ATGMD Exhibition Match: King Kendrick vs GSTQ (F. Capello vs B. Guttmann)

[Synco]

TEAM KENDRICK (Fabio Capello)

Inspiration
Capello's 93/94 Milan

Formation:
4-4-1-1 flowing into 4-1-3-2

Playing style:
Ultra-defensive, heavy reliance on playmakers. In possession, flows to a 4-1-3-2, with Makelele as the lone anchor.

Player roles:
Schmeichel commanding the area
Flat back four, although Makelele will drop back for when Kaiser moves forward, like for like Desailly and Baresi. Vogts in certain situations can push forward as well.
Busquets can also drop back to create a back 5, as Capello in this season was want to do, but can also move forward and create.
Bozsik reprises the role of Boban, a do-everything player that will drop centrally into a playmaking role from right-half when Vogts moving forward, exactly like Boban and Tassotti.
Giggs as Donadoni, can either drift wide to create from the wing, or drift into a central role to match Mbappe and/or pick out passes to the two up front. Also tenacious at tracking back.
Ronaldinho as Savicevic, slightly behind Mbappe, finding the space in between the lines and making his trademark runs.
Mbappe plays as the number 9, although moves around to create space and make runs in behind for the 4 playmakers behind him.

Alterations from the original:
Mbappe is less an out-and-out striker like Papin but plays more Henry-esque, as he is want to do.
Ronaldinho also play less as a second striker but more along the entire of the front.



TEAM GSTQ (Bela Guttmann)

Manager details -

1. Bela Guttmann's most famous team was the Benfica team of early 60's which won back to back European Cups
2. He was known for his expansive attacking brand of football.
3. Having managed in Hungary for most part of the 50's where the 3-2-2-3 was prevalent, he used the same at Benfica to great success as well.

Tactics -

1. Coluna and Eusebio was a very balanced pair with Coluna playing the more deeper role and Eusebio playing the more advanced role. Didi similarly will play the more deeper role and Rivaldo the more advanced role.
2. Pirlo takes up the equivalent of Bozsik role (alongside DM Zakarias) from the Hungary setup. Cant really be considered an improvement or deviation as the Benfica team also didn't have two pure defensive midfielders. Domiciano Cavém for example in the Benfica midfield had scored 100+ goals in his career. Bozsik reference just gets the point home more smoothly.
3. The rest of the team doesn't need much explanation as things more or less are obvious in defense and attack.

 

[Synco]

"Game" on @King Kendrick @GodShaveTheQueen

 

[Synco]

Kendrick is busy today & will zoom in when possible.

 

[Synco]

What's interesting for me here is the WM tactics vs a modern one. That system always puzzles me. During the draft period I wondered what to do in case I meet crappy.

 

[crappycraperson]

This is my team!

 

[harms]

Not to sound too harsh but never in a million years would I’ve guessed that this is a Capello’s team.

 

[crappycraperson]

Well done @GodShaveTheQueen you played exactly how I wanted to

 

[crappycraperson]

Not to sound too harsh but never in a million years would I’ve guessed that this is a Capello’s team.

Yes and even without the same not sure about what Bozsik is doing that in that position. Trio of Makele, Biscuits and him is not going to working IMO.

 

[crappycraperson]

oh this is just an exhibition match Shame.

To give more thoughts on my team -
Didi plays the B2B role with more freedom this time allowing him to have more of an impact this game.
Rivaldo was never a pure 10, so this role suits him to be a 9.5 where he will join RVN upfront as required, move ball from deep but not too deep so as to impede Pirlo.
3 man defence is as stellar as it can be - Schnellinger and Thuram are perfect for RCB/RB and LCB/LB roles. Moore is one of few defenders capable of playing the role demanded from him too.
Zito as the anchor helps defence and also allows Pirlo to do his best and dictate the game.
Finally on wings you have two of the finest wing forwards in Best and Jairzinho.
Overall it is an ultra attack minded team in true spirit on Benfica model of Guttmann, and it is actually a very favourable match against Capello's defensive team.

 

[Synco]

Suggestion for the next round: Bozsik would be perfect for the Albertini role, much better than Busquets. Then a better fit at RW could be added.

 

[Physiocrat]

Suggestion for the next round: Bozsik would be perfect for the Albertini role, much better than Busquets. Then a better fit at RW could be added.

Yeah, the right side of midfield is odd.

@crappycraperson @GodShaveTheQueen Wouldn't Didi be better at inside left given the part of the pitch he worked? Also Rivaldo would be better placed to shoot at inside right

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Yeah, the right side of midfield is odd.

@crappycraperson @GodShaveTheQueen Wouldn't Didi be better at inside left given the part of the pitch he worked? Also Rivaldo would be better placed to shoot at inside right

I think both preferred the left side but both were pretty flexible.

Its actually Pirlo that dictates where Rivaldo and Didi would play.

1. Wouldnt want Didi and Pirlo on same side of the pitch
2. Wouldn't want Pirlo playing on the right as then Giggs and Cabrini can overwhelm Thuram (Zito is needed on the right). There was also a chance of Dinho playing central and that would have been too much.
3. Once Pirlo gets decided as LCM, everything falls in place automatically.

Against a different team, you might see them jumbled again.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@GodShaveTheQueen good luck mate, logging off as its almost 1AM here, and probably wont be able to answer Qs until very late PST (bankruptcy court proceedings). Just wanted to add that my in game adjustment would be Lineker for Mbappe and Mbappe for Dinho. While these adjustments would be truer to the 93/94 style, I do feel that added dynamic of Dinho playing as a 10 between the lines would be much more devastating in this set up, but the tactical purists would probably prefer the adjustment. (Although as set up would be much more suited to the Capello Milan of 91/92 and 92/93,, which was the idea to hybridize it, bar Maldini going forward). The rest, honestly, pretty self explanatory in terms of player styles and how my players are supposed to emulate the tactics of the true defensive masterclass that was this Capello side, at least I think.

Feel free to ask any questions and give any feedback. Thanks guys!

Good luck to you too for he next round and sorry @crappycraperson, I didn't send the write up with a exhibition game in mind. I just expected you to show up for the match and I could just chip in with the write up and tactics to kick things off in time.

For Kendrick, yea that right flank is very odd. Moving Bozsik central and getting a RW needs to be a priority. Makelele is a top pick for the setup.

Also, if you don't mind me saying, the graphics help a lot in selling the team. The current version doesn't look very neat to me and could be improved. (I dont mean using those crazy graphics some of these guys have with pictures)

 

[Physiocrat]

I think both preferred the left side but both were pretty flexible.

Its actually Pirlo that dictates where Rivaldo and Didi would play.

1. Wouldnt want Didi and Pirlo on same side of the pitch
2. Wouldn't want Pirlo playing on the right as then Giggs and Cabrini can overwhelm Thuram (Zito is needed on the right). There was also a chance of Dinho playing central and that would have been too much.
3. Once Pirlo gets decided as LCM, everything falls in place automatically.

Against a different team, you might see them jumbled again.

Ah ok, that makes sense. I was just looking at the team in isolation from the opposition

 

[Synco]

@GodShaveTheQueen @crappycraperson

What I never really get about WM systems is the defensive phase. I can well imagine how this team works in possession, with a back 3 and 4-5 players covering overall. Seems close enough to a modern possession setup with counter protection.

But it's different when the opposition has the ball for a longer time. I see only 4 genuine defensive players spread over defense and midfield. Seems like there'd be always someone missing wide or in the center. How would you say this team lines up when the opposition dominates for a stretch?

At least I can imagine how top level games could finish 8-3 and 5-2 at that time, and why coaches started to sacrifice one or two attackers to add players to defense and midfield.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

@GodShaveTheQueen @crappycraperson

What I never really get about WM systems is the defensive phase. I can well imagine how this team works in possession, with a back 3 and 4-5 players covering overall. Seems close enough to a modern possession setup with counter protection.

But it's different when the opposition has the ball for a longer time. I see only 4 genuine defensive players spread over defense and midfield. Seems like there'd be always someone missing wide or in the center. How would you say this team lines up when the opposition dominates for a stretch?

At least I can imagine how top level games could finish 8-3 and 5-2 at that time, and why coaches started to sacrifice one or two attackers to add players to defense and midfield.

My template for a WM that can compete with the modern teams needs below -

1. Wide CB's who are better fullbacks than CB's
2. Pure half backs. Defense first (Not a fan of Pirlo/Bozsik there).
3. One of the half backs should be capable of dropping in defense (read point 1 now)
4. The inside forwards need to be capable of dropping in midfield and closing down. Not a fan of Puskas/Kocsis type inside forward setups against modern teams

Now what this does is, gives the flexibility to transform to a 4-3-3 in the defensive phase just like a Pep Mancity team would look like.

These setups were meant to be played against teams of similar kinds, so against modern teams I agree they will fail unless you have really versatile players, especially the central block of 4 who work hard and the wide CB's who are equally )if not more) capable out wide.

Below was my team from one of the past drafts and it ticks all the boxes (except Kohler)

 

[Moby]

least I can imagine how top level games could finish 8-3 and 5-2 at that time, and why coaches started to sacrifice one or two attackers to add players to defense and midfield.

Pretty much this and there's a reason we haven't looked back since. It's a stupid formation.

 

[Physiocrat]

@GodShaveTheQueen @crappycraperson

What I never really get about WM systems is the defensive phase. I can well imagine how this team works in possession, with a back 3 and 4-5 players covering overall. Seems close enough to a modern possession setup with counter protection.

But it's different when the opposition has the ball for a longer time. I see only 4 genuine defensive players spread over defense and midfield. Seems like there'd be always someone missing wide or in the center. How would you say this team lines up when the opposition dominates for a stretch?

At least I can imagine how top level games could finish 8-3 and 5-2 at that time, and why coaches started to sacrifice one or two attackers to add players to defense and midfield.

I can't find the graphic but an old poster in drafts had an interesting take on the classic Sweden sides 3-2-5. In the defensive phase it morphed into a 523. The two midfielders in the possession phase (he had Rikjaard and Voronin) would drop back to LCB and RCB in defence whilst the LCB and RCB in possession would move to the wing-back position out of possession. The inside forwards (Liedholm and Gren) would then drop to midfield without the ball so he could keep the front three up at all times. I liked it as it showed clearly how such as system could work with modern tactics.

 

[Synco]

@GodShaveTheQueen @Physiocrat
The idea of changing formation in defense seems good, perhaps the only idea that would convince me of this system holding its own against a modern one.

Although that Sweden concept seems a bit too complicated for me. I don't think players are positionally fixated enough in possession to make that work seamlessly. One halfback falling back into central defense to create a back four (like in GSTQ's concept) seems more realistic.

 

[Physiocrat]

@GodShaveTheQueen @Physiocrat
The idea of changing formation in defense seems good, perhaps the only idea that would convince me of this system holding its own against a modern one.

Although that Sweden concept seems a bit too complicated for me. I don't think players are positionally fixated enough in possession to make that work seamlessly. One halfback falling back into central defense to create a back four (like in GSTQ's concept) seems more realistic.

One player dropping is easier but I liked how thought through it was. I suppose to make it easier in a sense is that the two DMs could go into the back 5 in any of the middle three positions which would mean their possession positions were less of an issue. This would mean of course the central CB being decent at LCB and RCB. It would be complex but with sufficient training I think it possible