Coropa League - SF 2nd Leg - Physiocrat vs Green Smiley

[GodShaveTheQueen]

..............................................PHYSIOCRAT.........................................................................................GREEN SMILEY

TEAM PHYSIOCRAT

A diamond with two forwards who can drift and link up in the channels to provide excellent passing options for Zico but also to provide openings for him to drive into and score goals (Eto'o and Boniek can also switch sides to). Lizarazu as the msot attacking full-back (he played LWB for Bayern for a while) with Thuram pretty attacking with Boniek drifting wider than on average than Eto'o to aid Thuram on the wings. Stielike to shield the defence and can drop into CB if necessary. Excellent creativity and work rate from Masopust and Modric.

TEAM GREEN SMILEY

3-5-2 with two world-class wing backs roaming up and down the flanks, providing width and sending crosses into the opponent's box
Schnellinger plays as sweeper supporting Ruggeri and Cannavaro at the back.

In midfield, Makelele as defensive midfielder covering his wing backs when they attack; Mendieta as CM, and Netzer as attacking midfielder, who excels with his pin-point passes and can also scores by himself

Upfront, Mazzola as second striker just behind van Basten

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Good luck @Physiocrat @green_smiley

 

[green_smiley]

I would say my wingbacks are afforded more freedom to attack down the flanks vs. Physio's fullbacks

My three-men defense plus Makelele as DM should be capable of holding against Physio's attacking trio

Physio's defense is also great, but Mazzola-van Basten should have the edge

 

[Physiocrat]

I would say my wingbacks are afforded more freedom to attack down the flanks vs. Physio's fullbacks

That's true to some extent but although I don't think it will give you much more attacking width especially given that Eto'o and Boniek will drift much wider than MVB and Mazzola will.

My three-men defense plus Makelele as DM should be capable of holding against Physio's attacking trio

I think the biggest problem for your back three is they're best setup for a big striker rather than two nippy forwards will drift in and out as they see fit. Also when he was a sweeper Schnellinger wasn't that agile which is going to be a big problem against Boniek and Eto'o. Also Zico will drift about and will be an utter pain be Makelele to keep track of.

Physio's defense is also great, but Mazzola-van Basten should have the edge

Whilst not the shiniest names Santamaria and Shesternyov are a good physical match for MVB.

I'm not a huge fan of Netzer in your setup. He would like to come deep often which I think could isolate MVB and Mazzola. Netzer is much better with three players on average ahead of him

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

This one is way more tougher to call.

So many things to like about both teams.

For GS, that is a perfect rendition of the 5-3-2 and Cannavaro is a welcome addition in place of Tresor. Netzer and Mendieta looks spot on there and Briegel/Zanetti take it plenty of notches.

Mazzola the ideal guy to play in such a setup.

But then you look at Physio's midfield and that is just blowing things apart. How do you beat that? Fecking wow.

Boniek and Etoo terrific fits as well

Thuram at RWB loses plenty of marks though. You can never underestimate the importance of a Leandro to Zico's right side game which he did prefer slightly more than the left. You have Boniek who will drift but it removes a lot more permutations like when you would have had a proper RWD.

I'd also say GS' defense ranks better than Physio's in general.

GS wins this tie by a whisker.

 

[P-Nut]

Reckon this could be a proper stalemate relying on a moment of magic from Zico or Van Basten. Too close to call for me.

 

[Physiocrat]

I'd also say GS' defense ranks better than Physio's in general.

That's true of individual quality but Eto'o and Boniek buzzing around are really not the forwards Ruggeri, Cannavaro and the elder Schnellinger were built to face. In contrast my CBs match style wise better to MVB.

 

[green_smiley]

I think the biggest problem for your back three is they're best setup for a big striker rather than two nippy forwards will drift in and out as they see fit. Also when he was a sweeper Schnellinger wasn't that agile which is going to be a big problem against Boniek and Eto'o. Also Zico will drift about and will be an utter pain be Makelele to keep track of.

Cannavaro isn't exactly a giant himself, but he has great awareness and positional sense to deal with your kind of forwards
To say Ruggeri and Schnellinger couldn't do the same, is too much of discredit

I'm not a huge fan of Netzer in your setup. He would like to come deep often which I think could isolate MVB and Mazzola. Netzer is much better with three players on average ahead of him

Netzer isn't the only one linking with MVB-Mazzola. I have my wingbacks going forward when my team has the ball. Mendieta is also available during attacking phase

 

[green_smiley]

Another thing to add: you don't name a role after a player for nothing

Makelele was different from traditional DM who are just hard tacklers. He was efficient, had great positional sense and also highly disciplined. He was capable of holding the midfield on his own when opposition is attacking, mainly because of his calmness during the course of play, and always timed his tackles to perfection

 

[Physiocrat]

Cannavaro isn't exactly a giant himself, but he has great awareness and positional sense to deal with your kind of forwards
To say Ruggeri and Schnellinger couldn't do the same, is too much of discredit

I'm not saying your CBs are big lumps and Neil Ruddock on steroids. It is just that in comparison to my forwards they aren't the type they would excel the most against (the Cannavaro point is well taken though) whereas my CBs are a better stylistic fit to MVB.

Netzer isn't the only one linking with MVB-Mazzola. I have my wingbacks going forward when my team has the ball. Mendieta is also available during attacking phase

Fair enough but I don't you getting the best out of Netzer here.

 

[Physiocrat]

Another thing to add: you don't name a role after a player for nothing

Makelele was different from traditional DM who are just hard tacklers. He was efficient, had great positional sense and also highly disciplined. He was capable of holding the midfield on his own when opposition is attacking, mainly because of his calmness during the course of play, and always timed his tackles to perfection

That's true however Zico is a far better opponent than Makelele ever faced. Also Zico is not a static 10 who will stay in one place so whilst Makelele will hold the shape well I don't see him unduly minimising Zico's time on the ball creating chances for the nippy front two

 

[harms]

Thuram at RWB loses plenty of marks though. You can never underestimate the importance of a Leandro to Zico's right side game which he did prefer slightly more than the left. You have Boniek who will drift but it removes a lot more permutations like when you would have had a proper RWD.

It's not like he can't do it though, I think it's our rigidity in defining player's roles & traits that limit our imagination.

Take a look at the 2000 Euros semi-final. This was France's set up:

Henry - Anelka
Zidane
Petit - Vieira
Deschamps
Lizarazu - Desailly - Blanc - Thuram
Barthez​

Portugal were playing 4-2-3-1 and Thuram had 2 opponents on the wing, including his direct opponent Figo — arguably the best player of the tournament so far.

Zidane though

 

[harms]

Another thing to add: you don't name a role after a player for nothing

God, I hate this phrase so much that I'm almost ready to vote against you regardless of the set ups here

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

It's not like he can't do it though, I think it's our rigidity in defining player's roles & traits that limit our imagination.

Take a look at the 2000 Euros semi-final. This was France's set up:

I did try to use his attacking traits the last time I faced you in a game, so I wouldn't say I think of him as a rigid defender only.

But I dont think he is ideal there.

 

[harms]

I did try to use his attacking traits the last time I faced you in a game, so I wouldn't say I think of him as a rigid defender only.

But I dont think he is ideal there.

Yeah, of course someone like Cafu would've been better here.

 

[green_smiley]

God, I hate this phrase so much that I'm almost ready to vote against you regardless of the set ups here

 

[Synco]

It's not like he can't do it though, I think it's our rigidity in defining player's roles & traits that limit our imagination.

Take a look at the 2000 Euros semi-final. This was France's set up:

Henry - Anelka
Zidane
Petit - Vieira
Deschamps
Lizarazu - Desailly - Blanc - Thuram
Barthez​

Portugal were playing 4-2-3-1 and Thuram had 2 opponents on the wing, including his direct opponent Figo — arguably the best player of the tournament so far.

Or the 1998 WC final:

Not too far off our formation, considering its front three is meant to be reasonably free-floating.

 

[green_smiley]

Or the 1998 WC final:

Not too far off our formation, considering its front three is meant to be reasonably free-floating.

Thuram was relatively conservative during that match, vs. Lizarazu (where most attack came from left hand side)

Like others have said, can do a job, but not ideal

 

[Synco]

Thuram was relatively conservative during that match, vs. Lizarazu (where most attack came from left hand side)

Like others have said, can do a job, but not ideal

I agree this is a reasonable conclusion - but it also shows that it can work.

More on that after the game, as there's little controversy in this & I'm under AM restrictions.