Billy No Mates Draft: R1 - diarm vs Invictus/Theon

[Physiocrat]

@diarm OP updated.

 

[diarm]

Still don't get the downward arrow on Voronin You ideally want him to mitigate Platini, not drop back into defence. His work should be in the midfield.

As always seems to happen (as if a one directional arrow can ever really tell a story), I think you're reading too much into the arrow.

That is literally there only to illustrate the coverage for Koeman when we have the ball and the Dutchman is advancing up the field. I covered it in my change of tactics when making the sub.

 

[diarm]

I'm saying the clearest route to goal is quite clearly the three time Ballon d'Or winning, 6 ft 3 Marco Van Basten attacking everything that comes into the box vs the 5 ft 10 Santamaria and 5 ft 11 Ronald Koeman. It's absolutely screaming out as a mismatch.

Van Basten was a great player no doubt. You'll note that I haven't tried to suggest I am going to win this game by pinching a goal and holding onto a clean sheet. I explicitly said I expect to need to outscore you in this game. Van Basten may well score a goal.

But this idea that he's going to bag a hat full of headers against us is wrong. This is a centre forward who during his entire 58 international match career, only managed to score more than one goal in a game on two occasions. Once against England (no headers) and once against the mighty Malta.

His goalscoring record at the highest level pales in comparison to his opposite number in this match. If we really want to get out the measuring tapes and start willy waving, I'd be far more concerned about the shortest centre back on the field being targeted in the air by Batistuta and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

[diarm]

@diarm OP updated.

Thanks mate.

 

[diarm]

@crappycraperson @Pat_Mustard @kps88 @Ish @Thisistheone @VivaJanuzaj @Isotope @BBRBB @PedroMendez

Not sure who voted before or after it so just wanted to direct you fellas to the early substitution and tactical changes made.

 

[Theon]

you need to get past a man who they said could not be dribbled past on one side, and Giuseppe Bergomi on the other. I don't see Meazza being that player but of course, Gento will create some opportunities.

You're significantly downplaying Meazza Diarm if you dont think he's capable of beating De Vecchi.

• Widely regarded as Italy's greatest player ever - Ahead of Riva, Baggio, Mazzola, Rivera
• Captain of Italy and winner of two World Cups
• Winner of the Golden Ball in 1938
• Scored an exceptional 235 goals in 322 games at Inter Milan and 33 in 53 for the Italian National Side
• Voted 21st greatest player of all time by the IFFHS

He's have had a couple of Ballon d'Ors if the award had been given out back then. In the entire decade he was probably the best player to play in Europe and right up there with Moreno as the best the world has to offer.

 

[mazhar13]

I honestly don't have an issue with Sammer playing in that defensive midfield role. Sure, his best was as a libero as part of a back 3, but he can do the job in defensive midfield, particularly as he can still step up and intercept passes, close down the danger men, and sweep up through passes if a central defender steps up to close down Batigol or Goofy. He'll still be strong over there, and I think Zidane will still have a tough time exerting his influence in the final third.

I also like the change diarm made. Putting Voronin in will make it tougher for Platini to exert his influence. Also, even though Koeman looks out of place in a deeper, more defensive team, the fact that he has Bergomi and Santamaria beside him will mean that he'll be able to use his reading of the game to accordingly position himself and plug up the gaps. However, the lack of height at the back will be a real issue, particularly with van Basten roaming around.

It's definitely a closer battle now, but I think that Meazza-Briegel could prove to be the turning point for how the match will go. Cristiano Ronaldo won't track back, which will leave diarm's left side outnumbered. Pull Ocwirk out there, and Redondo will have more time to exert his influence. Voronin will mainly be worrying about where Platini will be in the final third, and with the movement and compatibility of Invictus/Theon's players, I find it tough for diarm's team to keep out Invictus/Theon's team long enough to secure a tight win.

 

[diarm]

You're significantly downplaying Meazza Diarm if you dont think he's capable of beating De Vecchi.

• Widely regarded as Italy's greatest player ever - Ahead of Riva, Baggio, Mazzola, Rivera
• Captain of Italy and winner of two World Cups
• Winner of the Golden Ball in 1938
• Scored an exceptional 235 goals in 322 games at Inter Milan and 33 in 53 for the Italian National Side
• Voted 21st greatest player of all time by the IFFHS

He's have had a couple of Ballon d'Ors if the award had been given out back then. In the entire decade he was probably the best player to play in Europe and right up there with Moreno as the best the world has to offer.

I'm not downplaying any of your players. The only deliberate downplaying of great players I've seen in this match has been from your side.

I simply mentioned a perception that was widely reported of De Vecchi when he played. The best Italian attacker of that era - Giuseppe Della Valle said explicitly that in 12 matches, he never once managed to get past him. They said it was impossible to dribble past him. Now I'm not suggesting that a player as good as Meazza won't get past a couple of times but he won't have it all his own way either.

Plus, in your own write up, you've said Meazza isn't s a traditional winger and he wasn't. He'll attack from the right but he's not hugging the touchline and putting in crosses. He'll attack the box and have the not inconsiderate matter of Jose Santamaria to contend with as well.

 

[diarm]

The big difference in this match for me, is the approach of each side in creating attacking chances. Both sides have good front quartets and although I prefer mine, I see the quality in theirs. What I don't see, is where the creativity is coming from their side outside the final third.

Platini isn't going to drop deep and build attacks from back in his own half and Sammer and Redondo, fine players as they were, simply don't have the creative ability of Koeman and Ocwirk. These are two of the finest long range passers of all time.

Platini can create in the final third, but he has to receive the ball in time and space there first. I have a player who can offer that advanced creative spark in Zidane, who seems to be being brushed off as inconsequential here but I have players who can find Zidane or Ronaldo or Ronaldinho or Batistuta quickly and accurately from anywhere on the pitch.

The single biggest advantage in this match, is the two players I have in deeper areas who are capable of capitalising on the pace, power and ruthlessness of my front men. Team Invictus/Theon will be dangerous when they reach my final third. We will be dangerous from everywhere.

 

[diarm]

Here's a small glimpse at some of our attacking options when we have the ball:

 

[harms]

latini isn't going to drop deep and build attacks from back in his own half

That's kinda what he did all the time

 

[diarm]

That's kinda what he did all the time

He dropped to half way and build from there. I'm questioning the transition between defence and attack for them. I just don't see the same threat and creativity across the pitch.

 

[Invictus]

He dropped to half way and build from there. I'm questioning the transition between defence and attack for them. I just don't see the same threat and creativity across the pitch.

Hola señor!

 

[Invictus]

Man of the match for Real Madrid vs Juventus who has Zidane:

“WHAT DOES THIS PLAYER HAVE IN HIS BOOTS? A MAGNET?”Sir Alex Ferguson was bewildered. It’s April 19, 2000 and his Manchester United side, then reigning champions of Europe, had just been dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid at Old Trafford in a pulsating tie.

Yet there was one moment in the game that everyone from the managers to the players to the fans in the stadium to those watching at home were talking about, a moment of genius that would transcend time, and poor Henning Berg just never saw it coming.

In the 52nd minute of the game Fernando Redondo went on a slalom run down the left hand side of the Old Trafford turf, with Berg in pursuit. There was seemingly nowhere for the Argentine to go as he ran towards the touchline, then in a piece of individual brilliance that is amongst the finest in the history of the competition, Redondo majestically back heeled the ball diagonally through the Norwegian’s legs, darting around the defender and regaining the ball inches before it was about to go out of play. He made inroads to the United goal before squaring the ball to the onrushing Raúl who tapped in to make it 3-0 to Real Madrid. You could hear a pin drop inside the Theatre of Dreams.

Despite a valiant fight back from the home side inspired by David Beckham, Redondo’s act of sorcery was the coup de grace on a fine Madrid performance. Years later Iván Helguera admitted that they felt some trepidation going into the game: “The truth is, we were pretty scared.” Real were struggling in the league while their opponents were running away with the Premier League title and had thrashed West Ham 7-1 the weekend prior to the first leg.

Before the first game in Madrid, Amy Lawrence of The Guardian wrote a piece were she described Redondo: “[A] volatile, unyielding Argentine midfielder who, with Hierro, is a big influence inside the Bernabéu. He’s great with his elbows: should be an interesting duel with Keane.” Anyone who had seen the midfielder’s sumptuous talents for Real or Argentina knew this was doing him a gross injustice.

By the end of the second leg in Manchester, Redondo had proved to a UK audience that he also had great feet to go along with his great elbows. While Raúl got the majority of the plaudits for his two goals, many recognised that Real’s no.6 was the architect of the victory.

Redondo comprehensively outmanoeuvred United’s midfield in a manner which nobody could at the time.

He had succeeded where a year earlier Edgar Davids and Zinedine Zidane had failed; the most feared midfield quartet in Europe were not only contained but given a master class in ball retention and midfield orchestration by the Argentine. Roy Keane had never been so thoroughly dominated in a single game, especially not this Roy Keane, at the physical peak of his career. His gorgeous back-heel encapsulated his overall performance.

Raimond van der Gouw, United’s goalkeeper that night claimed “that back-heel killed Henning Berg”. A few months later Berg would leave the club. “If he had done it to me, I’d have kept running to Buenos Aires,” said Iván Campo jokingly, who played in central defence that season for the Spaniards. “That was the play of the year, it didn’t surprise me that Fernando tried it but it did surprise me that it came off so, so cleanly,” he added.

Watching the back-heel time and again, there is an elegance to the entire sequence that you rarely see in the modern game, akin to watching Michael Jackson execute the moonwalk. Redondo seemingly glides over the pitch, consciously in control of the situation. He retrieves the ball in his own time and with a zen-like calm bides his time to pick out a Real player and precisely strokes the ball across the box for Raúl to slot home. Amongst a contingent of Los Blancos fans it became immortalised as the ‘Backheel of Old Trafford’.

Next up was Bayern Munich in the semi finals. The German’s had demolished them by an aggregate 8-3 score line in the second group stage and most favoured Die Roten to advance to their second consecutive final.

Now, with a renewed sense of confidence after the win at Old Trafford, Madrid, led by Redondo, shone brightly as the Argentine was once again instrumental with the Spaniards winning 3-2 on aggregate and against all odds found themselves in their second final in three years.

The first ever same-country Champions League final in Paris on May 24 was a one-sided affair as Redondo and his team steamrolled over Valencia in emphatic fashion. Once more he was marvellous in instigating Madrid’s play, passing and probing his way around the pitch with his usual languid elegance.

Now at the pinnacle of his game with his second Champions League winners’ medal and having received the recognition that his abilities richly deserved, the 30-year-old was on top of the world. He would later win UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for his exploits. As Redondo was presented with the big-eared trophy and held it aloft into the Paris night sky, little did he or anyone know that it would be his last competitive game for a long time.

The summer of 2000 was a seismic season of change at Real Madrid. Lorenzo Sanz, the president of the club since 1995, was standing for re-election and was up against a then largely unknown Florentino Pérez. Sanz banked his credibility on the fact that under his presidency the club had won two Champions League titles in three years, with the first one in 1998 ending their 32-year wait.

Pérez, by contrast, pointed out the mind-boggling debts that had been racked up after years of mismanagement from his rival candidate and catered to voters with the promise of signing Luís Figo from eternal rivals Barcelona if elected.

Six weeks after winning their eighth European Cup, the election began. Redondo sided with Sanz, and Sanz lost. Pérez achieved the victory by more than 3,000 votes. A week later, true to his word, Luís Figo duly arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu for a world record €62 million. The era of the Galácticos had begun.

Following further purchases of Claude Makélélé and Flávio Conceição, Pérez now needed to sell players in order to improve the crippling debts that he promised to eradicate during the election process. The problematic Nicolas Anelka was sold to PSG and Christian Karembeu was offloaded to Middlesbrough. Finally, foreshadowing events that would happen to Makélélé himself three years later, the president turned his attention to the midfield engine of the side: Redondo.

Knowing that he had backed his presidential rival during the election and with the influence the Argentine wielded in the dressing room, and given how he had just turned 31, Pérez controversially began to engineer the sale of Redondo – without the player’s consent.

In northern Italy, Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani were growing restless. Even by the ‘lure of the lira’ standards of Serie A in the 1980s and 1990s, the summer of 2000 saw Italian sides take excess to another level. The pair had watched Juventus sign David Trezeguet, Lazio, the newly crowned Serie A champions, sign not only Valencia striker Claudio López but also break the world transfer record by signing Hernán Crespo, and Roma finally persuade Gabriel Batistuta to leave his kingdom in Florence for the Eternal City. Milan had done little business and such is the Berlusconi way, they needed a big star of their own in this game of footballing one-upmanship.

As word seeped through the football landscape that Pérez wanted to cleanse his new club of players who identified with the Sanz era, Galliani and Ariedo Braida were packed on a plane heading to Spain.

Inter were the first Italian team to express interest, but this was rejected both by Redondo and Vicente del Bosque – manager at the time – who objected to any notion of the player leaving. As it was made clear to the Madrid coach that his star would be sold, his stance softened to a degree.

 

[Invictus]

contd.

Redondo was a lynchpin in the Real Madrid midfield

Galliani and Braida met with Pérez at a lavish hotel in Mallorca to open talks over the Argentine. After some initial haggling over the price of the player, the good relations between both clubs ensured that a deal would happen. A deal of £11.25 million was agreed.

Now the real difficulty was trying to sell the move to Redondo, who felt like a true Madridsta and was cherished not only by everyone at the club but also by the fans. On July 26 he gave an interview in which he said: “I feel totally integrated at this club. For me, there is no reason to go and play for another club.” Adding that, ‘’I repeat, Real is my home, and as far as it depends on me, I see no reason to desire another”.

Shrewdly aware that Pérez wanted to sell him and that in the eventuality he might have to leave the Spanish capital, he made sure to make it public knowledge that he was being forced out by the new president: “If Real do not want me anymore, it is clear that one way is to get rid of me.”

Two days later after much deliberating, Redondo reluctantly agreed to sign for Milan. Everyone was happy – Berlusconi got his star name, Galliani and Braida pulled off a great deal and Pérez had got rid of an influential Sanz supporter. Everyone, that was, except for the player at the centre of it all. True to his outspoken nature, he wouldn’t leave quietly. The mud slinging began.

On their website Real posted: “Real Madrid would like to officially announce the agreement reached today between Fernando Redondo and AC Milan.”

Correctly sensing that their fans would be furious with the sale of their captain and midfield fulcrum, they intelligently inserted “this transfer has come about as a result of the expressed desire of the player”.

Redondo, who was incensed at their attempts to shift the responsibility on to his shoulders, released a statement shortly after counter-acting Madrid’s version of events.

“I want to give you the facts. Nobody from Real Madrid contacted me to tell me what was happening until Wednesday night. Then I was told that Milan’s offer was very interesting for the club and a fee had been agreed. I was told that this information had already been passed to my agent. I phoned him and he confirmed that he had spoken to Milan and that the deal was agreed.”

He added: “I understood the situation but it was not my decision to leave. The club wanted me to go and I was in an impossible situation, I refuse to allow this stain on my name and image.”

Del Bosque tried to hide his displeasure at the departure of his midfield general, saying: “Nobody is irreplaceable, but I will always love Fernando. The player is smiling, he seems very content and he is working very well. He is a great professional.”

As expected the Madrid fans were furious as the news filtered through. A crowd of fans gathered outside the Bernabéu to vent their anger, chanting ‘we won’t swap Figo for Redondo’ and ‘Redondo is Madrid’. Galliani’s car upon recognition was kicked at by Madrid ultras, blaming him for the departure of their beloved idol.

Coincidentally, both sides were shortly due to play each other in a friendly to celebrate Milan’s centenary, and such was the controversy over the Redondo transfer both sides had discussed cancelling the match. Ultimately it went ahead – with Redondo sitting beside Berlusconi in the stands.

“When we put the results of Redondo then into our system now, he comes out as a tremendously high risk,” reflected Jean-Pierre Messerman – creator of the famed Milan Lab – in an interview several years ago.

The common perception is that a day after signing for Milan Redondo’s career ended whilst running on a treadmill for a few minutes; that his right knee broke down after passing a thoroughly rigorous medical. That’s only partially accurate.

On his second day as a Milan player he hurt his right thigh whilst on the treadmill, however it wasn’t just the incident on the treadmill that effectively ended his career. Two weeks later in the plush environs of Milanello, whilst training, he planted his right foot into a hole on the ground that due to rain was soft, suffering a first-degree sprain of his knee. Incredibly, he completed the training session before seeking help. This was the deathblow, and neither his knee nor career would ever fully recover.

As the weeks passed, with his knee imploded and showing little sign of recovery, it was recommended that he undergo surgery, and so on October 2 the Argentine’s anterior cruciate ligament was reconstructed in Varese by professor Paolo Cherubino, who disclosed in a press conference that he expected Redondo to return to the field in six months.

Berlusconi was irate: how could this have happened? Rumours swirled around Spain that Real Madrid knew he was broken and had sold Milan a crock, yet Professor Cherubino reported that Redondo was simply unfortunate and excluded chronic illness in his knee, also adding that the tests completed in his medical showed his right knee was in perfect condition. Milan’s owner, however, wasn’t buying it, and vowed never to let it happen again, hence the creation of the Milan Lab two years later.

Redondo would need a further two surgeries to finally repair his knee. He flew back to Madrid in June 2001 for the second operation following complaints of severe pain in his knee during rehabilitation; his patellar tendon had become inflamed upon examination.

In an act of integrity and moral dignity that is rarely seen in the gluttonous world of football, in August 2001 Redondo went to see Galliani and told him that the club should stop paying his wages until he regains fitness. “I have never seen anything like it during my career as a director. Fernando is an incredible man,” Galliani remarked. Not content with just giving up his salary, he also wanted to give back his car and house that Milan gave him as part of his contract but the club rejected his proposal.

His final operation took place in January 2002 and Redondo made his long awaited debut for the Rossoneri on the December 3 against Ancona in the Coppa Italia – some 29 months after signing.

He made his Serie A debut several days later against Roma, receiving a standing ovation from the 67,000 fans inside the San Siro as he came on for Andriy Shevchenko for the final five minutes. for the Rossoneri on the December 3 against Ancona in the Coppa Italia – some 29 months after signing.

In classic Redondo fashion he made a mockery of Walter Samuel and Emerson in the same move, taking them out of an equation with a beautiful Cruyff turn.

Redondo’s past would meet his present once more as Milan and Real were both drawn in the same second group stage in the Champions League.

On March 12, 2003, Milan travelled to the Bernabéu having already qualified for the quarter-finals. Sensing an opportunity to give Redondo the send-off he was denied by Pérez, Carlo Ancelotti started Redondo instead of regular Andrea Pirlo. “I’m very happy about seeing my former supporters again and this is a very special moment for me,” he said before the game.

As Milan and Redondo walked out to begin the match, the crowd stood up and chanted his name for several minutes and in the 79th minute Pirlo replaced him to a rapturous applause from the home supporters. The Madrid fans unfurled a banner saying ‘God returns to paradise’. It was the goodbye his contributions undoubtedly warranted.

It was clear to everyone that unsurprisingly he was no longer the Redondo of old, but was offered a one-year extension by Milan as a gesture of good faith. He was used sparingly for the remainder of 2002-03 and the 2003-04 seasons yet still won a Coppa Italia, another Champions League and a Serie A title during his stay. His last competitive game was on May 16, 2004, against Brescia and, after leaving Milan, he announced his retirement.

Fernando Redondo was one of the finest midfielders of the last two decades, blessed with a fine mix of delicate balance, predatory vision and strong leadership capabilities, he was a football purists’ utopian dream, an artist in an era where their numbers dwindled as the game increasingly relied more on power and pace as oppose to ingenuity and technique.

Yet his injuries meant he receded from public view and has almost fallen into obscurity. He certainly would have been in the running to win the Ballon d’Or in 2000 yet didn’t make the top ten. It’s arguable that his injuries also changed the fate of Andrea Pirlo’s career; if Redondo was healthy and playing would Ancelotti have deployed Pirlo as a regista at Milan?

Regardless of the fate that befell him in Italy, El Principe’s career and talent deserves to be celebrated for the brilliance that it was. Recently voted in Real Madrid’s greatest foreign XI, he endeared himself to fans across Europe with his style. Real Madrid and Argentina have been waiting for a truly graceful volante ever since.

http://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/07/05/fernando-redondo-the-impossible-dream/

 

[Moby]

Didn't we agree to keep these write-ups/profiles out of the actual match threads?

A link will do the job, ffs.

Write a bloody novel if you like, but leave it elsewhere and provide a link.

Yep, the OP should be concentrating on match specific tactics and roles, not the profiles.
Not like these are obscure players either, everyone is pretty familiar with them.
I think there was a rule earlier to keep the writeup within one forum post, see if you can enforce it @Physiocrat .

 

[Physiocrat]

Yep, the OP should be concentrating on match specific tactics and roles, not the profiles.
Not like these are obscure players either, everyone is pretty familiar with them.
I think there was a rule earlier to keep the writeup within one forum post, see if you can enforce it @Physiocrat .

Sorry, you're right. I got lazy and just put them up.

@Invictus @Theon

Next time keep the OP to just tactics not long player profiles; that goes to everyone. Thinking about it I'm minded to cut your OP from the defence downwards and repost the profiles after this point, I'll keep the links in on the player list. PM with with any objections, my aim is not to make you lose but to keep voter interest.

 

[Invictus]

Team Invictus/ Theon team layout/ profile/ Sammer role breakdown thingamajig?​

Defense

​

Manuel Neuer (the definitive sweeper keeper of his generation) is the 11th outfield player. A marvelous shot stopper and dominant in the air, he has superlative control over his area, is extremely composed on the ball, and can be the genesis of the team's attacking moves - as he often is for Bayern Munich and Germany. Keepers generally get marginalized in Fantasy Drafts, but here - Neuer is critical for the way our team is set up; his expertise in the air and bravery while 'sweeping up' will definitely come in handy - allowing one of the gold standards of the libero position to have a free-er role and unleash his vast array of skillsets in both phases of the game - but more on that later. Anyway, Neuer is a special keeper both overall, and in our setup - with a skillset that made him one of the rare class of keepers to finish Top 3 in the Ballon D'Or.

Blind people will have decided who wins the award if Neuer doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this year. Why should Neuer not win it? Neuer is a superb player. He is the most perfect goalkeeper in the world. He is great with crosses, always alert rushing off his line and has great reflexes as well. He can do anything. There is nothing for which I could criticise him. - Sepp Maier

The defensive line is marshaled by two of the greatest centerbacks to grace the sport - Fabio Cannavaro (nicknamed Il Muro di Berlino - The Berlin Wall) is the legendary captain of Italy's 2006 World Cup winning team, where his heroics propelled an unfancied team to the very summit as they shut out basically every opponent they faced. Much like Neuer, Cannavaro is part of an elite class - one of the rare breed of defenders to win the Ballon D'Or, and the only defender ever to win the FIFA World Player of the Year. Here, Cannavaro offers not just aggression, great awareness and athleticism, natural knack for the game and tenacity; but tried and tested leadership ability of the highest order - World Cup winning leadership ability infact.

If Rio Ferdinand is worth £120,000 a week, Cannavaro is worth a hundred million a day. - Eamon Dunphy.

His central defensive partner, Jaap Stam (the Rock of Kampen - and what a rock he was) is the perfect addition to the defensive unit. To quote BBC football commentator Mike Ingham:

Without Jaap Stam, Sir Alex would still be Alex.

There are defenders that are known for their nous, there are defenders who are fast, there are defenders who are strong - Jaap Stam is one of the very few to combine all those qualities in one nasty, uncompromising, colossal package - someone who could obliterate attackers.

Once Jaap’s pace took him into the channel ahead of an attacking player they had no chance. He was so strong it was a mismatch. He would not be beaten. - Ryan Giggs

He is the ideal complement to Cannavaro, because both of them are very complete defenders; and Stam provides greater steel to our spine, as well as the ability to smother the man he's marking in space.

They are flanked by the greatest leftback of the Premier League era, and the best leftback in the world for the better part of half a decade through his peak - Ashley Cole. Here, he will concentrate on shackling down Cristiano Ronaldo, a player he faced several times through the years - and acting as an overlapping fullback - his game being predicated on calculated runs to support Gento. Superb at marking, dominant in close quarters, agile and an expert at slide tackling, he can isolate any dangers on the left side of the field. Cole's athleticism, marking ability and defensive awareness is critical for the solidity of our defense.

And just to highlight his overall impact on the game:

He is a defender who simply loves to attack. Defends, because he has to defend and because it is part of his job. Everybody loves to play with [him] because as soon as you won the ball back, he was up there to attack. - Arsène Wenger

Meeting an old foe here:

​

The game that earned Cole the moniker as the world's best. Cristiano Ronaldo, then of Manchester United, was the poster boy of the host nation and in sensational form heading into the crunch quarter-final. Cole was superb, keeping Ronaldo in his pocket for much of the game. He also scored his penalty in the shootout, and though England lost, Cole was rightly named in the Euro 2004 team of the tournament.

The Cole vs Cristiano head-to-head resurfaced two years later in Germany. The Arsenal man proved his performance in Portugal was not a one-off, again keeping the flying winger in check. That he, and England, had to do it for more than an hour with 10-men after Wayne Rooney's stupid sending off made it all the more impressive.

Cristiano Ronaldo on his toughest opponent:

'Ashley Cole. He's a very tough, tenacious football player. And others don't miss an opportunity.

Rounding up the back four, and focusing on the right flank - we have the brilliant and versatile German legend - Hans-Peter Briegel, also known as 'The Steamroller from Palatinate' - for his imposing physique and relentless playing style. One of the greatest fullback/ wingbacks in the history of the game, he was a former Decathlon athlete - renowned for his relentless running style, tactical awareness, stamina and strength (hence the name Steamroller); as well as his ability to operate on both flanks at a world class level - which makes him an excellent option in our team. His insight, athleticism, stamina and overpowering physical ability while running at speed is essential to negating the influence of Ronaldinho down the opposition's left flank.

Overall, our defense is perfectly capable of countering the opposition's threats - Stam, Briegel, Cole were all incredibly agile and fast for their positions - something that will hold us in good stead vs the oppositions's wide players. And even Fabio Cannavaro had great response awareness on top of being quick to diagnose plays. With Neuer (who will also seek to condense the channels with his expertise in the box), the opposition will find this unit extremely hard to break down - as a collective.

 

[Invictus]

Midfield

​

So, let's talk about Matthias Sammer. But wait, first - let's segue into another issue - what separates the good from the truly great? Consistency, length of career, achievements, performances in key moments, peaks - all these things are generally at the top of the list when separating them in a spectrum. But one thing that is often underrated is the ability of the greats to play beyond their limits - to be overtasked and still perform exceptionally - that can often separate them from the hoi polloi.

Within the framework of our team, Sammer has complete freedom to help out defensively and offensively as he feels fit, just like he's done a thousand times before. He is joining the midfield battle to make it a 3 and assert his dominance as an advanced libero (which is kind of what the modern defensive midfielder is) - fluidly transitioning between roles, keeping an eye on the opposition's most creative player (Zidane) and containing his influence, reading the game and act accordingly, operating in the free/ libero role to influence the game, linking up with Redondo, moving the chains for Platini, dropping slightly deeper from time to time to stifle out attacks, cutting off the supply routes to Batistuta, and supporting the attacking game from a 'sunken' midfield position with grace and skill - he will be exactly where he needs to be - the active heartbeat of our XI.

We came to see the tactics of a great Italian side but only saw what we had known in advance: that Matthias Sammer is a fantastic player. - Sir Alex Ferguson after the 1997 Champions League final vs Juventus in Munich.

Is he overtasked with all these roles? You betcha. But that's the beauty of it, and that's why Sammer was chosen - he can perform this free role as well as anyone in football history bar only Der Kaiser himself. That's just what great players do, especially ones as intelligent as Sammer - they operate at 110%, and they make physical sacrifices for the team when the match is at stake. The more that's asked of Sammer, the better he'll perform, the more he's stretched to his limits defensively, the better he'll tackle. They didn't call playing against him like playing with a team that has 12 players for nothing. And since he's a better defender than every defensive midfielder in the draft by virtue of actually being a world class pure defender, he provides a magnificent sense of stability and dynamism to our team from the general defensive midfield area.

He is joined by by the most talented holding midfielders in the history of the game, and the last truly great Volante - El Príncipe - Fernando Redondo - who is perfect for our team in terms of bringing another stabilizing defensive presence while also providing substantial creative threat from behind Michel Platini. A master of guile, with exquisite positional sense, ball control and blessed with tremendous passing range, he was the architect of Real Madrid's European success in the late 1990s, and has the ability to dismantle teams with his intelligent movement and sharp technique.

Sir Alex Ferguson said after the game - What does this player have in his boots? A magnet? Always with a desire to play attacking football Redondo patrolled in front of the back four, forever available to receive the ball, he could create space for himself and others with his almost psychic reading of the game and his majestic technique. Fabio Capello once said he was 'a tactically perfect player.'

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Rumor has it that Henning Berg still has nightmares from THAT game where he faced Redondo.

To round things off, we have 3 times Ballon D'Or winner, a member of FIFA's World Team of the Century as well as the FIFA World Cup All Time Team, and the greatest French footballer ever according to the IFFHS century elections - Le Roi (The King) Michel Platini - the greatest playmaking offensive midfielder Europe has ever produced, someone who was recognized as the 5th, 5th, and 7th World’s greatest footballer of all-time by France Football, World Soccer, and IFFHS poll, respectively.

When I was a kid and played with my friends, I always chose to be Platini. I let my friends share the names of my other idols between themselves. - Zinedine Zidane, his opponent in this match.

Armed with razor sharp technique, immense passing range, guile, and intelligence, Platini is the perfect conductor for this game. And he isn't just a pure strategist, he will be another dynamic force in our team with the ability to score goals - evidenced by his production of 200+ goals in 350+ matches for Juventus in the treacherous defensive environs of Serie A while winning 3 Serie A Golden Boot (Capocannoniere) awards, as well as his haul for France - 41 goals in 72 matches (which stood as a record for 2 decades after his retirement).

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A glimpse of Platini at the peak of his awe-inspiring and lethal powers (his imperious 1984 European Championship turnout can rival any other individual performance on the international tournament stage in all of football, and his 9 goals in the competition still stands as a record).

Offensive Laterals

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On the left flank, we have arguably the greatest left winger of all time after George Best, and the best tactical foil for the outside left role matched by only maybe Zoltán Czibor in the entire history of football - Francisco Gento - The Storm of the Cantabrian - the record holder for European Cup wins with 6, and the record holder for La Liga titles with 12. For some reason, Gento is frequently underrated even though he was voted 30th on the World Player of the Century polls, and made the World Soccer XI for three consecutive seasons. A devastating winger, his speed (particularly on the ball) is matched by very few in the history of the game, and he will challenge his marker time and again with the intention to cross to Van Basten, link up with Platini, open channels for Cole, or to drift inwards and score himself.

A couple additional things we love about Gento are - he was a tireless worker whole could dominate the flank, and thrived alongside Di Stéfano and Puskás at Real Madrid. That shows great teamwork, a deeper understanding of football, and the ability to operate in a certain way while still performing at a World Class level - evidenced by him finishing as the best winger in Europe 4 times according to the Ballon D'Or rankings. Very few players have the ability to coexist like that, and that quality is perfect for our team - though while constructing a team and searching for balance, its does tend to fall by the wayside in 'Fantasy' drafts ever so often - where shiny objects, and more bling-bling names draw greater attention.

And there was Gento playing alongside and Di Stefano just timed his passes perfectly for him. Gento ran so fast you couldn't get him offside. And I was just sitting there, watching, thinking it was the best thing I had ever seen. - Sir Bobby Charlton.

On the other side, we have the greatest Italian attacker (if not the greatest Italian player) of all time - two times World Cup winner, World Cup Golden Ball winner, 3 times Serie A top scorer - Giuseppe Meazza - the man whose name unifies AC Milan and Internazionale to this day - evidenced by them naming their shared stadium in his honor - the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (or commonly known as the San Siro).

Like Gento, Meazza often gets underrated, but he finished 21st on the World Player of the Century polls; and is perfect for our setup because he excelled in the right inside forward role - which he plays here - scoring heaps of goals, opening up the play with his masterful passing range, cutting inside with his mesmerizing dribbling ability - he offers the overall package.

I also saw Pelé playing. He did not achieve Meazza's elegant style of playing. One day, at the Atena, I witnessed him doing something astonishing: he stopped the ball with a bicycle kick, elevating himself two meters from the ground. Then he landed with the ball glued at his foot, dribbled over an astonished defender, and then went on scoring a goal with one of his hallmark shots, sardonic and accurate to the millimeter. - Luigi Veronelli.

Overall, this unit offers everything - both of these players are absolute legends of the game and almost as importantly, perfect tactical fits and winners of the highest order - with exceptional dribbling skills, exquisite passing ability, leadership, team-work and the ability to score and provide a bucketful of goals in equal measure.

 

[Invictus]

Striker

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At #9, we have the greatest target striker in football history - 3 time Ballon D'Or winner and Dutch legend, Marco Van Basten - who was voted 8th, 9th and 12th the greatest footballer of the century by France Football, World Soccer and IFFHS, respectively. Van Basten is ideal for our setup because of his peerless mix of toughness, physique, aerial prowess, excellence with both feet, audacious technique and hold-up ability to act as a fulcrum of sorts for Platini, Meazza, and Gento. And of course, goals - loads and loads of goals, especially in key moments. Like this beauty in the 1988 European Championship final:

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Additionally, one thing that elevates Van Basten over a lot of others is his tried and tested record against some of the greatest defenses in football history - The Serie A of the late '80s and early '90s. You can bank on him to deliver here.

It is between Romário and Van Basten. - Diego Maradona, on who was the best player he ever saw.

Injuries cut him down when he was in the best form of his career, spearheading Fabio Capello’s new and rejuvenated Milan side. Yet by then, Marco had already done enough to perhaps be regarded as the greatest number nine there’s ever been. People always talk about his strike against the Soviet Union in the 1988 European Championship Final, and yes, it was a great goal, but Marco scored even better goals, for both Ajax and AC Milan. - Ronald Koeman, his opponent in this match.

He was elegance personified. He could score in millions of different ways and always with an unbelievable touch of class. He had no weak points – he was completely two-footed, and he was strong with his head, but he didn’t just score goals, he also created many, many assists. - Marcel Desailly

Oh yes. Right foot. Left foot. Heading, so strong, fast. He could score, he could pass the ball. He was the best. The way he played was timeless. He had to quit when he was 28. Surgery. Stupid surgery to the ankle. It was such a pity. - Paolo Maldini, when asked about the best player he played with or against

 

[diarm]

Looks like this one is all over. Fair play lads, that's a great side you've put together. Best of luck in the next round!

 

[Invictus]

Voted.

 

[Invictus]

Looks like this one is all over. Fair play lads, that's a great side you've put together. Best of luck in the next round!

Cheers man! You have built a great team too - some quality players from back to front.

 

[Enigma_87]

Expected to be a lot closer than the scoreline suggests. Congrats to @Invictus and @Theon If you can improve on the full backs/wingers IMO you guys have one of the top sides in the draft. Well done.