Further elaboration on tactical approach
DEFENSIVE STRATEGY
Setting up shop wouldn't be the way to go here, which would be akin to playing to their strengths. Instead we aim to potentially amplify and exploit the opposition's weaknesses and minimise their strengths as much as possible.
Their strengths lie in outrageous creativity (right from Didi, Messi, Rivaldo, Maradona/Socrates) and goalscoring potential whilst their incisive players are capable of unlocking just about any defense on their day. Inviting them onto the ball and ceding possession would be letting them be in their comfort zone and it would be a really tough ask for any defense to hold out against such attacking threat. Key in point being the glorious 1970 Brazilian side which breezed past the deep-lying and passive yet defensively solid Italy in the final but struggled against the proactive yet relatively defensively weaker Uruguayan side in the semis which was more hands on with it's defensive approach, trying to cut off the playmaking avenues from the back with pressure applied on C.Alberto and man-marking Gerson out of the game.
Whereas, I believe onenil's side's weaknesses lie in off the ball solidity, industry, ball winning capabilities etc. (only Varela is a proper defensive presence in midfield with Didi being more of an positionally well versed player, and the likes of Rivaldo, Messi, Ronaldo, Socrates/Maradona can't be expected to contribute to the defensive structure and solidity of the side).
Keep in mind that being an extremely adventurous side, with even their playmaking central midfielder being an relatively direct dribbler; and given the context of an extremely direct game (Imo it would be a fairly even game in terms of possession, given how the players in his side don't tend towards a possession styled game), with
turn-overs being a critical part of the equation (more so than ever here), the more industrious side with more ball winning potential, tactical solidity and cohesiveness off the ball is potentially bound to have an edge here.
That's not to say the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Rivaldo were brainless donkeys who gave away the ball a lot, no more than the likes of Cruyff, Baggio and Neeskens for example but our side wouldn't mind conceding the ball, given the ball winning capabilities of the entire side and the defense that we have at the back. Whereas, once the opposition loses the ball, there is relatively much higher pressure on Varela to win back the ball (and he isn't playing against a traditional #10/SS here but against a false 9 and 2 B2B attacking midfielders) and it'd be much harder for his side to regain possession imo. Mind you, I'm not underrating the partnership of Varela-Didi, and it is as good as it gets as a conventional midfield pairing but keep in mind that they aren't facing a 'conventional' set-up themselves here but a uber energetic midfield of an unique make and a side with a total-footballing approach.
As mentioned before, the key would be restrict service to the forwards and make them drop deeper to receive possession and drag them into the physical and ugly scrap-heap that is the midfield zone with 3 extremely physical, relentless and combative midfielders patrolling that area, ably aided by the forward-line and defense (ensuring that it's not just them sticking out like a sore thumb with their energetic approach, pressing and defending). It starts off with the forward line with Rep being an absolute pest and Cruyff's work off the ball ball being pivotal in decreasing the oppostion's defense's range of distribution routes from the back, and one would be hard-pressed to find a 'better' pair than Matthäus-Neeskens to apply resistance on Didi. Didi was arguably the greatest playmaking central midfielder ever but he is facing a liberated Matthäus here in a ferocious midfield trio, with both offensive and defensive freedom to boot.
Johan
'Kamikaze' Neeskens very much brought about the advent of pressing in the Ajax and Netherlands side of the 70s.
Jonathan Wilson said:
The pressing aspect stemmed largely from Johan Neeskens's aggression. He was usually deputed to pick up the opposing playmaker and the coach Bobby Haarms described him as being "like a kamikaze pilot" as he pursued him, often deep into opposition territory. At first other Ajax players hung back, but by the early 1970s they had become used to following him
Sjaak Swart said:
He was worth two men in midfield
Lothar was pretty much the most complete midfielder to ever grace the pitch and the man who very much drove his side to a WC win and was rated by none other than Maradona as his greatest adversary ever
Diego Maradona said:
He is the best rival I've ever had. I guess that's enough to define him
Whilst Schweinsteiger's stock has naturally dipped on here, at his peak he was the best midfielder in the world, whilst being the driving force behind Bayern's 3 European Cup Finals appearances, being the talisman in Germany's WC victory with his introduction midway through the tournament transforming the German side and culminating in the supreme display in the WC final, whilst being the best midfielder alongside Xavi in the 2010 WC and to top it all off, being the lynch-pin of the treble winning Bayern vintage, being crowned the Footballer of the Year in Germany for his efforts.
OFFENSIVE STRATEGY
Defensively onenil's cast offers some excellent resistance, esp with the Santos duo being a rock solid and proven partnership, however I do believe I have some key weapons in my arsenal to unlock them. Offensively, there are some tasty routes to goal with the two Johans and Lothar combining (not all 3 at the same time obviously although they would be prominent in the build-up phase with their ability on the ball and link up play) with Rep or Baggio cutting in. Cruyff in particular will thrive in the hole, with rampaging midfielders and 2 smooth operators on the flank to operate with. Santamaria and Chumpitaz, both well-rounded yet fairly classical defenders, could find it relatively tougher playing against a spearhead-less side and trying to figure out Cruyff's unpredictable movement and sheer explosiveness, and the fluidity of the forward trio.
For those mistaking Cruyff as a pure facilitating false #9, I'd suggest a look at this video which contains a good portion of Cruyff's goals - you'd be surprised to see the number of 'conventional goals' there.
JOHAN CRUYFF GOALS (click here)
I sincerely believe Cruyff is very much a player who has an extra gear in him, relative to other attacking greats, if he's utilised in the ideal set-up (similar to Xavi in a Barca/Spain-esque set-up as opposed to a more conventional one), as he can not only shine brighter, which in itself is a great thing, but also enhance his entire team's play as well (provided its compatible with his), in a way that very few, if any playmakers can.
Agreed with you on that, for me he is the most complete #10/forward/talisman or whatever you'd want to call it. Capable of dictating from anywhere on the pitch, at ease being the focal point (occasionally) or equally so at receiving the ball from the goalie, on either flank both capable of crossing with either foot or cutting in, as two footed as they come, both a deadly goalscorer and a sublime creator etc. Better stop here before I face Cruyff again in the next round
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I think only di Stefano comes close to him in terms of all-roundedness but Cruyff had more facets to his game (pacier, better dribbling, more dynamic etc) whereas di Stefano was more of a winner and capable of leaving his mark on the defensive end as well - Cruyff was the more complete forward whereas di Stefano was the more complete player. The only drawback being that Cruyff needed quite a bit of tactical subservience - with most others of his ilk, you are looking at tailoring the midfield unit and forward lines around them, but with Cruyff it more or less starts from the very goalie itself.
OVERLOADING THE FLANKS WITH THE PERFECT INSTIGATOR
Cruyff was insanely brilliant at overloading the flanks, interchanging or combining with his fellow forwards and as good as the Santos combo is, it's going to have a tough time keeping up with those triangular wing overloads and exchanges,
without much defensive support or cover with Varela having his hands full in midfield.
Key to it would be the combinations between Cruyff, the two brilliant attacking full backs, Neeskens and Schweinsteiger who were brilliant on the flanks at combination plays. The outside trios ; Brehme-Schweinsteiger-Baggio; Carlos Alberto-Neeskens-Rep complement each other perfectly and each bring something unique to the table, and throw one free roaming Cruyff into the equation and it promises to be something equally exciting and deadly in equal measure.
The wing-overloads could prove vital to stretching onenil's defense (which isn't protected by much outside cover or protection) with those interchanges, and create openings with the CB duo potentially being dragged out of their positions to provide cover on the channels/flanks (neither Santamaria and Chumpitaz were particularly renowned for it)
Mind you, this doesn't imply that the full backs are gung ho or unnecessarily aggressive here and both are arguably the most cultured, classy and technical attacking playmaking FBs to ever grace the pitch. They both are well-rounded full-backs who did not have to go to the byline to make an impact ala Cafu, R.Carlos etc.
Carlos Alberto is imo the greatest playmaking full-back of all time and his between the line passing and on the ball ability was unparalleled for a full-back, in fact he was the major build-up component of the Brazil 1970 side alongside Gerson, with both him and Gerson frequently combining with each other and setting the tone for Brazil from the back, with C.Alberto always providing an outlet on the right during possession.
CARLOS ALBERTO (click here)
Likewise, not much needs to be said about Brehme, who was had a man on him in the World Cup R16 by none other than Michels-inspired total footballing side featuring Rijkaard-van Basten-Gullit-Koeman, yet he came away from the game with a stunning goal which proved to be the winner, before going on to score Germany's only goal in the semi finals and capping it all off with the winner in the WC final.
ANDREAS BREHME (click here)
Giving Carlos Alberto and Brehme possession here, fairly un-pressured, could lead to major problems in this set-up for onenil's side, as both were exceptionally talented playmakers from the back and this is the ideal set-up which maximises their metronomic and creative faculties with a free flowing cast alongside them, esp with the onus on wing-overloads - which could prove to be a defining factor in this match-up.
tl dr: Constant and methodical direct probing and stretching to look for openings and exploit them with the deadliness of the forward trio and the goalscoring potential of the midfield, in combination with a combative and tactically disciplined display off the ball, with the forward line's vigour, midfield's dynamism and the resolute nature of the defense combining in a holistic manner, with Cruyff being the glue and the orchestrator of it all.
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