.....................................Team Kazi.....................................................................................Team Cutch.........................................
Team KAZI
Formation: 3-2-3-2, based on the Mighty Magyar’s.
Sandor Kocsis and Sandro Mazzola feature as my inside forwards. Kocsis (75 goals in 68 games for Hungary) will play off the shoulder while Mazzola will support him on the other side, taking the role of Puskas. Mazzola and Puskas share a lot of similarities, in particular their close control and dribbling. Mazzola will drag defenders out of position, leaving the ruthless Kocsis to exploit the spaces created.
Luisito Suarez takes the role of the withdrawn striker / deep-lying centre forward, made famous by Nandor Hidegkuti. In reality, the man in this position takes the role of the playmaker, perfect for Luisito’s passing ability and creativity. He also possessed a brilliant long-shot, an opportunity he would have plenty of in this position. His 61 league goals in 122 games during his time at Barcelona showed he had an eye for goal. He’ll naturally link-up with Mazzola; they made for a telepathic pairing during their time at Inter.
Kurt Hamrin and Giampiero Boniperti are my wingers. Both prefer to play on the outside right, but due to Boniperti being the more versatile of the two (and losing a game of rock-paper-scissors prior to kick-off), he’ll be on the left. Hamrin’s speed and trickery makes him a handful for any full-back, while his goal-scoring record for a winger is exceptional (150 in 289 for Fiorentina, 17 in 32 for Sweden). Boniperti on the other side would fit in perfectly with the modern game; he had pace, power, bags of technical ability, and when he played on the left, he loved to cut inside (and regularly score – 178 in 444 for Juventus, their record holder until DP came along).
Jozsef Bozsik and Giovanni Lodetti are the two half-backs. Bozsik is probably the greatest regista of all time, he’ll be orchestrating the team from deep. Lodetti was known for his hard work and stamina in midfield during his time at Milan, he’ll be doing the dirty work in this pairing. Lodetti takes the role of Jozsef Zakarias, who would regularly drop into defence and/or man-mark the forwards of the opposing team. He won’t be breaking any curfews though.
Armando Picchi, captain of the famous Grande Inter side, takes the role of the libero. He’s known for being a strong figure and hard tackler at the back but most of all, his positional discipline and anticipation; he’ll also be organising the defence. Besides him are Tarcisio ‘The Rock’ Burgnich and Riccardo Ferri. Ferri (who has played on the left of a back three, most notable for Italy during the 1990 World Cup) is a calm and composed figure who quietly gets about his work. Burgnich on the other side is much more loud in his work, he’ll make sure the forwards know who he is. But both are effective in getting the job done. Ivano Bordon will be sweeping up on the rare occasions where Picchi doesn’t get there first.
Key points:
Technical Presence – All over the pitch, the players are leaking with technical ability. Especially in the front six, so much ability on the ball, they have all the makings to absolutely overwhelm Cutch’s team. With the way he has set up, I feel I can take advantage of this.
Goals – My front five all have incredible goal-scoring records; some for club, some for country, some for both. No one more so than Kocsis with his 75 in 68 for Hungary. But Hamrin, Mazzola, Boniperti and Suarez all have scored at over 0.5 a game at some point in the career. Cutch on the other hand is quite light on goals; Rossi who’ll be leading his line only had a good goal-scoring record during his three years at Vicenza. Bergkamp’s done pretty well at Ajax and Netherlands wrt goals, while Conti and Donadoni are quite lacklustre on the wings. Overall, a stark comparison to my forwards.
Hamrin vs Panucci – Panucci is a very good defender, but if Cutch has a weak link in defence, it’s Panucci. He’ll be playing on his weaker side (left as opposed to the right). This gives Hamrin, a man famed for being able to dribble spectacularly with both feet, all the opportunities to absolutely tear him apart and score/create goals.
Team Cutch
TeamThis team has been largely inspired by some of the greats to have played in Serie A and for the Italian national team.
I have attempted to go for players of proven longevity and class, a balance of flair and graft, and players in a setup that they will prosper in.
My rock solid defence is marshalled by the legendary World Cup winning captain Daniel Passarella. One of the all time greats, an organiser and leader of the highest quality. A man of average height but outrageously good in the air, and the most prolific goalscoring defender of all time. Pietro Vierchowod forms the perfect sweeper-stopper pairing. A beast of a defender that no one enjoyed playing against. One with pace and power, but also the ability to read the game and intercept. One of the most underrated defenders to have played the game. On the left Christian Panucci will play a composed and sensible game tucking when required allowing the foraying Passarella to make an influence further up the pitch. Panucci like Vierchowod is another grossly underrated defender, voted the best U23 player in Europe in 94, while winning the Champions League playing left back against Barcelona. Guiseppe Bergomi on the right is more acclaimed, a legend of the game with similar intelligence and marking ability to Vierchowod, and like Passarella another leader of men. It is a back four as rock solid as they come.
In midfield, I want 2 in the middle up for the battle. Edgar Davids and Danielle De Rossi provide these qualities in abundance. Davids as tenacious a ball winner as you can find and 100 cap World Cup Winner Roman gladiator De Rossi an all round package that can mix it, but also provide cutting edge passing, and is the Italian national teams record goalscorer from midfield. On the wings is arguably Italys greatest ever widemen. Bruno Conti was one of the best players in the world in the 1980s, a star of the 1982 World Cup, adept on either wing and able to beat players with ease. Roberto Donadoni played for the all conquering AC Milan side of the late 80s and early 90s winning 6 Serie A titles and 3 European Cups, and like Conti had outstanding pace, technical ability and dribbling with Michel Platini regarded Donadoni as the best Italian player of the 90s.
The great Denis Bergkamp needs little introduction. One of the outstanding technical footballers of his generation. He will be the perfect link man slightly deeper of Italy legend Paulo Rossi, one of the most instinctive finishers to have played the game who in 1982 cleaned up all the prizes winning Golden Boot, Golden Ball, Ballon D’Or and of course the World Cup.
Sub: Alberigo Evani
Tactics
A fairly disciplined defence with fullbacks that won’t be contributing overly in offensive areas, but the game breaker of course in defence will be Daniel Passarella who will get license to go forward with the naturally right sided Panucci tucking in to make a compact defense.
Passarella and Bergomi are both outstanding leaders and so the defence is sure to be well organised to supplement the outstanding marking skills of Vierchowod.
Davids will be snapping on the heels of his opposite number (probably Bozsik) while De Rossi will be expected to offer a bit more creativity aswell as bite. This will allow the front four the platform to make the difference in the final third, with Bergkamp the central creative hub, and the 3 Italian legends Conti, Donadoni and Rossi making off the ball runs. The former 2 running at and committing players and providing the supply line for Rossi to bury the chances.
Opposition
I'm guessing the opposition formation will have a hungarian theme to it, and so will be heavily stacked in attack. With my own personnel i think this should play into my hands with having stay at home fullbacks keeping tabs on the wing forwards, and Davids and De Rossi heavily pressing Suarez and Bozsik when on the ball. Of course the advantage will then be found at the other end, with quick distribution to the front 4 and likely only 3 at the back to try and contain them. Its a formation that ultimately i don't think can survive against evolving tactics and more modern day Italian pragmatism.
