Pat_Mustard
EAP
Pat_Mustard Tactics
Formation: Lobanovsky-inspired 4-1-3-2
Attack as a team and defend as a team. The team was built to press hard and and play direct, full-throttle football. No undue emphasis on possession here, just wave after wave of swift attacks with plenty of players pouring forward, whether we win the ball back high up the pitch or further back. The tireless Ian Rush sets the tone as a forward who will run himself into the ground out-of-possession.
We're facing one of the deadliest counter-attacking players ever in Eusebio, and we established in the last match that Lobanovski was in fact highly pragmatic as to when to press high and when to sit deeper. Nonetheless, we're doubling down on the high press as our go-to strategy here. Edgar's backline, particularly with an old-fashioned destroyer type like Pluskal at DM, doesn't look particularly well-equipped to deal with an intense press. Hierro was a magnificent long-range passer given time and space, but he wasn't particularly nimble with the ball at his feet and was prone to impetuosity - he'll not enjoy a terrier like Rush being on his toes constantly.
Formation:
4-3-2-1 (4-3-3 flexible)
Why I'll win:
GOALS! GOALS! .... Two forwards who averageed more than a goal per game during their stated 3 year peak!
Uwe Seeler:
- 1958-59: 34 goals in 32 appearances
- 1959-60: 49 goals in 34 appearances [Balon d'Or 3rd place]]
- 1960-61: 42 goals in 36 appearances
- 1961-62: 32 goals in 30 appearances
Eusebio:
- 1963-64: 46 goals in 28 appearances
- 1964-65: 48 goals in 36 appearances [Balon d'Or Winner]
- 1965-66: 37 goals in 30 appearances
- 1966-67: 42 goals in 33 appearances
Though technically a 4-3-2-1 is a central focused formation, this team is packed with players comfortable in wide areas making it flexible to shift to 4-3-3. This offers a wide variety of attacking outlets that's hard to defend against.
EAP
Pat_Mustard Tactics
Formation: Lobanovsky-inspired 4-1-3-2
Attack as a team and defend as a team. The team was built to press hard and and play direct, full-throttle football. No undue emphasis on possession here, just wave after wave of swift attacks with plenty of players pouring forward, whether we win the ball back high up the pitch or further back. The tireless Ian Rush sets the tone as a forward who will run himself into the ground out-of-possession.
We're facing one of the deadliest counter-attacking players ever in Eusebio, and we established in the last match that Lobanovski was in fact highly pragmatic as to when to press high and when to sit deeper. Nonetheless, we're doubling down on the high press as our go-to strategy here. Edgar's backline, particularly with an old-fashioned destroyer type like Pluskal at DM, doesn't look particularly well-equipped to deal with an intense press. Hierro was a magnificent long-range passer given time and space, but he wasn't particularly nimble with the ball at his feet and was prone to impetuosity - he'll not enjoy a terrier like Rush being on his toes constantly.
- Uli Stein was one of a long line of slightly insane German goalkeepers and, usefully for a high-line defence, he was quite happy to come off his line. Kicker magazine describes him as "one of Germany’s all-time greatest goalkeepers who enjoyed an outstanding career in the Bundesliga despite inciting several scandals. Uli Stein must be rated as a truly complete goalkeeper, very strong in all aspects of goalkeeping, terrific on the line and at leaving his goal, in one-on-one situations, a very charismatic figure, a dominant person with an aggressive mentality."
- Stam and Mozer were monsters athletically and both have experience in high line defences - there's few better pairings to defend those big spaces behind them, and deal with 1v1s when we're facing the counter attack.
- Andy Robertson and Manuel Amoros seem ideal Lobanovsky full-backs - tenacious defenders with excellent attacking output, and the energy to charge up and down their flanks all day.
- I bid a reluctant farewell to Konkov and replace him with the relentlessly competitive German Uli Stielike. Kicker sums him up neatly as "a highly-talented, hard-running and hard-working defensive midfielder with a penchant for adamant tackling. As a midfielder, Stielike was a destroyer and a creator at the same time, with an emphasis on destroying...One of the reasons why Stielike was so revered in Spain was because he was so consistent. It looked almost like Stielike could not play badly at all.
- With Stielike as the reference point as the holding player, the other three midfielders have freedom to interchange and surge forward in search of goals. Breitner, the sumptiously gifted dynamo who would pop up all over the pitch, seems ideal for this system. Kevin De Bruyne has established himself as one of the greatest chance-creation machines in modern football, as well as being a ceaseless runner and team-player. Before he became an oddball manager, Felix Magath was a gifted attacking midfielder who led Hamburg throughout the most successful era in their history. Another grafter, whose very pronounced preference for operating down the inside and outside left channels makes him a good fit here.
- Double Ballon d'Or winner, thoroughbred athlete, excellent technician and a proper team player: Rummenigge is a potential matchwinner in any company. Factor in that he hit his peak after moving off the flanks into a two-man frontline, and that he's reunited here with his most-celebrated partner in crime Paul Breitner, and his threat is ratcheted up even more.
- It was noted in the Dead Drafters thread regarding Lobanovsky's 70s Dynamo team that they really lacked a ruthless CF to convert their dominance into goals. Ian Rush looks a quality remedy - prolific, extremely fast, and tidy in the build up, he was also an incredible grafter.
Formation:
4-3-2-1 (4-3-3 flexible)
Why I'll win:
GOALS! GOALS! .... Two forwards who averageed more than a goal per game during their stated 3 year peak!
Uwe Seeler:
- 1958-59: 34 goals in 32 appearances
- 1959-60: 49 goals in 34 appearances [Balon d'Or 3rd place]]
- 1960-61: 42 goals in 36 appearances
- 1961-62: 32 goals in 30 appearances
Eusebio:
- 1963-64: 46 goals in 28 appearances
- 1964-65: 48 goals in 36 appearances [Balon d'Or Winner]
- 1965-66: 37 goals in 30 appearances
- 1966-67: 42 goals in 33 appearances
Though technically a 4-3-2-1 is a central focused formation, this team is packed with players comfortable in wide areas making it flexible to shift to 4-3-3. This offers a wide variety of attacking outlets that's hard to defend against.
- A solid defence that can shut most opposition while still offering good attack buildup from the back.
- A proper two way bridge midfield built on Pluskal's defensive shield. Netto's defensive astuteness and direct passing complimenting with Fracescoli's playmaking and Neesken's more creative and expansive style meshing well with Eusebio's direct running. Lots of one-touch passing between Netto and Neeskens will make it a fast and fluid attack!
- A attacking trio that can overpower even the most staunchest of the defenses. Lots of creativity and goal scoring packing in.
- Pagliuca is one of the best GKs of his era and one of Italy's best GKs ever. Excellent reactions and shot stopping abilities, good positioning and competent in ball distribution.
- HP Briegel and A Benarrivo - Industrious and robust fullbacks who can cover a flank all by themselves. Solid defensively and able to provide a good outlet with incisive running and good crossing.
- Oscar Ruggeri and Fernando Hierro - Classic Sweeper/Stopper combo with Heirro's positioning and playmaking compliments well with Ruggeri's physical skills.
- Svatoplusk Pluskal - [Full Profile] One of the best DMs of his era, a physically imposing yet tactically astute midfielder whose partnership with Netto is very similar to his real life stint with Masopust. Tireless workhorse.
- Igor Netto and Johan Neeskens - Two top notch midfield playmakers who offer abundance of creativity from the deep. High defensive workrate when off the ball have the vision and creativity to build plays from the deep, they are a perfect bridge between defence and attack. +++ is their ability to cover wide areas making them hard to track when on the ball. Offers a lot of flexibility in the way out team moves the ball forward.
- Enzo Francescoli and Eusebio - A perfect blend of attacking playmaking, physicality and direct running. Both are comfortable drifting out wide, dropping deep or link up centrally giving this team lots of flexibility making them hard to defend against. The team could seamlessly morph to a 4-3-3 making it easy to exploit gaps and open spaces for themselves or others to score.
- Uwe Seeler - Complete all action CF with pace and physicality to bully defenders and movement to drag them all over opening opportunities for others. Perfect fit to lead the line.
