Auction Draft Chaos 2021 SF - GSTQ vs Gio

[2mufc0]

GSTQ

VS

Gio

GSTQ TACTICS

Tactics - Play attacking football

Thoughts on the opposition - Having 2 of the 5 greatest goalscorers of all time and playing them in a 5-3-2 is no different than getting the Miss World into bed and then using 2 condoms. I don't know about you people, but Fergie and Busby would never approve of these negative safe tactics.

"I do not worry about conceding goals because I know my forwards will double it at the other end" - Sir Matt Busby

"The way to win battles, wars and games is by attacking and overrunning the opposing side.” - Sir Alex Ferguson

GIO TACTICS

• The team is packed with specialists in key positions that make a 3-5-2 work. Marshalling the defence we have a top libero in Sammer in his Ballon D'Or winning role (one of only three defenders to ever win this award), flanked by two physical man-markers well versed in a back 3 system. Bergomi and Gentile won a World Cup together as the go-to men for stopping opposition GOATs - and are custom-designed for the shape and the task of keeping the opposition forwards in check. On the flanks textbook attacking wing-backs in Cafu and Roberto Carlos replicate their 2002 World Cup winning partnership. Both have pace and technical quality in spades, balancing the team with a constant threat in wide-areas. Each of the back three and the Brazilian wing-backs are in the same systems where they played their best football.

• In midfield double World Cup winner Zito provides quality, stability and control. Replicating his dynamic box-to-box role (runner-up in the Ballon d'Or, 1-in-2 goal record for Bayern) Breitner will be given freedom to break forward to exploit his goal scoring strengths. The prodigious talent of Zidane rounds off a balanced midfield unit brimming with physicality, goal-threat and creativity.

• Up top Pele and Muller combine for a mouth-watering attack. Pele is dropped into his peak early-1960s Santos role as a second striker in the inside-left channel. Benefiting from Pele's creativity is Europe’s greatest goal-scorer of all in Gerd Muller. His movement off the ball is arguably the best of all time and is fed from a range of angles - Sammer bouncing one-twos in Beckenbauer-esque style, Breitner's range from midfield, the premier wide service bending in from Cafu and Carlos, and Zidane's precision in the hole.

 

[2mufc0]

Good luck @GodShaveTheQueen @Gio

 

[Himannv]

I just can't get these damn rose-tinted glasses off dammit!

 

[Gio]

Credit to GSTQ for a lovely theme - nice blend of United stars past and present.

That said, I think the attacking punch of Pele and Muller with Zidane pulling the strings behind might be too much, on top of being pretty much rock solid everywhere else.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

One of the salient features of the team despite the abundance of quality in attack is that all of the 11 will contribute off the ball. Arrigo Sacchi would be proud of that team.

What this helps with is making sure none of the opposition creativity outlets get breathing space while on the ball.

Zidane - Who better than Keane to track him and repeat his greatest ever performance from the 1999 UCL semifinal against the best team in the competition - Zidane's Juventus

Breitner - Charlton and Giggs on the left side of the team can make sure he always is under pressure

Sammer - Denis Law finally gets his wish to play the Di Stefano role and track Sammer all the way even into deeper areas.

This still leaves Scholes and Best to help out the others.

On the CB's, I'd say stylistically Stam is an excellent fit against Pele and Mcgrath is an excellent fit against Muller. Neither of them is tier 1 like their opponents, but when you look at it purely from an attributes and partnership point of view, its fair to say Pele and Muller won't find it easy.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Never gets old to re-watch Keane's greatest ever performance and probably in the top 3 performances ever in United's history against Zidane and Juventus


Courtesy @Šjor Bepo

 

[Gio]

One of the salient features of the team despite the abundance of quality in attack is that all of the 11 will contribute off the ball. Arrigo Sacchi would be proud of that team.

What this helps with is making sure none of the opposition creativity outlets get breathing space while on the ball.

Zidane - Who better than Keane to track him and repeat his greatest ever performance from the 1999 UCL semifinal against the best team in the competition - Zidane's Juventus

We might have 4 Brazilians, but we also more than hold our own in terms of our off-the-ball contribution. Even amongst the attackers, Muller was tremendous at pressing from the front, Pele was decent at it, while Zidane played under Lippi for so long that he had to put a shift in. Out wide the ground-swallowing abilities of Cafu and Carlos are the stuff of legend. Probably don't need to say much about the likes of Sammer and Breitner, but worth highlighting too that Zito anchored a midfield including Didi and Garrincha to back-to-back World Cup wins.

As for Zidane his record against Keane and United is fairly impressive across their various Champions League clashes in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

We might have 4 Brazilians, but we also more than hold our own in terms of our off-the-ball contribution.

I never said your team lacks workrate off the ball

 

[Gio]

I never said your team lacks workrate off the ball

Of course, and likewise.

 

[Gio]

ZIDANE IN THE INSIDE-LEFT CHANNEL ​

Often forgotten in today's obsession over goals+assists is the pre-assist: the pass that opens up the defence for a cut-back or cross into the corridor of uncertainty. This was something that Zidane showcased in that inside-left channel where he became almost impossible to defend against. At Juventus he didn't always have a natural overlapping full-back taking advantage, but at Real, Zidane's partnership with Roberto Carlos was deadly - look at the examples at 2.50, 3.50, 9.17, 10.38, 10.50, 11.28, 13.35, 13.39, 14.47 in the video below. It was a tandem that probably become the most frequent pass in the Spanish game - Zidane to Carlos - and their telepathic understanding was a sight to behold. Here at 2.15 he doesn't even need to look where Carlos is - demonstrating the no-look pass years before Ronaldinho made it fashionable.



As Zidane's close control sucked defenders towards him, unsettling their shape, Carlos would hurtle forwards with his explosive pace. The bombastic Brazilian wasn't always graceful, but he was the perfect partner to Zidane's elegance and so effective in hitting top speed as he met the ball to burst through defensive lines. Time and time again Zidane released Carlos behind the opposition defence to fizz the ball across the 6-yard box. With Gerd Muller attacking those balls it becomes an irresistible route to goal.

And when United met Real in 2002/03, for all their endeavour on the flanks, United couldn't handle the Zidane/Carlos partnership. Carlos was especially liberated by Real's change in formation to a 3-4-1-2 and laid on a tap-in for Ronaldo after a hot-knife-through-butter one-two with Zidane:



This change in system was one that benefited both Carlos and Zidane, who had benefited from such a shift previously:

With Zidane, I tried to change my idea about the system. Zidane is the first player who gave me the possibility to change the system and play in a different way. So when I had Zidane, in the first year at Juventus, I played with a system of 3-4-1-2, having [Alessandro] Del Piero and [Filippo] Inzaghi up front and Zidane a little bit behind. The second year, I played with a back four but keeping two strikers in front and one No10 like Zidane.

Zidane changed my idea about football, I was so focused before Juventus on 4-4-2 and after with Zidane, I changed, I wanted to put him in the best position for him to let him be more comfortable on the pitch.

ZIDANE IN THE MIDDLE FEEDING MULLER AND PELE​

At the same time, Zidane could be just as effective in central areas. This was best showcased by his performances at Euro 2000 where he reached a tournament pinnacle that in the modern era was only clearly bettered by Maradona 14 years earlier. His mastery of the ball was thrilling to watch and he delivered the knockout blows to both Spain (a 30-yard free-kick) and Portugal (the golden goal penalty) in the knockout stages.

There are no prizes for guessing the outstanding midfielder (and player) of the tournament. Zinedine Zidane rose head and shoulders above everyone else in the finals, taking the art of midfield playmaking to new heights.

If ever there was a criticism of Zidane that he didn't always rack up the big numbers of goals, it's one where the context has become lost over time. He tended to play deeper than other 10s, on the 8 side of the spectrum rather than the 9.5, duelling with box-to-box midfielders rather than opposition defenders.

When Zidane stepped onto the pitch, the ten other guys just got suddenly better. It is that simple. It was magic. He was a unique player. He was more than good, he came from another planet. His teammates became like him when he was on the pitch.

There are various parallels here between the strike partnership of Pele and Muller and how Zidane operated at club level. Behind two goalscorers, with the left-sided forward able to peel wide and drop off, it mirrors his experience at both Juventus (behind Del Piero and Inzaghi/Trezeguet) and at Real Madrid (serving Raul and Ronaldo/Owen). He was always best placed servicing pure goalscorers and nobody has ever racked up goals quite like Gerd Muller.

The greatest I faced in Europe? Undoubtedly Zidane. He had everything -- but he was nasty with it, too.

The greatest player of the past 20 years? It has to be Zidane. He had everything. You never needed to tell him anything as he did it all by himself and knew what was expected.

The best player of our generation in my opinion.

The best player of the last generation. He would control games, but most importantly, he always performed on the big occasions.

And performed he did. Few players, if any, have such an impressive portfolio in the biggest games. Man of the match in the 1998 World Cup Final, Euro 2000 Quarter-Final and Semi-Final, 2002 Champions League Final, 2006 World Cup Quarter Final. 3 goals in World Cup Finals alone. Such a tendency to show up when the crowds gathered may well have made him overrated by the man on the street, but his technique, press resistance and big-game cojones are almost unmatched.

 

[Synco]

Two great teams, Gio's & Theon's front three of course one of the GOATiest imaginable.

@Gio could you expand on that a bit?

Pele is dropped into his peak early-1960s Santos role as a second striker in the inside-left channel.

Background of my question: I think I saw three of Pele's games of that timeframe (1x Santos, 2x Brazil). And although he wasn't a classic playmaker, I'd still describe him as the offensive focal point, just like I'd do with Zidane. From memory, ageing Didi played more as a midfield playmaker than a super-dominant #10 like the Frenchman.

An imo valid question about goat-stacking is: will they complement each other perfectly, or (to an extent) prevent each other from playing the way that made them so great? (Then again, 80% Pele + 90% Zidane + 100% Müller would still be awesome. But somewhat of a plus for GSTQ.)

It's an open question to everyone, I'm always unsure about how players of that calibre would interact, as they usually had such a singular role in their teams. If it all clicks, of course...

 

[Synco]

Ah, wrote that at the same time as your Zidane post came in. Maybe half of the answer is already in there.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I expected Gio to sell Zidane the moment they landed Pele. Or at least swap so Pele drops back Inside Right. Either way, lots is overlaps...but then with this trio, it matters less.

 

[Gio]

Ah, wrote that at the same time as your Zidane post came in. Maybe half of the answer is already in there.

Yes I think much of it is, particularly around Zidane operating in deeper areas than Pele. All 10s are comfiest somewhere on a spectrum between a no 8 and a no 9.5. And I think Zidane generally was nearer a midfield-controlling 8 than he was a penalty box hitting 9.5.

As for Zidane amongst other creative players, he usually played off that second striker type, be it Del Piero, Raul or Henry. And that compatibility with a 9.5 I think reflects his interpretation of the 10 role.

Of course the other factor here is Pele. He’s arguably the most malleable of all the GOATs. In the 1958 and 1962 teams he shares the role of attacking focal point not only with Didi, but Garrincha too. And Garrincha was a more testing player to play alongside than anyone on the park here. Yet they were unbeatable together.

Furthermore 1970 was the acid test for this given how he gelled all these other 10s together in a far more challenging set up than this one, with individualists and ball-hoggers in Rivellino and Jairzinho to contend with. All tests that Pele passed with flying colours and in theoretically less complementary set-ups than this one before us here.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

“I’m Henry Gregg, 34 Windsor Avenue, who played football. Who was useful at it on good days and rubbish at it on bad days.

“That’s what I want to be remembered for – not something that happened on the spur of the moment.”

To say Harry Gregg was a reluctant hero is to massively understate fact. No summary of the life of this Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeping great is complete without reference to the hugely significant part he played on that snow-filled Munich runway 62 years ago, but the way Harry himself preferred to be remembered was for his deeds on a football pitch.

At the 1958 World Cup he was voted top goalkeeper. A selected few of those before and since to earn the accolade roll off the tongue. Banks, Buffon, Casillas, Grocsis, Goycochea, Kahn, Maier, and Zoff. Harry was in some company... and so were they!

When he moved from Doncaster Rovers to Manchester United in December 1957, the fee, 23,500 pounds was a world record for a goalkeeper.

He relayed the story of his transfer. “I was asked to go to a certain place. There would be a car there with a dark blanket on the back seat. I had to get into the car and cover myself with the blanket, which was only removed when I arrived at another house..

“I wondered what the heck? What was I getting myself involved in? When the blanket was removed I was sat facing Matt Busby. He introduced himself and asked me, ‘Do you want to play for Manchester United?’

“Before he could half-finish his sentence, I’d already said, ‘Yes!’

“But then he said, ‘Wow, son, before we go on... there is no signing-on fee. Manchester United do not pay signing-on fees.’

“‘Yes!’ I said. Where do I sign?”

The late Bill Foulkes, former centre-back and team-mate once talked about his bravery, how he would go through a brick wall, about opponents being intimidated by the forceful custodian, adding that it wasn’t only opponents... during a game, we were frightened to death of him too.

Off the pitch he had a deeply sensitive side, caring deeply about Manchester United as he did about Northern Ireland, particularly young Irish players who’d been given opportunities at the Manchester club. Harry would always be on the prowl asking if they were being looked after properly, that they felt content and happy enough despite being away from home.

Such was his stature as a goalkeeper and national icon, a sixteen-year-old George Best couldn’t wait to tell his dad at home in Belfast, he’d cleaned Harry Gregg’s boots.

Harry after all had won his second Irish cap at Wembley in 1957 producing a Man of the Match performance to defy the might of England, Northern Ireland holding on to win at Wembley for the first time ever.

Although he played 247 times for United over nine seasons, winners medals were to elude Gregg, his bravery often resulting in injury, and only twice did he play more than 30 league games in a season at Old Trafford. He was injured in 1963 when United defeated Leicester City in that year’s FA Cup Final, didn’t play at all in 1964/65 when United won their sixth title, and left for Stoke City early in 66/67 when they collected their seventh.

Munich

Gregg never wanted events at Munich to define his life or career.

Three days after the crash, Harry, Bill Foulkes and Busby’s trusted assistant, Jimmy Murphy travelled by train and boat back to Manchester. Within ten more days he and Foulkes were the only two players involved in the crash (the rest were either dead or injured) to play in United’s first match after the disaster, an FA Cup fifth round tie against Sheffield Wednesday. United won 3–0 and went on to reach the final, which they lost 2–0 to Bolton Wanderers. The second goal in the final was scored in controversial fashion as Nat Lofthouse barged Gregg, and the ball with him, into the goal.

He was reluctant to talk of the Munich tragedy, although at different times through the years Harry did indeed open up.

In one documentary interview he described how he felt in the immediate aftermath.

“There was a sudden crash and debris began bombarding me on all sides,” said Gregg.

”One second it was light, the next dark. There were no screams, no human sounds, only the terrible tearing of metal. Sparks burst all around.”

Gregg escaped from the burning wreckage but went back in despite the pilot, Captain Jim Thain shouting, “Run! You stupid bastard. It’s going to explode!”

As well as Mrs Lukic, the Yugoslav attache’s wife and her baby daughter, Gregg pulled Bobby Charlton (now the only remaining survivor of the team), Denis Viollet and the boss, Matt Busby from the wreckage and tended to international team-mate Jackie Blanchflower. It’s entirely credible to assume had 25-year-old Harry not been there, the death toll, 23 from a manifest of 44 would have been higher.

“I don’t live with it all the time. I swear I don’t live with it. When this crops up every so often, then I live with it.

“I’d be telling lies if I said I thought about it every day. If I did, I’d go insane.

“When it happened football saved my sanity. Getting back to football was the thing that saved me.”

In later years after becoming an established world star, George Best himself added some more insight into the man when he commented, “What Harry Gregg did at Munich was less to do with bravery, it was more to do with goodness.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton and the former King of the Stretford End, Denis Law, another whom Gregg shared a dressing-room with, were all present at Harry Gregg's funeral.

Harry’s son had the presence of mind to mention his father was being laid to rest on the 62nd anniversary of the day Duncan Edwards finally gave up his fight for life in Munich’s Rechts der Isar Hospital. A fitting acknowledgement as members of Edwards’ family were present in the church.

As one of the eulogists, BBC’s Steven Watson said, “We may never see your like again.”

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I just voted to check the score. My vote shouldn't count.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Probably a more controversial opinion, but I think Best-Beckham > Giggs-Best. Adds more diversity and dexterity to attack.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Probably a more controversial opinion, but I think Best-Beckham > Giggs-Best. Adds more diversity and dexterity to attack.

I would prefer Best and Beckham if I had a 2 striker setup like Yorke and Cole. With Charlton there, Best-Giggs is much better IMO.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

How did they not lose their legs more often? Looks more brutal than what the likes of Maradona had to face in the 80's with 3-4 flying tackles in 1 dribble. Couldn't even get near him or the ball though

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Bullying is not cool, George

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Scoring back heels long before they were cool

 

[Gio]

I know this sells Pele well, but irrespective of this game, it’s a lovely read -

WAS PELE THE MOST COMPLETE ATTACKER OF ALL TIME?

How does one determine what makes a player complete? or in this instance an attacker complete?

In the overall sense, one would easily make reference to someone like Di Stefano who was able to participate in the defensive phase of the game in addition to the build up (midfield) phase and the attacking phase but when limiting it to the question of the most dangerous and complete operator in the final third.. it becomes tougher - which players could claim to have mastered the following arts or possess the following attributes:

• Long-range shooting (curl, power)
• Long-range passing (spreading play, crossing)
• Press resistance/possession play under pressure (decision-making)
• Heading
• Set-Pieces
• Controlling the build up (control of tempo)
• Killer passes in the final third
• Finishing (bicycle kicks, lobs, volleys, chips, megs, standard)
• Dribbling (body feints, tricks)
• First touch/Hold up play (flick ons, chest, one touch play)
• Movement off the ball/Timing of runs
• Pace, Power and Agility
• Ambidextrous

Shortlist for most complete attacker:

1. Messi
2. C. Ronaldo
3. R9
4. Cruyff
5. Pele
6. Van Basten
7. Di Stefano
8. Zico
9. Maradona
10. Puskas
11. Eusebio

So a rough shortlist of some very complete forwards (included Zico, because on closer inspection - seems to be an incredibly complete player who was not your typical 10 but a super productive forward in equal measure). Now grading these players 1-10 at each attribute is a very subjective exercise, so to avoid that.. I will just discuss if certain players were able/unable to demonstrate mastery of a particular ability and compare how many areas of attack this list of footballers could master.

Long-range shooting

Now, alot of players on that list have obviously scored a range of long-distance goals but I would argue R9, Cruyff, Van Basten can instantly be ruled out as evidence of their long-range prowess isn't as pronounced as the others. Some like Zico who clearly had great set piece ability and could score from range tended to choose not to and majority of his goals result from dribbles into box/being a fox in the box.. so for me from open play Eusebio, Messi stand out.. with the former having a cannon of shot off either foot and Cristiano is also a great threat from range (though his efficiency is questionable). Pele for me is right up there, and I'd have him just behind Messi and alongside Eusebio. Lets not forget his attempt from the halfway line too.



Long-range passing (spreading play,crossing)

An area for me where Pele falls short. His style of play just didn't incorporate long range passing/crossing, as he preferred shorter passes for quick-fired combination play. In this category, Messi, Maradona, Zico reign supreme though crossing wise - for the outside of the foot, I'd probably give it to Cruyff and CR7 is underrated in this respect too.

Press resistance/possession play under pressure (decision-making)

Whilst you'd expect all of these footballers to be A* at this, for me R9, CR7 and Eusebio fall slightly short here. Sort of footballers who were prone to losing the ball under pressure due to the high octane nature of their game and the sheer directness of their play. The rest are as gold standard as it gets, supremely intelligent footballers under pressure.

Heading

Cristiano, Van Basten are real stand outs from this list and everyone else falls short (though Messi makes a decent fist of it to be fair) but Pele absolutely matches them in this regard and is recognised as one of the GOAT headers in the game, some brazillians would argue the greatest leap ever.





Set-Pieces

Now Zico stands out as probably the best of all time, but in terms of ruling players out.. R9, Van basten can certainly be as they're not renowned for free-kick brilliance. Pele is criminally underrated for his set-piece prowess. He is 5th on all time list of set-pieces scored (70+ free-kicks scored during his career) Whilst he didn't possess the sublime grace of a Zico in this regard, he was a threat from a variety of ranges due to his sheer power and accuracy.. mastering the lace knuckleball technique 50 years ago..but also capable of the more deft 'falling-leaf' technique from closer range too.


Controlling the build up (control of tempo)

Whilst I wouldn't place Pele at the top of the list in this regard alongside the likes of Maradona/Di Stefano/Cruyff, he definitely had the ability to control a tempo of a game and was a ball-magnet. He had a playmakers mindset in the final third, in contrast to CR7, R9 and knew when to accelerate or slow a game down in the final third which kept opponents guessing as to when he'd go for the kill.


Killer passes in the final third

Pele was an absolute master in this regard.. Jairzinho goal in 1970 as well as Carlos Alberto goal in the final. Two iconic assists in the same tournament which have stood the test of time and they were just the tip of the iceberg. Once again the same culprits probably come up short, CR7 for example is very average IMO when it comes to killer passes. Whilst this is a highly contested category, for me Pele has the perfect blend of insane imagination, flair technique and efficiency of execution to reign supreme in this category.


Finishing (bicycle kicks, lobs, volleys, chips, megs, standard)



Now that is just one aspect of finishing, but it is fair to say with a reputed 1000 goals to his name.. Pele has to go down as one of if not the most versatile finisher of all time. I'd have him alongside Zico, Van Basten and Messi as my favourite finishers in that list of players.. any situation in the box, they have all the tricks in the locker to make the ball land in the back of the net.. But the first two and Pele - could also do it with either foot effortlessly.

Dribbling (body feints, tricks)

In football you tend to get guys who either excel at the classical lace dribbling, with slaloming runs and use of body swerves to weave through opponents or you get guys who are the 5* skill masters and like to embarrass and confuse opponents with their street skills. Very rarely do you find a guy who possesses a blend of both.. Dinho in his prime perhaps, Maradona to an extent but for me Pele in his prime combined all the best attributes you want as a dribbler.. both simple, yet superfluous and entertaining in equal measure. He could body swerve with the best, yet he was a pioneer in bringing street skills.. that Brazilian magic to the big stage.


First touch/Hold up play (flick ons, chest, one touch play)

Now this is where guys like Cruyff, Pele, Eusebio and Di Stefano distinguish themselves from Messi, Maradona and Zico. They could hold the ball up as good as your best strikers, and play with a man up behind them as well as win tough physical encounters by outmuscling opponents not just out-thinking them. For example, the way Messi regularly got snuffed out by sides like Chelsea.. I can't see that happening to Pele, who eventually proved he could dominate a physical defensive side for example Italy in 1970. His first touch was simply sublime and allied to his athleticism made him virtually unstoppable at times.


Movement off the ball/Timing of runs

We have recently seen from CR7 just how important this attribute is. He is a GOAT footballer in this regard. For me Pele's performances in the 1970 World Cup were reminiscent of recent Cristiano performances, in that he knew his body wasn't the powerhouse it once was but through his sheer ability to read the attacking third, and the ability to time runs and pick up space.. he was an incredible goal threat. The way he times this run and makes the goalkeeper look silly.. iconic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UzRsvCsC4c

Pace, Power and Agility

The original Ronaldo is probably the greatest force of nature the game has ever seen, and the two portuguese powerhouses Ronaldo and Eusebio were also fine physical specimens.. but Pele is right up there and IMO with his superior sense of balance/agility, arguably eclipses all of them as the perfect footballing specimen from a physical perspective. That is what gave him that God-like quality which transcends the likes of Messi/Maradona.. they seem like demi-gods, the most gifted humans ever due to their diminutive stature and mortal nature, whereas Pele is truly divine in that sense. He just seems to have it all.



Ambidextrous

Messi, Maradona, Puskas and probably Cruyff (who had a penchant for preferring the outside of the foot) probably fall short when compared to the others in this regard. Pele dare I say it, is arguably one of the most ambidextrous player in history, he has zero hesitation in unleashing shots with his weaker foot (bit like Cristiano) which is incredible considering he's from the 60's. He was like Bobby Charlton in this respect and even in his other videos, he doesn't hesitate to play killer passes with the weaker foot either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGiLXL0RmRY

SUMMARY

I'd say long range passing aside, Pele pretty much nails every other aspect of being an elite attacker. I wish I'd seen more of Di Stefano in his physical prime to see if he can also be a real competitor, I'd say Messi is an outstanding challenger despite his physical deficiencies and lack of a top tier right foot but O Rei do Futebol is truly the indisputed king for me.

Credit : @Raees

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Have to say that Pele and Gerd combo looks devasting here. Stam-McGrath are just outmatched for me and with Cafu and RC against Irwin and Beszo, I think that defense just can't hold it down here.

EDIT: that's a fabulous post from Raees!

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

EDIT: that's a fabulous post from Raees!

Can't believe this is the first time you are reading that. I have read it every time I have come across it including today.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Thoughts on the opposition - Having 2 of the 5 greatest goalscorers of all time and playing them in a 5-3-2 is no different than getting the Miss World into bed and then using 2 condoms. I don't know about you people, but Fergie and Busby would never approve of these negative safe tactics.

Just realized I have done the same in the past and coincidentally in an Auction draft and against none other than Gio and using the same colors

Probably wouldn't do it again but didn't come to mind when I sent the write up

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/auction-draft-final-2mufc-gio-vs-gstq.445736/

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Conceding the game as I don't see a way back and as I am eager to post in my new thread.

Congrats on the win @Gio and good luck in the final.

@2mufc0 , in the highly unlikely event of a change is result, please consider this a Gio win. The game ends here at 6-2

 

[Gio]

Just realized I have done the same in the past and coincidentally in an Auction draft and against none other than Gio and using the same colors

Probably wouldn't do it again but didn't come to mind when I sent the write up

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/auction-draft-final-2mufc-gio-vs-gstq.445736/

Same here I'm sure - think I've argued for and against such set-ups so many times by now.

Conceding the game as I don't see a way back and as I am eager to post in my new thread.

Congrats on the win @Gio and good luck in the final.

@2mufc0 , in the highly unlikely event of a change is result, please consider this a Gio win. The game ends here at 6-2

Well played. From memory the best United tribute team I've seen - love the balance in the front four.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Well played. From memory the best United tribute team I've seen - love the balance in the front four.

Cheers.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Was close in voting for scrappy but you constantly have that 3 up front on your shoulder(and the rest of the team is good). This is why i hate super teams, its impossible to separate them.

 

[2mufc0]

Conceding the game as I don't see a way back and as I am eager to post in my new thread.

Congrats on the win @Gio and good luck in the final.

@2mufc0 , in the highly unlikely event of a change is result, please consider this a Gio win. The game ends here at 6-2

That's a shame.

Couldn't bring myself to vote against your team for obvious reasons.

 

[Gio]

How did they not lose their legs more often? Looks more brutal than what the likes of Maradona had to face in the 80's with 3-4 flying tackles in 1 dribble. Couldn't even get near him or the ball though

His balance is absolutely ridiculous. We have a thread in the main forum with many seeing players from 1980 not being able to cope with the modern game, yet I can count on one hand the number of players since Maradona who can ride a tackle like that. Timeless.

 

[Isotope]

Was close in voting for scrappy but you constantly have that 3 up front on your shoulder(and the rest of the team is good). This is why i hate super teams, its impossible to separate them.

True. Also none of the player is out of position that (maybe) people can 'question' about.