Welcome to the Road Trip Draft II KO Stage.
Only the club career for the clubs mentioned against player names will be considered for evaluation. No national teams performances count whatsoever.
TEAM JIM BEAM
Tactics: 4-2-3-1 with Di Stefano operating between the lines
Strategy: Very aggressive and attacking. Outwork and outplay the opponent. Win the midfield battle, cutting the main supply for harms attack
Playing style: high-tempo, aggressive and fluid
The team will be run by one of the most special players the world has ever seen, also known as „Don Alfredo“ or the „Blond Arrow“ who had a unique ability to completely steal the game with his rhythm and dynamism.
This is the Don version from Spain who helped inspire Madrid to 8 Spanish league titles and 5 European Cups between 1953 and 1964 or the man who made Real Madrid the biggest force in world football.
Di Stefano Real Madrid stats: 396 games/307 goals or 0.78 goals per game and all that while dictating the game and contributing in both defensive and offensive phase of the game like no other player before or after him. If this was basketball you would easily call Di Stefano the best 2-way player the world has ever seen.
In the attacking phase Di Stefano will be helped by one of the greatest strikers of all time and 3 times Ballon d'Or winner Marco van Basten or the "Ultimate center-forward" flanked by Tom Finney and Luis Figo.
To insure that the midfield battle is won behind Di Stefano will operate two b2b machines with fantastic defensive ability in Roy Keane and Jean Tigana.
Behind them is a complementary pairing of ball-playing CB in Marius Trésor and one of greatest center back that ever played in Serie A in Pietro Vierchowod. (a tenacious and physical left-footed CB, who possessed great pace and was regarded as one of Italy's best ever defenders. He was also considered as one of the fastest defenders in the world and one of the toughest Serie A defenders of the 1980s and the 1990s).
Left-back position is occupied by K-H Schnellinger who won Footballer of the Year in Germany and was placed 3rd in Ballon d'Or playing as a left-back. The same year he was the best player and lead FC Koln to their 1st (of overall 2) Bundesliga titles. Right-back position is occupied by Phillip Lahm. No introduction needed.
Conclusion: harms has a better defensive shield on paper (well, in reality too). Cole has a very good record against Figo on the international stage while Baresi is Baresi.
Still, I definitely don't think he has enough power upfront and will struggle to hold Di Stefano to take control of the game and win it in the end.
Count Van Basten, Finney, and Figo and he will be under more pressure certainly.
TEAM HARMS
Jim Beam has a team full of amazing players that fit together very well. Honestly, I probably wouldn't vote here if I was a neutral, so keep in mind that every criticism that you'll read from that point is more of a talking point rather than a real flaw. I feel that my defense is better and I'd say that I have a slight edge in midfield, but he has a scary GOAT duo upfront with Di Stefano being a major influence all over the pitch, so it kinda evens things out.
Argentina's finest?
I know that goalkeepers don't mean jack shit in our drafts but in tight games they should be the first thing we look at. Football is a low-scoring game and one or two saves can be a difference between a win and a loss. In this case, the gulp in quality is quite obvious, even though it's great vs very good and not something more drastic. Since Carrizo and Roma were compatriots, they've been compared many times. Here are the results of IFFHS' Century Elections for South America:
Paco Gento vs Philipp Lahm
Again, I don't want to turn it into Philipp Lahm's character assassination, so keep in mind that this is a scenario where everything goes wrong — obviously lots of times he will be able to deal with it by other means like intercepting the ball early, for example. Still, there is a reason why Lahm, for all his intelligence, isn't rated alongside the likes of Cafu and Zanetti — he was never an athlete and he doesn't have any real recovery pace, if he's beaten or caught of position (I've been rewatching tons of highlights for this and it happened surprisingly often), he's done. Now, he's up against the ultimate speed merchant in Gento to take advantage of that — with Netzer, Falcão & co ready to send him on a run. Take a look at the way Gento played against Djalma Santos in 1962. You can see how wary Djalma is of his pace, how smart and cautious in his positioning... but if there's even an inch of free space, Gento just sprints forward and there's no stopping him. I'm using a clip from the World Cup as this is more of a theoretical issue — Gento was actually better for Madrid than for Spain, and did it without a great playmaker like Di Stefano or Suarez behind him, as both left on the bench for some weird reason.
Ashley Cole vs Luís Figo
You're more likely to see those two names together in a list of football's most controversial transfers, but they've also faced each other on the pitch — 4 times to be precise, and Figo failed to score or assist in all of those games. Those were all international games though, so they should be excluded, but I'd say that it's a reasonable claim that Cole will be a very tough opponent for the Portuguese. After all, Cashley is probably the best defensive left back of modern times who has an outstanding record even against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben.
Günter Netzer
Even though in this game he'd be compared with Di Stefano (and there's only one possible outcome in such a comparison), I want to highlight Günter Netzer here. In the early 1970s, Gladbach were embroiled in a tit for tat rivalry with the giants of German football Bayern Munich. Between 1969 and 1977, the two dominated the Bundesliga, with Gladbach claiming five titles to Bayern’s four. Bayern also won three successive European Cups, but domestically they were inseparable. It was depicted as good versus evil, the demonic FC Hollywood against the loveable Foals, a nickname bestowed upon Gladbach due to the youthful profile of their squad.
The two star players of both clubs became synonymous with those ideas. Everything came naturally to Franz Beckenbauer, blessed with supreme talent and instinctive genius. As Hesse pointed out, though, his nickname, Der Kaiser, suggested “aloofness” and “conservatism”. Netzer was the total antithesis of Beckenbauer. His first biography was titled Rebel am Ball (Rebel on the Ball), but his middle-class background belies any such tales. Still, his playing style endeared him to the masses.
Günter Netzer would become the Footballer of the Year in Germany for 2 years in a row (something that neither Beckenbauer nor Müller were able to replicate) — in 1972 and 1973, right in the middle of the Golden Era of German football. His stats were incredible — right until he decided to move to Real Madrid, which caused quite a stir.
Do I need to mention that after Real Madrid signed him as an answer to Barcelona signing Johan Cruyff, they've won 2 La Ligas and 2 Copa Del Reys in 3 years that he had spent there?
Jairzinho
There's an obvious question regarding Jairzinho's role at Botafogo, since the Brazil team of the 1970 World Cup is known as "The Five 10s". Jairzinho started his career at the right wing and was seen as a successor of Garrincha (both at Botafogo and at Seleção). In the first years (from what I've gathered it looks like he became a regular around 1963 or 1964) he either played on the right wing when Garrincha wasn't on the pitch or played as a right-sided striker in 4-2-4 with Garrincha on the wing, going wide when Mané cut inside. After Garrincha left he got the right wing for himself, but after 1966 his role at the team became more and more important. At the peak of his powers, wearing a №10 shirt, he played as a free-roaming forward that spent a lot of time on the wings (more often on the right, but he also appeared on the left from time to time), a role that very much resembled his role for the Seleção. The only difference was that he saw more of the ball. It's worth noticing that Gérson, another one of those "Five 10s", came to Botafogo in 1963 and played the role of their main playmaker.
And, of course, I've made a video about Jairzinho's career at Botafogo:
Only the club career for the clubs mentioned against player names will be considered for evaluation. No national teams performances count whatsoever.
TEAM JIM BEAM
Tactics: 4-2-3-1 with Di Stefano operating between the lines
Strategy: Very aggressive and attacking. Outwork and outplay the opponent. Win the midfield battle, cutting the main supply for harms attack
Playing style: high-tempo, aggressive and fluid
The team will be run by one of the most special players the world has ever seen, also known as „Don Alfredo“ or the „Blond Arrow“ who had a unique ability to completely steal the game with his rhythm and dynamism.
This is the Don version from Spain who helped inspire Madrid to 8 Spanish league titles and 5 European Cups between 1953 and 1964 or the man who made Real Madrid the biggest force in world football.
Di Stefano Real Madrid stats: 396 games/307 goals or 0.78 goals per game and all that while dictating the game and contributing in both defensive and offensive phase of the game like no other player before or after him. If this was basketball you would easily call Di Stefano the best 2-way player the world has ever seen.
In the attacking phase Di Stefano will be helped by one of the greatest strikers of all time and 3 times Ballon d'Or winner Marco van Basten or the "Ultimate center-forward" flanked by Tom Finney and Luis Figo.
To insure that the midfield battle is won behind Di Stefano will operate two b2b machines with fantastic defensive ability in Roy Keane and Jean Tigana.
Behind them is a complementary pairing of ball-playing CB in Marius Trésor and one of greatest center back that ever played in Serie A in Pietro Vierchowod. (a tenacious and physical left-footed CB, who possessed great pace and was regarded as one of Italy's best ever defenders. He was also considered as one of the fastest defenders in the world and one of the toughest Serie A defenders of the 1980s and the 1990s).
Left-back position is occupied by K-H Schnellinger who won Footballer of the Year in Germany and was placed 3rd in Ballon d'Or playing as a left-back. The same year he was the best player and lead FC Koln to their 1st (of overall 2) Bundesliga titles. Right-back position is occupied by Phillip Lahm. No introduction needed.
Conclusion: harms has a better defensive shield on paper (well, in reality too). Cole has a very good record against Figo on the international stage while Baresi is Baresi.
Still, I definitely don't think he has enough power upfront and will struggle to hold Di Stefano to take control of the game and win it in the end.
Count Van Basten, Finney, and Figo and he will be under more pressure certainly.
TEAM HARMS
Jim Beam has a team full of amazing players that fit together very well. Honestly, I probably wouldn't vote here if I was a neutral, so keep in mind that every criticism that you'll read from that point is more of a talking point rather than a real flaw. I feel that my defense is better and I'd say that I have a slight edge in midfield, but he has a scary GOAT duo upfront with Di Stefano being a major influence all over the pitch, so it kinda evens things out.
Argentina's finest?
I know that goalkeepers don't mean jack shit in our drafts but in tight games they should be the first thing we look at. Football is a low-scoring game and one or two saves can be a difference between a win and a loss. In this case, the gulp in quality is quite obvious, even though it's great vs very good and not something more drastic. Since Carrizo and Roma were compatriots, they've been compared many times. Here are the results of IFFHS' Century Elections for South America:
Paco Gento vs Philipp Lahm
Again, I don't want to turn it into Philipp Lahm's character assassination, so keep in mind that this is a scenario where everything goes wrong — obviously lots of times he will be able to deal with it by other means like intercepting the ball early, for example. Still, there is a reason why Lahm, for all his intelligence, isn't rated alongside the likes of Cafu and Zanetti — he was never an athlete and he doesn't have any real recovery pace, if he's beaten or caught of position (I've been rewatching tons of highlights for this and it happened surprisingly often), he's done. Now, he's up against the ultimate speed merchant in Gento to take advantage of that — with Netzer, Falcão & co ready to send him on a run. Take a look at the way Gento played against Djalma Santos in 1962. You can see how wary Djalma is of his pace, how smart and cautious in his positioning... but if there's even an inch of free space, Gento just sprints forward and there's no stopping him. I'm using a clip from the World Cup as this is more of a theoretical issue — Gento was actually better for Madrid than for Spain, and did it without a great playmaker like Di Stefano or Suarez behind him, as both left on the bench for some weird reason.
Ashley Cole vs Luís Figo
You're more likely to see those two names together in a list of football's most controversial transfers, but they've also faced each other on the pitch — 4 times to be precise, and Figo failed to score or assist in all of those games. Those were all international games though, so they should be excluded, but I'd say that it's a reasonable claim that Cole will be a very tough opponent for the Portuguese. After all, Cashley is probably the best defensive left back of modern times who has an outstanding record even against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben.
Günter Netzer
Even though in this game he'd be compared with Di Stefano (and there's only one possible outcome in such a comparison), I want to highlight Günter Netzer here. In the early 1970s, Gladbach were embroiled in a tit for tat rivalry with the giants of German football Bayern Munich. Between 1969 and 1977, the two dominated the Bundesliga, with Gladbach claiming five titles to Bayern’s four. Bayern also won three successive European Cups, but domestically they were inseparable. It was depicted as good versus evil, the demonic FC Hollywood against the loveable Foals, a nickname bestowed upon Gladbach due to the youthful profile of their squad.
The two star players of both clubs became synonymous with those ideas. Everything came naturally to Franz Beckenbauer, blessed with supreme talent and instinctive genius. As Hesse pointed out, though, his nickname, Der Kaiser, suggested “aloofness” and “conservatism”. Netzer was the total antithesis of Beckenbauer. His first biography was titled Rebel am Ball (Rebel on the Ball), but his middle-class background belies any such tales. Still, his playing style endeared him to the masses.
Günter Netzer would become the Footballer of the Year in Germany for 2 years in a row (something that neither Beckenbauer nor Müller were able to replicate) — in 1972 and 1973, right in the middle of the Golden Era of German football. His stats were incredible — right until he decided to move to Real Madrid, which caused quite a stir.
Do I need to mention that after Real Madrid signed him as an answer to Barcelona signing Johan Cruyff, they've won 2 La Ligas and 2 Copa Del Reys in 3 years that he had spent there?
Jairzinho
There's an obvious question regarding Jairzinho's role at Botafogo, since the Brazil team of the 1970 World Cup is known as "The Five 10s". Jairzinho started his career at the right wing and was seen as a successor of Garrincha (both at Botafogo and at Seleção). In the first years (from what I've gathered it looks like he became a regular around 1963 or 1964) he either played on the right wing when Garrincha wasn't on the pitch or played as a right-sided striker in 4-2-4 with Garrincha on the wing, going wide when Mané cut inside. After Garrincha left he got the right wing for himself, but after 1966 his role at the team became more and more important. At the peak of his powers, wearing a №10 shirt, he played as a free-roaming forward that spent a lot of time on the wings (more often on the right, but he also appeared on the left from time to time), a role that very much resembled his role for the Seleção. The only difference was that he saw more of the ball. It's worth noticing that Gérson, another one of those "Five 10s", came to Botafogo in 1963 and played the role of their main playmaker.
And, of course, I've made a video about Jairzinho's career at Botafogo:
