Krol is my covering defender. I thought if anyone's gonna get 2v1s for them it'll be side playing the 4-3-3 surely? You just have to watch Utd to see that with the 5 at the back you'll get feck all outnumberings on the flank.
Sheep draft QF - NM vs Cutch
- Thread starter Balu
- Start date
So Simeone is man marking Platini? Or not? couldn't follow
Not man marking no. Simeone isn't a Gattuso type that you sacrifice like that. A much more complete all round midfielder. He'll be the closest in attendance to Platini as he's got more legs than Bozsik but as I say the priority will be cutting out the supply which I presume is coming from Tardelli as Rino is merely a water carrier.
I'm not sure what you mean man - Carlos Alberto and Hamrin will combine 2 vs 1 against Santos just as much you will on that flank. Why wouldn't they?
With Ferdinand covering for Carlos Alberto what I was saying is that as Scirea is playing as a sweeper, Rio can just shuffle over and offer cover to Carlos Alberto when he gets forward. That's a really common thing to happen when team plays with wingbacks and has a spare man in defence.
It's also nothing like United's shambolic attempt at playing a three man defence - The likes of Scirea, Platini, Tardelli, Roberto Carlos have won all sorts playing in similar systems. Low blow that one.
Why would you choose to ignore Gento from this equation?I'm not sure what you mean man - Carlos Alberto and Hamrin will combine 2 vs 1 against Santos just as much you will on that flank. Why wouldn't they?
With Ferdinand covering for Carlos Alberto what I was saying is that as Scirea is playing as a sweeper, Rio can just shuffle over and offer cover to Carlos Alberto when he gets forward. That's a really common thing to happen when team plays with wingbacks and has a spare man in defence.
I don't understand what you're saying? I'm not ignoring anyone?
2 vs 1's were mentioned and all I said is that Hamrin and Carlos Alberto would create just as many 2 vs 1's (probably more) than Santos and Gento would.
This is a harsh comment as well - Scirea is one of the best passers out of defence that has ever played the game.
He'll have no problem getting the ball to Platini - Indeed he managed to do it for five years when they played together at Juventus. As did Tardelli.
I agree that Simeone was more rounded than Gattuso but he wasn't a better player. I'm convinced that Rino was better at what he did than Simeone was.
It was you that started about 2v1s out wide because you said i hadn't a spare defender. Alberto and Hamrin ganging up on Nilton Santos (arguably GOAT left back we're talkin about here). Just pointing out Krol and Gentos considerable presence that has to be taken into account.
It really wasn't mate - Crappy raised the point that a possible route to you would be a 2 vs 1 on the flanks.
I just said that on the right NM can do the same thing - As he has Carlos Alberto and Hamrin there.
The point about having a spare defender was just that Ferdinand covering allows Carlos Alberto more freedom to move forward. I think both teams will be able to push up on the flanks - you've got fantastic partnerships there.
@NM I love the fact that this Platini video has fine music in it. Kind of makes me love Platini more.
Have said nothing harsh at all. Was talking about the supply specifically from midfield but you're right that Scirea will indeed be playin out from the back, similar to how Krol will be startin my attacks. My other statement was about Gattuso being merely a water carrier which i didn't think was contentious as that's what he is, albeit a very good water carrier.
Ah right, I hadn't read Crappys post. Scrollin on damn phone here. Fair enoughIt really wasn't mate - Crappy raised the point that a possible route to you would be a 2 vs 1 on the flanks.
I just said that on the right NM can do the same thing - As he has Carlos Alberto and Hamrin there.
The point about having a spare defender was just that Ferdinand covering allows Carlos Alberto more freedom to move forward. I think both teams will be able to push up on the flanks - you've got fantastic partnerships there.
Bump as this is not on the main page. Good one Cutch.
Ooft. Great teams boys, some game.
It's saddening for me to see two top draft teams meet up so early. Both teams are great and equal each other in almost every way.
Cutch has a very well-balanced setup, overall, with energy, intelligence, creativity, defensive solidity, composure, and pace in the team. NM's team is no different. Particularly, I like how perfectly set up NM's midfield is, with Gattuso and Tardelli providing tons of energy and tenacity with intelligence and skill. With Scirea controlling things from the back, Platini could not have a better platform to play his game and run the match.
Having said that, though, Boszik and Charlton will cause several problems for NM, particularly as they're very tough to beat. Cutch's wingers are also unbeatable, both great dribblers with lots of speed and quickness whilst possessing great intelligence and an excellent delivery. Just Fontaine up front is the perfect man to receive the supply and score lots of goals along with Charlton behind him.
NM with Puskas and Hamrin also has skill, technique, and intelligence up front. Hamrin is dangerous as a right wide forward, whilst Puskas is...well...I can't say anything more about him. Platini behind those two will definitely get the chance to ghost into goalscoring positions and possibly score goals.
NM's obvious way of breaking down Cutch will be through Platini and Hamrin. Platini will definitely have the time to dictate the game, and Hamrin will be key in stretching Cutch's defence, creating gaps for Tardelli and Platini to pop into. Cutch will get the most joy through his wingers dragging NM's defenders out of position and creating spaces for Charlton and Fontaine to get into goalscoring positions. Boszik will be very useful in this regard as he will also run things through the middle and spray the ball around everywhere.
NM having three defenders at the back means that his defence may be slightly harder to break down combined with the energy and tenacity of Gattuso and Tardelli, but Cutch's defence is also quite solid with his four players at the back, all of whom are top defenders. Don't forget, Simeone and Boszik were also good at defending the midfield areas whilst Charlton was a very hardworking player in midfield.
It's really tough to split the two. As Balu said, a 2-2 draw is likely in this case. However, I'm slightly leaning towards Cutch as his team just looks perfectly balanced to me and set up to deal with just about everything.
Cutch has a very well-balanced setup, overall, with energy, intelligence, creativity, defensive solidity, composure, and pace in the team. NM's team is no different. Particularly, I like how perfectly set up NM's midfield is, with Gattuso and Tardelli providing tons of energy and tenacity with intelligence and skill. With Scirea controlling things from the back, Platini could not have a better platform to play his game and run the match.
Having said that, though, Boszik and Charlton will cause several problems for NM, particularly as they're very tough to beat. Cutch's wingers are also unbeatable, both great dribblers with lots of speed and quickness whilst possessing great intelligence and an excellent delivery. Just Fontaine up front is the perfect man to receive the supply and score lots of goals along with Charlton behind him.
NM with Puskas and Hamrin also has skill, technique, and intelligence up front. Hamrin is dangerous as a right wide forward, whilst Puskas is...well...I can't say anything more about him. Platini behind those two will definitely get the chance to ghost into goalscoring positions and possibly score goals.
NM's obvious way of breaking down Cutch will be through Platini and Hamrin. Platini will definitely have the time to dictate the game, and Hamrin will be key in stretching Cutch's defence, creating gaps for Tardelli and Platini to pop into. Cutch will get the most joy through his wingers dragging NM's defenders out of position and creating spaces for Charlton and Fontaine to get into goalscoring positions. Boszik will be very useful in this regard as he will also run things through the middle and spray the ball around everywhere.
NM having three defenders at the back means that his defence may be slightly harder to break down combined with the energy and tenacity of Gattuso and Tardelli, but Cutch's defence is also quite solid with his four players at the back, all of whom are top defenders. Don't forget, Simeone and Boszik were also good at defending the midfield areas whilst Charlton was a very hardworking player in midfield.
It's really tough to split the two. As Balu said, a 2-2 draw is likely in this case. However, I'm slightly leaning towards Cutch as his team just looks perfectly balanced to me and set up to deal with just about everything.
@NM I suggest you vote for your own team seeing that Cutch already voted for his own team.
Not going to vote here, two very even teams quality wise and both teams has pretty much the same(few) amount of issues in it as well. Love both sides.
I agree both teams are very evenly matched. There's no flaws in either really.
The biggest difference IMO is that NM's best player is less well countered than Cutch's best player - Scirea will have a big influence in limiting the role of Charlton, whereas there is no one near to that quality to try and counter Platini, or even Puskas when he drops deep - which he has a real tendency to do.
Simeone is the only real defensive player there and he's a clear shade below the required standard. The area in front of the defence is not patrolled particularly well in Cutch's side but that's where the biggest threat of a goal comes from.
Platini is the best player on the pitch and there is no real plan to deal with him here.
Thats not to be too critical of Cutch's team though as it is fantastic. And against Platini and Puskas it would need to be someone like Rijkaard really, as that's the calibre of player you're dealing with.
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Feel the same way. I came in expecting to give Cutch my vote but the more I look at NMs side the more I fall in love with it. Score draw for me.
Finally, sense has prevailed re: Pirlo. I'm not too sure Gattuso is needed there though, why not Zé Roberto?
Tbh, I don't think Scirea was the right reinforcement. With a good CB pair and DM's a more offensive player would have done so much better.
Despite that, Cutch should have upgraded his striker. NM offensive two is just too much to handle!
Voted NM.
Voted NM.
NM for my vote as well. I like his setup, except for Gattuso He'll still do a more than competent job though
He'll still do a more than competent job thoughTwo quality sides,i like both and not able to decide on whom to vote.
I wouldn't say that tbh. Bozsik, whilst not being the most mobile or tenacious, had good positioning, reading and tackling. Pretty solid defensively. Charlton too had the work rate to aid the midfield off the ball. I do understand your point about Platini not being shackled by a GOAT and could have some joy here with that supporting cast but Cutch's midfield is balanced and pretty good defensively.
Two great teams with nothing much in between. Will vote as the match progresses.
Just curious, when exactly did this occur? I remember reading about Baxter playing against Puskas in the 60s and that the team (World XI or something) was taken aback by Baxter's genius.
Tbh, I personally think Bozsik defensive skills are overrated. I consider him to be more of a DLP than a pure DM. With Simeone he'll be effective, but on his own, it'll be same as a Pirlo at base of a diamond alone.
Pretty much this. Can he help out? Sure. Will he be a decisive factor in stopping Platini? No way (Imo)
Fair enough. He might not exhibit the tenacity and the graft of a DM but he was reliable defensively for a DLP. Definitely more so than Pirlo.
He was a halfback, the same way for example Ocwirk was in the 50's. They never really had any protection the way Pirlo had and they wouldn't have excelled in that position without being good at defending. I wouldn't play him as a lone DM like Cutch did in the first game. But I don't see a problem in a midfield three with a more defensive player behind and another hardworking midfielder in front of him like in this game.
If you want to use a modern deep lying playmaker for a comparison, then I'd say he's closer to Xabi Alonso in style than to Pirlo.
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From what I've read about him - I'd say that is a very accurate description. Not all DLPs are as defensively suspect as a Pirlo.. it seems to be taken as a given these days none of them can tackle but heck.. even if you look at someone like Verratti.. he's capable of putting in a challenge.
Fontaine is fine. Van Basten and Muller are the only two better pure strikers than him in this draft.
Ooof.. must say NM/Theon have done a good job highlighting Simeone while avoiding a similar spot light on Gattuso. Both are in more or less the same bracket.
I'd have Batigol ahead of him too. But yeah, Fontaine is fine
Tardelli will help him more than Bozsik (even if the latter wasn't a Pirlo-like DLP, as Balu reasonably said) - and Charlton is playing mostly against Scirea, not against Gattuso. Simeone is in Platini's zone and is responsible for handling him - which is a tougher job, so it's a fair criticism.
Yeah.. hence why my vote for NM so far. Though I don't buy Scirea cancelling out Chalrton.
I'll be asleep for the final duration of this match - so first things first. Excellent game Cutch!
Now, for my final push. I'd say Puskas and Hamrin will score. Their records speak for themselves. Furthermore, Platini will ensure chances for them, or will score himself. Simeone isn't in his league.
His center is blunted by Tardelli/Gattuso with Scirea picking up Charlton.
@harms is correct in that Gattuso is not going to be coming up against Charlton directly.
His key threat is the wide areas - I believe my threat through the middle is greater, and I firmly believe Carlos Alberto on the right is one of the best (if not THE) best right backs ever. He can handle it, especially with Rio covering and the midfielders around being defensively minded. Same on the left - Roberto Carlos will be protected. Will he create chances, and possibly score? Sure.
However, I believe I will create and score more.
Good game all.
Now, for my final push. I'd say Puskas and Hamrin will score. Their records speak for themselves. Furthermore, Platini will ensure chances for them, or will score himself. Simeone isn't in his league.
His center is blunted by Tardelli/Gattuso with Scirea picking up Charlton.
@harms is correct in that Gattuso is not going to be coming up against Charlton directly.
His key threat is the wide areas - I believe my threat through the middle is greater, and I firmly believe Carlos Alberto on the right is one of the best (if not THE) best right backs ever. He can handle it, especially with Rio covering and the midfielders around being defensively minded. Same on the left - Roberto Carlos will be protected. Will he create chances, and possibly score? Sure.
However, I believe I will create and score more.
Good game all.
I don't think that he will cancel him too - he wasn't a man-marker, after all, and even the best man-markers would've struggled to cancel out Charlton. But it's fair to say that NM covered for this relative "weakness" of Gattuso better, than Cutch did for Simeone (feels wrong to talk about them as a weaknesses, but the quality of the game is just outstanding) - and Scirea, with his impeccable reading of the game, will definitely reduce Sir Bobby's influence.
Voted for NM too, though it's very, very close. What an unlucky draw it is.
SIR BOBBY CHARLTON
When searching for a physical example of a true legend of the English game, you would be forgiven if you named several players before you got to the man who probably deserves the accolade more than any other – Sir Bobby Charlton.
Playing alongside Best and Law, Charlton was perhaps the most understated of the trio, but perhaps it was his humble attitude towards life and the game that saw his career and achievements dwarf those of his team-mates – for younger readers wanting to make a contemporary comparison, think of the way Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs conduct themselves, and how, at the twilight of their careers, both have just celebrated another European Cup.
Arguably, Sir Bobby’s achievements, especially considering the trials he had to overcome in life, where even greater than our current legends.
Born into a footballing family in 1937 (brother Jack was a famous footballer and manager, while his uncles where the famous Milburns who starred for Leeds), Bobby was spotted at age 15 by United scout Joe Armstrong – and at 19, he made his debut against Charlton. In that first season he won a league title, lost in the controversial FA Cup final of 57, took part in United’s European Cup run – the first time an English club had ever entered the competition – and even scored a semi final goal at Old Trafford against a Real Madrid side featuring the magnificent Di Stefano – though the goal was ultimately not enough to help United to the final, it did secure a draw.
It was next season, however, that Bobby Charlton’s name was forever to be carved in United history. Urban legend says that Charlton and Dennis Violett changed seats with Tommy Taylor and David Pegg on a plane journey after a game against Red Star in Yugoslavia when the plane made a stop in Munich to refuel – Taylor and Pegg apparently felt they would be safer at the back of the plane. Of course, we all know what happened – the plane crashed, Taylor and Pegg were among those who sadly perished, and Bobby Charlton was one of the survivors.
Few men would have returned to work again, but incredibly, Charlton recovered to make his debut for England just TWO months after the disaster – scoring on his debut against Scotland at Hampden Park, a trademark magnificent volley that catapulted him into the public eye even more so – though even after scoring twice against Portugal in his next game, he could not have expected his international career would lead to him being his country’s all time top scorer, a record that stands today.
After Munich, success on the domestic front was scarce as Matt Busby sought to rebuild his famous “Busby Babes”, but in 1963, a remarkable 5 year spell began which saw Sir Bobby win every major prize, making a vital contribution along the way. In ’63, he starred as United won their first trophy since Munich, the FA Cup – in 1965, joined by a young Northern Irishman by the name of Best, he was a major contributor as the Reds won the league title, before a remarkable 3 year spell.
Charlton had a wonderful affection for his mentor, Busby, and refers to him as “the Old Man” – an affection clearly reciprocated, as the Scot once stated “.. Bobby Charlton never betrayed that (my trust).. it was a privilege to have him play for you”.
Although United finished without a trophy in 1966, Charlton’s form was at his peak as he scored 3 goals in England’s sole successful World Cup campaign, one a memorable rocket against Mexico, and his year was rounded off when he became only the second ever English winner of the Ballon D’or (European Player of the Year to the man on the street). He was runner up in the next two years, years which saw him first claim another league title (his third, and as it transpired, his final), and then, 10 years on from Munich, saw him score two goals as United thrashed Benfica to become the first ever English European Cup winners. That Charlton was club captain at this time was destiny, and the most fitting way to close the door on a decade that began with tragedy and went full circle.
This was the last of the trophies for Sir Bobby, but not the last of his glories – he went on to set appearance and goal scoring records for club and country until his retirement in 1973. His appearance record for England lasted for 3 years after retiring from selection after the ’70 tournament, until World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore overtook him, and his appearance record for Manchester United was only bettered in May 2008 by Ryan Giggs. Charlton remains the only player to have played in four World Cup tournaments for England.
Both of his goals records still stand – at 49 goals for England and 249 for United. While Michael Owen is closing in on the England record, it seems unlikely anyone in the next generation will get near his United record – both records are even more impressive when taking into account Charlton was never an orthodox striker.
Upon leaving United, Bobby joined Preston as player manager – a move which lasted only a year, before a season with his final professional club, Waterford United of Ireland.
Though an immensely likeable personality, Charlton did not always see eye to eye with holy trinity teammates Best or Law – Best famously refused to play in Bobby’s testimonial match after he retired – but in recent years their affinity for one another has been clear to see. Charlton was with Best shortly before he died, and in his autobiography intimated any ill-feeling that existed in the first place was purely to do with what Bobby perceived as George’s waste of talent (a feeling undoubtedly tempered by the stark contrast of that talent that was cruelly stolen from ex-teammate Duncan Edwards).
Bobby Charlton became Sir Bobby in 1994 after being awarded the CBE 20 years earlier – and today, he acts as ambassador for United. He is highly thought of by todays players and this was illustrated by them requesting that he led them up to collect the European Cup in Moscow in 2008 – a request he accepted, but then typically initially refused to accept his honorary medal, preferring instead to leave the limelight to the heroes of the hour. There can be no doubting that just as Ryan Giggs seems to personify today’s United team, Sir Bobby does just that of the Busby Babes – the triumph, tragedy and the ability to rise from that tragedy and restore the glory days to the club are equally as impressive as Giggs’ trophy haul – if not more so.
Indeed, former United team-mate summed it all up when he said of Bobby, “His story is the best in English football”.
THE PEERLESS JOZSEF BOZSIK
Among the most widely noted tactical phenomena of the last ten years has been the increasing importance of the “deep lying playmaker”. As teams have lined up with ever more defensive midfielders, previously advanced midfielders have dropped ever deeper themselves in search of precious space. In many ways this isn’t a new trend, but simply a return to a practice of the 1950s and earlier. For prior to the advent of the WM, the deep lying playmaker (such as Austria’s attacking centre-half, Ernst Ocwirk) was a mainstay of the game.
Arguably the finest deep lying playmaker in football history was Hungary’s stellar right-half, Jozsef Bozsik. When the Magical Magyars are fondly remembered, it is often for the goalscoring exploits of Sandor Kocsis, the tactical innovations of Peter Palotas and Nandor Hidegkuti, and the all round brilliance of Ferenc Puskas. The result is that the metronomic qualities of Bozsik are frequently overlooked.
Born in the Kispest area of Budapest, Bozsik (nicknamed “Cucu” by his grandmother at an early age) developed a life-long friendship with Ferenc Puskas from the age of five and the two would go on to form arguably the most fruitful footballing partnership in history. At 11 years old Bozsik was selected by Nandor Szucs to join the junior section of the Kispest Football Club, a team he would never leave.
He was not the only Bozsik to be spotted by the club. Jozsef shared a bedroom in the family’s tiny Budapest house with his four brothers, all of whom represented Kispest, in either the senior or junior teams. None though possessed the talent or the dedication of Jozsef.
Indeed, the young Bozsik made his debut for Kispest against Vasas at the age of just 17, but following the game was dropped and it took him some time to get back into the team. By the end of 1943 Puskas had made his debut for Kispest, and soon Bozsik was back in the team. From then on he never relinquished his place.
In the early years it was Puskas who blossomed first, winning his first cap in 1945, while Bozsik was forced to wait until 1947 when he made his debut in a 9-0 victory over Bulgaria. At the beginning of his career in Hungary few appreciated what Bozsik brought to the game. Lacking pace, many considered him to be ponderous on the ball and too slow to play for the national team. With time though observers began to realise that rather than make a wrong decision quickly, Bozsik took his time to get it right.
By the stage that he made his debut for the national team it was apparent that Bozsik’s decision making was one of the central strengths to his game. 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.
In May 1947 Kispest set off on a tour of France and Luxembourg. The play of Bozsik caught the eye of many watching, and the club received an offer of 2 million Francs, which was immediately rebuffed. Bozsik was not the only player to receive offers from foreign teams but the government were unwilling to allow the country’s best players go abroad for fear of the impact it might have on the national team.
Kispest at the time were far from the biggest club in Hungary. Budapest giants Ferencvaros and MTK had far greater resources at their disposal, while the country’s form team were Ujpest. In order therefore to retain their two star players, Kispest gave a local ironmonger’s shop to Bozsik and Puskas. The pair considered themselves rich at the time, but within a matter of months the government embarked on a programme of nationalising small businesses and the shop was no more.
However, while government intervention was detrimental to the finances of Puskas and Bozsik, it had only positive effects on their footballing career. The conversion to communism that took place in Hungary in 1949 saw Kispest become the chosen team of the army. The following years saw the likes of Lazslo Budai, Zoltan Czibor, Gyula Grosics and Sandor Kocsis arrive at the club as they swept up most of the nation’s finest players.
The change in stature of the club almost immediately yielded results on the pitch. Now renamed Honved, the team won the title in 1949-50 and began a period of domestic domination. Despite the arrival of the other great players at Honved, the pair of Bozsik and Puskas remained central to the team’s success. When Bozsik received the ball in his right-half position, his first thought was to try and play a cross-field diagonal pass to find Puskas at his typical inside-left. The source of so many of the goals scored by Puskas was this searching and unerring pass.
One man who held Bozsik in particularly high regard was Puskas’ father, also called Ferenc. He coached Honved in two spells, sandwiched around a brief period where the great Bela Guttmann took charge. If ever Puskas wanted to convince his father of something he would say, “Ask your friend Bozsik, he will tell you I’m right.”
As the team became affiliated with the army, Bozsik was enrolled as an officer. Fortunately for him that entailed very little true soldiering. For his first three months in the army he was forced to live in barracks, but after learning the basics of marching and parades he was allowed to return home. Soon after his move to the barracks he was, along with Puskas, promoted to the rank of lieutenant but after just 18 months in the army even the requirement to report for training was dropped.
As Honved began to improve as a club, so too did Hungary as a nation. In the pre-war years the Danubian school of football had been at the forefront of the game, and Hungary had reached the World Cup final of 1938. Now the national team again became among the most feared in football.
Following Bozsik’s debut for Hungary in 1947 they set off on a run of results which saw them win ten of their next 14 games, including three consecutive 5-0 victories over Bulgaria, Sweden and Czechoslovakia. A 5-3 defeat away against Austria was a setback, but they immediately resumed their winning sequence. By the time they reached the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, they had won nine of their last ten games, with the other a draw. In Finland the team continued their exceptional form, thrashing Italy, Turkey and Sweden before beating a fine Yugoslavia team 2-0 in the final.
One of the results of Hungary’s exceptional performance at the Olympics was the opportunity for a friendly with England. Following the 6-0 demolition of Sweden in the semi-finals, Stanley Rous, the secretary of the FA, proposed the two teams might meet at Wembley. The result, of course, was an historic 6-3 victory for Hungary, the first Continental team to win at Wembley.
The match was famous for many things: England’s first ever defeat at home to “foreign opposition” (the Republic of Ireland had beaten them at Goodison Park in 1949), the remarkable “drag-back” goal of Puskas, but most of all for the maelstrom caused in the English defence by the movement of Nandor Hidegkuti. Many players were to profit from the confusion the English defenders showed, but the man it was intended to benefit most was Jozsef Bozsik.
With Hidegkuti pulling players out of their natural positions, space was constantly available to Bozsik. Given his ability to choose the right pass when placed under even the greatest pressure, he was in his element when allowed free reign. Indeed in many ways it was Bozsik who set the tone early on. Within fifty seconds of the game kicking off it was Bozsik’s pass that put Hidegkuti through to score. Later on in the match Bozsik scored the fourth goal of the game with a deflected free-kick. Certainly Hidegkuti and Puskas more than deserved the plaudits, but Cucu played his part.
A year later the team prepared for the 1954 World Cup. As well as beating England at Wembley they had humbled the game’s inventors 7-1 in Budapest, in addition to beating Italy 3-0 in Rome in 1953. In short, they were widely considered invincible. The two group games of the World Cup showed why many held that opinion, as South Korea were dispatched 9-0 before West Germany were beaten 8-3.
Those victories set up a quarter-final with Brazil that came to be known as the Battle of Berne for the levels of violence displayed. Bozsik was a naturally placid character, but that was not always the case when playing football. Puskas would later reflect, “He never seemed to get excited, just didn’t show it at all. Off the pitch, I don’t think I ever saw him angry, but on it, if someone had clobbered him off the ball, he could break into a rage and threaten to leave the field.”
By 1954 Brazil had established themselves as a genuinely world class team and were putting up far greater resistance than those who had gone before them. Hungary had raced into a two goal lead, but Brazil fought back and with 20 minutes remaining the score stood at 3-2. Nilton Santos, a defender so complete that he was nicknamed the “Encyclopaedia of Football”, then flung himself into a reckless tackle on Bozsik which brought on the rage Puskas referred to. The two players traded punches and were immediately dismissed by English referee Arthur Ellis.
Among the most widely noted tactical phenomena of the last ten years has been the increasing importance of the “deep lying playmaker”. As teams have lined up with ever more defensive midfielders, previously advanced midfielders have dropped ever deeper themselves in search of precious space. In many ways this isn’t a new trend, but simply a return to a practice of the 1950s and earlier. For prior to the advent of the WM, the deep lying playmaker (such as Austria’s attacking centre-half, Ernst Ocwirk) was a mainstay of the game.
Arguably the finest deep lying playmaker in football history was Hungary’s stellar right-half, Jozsef Bozsik. When the Magical Magyars are fondly remembered, it is often for the goalscoring exploits of Sandor Kocsis, the tactical innovations of Peter Palotas and Nandor Hidegkuti, and the all round brilliance of Ferenc Puskas. The result is that the metronomic qualities of Bozsik are frequently overlooked.
Born in the Kispest area of Budapest, Bozsik (nicknamed “Cucu” by his grandmother at an early age) developed a life-long friendship with Ferenc Puskas from the age of five and the two would go on to form arguably the most fruitful footballing partnership in history. At 11 years old Bozsik was selected by Nandor Szucs to join the junior section of the Kispest Football Club, a team he would never leave.
He was not the only Bozsik to be spotted by the club. Jozsef shared a bedroom in the family’s tiny Budapest house with his four brothers, all of whom represented Kispest, in either the senior or junior teams. None though possessed the talent or the dedication of Jozsef.
Indeed, the young Bozsik made his debut for Kispest against Vasas at the age of just 17, but following the game was dropped and it took him some time to get back into the team. By the end of 1943 Puskas had made his debut for Kispest, and soon Bozsik was back in the team. From then on he never relinquished his place.
In the early years it was Puskas who blossomed first, winning his first cap in 1945, while Bozsik was forced to wait until 1947 when he made his debut in a 9-0 victory over Bulgaria. At the beginning of his career in Hungary few appreciated what Bozsik brought to the game. Lacking pace, many considered him to be ponderous on the ball and too slow to play for the national team. With time though observers began to realise that rather than make a wrong decision quickly, Bozsik took his time to get it right.
By the stage that he made his debut for the national team it was apparent that Bozsik’s decision making was one of the central strengths to his game. 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.
In May 1947 Kispest set off on a tour of France and Luxembourg. The play of Bozsik caught the eye of many watching, and the club received an offer of 2 million Francs, which was immediately rebuffed. Bozsik was not the only player to receive offers from foreign teams but the government were unwilling to allow the country’s best players go abroad for fear of the impact it might have on the national team.
Kispest at the time were far from the biggest club in Hungary. Budapest giants Ferencvaros and MTK had far greater resources at their disposal, while the country’s form team were Ujpest. In order therefore to retain their two star players, Kispest gave a local ironmonger’s shop to Bozsik and Puskas. The pair considered themselves rich at the time, but within a matter of months the government embarked on a programme of nationalising small businesses and the shop was no more.
However, while government intervention was detrimental to the finances of Puskas and Bozsik, it had only positive effects on their footballing career. The conversion to communism that took place in Hungary in 1949 saw Kispest become the chosen team of the army. The following years saw the likes of Lazslo Budai, Zoltan Czibor, Gyula Grosics and Sandor Kocsis arrive at the club as they swept up most of the nation’s finest players.
The change in stature of the club almost immediately yielded results on the pitch. Now renamed Honved, the team won the title in 1949-50 and began a period of domestic domination. Despite the arrival of the other great players at Honved, the pair of Bozsik and Puskas remained central to the team’s success. When Bozsik received the ball in his right-half position, his first thought was to try and play a cross-field diagonal pass to find Puskas at his typical inside-left. The source of so many of the goals scored by Puskas was this searching and unerring pass.
One man who held Bozsik in particularly high regard was Puskas’ father, also called Ferenc. He coached Honved in two spells, sandwiched around a brief period where the great Bela Guttmann took charge. If ever Puskas wanted to convince his father of something he would say, “Ask your friend Bozsik, he will tell you I’m right.”
As the team became affiliated with the army, Bozsik was enrolled as an officer. Fortunately for him that entailed very little true soldiering. For his first three months in the army he was forced to live in barracks, but after learning the basics of marching and parades he was allowed to return home. Soon after his move to the barracks he was, along with Puskas, promoted to the rank of lieutenant but after just 18 months in the army even the requirement to report for training was dropped.
As Honved began to improve as a club, so too did Hungary as a nation. In the pre-war years the Danubian school of football had been at the forefront of the game, and Hungary had reached the World Cup final of 1938. Now the national team again became among the most feared in football.
Following Bozsik’s debut for Hungary in 1947 they set off on a run of results which saw them win ten of their next 14 games, including three consecutive 5-0 victories over Bulgaria, Sweden and Czechoslovakia. A 5-3 defeat away against Austria was a setback, but they immediately resumed their winning sequence. By the time they reached the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, they had won nine of their last ten games, with the other a draw. In Finland the team continued their exceptional form, thrashing Italy, Turkey and Sweden before beating a fine Yugoslavia team 2-0 in the final.
One of the results of Hungary’s exceptional performance at the Olympics was the opportunity for a friendly with England. Following the 6-0 demolition of Sweden in the semi-finals, Stanley Rous, the secretary of the FA, proposed the two teams might meet at Wembley. The result, of course, was an historic 6-3 victory for Hungary, the first Continental team to win at Wembley.
The match was famous for many things: England’s first ever defeat at home to “foreign opposition” (the Republic of Ireland had beaten them at Goodison Park in 1949), the remarkable “drag-back” goal of Puskas, but most of all for the maelstrom caused in the English defence by the movement of Nandor Hidegkuti. Many players were to profit from the confusion the English defenders showed, but the man it was intended to benefit most was Jozsef Bozsik.
With Hidegkuti pulling players out of their natural positions, space was constantly available to Bozsik. Given his ability to choose the right pass when placed under even the greatest pressure, he was in his element when allowed free reign. Indeed in many ways it was Bozsik who set the tone early on. Within fifty seconds of the game kicking off it was Bozsik’s pass that put Hidegkuti through to score. Later on in the match Bozsik scored the fourth goal of the game with a deflected free-kick. Certainly Hidegkuti and Puskas more than deserved the plaudits, but Cucu played his part.
A year later the team prepared for the 1954 World Cup. As well as beating England at Wembley they had humbled the game’s inventors 7-1 in Budapest, in addition to beating Italy 3-0 in Rome in 1953. In short, they were widely considered invincible. The two group games of the World Cup showed why many held that opinion, as South Korea were dispatched 9-0 before West Germany were beaten 8-3.
Those victories set up a quarter-final with Brazil that came to be known as the Battle of Berne for the levels of violence displayed. Bozsik was a naturally placid character, but that was not always the case when playing football. Puskas would later reflect, “He never seemed to get excited, just didn’t show it at all. Off the pitch, I don’t think I ever saw him angry, but on it, if someone had clobbered him off the ball, he could break into a rage and threaten to leave the field.”
By 1954 Brazil had established themselves as a genuinely world class team and were putting up far greater resistance than those who had gone before them. Hungary had raced into a two goal lead, but Brazil fought back and with 20 minutes remaining the score stood at 3-2. Nilton Santos, a defender so complete that he was nicknamed the “Encyclopaedia of Football”, then flung himself into a reckless tackle on Bozsik which brought on the rage Puskas referred to. The two players traded punches and were immediately dismissed by English referee Arthur Ellis.