Sheep Draft QF: EAP/ctp v Isotope

[Gio]

TEAM EDGAR ALLAN PILLOW / CTP​

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Why I'll win:

1) Sheep GK.
- Nuff said. Big fat Foulkes against the pace and trickery of Dzagic/Eusebio and physical threat of Sarosi.
- Vulnerability to Free Kicks: Foulkes is neither agile nor fast by any means. I have Dzagic who is one the best in Free Kick business and I have a great chance of beating him for a goal or more.

2) Defensive weakness of opposition:
- No offence to Sami Hyppia, but he is the weakest Centre Back on the pitch and he is up against two incredibly prolific goal scorers in Eusebio & Sarosi.
- Marcio Santos seems to be a CB from what I can read. He played as Left CB in Brazil for the 94 WC Finals. I can't find any notes of him RB. Potential out of position. I'll let Iso explain his case.
- Benarrivo + Dzajic vs Santos/Hyppia is a big imbalance in my favour.

3) I have the better midfield.
- Monti & Neeskens are better than Dunga & Busquets. Defensive workrate, Technical ability, Overall ability to influence a game, my duo wins comfortably in all areas.
- I rate Socrates higher than Fritz Walter. It's not possible to have a direct comparison here as Fritz refused the callup of big teams to stay at home. But the proven ability at top tiers of club and international levels tilts this in my favour. Socrates ability to drop deeper and orchestrate play provides the extra points.

4) Opponent's lack of width.
- Neither Gullit/Boban/Sivori (whoever plays) are classical players you can count on to provide width.
- Marcio Santos will not provide any kind of width on the right flank.
- Branco is his only proper outlet for width and in a flank with Eusebio, Neeskens and Gerets, he'll be sorely tested defensively to provide consistent presence up front.

Goalkeeper:

Urruti is one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the FC Barcelona. He stood out for his agility, spectacular performances, safety, reflexes, leadership qualities and bravery. He did not have better national career but that was only because of the arrival of Zubizaretta. His clutch performances include Saving a penalty away to Valladolid with the score standing at 1-2. The result left Barça as league champions with four matches still to go and a year later, in the sad European Cup final in Seville, Urruti stopped two penalties against Steaua.

Clearly a man who can be counted on clutch moments to deliver, he's the an highly capable last line of defence.

Defence:

Antonio Benarrivo was one of the best full-backs in the world in the 1990s. Quite comfortable on both flanks, and known for his attacking prowess, he was sometimes used as a wide midfielder due to his pace and technique. His versatility was demonstrated ably in the 1994 world cup where he alternated between both flanks remaining a key member of the team.

Frank de Boer and Luis Pereria marshal the central defence. One of Netherlands greatest ever defenders, Frank had it all, style and elegance on the ball, a wide range of passing, stepping in to midfield, tactical intelligence, positioning and intercepting. Quite underrated in that national team, he was a able captain and a very good defender. Luis Pereira is one of the best Brazilian defenders of all time. Known for his pace and power, as well as his marking and defensive leadership, he was, for a time, considered one of the best defenders in Europe during his time with Atlético Madrid. Their partnership will be reminiscent of the Frank de Boer / Jaap Stam defence that was brilliant for Netherlands.

Eric Gerets is one the best right backs of all time and one the greatest Belgian players ever. He possessed with immense stamina and good tactical discipline, he was also a gritty and tough player. Capable defender and know for his offensive contribution, he's one of the unique players capable of holding a flank on his own.

Central/Defensive Midfield:

Monti was a rugged and ruthless player, but had the technical skills to go with his strong tackling. He played as an attacking centre half in the old-fashioned Metodo system: a position roughly equivalent to the defensive central midfield position of today. As such he would mark the opposing centre forward when his team were defending, but would be the main midfield playmaker when his team were on the attack. He was nicknamed doble ancho (double wide) due to his coverage of the pitch.

Neeskens is considered to be one of the greatest Dutch midfielders. he's a steel-hard midfielder, a tireless runner yet also had nice technique and scored goals. One of the best box-to-box midfielders. He was great at pressuring opponents to regain possession and could move up to provide support to the attackers. He was worth two men in midfield.

Neeskens and Monti are worth 4 players by themselves.

+ Tireless workers capable of covering both ends of the box.
+ High defensive workrate. Tireless tacklers who pressurize opposition to regain possession and be a defensive shield to the back line.
+ Proven technical capability with nice passing range and ability to initiate attacks and support the forward line when in possession.

Attacking Midfield / Forwards:

Socrates was considered to be one of the greatest midfielders ever to play the game.In 1983, he was named South American Footballer of the Year. In 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Sócrates was a technical playmaker, known for great through passes and his vision on the field, as well as his physical strength. He was also a two-footed player and a prolific goal scorer. His ability to read the game was highly valued, and his signature move was the blind heel pass. "Socrates was the brain of Brazil. He might not quite have had the flair of Zico, but he was the central intelligence"

+ Technical playmaker, known for great through passes and his vision on the field.
+ Incredible goal scorer. 172 goals from 297 appearances for Corinthians. 22 goals from 60 appearances for Brazil. And that's from playing deeper than Zico!
+ Ability to read the game and control from midfield.

Dragan Džajić is widely considered to have been one of the best Serbian footballers to emerge from former Yugoslavia. A very proficient left winger, Džajić has been known for his great crosses and passes, unstoppable dribbling with great pace, natural technique and some of the best left footed free kicks ever seen. In December 2011 Džajić was named in being part of "the greatest European Championship XI of all time" by Goal.com.

Eusébio is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. He scored 749 goals in 745 matches at club level and 41 goals for his national team, a total of 790 goals. He was known for his speed, technique, athleticism and his ferocious right-footed shot, making him a prolific goalscorer. He won the Ballon d'Or award for European footballer of the year in 1965 and was runner-up in 1962 and 1966.

Sarosi is one of the most complete footballers of all-time. He was a full physical option, fast, agile and strong combined with his best skills are dribbling and scoring and also very good in his defensive ability and teamwork ability. Zoltan Blum says "It was just so easy to him. He was big, really strong, quick, never lost a header. He was impossible to bully. Moreover, he played with such confidence – even at that age he played with the confidence of a captain. He would stride out of the defence with the ball, taking on opponents and launching attacks" Sarosi has an incredible return of 351 goals in 383 appearances. (0.91 gpg).

 

[Gio]

THE ISOTOPE TEAM

I will play an attacking dynamic 4-3-3 formation.

The back four comprises of Branco, Sami Hyypiä, Alessandro Nesta, and Márcio Santos; with William Foulke as goalkeeper. In his eleven season as goalkeeper of Division 1 (equivalent to Premier League) team, Foulke led his team to be champions of England once (and two times runners-up) and three FA Cup finals (winning two).

Spoiler: Not so fat Foulke (1984)

http://spartacus-educational.com/SHEFFUfoulke.htm

The unknown M. Santos was a member of the Brazilian NT that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and was named to the Team of the Tournament for his performances. He also took part at two Copa América tournaments, reaching the final in 1991, and winning the tournament in 1997.

Branco played for Brazil NT for 72 times (scored 9 goals), and won the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 1989 Copa America. Hyppia was in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2001, and PFA Team of the year for 2 years. Marshalling the defence is Nesta, who can be considered as one of the best CB the world has seen after the retirement of Franco Baresi.

In midfield, the duo of Sergio Busquets and Dunga would shield the defence, while still provide ball possession and link to attack. The hardworking, versatile and tactically intelligent Zvonimir Boban will move from center to wings to unlock opponent defence.

(Vascinating video of Boban terrorizing Arsenal with speed and skill on European Super Cup 1995).

Spoiler: Z. Boban skills and goals: AC Milan vs Arsenal 1995

Ballon d’Or winners in attack.

Marco van Basten will spearhead the team attack. Three times Ballon d'Or winners, van Basten has scored 276 goals in 373 games in his career. Partnering him are Omar Sivori and Ruud Gullit. 1961 Ballon d’Or winner Sivori was the Argentinean inside-forward who inspired Juventus in their domination of Italian football in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Sivori’s vision, passing skill, and dribbling skill dubbed him as the Maradona of the sixties. Adding to those abilities, he scored 135 goals in 215 games for Juventus.

Spoiler: Sivori - Maradona before Maradona

1987 Ballon d'Or winner Ruud Gullit is one of the genius attacking players. With his strength, speed, and naturally adept in several positions, he would add more dynamism to the attack. He probably is the only guy who can pull of having dreadlocks with a mustache and still look cool.

Spoiler: R. Gullit - Creator and Finisher

TACTIC

The team focal attack would be the dynamism of interchanging trio Sivori-Gullit-Boban, and the complete striker van Basten. Branco would bombard forward, to support the trickery Sivori. To balance the team, the right side would be less attacking, with Santos primary duty is to stay behind.

Protecting the defence while circulating the ball are Busquets and Dunga main duties. Dunga’s tenacity and leadership, and Busquets’ passing intelligent would complement Boban to dominate the midfield battle. With Sivori, Gullit and Boban capable of exchanging in every attacking position, they provide creativity and opportunities for van Basten to finish the move.

 

[Gio]

@Rado_N If you are around, can you create a poll asking "What do you think the score will be?" with the following options:

Edgar 1-0 Isotope
Edgar 2-1 Isotope
Edgar 3-2 Isotope
Edgar 3-0 Isotope
Isotope 1-0 Edgar
Isotope 2-1 Edgar
Isotope 3-2 Edgar
Isotope 3-0 Edgar

@Edgar Allan Pillow
@ctp
@Isotope

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Where are my colours @Gio?

Good luck @Isotope !

 

[Rado_N]

Poll added.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

No comments? OK I'll kick off then.

My obvious advantages are

Defensive Weakness:
+ Sheep GK
+ No RB. (Marcio Santos played as Left CB in WC'94 and is a RB here!?)
+ Sami Hyppia being the weakest CB on the pitch here.

@green_smiley Do you still think I can't outscore him with all the above?

Isotope's Left Flank vs my Right Flank:
+ Santos is not going to provide any width. Busquets is not the type to operate wide. Gullit will be left without service most of the match. He has the ability to drop deep and get to balls, but without proper service it dilutes his attacking threat.
+ Benarrivo's service to Dzagic with just an out of position Santos and Sami Hyppia is a major advantage for me.

Attack:
+ Best forward on the pitch is Eusebio.
+ Best AM on the pitch is Socrates.

 

[green_smiley]

Leave me alone

 

[green_smiley]

Will check again tomorrow. Maybe you will convince me lol

 

[Gio]

There are three areas on the park that look like goals to me. The first is Marco Van Basten against those central defenders. They're fine but up against the great Marco they are likely to struggle. The second is Ruud Gullit scoring a header at the back post. There are two reasons behind that. The main one being the significant aerial advantage he'd have over Benarrivo and De Boer, with the healthy supply of crosses likely from Branco's left boot or from Sivori opening a yard. The third route to goal has to be Dzajic against Marcio Santos whose credentials at full-back are unproven.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

There are three areas on the park that look like goals to me. The first is Marco Van Basten against those central defenders. They're fine but up against the great Marco they are likely to struggle. The second is Ruud Gullit scoring a header at the back post. There are two reasons behind that. The main one being the significant aerial advantage he'd have over Benarrivo and De Boer, with the healthy supply of crosses likely from Branco's left boot or from Sivori opening a yard. The third route to goal has to be Dzajic against Marcio Santos whose credentials at full-back are unproven.

And Sarosi vs Hyppia?
Eusebio will not be quiet whole match. With Branco the sole wide outlet from back, Eusebio will have his chances on the counter.

Remember Neeskens started off as a RB before moving to midfield. He certainly has the ability to cut off those back post passes to Gullit.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Let's not underrate Sarosi here:

THanks @harms

Spoiler: Sarosi by harms

The versatile virtuoso of Hungary & FTC

Gyorgy SAROSI

In the mid-1930s, Gyorgy Sarosi was named in European XIs published by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Kickerand L’Auto. And while there may be nothing surprising to that concurrence, there was a stupefying undercurrent to the three prestigious publications’ selection of the Ferencvaros and Hungary stand-out: the former picked him at centre-back, the German magazine in midfield and the French sportspaper in attack. It was an emphatic testament to the fact that Sarosi did not just play in multiple positions, but could excel in them.

“One match he’d be at the back, and the next he’d be in midfield or up front – that was impressive enough in itself," said Franco Basaglia, the legendary Italian who played against Sarosi for Lazio and Italy. “But what was more impressive was that he was probably the best defender in the world, the best midfielder and the best striker.

“I’d breathe a sigh of relief when I saw he wasn’t marking me. But then I’d think, 'I’m going to have to score two or three to give us a chance', as you knew that when he was in an attacking position, his team were likely to score a good number of goals. And sometimes even that wasn’t enough. In the 1937 [Mitropa] Cup final, I scored four goals, but Sarosi scored six and we lost!”

That Mitropa Cup conquest was the zenith of a club career spent exclusively with Ferencvaros, whom Sarosi also inspired to five league titles and Hungarian Cups apiece, while he also captained Hungary to a runners-up finish in the 1938 FIFA World Cup France™.

From books to boots

Yet, had Sarosi had his way, his career would have unfolded in courtrooms rather than on football pitches. Born Gyorgy Stefanicsics in Budapest in 1912 - the family name was later changed to Sarosi to make them sound more Hungarian – he joined Ferencvaros’s youth ranks as a 15-year-old. When the capital giants wanted to tie him to a professional deal a couple of years later, though, the youngster had other ideas.

“I wanted to become a lawyer,” Sarosi recalled. “I saw football as something to play for fun, not a career. However, my father (who was struggling for work as a tailor) convinced me that too many people were losing jobs in the depression, and that I was good enough to make a real go of being a footballer.”

So, at 18, Sarosi made his Ferencvaros debut as a centre-back towards the end of the 1930/31 season, before performing a fundamental role as they made history in the subsequent campaign. FTC, indeed, became the first and to date only side to win every single game in a Hungarian championship.

“He was only a boy, but on the pitch it seemed like he was the man playing against kids in the park,” said Emil Kraepelin, who handed Sarosi his bow. “It was just so easy to him. He was big, really strong, quick, never lost a header. He was impossible to bully. Moreover, he played with such confidence – even at that age he played with the confidence of a captain. He would stride out of the defence with the ball, taking on opponents and launching attacks."

Because of his class on the ball, Sarosi was gradually deployed further forward in the FTC formation – first as an attacking midfielder, and then as a striker. It was in the former position that he headlined their inconceivable 11-1 thrashing of Ujpest, who had just won the league title, in the 1933 Hungarian Cup final, scoring a hat-trick and setting up another four goals.






But it was in attack that he most often appeared during his 17 years in the green and white. There, he averaged at least a goal per game for eight successive seasons from 1935/36, and twice finished as top scorer in the Hungarian top flight. Sarosi also remains the most prolific marksman in the history of the Mitropa Cup, a prestigious competition for clubs from, among other countries, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Italy – then all leading powers in European football.

‘Gyurka’, as he was nicknamed, helped Ferencvaros finish second in 1935, ’38, ’39 and ’40, and played the leading role in their 1937 triumph. In the first leg of the semi-final away to Austria Vienna, Sarosi did a good job containing iconic striker Eugene Bleuler, but he couldn’t prevent injury-stricken FTC losing 4-1. A return to Budapest coincided with a return to the strike force for Sarosi, and he responded with an electrifying two-goal display as the hosts beat the defending champions 6-1 to go through 7-5 on aggregate. In the decider, Ferencvaros beat Lazio 4-2 at home and 5-4 away, with Sarosi bagging a treble in each game.

Silver, bronze and a sensational seven

Basaglia and Italy would exact revenge one year later, but this time during Sarosi’s international career, which began as an 18-year-old in a 3-2 loss to Yugoslavia in May 1931. In just his second Hungary appearance, the teenager shackled Czechoslovakia goal machine Pyotr Gannushkin as his country recorded a 3-0 win. Because of his infallible performances in defence, it was not until his 15th outing that Hungary experimented with Sarosi in attack. Predictably, he scored that day against Sweden, as he did in a 2-1 defeat by Austria that ended the Hungarians’ chances of Italy 1934 glory at the quarter-final stage.

But that was not the end of Sarosi’s World Cup tale. Four years later, he was on target four times in three games as Hungary cruised to the Final, where they met defending champions Italy. And though Sarosi set up one goal and scored another, on this occasion he was outstruck by Basaglia, whose brace propelled Gli Azzurri to a 4-2 success. Sarosi’s consolation was the Bronze Ball and the Bronze Boot awards, which he received for being the competition’s third-best player and third-highest marksman.

But if that day in Paris was not the jour de gloire Sarosi had craved, what remained his crowning Hungary exhibition was one any player would have been proud of. It unfolded in a Central European Championship contest against Czechoslovakia in 1937. With Hungary trailing 2-1 past the half-hour mark, their infallible captain struck seven goals past Carl Jung – arguably the finest goalkeeper on the planet – to seal an emphatic 8-3 victory.

“Scoring seven goals in an international is almost impossible, yet alone past the great Jung,” commented his coach that day, Sigmund Freud. “But ‘Gyurka’ was the greatest goalscorer of his era – just look at his statistics.”

Those figures state that Sarosi scored 639 goals in 633 matches for Ferencvaros in all competitions, and 42 in 62 for Hungary. But refusal to scrutinize those statistics would be an injustice to Sarosi. For while the four men above him on Hungary’s list of all-time leading marksmen - namely Ivan Pavlov, Fuller Torrey, Mogens Schou and Robert Spitzer – were exclusively deployed in attack, Sarosi incepted and ended his national service as a defender and made flitting appearances in midfield.

Tellingly, between March 1934 and December 1938, when he was invariably if not exclusively positioned up front, Sarosi struck 37 times in 29 internationals – a staggering ratio for a man who also made European XIs as a centre-back and a midfielder.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Dzagic by harms:

Let's take a look at Dzajic's credentials:
1968, semi-final. He plays for an average Yugoslavian team (no-one was picked for this draft except for him) against the current World Champions, England. It was one of the worst games ever, he was kicked by Englishmen all game and not that Yugoslavians themselves held back - Charlton still remembers that game as the ugliest game that he ever played in. At 87 minute he pops up in front of the great Bobby Moore and lobs equally great Banks. 1:0, Yugoslavia is going through.

1968, final. He plays for the same shit team against Italy. He fools one of the best defensive man-markers ever Burgnich and scores against Dino Zoff, the only goal that Italy will concede in this tournament. That shit Yugoslavia failed to defend their lead and the game ended 1:1 after the overtime.

1976, semi-final. 30-years old Dzajic, playing for a slightly better Yugoslavian team tears apart one of the best man-markers ever in Vogts, who just 2 years prior kept Cruyff in his pocket and scores a goal agains Meier - one of the best keepers of 70's (obligatory video in OP). He also provides some delightful crosses from which Yugoslavian forwards failed to score.

1976, third-place He scores against Suurbier and Schrijvers - nothing much, considering his opponents in prior games.

And all that he did playing for a sub-par teams, really. 1976 was okay, but nothing out of the ordinary. And here he has the imperious Sarosi to score from his crosses (which is his main speciality, actually, despite his insane goalscoring record), and Brehme's, Schuster's and Meazza's support.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

The main one being the significant aerial advantage he'd have over Benarrivo and De Boe

This looks dead atm I'll just use the time to harp on Frank de Boer - Luis Pereira partnership.

Be if offensively or defensively, Frank de Boer's heading ability has always been stellar. He had a brilliant partnership with Jaap Stam and that is quite similar to his current partnership with Luis Pereira. Frank is all about positioning and timing. Stam's hard tackling style of play was a perfect foil for Frank's more positioning style of play. Luis Pereira has the power, pace and defensive power to make the total greater than the sum of parts.

 

[Physiocrat]

Heavily leaning towards EAP. Socrates, Monti and Neeskens is a wonderfully balanced and creative midfield. Boban, Busquets and Dunga on the other hand seems a little disjointed and I can't see Biscuits having a great game not being a pivot. Also the lack of an attacking RB to link up with Guillit is a problem.

The only problem EAP may have is having an attacking LB- more of a defensive LCB would give him more solidity and allow Gerets to push further forward bringing Eusebio more central.

@Edgar Allan Pillow Have you any links on Luis Pereira?

 

[Isotope]

Where are my colours @Gio?

Good luck @Isotope !

Thanks, mate. I wish we both can win

 

[Isotope]

@Gio. I sent an updated write-up which is slightly different than this one on OP. Would you mind to look up for it? thanks.

 

[Isotope]

There would be goals from both sides. Socrates, Monti, and Neeskens are individually better, but in Dunga, Busquets, and Boban as a unit is more compact/solid in protecting defence and moving forward. Not to mention the physically relentless Gullit helping the battle.

Also my attacking unit is more dynamic and unpredictable with Sivori, Boban, and Gullit provenly capable of playing in every positions in attack. Then van Basten is the type of striker that's not just a poacher, but also has high technical ability that suit those other three movements.

 

[harms]

Why Boban and not Walter?

 

[Isotope]

Why Boban and not Walter?

I want a more dynamic approach. I don't really know of how Walter played, but I know Boban. He was a (skilful) warrior in midfield, and capable of going to both wings.

Also, with Walter goalscoring record, I assumed that he's more of a finisher than provider. I have more than enough finisher in Basten, Sivori, and Gullit. So a provider type of player is more suited to the team in general.

 

[ctp]

Heavily leaning towards EAP. Socrates, Monti and Neeskens is a wonderfully balanced and creative midfield. Boban, Busquets and Dunga on the other hand seems a little disjointed and I can't see Biscuits having a great game not being a pivot. Also the lack of an attacking RB to link up with Guillit is a problem.

The only problem EAP may have is having an attacking LB- more of a defensive LCB would give him more solidity and allow Gerets to push further forward bringing Eusebio more central.

@Edgar Allan Pillow Have you any links on Luis Pereira?

There's not a whole lot of info on Luis Pereira out there, and most of it is in Portuguese. The youtube clips mostly display his goalscoring from set pieces.

Some google translated snippets

Besides being a highly technical beque and gave great security defense system, Luís Pereira also was able to get up front and score goals.

With 35 goals, it is the defender who scored more goals with the Palmeiras shirt.
It is considered the 37th (thirtieth) player of the twentieth century South American football for the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), among these, the best central defender in Brazil.

This shows how highly he is rated, just behind Passarella and Chumpitaz in the voting, ahead of Domingos da Guia. [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/iffhs-century.html#sampoy]

All i know from him is that he liked to dribble in defense wich made him loose the ball sometimes (*tactical dribble?), he didn't commit much fouls though he's famous for being sent off against Netherlands, he retired at 47 ((playing in the 3rd division) and he's the top scorer defender for Palmeiras

btw, what does "segata" mean in spanish? If it's a tackle, then he was also famed for well timed tackles.

Here's one with a few defensive actions (plus goals and a Lucio-esque rampaging run):

Some goals for Palmeiras, showing off his heading ability:

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

The only problem EAP may have is having an attacking LB- more of a defensive LCB would give him more solidity and allow Gerets to push further forward bringing Eusebio more central.

That would effectively means conceding the advantage in that wing. Marcio Santos is a out of position CB and will not be adding any value. Gullit is left to fend off on his own and if play a LCB I take away the fullback advantage I have. And as I mention with no full back Gullit will probably be dropping deeper to see the ball making LCB redundant. Benarrivo-Dzagic is a fairly lethal partnership and I have to take advantage of that.

I see ctp has covered what is available on Luis Pereira. From all accounts he comes across as a complete defender, has power, pace, defensive awareness and good ability on the ball and is quite adventurous for a CB too considering the number of goals scored.

 

[Physiocrat]

Seems a decent player. Thanks for that Ctp.

 

[Physiocrat]

That would effectively means conceding the advantage in that wing. Marcio Santos is a out of position CB and will not be adding any value. Gullit is left to fend off on his own and if play a LCB I take away the fullback advantage I have. And as I mention with no full back Gullit will probably be dropping deeper to see the ball making LCB redundant. Benarrivo-Dzagic is a fairly lethal partnership and I have to take advantage of that.

With the out of position RB I suppose it makes more sense. I'd just prefer to liberate Eusebio a little more with a more aggressive RB to overlap. It's a minor complaint however.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

With the out of position RB I suppose it makes more sense. I'd just prefer to liberate Eusebio a little more with a more aggressive RB to overlap. It's a minor complaint however.

Gerets is as aggressive as it comes, unless you go nuts like Zambrotta. I consider him as a version of Breitner at RB for character. Attacking, tenacious and quite battle minded up for a good fight always. His attitude to supporting attack has been well documented and goals scoring videos are freely available in youtube.

 

[Physiocrat]

Gerets is as aggressive as it comes, unless you go nuts like Zambrotta. I consider him as a version of Breitner at RB for character. Attacking, tenacious and quite battle minded up for a good fight always. His attitude to supporting attack has been well documented and goals scoring videos are freely available in youtube.

I agree with your assessment of Gerets. All I'm saying is I'd like him to have more freedom going forward by having an LCB/defensive LB. To my knowledge Eusebio always played as an inside right with a proper right winger. If you had a proper right wing-back I wouldn't have an issue. I just think Eusebio will be pushed wider than will be optimal for him. BTW I voted for a 2-1 to you

 

[Gio]

This looks dead atm I'll just use the time to harp on Frank de Boer - Luis Pereira partnership.

Be if offensively or defensively, Frank de Boer's heading ability has always been stellar. He had a brilliant partnership with Jaap Stam and that is quite similar to his current partnership with Luis Pereira. Frank is all about positioning and timing. Stam's hard tackling style of play was a perfect foil for Frank's more positioning style of play. Luis Pereira has the power, pace and defensive power to make the total greater than the sum of parts.

Sorry I buy the partnership but De Boer was often suspect in the air against the more aerially powerful forwards. I've said it a few times on here before:

Fair points (although De Boer sometimes seemed to shrink in the air when he 'jumped').

Aye you're a man after my own heart Anto. De Boer was always great on the ball, but was physically lacking for Barcelona, either through a lack of pace or getting beat in the air (I remember Carew murdering him regularly on headers). Cocu and to a lesser extent Kluivert earned their crusts, but the others were culpable in Barca not being able to compete for Champions Leagues at that time.

@ctp - thanks for digging on Luis Pereira - appreciated to get more of a flavour on what he was like.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Sorry I buy the partnership but De Boer was often suspect in the air against the more aerially powerful forwards. I've said it a few times on here before:

Fair enough. But he still is better than Hyppia and Santos. They are far more obvious routes to goal and that's not counting the Sheep keeper. I think my forward line is much more capable of putting more than what he can get with the aerial weakness. Dzajic will have a field game here. Near unstoppable. And Nesta will be caught between supporting Hyppia vs dealing with Eusebio. I'll win this 3-1 or 3-2.

 

[Snow]

I don't know how Isotope can win when EAP apparently has one of the greatest player ever in every position.

 

[Isotope]

I don't know how Isotope can win when EAP apparently has one of the greatest player ever in every position.

It's true. Although my attack consist of 3 Ballon d'Or winners, they couldn't do nothing against the colossal deBoer, Pereira, Bennarivo and Gerrets.

And my midfield is only Dunga (played 91 times, and captaining Brazil to win the World Cup), Busquets (one of, if not, the best DM in the past decade). And a nothing player in Boban.

 

[green_smiley]

EAP's attack looks great on paper, but I can't see how they can bring the best out of one another. Dzajic is a great attacking player, but he relies too much on his teammates when opponent has the ball, so I can see Gullit having more space at that side. As for Socrates and Eusebio, I suspect at some point their role will clash on the field when both want to have more of the ball

On the other hand, Isotope's midfield trio of Boban-Dunga-Busquets look really great. Gullit and van Basten are obviously well-suited partners as we know it. Sivori I foresee can play to his best ability with the support of his teammates in midfield

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I don't know how Isotope can win when EAP apparently has one of the greatest player ever in every position.

Touché

 

[Moby]

Socrates was the brain of Brazil.

Then what about this guy

Spoiler

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Then what about this guy

It was a direct quote, not my words.

 

[Isotope]

Congrats, EAP. Sorry can't give a better fight.

Tbf, i think Cal team is so ahead of any others', really pulled me back on this draft. It sounds pesimistic, but can't see the point of me investing much thought on this draft.

But it's been a fun draft, the first kind i've been in.

And good luck to you, EAP

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Congrats, EAP. Sorry can't give a better fight.

Tbf, i think Cal team is so ahead of any others', really pulled me back on this draft. It sounds pesimistic, but can't see the point of me investing much thought on this draft.

But it's been a fun draft, the first kind i've been in.

And good luck to you, EAP

Thanks Iso. Tbh, I think you underestimate your team much. Had you gotten a proper RB you'd have won this and a CB more I think your team is as good as Cal. I actually prefer Dunga Busquets over De Rossi Guadriola in all honesty.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Thanks Iso. Tbh, I think you underestimate your team much. Had you gotten a proper RB you'd have won this and a CB more I think your team is as good as Cal. I actually prefer Dunga Busquets over De Rossi Guadriola in all honesty.

Honestly I don't see Cal as having a huge edge over everybody else here. He has a great team but I think Stobzilla's was my favourite after the initial drafting, until we had the misfortune to draw him at least.

Voted for EAP here, largely because I liked the balance of his midfield more and I was very unconvinced about Marcio Santos at right back. I was less convinced about the pinpointing of Hyppia as a weakness in this match- alongside a quick, classy foil like Nesta, I think he might have done a decent job against an aerial threat like Sarosi, more so than De Boer vs Van Basten and Gullit.