.

Home field: Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, North Korea I'm sorry, but there simply isn't a more intimidating place in this tournament to play than May Day Stadium. Not just because there's 150,000 fans cheering their heads off like their lives depended on it (because they do), but just traveling and saying IN Pyongyang would unsettle even the bravest of men.

Primary tactics:  4-1-4-1 (starting off) 4-2-2-2 (attacking) , Defensive 4-2-2-2 (late game defending)

Starting Lineup:

GK Iker Casillas- The modern goaltender everyone wishes they were. During his highly successful time at the Madrid club, he won five La Liga titles (2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12), two Copa del Rey titles (2010–11, 2013–14), four Supercopa de España titles (2001, 2003, 2008, 2012), three UEFA Champions League titles (1999–2000, 2001–02, 2013–14), two UEFA Super Cups (2002, 2014), two Intercontinental Cups (1998, 2002), and the FIFA Club World Cup (2014). Won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Award for a record five consecutive years. Lifted the World Cup in 2010 for Spain and bookended that with UEFA European titles in 2008 and 2012. Ok, I think you get the point. He's got trophys.

LB Bixente Lizarazu- Lizarazu was widely regarded as the top left-back of the world in late 90s and one of the great backs of the 1998 FIFA World Cup champion France, which was rated as the strongest back line as national team. He's equally valuable as a defensive and offensive defender, was extraordinary in agility, acceleration, stamina and basic skills. 

CB Laurent Blanc- Laurent Blanc was voted as the fourth greatest French player of century according to France Football’s poll. He holds the all-time record most appearances in European Championship Team Of Tournament with 3. Blanc scored the first golden goal in World Cup history. He was known as a surprisingly high-scoring defender, excellent anticipation, and an elegant on-the-ball skill style. He was a threat to the opposition’s goal from the air or from either foot. Blanc scored more than 133 goals in his career. In addition to his offensive prowess, his 6'3 frame will also be valuable on the backline. 

CB John Terry- Our team's captain, “Captain JT” Jalready proved himself as a top defender in the world in the late 2000s. He's an an idol at Chelsea. Terry is always reliable to clear the ball in his area and also full of bravery, leadership and concentration on his game. Rarely makes mistakes. Terry has played in English Premier League in the era when it is the best of the world and he has strongly stood as a true leader for his club and his combination of size and bravery will likely make him our main shut-down defender.

RB Cafu- Marcos Cafu is a right back with outstanding pace, technique and is a dynamic defensive and offensive force. He was similar to many legendary Brazilian backs not able to show world-class defensive quality but his intelligent always help him to prevent opponents well. He is also known as the only player in history of World Cup to play in 3 final matches, which is the record. He captained 2002 Brazil team that won the World Cup in 2002. Simply put: he's great.

DM Arturo Vidal-  He's hard-tackling and has an aggressive, tenacious style of play that ideally suits him to more of a defensive role on this team, even though he does have offensive skills, too. Vidal is a complete midfielder, known for his marking, positioning, tackling, and anticipation, attributes which allow him to be effective at intercepting passes and winning back possession. He is also gifted with technique, pace, and stamina, as well as vision, good distribution, a powerful shot from distance, and an eye for goal.

CM Yaya Toure- Yaya Touré plays primarily as a box-to-box midfielder, often switching between offensive and defensive stances throughout matches. Touré is a complete and versatile midfielder, who can play in several midfield positions, is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world. His key strengths are his passing range, vision, and physical ability. He is gifted with good technique and ball control, although he also excels defensively at breaking down opposing attacking plays and winning back possession through his powerful tackling ability. He is known for his pace, stamina, and physical presence, which is often combined with lungbursting runs from midfield, and he has been referred to as a "human train" and a "colossus" by various pundits. Touré is frequently pushed forward during the latter part of matches. He is also capable of scoring goals due to his powerful striking ability from distance, and his heading ability, as well as his recently developed adeptness at scoring from set-pieces and penalties. Will play him a little back of Didi (almost as a DM) due to his defensive contributions.

CM Didi- Good article on him, but here's a few notable pieces: Few remember Didi, a player known for his grace and modest style of play. He  was the creative fulcrum that led Brazil to World Cup titles, the Botafogo and Fluminense player who helped them each win the Campeonato carioca several times, and the man who changed the way the sport was played forever. he once said “It is the ball that has to run, not the player." What you must understand about Didi is that he was smarter than you and I. He saw things on the pitch no one else could see, made passes that weren’t supposed to be open, and constantly intercepted opposition passes because he knew where the ball was going to be two steps ahead of everyone else. Why chase the ball around when you knew how to make the ball come to you? Didi will be our main "get the ball forward" guy in the midfield, as his football intelligence on this team is second to none.

AML Francisco Gento- "We need speed. Speed's what we need. Greasy, fast speed!" Like Mick to Rocky Balboa, I felt I needed Gento's greasy fast speed on the wings. The dude just BLOWS by defenders and will be primarily responsible for setting up Weah, Eto'o, and my inside forward Ronaldo in the box. Regarded as one of the greatest Spanish players of all time and one of the greatest ever players in his position, Gento was an extremely fast left-winger, with excellent vision and technical ability, which made him an effective assist provider. In addition to his control and creative ability, he was also a goalscoring threat due to his striking ability from distance. He won't be relied on to do that last part as much with so many long-distance crackers on this team, but it's just another tool in his arsenal.

AMR Cristiano Ronaldo- Do I really need a description for this guy? Ok fine...Ronaldo is a versatile attacker, capable of playing on either wing as well as through the center of the pitch. Ronaldo is known to be mentally sharp, with good vision and positioning, often predicting certain plays; he also possesses quick reactions, opportunism, balance, and agility. Although right-footed, he is also able to control the ball, cross, and finish well with his left foot. Ronaldo is known for his technical skill, control and dribbling ability, as well as his flair in beating players during one on one situations. A prolific goalscorer, he is able to finish well both inside the area and from distance with an accurate and powerful shot. He is also an accurate penalty kick and set piece specialist, who is renowned for his powerful, bendingfree kicks.[SIZE=11.2px] [/SIZE]His height, strength, jumping ability and heading technique have given him an edge in winning aerial challenges for balls, with many of his goals often being headers.[SIZE=11.2px] [/SIZE]He is also known for his stamina, and in particular, his great pace and acceleration, both with and without the ball; in 2014 he was named one of the fastest football players in the world. Will be in an inside forward role, cutting in to join Weah and Eto'o on the attack.

ST George Weah- A true complete forward. During his prime in the 1990s, Weah was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and was lauded for his work-rate, as well as his physical and athletic attributes, which he combined with his finishing, technical ability, creativity and skill. A fast, powerful, physically strong player. In addition to his pace, dribbling skills, and goalscoring ability, Weah was also a team-player who was capable of creating chances and assisting goals for team-mates.[SIZE=11.2px] [/SIZE]Along with Ronaldo and Romário, Weah was seen as a modern, new breed of striker in the 1990s who would also operate outside the penalty area and run with the ball towards goal, during a time when most strikers primarily operated inside the penalty area where they would receive the ball from team mates.[SIZE=11.2px] [/SIZE]Named African Footballer of the Year three times and becoming the first African to be named FIFA World Player of the Year, his prominence in the 1990s led him to be nicknamed "King George". Weah received further recognition in 2004 when he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[SIZE=11.2px] [/SIZE]In 2013, Italy and AC Milan legend Franco Baresi named Weah in the greatest XI he has ever played with.

Subs:

AMC/ST Wayne Rooney- Yes, he has a temper and isn't the most likable guy in the world, but the dude is a maestro.  Rooney is an energetic, creative forward, who combines technical skill with strength and physicality, which enables him to excel in the air, despite not being particularly tall. He is a versatile attacker, capable of playing anywhere along the front line, as a striker, supporting forward, or even as a winger. In more recent years, he has even been deployed in a deeper, more creative role, as an attacking midfielder. A prolific goalscorer, Rooney is a powerful striker of the ball and an accurate finisher, who is capable of scoring goals both inside and outside the penalty area, as well as from volleys.[ In addition to his offensive attributes, he has been praised for his work-rate and stamina by players, managers and the media, and is highly regarded for his dedication and willingness to press opponents when possession has been lost in order to win back the ball and start attacking plays.

ST Samuel Eto'o-  Eto'o is a fast, energetic forward, who is known for his stamina, work-rate and his accurate finishing ability in the air and with his feet. A prolific goalscorer with good technique, Eto'o is primarily deployed as a striker, although during his time at Inter, under José Mourinho, he demonstrated notable tactical intelligence and versatility. During Inter's 2009–10 treble-winning season, Eto'o played an important role in the squad, and was utilised as a winger or even as an attacking midfielder in Mourinho's 4–2–3–1 formation, where he was primarily required to help his team creatively and defensively. to'o has also been renowned for his leadership, opportunism and mentality throughout his career. In his prime, Eto'o was regarded by pundits as one of the best strikers in the world; he is currently regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time. I expect him to be the heavier goal scorer between him and Weah...but Ronaldo will get his, too.

LB/CB/RB Jerome Boateng-  A versatile defender, Boateng primarily is a centre back, although he is a capable full back on either side. Physically strong and composed, he has garnered a reputation as a tough-tackling, defender [3] and is considered to be one of the worlds best at his position. Will primarily come in defensively for Cafu or Lizarazu late in games.

CM/AM Park "Three Lungs" Ji Sung- Nicknamed "Three Lungs" due to his non-stop energy. Can be deployed all over the midfield, but will primarily serve as a "defensive winger" late in the games and will sub out Gento or one of the African Strike Force, with Ronaldo sliding up to ST. In his 2013 autobiography, 'I Think Therefore, I Play', Andrea Pirlo wrote that Park, who was deployed to man-mark him in matches for both PSV and Manchester United in the Champions League, was the one player that he could not get the better of. Pirlo wrote of Park, "The midfielder must have been the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history, in the sense that he rushed about the pitch at the speed of an electron."

CB Leonardo Bonucci- A complete defender and primary center-back sub off the bench. He is known for his technique, passing range, and his ability to launch an attack with long passes. A tall and strong defender, with good anticipation, solid tackling, and an ability to read the game, he also excels in the air, and frequently poses a threat from set pieces. In 2016, his defensive attributes, as well as his skill on the ball, vision, and accurate passing, moved La Repubblica to dub him as “Beckenbonucci”, a reference to former German sweeper Franz Beckenbauer.

GK Thibaut Courtois- One of the best goaltenders going today, and his 6'5 size and agility gives him wicked range.

ST Kunishige Kamamoto- Kunishige Kamamoto was the greatest striker produced by Japanese football in the entire 20th century, and his name was known throughout the world. Scored buckets of goals for Japan and in league play in his career, and is a taller Japanese player at 5'11. Probably won't play a ton since Rooney is the primary striker backup and Ronaldo can shift up as well, but he's just a neat player.

Before voting I need to know a few things:

1.  Have the Democratic People's Republic of Marino properly recognized Yaya Toure's birthday this year?  Have to know whether or not Yaya will be sulking around or not.

2.  Condition of pitch?  Has it rained? Just want to know if John Terry will be slipping around like in Moscow.  

Rooney10 said:

Before voting I need to know a few things:

1.  Have the Democratic People's Republic of Marino properly recognized Yaya Toure's birthday this year?  Have to know whether or not Yaya will be sulking around or not.

2.  Condition of pitch?  Has it rained? Just want to know if John Terry will be slipping around like in Moscow.  

Click to expand...

1. The DPRM will celebrate Yaya's birthday with plenty of song and dance, along with the finest hookers (don't think he's married) and plenty of rose water and pomegranate.

2. The spirit of Kim Jong-il hovered over May Day Stadium like a canopy, keeping any rain from the pitch.

Uh, jonessed is the home team, Commies.  Brady will be lucky if less than half his team defects.

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Uh, jonessed is the home team, Commies.  Brady will be lucky if less than half his team defects.

Click to expand...

Let's flip flop them so that the interview makes sense

Thanks

I love how you can't change your poll votes in this new, ghetto-rigged board.

NEAT BOARD

Whoa, you can't even change text size anymore.

Are they trying to make this the most boring board as possible?

I blame @Greg Russell

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

This is a fascinating matchup, BTW.  I respect the practicality of jonessed's setup, but is Pele enough goal scoring punch on his own?  Maybe.


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


Domestic Tournaments


702


656


0.94


International Cups


18


24


1.33


Brazil


92


77


0.84


Official


812


757


0.93


Friendly matches and other defunct Tournaments


554


526


0.95


Total


1366


1283


0.94


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


International matches


503


479


0.95


National matches


863


804


0.93


Total


1366


1283


0.94


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


Santos FC[195]

1116


1091


0.98


New York Cosmos[195]

111


65


0.59


Brazil


114


95


0.83


Other


25


32


1.28


Total


1366


1283


0.94

jonessed said:

Polk High FC

I ended up building my team much in the same manner as I build my FM teams.  I spent quite a bit of time not just researching the players individually, but how they would fit into the team and the tactics.

 

high tempo, counter-attack:

Mourinho at the Bernabeu

What I looked for in players:

High work rate

Defensive ability

Flexibility

Football IQ/Teamwork

Subs:

Beckham

Lui Costa

Kevin Keegan

Carvalho

Khedira

Ospina

 

Building a team that knows when to push forward and overload a zone and when to cover was essential.  Everybody needs to be on top of it.

 

Luisito/Gullit - Rijkaard is a very capable attacker, but given the offensive juggernauts in this league he will mainly stay back.  One of the top three defensive midfielders ever.  Luisito has the ability to pick the ball up deep and transition to the wings or to carry it forward.  Gullit was an all-around beast who excelled at everything.  Strong on the ball, technically gifted, great vision, great finishing, powerful in the air, intelligent, and a fantastic defender (how he started his career).  I expect he and Luisito to work together in transition to maintain shape.

 

Santos/Nedved - Santos is going to get forward which meant I needed a wide midfielder that could not only be effective in attack but also had exceptional speed, work-rate, and defensive abilities.  Nedved fit that bill perfectly.

 

Zombrotta/Donadoni  - I chose my wide midfielders very carefully and Donadoni stood out as another tactically smart winger/inside-forward with a high work-rate and defensive ability.

 

Attacking:

 

Luisito will set the tempo from the back using his playmaking ability and/or bringing in the solid playmaking/passing abilities of Nedved/Donadoni/Gullit.  The goal in transition is to get the ball out quick and use

 

Both wide players are good with both feet and have the ability to cut inside and shoot or stay wide and cross.  Nedved is naturally two-footed while Donadoni is right-footed with a very good left.  This was important to draw coverage off of Pele and gives different options on attacks stemming from the outside based on how the opposing fullbacks are playing.

 

-Cut inside and shoot or through ball to Pele.

-Stay wide and cross.  Pele was actually very good in the air, but many of these central defenders are modern physical players.  I am going to rely on Gullit, who was a monster in the air, to take pressure off of Pele in the box as a physical presence (much like he did for Van Bommel at Milan).

That's all I got.  Need to get back to work and will have to finish this weekend.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I know you chose your wide MF's very carefully, but it's "Zambrotta"...

Cristiano Ronaldo with Man U where he played predominantly RW.  118 goals in 292 appearances.  Pretty good.

Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid where he's played on the left 360 goals in 345 games.  

I'm just saying ...

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Cristiano Ronaldo with Man U where he played predominantly RW.  118 goals in 292 appearances.  Pretty good.

Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid where he's played on the left 360 goals in 345 games.  

I'm just saying ...

Click to expand...

Ronaldo could score 100 goals if he played center-back.

Also, he's right-footed and his supporting cast at Madrid > Man U.  

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Cristiano Ronaldo with Man U where he played predominantly RW.  118 goals in 292 appearances.  Pretty good.

Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid where he's played on the left 360 goals in 345 games.  

I'm just saying ...

Click to expand...

Listen, we know it's easier to score in Spain. Take it to the soccer thread, guy

The Gator said:

Listen, we know it's easier to score in Spain. Take it to the soccer thread, guy

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Statspadding league if I ever saw one... how has he performed with the national team?

Brady Marino said:

Ronaldo could score 100 goals if he played center-back.

Also, he's right-footed and his supporting cast at Madrid > Man U.  

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He was a teenager and still developing at United and wasn't at his best until later whereas he has been at his peak for his entire Madrid tenure.  It's an apples to oranges comparison.  

Is my defense really that bad?

Brady Marino said:

Is my defense really that bad?

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Back 4 is fine.  But you're not playing a defensive midfielder.  Yaya doesn't qualify.

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Back 4 is fine.  But you're not playing a defensive midfielder.  Yaya doesn't qualify.

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Box-to-box only applies to the attacking box, I guess.  

I'm also playing him further back than Didi, but I guess no one clicks links.

Brady Marino said:

Box-to-box only applies to the attacking box, I guess.  

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Box to box has never meant that you don't need someone to hold.  There's a reason that Yaya's best seasons had Nigel De Jong or Fernandinho behind him.  I'm sure jonessed can't complain that people are going to think your wingers are better on offense than his are.  You guys drafted differently. 

Good thing I'm on the road tonight because apparently, I'm just going to get sodomized tonight. People clearly don't give a #### about my wingers.

Brady Marino said:

Box-to-box only applies to the attacking box, I guess.  

I'm also playing him further back than Didi, but I guess no one clicks links.

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DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A ####### BUNCH

A two man midfield with no dedicated holding midfielder is easy to play against and especially counter(see that vote too). There's a good potential for a loss of possession and neither one of those mids being in the right spot to break up a counter. 

There's nobody who's job it is to protect the two CBs. A B2B mid needs a holding mid still, he can't be the deepest lying mid(especially with only two) and be free rampage up into the opposition box. 

Your team might not lose if this were a game, but I'd take the over for sure.  

The Gator said:

DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A ####### BUNCH

A two man midfield with no dedicated holding midfielder is easy to play against and especially counter(see that vote too). There's a good potential for a loss of possession and neither one of those mids being in the right spot to break up a counter. 

There's nobody who's job it is to protect the two CBs. A B2B mid needs a holding mid still, he can't be the deepest lying mid(especially with only two) and be free rampage up into the opposition box. 

Your team might not lose if this were a game, but I'd take the over for sure.  

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The problem is I've set my team up as an offensive, attacking team and apparently I can't even ####### do that right according to the poll.

It's a tough matchup there

I think you have the better finishers, but they need to be put into position to score, too 

The counter attack voting is mainly because of formation, I think. 

http://sharemytactics.com/65952/

this would even out the counter and defending voting 

I voted for Brady to create more chances.  And I voted for San Iker narrowly over Sepp (when resumes are equal, go with the more current player, I say).  I struggled on finishing, but jonessed is playing a guy that averaged about .95 goals a game OVER 1200 GAMES.  He could probably finish a bit.  I also split the sub vote, FWIW. 

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

I voted for Brady to create more chances.  And I voted for San Iker narrowly over Sepp (when resumes are equal, go with the more current player, I say).  I struggled on finishing, but jonessed is playing a guy that averaged about .95 goals a game OVER 1200 GAMES.  He could probably finish a bit.  I also split the sub vote, FWIW. 

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Yeah, I may have lost this the moment he took Pele.  

I kind of like that idea from Gator, really.

NEW TACTICS

4-1-4-1 (starting off) 4-2-2-2 (attacking)

Of course, we can't change votes ON THIS MODERN BOARD, so it may be too little, too late.

The new tactic would have changed my vote in a category or two.

Must say, Mourinho would never make such an initial tactical error exposing his back line, especially with Terry there. For all JT's brilliance, pace isnt a strength.  He needs a shield and some speed around him to cover. When that happens, he is a complete beast. Without it, Pele gets a brace.

The 4-1-4-1 is better, but Vidal isn't a natural holding mid himself.  He's another box to box guy.  He could probably do the job, but in a Best Of History competition like this, I don't think he solves your problem if we have to project his qualities into a role he doesn't play. 

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

The 4-1-4-1 is better, but Vidal isn't a natural holding mid himself.  He's another box to box guy.  He could probably do the job, but in a Best Of History competition like this, I don't think he solves your problem if we have to project his qualities into a role he doesn't play. 

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Yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with you there.

1. Arturo Vidal (Juventus)

Currently, Arturo Vidal is probably THE best defensive midfielder in world football. Not an out and out defensive midfielder, the Chilean is played more in a central midfielder's role with Andrea Pirlo just behind him in the Juventus system. But Andrea Pirlo doesn't tackle much. He is more of an architect. This means that Vidal has to play the role of a defensive midfielder as well. He averages a staggering 5 tackles per game and has scored on 10 occasions, whilst providing 9 assists in all competition. Alongside this, he successfully completes 88% of the passes he makes. At number one, staking his deserved claim is Arturo Vidal.

 I don't usually consider goals and assists as part of the criteria when evaluating defensive midfielders.  I do consider interceptions, but they can be deceptive.  The best DM stat, IMO, is interceptions.  Vidal had 155 of them between 2011 and 2014 with Juventus.  N'Golo Kante has 130 of them this season for Leicester.

Brady Marino said:

Whatever. Just give me the L and let's move on.

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My Link

Brady Marino said:

Whatever. Just give me the L and let's move on.

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The results are largely decided by the die rolls.

I give up. I suck at drafting footballers I guess.

Brady Marino said:

I give up. I suck at drafting footballers I guess.

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THE DICE ARE WITH YOU 

I'm not really able to see lineups from my phone. Will vote much later. Probably for whoever whines the most.

Part of my bitterness is the fact that, in order to follow the game, I'll have to avoid car accidents as I drive through Illinois, aka "We Love Road Construction" state. That and work #### just getting on my nerves today.

I don't know why I'm whining so much. I've already professed the fact that I'm a far more casual fan than a lot of the guys here.

Sorry, I was a little pressed for time and didn't really have time to do much shtick in this thread.  So it got dragged down with analysis.  Remember this mantra.  It is equally likely that any or all of us are full of ####. 

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Sorry, I was a little pressed for time and didn't really have time to do much shtick in this thread.  So it got dragged down with analysis.  Remember this mantra.  It is equally likely that any or all of us are full of ####. 

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dragged down? 

WE'RE KEEPING THIS AHEAD OF THE HITLARY THREAD! 

I have a handful of subs left to write up, but I think I am done for the day.  Maybe tomorrow!

How can I have a two-time Ballon d'Or striker on the bench and not get every vote for best offensive sub?

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

This is a fascinating matchup, BTW.  I respect the practicality of jonessed's setup, but is Pele enough goal scoring punch on his own?  Maybe.


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


Domestic Tournaments


702


656


0.94


International Cups


18


24


1.33


Brazil


92


77


0.84


Official


812


757


0.93


Friendly matches and other defunct Tournaments


554


526


0.95


Total


1366


1283


0.94


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


International matches


503


479


0.95


National matches


863


804


0.93


Total


1366


1283


0.94


 


Matches


Goals


Ratio


Santos FC[195]

1116


1091


0.98


New York Cosmos[195]

111


65


0.59


Brazil


114


95


0.83


Other


25


32


1.28


Total


1366


1283


0.94

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Gullit averaged .38, Nedved .22, and Luisito averaged over .25. For comparisons, Lampard averaged .34 and Hazard averages .28.  More importantly, they all score in different ways and shouldn't  be running into the same spaces.

Plus, not many of these teams can defend against Gullit, Rijkaard, and Chiellini on a set piece.

I like both of these teams

Native said:

I like both of these teams

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The how high are you thread is a few doors down 

Guess we will see jonessed fight for democracy and capitalism another time.

Will run this in the evening.  Sorry, stuff got in the way.