Draft About Nothing - QF: Michaelf/GSTQ vs Big Dunk

[Šjor Bepo]

vs

Michael/GSTQ
Formation: 4-4-2

Managers that pick Matthaus as the first pick don't often win the draft and there is a very good reason for that. They don't try to get the best out of their marquee player. The best way to build a draft team in our opinion is to build it around the best player in your team and maximize his influence on the setup. Sounds obvious and easy to do with the likes of Maradona or Di Stefano or Baresi or Beckenbauer. Not so much with the likes of Matthaus and Rijkaard. The most usual misuse of course is to shoehorn Lothar into a double pivot and place a pure No.10 ahead of him with of course the eventual hope of replacing him with a GOAT No.10 in reinforcements. That more or less converts Matthaus into a minor upgrade over players like Davids/Tigana/Keane etc. Someone who could provide a base for the playmaker ahead of him to shine. But Matthaus of course was so much better than that and offers way more than any of them listed earlier. One simply needs to use him in the right setup around the right set of players who rather than limit his game, make use of his skills both on and off the ball to the maximum.

Hence, we will be playing a 4-4-2 formation looking to make the most out of the aerial ability and pace of our front 2 as well as our all time great wingers. Its a setup that gets the best out of every one of our players. More importantly, it gets the best out of Matthaus in both directions.

The setup is heavily inspired by the philosophy of Arrigo Sacchi. We will deploy pressing right from the top. After winning the ball, we will try to launch attacks immediately with quick transitions into the final third.

Big Dunk
Enrico ALBERTOSI, one of Italy’s greatest ever goalkeepers stands between the sticks. My central defensive partnership comprises of Fernando HIERRO and Giuseppe BERGOMI. The classic ball-playing - stopper centreback partnership. Two fearsome defenders whose positional sense, dominating presence, marking ability and quality on the ball make them a complete duo. Bergomi, one of the greatest man markers of all time will be given the toughest marking assignment. Two complete fullbacks either side of Hierro-Bergomi: Manuel AMOROS is my right back, while EVERALDO plays on the other flank. It’s a back four of serious defensive quality.

Infront of them is one of the greatest deep lying playmakers of all time, Josef BOZSIK. The metronome from the centre, controlling the game and connecting play. Tactically, technically and positionally a true master and great of the game. His partner is Daniele DE ROSSI, the complete midfielder, adding tenacity, vision, hard-tackles, creativity, endless workrate and superb positioning.

Hierro, Bozsik and De Rossi will feed Dzajic, Johnstone and Cubillas. We boast legendary fluid attacking wing play on the flanks too with Dragan DZAJIC, one of the greatest crosses of the ball in football history, and dribbling wizard Jimmy JOHNSTONE on the right wing. Dzajic-Everaldo and Johnstone-Amoros are wonderful partnerships on the flanks. My #10 and #9 are two technically blessed prolific goalscorers: Teófilo CUBILLAS and Marco VAN BASTEN. Our attack has a bit of everything: pace, power, technique, dribbling penetration, creativity and magical big game players.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

@Michaelf7777777 @GodShaveTheQueen @BIG DUNK good luck

 

[harms]

Zidane & Lizarazu (I think those were BD's targets?) would've made it closer. RB aside, MG's team is final-ready and almost non-upgradeable. I guess van Basten next to Gullit wouldn't hurt, but this is an embarrassment of riches.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Milan vs Milan

Good luck @BIG DUNK

 

[Jim Beam]

Is "Rombo di Tuono" suited to Sacchi tactics in terms of pressing?

 

[harms]

Is "Rombo di Tuono" suited to Sacchi tactics in terms of pressing?

I'd say so. He was pretty hard-working, but also very mobile (when you watch him play you can really see that he used to be a winger earlier, despite his towering target-man appearance).

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

RB aside

You keep bringing this up round after round, perhaps to lay the ground work for if he faces Best, but if people around here think that the guy they voted to be in the top 3 greatest RB's of all time only became one after he turned 29 years old, might as well shut this sub forum. You can play 50 more drafts and can't top that level of naivety. You have testimony from the greatest wingers of the time (like Giggs quote I posted last game) calling him their toughest opponent in a game, you have plenty of big games where he played both as a LB and RB

The pick perhaps shouldn't have been accepted because he hardly played as a midfielder after the first couple of seasons and was more or less a RWB in a back 5. It was a pick that got through because of the transfermarkt feck up and I can understand the bitterness but this is silly now to call Zanetti to be needing an upgrade.

This one is just one example from the 1999 game against Giggs

https://www.transfermarkt.co.in/fc-internazionale_manchester-united/index/spielbericht/984702

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Is "Rombo di Tuono" suited to Sacchi tactics in terms of pressing?

Not as a partner to Gullit and as a pure scorer, but as a pure presser, Riva is actually a big upgrade on Van Basten.

 

[Jim Beam]

Ah ok, didn't watch him that much, so just wondering.

Also trying to nitpick at that embarrassment of riches. You can tell it is Michael behind it.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Also trying to nitpick at that embarrassment of riches. You can tell it is Michael behind it.

While he did the scouting and research for most of the rounds including the infamous Zanetti round, the credit for the hairy Figo pick solely belongs to me. For some reason, he was not as excited as me that round.

 

[Jim Beam]

While he did the scouting and research for most of the rounds including the infamous Zanetti round, the credit for the hairy Figo pick solely belongs to me. For some reason, he was not as excited as me that round.

My desktop background forever changed.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Quite even. Can't choose.

 

[Moby]

This has a draw written all over it.

 

[harms]

You keep bringing this up round after round, perhaps to lay the ground work for if he faces Best, but if people around here think that the guy they voted to be in the top 3 greatest RB's of all time only became one after he turned 29 years old, might as well shut this sub forum. You can play 50 more drafts and can't top that level of naivety. You have testimony from the greatest wingers of the time (like Giggs quote I posted last game) calling him their toughest opponent in a game, you have plenty of big games where he played both as a LB and RB

The pick perhaps shouldn't have been accepted because he hardly played as a midfielder after the first couple of seasons and was more or less a RWB in a back 5. It was a pick that got through because of the transfermarkt feck up and I can understand the bitterness but this is silly now to call Zanetti to be needing an upgrade.

This one is just one example from the 1999 game against Giggs

https://www.transfermarkt.co.in/fc-internazionale_manchester-united/index/spielbericht/984702

Surely you understand that I'm not judging Zanetti on his actual 1996-2001 peak but as an ordinary out of position no-name Argentinian winger for the reasons I've already stated multiple times?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Yeah that winger round was awful. I find it difficult to rate any fullbacks as offensive players.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Surely you understand that I'm not judging Zanetti on his actual 1996-2001 peak but as an ordinary out of position no-name Argentinian winger for the reasons I've already stated multiple times?

Even though the rules clearly state you can play them in all the positions they played in that era?

By that logic Best should be judged as an awful singer with a charity match performance.

 

[Physiocrat]

@BIG DUNK Any info on Everaldo?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Both teams ooze pace. Not sure if Hierro is the right CB for this match.

 

[harms]

Even though the rules clearly state you can play them in all the positions they played in that era?

By that logic Best should be judged as an awful singer with a charity match performance.

Ehm, no, I'm afraid that you haven't been able to understand my logic at all. It's just my little tantrum, but I disagree with Sjor on this one, so in my own personal version of this draft, I don't consider Zanetti eligible (as well as a few others picked in that round). So I don't see him as a Zanetti at all, just as a John Doe attacker stuck out of position. We're all free to consider different elements like longevity and character more and less valuable in our overall assessment, I just add another characteristic into the mix.

It's a bit unfair to you as it's not you but Sjor I'm disagreeing with in the end, but what can you do. I also rated Vava less than I usually do in Moby's game as he is, by the definition of the round he was picked in, a pretty shit goalscorer. That bit stopped me from voting for him, not that it mattered in the end.

Best was picked in the round he was eligible with — it was not a round where you had to pick a best singer, it was a round where you had to pick the best footballer you'd find who had ever sang a song. In your round you had to pick an attacker who scored very few goals in his career.

Btw Zanetti didn't stop me from voting for you, and you won't be able to change my mind on the matter, so it's pointless to argue.

 

[Jim Beam]

By that logic Best should be judged as an awful singer with a charity match performance.

 

[Himannv]

Yeah that winger round was awful.

Agreed. That was a very poor round in what was otherwise an excellent draft.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Best was picked in the round he was eligible

Actually he wasn't eligible. There was no video of him caught singing.

Pick a player that was caught singing, any song any where but you need to post a video as a proof,

It's a bit unfair to you as it's not you but Sjor I'm disagreeing with in the end, but what can you do

 

[harms]

Actually he wasn't eligible. There was no video of him caught singing.

Pick a player that was caught singing, any song any where but you need to post a video as a proof,

If you're going on about technicalities, the requirement was to post a video as a proof that the player was singing, not a video of a player singing.

This is a video, otherwise it would be on Spotify, not on YouTube. And it definitely works as a proof.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

If you're going on about technicalities, the requirement was to post a video as a proof that the player was singing, not a video of a player singing.

'Caught' singing means seen singing in my books.

You won't be able to change my mind on the matter, so it's pointless to argue.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

 

[harms]

I can't even accuse him of childishness because I'm completely childish myself

 

[Šjor Bepo]

decision to include Zanetti gets better and better with every second.

 

[Jim Beam]

Btw. Big Dr... Big Dunk, that is one impressive team once again. The balance just seems so right with Bergomi - Hierro at the back, De Rossi and Bozsik mid, Dzajic and Van Basten linking. So much to like there.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Yea, tough luck Dunk. It definitely would have been much closer with Zidane and Lizarazu.

I thought both Enigma in round 1 and Dunk in this round could have beaten most of the other teams had they not drawn us (sorry if I am not being modest).

 

[Synco]

Great team from Big Dunk, but his opposition trumps it. Agree on Matthäus being in a great spot here, especially with Gullit as a complementary in front.

What I'm never really sure about is what to make of Breitner as a LB in a zonal marking system. I think (ignoring the rare modern inverted fullback role), he'd be a CM or RB in modern football.

 

[BIG DUNK]

I really liked Michael/GSTQ's team after their reinforcements, so expected them to glide into the next stage. If they steal Van Basten and add another elite defender (for J.Zanetti) that's a perfect XI.

Thanks for the comments - I was very happy with my team. My top two auction targets were Rijkaard and Thuram but obviously priced out there. Crowd-pleasers Zidane and Lizarazu may have won me a couple more votes, but definitely not the win here.