All-Time XI Built Around Didi

[Physiocrat]

I don't think we have done this one before. He came up in the Auction thread as a bit of a dud player which is unfair and he did hit 4th in the playmaker ranking.

Here's my South American themed side.

...........Pele.....Batistuta.......
....Didi....Zito......Falcao....Garrincha
R.Carlos..T.Silva..Figueroa...Djalma
....................Chilavert..................

Didi in the Pogba free left-sided 8 role.

For formation nitpickers it could easily be -

................Batistuta..............
Pele...............................Garrincha
.............Didi......Falcao.................
.....................Zito.....................
Back 4 and keeper

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Build a team around him and you push him out wide
Also, in this team he would have a sporadic role given the dominance of Pele, Garrincha and Falcao to a certain point.

 

[Physiocrat]

Build a team around him and you push him out wide
Also, in this team he would have a sporadic role given the dominance of Pele, Garrincha and Falcao to a certain point.

Well Didi was the star of the 58 alongside Garrincha and Pele. So I don't see that as a huge issue. Obviously it was the younger Pele but pre 1970 Pele wasn't a particularly dominant playmaker.

Didi liked the inside left channel so I think it suits him well. I mean Zidane played a similar role for Real for ages.

It also little different to a 433 with Pele on the left.

 

[Gio]

Why reinvent the wheel?

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Build a team around him and you push him out wide
Also, in this team he would have a sporadic role given the dominance of Pele, Garrincha and Falcao to a certain point.

This

 

[Physiocrat]

Why reinvent the wheel?

Because that is boring and can be improved. Also I'm sure Didi played LCM mostly contrary to that picture

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

-----------Ronaldo---------Romario-----------
Nedved-----Didi-------Keane------------Figo
Carlos------Kohler---Figueroa-------Cafu

Basically a 4-4-2 like our 1999 one with Didi in the Scholes role.

I wouldn't put Garrincha in a all time team around Didi as he would overshadow Didi like he did in 1962.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Well Didi was the star of the 58 alongside Garrincha and Pele. So I don't see that as a huge issue. Obviously it was the younger Pele but pre 1970 Pele wasn't a particularly dominant playmaker.

Didi liked the inside left channel so I think it suits him well. I mean Zidane played a similar role for Real for ages.

It also little different to a 433 with Pele on the left.

Obviously it depends which version of Pele is i just assumed you wanted the best version.
In the mentioned team everything went through Didi until the final third where Garrincha took over, in your team that isnt the case and even if we disregard Pele i can easily see a “clash” between Falcao and Didi.

Position comment was tongue in cheek tbf, its what role player has and with what he is surrounded so IMO this isnt the best use(he wouldnt be bad).

For me he has to play centrally in a 8/10 hybrid role alongside two support players that wont mind his childish showboating. Keep the “Garrincha” link in a star player out wide and he should shine.

 

[Gio]

Because that is boring and can be improved. Also I'm sure Didi played LCM mostly contrary to that picture

Fair enough.

I think the framework is there though and you cannot improve upon Pele or Garrincha (or the full-backs or Zito as partner in crime). So key questions would be:

• An upgrade on Vava. Someone who can chime well with young Pele, attack crosses etc - perhaps Seeler, Van Basten or Muller.
• How to retain Zagallo's flank protection and tactical acumen. For someone who can work hard, tuck in central and generally be selfless, then perhaps Pavel Nedved takes the Zagallo spot.
• Upgrade the centre-halves and keep a high line. For thematic reasons let's keep the South Americans - so Figueroa and Passarella, or two from Thiago Silva, Mozer and Lucio for extra Brazil bonus points.

 

[Synco]

I wouldn't put Garrincha in a all time team around Didi as he would overshadow Didi like he did in 1962.

It's a matter of preference, but I love older Didi in that disciplined #8 role. Great at bringing the ball forward, great balance in his game, astonishing workrate, great partnership with Zito whose on-the-ball talents are allowed to shine as well.

Still, building around Didi probably implies him to be the center of everything. But personally would build around that version of Didi.

 

[harms]

-----------Ronaldo---------Romario-----------
Nedved-----Didi-------Keane------------Figo
Carlos------Kohler---Figueroa-------Cafu

Basically a 4-4-2 like our 1999 one with Didi in the Scholes role.

I wouldn't put Garrincha in a all time team around Didi as he would overshadow Didi like he did in 1962.

Hard to argue with this one, although I would've kept at least Nilton there from that Brazil side.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

It's a matter of preference, but I love older Didi in that disciplined #8 role. Great at bringing the ball forward, great balance in his game, astonishing workrate, great partnership with Zito whose on-the-ball talents are allowed to shine as well.

Still, building around Didi probably implies him to be the center of everything. But I'd personally would build around that version of Didi.

The likelihood of Didi being MotM with Garrincha on the pitch is less though

Hard to argue with this one, although I would've kept at least Nilton there from that Brazil side.

Yea, works just as well with Nilton. Just avoided his teammates

 

[Synco]

The likelihood of Didi being MotM with Garrincha on the pitch is less though

Absolutely. It's not building around him as much as other setups, so it doesn't quite fit the topic. Just my preference.

 

[Physiocrat]

@GodShaveTheQueen

I considered Nedved next to him but you want an overlapper like R.Carlos there but then Didi has to cover for Carlos which isn't ideal.

Now for something completely different -

..................van Basten.............
...Finney...............................Kalle.....
...................Didi.......Schuster............
........................Voronin.......................
N.Santos....Figueroa...C.Alberto..Cafu
.......................Chilavert...................

Didi in the inside left position with no attacking full back to cover. He should also be the star man with a supporting cast around him. Schuster to play second fiddle as he did to Maradona and to provide extra energy.

To become a 334 in position with Cafu essentially being a right winger. Nilton and C Alberto to be playmaking LCB and RCBs.

In the organised defensive phase Kalle to go to SS, Finney LM and Schuster RM.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Didi playing deeper as Midfield playmaker than a #10.
IR ands IL ahead of him than wingers.
All round players of high workrate

 

[Theon]

I like that one @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

I considered Nedved next to him but you want an overlapper like R.Carlos there but then Didi has to cover for Carlos which isn't ideal.

Nedved should be able to cover for Carlos.

But if you are indeed looking for safety first, Nilton fits better I guess.

 

[Physiocrat]

Nedved should be able to cover for Carlos.

But if you are indeed looking for safety first, Nilton fits better I guess.

Yeah I can see that, I just think it would limit Nedved going forward a bit much for my liking.

 

[Invictus]

Quite like the idea of putting Didi in one of the midfield half-spaces in a run-of-the-mill 5—3—2; should have a big role to play while enjoying a fair bit of freedom, and you won't have a lot of defensive concerns. Alternatively, as an inside forward in a 3—2—5 (which can be reconfigured to a 4—4—2 in transitions), considering a lot of top midfielders from that era (including him in the pre-'58 portion of his career, Bozsik, Suárez or Coluna) were accustomed to the responsibilities that come with similar structures. Would also echo @Šjor Bepo's view that he should be surrounded by Tier 2 or Tier 3 offensive greats at the most, since the absolute GOATs might steal Didi's thunder, and as such the XI wouldn't be truly built around him...

With something like that, he should reign supreme as the possession-related heartbeat of the team...while setting the stage for his team-mates within a balanced framework; and even in terms of playmaking imprint toward the final third he will only have to contend with Rivaldo in central areas. Mind you, I can't really envisage this team doing well in a Redcafe draft, unless the selection pool is truncated or it serendipitously gathers steam as a hipster choice — which is one of the biggest reasons behind his or Bozsik's historically poor performance level (vis-à-vis their reputation as the long-standing wizards of midfield play).

 

[antohan]

Somewhat odd debate here.

Opening point: "Didi unfairly seen as a dud"

Development: "Didi needs 2nd tier players around him to shine"

Elephant in the room: Guy is clearly a dud then as far as All-Star drafting is concerned.

Outstanding player that he was, you have to wonder whether there isn't some truth in that... Look at his stint at Real, a side packed with some of the best players ever: he was regarded as a luxury player there. You could blame egos but they never got in the way of Di Stefano, Puskas and Kopa coexisting, did they?

What comes across from the lineups above is that in a star-studded side -like drafts allow- getting the best Didí requires sacrificing better options/players (Pelé on the left???? Seriously? feck me sideways).

So no, don't get the best Didi, just use him as a better Gerson. Football is dynamic and sure enough he would occasionally pop up doing his inside left schtick to keep things varied. Just don't assign him that role for the full 90 minutes at the detriment of Pelé as the fulcrum or playing Jair because Garrincha may outshine him.

 

[Physiocrat]

@Invictus Excellent idea. I didn't think of using a CB/CM hybrid. It really allows more of a possession based side for him and keeps him exactly where he wants to be in the centre. To make it more draft friendly you could replace Jair with Figo or Finney

 

[Synco]

So no, don't get the best Didi, just use him as a better Gerson. Football is dynamic and sure enough he would occasionally pop up doing his inside left schtick to keep things varied. Just don't assign him that role for the full 90 minutes at the detriment of Pelé as the fulcrum or playing Jair because Garrincha may outshine him.

Tend to agree there.