------------------------------ JIM BEAM ----------------------------------------------------- BORISDELAFORA --------------------------------------
Jim Beam's write up:
Tactics: 4-3-3, high press, high possession, and structured attack; players interchanging position during the attack.
Style of play: Emphasis not only on possession for the sake of it but on hurting the other team while being in possession through the gaps that open up. Continued defensive pressing once the ball is lost and the team must act as a collective in both phases of the game.
The main idea: Beat power with brain, passing, and technique
Pep Guardiola:
I put Pep quotes simply because most will identify this team with a famous tiki-taka style while even he thought it was a load of crap. And tbf, it was, it wasn't Barcelona fault that the other team didn't open up most of the times even when they were 2 or 3 up or that it was easier in those moments to keep the ball.
Defensive phase - high and Early Press, deny space for the other team
Front three press the backline trying to force the mistake from the opponent and get the ball early. The central midfielders cover if the opposition gets passed the first wave being also very aggressive trying to secure the ball as fast as they can.
As a result, the other team usually gets penned back.
Attacking phase – constant movement, getting forward in numbers
Support the attacking three with numbers playing quick one-touch passing always trying to find the gaps and opening in the other defence. Force the opposition on one side of the field and then provide quick passes to exploit the weaker area on the other side of the opponent.
Personel
Franco Baresi lifts this team to a whole another level in the defensive sense and there is no need for his introduction. He is the greatest defender of all time with a complementary partnership in Vincent Kompany. They are joined with Jose Antonio Camacho and Vladimir Bessonov completing the backline. One a bit more adventurous and one a bit more reserved, but both fully capable of contributing in both phases of the game The team also needed a physical, disciplined, holding presence at the base of the midfield with excellent passing ability. Not many better players suited for the role than Valery Voronin.
The attack is rounded with one of the greatest wingers/inside forwards in world history in Tom Finney and Samuel Eto'o who is a perfect striker for this set up stretching the other defence, opening gaps, capable of creating as well as scoring.
Conclusion
It is meant to represent Xavi and Iniesta the best possible platform to dominate the game or freedom to go play, create and work their magic.
It is somewhat ridiculous that almost 18 years from now and after their debut together most experts thought they can't play together and that they are actually luxury players. A fun, but not especially productive partnership. After Rijkaard and Ronaldinho era finished, while being heavily recognized as top players, their time was only about to come with no one expecting what is coming actually. The best midfield partnership of all time.
“People used to ask ‘Xavi or Iniesta?’ and Pep would say ‘Xavi and Iniesta’,” Lorenzo Buenaventura, Guardiola’s assistant, explained in Iniesta’s biography The Artist. “Both of them. Not one or the other. Together always. People said they couldn’t play together, but that’s not true. They shouldn’t be played apart.”
The team is also built with every single player being fully committed to understanding the importance of playing as a collective and not as an individual.
BorisDeLaFora's write-up:
Team Philosophy
'You play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you'
This side would emphasise strong defensive stability and discipline, percentage balls, tactical fouls, time wasting, quick counter attacks at precise moments, and high set piece conversion rates.
The formation is a 4-4-1-1.
The defensive shape would involve two narrow banks of four holding a deep defensive line, with the AMC man marking the opposing deepest lying midfielder. The aim is to frustrate the opposition playing through the middle and to force them wide, where this team would have a big advantage dealing with balls into the box.
In attack the team will look to feed off a target man with powerful runners from deep working off him, as well as utilising the wings to get good deliveries into the box.
GK/DEF
Ederson is a good keeper, certainly not world class, and certainly weak in terms of an all time draft. However he can boot a kick out to within 10 yards of the opposition box handily enough, where the likes of Bale, Gullit, and Charles, all exceptional headers of the ball, would work off each other with Robson and Beckham in support.
The back four more or less contains two stoppers at full back, who will be instructed to stay narrow. Both have a decent range of passing and will be encouraged to play long diagonal balls up the field. Stam and Hierro are a decent combination of stopper and ball playing CB. Hierro on the ball will be key in playing accurate passes forward to my attackers into feet, a key attacking alternative.
MID
With a massive back 4 the central midfield duo of Robson and Mascherano offers a balance of low centre of gravity and high energy in central midfield, whilst maintaining good strength and toughness. Mascherano will hold midfield whilst Robson will be given a bit more license to get forward. A key feature of what made Robson so great was his ability to time his runs forward, and this poses a huge threat as Charles and Gullit should be able to take in and lay off a good percentage of the balls they receive.
Bale will be playing in his destroying Maicon role, using his running ability to get up and down the pitch and combining it with his excellent crossing and shooting technique. His height and aerial ability also allow him to perform the role of a wide target man, offering a different point for Ramos and Beckham to switch play, and more importantly, getting in at the back post when Beckham receives the ball in an attacking position. Beckham will do what Beckham did, put quality deliveries into the box.
FWD
With the ball Gullit will look to get close to Charles and look to rotate their roles as the main target man. Their main duty will be to get on the end of Beckham's crosses.
Attacking set Pieces
Beckham delivering to any combination of Charles, Gullit, Bale, Ramos, Hierro, Stam, Briegel, and Robson. Would probably make up 80% of the training sessions.
Good luck @Jim Beam @BorisDeLeFora
, I still think that midfield takes away the battle and it will be dominant.