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GIO TACTICS
THE BLUEPRINT
ARGENTINA 1986: STRIPPED BACK AND REBUILT
The team is based on the Argentina's 1986 World Cup winning vintage that saw Maradona hit his absolute peak. Now it's true that Maradona kicked arse in every shape - for example as he did in the Napoli 4-3-1-2 - the idea here is to place him in a similar spot to the summer of 1986. And so we have attempted to build something similar that is based on the same tactical principles:
- A 3-5-1-1 shape with Diego in a front two.
" “We understood each other instinctively,” Maradona said. “I had a perfect understanding with Valdano. If he went back, I’d stay forward and vice versa"
Diego assumes the same roaming role off the top of the attack that he did in '86. Henry partners him to stretch the play both vertically and horizontally. I'd envisage that partnership as an upgrade on his complementary tandem with Cannigia later in his career. Similar to Valdano, Henry should be a nice ego fit next to Diego given how much he enjoyed being the creator as much as the finisher.
- A strong central midfield core that can both hold firm and support the attack.
" “Argentina’s set-up was compact, and the defence had to know when to cover space, but the system was tailored to bringing the best out of Maradona, who propelled a group of already good players to a higher level. The system, especially the 3-5-2, combined compactness and pressing without the ball, and three attackers; Maradona, Jorge Burrachaga and Jorge Valdano combining and exercising flexibility – When Maradona would drop and receive the ball in deeper positions, Burruchaga would make runs forward from midfield.” "
" When Maradona dropped back into his space, Burruchaga would push forward in support of Valdano. Although left alone with Pasculli on the bench, Valdano didn’t struggle – he pulled out to the right to isolate the defender, so he could receive the ball into his feet from deep and hold the ball up as those behind him joined the attack. Many forwards would simply stand and hold off defenders by shielding the ball with their body, but Valdano’s ability with his feet meant he would move the ball backwards and forwards, from foot to foot, while doing so, ensuring that defenders couldn’t be too aggressive in trying to win the ball back unless he twisted past them – that fear buying the midfielders more time to get forward."
In Charlton and Breitner there are plenty of assists and goals to both service the front two and offer further routes to goal. Both can release the front two early and let them wreak havoc on the opposition back-line. Both have that "flexibility" to change positions. Charlton in particular can fulfill what Burruchaga did in offering a secondary threat, having the intelligence and thrust from midfield to spring forward should Diego drop deep.
- A dedicated holder in Sergio Batista / Mauro Silva. The Brazilian won the World Cup in 1994 playing the same anchor role and has a long history of quelling great 10s through his time in Spain and for Brazil.
- Flank-dominating wing-backs in Cafu and Facchetti. Can drop into a defensive 5 to shut up shop, but can gallop forward and ask questions of Gentile and Camacho.
- A sweeper/libero flanked by a pair of rugged man-markers. Scirea won the previous World Cup in 1982 in a similar gig and I imagine he'd have a natural partnership with Costacurta in particular. Both Costacurta and Schnellinger should be natural there with both having extensive experience in full-back and centre-back roles.
SKIZZO TACTICS
Formation: 4-2-3-1
The name of the game is movement and overloading areas of the pitch. With Beckenbauer and Platini, there's two masters of the game at dropping deep, or pushing up the pitch, in order to create chances and overload areas to provide an advantage. Beckenbauer would be at home with Kohler next to him, and Gentile tucking in to provide cover when he forays forward to add numbers to the midfield and push on into the attack. Platini has a familiar face in Boniek, and movement and top playmakers around him to provide him opportunity to drop deeper and dictate as he sees fit. With goals, creativity, and physicality in abundance, we'd look to be a tough team to break down defensively, and then use the movement throughout the attack to open spaces for Platini and Beckenbauer to run the attacking game.
Goal Threat: Romario, Platini // Secondary: Boniek, Gascoigne
Playmakers: Platini, Figo, Beckenbauer // Secondary: Gascoigne, Boniek
No doubt that Gio has a fantastic team (as always) but we'd look to make things difficult defensively with a lot of hard-working, defensively solid players throughout the team, all of which would put in an effort. Offensively, I feel the movement we have, and an abundance of creativity from back to front, we'd have too many avenues to shut out and hopefully squeak out a narrow win.
I almost brought the entire post from one of your teams with bepo but that that might be overkill. Great videos you had of him though.