Synth Draft: R1 - Gio vs Tuppet

[Physiocrat]

Gio

vs

Tuppet

Gio

TACTICS: 3-5-2

Diego Maradona is the fulcrum of the team. He is joined in a glittering attack by the explosive Hristo Stoichkov and the quintessential no9 and penalty box reference point Lineker. Much like Argentina '86, we go 3-5-2 with a focus on hard work, discipline and balance. A South American trio form the midfield unit: both top-class enforcer Leonel Alvarez and box-to-box Jose Velasquez are well versed in doing the dog work for classy 10s (Valderrama and Cubillas). But both importantly could play and were an important part of the flamboyant attacking games of Colombia and Peru. On the flanks the outstanding playmaking class of Andreas Brehme on the left complements the grizzly graft of Angelo Di Livio on the right. At the back, the defensive trio marry the physicality and dynamism of Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Luis Pereira, with the rarefied reading and anticipation of Wladyslaw Zmuda.

WHY WE WILL WIN:

• Maradona is set to have a good game here. Whoever of Ardiles/Alemao/Wouters is tasked to deal with him, they are likely to struggle given the significant gap in quality. Not only that, but Maradona is in a very familiar set-up conducive to showcasing his best form.
• A defence well placed to handling Tuppet's main threats. Assuming Best is on the left, we have a self-sacrificing, relentless wing-back to squeeze his space, supported by the classy Luis Pereira who covered onto the right-flank frequently for Brazil in 1974. In the middle Zmuda can match Sanchez for anticipation and positioning, while the Brehme/Schwarzenbeck axis is nearly as good as it gets in closing down Conti.
• A collective attacking power which is likely to be too much for a Hulshoff/Olsen central defensive partnership to handle. Maradona, Stoichkov and Lineker pack a hell of a punch.

Tuppet

Tactics
Formation: 4-2-3-1

Attack
Our attack is straight forward, in Hugol we have a great goal scorer up front who would finish most chances and pin the defenses back with his excellent movement to create space. Behind him we have three playmakers all of whom are great passers and dribblers and can create chances or chip with goals themselves. Best is obviously the crown jewel of my attack and is in a free role, we would be trying to get him on the ball as much as possible.

On the other wing the greatest Italian winger Bruno Conti balances Best's flair with his tenacity. Conti was a great crosser and he would be looking to provide crosses and cutbacks which were Sanchez's bread & butter and connect with him similar to the Sanchez-Michel partnership.

Stojkovic is my primary playmaker, with dribbling abilities that would give even Best a run for his money and awesome long passes he would be looking to pull the strings for the rest of my attack and provide connection between my midfield and the front 3.

Midfield
In midfield we have the other Argentine world cup hero in Ardilles. A complete midfielder who was both tenacious and creative. He would be playing in a B2B role providing support against Maradona for Alemao.

Alemao would be my DM. A brilliant player who won everywhere he went. Won Bola de prata in Brazil, went to La Liga for a seaon and won foreign player of the year award over the likes of Schuster and Sanchez. Then went to Maradona's Napoli and become the engine of the team while winning UEFA cup & Serie A. With Brazil he won Copa America 1989.

Ardilles & Alemao both would provide the shield for my defense and would be playing disciplned roles here. Both have played Maradona and know the danger he poses and would be looking to do everything to minimize his impact.

Defense
In defense we have two brilliant fullbacks in Irwin & Vogts. Both are balanced and in defense first but can provide great overlaps mould. Vogts would be slightly more defensive to allow for Olsen to step forward.

In middle we have Morten Olsen, often touted as the best libero after Beckenbauer in a ball playing defender role providing a great outball option from defense. Hulshoff would be his partner while he was very good at ball as well, he would be playing as a stopper or more aggresive defender much like his partnership with Vasovic.

Finally in Hellstorm we have a safe pair of hands in goalkeeping area.

 

[Physiocrat]

@Gio @Tuppet

Have a great game

 

[idmanager]

Hulshoff was a really nice pick at the end of the drafting. Probably not more popular because of his non-existent international career.

 

[Tuppet]

Best of luck @Gio

 

[Moby]

Two great teams as per the usual from two great drafters.

Both marquee players look set to have good games here. Maradona as Gio wrote in the OP and Best especially with Irwin overlapping/supporting him down the side against a narrow formation will provide a decent amount of joy for Tuppet.

 

[Tuppet]

• Maradona is set to have a good game here. Whoever of Ardiles/Alemao/Wouters is tasked to deal with him, they are likely to struggle given the significant gap in quality. Not only that, but Maradona is in a very familiar set-up conducive to showcasing his best form.

Yeah well it is what it is, Maradona is the best player on the park, but Alemao for what its worth has a pretty decent record against him. Since they were team mates they didn't against each other that much but they faced each other a couple of times for their International sides.
1. In Copa America 1989 Brazil beat Maradona's Argentina 2-0.
2. Second time they faced each other in World Cup 1990 and Maradona's magic set up Caniggia to beat Brazil 1-0 but for most of the game Alemao & Dunga kept the Argentinian in check and both Alemao & Careca hit bars. Which goes to show how dangerous Maradona is and Alemao actually took the blame for not bringing Maradona down. Still

Alemao also faced some other great AMCs in his career, played against great Platini in WC 86 where they lost on penalties. As mentioned in OP he won the best foreign player of the year award against some great players in Futre, Schuster & Sanchez in his only La Liga season. Won the EFE Trophy for Best South American Player of the Year in 1988. He was also quite the force in midfield for Napoli in their 1990 Serie A winning team. All in all he was a fine midfielder and despite having a very difficult job here he would be alright.

Some performances -

 

[Tuppet]

Hulshoff was a really nice pick at the end of the drafting. Probably not more popular because of his non-existent international career.

Yeah Hulshoff was very unlucky missing out on the Netherlands glory years due to Injuries. Although he still was an integral part of the team that won 3 Champions league on the trot beating some pretty good teams.

Here's his performance against Real Madrid -


I was surprised to find his all touch video, it might be work of one of cafe drafters in @harms, @Joga Bonito or @Šjor Bepo in which case many thanks.

 

[Gio]

Yeah well it is what it is, Maradona is the best player on the park, but Alemao for what its worth has a pretty decent record against him. Since they were team mates they didn't against each other that much but they faced each other a couple of times for their International sides.
1. In Copa America 1989 Brazil beat Maradona's Argentina 2-0.
2. Second time they faced each other in World Cup 1990 and Maradona's magic set up Caniggia to beat Brazil 1-0 but for most of the game Alemao & Dunga kept the Argentinian in check and both Alemao & Careca hit bars. Which goes to show how dangerous Maradona is and Alemao actually took the blame for not bringing Maradona down.

Aye, good to see Alemao getting picked - one of the few decent Brazilian central midfielders post Falcao. I think I had him in a draft before, he's a steady pair of hands. At Italia '90, it was his shot that Leighton spilled with 8 minutes to go as Scotland were set to qualify. Big mistake as we ended up going out on goals scored.

I remember both of those Brazil v Argentina clashes. What they showed was that Brazil were a cut above Argentina at the time. They really should have pumped them in the second round in 1990 but missed a shedload of chances. Maradona grabbing the game by the bollocks though was something else. Classic smash and grab when under the cosh. It was what Argentina were all about by that point - grinding it out and hoping Maradona could show a glimpse of his class.

 

[Gio]

Actually, Paul Doyle wrote about that game in the Guardian:

Diego Maradona arrived at the 1982 World Cup hailed by many as the best player in the world. He left it in shame after getting sent off for kicking Jaoa Batista in the swingers as Argentina crashed out to Brazil in the second round. Eight years later Maradona served up cold, sweet revenge. Argentina were World Cup holders when they met their arch-rivals at Italia 90, but having sensationally lost to Cameroon in their opening match and only scrambled through to the last 16 as third-place finishers in their group, they were very much the underdogs.

The match began true to form, Careca cutting through the Argentinian defence and shooting fractionally wide after just 50 seconds. Moments later the striker failed to get a touch to a corner that flew across the face of goal. Then a Dunga header rebounded back off a post. With Dunga and Alemão taking a grip of midfield, Argentina's players were struggling to get the ball to Maradona – and on the few occasions that they succeeded, the Brazilians chopped or bodychecked the little maestro to the ground. Half-time provided temporary relief but within minutes of the resumption Brazil resumed their quest for their seemingly inevitable opening goal. Twice they hit the bar. And then, 10 minutes from time, Maradona picked up the ball in his own half, eluded the savage swipes of his hunters – Ricardo Rocha and Ricardo Gomes even collided with each other in the panic that ensued – before slipping the ball to Claudio Caniggia, who laid Cláudio Taffarel down with a neat feint before tapping the ball into the net. Brazil desperately tried to equalise, but still they couldn't put the ball in the net, Müller missing their best chance when he volleyed wide from 10 yards.

 

[harms]

I was surprised to find his all touch video, it might be work of one of cafe drafters in @harms, @Joga Bonito or @Šjor Bepo in which case many thanks.

Nah, this is a separate account. It's awesome though, I regularly quote its Kaltz vs Madrid video, for example.

 

[Gio]

In case anyone wants a wee bit more on my CM pair:

Leonel Alvarez
Rock-solid defensive midfielder who had the physicality and attitude to take control and shut up shop. Fine passing range and linked smoothly with his fellow Colombian Valderrama.

Leonel Álvarez - now THAT is a miss, one of the best DMs of his generation who wouldn't look out of place and was actually better than half of those drafted. A defensive rock with a beauty of a pass. Valderrama took the plaudits, but Alvarez did the legwork and still had time to play Hollywood balls. Never played in Europe but is the second most capped Colombian ever.

Jose Velasquez
Box-to-box, lanky and elegant - you can see a lot of Velasquez in Vieira. Transitioned well for Peru and did a lot of the dirty work for Cueto and Cubillas.

 

[Ecstatic]

2 brilliant teams. Need to rethink about it

 

[Tuppet]

On the other side Stojkovic was just a wonderful player himself, a dribbler and passer of outstanding quality. He met Alvarez before in World cup 1990 group stage match against Colombia and produce a wonderful performance to beat them -


He was really magical, Maradona in an interview in 2012 said -

What about the 1990 World Cup quarter-final against Yugoslavia in Italy?
- I haven't forgotten it. I admire your style of football and that particular game was an incredible one. I was upset when Ivkovic saved my penalty, but luckily we went through to the semis. From that generation of Yugoslavian players I remember Dragan "Piksi" Stojkovic and I often ask how he and Dejan are doing. Piksi was an incredible footballer -- moved across the park with such ease -- it was like dancing with the most beautiful girl. He was a true star

I mean I get its Maradona on the other side who is basically OP in this draft but Piksi really deserve some recognition, absolutely majestic in dribbling and long passing -

 

[Physiocrat]

This is tight, again, but gone for Tuppet. I just see him scoring more than Gio. If Gio scored first it might be a different story but I just love Tuppet's wing and full-back combos with Hugol to overhead kick Tuppet to victory

 

[Tuppet]

A good post on Ossie Ardiles courtesy @Ecstatic

OSVALDO ARDILES​

Sometimes in football, doing the simple things can be the hardest. One man who never struggled in that regard was the Argentinian Osvaldo Cesar Ardiles, an intelligent midfielder whose skill and tenacity brought him a FIFA World Cup™ winner’s medal in 1978 and subsequent acclaim in England. There he not only became one of the symbols of a successful Tottenham Hotspur side during the early and mid '80s, but he helped pave the way for foreign players coming to the English league. FIFA.com traces the eventful past of this globe-trotting Argentinian and finds a man with ambition still burning today.

Memorable moments
Born on 3 August 1952 in Bell Ville in the province of Cordoba, Ardiles got his first taste of professional football with Instituto de Cordoba in 1973, the club’s first ever season in the Argentinian top flight. The following year he moved to fellow Cordoba side Belgrano, but it was only after his switch to Huracan in 1975 that his career really began to take off.

Though not the most arresting player physically, being slim and just 1.69m, he more than made up for it with his astute play in the centre or right side of midfield, where he proved himself as adept at breaking up play as he was in instigating it. “My position was a little hard to define: half of my job was to create, the other half to defend. I wasn’t a wide-man like the type you see today, but rather a pure midfielder who you rarely saw in either area. My task was to free up the playmaker to give him the time and space to create,” he tells FIFA.com in an exclusive interview.

This twin role quickly saw him stand out at Huracan, and it was little surprise when then Albiceleste coach Cesar Menotti called him into the senior squad in 1975 ahead of the FIFA World Cup on home soil three years later. “I learned more from Cesar than anyone else in football. He was an integral part of my development and he imbued me with a playing philosophy that valued the importance of trying to entertain and play good football,” says El Pitón (The Python), a moniker given to him by his brother because he felt “I weaved around the pitch like snake”.

Menotti stood by the midfielder in the build-up to the finals despite calls for his replacement. “I never defended his selection: he earned everything by dint of his character and talent,” the coach would say years later. And it was to be a judicious decision by Menotti, with Ardiles emerging as a key member of the side that triumphed at Argentina 1978, a tournament in which he managed to play all but one game despite carrying an injury throughout.

Breaking down barriers
Such was his impact at the showpiece event that he and fellow international Ricardo Villa were signed by Tottenham Hotspur for a reported £750,000 in what was a groundbreaking transfer at the time. “The idea was to play a few seasons and then return, but we never imagined the impact we would have. It’s said that our success paved the way for more foreign players to come to England, and there is some truth in that. I believe the influx would have happened anyway, but our accomplishments accelerated that process,” he says from his home in England.

Ardiles came to represent a whole era at Spurs, with whom he won the 1981 and 1982 FA Cups (although he would miss the latter final because of international duty) and the 1984 UEFA Cup. Over ten years at the club, ‘Ossie’ as he was affectionately known in England, played 311 times, netting 25 goals – quite a figure for someone “who rarely got into the box”. Today he remains an ambassador for the club and a proud member of the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame.

Ardiles’s popularity in his adopted home hit new heights in 1981 thanks in no small part to his participation in two artistic projects. The first was his appearance in the blockbuster movie Escape to Victory alongside Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Pele and Bobby Moore; and the second was his part in the video Ossie's Dream (Spurs are on their way to Wembley), a cup-final song recorded by the Spurs team alongside folk duo Chas & Dave that reached the dizzying heights of No5 in the nation’s pop charts.

The player’s international career ended when Argentina surrendered their world title at Spain 1982, an episode Ardiles calls “the biggest failure” of his career. After a loan-spell with French side Paris Saint-Germain in 1982/83, coinciding with the conflict between England and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, the player returned to Spurs. In 1987, towards the end of his time in North London, he briefly added the role of caretaker manager to his playing duties “as a favour to the club”.

When he finally bade farewell to White Hart Lane the following year, he enjoyed short spells with Blackburn Rovers and Queens Park Rangers as well as USA outfit Fort Lauderdale Strikers, before returning to England in 1989 to take up a permanent position of player-manager with second-division Swindon Town. “I picked myself for the first two games and then dropped myself (laughs)! Although the functions were compatible, I wasn’t going to play. Going into management made my retirement from playing less traumatic and it was natural transition,” he says.

He was an excellent player and your credentials don't go bigger than being an integral part of world cup winning team. Being selected over as great a player as Bochini to run the midfield and then pull it off against that dutch side is a great achievement. His accomplishments with Spurs are fantastic as well, winning FA cups and UEFA cup with them.

 

[shrike]

I feel bad for voting against Tuppet here. You look at his team so well balanced all across the pitch, great defenders, very good midfielders and a brilliant attack that would beat most if not all other teams in the draft. Then you look at the Gio's team and Maradona in that role and you know that all that balance in Tuppet's team is not going to be enough.

He is really unlucky here but then I think its not going to matter when you lose to Giodona's team, might as well be in the first round than final. They really should have banned Maradona, I'll be very surprised if doesn't end up winning the whole thing.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I never thought I'd find myself voting against Gio in the first round after he bagged Maradona, Stoichkov and Brehme as his first three picks, but Di Livio vs Best is an unfortunate match up for him. Di Livio's workrate was immense, and if he was supporting a right back vs Best there'd be few better choices for that task, but in terms of pure defensive skills I think he'll come up short here.

That said, Maradona should have a fine game himself, and it's hard to imagine Lineker not thriving with this calibre of service, but I see Best as the likeliest match-winner here.

 

[Charly]

I never thought I'd find myself voting against Gio in the first round after he bagged Maradona, Stoichkov and Brehme as his first three picks, but Di Livio vs Best is an unfortunate match up for him. Di Livio's workrate was immense, and if he was supporting a right back vs Best there'd be few better choices for that task, but in terms of pure defensive skills I think he'll come up short here.

That said, Maradona should have a fine game himself, and it's hard to imagine Lineker not thriving with this calibre of service, but I see Best as the likeliest match-winner here.

Exactly. I am not sure why Tuppet is busy defending Alemao and Ardiles and not posting a zillion posts about how George Best is going to rinse Di Livio. Best at his peak was on par with Maradona and is facing less resistance. He is the most likely match winner here for me.

 

[Tuppet]

Exactly. I am not sure why Tuppet is busy defending Alemao and Ardiles and not posting a zillion posts about how George Best is going to rinse Di Livio. Best at his peak was on par with Maradona and is facing less resistance. He is the most likely match winner here for me.

Heh, don't think George Best needs defending on a United forum. He is definitely my biggest threat and is facing rather weak opposition here. Hopefully he can make a difference in this game.

 

[idmanager]

The riches that come with Maradona. You could always afford an extra centre back. Luis Periera does add the much needed support down the right which if not totally, helps with handling Best to an extent.

4-4-2 would have been a good idea here to keep the 3 CB's busy.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Exactly. I am not sure why Tuppet is busy defending Alemao and Ardiles and not posting a zillion posts about how George Best is going to rinse Di Livio. Best at his peak was on par with Maradona and is facing less resistance. He is the most likely match winner here for me.

I admire Tuppet's gentlemanly approach of focusing on the abilities of his own players but, yeah, maybe a full-blown assault on poor Di Livio was the best way of derailing the juggernaut opposition .

 

[Tuppet]

The riches that come with Maradona. You could always afford an extra centre back. Luis Periera does add the much needed support down the right which if not totally, helps with handling Best to an extent.

4-4-2 would have been a good idea here to keep the 3 CB's busy.

I actually think its the opposite, I considered playing Bebeto but three man defense would really have lined up well against 2 strikers. As it is right now they are facing 1 striker and causing mismatch in other areas. His 3 defenders are a bit of overkill against my attack. Also its fine to say that when Di Livio is beaten Pereira would just cover him but I am not sure if he is the right man for the job or has ever played in wide areas, there is a reason you don't just start stoppers in fullback position, they have a great skill set in facing strikers but tricky wingers require a completely different approach. I think if Di Livio is beaten odds are Best's nimble feet would beat Pereira as well.

 

[TooSweet]

I like Tuppet's team better but can understand pull from Maradona might be too much. Vogts should mostly keep Stoichkov quiet on the other end Brehme has a tough battle at his hand against Conti as well. Maradona really need to have a great game here otherwise I can see Bestie settling this tie. Alemao btw is very underrated, I remember him form 80s Serie A, he was a very very good player and decent tache too. Him and Cerezo are two of the most underrated defensive midfielders in my opinion.

 

[Charly]

Heh, don't think George Best needs defending on a United forum. He is definitely my biggest threat and is facing rather weak opposition here. Hopefully he can make a difference in this game.

Bah everybody needs reminding ! Everyone just keep doling votes for Maradona, but Best can match everything Maradona can do. If you look at the two teams, Stojkovic was basically Maradona-lite and Conti matches the hard working attacking of Stoichkov. Lineker and Hugo Sanchez is also almost a draw with slighly favoring Sanchez. But there is no one like Best in the other team -

 

[idmanager]

I actually think its the opposite, I considered playing Bebeto but three man defense would really have lined up well against 2 strikers. As it is right now they are facing 1 striker and causing mismatch in other areas. His 3 defenders are a bit of overkill against my attack. Also its fine to say that when Di Livio is beaten Pereira would just cover him but I am not sure if he is the right man for the job or has ever played in wide areas, there is a reason you don't just start stoppers in fullback position, they have a great skill set in facing strikers but tricky wingers require a completely different approach. I think if Di Livio is beaten odds are Best's nimble feet would beat Pereira as well.

Hmm, agree that Pereira might not be the best player for that role, but I don't agree that his 3 defenders are an overkill setup wise. Gives his wing backs the chance to be adventurous even with the wingers you have.

Personally, think this is definitively not a round 1 match up considering these were the two teams I voted 1st (Tuppet) and 2nd (Gio) for the best drafters, but it was slightly disappointing to see you not go for a 4-4-2.
Not just because of his defensive line, but from your winger's perspective too. With Best and Conti, a No.10 there would have been awesome IMO. Would have won my vote.
Would you have gone for a 4-4-2 if the player involved was someone better than Bebeto or was it completely a tactical decision?

 

[Tuppet]

Hmm, agree that Pereira might not be the best player for that role, but I don't agree that his 3 defenders are an overkill setup wise. Gives his wing backs the chance to be adventurous even with the wingers you have.

Personally, think this is definitively not a round 1 match up considering these were the two teams I voted 1st (Tuppet) and 2nd (Gio) for the best drafters, but it was slightly disappointing to see you not go for a 4-4-2.
Not just because of his defensive line, but from your winger's perspective too. With Best and Conti, a No.10 there would have been awesome IMO. Would have won my vote.
Would you have gone for a 4-4-2 if the player involved was someone better than Bebeto or was it completely a tactical decision?

Yeah would have gone 4-4-2 if I was facing anyone other than Gio, who it was obvious going to play a 3 man backline. Playing with 2 midfielders against a midfield containing Maradona was also never going to sit well with voters. Stojkovic does offer a lot here with his playmaking and he is playing a no. 10 role here. I do agree Bebeto-Sanchez partnership would have been pretty dope, basically a poor man's Romario-Bebeto partnership.

One thing though Best was not really a touch line winger, he was more of a width of the pitch player like say Hazard or Messi in his right wing role. He would be more at home in this role rather than 4-4-2 in my opinion. As he is my "best" player I don't really want him on the periphery but more involved in the central game and Stojkovic dropping deeper gives him more chance to cut in than a 2 striker system would, with the central attacking areas already congested.

Here's a pretty cool article describing United's tactic in 1967 - https://manutd24.co.uk/2011/08/01/retrospective-4-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-1967/ which usually swung from 4-3-3 to 4-2-4

George Best, having served a spell on the flanks, is really too gifted a player to wait for service and now finds himself working mid-field with Charlton, fetching and carrying, covering in defence, and initiating and backing up attacks. A cheeky dribbler who, from his initiation in the team as a 17-year-old, has confidently attacked defenders. Capable of beating three or four opponents in succession, he can redress the numerical disadvantage blanketing and covering defences provide.

I have to admit, at this point my jaw dropped considerably. Apart from Charlton’s work rate, which is seldom discussed, the description of George Best ‘fetching and carrying, covering in defence’ was in complete contradiction to the George Best legend. And yet, when you look at his goal scoring record during this period it is relatively modest. In his first term, 1963/64, he notched only six goals. He hit the target 14 times in 1964/65, some distance behind the 39 strikes of Denis Law and 28 of David Herd. He registered a similar total in 1965/66 and only 10 in 1966/67. Upon reflection, this is not surprising given his junior status in the side at this time. Things changed considerably in 1967/68, with Law and Herd out of action for long spells, Best was moved into the front three and scored 32 goals in all competitions, 28 of them in the league. He then became a force up front and remained in the attacking three.

He really was more of a wing forward then a pure winger.

 

[2mufc0]

Two of the strongest teams in the draft lining up here and the way i see it is which team can contain and restrict the opposition star man the most. Just about went with Best and Tuppet mainly because he will have a better game against Di Livio, while it's difficult to completely shut down Diego he will find it tough against Tuppet's midfielders.

 

[Physiocrat]

@Tuppet I agree with your assessment on Best. I'd consider him a roaming winger (distinguished from a wide forward like Messi as he doesn't need an attacking full-back) similar to Kurt Hamrin to some extent

 

[Gio]

I actually think its the opposite, I considered playing Bebeto but three man defense would really have lined up well against 2 strikers. As it is right now they are facing 1 striker and causing mismatch in other areas. His 3 defenders are a bit of overkill against my attack. Also its fine to say that when Di Livio is beaten Pereira would just cover him but I am not sure if he is the right man for the job or has ever played in wide areas, there is a reason you don't just start stoppers in fullback position, they have a great skill set in facing strikers but tricky wingers require a completely different approach. I think if Di Livio is beaten odds are Best's nimble feet would beat Pereira as well.

Best one on one will always be a handful irrespective of the quality of the player he is coming up against. Di Livio's strength here is his energy and discipline. That Juventus team of the mid-to-late 1990s is one of the hardest working of all time, and Di Livio probably embodied what they were all about more than anyone else. A bigger name might offer more going forward, but would be posted missing when Best gets the ball. At least with Di Livio I know he'll sacrifice his attacking game to devote himself squarely to cutting off supply to Best, and then hound him relentlessly from there. That self-sacrifice was what he was all about and was why he stayed loyal to Fiorentina when they were liquidated and sent to the bottom tier. Superb personality, and just the type that winning teams need.

The more specific tactical point though is that Luis Pereira has previous doing this very same role against elite opposition. When Brazil squared off against Yugoslavia in 1974, Pereira took up the RCB role and had to cover the vast space behind the gung-ho Nelinho. And the man he faced? No less than Dragan Dzajic. The result? A 0-0 draw with Dzajic nullified and Pereira rated as the star defender on the park.

He's very suited to covering that space with his athleticism and reading of the game. The footage from that Yugoslavia match shows him covering across frequently, mopping up and winning back the ball. Appreciating the qualities Best brings to the table, he's a really good fit here IMO and has previous in stopping world-class wingmanship.

 

[Ecstatic]

@Tuppet I agree with your assessment on Best. I'd consider him a roaming winger (distinguished from a wide forward like Messi as he doesn't need an attacking full-back) similar to Kurt Hamrin to some extent

Sure, he has a straight-forward understanding of the game. Brilliant on the wing but also in cutting inside.

 

[Ecstatic]

Two of the strongest teams in the draft lining up here and the way i see it is which team can contain and restrict the opposition star man the most. Just about went with Best and Tuppet mainly because he will have a better game against Di Livio, while it's difficult to completely shut down Diego he will find it tough against Tuppet's midfielders.

Indeed.

Gio has built his team around Maradona and his left-flank is his big asset: Brehme-Stoickhov to support him on the left. Three central defenders to manage Hugo Sanchez: largely sufficient here. On the other hand, Di Livio is less shining when it comes to attacking. If my memories serves me well, Lineker played 1 season on the wing (right or left I don't know) with Barcelona. Maradona factor to be taken into account.

The feeling the Tuppet has the edge on the wings. Vogts is the right man to mark Stoickhov. Conti has an impressive work-rate. Irwin is strong and Best brilliant of course. The battle midfield would be epic.

Best & Maradona MOTM

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Indeed.

Gio has built his team around Maradona and his left-flank is his big asset: Brehme-Stoickhov to support him on the left. Three central defenders to manage Hugo Sanchez: largely sufficient here. On the other hand, Di Livio is less shining when it comes to attacking. If my memories serves me well, Lineker played 1 season on the wing (right or left I don't know) with Barcelona. Maradona factor to be taken into account.

The feeling the Tuppet has the edge on the wings. Vogts is the right man to mark Stoickhov. Conti has an impressive work-rate. Irwin is strong and Best brilliant of course. The battle midfield would be epic.

Best & Maradona MOTM

Lineker did play out wide for Barca and has stated his dislike for the role, bult he did work the channels well as a centre forward and he was a good crosser.

 

[Ecstatic]

Lineker did play out wide for Barca and has stated his dislike for the role, bult he did work the channels well as a centre forward and he was a good crosser.

Good to know. Thanks

 

[Gio]

Game Tuppet, unlucky. Typically well crafted team.

 

[Tuppet]

Congrats @Gio I already started looking at the next draft thread since I got this draw.

The more specific tactical point though is that Luis Pereira has previous doing this very same role against elite opposition. When Brazil squared off against Yugoslavia in 1974, Pereira took up the RCB role and had to cover the vast space behind the gung-ho Nelinho. And the man he faced? No less than Dragan Dzajic. The result? A 0-0 draw with Dzajic nullified and Pereira rated as the star defender on the park.

He's very suited to covering that space with his athleticism and reading of the game. The footage from that Yugoslavia match shows him covering across frequently, mopping up and winning back the ball. Appreciating the qualities Best brings to the table, he's a really good fit here IMO and has previous in stopping world-class wingmanship.

That is good to know, more detail I see on Pereira the more I find his reputation of second best Brazilian defender justified.

 

[Enigma_87]

Was a very tough matchup to separate. Both teams were obviously quality and one of the strongest in the draft.

Gio had the Maradona effect as the best player on the park who can of course be hugely influential whilst Tuppet had a great advantage in the Di Livio/Best matchup.

It was very narrow game and what eventually tilted if for me was Piksi in that role and since I really love the guy.