Shouldn't Cocu's and Emerson's positions be swapped?
La Liga/Serie A/BuLi Draft - 1st Rd mazhar13/Boycott vs Marty1968
- Thread starter VivaJanuzaj
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that was my thought also
Don't think there are any in this pool. Alonso maybe? But with Macca and Real's version of Seedorf, they should manage well.
Yup. My thoughts too.
Guardiola, Marquez, Pizarro (in some games), and like you said Alonso.
I understand where you are coming from but as mentioned before, formation is not the basis of our strategy. Characteristics are. Uwe Bein was a midfield playmaker in his day but would fit the modern 10. Cocu had the characteristics to start build up play and can drop in the back when Pique and Aldair stride forward. You could fit it ideally as a 4-2-3-1 except we don't have a set AM or DM, it's the transition and flexibility that matters.
seems that they want to use him as DLP which makes sense in that formation and Emerson can play as a b2b. I'm not sure if that's Cocu's best role/position tho.
Guardiola, Xabi Alonso, Rafa Marquez, even Kroos could do a wonderful job with the Seedorf & Rhino ahead of him
You may have a player with great characteristics, but if use him in wrong formation/strategy you'd never get the best out of him.
Our set up is essentially 4-2-3-1. The case of Uwe Bein is he'll be our playmaker as the arrow shows moving into the space ahead which lets Cocu join Emerson in a two.
We're playing a back four to start but the illustration shows Serginho as a more attacking option covering the left flank while Chendo is more reserved. I wouldn't take the image as face value. We explain our strategy in depth in our opening post.
To me it seems clear that my midfield is stronger than mazhar/boycotts. Gattuso is the strongest tackler on the pitch, seedorf and mcmanaman have more energy and creativity than bein and emerson and Scholl has the space to really do some damage with his sublime passing and movement. Cocu will be forced to pick him up or will drag one of the full backs in field to help out which will create space.
Of Cocu does have to cover him then its a clear mismatch with Gattuso/Macca and Seedorf against bein and emerson.
Of Cocu does have to cover him then its a clear mismatch with Gattuso/Macca and Seedorf against bein and emerson.
I also have the best centre back on the pitch who was one of the best man markers in the business to battle it out with Shevchenko
Donadoni is well known for his defensive output. He can tuck in as he's been used centrally in the past and has sensational speed.
We've got speed and energy at the back. Aldair and Pique as well as their ball skills are great tacklers, tall and smart. Chendo's a fine marker. No doubt you've class players but we have the players to probe the ball and make the middle compact. After that we've got better width which will be key.
Aldair and Pique will be very occupied with Butragueño and Zamorano and Pique will struggle. He's proven in his time at Barca that he makes mistakes and can't cope with considerable pressure which he'll have here. You'll be forced to bring in one of your full backs to cover my midfield and so will open up the wide areas for Benarrivo in particular to exploit
I think you're understating Pique. He's been one of the top defenders in the last 7-8 years and done it against the best of his era.
We have the flexibility to make the game tight in the middle and have better wide options to be expansive. Seedorf and McManaman is a good pairing but both are more known for their attacking play. Gattuso is someone I wouldn't trust as a set DM due to his style. Ambrosini who covered or a Pirlo who orchestrated allowed for his tenacious play but he was not very disciplined.
Shevchenko's tendency to drift wide will allow the speed of Rufer to exploit. The movement of both will be difficult to handle. Particularly as you've got little width to cover.
We have the flexibility to make the game tight in the middle and have better wide options to be expansive. Seedorf and McManaman is a good pairing but both are more known for their attacking play. Gattuso is someone I wouldn't trust as a set DM due to his style. Ambrosini who covered or a Pirlo who orchestrated allowed for his tenacious play but he was not very disciplined.
Shevchenko's tendency to drift wide will allow the speed of Rufer to exploit. The movement of both will be difficult to handle. Particularly as you've got little width to cover.
Not understating him at all. He's not as good as many people think and under pressure gets found out.
Actually have no idea how it's 6-2 to you guys... I have a far superior midfield with more attacking options to you. Babbel/Berthold vs Rufer isn't even a contest. Still waiting to see these stats which show that Rufer was incredible against them both...
Actually have no idea how it's 6-2 to you guys... I have a far superior midfield with more attacking options to you. Babbel/Berthold vs Rufer isn't even a contest. Still waiting to see these stats which show that Rufer was incredible against them both...
I go for Marty1968 for tactical considerations.
I will explain my choice at the end of the week.
So 6-3 for the duo
@Edgar Allan Pillow You shoud have won so sorry because i did not vote.
Good luck @Marty1968 @Boycott @mazhar13
I will explain my choice at the end of the week.
So 6-3 for the duo
@Edgar Allan Pillow You shoud have won so sorry because i did not vote.
Good luck @Marty1968 @Boycott @mazhar13
Just look at these goals from Butragueno. Absolutely incredible ball control for the first goal in the clip. Can't see Pique being able to cope with such close ball control and dribbling ability.
Add to that his 3rd place in Ballon d'Or two years in succession (86 & 87), World Cup Silver Boot in 86 and named in the World Cup All Star team the same year. Yes the performances for his country don't count for this draft but his performances were just as good at Madrid where they won La Liga 5 years running and the UEFA cup twice in succession during the same period.
Both he and Zamorano were excellent for Madrid and would have endless opportunities thanks to the vision and creativity of Scholl, Seedorf and Macca
Kudos to both managers for introducing some fresh faces to the drafts instead of sticking to the usual suspects. Good to see personal favourites like Serginho and Scholl make an appearance, as well as the likes of Rufer and Bein who I'm not familiar with.
I think I prefer Gattuso hustling further up the pitch rather than in a holding role, but that aside I really like Marty's diamond and that's making the difference for me so far. Also, that left-side of Mazhar/Boycott's with Serginho and Rufer looks very porous to me (even more than ours with Ziege/Moller) and McManaman could cause real problems there when he goes wide. Serginho is a tough one to accomodate in draft terms as he's seen primarily as a left back but IMO he was much better as a winger.
I think I prefer Gattuso hustling further up the pitch rather than in a holding role, but that aside I really like Marty's diamond and that's making the difference for me so far. Also, that left-side of Mazhar/Boycott's with Serginho and Rufer looks very porous to me (even more than ours with Ziege/Moller) and McManaman could cause real problems there when he goes wide. Serginho is a tough one to accomodate in draft terms as he's seen primarily as a left back but IMO he was much better as a winger.
Now that I'm back home, let's get started.
Re: Rufer and his strong record against Berthold and Babbel.
Rufer's favourite team to get results against was Bayern Munich. Against them, he got 6 wins, 5 draws, and 1 loss, scoring 8 times and getting 1 assist. In 2 separate meetings against Babbel, he scored once with 1 win and 1 draw. Against Berthold on 2 separate occasions, he scored 2 goals. When he faced both Babbel and Berthold together in 1 match, he scored 1 goal against them.
Speaking of Berthold, he never hit the heights he hit in Italy every since he left Roma, having only two top-four finishes with Stuttgart whilst struggling in Bayern Munich. Against Sheva and Rufer, I struggle to see how he'll really contain Rufer and Sheva.
Also, regarding Rufer, he was always more of a free-role forward than an out-and-out striker. His role model was Pelé, and that influenced his style of play, being the more mobile forward who supported his partner quite often. Having said that, it's amazing to think that he's scored this many goals and even being the Champions League top scorer during the 1993/94 season. Only world class forwards become Champions League top scorers, and for Rufer to score 8 goals for a team that got knocked out of the group stages is simply sensational.
Re: Rufer and his strong record against Berthold and Babbel.
Rufer's favourite team to get results against was Bayern Munich. Against them, he got 6 wins, 5 draws, and 1 loss, scoring 8 times and getting 1 assist. In 2 separate meetings against Babbel, he scored once with 1 win and 1 draw. Against Berthold on 2 separate occasions, he scored 2 goals. When he faced both Babbel and Berthold together in 1 match, he scored 1 goal against them.
Speaking of Berthold, he never hit the heights he hit in Italy every since he left Roma, having only two top-four finishes with Stuttgart whilst struggling in Bayern Munich. Against Sheva and Rufer, I struggle to see how he'll really contain Rufer and Sheva.
Also, regarding Rufer, he was always more of a free-role forward than an out-and-out striker. His role model was Pelé, and that influenced his style of play, being the more mobile forward who supported his partner quite often. Having said that, it's amazing to think that he's scored this many goals and even being the Champions League top scorer during the 1993/94 season. Only world class forwards become Champions League top scorers, and for Rufer to score 8 goals for a team that got knocked out of the group stages is simply sensational.
Good post. I'll need to reconsider my vote.
Regarding Uwe Bein, he had several amazing seasons for Eintracht Frankfurt after making the step up with Hamburg (16 goals in 31 matches in his second season there, and that as an attacking midfielder too 
). In 171 matches for Frankfurt, he scored 47 goals and got 62+ assists, averaging a goal every approx. 387 minutes.
In the 4 times Bein faced Berthold, Bein got 4 assists and 1 goal against him in 4 matches. And Berthold + Costacurta is expected to contain our attack when we have Rufer and Bein, both of whom have had great records against Berthold and Babbel in the Bundesliga, and Donadoni and Shevchenko, who've opened up defences of all kinds, winning multiple trophies in the process? Is this really possible?
Next post will be about how we are actually well-balanced and strong enough to contain Marty's attack.
). In 171 matches for Frankfurt, he scored 47 goals and got 62+ assists, averaging a goal every approx. 387 minutes.In the 4 times Bein faced Berthold, Bein got 4 assists and 1 goal against him in 4 matches. And Berthold + Costacurta is expected to contain our attack when we have Rufer and Bein, both of whom have had great records against Berthold and Babbel in the Bundesliga, and Donadoni and Shevchenko, who've opened up defences of all kinds, winning multiple trophies in the process? Is this really possible?
Next post will be about how we are actually well-balanced and strong enough to contain Marty's attack.
This is some really excellent finds. Seems that you guys have picked well in accordance to the opposition. I think Marty has a bit more quality all over (especially in midfield) but still mulling over this one, as you guys have I think a better fit for this game in particular.Regarding Uwe Bein, he had several amazing seasons for Eintracht Frankfurt after making the step up with Hamburg (16 goals in 31 matches in his second season there, and that as an attacking midfielder too
In the 4 times Bein faced Berthold, Bein got 4 assists and 1 goal against him in 4 matches. And Berthold + Costacurta is expected to contain our attack when we have Rufer and Bein, both of whom have had great records against Berthold and Babbel in the Bundesliga, and Donadoni and Shevchenko, who've opened up defences of all kinds, winning multiple trophies in the process? Is this really possible?
Next post will be about how we are actually well-balanced and strong enough to contain Marty's attack.
Great work that. I'm going to mull this over for a bit before voting, after initially favouring Marty. Its always good to see managers bringing new names to the table and especially when they back them with research like this.
One player most here are overlooking is Chendo, who is one of Real Madrid's best ever right backs (if not the best). His defensive reliability meant that Michel was able to play his natural attacking game, and it was because of Chendo that Real Madrid's right side consisting of Butragueño and Michel. He was ever-present in the Real Madrid lineup throughout his career, making 516 appearances and starting in 493 of those. It's not for nothing that he started either, providing constant energy, solidity, and a foundation on the right side. In all of the season he was a regular in, his team never conceded more than 40 goals in the league, conceding an average of 35 goals a season and .932 goals per game. No matter who he'll face, he'll always put up a fight and make sure that his opponent never wins.
It's not for nothing that he started either, providing constant energy, solidity, and a foundation on the right side. In all of the season he was a regular in, his team never conceded more than 40 goals in the league, conceding an average of 35 goals a season and .932 goals per game. No matter who he'll face, he'll always put up a fight and make sure that his opponent never wins.Why pick McManaman in that role when you could have had Beckham?
@Balu
Since most here aren't too familiar with Wynton Rufer and Uwe Bein, could you shed some more light on them and their performances in the Bundesliga?
Since most here aren't too familiar with Wynton Rufer and Uwe Bein, could you shed some more light on them and their performances in the Bundesliga?
All this talk about Rufer and Bein, and there's no mention of the two best attacking players in this matchup: Donadoni and Shevchenko.
Roberto Donadoni wasn't just your typical great right winger. He was a complete attacker capable of it all. This player was such a boss that he came out of retirement to chill with the MetroStars then come back to AC Milan to win one more Scudetto! That's how good he was!
Check out his skills here against 3 different opponents:
Roberto Donadoni wasn't just your typical great right winger. He was a complete attacker capable of it all. This player was such a boss that he came out of retirement to chill with the MetroStars then come back to AC Milan to win one more Scudetto! That's how good he was!
Check out his skills here against 3 different opponents:
I can't talk about Andriy Shevchenko without posting this goal.
Onto Andriy Shevchenko. This guy, when he came into the Serie A, made an instant impact: 29 goals in 43 appearances. Since then, in total, he's scored 173 goals in 296 appearances in his first spell in AC Milan.
No one could deal with him, not even the best of defenders like Nesta, Blanc, Zanetti, Ferrara, Samuel, Naybet, Thuram, Couto, Helguera, Cannavaro, Chivu, Puyol, Mihajlović, and Lúcio. Can a pairing like Costacurta and Berthold really stand a chance against Sheva? Most likely not.
I've reposted the profile video here just to show you guys what he's really made of. He isn't a mere target finder like Zamorano. He isn't a mere wide forward like Butragueño. He isn't a mere poacher like Inzaghi. He was a complete forward who could really do it all.
You're doing a great job on your own. Excellent write-ups and videos.
Firstly McManaman was better at Madrid than Beckham and secondly he offers more versatility than Becks in that he can play as a true winger or an inside right mid. Beckham was never a winger.
That should be your tag
Regarding the simply sensational 8 goals in the Champions League have delved a little deeper and the majority of these were not against world beaters. They were as follows:
2 goals vs Dinamo Minsk in a 5-2 win in the qualifying round, then 1 in the 1-1 return leg.
1 goal in a 2-2 draw against Levski Sofia
2 goals in a 5-3 win against Anderlecht
1 goal in a 3-2 defeat to Porto
1 goal in a 1-1 draw against Milan (a penalty)
Funny you say that because most of the world class teams mostly faced similar 'minnows' throughout the tournament. Why couldn't anyone else like Klinsmann, Cantona, Papin, Stoichkov, and Romário outscore Rufer in that tournament?
Funny you should say that...Papin was never a prolific goalscorer...so much so, that despite winning the Ballon d'Or he wasn't even one of the 192 players to be picked in this draft. And once the draft was finished there were several other strikers that people referred to being left out ahead of him (Morientes/Tevez/Trezeguet/Di Natale/Higuain/Benzema to name a few).
Looking at the top scorers in that years CL Koeman was equal top with Rufer on 8 while Stoichkov had 7. Yes they went all the way to the final that year but they didn't play in the first round against the so-called whipping boys.
Can't really compare Cantona as United had a fleeting visit in Europe that year, only playing 4 games.
I like a lot of players in your team but just don't see there being enough creativity in midfield. That means that Serginho will be used as much as possible to burst forward (something he did well but a it too often). That space will be exploited by McManaman and the pace of Zamorano and his ability in the air (was very good for a small guy) would be perfect for balls into the box. Whether he would be strong enough in the air to beat Aldair and Pique is for the voters to decide.
You keep talking about lack of creativity, but where is the basis in that? Where is the support to your claims? I put through support to show that Donadoni and Bein are very creative footballers, and I have also shown that Rufer and Sheva are well-rounded footballers who can link up well with each other.
Heck, even Emerson has the ability to break down your defence as demonstrated in this video:
And whilst Zamorano is strong in the air, don't forget that Aldair was very strong aerially and also has the height to his advantage. You also have Piqué who became more robust and strong in the air after his time in England.
And with regards to Macca and Seedorf apparently being free to play their game, that's where our team is well-prepared to deal with that. Everyone is a tireless worker who will keep going on to the end. Donadoni will continuously keep Seedorf unsettled with his pressing and defensive determination. Both Cocu and Emerson have not only the energy levels but the tactical awareness to handle your midfield's movement and creativity (Cocu has been deployed as a left back/central defender on many occasions for Barcelona). Aldair has carried the Roma defence for several years before they really upgraded their team enough for a Scudetto challenge. Interestingly, Berthold's only time of success at Roma was when Aldair moved there, winning the Coppa Italia in his first season for Roma. Piqué wouldn't have been able to win 3 Champions Leagues if his team weren't capable of keeping out the best. When they beat us on the 2011 final, they had to knock out a better team than us in Real Madrid at the time, only conceding 1 goal against them. In the most recent Champions League win, they kept out teams like Juventus and PSG with Piqué in the lineup.
Good game, @Marty1968. In the end, our lack of big names in the attack screwed us over.
I really like both Bein and Rufer, but I'm disappointed that they will continue to remain unappreciated on the Caf.
Also, big thanks to @Boycott for being a good AM for me. Hopefully you'll get involved in more drafts in the future.
I really like both Bein and Rufer, but I'm disappointed that they will continue to remain unappreciated on the Caf.
Also, big thanks to @Boycott for being a good AM for me. Hopefully you'll get involved in more drafts in the future.
Cracking game mate guys...thought it might end up going to pens.
A few cracks to reinforce for the next round for me but the journey continues.
Will hopefully get to battle it out in the next draft! ;o)