Auction-Trade Madness Draft - R1: Skizzo vs Onenil

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

VS

......................................... TEAM SKIZZO ............................................................................... TEAM ONENIL ...................................

Spoiler: Onenil tactical change

TEAM SKIZZO

Setting up in a slight homage to Brazil 82, we look to get the best out of our star player - Zico.

With different interpretations of the line up, usually falling into a "square" or 4-2-2-2 formation, I've tried to set up the team to put the best style of personnel around him.

Starting from the back, we have one of the greatest keepers of recent times, and arguably one of the best of all time, Oliver Kahn. Not much needs to be said about the German stopper, but his command of the defense will be key in keeping the back line organized, while he's reliable enough to be called on when needed.

The center back pairing in front of him will be a couple of no-nonsense italian defenders - Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Gentile. Both are tough in the tackle, and are able to offer an outlet and find a player to move the ball forward. Chiellini has played in a back 4 and a back 3, so would be comfortable moving slightly wider if necessary with the movement of players around him.

The attacking right back position is taken up by Danny McGrain, who was widely regarded as one of the best full backs in the world in his pomp, and can offer a good attacking outlet when going forward, while being reliable on the defensive side too.

Leo Junior will take up the same role he had in the Brazil 82 side, taking up his playmaking role from the left back position, while also moving to take up space in the midfield as it opened up.

Mauro Silva will be the more reserved of the midfielders, playing more of a holding role, but able to support as necessary.

Mario Coluna, an integral part of one of the best club sides of all time, the Portuguese midfielder will take up the "Falcao" role (and yes, he's on the opposition) playing in a box to box role, and moving up into the space vacated by Zico as he gets into the box.

Zico will be the key player who keeps the team ticking over. Getting on the ball, and exploiting the space afforded to him by the movement of the players around him.

Dragan Dzajic takes up his position wide left, while Tom Finney will play his position wide right. Uwe Seeler leads the line. Not much needed to be said on those players, as their talents and bio's are well known.

How the team works:

We'll be looking to play an attacking game, moving the ball between our playmakers and star men. Zico will have players around him who open up the space for him to exploit. As he moves into the box, Coluna will move into the space vacated, and look to pick up balls around the box. As Coluna moves up, Leo Junior will take up the playmaking position from the left back/left CM area and offer an outlet to recycle possession.

There were key parts of that team which i looked to replicate, although i understand its not a perfect replica, and the biggest difference will be between Finney and Socrates' role in the team.

Dzajic will be the Eder, moving wide left and opening up the space for Zico around and in the box, while also offering a goal threat. Seeler will lead the line, but is also comfortable linking play, and could lay balls off to Zico and the wingers as they attack and move into the box. Finney was comfortable on either foot, and will look to drag the defense wide right, or cut in to occupy space centrally after Zico moves into the box.

The players mentioned above also offer a variety of threats not associated with the Brazil 82 side, in the sense of Finney being a more direct threat than Socrates, Seeler being a more clinical striker than Serginho, and Dzajic being a better outlet than Eder. Not to mention the aerial threat that crosses from either wing to Seeler poses.

As for how match ups and comparisons with the oppositions works, discussions will be saved for the match thread to generate some interest and handbag-swinging conflict. Good luck @onenilltothearsenal


TEAM ONENIL


433 Nils Liedholm “Spider Web” Style 79-84
3 time Coppa Italia winner (80,81,84) Serie A Winner (83), European Cup Runners-Up (84)

“The Swedish manager was the first coach to garner success in Serie A by moving away from the quintessentially Italian counter-attacking, man-marking style. Liedholm encouraged his players to use the whole pitch and – to disorientate their opponents – the Swede’s tactic of choice was not tiki-taka but the so-called “spider’s web”, a series of horizontal passes designed to break down defensive organisation...

“The main difference between the two sides was the way they attacked. While the Dutch were lightning quick, Roma had a more considered approach. For Liedholm – Il Barone, as he was known in the city – the keys to everything were mobility and fluid positioning.”

“The Valdemarsvik-born schemer was an early innovator of zonal marking in calcio, shifting from Italy’s traditional libero or man-marking system. Luís Vinício had introduced a similar zonal system in the 1970s but had abandoned it soon after, citing the players’ inability to remain disciplined enough. It was Liedhom who finally brought the system to fruition...

“In Liedholm’s fluid zonal marking the defence was responsible for patrolling areas of the pitch, and his teams mastered the art of confusing the opponents by making it impossible to know when attacking players would finally be passed on to teammates to mark.”

Defenders

Led by the impeccable Elias Figueroa the defense is built to support the patient attacking game in Liedholm’s style. Maicon in his peak was a beast capable of dominating a flank. Pessotto was renowned for recovery pace, tactical and positional awareness. Puyol marshalled the famous Barcelona and Spain sides and his tough as nails playstyle is welcomed here. We are strong in the air, superb at reading the game and extremely pacy with guile on the flanks.

Midfielders

With Falcão, Cerezo and Mendieta we are well suited to perfecting Liedholm’s tactic. In addition with Figueroa stepping up at times and Lato moving to the middle to assist in the midfield battle we will maintain the numbers advantage. As the team is incredibly hard working from front to back we will maintain control of the tempo and position of the match.

Attackers

Luis Suarez in his sparkling Barcelona form leads the line with tenacious runs. Rensenbrink offers a strong goal throat in addition to dribbling magic that will worry the opponents right back and centre back covering. Lato is a hard working, skilled team player who also tallied 45 goals in 100 NT matches for Poland including leading WC74 in scoring. All of our front three are also comfortable pressing off the ball giving us an advantage over the two CBs not good with the ball at their feet.

Why You Should Vote OneNil

1. Professional Manager! - Yes folks, I am the only side with a professional manager! While the rest of the poor GOATs have to suffer through being managed by utter amateurs - shoe salesmen, traffic cops, IT telecommuters, Bitcoin speculators and hobo savants - we have an actual proven scudetto winning manager in Nils Liedholm to manage our side.
2. Zico would rather play for us - Quite simply Zico would rather join our side with his mates. Gentile and Chiellini are a drab and dour pairing. Our electrifying midfield and defense will control the proceedings. Zico likes to have the ball. He won’t have it as much as Falcão. Zico should join our team.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Skizzo @oneniltothearsenal All the best!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Skizzo, that pic in OP has been blocked at work. If you need it, please post in thread directly.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Get the word sir out of that formation pic unless I’m grading the abilities of a 76 year old man

 

[2mufc0]

Wasn't Mcgrain a more defensive full back ?

 

[harms]

Would've switched Figueroa and Puyol, why did you put them that way, @oneniltothearsenal? Don't think that Figueroa care much but Puyol is better on the right.

That front 4 of Skizzo is mouthwatering, but onenil's team is well-constructed, so I'm not yet sure what to make of this game

 

[Moby]

Luis Suarez, Chiellini and Claudio Gentile in a space of around 15 yards for 90 minutes?

I don't even know how much damage would be done before all three get sent off.

 

[Moby]

Went with Skizzo. Dzajic and Finney look primed to have great games here, and Zico doesn't look like he'll be facing much of a resistance either.

 

[sincher]

Don't fancy the onenil defence.

 

[harms]

Figueroa can put up a towering performance, handling Seeler and clearing the crosses but his supporting cast isn't good enough, imo — Maicon, Pessoto, Puyol and Cerezo against Zico, Finney and Dzajic...

On the other hand, I'm not so fond of Chiellini/Gentile defence and onenil's attack will definitely score here. The only question is — who scores more?

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Falcao profile courtesy of @Fortitude

IMO, Falcao is the most skilled CM there has ever been - at least on film - and he could do things with a ball that none of the others could whilst possibly not being as good defensively as them. He could more than hold his own behind the ball and was positionally astute to a level that would be deemed world class in its own right. In modern football, he would be moved to AM because his skills are too undeniable to be 'wasted' with defensive duties. Falcao's skillset is like an amalgamation of numerous great midfielders rolled into one: Easily one of the best distance shooters in history; comfortably one of the best dribblers from midfield; two-footed to top percentile levels; combination passing to equal Xavi; one-touch to equal Busquets; long-passing not far off Pirlo and co.; an ability to convert in the box like a ghosting attacking midfielder; stamina; acceleration; pace; heading; volleying. Falcao has no weaknesses or deficiencies. Even if he isn't the best at a particular facet, he'll be top 5 in the majority of categories for a midfielder. If we were to score each attribute out of 100, across the board, it tallies to an extraordinary points total that I don't believe anyone else can match.

Falcao was the highest paid player in the world for a period of the 80's and was also vying with Platini to be the best player in the whole of Serie A. His legend has actually diminished greatly with time so whilst Platini is still considered a true great, you have to dig a lot deeper to find similar comments regarding Falcao despite him being a par player during their playing careers.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Chiellini and Gentile are very far from their best roles here. Gentile is best as a free man marker of a no.10 and Chiellini in a back 3. Pairing both in a back four is asking for disaster IMO as neither are well suited to modern zonal marking in a back 4.

@Moby
Zico won't be seeing much of the ball. We are going to dominate possession and the midfield battle. We will not let Zico do much. The opponents defense is rather weak with two ill suited CBs. The whole front 4 is good offensively but none of them offer much off the ball in defense unlike my entire side. A 6 man defense against my team team full of two way players is going to cause too much damage.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Lato

Grzegorz Lato is one of the great World Cup legends due to the fact that he remains one of surprisingly few attacking players to have done really well in three different World Cups.

The speedy right-winger spent most years of his career at Stal Mielec where he made 272 league appearances and scored 111 goals. Lato helped the club win the Polish league championship twice and was also topscorer in the league twice. The Polish FA prohibited transfers abroad until a player was 30 and that hampered Lato's chances to show off his skills on a weekly basis for a larger audience on the continent.

But whenever he was given the chance at national team level to compete with the best internationally, he always stood the test and shone as bright as anyone else out there. Lato was not the typical crowd pleaser who would run circles around his full-back showing off magical skills, instead he was the complete team player. He knew instantly when to cut inside going for goal and when to make another decision with the ball that would benefit the team.

Poland impressed greatly in the World Cup 1974 in West Germany - two years after winning the Olympics in Munich - and Lato more so than anyone else. He became topscorer in the finals with seven goals and was matchwinner against Argentina, Sweden, Yugoslavia and Brazil. Poland came third behind Beckenbauer's Germany and Cruijff's Holland. For his contribution Lato won the Player of the Year award in Poland.

On a personal level Lato did fine also in Argentina '78, but Poland did not have the same fortunes as four years earlier and finished fifth in the finals. In a tough second phase group where the match against Argentina was decisive, Lato had a goalbound header saved by Mario Kempes with his fist. The following penalty was missed and Kempes was later matchwinner.

Lato took on a senior role in 1982, still instrumental, setting up Boniek for some of his goals. Poland finished third again and Lato picked up his second bronze medal in eight years. In the 20 World Cup finals matches he played, Lato scored 10 goals (no penalties) and had 7 assists.

Lato turned down a personal invitation from Pelé to play for New York Cosmos, but would finally later move abroad to Lokeren in Belgium and then in fact across the pond to Mexico and Canada where he ended his career.

http://www.planetworldcup.com/LEGENDS/lato.html

 

[Moby]

I'm not so fond of Chiellini/Gentile defence

Normally I'd agree but I think they are well placed in terms of style to face someone like Suarez. He would toast a defender who is timid and backing away from him but both of these players would be very aggressive and hard. And they are the last defenders you'd want to trick into pushing or being cheeky with something that Suarez has a habit of doing. Won't be having any of it and would likely show the Uruguayan who is the boss in the first 5 minutes.

It is actually poised to be possibly the dirtiest duel between a striker and a CB you can ever imagine. There is a realistic chance of one of them getting sent off given the kind of shit both will try to pull off the whole game. A bit like the Netherlands - Portugal in the 2006 world cup.

 

[crappycraperson]

Would've switched Figueroa and Puyol, why did you put them that way, @oneniltothearsenal? Don't think that Figueroa care much but Puyol is better on the right.

Was about to say the same. He would need Puyol to help out Maicon against Dargan while Figueroa can take care of Seeler.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

With different interpretations of the line up, usually falling into a "square" or 4-2-2-2 formation, I've tried to set up the team to put the best style of personnel around him.

That's not the right type of side to execute a Tele Santana 1982 tactic. The CBs and RB are completely the wrong type and very poor fits. Mauro Silva is far too defensive minded to be the correct type of CM. Dzajic is too selfish and neither him or Finney really fits with a Tele Santana attackign style imo. The tactic is just a poor mismatch for the players. It won't come close to getting the best out of Zico.

Contrast to my running Nils Liedholm Tactic.

"
As great as Liedholm was as a player, it was his managerial career that remains the hallmark of his legacy. After retiring as a player he went straight into managing, first at Hellas Verona, where he guided the Serie B side to promotion, then at Varese Calcio where he repeated the earlier success and gained promotion to Serie A. Fiorentina proved to be his first big break, and success followed. But it was AS Roma, where he managed from 1973 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1984, where he led the Giallorossi to their first Scudetto in 30 years, that brought Liedholm legend status on the sidelines.

At the time, Roma were mired in a 30-year stretch without a scudetto. They had managed some honours along the way – a win in the 1961 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the Coppa Italia in 1964 – but it was far from the levels expected from the historic capital club. For Liedholm, he quickly developed a love for the sideline, although his heart was still firmly on the pitch: “The coach has the best job in the world, with the exception of the matches.”

It was not until Liedholm led them to the Scudetto in 1983 that Roma finally won the prize they had waited so long for. The following season Roma were runners-up, however they saw better fortune in the continent by reaching the final of the European Cup, falling to Liverpool on penalties in the Stadio Olimpico. Liedholm had transformed the Romans from perennial underachievers to major players.

The Valdemarsvik-born schemer was an early innovator of zonal marking in calcio, shifting from Italy’s traditional libero or man-marking system. Luís Vinício had introduced a similar zonal system in the 1970s but had abandoned it soon after, citing the players’ inability to remain disciplined enough. It was Liedhom who finally brought the system to fruition.

In Liedholm’s fluid zonal marking the defence was responsible for patrolling areas of the pitch, and his teams mastered the art of confusing the opponents by making it impossible to know when attacking players would finally be passed on to teammates to mark. According to Arrigo Sacchi, it wasn’t until he himself introduced his version of the zonal marking system at Milan that it became a true success, that Liedholm’s system was simply man-marking within an area on the pitch. This was not the last time that Sacchi and Liedholm, two pioneers with vastly differing philosophies, would meet.

Famously afraid of flying, Liedhom would take the team on the train to away matches, often going to bed at 10pm and leaving the players to their own devices. Carlo Ancelotti, a young player with Roma at the time, recalled: “The players would get on at midnight and not sleep. The worst preparation. On match day the team would get to the stadium hours early and hang around the changing room.” Liedholm would send the team doctor in to tell jokes to the squad and often would join in himself, something that Ancelotti would later carry with him into his own coaching career.

Ancelotti said of the man he considers a coaching mentor: “Nils Liedholm taught me, he was a funny guy. If you asked him to name the best players of all time, he would say, ‘Me, Pelé, Di Stéfano’. I loved that about him. But he was an inspiration and never once did I hear him shout at a player.”"
https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/12/08/nils-liedholm-the-swede-who-conquered-calcio/

"
Within months of taking up the presidency, Viola brought Liedholm back to Roma to deliver on his vision and, in line with the Swede’s wishes, bought Carlo Ancelotti from Parma and brought Bruno Conti back from his loan at Genoa.

After finishing sixth in his first season back, Liedholm led the Giallorossi to second and third before the title-winning campaign. During those years, signings such as Paulo Roberto Falcao, Pietro Vierchowod and Herbert Prohaska were brought in on the basis of their motivation and mental attitudes, rather than being a big name – deals that were often seen with scepticism by the fans.

But by the time of the 82/83 season, the team are described by Roma’s website as being “similar to Guardiola’s Barcelona”, as both sides looked to play a passing game with players in relatively free roles

In front of ever-present keeper Franco Tancredi were, in the typical formation, two attacking full backs in Sebastiano Nela and Aldo Maldera, between whom were the libero Agostino Di Bartolomei and the more physical Pietro Vierchowod. Herbert Prohaska, Carlo Ancelotti and Paulo Roberto Falcao formed a dynamic and elegant midfield three, while Bruno Conti and Maurizio Iorio provided support for ‘il Bomber’ Roberto Pruzzo in attack.

While Lazio struggled towards promotion from Serie B (eventually finishing a point ahead of Cremonese and Como), Roma led Serie A for nearly the entire season. Using Liedholm’s fluid 4-3-3 system, Roma played an attractive passing game that was based on a solid defence.

“Even at that time, [Liedholm’s] training sessions were very technical and he preferred possession football” explains Pierino Prati, who played under the Swede at Roma during the mid 1970s. “We were a truly strong side that played superb football”, added defender Sebastiano Nela, who rampaged up and down the right hand side to devastating effect.

After the opening few games, Roma were setting the pace alongside the likes of unfancied Sampdoria and Pisa, before topping the table on their own after six games, three points ahead of Juventus and Inter (in the days of two points for a win). From there, Roma never looked back.

Although they were beaten by Juventus both home and away and dropped points against the likes of Catanzaro and Avellino, the chasing pack were also taking points off each other. After the turn of the year, Liedholm’s side maintained a gap of at least two or three points on second place. Then, on 1 May, events in Turin virtually sealed the title for Roma.

Before the Derby d’Italia, a Juventus fan threw a brick through a window of the Inter team bus as it entered the Stadio Comunale, injuring Giampiero Marini. While the match carried on as normal, ending 3-3, the game was subsequently awarded 2-0 to Inter. Roma then needed just a point in their next game, and if they couldn’t seal the title in Rome, it was almost right that it was celebrated in Genoa.

Nela and Pruzzo had grown up through its youth ranks to start their careers in the Rossoblu colours, while Conti had spent two seasons on loan with the Grifoni. “Genoa is my city, I grew up there as a footballer and as a man”, Pruzzo said recently. “To win in Genoa was wonderful”.

“The night before the Genoa game we didn’t sleep at all”, Tancredi recalls. “There was an unusual silence at the table on the day of the scudetto. Liedholm wanted a cheerful squad, but we couldn’t wait to get onto the pitch”. Only needing a draw in the Marassi, Roma went ahead through Pruzzo’s looping header from a Di Bartolomei cross.

Though Giuliano Fiorini equalised before half time, the point was enough and the Roma fans invaded the pitch on the final whistle to celebrate with the players and Liedholm. “This title with Roma has been by far the most agonising, and therefore is the most important”, the coach said afterwards.

Not only was Roma’s triumph a historical moment for the club, the coaches of the time believed it was a key moment in the evolution of calcio.

“There’s no doubt that Roma’s scudetto was a very important event”, said Giovanni Trapattoni, coach of runners up Juventus. “Roma’s style was a big talking point. In effect, it was a novelty, even if Italian football had been evolving for many years”.

Former Roma player and Fiorentina coach Giancarlo De Sisti heralded the title as “the victory of a new mentality”, while Pisa coach Luis Vinicio added, “this brings something new to calcio. Roma have achieved this by playing this zonal game that has always been rejected by Italian coaches. In the future people will look back at these technical and tactical experiments”.

Before the Chievo debacle on Tuesday night, the feat of the 1983 champions was commemorated as Sebastiano Nela, Franco Superchi, Paolo Faccini, Odoacre Chierico and Ubaldo Righetti took the applause of the fans in the Stadio Olimpico, while team shirts and the trophy were on show in the penalty area. But as Roma celebrated the achievements of the past, so too must they look to the future.

If, as seems increasingly likely, Aurelio Andreazzoli is not confirmed as the next permanent coach, there is a big decision facing James Pallotta and the management team on who should be his successor. If Italo Zanzi wants to achieve his aim of making Roma the biggest club in the world, the first stepping stone is winning a fourth scudetto. And that, just now, would be an almost impossible task for even the great Liedholm."
https://forzaitalianfootball.com/20...led-serie-a-a-look-at-1983s-scudetto-triumph/

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Was about to say the same. He would need Puyol to help out Maicon against Dargan while Figueroa can take care of Seeler.

I did actually have them switched on my latest version of tactic but I sent an older one I had in PM already
@Edgar Allan Pillow can update OP when he gets a chance

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

OP updated

 

[Gio]

There was a time on here when comparing your team to Brazil '82 when your team was nothing like Brazil '82 would have received a hell of a chiding.

 

[Gio]

That said bar the '82 comparisons, it's a lovely set-up @Skizzo. The midfield is gorgeous.

Same for @oneniltothearsenal - can't fault the design, the midfield is really well balanced with Mendieta and Falcao's surges proving particularly penetrating, but Zico does look like he'd have a great game.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

That said bar the '82 comparisons, it's a lovely set-up @Skizzo. The midfield is gorgeous.

Same for @oneniltothearsenal - can't fault the design, the midfield is really well balanced with Mendieta and Falcao's surges proving particularly penetrating, but Zico does look like he'd have a great game.

As probably the poster who has watched more Zico than anyone else on here I have to disagree. The set-up is not conducive to getting the best out of Zico at all. Its too much a mismash of different player styles.

 

[Gio]

As probably the poster who has watched more Zico than anyone else on here I have to disagree. The set-up is not conducive to getting the best out of Zico at all. Its too much a mismash of different player styles.

Yeah that's what I meant about the erroneous '82 comparisons. But I'm not sure what your plan is to stop Zico from getting into pockets of space and influencing proceedings in dangerous areas?

 

[Raees]

As probably the poster who has watched more Zico than anyone else on here I have to disagree. The set-up is not conducive to getting the best out of Zico at all. Its too much a mismash of different player styles.

Mind going into that with more detail..

Is Silva/Coluna too physical and not as refined as you'd expect to see, when creating ideal Zico conditions..

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Yeah that's what I meant about the erroneous '82 comparisons. But I'm not sure what your plan is to stop Zico from getting into pockets of space and influencing proceedings in dangerous areas?

By controlling the midfield and dictating tempo and possession. Its 3 vs 2 in midfield plus all of our players are hardworking in offense and defensive unlike the opponents. So we will be the side dictating the tempo and possession. There is only one ball and when Cerezo, Falcao, Mendieta with the help of Figueroa, Lato, etc are controlling the ball most of the time Zico is not getting much time on the ball to begin with. And even when he is my entire side is hard working on defense and in pressing unlike the opponents who only have 6 players suited to defensive duties. I just don't see Zico getting much time on the ball in the first place and even then he has to get through Elias to score which is far harder than dealing with the mismatched pair of man marking Gentile and the worst of the current 3 Italian defenders of this generation.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Mind going into that with more detail..

Is Silva/Coluna too physical and not as refined as you'd expect to see, when creating ideal Zico conditions..

The whole side is not as refined and good on the ball compared 82 Brazil or Flamengo's best and their styles are totally different. the two CB are about as close to the opposite of what you want in a Tele Santana side. McGrain's British 70s style doesn't really fit with the Brazilian full backs. Finney and Dzajic are traditional wingers and not at all like the passing combination team players that Zico played with at Flamengo. The styles they played were very different with very different tactics than how Socrates (not a trad winger in any way) or even Eder played.

Its just a mismash with big names in the attack and in no way resembles a tactic like Tele of 1982. No idea why that is even being presented to be honest Skizzo players simply don't fit that tactic in any way.

 

[harms]

There was a time on here when comparing your team to Brazil '82 when your team was nothing like Brazil '82 would have received a hell of a chiding.

Yeah, it was an odd comparison, seeing as this is a classic 4-2-3-1 with wingers (and Dzajic/Eder and Finney/Socrates are as far away from each other stylistically as possible). Finney and Seeler look like a natural fit with Zico, only Dzajic is perhaps a bit too individualistic to work seamlessly with him.

 

[harms]

Finney and Dzajic are traditional wingers and not at all like the passing combination team players that Zico played with at Flamengo. The styles they played were very different with very different tactics than how Socrates (not a trad winger in any way) or even Eder played.

I think you underestimate Finney. He was a bit more orthodox on the right than on the left, but he had experience playing everywhere in the front 5 and was often playing one-twos and got involved with the smart movement in the middle of the park.

 

[Raees]

The whole side is not as refined and good on the ball compared 82 Brazil or Flamengo's best and their styles are totally different. the two CB are about as close to the opposite of what you want in a Tele Santana side. McGrain's British 70s style doesn't really fit with the Brazilian full backs. Finney and Dzajic are traditional wingers and not at all like the passing combination team players that Zico played with at Flamengo. The styles they played were very different with very different tactics than how Socrates (not a trad winger in any way) or even Eder played.

Its just a mismash with big names in the attack and in no way resembles a tactic like Tele of 1982. No idea why that is even being presented to be honest Skizzo players simply don't fit that tactic in any way.

Yeah I would agree with that comment, agree with @harms though.. not sure why Skizzo needs to sell it like that, as I just saw it as an all-round pretty awesome side, with a bit of everything and personally I've always seen Zico as a system-independent player whose class would shine through in any type of side as he has that individual ability to do things on his own accord (albeit it would benefit him more being in a more free-flowing, possession side).

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

I think you underestimate Finney. He was a bit more orthodox on the right than on the left, but he had experience playing everywhere in the front 5 and was often playing one-twos and got involved with the smart movement in the middle of the park.

I just don't envision Zico and Finney having as much time of the ball as is assumed. I think my side easily controls the midfield with 3v2 and dictates the tempo. Especially with two CBs that hoof it like Chillieni and Gentile I can't see them gaining enough traction to have their best games.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Just want to briefly add that Rensenbrink was the Cup Winners Cup all time leading scorer with 25 goals and Lato was teh WC74 leading scorer with 7 goals and has 45 in 100 matches all time for Poland (10 goals and 7 assists in 20 WC matches overall)!
With Falcão and Mendieta making runs to support the attack and both known to score key big game goals, the pairing of Gentile-Chiellini is just overmatched and overworked.
On the other end we have Don Elias Figueroa to marshal our defense.

 

[Enigma_87]

Finney wasn't the traditional touchline hugging winger for his time. He'd have a good game. Same with Djazic I'd reckon.

Stylistically more attacking full backs would've suited Skizzo's team better but then again Rensenbrink and Lato will give any one a second thought going forward.

I like onenil's midfield he'd have upper hand in controlling the ball. On the fence on this so far, both quality sides.

 

[2mufc0]

Onenils defence swinged it for me, don't really like Gentile in that position. While Figueroa and the underrated Puyol is a solid partnership.

 

[Enigma_87]

btw @Edgar Allan Pillow you forgot to hide the poll mate for those who haven't voted yet.

 

[harms]

There are also keepers – and I respect Skizzo for spending a serious amount (was it 50m?) to get an absolutely top one. Haven't decided yet, but edging towards Skizzo because of Kahn.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

btw @Edgar Allan Pillow you forgot to hide the poll mate for those who haven't voted yet.

I thought I did. Edited now again. Ok now?

 

[Indnyc]

Very close match. I went for @oneniltothearsenal based on his defense

 

[Skizzo]

The mention of a slight homage to the 82 side was more of putting similar personnel around Zico, although I can see why it would seem I was going for a like for like replacement of that squad, but that’s not the case.

Quick thoughts so far on what’s been mentioned, because I struggle to see how onenil’s defense holds on to to stop me outscoring them here. While Chiellini and Gentile aren’t at Figueroa’s level, they are well suited to the striker they’re up against. There’s also no number 10, so Coluna can help out picking up Lato cutting in, or runners from deep. Not to mention the goalkeeper behind them being arguably one of the best of all time, and I feel it’s well suited to the task at hand.

On the flip side, somehow Maicon and Pessotto are expected to reduce the influence of Dzajic and Finney? Even with Figueroa on Seeler, id back Zico and co to find a way through. That’s a rapid front 4 who are all comfortable with the ball at their feet AND linking up and passing the ball around, and I don’t see a way that defense slows us down enough to not constantly find a way through.

 

[Skizzo]

Wasn't Mcgrain a more defensive full back ?

Not really, no.

By the mid 1970s McGrain was considered by many to be one of the best full-backs in the world.He played as what is known today as an attacking full-back and contributed significantly in both attacking moves as well as in defence.His abilities included a burst of speed, skill and control on the ball, vision and anticipation and, when required, a strong but fair sliding tackle

 

[Skizzo]

There are also keepers – and I respect Skizzo for spending a serious amount (was it 50m?) to get an absolutely top one. Haven't decided yet, but edging towards Skizzo because of Kahn.

Appreciate the fact you’ve taken that into consideration. I’m also struggling to remember a time that Suárez has faced Chiellini and actually scored. He bit him in the WC, but failed to score (and somehow wasn’t sent off) and the only time he’s scored for Barca against Juve, Chiellini was out.

Their first meeting after the biting incident and Suarez’s Ban..

Against Juventus though, Suarez was quiet. He squandered a great opportunity to score an away goal when Lionel Messi put him through and was given a one-star rating by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

On the other hand, Chiellini enjoyed a brilliant night. The Italian defender helped Gianluigi Buffon keep a clean sheet and scored Juve’s third goal, heading home from Miralem Pjanic’s corner in the second half.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

Let's not forget Rob Rensenbrink
25 goals in 35 matches all-time Cup Winners Cup
7 goals in 10 matches all time in European Cup

"Rensenbrinks performances at the World Cup had led to numeorus overtures from top European clubs but despite this interest, Rensenbrink agreed to stay at Anderlecht. This decision would mean that he would become a legend for les Mauves, forming almost telepathic partnerships with the players supporting him. Assisted by Belgian midfield duo Ludo Coeck and Paul Van Himst as well as Hungarian striker Attila Ladynski, Rensenbrink brought the title back to Brussels at the end of his first season there and then once again two years later.

Around this time, teammates described watching the silent Rensenbrink during training sessions and describing his movement and skill as art. More beautiful, in fact; more precise. By all accounts, watching Robbie in these sessions were akin to peering into the Leonardo’s sketch books; the smooth, elegant way of releasing the ball or his dribbling technique when he retained it. When not in possession; quick acceleration, his movement off the ball and ability to find space met with comparisons to George Best.

Despite the comparisons, however; the way he touched the ball was his own and no one else’s. It was like handwriting, and Robbie had beautiful handwriting.

As if following his lead, fellow compatriots Jan Mulder, Jan Ruiter, Leen Barth and later Arie Haan, Peter Ressel and Ronny van Poucke joined the Belgian Champions. The Dutch contingent were very successful in Anderlecht and with talented home grown youngsters such as Franky Vercauteren and Francois Van der Elst, Anderlecht would appear in three consecutive Cup Winners Cup finals; winning two of them (in 1976 and 1978). European Super Cup triumphs also followed over peak Bayern Munich and Liverpool sides in 1976 & 1978. Rensenbrink scored goals in all four of these finals as well as scoring 30 in 43 European appearances for Anderlecht."

http://www.football-oranje.com/hall-of-fame-rob-rensenbrink/



His assist at :20 showing how deadly he can be with runners like Falcao and Mendieta from midfield.

"In 1978, Cruyff was out of the World Cup, allowing Rensenbrink to step out of his shadow and prove to be the leader in the Dutch attack.

The winger was excellent throughout the tournament, in the first game against Iran he netted all the goals in a 3-0 win, which would set the Dutch off on another run to the World Cup final. Further goals were scored from the penalty spot against Scotland, and Austria, as Rensenbrink headed into the final with a chance of ending the tournament as not only as champion, but also as the golden boot winner.

However the footballing gods were not with the winger, who to this day has come the closest to winning Netherlands a World Cup. In the 90th minute of the final against Argentina, Rensenbrink steamed onto a long ball from Ruud Krol, but from a tight angle, the wingers effort came back off the post. An inch to the right and Netherlands would have won the World Cup.

Argentina striker Mario Kempes would then punish the Dutch netting his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina won 3-1 in extra time. Rensenbrink missed out on the trophy, and the golden boot.

As David Winner states in his book the Brilliant Oranje, if Rensenbrink had scored against Argentina, he would have been player of the tournament, and had street names named after him in his homeland, but instead he is now largely forgotten in Dutch football history.

Rensenbrink remains to this day, the only Dutch player to net a hat-trick in a World Cup."

Rensenbrink and Lato have both big game resumes and stepping up to score on the biggest stages. Combined my midfield's timely goals this should tip the balance I reckon.