All Time Soccer Tourney Group D shader v Bonzai (1 Viewer)

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

shader lineup   Manager:  Jurgen Klopp   Stadium:  Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Bench: Gennaro Gattuso DM, Robert Lewandowski ST, Frank Ribery LW, Jamie Carragher CB, Alexis Sanchez AM, Hugo Lloris GK, Harry Kane ST

Bonzai lineup  Manager:  Matt Busby

Bench: Gabriel Batitstuta ST, Raymond Kopa AM, Dunga DM, Helhmut Rahn RW, Willi Shulz CB, Marcus Rashford ST

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Stockpiling Klopp reaction gifs for this matchup.

 

[Bonzai]

[SIZE=14.6667px]We made an effort to get guys that played together and won titles together.  We combined the swagger of a Manchester United midfield with the steely pragmatism of a German defense.  Oh yeah, and Marco Van Basten.  Here goes:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Stadium - Old Trafford[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Theatre of Dreams is widely considered one of the most difficult places for opposing teams to play in all of sports.  Keep in mind that 6 of the players we drafted call Old Trafford home. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Manager - Sir Matt Busby[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Legend. Rebuilt Manchester United after the Munich Air Disaster. Through all the adversity he coached United to 13 league titles in his 25 years with the club, including The European Cup in ‘68 (the 1st English side to do so). Busby established the United way of play:  Uncompromising, attacking football focused on strong wing play. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]"All those lads you see going to the factory in Trafford Park, they come to watch you on Saturday.  They have boring jobs, so you have to give them something they will enjoy.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]I’ll also note that two of our draftees, Duncan Edwards and George Best, played under Busby.[/SIZE]

The Midfield

[SIZE=14.6667px]With a strategy that focuses on wing play, we have two of the greatest wingers of all time in [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]George Best[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (who Pele once called the greatest player in the world) and [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Ryan Giggs[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (the most decorated soccer player of all time and all time PL assist leader).   The most talented of our legends, Best will be called upon to produce his magic when we need it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]In between them, [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Paul Scholes[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (considered by many, including Guardiola, Henry, and Xavi to be the greatest midfielder of his generation) will provide the tempo, playmaking ability, and pinpoint passing for which he is renown.   [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Duncan Edwards [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px](cut down before his prime, but still managed 3rd in Ballon D’Or voting in 1957) will provide physical presence, ball winning, and intelligent distribution.  How great was Duncan? Sir Bobby Charlton called him the only player to make him feel inferior.  [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]In front of them, the talisman: [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Eric Cantona[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (boasting the second best assist to game ratio in PL history).  Cantona will play just behind Van Basten, linking play and creating goals like only he can (and scoring them as well, of course).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Sir Alex Ferguson identified Giggs, Scholes, and Cantona as three of the four World Class players or “difference makers” that played under him. They formed the heart and soul of a team that put together an unprecedented run in sports history. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Oh yeah, almost 700 goals between the five of them.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Giggs FA Cup[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quI_LkMj4HI[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Giggs volley v West Ham[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDjjulu8gW8[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Paul Scholes volley v Villa (assist by Giggs)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xTaGaFfkmM[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Scholes volley[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnQVqc-ypQw[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Scholes Eye of the Tiger[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHVAHFwPCEQ[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Duncan Edwards v Scotland[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXtSjDVu0Qw[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Best '68  final[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBPGxE62sR0[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Best NASL[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8wGN5uDaVg[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Best v Banks[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/1666048/amazing-george-best-goal-o.gif[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Cantona chip[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNxinAWaiiI[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Cantona volley v Wimbledon[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57haaGAZadU[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Cantona v Liverpool[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga7weXwPQ6M[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Off the bench we have [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Raymond Kopa [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px](Ballon d’Or winning playmaker)[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px], Dunga[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (marshalling Defensive Mid)[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px],[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] and [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Helmut Rahn [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px](Der Boss - a top ten winger of all time).  All legends in their own right.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Der Boss World Cup Winner[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFArv3ul0zE[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Defense[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The German National Teams of of the late 60s and 70s will go down in history as some of the greatest of all time, particularly for their defense.  As with our midfield, we wanted guys that had played together, that were part of the same team. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (known as Der Kaiser’s Bodyguard, part of the Bayern Munich Hall of Fame) was a staple throughout much of this golden era, in the squad with [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Karl Heinz Schnellinger [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px](who once placed 3rd in Ballon d’Or voting) in the early 70s, and with [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Manfred Kaltz [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px](one word: bananenflanken) later in his career.  While there was no way to get Beckenbauer, we got Version 2.0 in [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Matthias Sammer[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (one of only 3 defensive players all time to receive the Ballon d’Or).  Sammer could play as sweeper in a back 5, but won the Ballon d’Or playing in a back 4 at Dortmund.  We’ll set up with a back 4 with him alongside Schwarzenbeck, a quintessential stopper.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]If we need to lock things down and move to a back 5, our defensive sub [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Willi Schulz[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] also played with Die Mannschaft.  He was preferred alongside Schnellinger in the late 60s while Beckenbauer was pushed further up the pitch.  These guys are all legends individually (google “Best German defender of all time” and all their names will pop up), but collectively they form something even greater.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Keeper[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Good luck finding a list of the greatest goalkeepers of all time that does not have [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Peter Shilton[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] in the top ten.  Go ahead, look. So good the guy played for 30 years.  Yes, 30 years.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Striker[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Last but not least, we have one of the greatest pure strikers of all time.  [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Marco Van Basten[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (one of only three players to win the Ballon d’Or three times) will lead the line and bang in goals.  [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]In 1999, Van Basten was ranked sixth in the [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]FIFA Player of the Century[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] internet poll, tenth in the European player of the Century election held by the [/SIZE]IFFHS,[SIZE=14.6667px] and 12th in the IFFHS' [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]World Player of the Century[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] election.  Had Best not fallen into our lap, he would have been our first rounder, and a worthy one at that.  [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Van Basten v Commies[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0U3pT-icnk[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Van Basten Bicycle[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTj1E0kxtmg[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Van Basten Chip[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=araxAEM_b88[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Van Basten Chip2[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9vZP-Dx9Q0[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Backing him up: [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Gabriel Batistuta[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] (Argentina’s all time leading scorer). A top ten striker of all time, he’d start for almost every other team in this thing and will definitely see some game time.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Batistuta v United[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKyCVUJTTug[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Batistuta chest/volley[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXWDFYzZCnQ[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Batistuta volley[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnpdHeku41s[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Lineup:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=sy3q9[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]https://i.imgur.com/PoVAsn9.gif[/SIZE]

 

[PIK95]

I'm gonna have to pick this apart on Sunday before I vote.  Wow!

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Bumping.  Let's get some votes in.  Don't make Jurgen angry.

 

[Brady Marino]

This is going to be a fun matchup. Two of my favorite teams in this tourney for various reasons.

 

[The Gator]

damn it

missed this all weekend 

 

[The Gator]

@Bonzai 

Bonzai cannot receive messages.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Pity bump.

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

I thought bonzai was banished from the internet.   

Bonzai: hi

 

[The Gator]

bonzai is avoiding the media

very Mou-ish  already 

 

[Bonzai]

I thought bonzai was banished from the internet.   

Bonzai: hi

Hey, gb.

Took a year off but got sucked back in.  What's new?

 

[Bonzai]

@Bonzai 

Bonzai cannot receive messages.

Should be good now.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

For better of worse, we'll run the game tomorrow around midday Eastern.  

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

[Jeb Bush]

Please vote.

[/Jeb Bush]

 

[Bonzai]

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Guys, this matchup features half the strikers on England's Euro 2016 team.  It's an all-timer.

 

[Rooney10]

So I guess everyone is out celebrating Eric Cantona's 50th birthday?

 

[Bonzai]

It was a good run.

 

[shader]

Sorry guys, I had a vacation from internet for about a week.  Did this thing go south?

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

We're on hiatus.  Sorry guys, got some heavy work stuff going on.  I will revive this, I promise.  Maybe try leveraging games with ongoing Copa/Euro games.