vs
TEAM PAT
AGE DEBUT-22
We've leveraged our youthful vigour and energy to the fullest by playing a high line and high pressing system loosely based on Erik ten Hag's thrilling 2018/19 Ajax team, and more specifically their big-match variant where Dusan Tadic would be deployed as a False 9. It's not a player-for-player remake, but the core principles remain intact:
Defence:
Schalke version Neuer had already been named as Kicker Magazine's Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year as early as his debut season in 2006-07 and is an obvious fit for any tem requiring a ball-playing GK.
De Ligt was the defensive lynchpin of the Ajax side we're modelled on. Still only 23, he was the first and hitherto only defender to win the Golden Boy award, and had just about every top team in Europe vying for his signature after his preternaturally mature and influential performances for Ajax and the Netherlands. Alongside him, Gullit's timeframe encompasses his breakthrough at Haarlem and his entire stint at Feyenoord, where he was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1984. Having played variously as a sweeper, winger, midfielder and striker during this period, I could feasibly have plonked him in just about anywhere, but I'd always earmarked him for this role given both the lack of depth in the toddler CB pool and the importance of great ability on the ball for this system. It's an added bonus that he's one of those exceedingly rare players who can match up to R9 athletically.
At FB, Amoros already had both a league title for Monaco and an excellent World Cup for France under his belt at 22, while Alphonso Davies has somehow already made 153 appearances for Bayern at 22 years old, on top of 81 senior appearances for Vancouver Whitecaps before he made the move to Europe. A perennial in the VDV Bundesliga Team of the season, habitual Bundesliga winner and a CL winner in his first full season at Bayern, he's still raw but I'd argue that his dribbling and especially his ridiculous pace are already standout attributes for a LB in an all-time context.
Midfield:
I strongly considered just taking the obvious route and going for Frenkie De Jong as our midfield playmaker, but with him only having had one properly great season in the timeframe and me already having Edwards who also favoured the left side, I opted to maintain my Verratti fetish for another draft. And why not, given that he'd already competed effectively against the likes of Xavi and Iniesta before he turned 23, and looked for all the world like an all-time great in the making? Alongside him, Duncan Edwards, sadly one of the first names that came to mind when I landed the under-23 pool for obvious reasons. A stylistic departure from Schone in Ajax 2018-19, but a much better and more influential footballer, whose athleticism and ball-winning ability will be a vital bulwark against a stacked opposition attack.
Attack:
It's hard to believe that it was only a little more than four years ago that Donny van de Beek was playing a tactically crucial role in Europe's most exciting team. Anyhow, hes replaced here with Thomas Muller, who was already a seasoned pro at 22 years old, with a WC Golden Boot to his name. A specialist off-the-ball mover with a superb understanding of the game, he's also a tireless presser. Tostao replicates Tadic here as the left-footed, team-orientated and highly creative False 9. Months away from WC 70 where he memorably got the better of Moore to send Brazil through at England's expense, Tostao was in the hottest form of his international career as a 22 year old, hitting 12 goals in 10 matches in 1969, including one against Moore's England. Playing as a right-sided attacker, this incarnation of George Best was him at the peak of his powers, and he should relish playing the Ziyech role as the team's go-to creative option in the final third. On the other side, Blokhin replaces Neres - not much thought required here as Neres was just a good but fairly replacable contributor to the team, and Blokhin's devastating athleticism, work rate and end-product would fit the system to a tee.
TEAM ENIGMA
Formation: 4-3-1-2
Defence:
At the heart of the defence we have the classic sweeper/stopper combo in Moore and Forster. Breitner will be in his early left back role where he can sure forward and provide width on the flank but also overload the midfield and score an occasional stunner from outside the box. Leandro in his attacking role providing width on the right.
Midfield:
Cerezo in DLP role, flanked by two box to box midfielders in Schuster and Lerby providing the energy in their natural roles on the right and left side accordingly. Zico is the link between the midfield and attack playing in the hole.
Attack:
Young Neymar in his early Barca form alongside peak Fenomeno from his Barca/early Inter days.
Player profiles in up until they became 23:
Thibaut Courtois - Two times Zamora trophy and goalkeeper of the season for 12/13, as well as CL team of the season. Won the PL with Chelsea in his debut season as well.
Paul Breitner - His early Bayern days and 1974 WC where he was still 22. 3 BL titles on the trot, a WC and a EC winner. Twice kicker team of the season, in the team of the EURO's and WC.
Karheinz Forster - Kicker team of the season and EURO's winner in 1980.
Bobby Moore - FWA Footballer of the Year in 1964, West Ham player of the year in 61' and 63', FA cup winner in 63/64 season.
Leandro - Campeonato Carioca: 1978, 1979, 1979, 1981, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1980, 1982, Intercontinental Cup: 1981, Copa Libertadores: 1981, Bola de Prata: 1982
Toninho Cerezo - Campeonato Mineiro winner in 1976, 1978, Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A 1977 runner up, Bola de Prata winner in 76,77, Bola de Ouro winner in 77.
Bernd Schuster - Ballon dor runner up in 80', third in 81', CWC winner with Barca in 81/82 and Copa del Rey winner 80/81.
Soren Lerby - Three times Eredivisie winner and 1 cup in his Ajax days.
Zico - 2 times bola de Prata winner, 1 Bola de Ouro. 55 games - 40 goals season in 1975, 50 games - 30 goals in 74, and 47/32 the year he was turning 23.
Neymar - early Santos days and two seasons at Barca (well at least February when he turned 23) up until 14/15 season where he was on fire and best season up to date.
Ronaldo - at his peak.
TEAM PAT
AGE DEBUT-22
We've leveraged our youthful vigour and energy to the fullest by playing a high line and high pressing system loosely based on Erik ten Hag's thrilling 2018/19 Ajax team, and more specifically their big-match variant where Dusan Tadic would be deployed as a False 9. It's not a player-for-player remake, but the core principles remain intact:
- Willingness to defend with a high line, and deploy an aggressive high press. More emphasis on verticality and dynamism than in a typical possession-based, positional play system.
- A strong emphasis on technical quality and comfort in possession throughout the team, starting with the GK and CBs.
- Wide attackers who are both comfortable moving infield to create, and running in behind to create depth.
- Full-backs therefore responsible for maintaining the width.
- A '10' who primarily excels with his off-the-ball movement.
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Defence:
Schalke version Neuer had already been named as Kicker Magazine's Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year as early as his debut season in 2006-07 and is an obvious fit for any tem requiring a ball-playing GK.
De Ligt was the defensive lynchpin of the Ajax side we're modelled on. Still only 23, he was the first and hitherto only defender to win the Golden Boy award, and had just about every top team in Europe vying for his signature after his preternaturally mature and influential performances for Ajax and the Netherlands. Alongside him, Gullit's timeframe encompasses his breakthrough at Haarlem and his entire stint at Feyenoord, where he was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1984. Having played variously as a sweeper, winger, midfielder and striker during this period, I could feasibly have plonked him in just about anywhere, but I'd always earmarked him for this role given both the lack of depth in the toddler CB pool and the importance of great ability on the ball for this system. It's an added bonus that he's one of those exceedingly rare players who can match up to R9 athletically.
At FB, Amoros already had both a league title for Monaco and an excellent World Cup for France under his belt at 22, while Alphonso Davies has somehow already made 153 appearances for Bayern at 22 years old, on top of 81 senior appearances for Vancouver Whitecaps before he made the move to Europe. A perennial in the VDV Bundesliga Team of the season, habitual Bundesliga winner and a CL winner in his first full season at Bayern, he's still raw but I'd argue that his dribbling and especially his ridiculous pace are already standout attributes for a LB in an all-time context.
Midfield:
I strongly considered just taking the obvious route and going for Frenkie De Jong as our midfield playmaker, but with him only having had one properly great season in the timeframe and me already having Edwards who also favoured the left side, I opted to maintain my Verratti fetish for another draft. And why not, given that he'd already competed effectively against the likes of Xavi and Iniesta before he turned 23, and looked for all the world like an all-time great in the making? Alongside him, Duncan Edwards, sadly one of the first names that came to mind when I landed the under-23 pool for obvious reasons. A stylistic departure from Schone in Ajax 2018-19, but a much better and more influential footballer, whose athleticism and ball-winning ability will be a vital bulwark against a stacked opposition attack.
Attack:
It's hard to believe that it was only a little more than four years ago that Donny van de Beek was playing a tactically crucial role in Europe's most exciting team. Anyhow, hes replaced here with Thomas Muller, who was already a seasoned pro at 22 years old, with a WC Golden Boot to his name. A specialist off-the-ball mover with a superb understanding of the game, he's also a tireless presser. Tostao replicates Tadic here as the left-footed, team-orientated and highly creative False 9. Months away from WC 70 where he memorably got the better of Moore to send Brazil through at England's expense, Tostao was in the hottest form of his international career as a 22 year old, hitting 12 goals in 10 matches in 1969, including one against Moore's England. Playing as a right-sided attacker, this incarnation of George Best was him at the peak of his powers, and he should relish playing the Ziyech role as the team's go-to creative option in the final third. On the other side, Blokhin replaces Neres - not much thought required here as Neres was just a good but fairly replacable contributor to the team, and Blokhin's devastating athleticism, work rate and end-product would fit the system to a tee.
TEAM ENIGMA
Formation: 4-3-1-2
Defence:
At the heart of the defence we have the classic sweeper/stopper combo in Moore and Forster. Breitner will be in his early left back role where he can sure forward and provide width on the flank but also overload the midfield and score an occasional stunner from outside the box. Leandro in his attacking role providing width on the right.
Midfield:
Cerezo in DLP role, flanked by two box to box midfielders in Schuster and Lerby providing the energy in their natural roles on the right and left side accordingly. Zico is the link between the midfield and attack playing in the hole.
Attack:
Young Neymar in his early Barca form alongside peak Fenomeno from his Barca/early Inter days.
Player profiles in up until they became 23:
Thibaut Courtois - Two times Zamora trophy and goalkeeper of the season for 12/13, as well as CL team of the season. Won the PL with Chelsea in his debut season as well.
Paul Breitner - His early Bayern days and 1974 WC where he was still 22. 3 BL titles on the trot, a WC and a EC winner. Twice kicker team of the season, in the team of the EURO's and WC.
Karheinz Forster - Kicker team of the season and EURO's winner in 1980.
Bobby Moore - FWA Footballer of the Year in 1964, West Ham player of the year in 61' and 63', FA cup winner in 63/64 season.
Leandro - Campeonato Carioca: 1978, 1979, 1979, 1981, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1980, 1982, Intercontinental Cup: 1981, Copa Libertadores: 1981, Bola de Prata: 1982
Toninho Cerezo - Campeonato Mineiro winner in 1976, 1978, Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A 1977 runner up, Bola de Prata winner in 76,77, Bola de Ouro winner in 77.
Bernd Schuster - Ballon dor runner up in 80', third in 81', CWC winner with Barca in 81/82 and Copa del Rey winner 80/81.
Soren Lerby - Three times Eredivisie winner and 1 cup in his Ajax days.
Zico - 2 times bola de Prata winner, 1 Bola de Ouro. 55 games - 40 goals season in 1975, 50 games - 30 goals in 74, and 47/32 the year he was turning 23.
Neymar - early Santos days and two seasons at Barca (well at least February when he turned 23) up until 14/15 season where he was on fire and best season up to date.
Ronaldo - at his peak.
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