PLAYER PROFILES
It is homage to Juventus and Italy sides of the early 80’s. This is Trap’s Zona Mista – “an introduction of a total football to catenaccio”, as Gentile once said. It’s a mix of zonal defence and man-marking system, which lead Juventus and Italy to a great success in the end of 70’s and in early 80’s (which includes the World Cup). My team is perfectly suited to soak up pressure and to hit the opponent on the counter.
Defence:
Zoff-Scirea-Gentile-Cuccureddu are a part of one of the best backlines in history, that has a better lost goal-per-game (0,67) and clean-sheet (0,52) ratio than Herrera’s Inter and Sacchi’s Milan. They are partnered with Bergomi – on of the best and most consistent defenders of all times, with whom Zoff, Scirea and Gentile played in the last games of 1982 World-Cup. Scirea also provides brilliant distribution from the back.
Midfield:
Furino and Tardelli – another proven partnership here, are shielding them. Furino is restricted to stay back and Tardelli has the freedom to join the attack if needed – that’s how they played together and they did it brilliant. One not to be underrated – Furino holds the record of the most Serie A trophies won, while being the integral part of the most title-winning teams. He usually makes it to Juventus All-time XI. Tardelli was a Kean-ish box-to-box, better defender, but a marginally inferior passer, I’d say, with a habit of scoring match-winning goals (World Cup golden goal stands out, of course).
On flanks there is a well-balanced duo of Causio and Boniek. Both are comfortable on either side and both are responsible for providing width and pace in my counters. Both were also very hardworking players. One not to be underrated – Franco Causio, one of the most talented Italian wingers ever, voted as the best ala destro (right-sided attacker) in Juventus history and 4 times Ballon D’Or nominee.
Attack:
In his best role – as a playmaker, which regularly finds himself on top of the goalscoring charts, my team has Michel Platini. One of the best players in history – and, no doubt, a superior player to Skizzo’s 1982 Maradona. Not much can be said about him – he will be the conductor of my orchestra, dropping back to help in midfield battle and rushing forward to score himself. Also, a frightening Platini-Boniek’s partnership is reunited here.
Probably the one thing that Juventus was lacking was a really prolific goalscorer on top – and no surprise that Italy’s World Cup win had coincided with Paolo Rossi’s purple patch. In my team up top I have Gabriel Batistuta, the best Argentinian striker ever and the best that Maradona had ever seen, by his own admission. He will terrorize central defenders with his unmatched in-the-box movement and you can’t leave him alone in front of the box either, we all remember his famous turn-and-shoot move.
Couple of points about the opponent and my specific tactics:
- My relatively narrow defence is well suited to face my opponent – he only has his fullbacks to threat me from the flanks and all his main firepower is concentrated in center.
- Two of my defenders made their names by facing and marking out of the game two of Skizzo’s attackers. Gentile famously marked out of the game Maradona in 1982 and 18-years old Bergomi marked out peak Rummenigge from 1982 World-Cup final.
- Causio and Boniek will create havoc by their movement – flanks are always the weak spot in diamond formation and this weak spot will be well exploited by my wingers.
- I think the fact that 9 of my 11 players played together and achieved great success should be taken into consideration.
Couple of points about my opponent’s players under Lattek:
- Kohler and Reuter are 34 and 33 years old. Both already retired from National team, they finished this season with Borussia Dortmund 11th! Lattek managed them for 5 final games that season, 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat. In the league Borussia had 9-13-12 record. Needless to say, they were way off their peak – and Reuter’s main attribute always was his pace, which he, unsurprisingly, lost at this point.
- Maradona under Lattek isn’t Napoli’s Maradona or Maradona of 1986 World-Cup. Still a fantastic and truly special player, he didn’t have the best time in Barca. And, if we are true to our theme, I think that his conflict with Lattek, which ended with Lattek’s being sacked, should be also taken into consideration.
-----------------------------------------Harms -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Skizzo
Changes
I'll be lining up in a similar set up to my first game, but with two defensive changes/upgrade. Reuter will be coming in into the right full back position, and Kohler will line up alongside Augenthaler in the center of defence. Reuter gives me much more pace down the right flank, on both offence and defence, giving him a better chance to use his attributes against harms' left mid/wing (I assume Boniek). Kohler and Augenthaler will form an organized and imposing central partnership. Both tough tackling, and good in the air, they will need to be at their best to keep an eye on Rossi and Batistuta.
Tactics
My tactics will be similar to the first game, in that I look to maintain position and attack swiftly. I assume harms will play Platini behind Batistuta and Rossi, and will use Boniek in a wider role. That being the case, they will look to cause damage, and are capable of doing so. In my set up, I have a back 4, and a defensive minded midfielder in Stielike who will look to fill the gap between the defence and midfield, and limit the areas Platini has to work in. Having two other midfielders in the mold of Lerby and Roth means they are both aggressive enough, and possess the stamina and work rate, to play box to box, hounding harms' players when we are on defence, and pushing up to support my attack when we have the ball.
I am going to take a guess that harms will be making it a point to mention Gentile vs Maradona. A few points I'd like to make in that regards now. In that Argentina team of 82, Diego was the main focus of attack, which allowed Gentile to follow him and nullify the threat. In my set up, I have many more outlets, and if Gentile is dragged away from that pocket of space in front of his back 4, then Lerby and Roth will gladly fill it and take advantage. Plus in my case here, I have two of the greatest German goalscorers of all time ahead of Maradona, meaning there is a deadly threat from two other outlets even closer to goal. Maradona, even the young Barca Maradona, was capable of influencing a game in many ways. If he receives the ball, with the movement he will have available around him in this team, he is much better equipped to deal with the Gentile "problem" than in that Argentina team. Plus, Gentile would likely be seeing the dressing room earlier than the rest of the team if he keeps up with that rate of fouls every time.
Key Points to consider
Good luck harms.
It is homage to Juventus and Italy sides of the early 80’s. This is Trap’s Zona Mista – “an introduction of a total football to catenaccio”, as Gentile once said. It’s a mix of zonal defence and man-marking system, which lead Juventus and Italy to a great success in the end of 70’s and in early 80’s (which includes the World Cup). My team is perfectly suited to soak up pressure and to hit the opponent on the counter.
Defence:
Zoff-Scirea-Gentile-Cuccureddu are a part of one of the best backlines in history, that has a better lost goal-per-game (0,67) and clean-sheet (0,52) ratio than Herrera’s Inter and Sacchi’s Milan. They are partnered with Bergomi – on of the best and most consistent defenders of all times, with whom Zoff, Scirea and Gentile played in the last games of 1982 World-Cup. Scirea also provides brilliant distribution from the back.
Midfield:
Furino and Tardelli – another proven partnership here, are shielding them. Furino is restricted to stay back and Tardelli has the freedom to join the attack if needed – that’s how they played together and they did it brilliant. One not to be underrated – Furino holds the record of the most Serie A trophies won, while being the integral part of the most title-winning teams. He usually makes it to Juventus All-time XI. Tardelli was a Kean-ish box-to-box, better defender, but a marginally inferior passer, I’d say, with a habit of scoring match-winning goals (World Cup golden goal stands out, of course).
On flanks there is a well-balanced duo of Causio and Boniek. Both are comfortable on either side and both are responsible for providing width and pace in my counters. Both were also very hardworking players. One not to be underrated – Franco Causio, one of the most talented Italian wingers ever, voted as the best ala destro (right-sided attacker) in Juventus history and 4 times Ballon D’Or nominee.
Attack:
In his best role – as a playmaker, which regularly finds himself on top of the goalscoring charts, my team has Michel Platini. One of the best players in history – and, no doubt, a superior player to Skizzo’s 1982 Maradona. Not much can be said about him – he will be the conductor of my orchestra, dropping back to help in midfield battle and rushing forward to score himself. Also, a frightening Platini-Boniek’s partnership is reunited here.
Probably the one thing that Juventus was lacking was a really prolific goalscorer on top – and no surprise that Italy’s World Cup win had coincided with Paolo Rossi’s purple patch. In my team up top I have Gabriel Batistuta, the best Argentinian striker ever and the best that Maradona had ever seen, by his own admission. He will terrorize central defenders with his unmatched in-the-box movement and you can’t leave him alone in front of the box either, we all remember his famous turn-and-shoot move.
Couple of points about the opponent and my specific tactics:
- My relatively narrow defence is well suited to face my opponent – he only has his fullbacks to threat me from the flanks and all his main firepower is concentrated in center.
- Two of my defenders made their names by facing and marking out of the game two of Skizzo’s attackers. Gentile famously marked out of the game Maradona in 1982 and 18-years old Bergomi marked out peak Rummenigge from 1982 World-Cup final.
- Causio and Boniek will create havoc by their movement – flanks are always the weak spot in diamond formation and this weak spot will be well exploited by my wingers.
- I think the fact that 9 of my 11 players played together and achieved great success should be taken into consideration.
Couple of points about my opponent’s players under Lattek:
- Kohler and Reuter are 34 and 33 years old. Both already retired from National team, they finished this season with Borussia Dortmund 11th! Lattek managed them for 5 final games that season, 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat. In the league Borussia had 9-13-12 record. Needless to say, they were way off their peak – and Reuter’s main attribute always was his pace, which he, unsurprisingly, lost at this point.
- Maradona under Lattek isn’t Napoli’s Maradona or Maradona of 1986 World-Cup. Still a fantastic and truly special player, he didn’t have the best time in Barca. And, if we are true to our theme, I think that his conflict with Lattek, which ended with Lattek’s being sacked, should be also taken into consideration.
-----------------------------------------Harms -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Skizzo
Changes
I'll be lining up in a similar set up to my first game, but with two defensive changes/upgrade. Reuter will be coming in into the right full back position, and Kohler will line up alongside Augenthaler in the center of defence. Reuter gives me much more pace down the right flank, on both offence and defence, giving him a better chance to use his attributes against harms' left mid/wing (I assume Boniek). Kohler and Augenthaler will form an organized and imposing central partnership. Both tough tackling, and good in the air, they will need to be at their best to keep an eye on Rossi and Batistuta.
Tactics
My tactics will be similar to the first game, in that I look to maintain position and attack swiftly. I assume harms will play Platini behind Batistuta and Rossi, and will use Boniek in a wider role. That being the case, they will look to cause damage, and are capable of doing so. In my set up, I have a back 4, and a defensive minded midfielder in Stielike who will look to fill the gap between the defence and midfield, and limit the areas Platini has to work in. Having two other midfielders in the mold of Lerby and Roth means they are both aggressive enough, and possess the stamina and work rate, to play box to box, hounding harms' players when we are on defence, and pushing up to support my attack when we have the ball.
I am going to take a guess that harms will be making it a point to mention Gentile vs Maradona. A few points I'd like to make in that regards now. In that Argentina team of 82, Diego was the main focus of attack, which allowed Gentile to follow him and nullify the threat. In my set up, I have many more outlets, and if Gentile is dragged away from that pocket of space in front of his back 4, then Lerby and Roth will gladly fill it and take advantage. Plus in my case here, I have two of the greatest German goalscorers of all time ahead of Maradona, meaning there is a deadly threat from two other outlets even closer to goal. Maradona, even the young Barca Maradona, was capable of influencing a game in many ways. If he receives the ball, with the movement he will have available around him in this team, he is much better equipped to deal with the Gentile "problem" than in that Argentina team. Plus, Gentile would likely be seeing the dressing room earlier than the rest of the team if he keeps up with that rate of fouls every time.
Key Points to consider
- As mentioned above already, there is a much different dynamic to any battles between Gentile and Maradona. Having Muller and Rummenigge ahead of Maradona, means there is much more of a threat with this team than with the Argentina team that faced Gentile.
- Muller is one of, if not the, best goalscorer of all time. 68 goals for Germany in 62 games. 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games. 66 goals in 74 European games. Averaging more than a goal a game with West Germany, Müller is now eleventh on the list of all time international goalscorers despite playing fewer matches than every other player in the top 25. This will be a close game with two organized defences. Muller provides the difference and the edge that can score the deciding goal in a close game.
- Rummenigge had fantastic technique on the ball, and often played deeper. In the last game, he was used higher up to allow Maradona to pull the strings from deep. If Gentile is indeed going to man mark Maradona, Diego will be instructed to clear space to allow Rummenigge to drop into the pocket and link up play with Muller, or Lerby/Roth/Breitner if they are making the run.
Good luck harms.
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I love Allan Simonsen, back when I had him in the 50s draft I played that clip so many times I spent months humming "We'll be coming" 
But he is not just a brilliant player, his attitude was great, like a vastly more talented Jimmy Bullard.