Balu & Pedro's homage to Béla Guttmann
In the last game we focused on Guttmann's great Benfica side, but with the upcoming game against those versatile Germans, we need a different approach. During his time in Brazil Guttmann introduced tactics that would change the fate of the Brazilian nationalteam and lead to 3 World Cup titles in the next 4 tournaments. For this game we go more in that direction and start in a hopefully by our opponent unexpected 4-4-2/4-2-4 side. We brought Zizinho, the key player of Guttmann's Sao Paulo side and Pelé's idol, and the wonderful Nils Liedholm into the team and start Peñarol's longterm leftback, when they were the best club side in the world in the 60's, Omar Caetano.
During the draft we created a short journey along Guttmann's career with a few great stories and a bit of background information on our players. You can find them 'here'. Our first game also gives a lot of insight into Guttmann and our players, you can find it 'here'.
Tactics:
We can't go all out attacking in this game. If we push forward in high numbers, the central area in attack will be congested and that plays into the hands of an alltime great backline with hard working midfielders in front of them. Instead we want Puskas to drift around to drag the centerbacks away from each other, Eusebio to run through space, Liedholm to get away from Vogts. We're still an attacking team, but one that's slightly less direct, a bit more cautious but with incredible ball retention in midfield. Both Liedholm and Zizinho can tuck in and build a midfield triangle with Bozsik that is impossible to dispossess. We trick our opponent into commiting numbers forward, force Matthäus, Schuster, maybe even Vogts away from the defense to chase the ball in midfield and then hurt them with quick transitions towards the goal, get the ball in behind that defensive shield and let Eusébio run at the defense or use Liedholm's movement to get through the midfield and connect with Puskas. And the best part of it, there's a good chance that our opponent doesn't expect that approach at all.
Midfield:
We play wide midfielders instead of wingers who can provide width, but also move inside and create chances for our attackers. Both offer a lot of movement and defensive contribution. In the center the roles of Gonçalves and Bozsik haven't changed from the last game. Both together protect the defense and will enjoy the battle against Matthäus and Schuster. Especially Bozsik's accurate long passes will be important to find our attackers in the space between defense and midfield.
Here are just a few quotes to back up why our midfielders will control the game:
About Liedholm:
"According to legend, it took two years playing for Milan until Liedholm misplaced his first pass at the San Siro, the rarity prompting a five-minute ovation from the home crowd."
Pelé always said that Zizinho was the best player he ever saw:
"He is a complete player. He played in midfield, in attack, he scored goals, he could mark, head and cross."
About Bozsik:
"Not only was he able to spot the right pass at the right moment, his technique was impeccable. The youngster possessed a range of passing that allowed him to find distant targets, but he was also happy to play the simple ball if it meant retaining possession. Furthermore, he was almost impossible to dispossess as he shielded the ball so well from opponents."
Attack:
Puskás and Eusébio are the perfect comlementary striker pair for a 4-4-2, there's really nothing they can't do in and around the box. Two of the greatest attackers of all time, legends of the game. They're good for goals against any defense.
Defense:
For this game, we play a straight forward back four. Omar Caetano, a pacey leftback, who can contribute in attack and provide width. A ball playing centerback in Mauro Ramos, next to a great stopper in Roberto Matosas and a defensive fullback on the right in Cesare Maldini.
Final words:
Good luck and have fun
------------------------------------Pedro-Balu-------------------------------------------------------------------------Joga Bonito
Jogas Key Points
1) A ridiculously complete team with only 2 specialist outfield players, namely Schwarzenbeck and Vogts who were defensive stalwarts.
This results in fluid and effective transitions with the likes of Brehme, Beckenbauer, Schuster, Bonhof, Matthaus and Wimmer all capable of sitting deep, defending doggedly and winning the ball whilst being equally able to drive forward, pick a pass or score a goal themselves.
My team works together on the defensive front and the offensive front as well, with great fluidity.
2) Goals from all over the pitch. Be it a tap in from Heynckes, a blitzkrieg counter goal from Hoeness, a ferocious long shot from Der Kaiser or Brehme and a Schuster or Matthaus goal on their rampaging forays forward.
Don't even get me started on the pile drivers from Bonhof, Matthaus and Schuster as well.
3) Typical German functionality, steel, industry and cohesive team work. I may keep on banging on about terms such as 'industry', 'team-work' and 'solidity' but it is for a reason. When you are facing a gloriously talented and attacking team with the likes of Joya/Eusebio/Puskas/Augusto etc, these qualities become quintessential.
My team has tremendous industry and team-work from every single player bar Heynckes who is primarily a goal-scorer here. Even my wing-forwards/wide midfielders are capable of tucking in to aid midfield battles, tracking forwards if they drop to the halfway line for space and help out my full backs if they need it. Zero 'luxury' players or passengers.
4) The only thing missing from my team is Gerd Muller but Heynckes is a great player himself who has beaten Muller in the goalscoring stakes before.
5) Facing a phenomenal attack and a ridiculously talented team here.
However, if there is any team I can see beating his, it could very well be mine. Do not underestimate a well-oiled German machine and let's not forget 1954 WC Final, Miracle of Berne, when Germans beat the Mighty Magyars despite going 2 goals down in the first 8 mins.
I do not need to remind anyone of the 74 WC Final against Total Footballing Cruyff's Dutch either with the Dutch taking the lead even before the Germans could touch the ball.
Simply put, they were sensational teams who are amongst the pantheon of the greatest teams in the history of the game. If anything can triumph in the face of adversity and a more talented side, it is the German machine.
Defensive line
Deep.
Fairly self explanatory. Suicidal to play a high line against his pacey forwards and my aim is to have a deep and compact team, stifling and strangulating his team of space and time on the ball.
Tactical setup
My main strategy here is to cut off/limit the supply line to his brilliant forwards. For instance I can bank on Vogts to deal with his left wing forward 8 out of 10 times but his forward is good enough to create something in those 2 opportunities. It's vital to limit these 1 on 1 scenarios. As such, I'm not really defending from the back but from the front.
In essence my team consists of 'filters' of sort to stifle his team and limit dangerous encounters in the final third. If anything leaks through, I will back my fantastic defense to deal with it.
First line of defense
As I said earlier, Hoeness and Wimmer are going to be hybrid wing forward-wide midfielders here. Capable of tucking into midfield or tailing their forwards whenever they drop deep. Hoeness will be slightly more adventurous and will look to utilize his pace on the counter.
Don't mistake Wimmer as a purely limited defensive forward either. He had a great cross on him, excellent pace, verve and was a terrific dribbler, in fact his nickname "Hacki" arose from his dribbling prowess. He is one of the most industrious players I've ever seen and will be a constant thorn in his forward line and defense as well.
Midfield battle
Once again my midfield will keep things tight and compact in the middle with special attention being reserved for Bozsik who is the metronome and the heart beat of his team. Bonhof is the holding midfielder who also has to keep an eye on any midfield runners such as Coluna or Zizinho.
Defense
I'm going for more of a zonal defense here than a man marking one. His attack is going to be extremely fluid and I would rather my defense held its shape (unless the situation absolutely calls for it) than be dragged all over the place. If their forwards are constantly dropping back, they will have to contend for scarce space in an extremely congested area.
Beckenbauer and Brehme to be more conservative in this match and rely more on their terrific vision
In the last game we focused on Guttmann's great Benfica side, but with the upcoming game against those versatile Germans, we need a different approach. During his time in Brazil Guttmann introduced tactics that would change the fate of the Brazilian nationalteam and lead to 3 World Cup titles in the next 4 tournaments. For this game we go more in that direction and start in a hopefully by our opponent unexpected 4-4-2/4-2-4 side. We brought Zizinho, the key player of Guttmann's Sao Paulo side and Pelé's idol, and the wonderful Nils Liedholm into the team and start Peñarol's longterm leftback, when they were the best club side in the world in the 60's, Omar Caetano.
During the draft we created a short journey along Guttmann's career with a few great stories and a bit of background information on our players. You can find them 'here'. Our first game also gives a lot of insight into Guttmann and our players, you can find it 'here'.
Tactics:
We can't go all out attacking in this game. If we push forward in high numbers, the central area in attack will be congested and that plays into the hands of an alltime great backline with hard working midfielders in front of them. Instead we want Puskas to drift around to drag the centerbacks away from each other, Eusebio to run through space, Liedholm to get away from Vogts. We're still an attacking team, but one that's slightly less direct, a bit more cautious but with incredible ball retention in midfield. Both Liedholm and Zizinho can tuck in and build a midfield triangle with Bozsik that is impossible to dispossess. We trick our opponent into commiting numbers forward, force Matthäus, Schuster, maybe even Vogts away from the defense to chase the ball in midfield and then hurt them with quick transitions towards the goal, get the ball in behind that defensive shield and let Eusébio run at the defense or use Liedholm's movement to get through the midfield and connect with Puskas. And the best part of it, there's a good chance that our opponent doesn't expect that approach at all.
Midfield:
We play wide midfielders instead of wingers who can provide width, but also move inside and create chances for our attackers. Both offer a lot of movement and defensive contribution. In the center the roles of Gonçalves and Bozsik haven't changed from the last game. Both together protect the defense and will enjoy the battle against Matthäus and Schuster. Especially Bozsik's accurate long passes will be important to find our attackers in the space between defense and midfield.
Here are just a few quotes to back up why our midfielders will control the game:
About Liedholm:
"According to legend, it took two years playing for Milan until Liedholm misplaced his first pass at the San Siro, the rarity prompting a five-minute ovation from the home crowd."
Pelé always said that Zizinho was the best player he ever saw:
"He is a complete player. He played in midfield, in attack, he scored goals, he could mark, head and cross."
About Bozsik:
"Not only was he able to spot the right pass at the right moment, his technique was impeccable. The youngster possessed a range of passing that allowed him to find distant targets, but he was also happy to play the simple ball if it meant retaining possession. Furthermore, he was almost impossible to dispossess as he shielded the ball so well from opponents."
Attack:
Puskás and Eusébio are the perfect comlementary striker pair for a 4-4-2, there's really nothing they can't do in and around the box. Two of the greatest attackers of all time, legends of the game. They're good for goals against any defense.
Defense:
For this game, we play a straight forward back four. Omar Caetano, a pacey leftback, who can contribute in attack and provide width. A ball playing centerback in Mauro Ramos, next to a great stopper in Roberto Matosas and a defensive fullback on the right in Cesare Maldini.
Final words:
Good luck and have fun
------------------------------------Pedro-Balu-------------------------------------------------------------------------Joga Bonito
Jogas Key Points
1) A ridiculously complete team with only 2 specialist outfield players, namely Schwarzenbeck and Vogts who were defensive stalwarts.
This results in fluid and effective transitions with the likes of Brehme, Beckenbauer, Schuster, Bonhof, Matthaus and Wimmer all capable of sitting deep, defending doggedly and winning the ball whilst being equally able to drive forward, pick a pass or score a goal themselves.
My team works together on the defensive front and the offensive front as well, with great fluidity.
2) Goals from all over the pitch. Be it a tap in from Heynckes, a blitzkrieg counter goal from Hoeness, a ferocious long shot from Der Kaiser or Brehme and a Schuster or Matthaus goal on their rampaging forays forward.
Don't even get me started on the pile drivers from Bonhof, Matthaus and Schuster as well.
3) Typical German functionality, steel, industry and cohesive team work. I may keep on banging on about terms such as 'industry', 'team-work' and 'solidity' but it is for a reason. When you are facing a gloriously talented and attacking team with the likes of Joya/Eusebio/Puskas/Augusto etc, these qualities become quintessential.
My team has tremendous industry and team-work from every single player bar Heynckes who is primarily a goal-scorer here. Even my wing-forwards/wide midfielders are capable of tucking in to aid midfield battles, tracking forwards if they drop to the halfway line for space and help out my full backs if they need it. Zero 'luxury' players or passengers.
4) The only thing missing from my team is Gerd Muller but Heynckes is a great player himself who has beaten Muller in the goalscoring stakes before.
5) Facing a phenomenal attack and a ridiculously talented team here.
However, if there is any team I can see beating his, it could very well be mine. Do not underestimate a well-oiled German machine and let's not forget 1954 WC Final, Miracle of Berne, when Germans beat the Mighty Magyars despite going 2 goals down in the first 8 mins.
I do not need to remind anyone of the 74 WC Final against Total Footballing Cruyff's Dutch either with the Dutch taking the lead even before the Germans could touch the ball.
Simply put, they were sensational teams who are amongst the pantheon of the greatest teams in the history of the game. If anything can triumph in the face of adversity and a more talented side, it is the German machine.
Defensive line
Deep.
Fairly self explanatory. Suicidal to play a high line against his pacey forwards and my aim is to have a deep and compact team, stifling and strangulating his team of space and time on the ball.
Tactical setup
My main strategy here is to cut off/limit the supply line to his brilliant forwards. For instance I can bank on Vogts to deal with his left wing forward 8 out of 10 times but his forward is good enough to create something in those 2 opportunities. It's vital to limit these 1 on 1 scenarios. As such, I'm not really defending from the back but from the front.
In essence my team consists of 'filters' of sort to stifle his team and limit dangerous encounters in the final third. If anything leaks through, I will back my fantastic defense to deal with it.
First line of defense
As I said earlier, Hoeness and Wimmer are going to be hybrid wing forward-wide midfielders here. Capable of tucking into midfield or tailing their forwards whenever they drop deep. Hoeness will be slightly more adventurous and will look to utilize his pace on the counter.
Don't mistake Wimmer as a purely limited defensive forward either. He had a great cross on him, excellent pace, verve and was a terrific dribbler, in fact his nickname "Hacki" arose from his dribbling prowess. He is one of the most industrious players I've ever seen and will be a constant thorn in his forward line and defense as well.
Midfield battle
Once again my midfield will keep things tight and compact in the middle with special attention being reserved for Bozsik who is the metronome and the heart beat of his team. Bonhof is the holding midfielder who also has to keep an eye on any midfield runners such as Coluna or Zizinho.
Defense
I'm going for more of a zonal defense here than a man marking one. His attack is going to be extremely fluid and I would rather my defense held its shape (unless the situation absolutely calls for it) than be dragged all over the place. If their forwards are constantly dropping back, they will have to contend for scarce space in an extremely congested area.
Beckenbauer and Brehme to be more conservative in this match and rely more on their terrific vision
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