The Euro Draft - QF - Aldo vs Joga Bonito

[Balu]

All players shall be judged only on their performances at the tournaments (From 1927 to 1960 the CEICs, from 1960 to 2012 the Euros). Please take this into account before voting. You can read up on the theme by clicking here.
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Team Aldo​

A tactical switch from the previous game sees the team set up with a 3-4-2-1 formation. It was well elaborated in the last game that the team was built with the Spanish team in the European Championship of 2008 as the inspiration. The ethics of that team still run deep in this even if the setup is not the same, and both the new additions have been chosen with that in mind. We are going to play an attacking philosophy, providing a well constructed platform to our most creative players who impacted the Euros like few others and allow them to dominate the game, control it and constantly look to be on the frontfoot.

The defense sees the biggest change from the last game, with the addition of the impenetrable Alessandro Nesta, the man who marshalled that rock solid Italian defense in 2000, and finished as runners up. Nesta's defensive capabilities are known to all, and there's a strong case that Euro 2000 was Nesta's peak in the Italian shirt. One of the greatest defenders ever, Nesta's completeness is invaluable to this team. He'll be strong in the air, precise in the tackle, alert in anticipation and basically be a mammoth task to break him down, but also a great exponent of the ball at his feet, well capable of bringing it out and hence gelling perfectly with the theme of the team. Lining up with him are Maxime Bossis and Ernst Happel. Two exceptionally intelligent defenders, capable of reading the game like an open book will look to cut off the threat before it becomes a danger. Both of them are wonderfully versatile and capable of playing anywhere across the back four, which makes them perfect fits for this system.

The two wingbacks are the two flying Germans in Lahm and Kaltz. Two brilliant defenders, they will patrol the flanks all day long. Composed and solid at the back, they possess the tactical awareness and technical ability to blend in nicely with the rest of the team and move the ball nicely. And going forward, both have powerful exploits to their names, and they will truly make a difference going forward.

The second addition was Luis Monti. I loved Cocu in this team, and dropping him has very little to do with his quality, the decision is more to do with the match up and Monti is just better suited to this opposition. His WC exploits are known to all, he also won the Dr. Gero Cup (CEIC) with Italy in 1935, an year since he had lifted the WC trophy with them. He will anchor the midfield, providing defensive robustness and endless reserves of stamina and energy. He will be assigned man marking duties if required, given he is one of the best man markers the game has seen. On the ball, he was equally capable and would seamlessly fit in this midfield. A true leader and a game changer, his qualities will not go unnoticed. He is partnering Xavi. Xavi was phenomenal in the Euro 2008, which is why a team that is a tribute to them is built around him, their best player. Both are incredibly all round players, putting great shifts defensively and capable of turning defense to attack in an instant. Naturally, Monti is the more defensive partner, while Xavi takes control of the game and pulls the strings.

Out wide, they have two EURO legends in Andres Iniesta and Pavel Nedved. Both the players have multiple Euros under their belt where they were fantastic. The Iniesta that destroyed teams in the 2012 edition is the one playing here, often allowing people to click photos with him being hounded by 5 or so players, he was simply unplayable back then. he will be instrumental in combining with Xavi and controlling the game. He can drop deep, or stay forward, depending on the nature of play. That tournament was his peak in the Spanish shirt and earned him a third place in the Ballon D'or, and him playing in that form is absolute trouble for the opposition. We basically have the peak Xavi and peak Iniesta, while talking of their national careers, playing with an attacking intent, it is going to be great. You'll have opponents chasing shadows when these two combine those performances and take the opponents out of the game right in the middle of the park, like they've done so often.

Nedved on the other side is not a slouch, one of the most versatile and complete players ever, Nedved put tremendous shifts in the Czech midfields time and again and is a true national legend. Here he is driving forward from the right. What he brings? He will keep the ball as well as anyone, I can see him sync beautifully into that Spanish system, a role that David Silva - a very similar player offensively, played. His creativity would be influential in the game, and when he comes infield and joins the midfield, it allows Iniesta to take a free role and run rings around the opponents. It works similar the other way as well, Iniesta joins the midfield to control the game, and the Czech Fury is unleashed with his powerful running and the dangerous shooting ability.

All in all, the midfield has 4 really complete players, which is vital for this team. All 4 will contribute both offensively and defensively to crucial effect and have the background and performances to work seamlessly together. There will be a lot of cohesion and synergy between the four, and there's proven chemistry of Xavi and Iniesta, one of the greatest duos ever. It will almost certainly hand us the control, and give us a massive advantage. AGAIN - This is not the "pointless possession" you may confuse this style with, we see an opening we take our chance, and do that over and over. The passing will be incisive, swift and crisp with fantastic movement and workrate from everyone and that will open the opponents up over 90 minutes, we are sure of that. It is certain that there will be truckloads of great chances created by this unit.

To finish off the chances created by the unit, we have Milan Baros. Before you go " that Liverpool flop", I'd like to remind you, his club form weighs ZERO in this game. It is only his peak for Czech Republic at the Euros that counts, and he was sensational in 2004. He is the perfect man to be at the end of the moves, fast, direct, clinical. His 5 goals in 2004 are the form we are basing this on, and based on that he is one of the best names to have up front.

​

Against Joga - I don't see many wide players in attack for him, which means the two wingbacks will have plenty of space to enjoy and make a big impact. Most of his attack is going to work centrally - Villa, Elkjaer, Kalle and we have stacked quality in there. With Nesta marshalling the defense and the both Bossis and Happel being well comfortable in shutting down the channels, there would hardly be any space to exploit. Nesta is the perfect defender to deal with someone like Kalle. The defender are also extremely composed on the ball and that will negate any pressing done by these forwards. The ball will brought out of defense without much trouble, and the pressing will only mean the forwards losing their energy for not much in return.

tactical change midway through the first half:

Sindelar is one of his most important players, and he is meeting his nemesis here. Monti successfully marked Sindelar in the 1934 World Cup, and stopped the heartbeat of that Austrian team. Monti will close down Sindelar as soon as he drops back, and Nesta will shut him down if he takes his position in the box. Given he is supposed to be the creative heartbeat of the team, with Monti constantly cutting off his supply, his attack will be disjointed as a result.

Spoiler: original tactics

Sindelar is one of his most important players, and he is meeting his nemesis here. Monti successfully marked Sindelar in the 1934 World Cup, and stopped the heartbeat of that Austrian team. Something similar is aimed in this game, with Monti on a man marking mission on Sindelar, in turn cutting off the supply to the attack and reducing the opposition threat by a huge factor.

I can almost be certain we will dominate the midfield. Effenberg and Pluskal and two excellent midfielders, but it is a big ask for them to come to grips with the combination of Monti, Xavi, Iniesta and Nedved. In particular the last 3, all of them lit of the European Championships. A peak Xavi who ran the show in 2008, a peak Iniesta who dazzled audiences in 2012 and a peak Nedved who drove forward the Czechs in 2004, it is a mouth watering midfield and they will not face much resistance. It is important to note how flexibility they bring in. They can all drop in midfield, making it a unit of 4 and completely outrunning the opposition, and swiftly break forward. Iniesta and Nedved are used to working between the lines. They will be constantly swapping roles, and even flanks if needed. For example :

Left Overload :

Right Overload :

 

[Balu]

The idea is basically to overload one flank at a time. Those images show a back 4, but it is mainly to show how one wingbacks secures the threat of counters while the later CB on the other side moves to make space. While overloading the flanks, we will move the ball in triangles, such as Xavi-Iniesta-Lahm or Xavi-Nedved-Kaltz. We have seen work to great effect recently when United went on a great run. With that sort of swift passing and movement on one side, the striker and the Nedved/Iniesta will break forward into space vacated by the overloading the other flank and would get on the end of the moves if there is a clear opening, or take the ball back to Xavi who restarts this. With Xavi at the help of this philosophy and dictating terms, it will be very, very fruitful.

Joga has a wonderful defense and it is going to be a tough ask to break it down. But I believe with the almost guaranteed control in midfield, the flair and creativity and intelligence of the the two attacking midfielders and the wingbacks stretching play and getting in on the act, it will be a tough ask for them to keep up with that for 90 minutes. And Baros may not be a fancy name like some others that you think will be needed to break down that defense, but I repeat, this is based on Euros, and he was nothing but sensational. He has an absolutely proven peak, of the highest quality and in this context, he is going to be more than handful with that sort of service.

I hope some of those things make sense to you. Thanks for reading, and good luck Joga!

Spoiler: original line-up

late tactical change:

vs

tactical change shortly before halftime.

Spoiler: original line-up

Team Joga Bonito​

Key Tactical Changes

Addition of 'Kalle' and 'The Rock'

As if the defense wasn't strong enough already, The Rock, Desailly is here to augment it. He will prove crucial against the lively Albert.

The addition of Rummenigge will prove to be the catalyst in bringing the best out of his compatriots - the lavishly talented Sindelar and the marauding Elkjaer. Be it being dynamic and direct menaces bombarding the flanks or incisively cutting in in deadly fashion or functioning as a reference point up front, Elkenigge are multi-faceted forwards - who in tandem give me greater presence than the sum of their individual parts, as if that wasn't enough to begin with. It is a cohesive and complementary alliance whose 'complete' game-play can probe and punish the most minute of limitations in a defender or the defense in ruthless fashion.

Please watch these videos to grasp the beauty of the Elkenigge dream partnership, especially their proficiency in wider areas in addition to their expertise in the more traditional centre-forward work. A beautiful cocktail of deadliness and rapier like incisiveness.



(From 25:15 to 32:34, particularly that game against Italy on 28:00. Trust me, once you get to watching you won't stop . 39:30 against Scirea's Juve for those interested.)

Throw in Sindelar's intelligent movement dragging defenders out of position, delightful playmaking and link-up play creating a flurry of chances and tremendous goalscoring ability, it is quite the fearsome attacking trident to behold.


Defensive Line : Slightly-deepish-Normal

Style of Play : Off the ball, Elkenigge will be the first line of defense, constantly probing and pressing Aldo's defense. Elkjaer will look to keep an eye on Kaltz and not give him a free ride on the right flank when in possession. He has both the tenacity and the industry to make a nuisance of himself off the ball and the searing pace in combination with power over long distances to be a threat on the counter, which in itself is something Kaltz would be wary about before over committing himself forward. Effenberg and Pluskal will stay compact screening the defense and will look to limit Xavi's influence in the centre of the pitch. Maldini would relish the battle with Nedved and I expect him to keep the lid on the Czech winger here.

The left flank isn't one I'm too worried about in terms of wingsmanship. I'm not going to try and downplay a fantastic defender in Lahm and he will still be the dependable and reliable rock solid presence on the left. However, when it comes to the offensive aspect of Lahm's game he is a different beast on the left as opposed to the enterprising version he is on the right. This in addition to Iniesta playing as an inside left (Iniesta on the wings was always about cutting in, linking up with players and overloading the middle) won't offer much, if any conventional wingsmanship. This is an ideal scenario for my RCB Bergomi, who is tailor made to deal with the elusive but fairly predictable (in terms of gameplay) inside left Iniesta. Demyanenko will also be less burdened defensively as there isn't a genuine wing threat on my right flank and he will be looking to stamp his authority on the right flank, looking to pin back Lahm in tandem with Rummenigge.

The defensive trio have fairly standard jobs, Bergomi as stated above will be keeping a keen eye on Iniesta, Moore will be looking to deal with Baros and finally Desailly will be man-marking the most crucial tactical segment of Aldo's unit - Flórián Albert. He is the integral component who ties midfield to attack, provides the sole central thrust and dynamism, technique to drop back into midfield and thereby adding an extra body which is quintessential for Xavi to truly thrive. Simply put, he is probably Aldo's most important player tactically and the only one capable of fulfiling such a role, other than Nedved who is required on the flanks. Placing Desailly on him will affect the game significantly as Albert is such a key tactical cog who ties the attack and midfield together in Aldo's team.

On the ball, both Maldini and Demyanenko will look to provide ample support for my wing-forwards who have the nous and the opportunism to know which zones (channels/wings/central areas) will yield the greatest rewards. Effenberg and Moore's long range passing will be important as usual but Sindelar will be the one who would be the key to everything. Dropping deep to dictate play, making decoy runs to drag defenders out of position allowing Elkenigge to capitalise on the resulting space, linking up with Elkenigge and providing the finishing touches to a move himself, Sindelar will be a force to be reckoned with.

Elkenigge will have full freedom to just do their thing. Be it running rampage down the flanks, cutting in incisively, going on a mazy and unstoppable run, linking up with Sindelar to deadly effect and pulling the trigger themselves. They've simply got the lot.

Key Points

-I do think my defense perfectly poised to neutralize the likes of Baros who has to contend with Moore, Nedved with Maldini, Iniesta with Bergomi, Albert with the man-marking behemoth Desailly and Xavi-Monti squaring up against the steely Pluskal-Effenberg core which is as defensively secure as it comes

-On the other hand, the Elkenigge tandem in combination with Sindelar is just too good to stop due to their unique individual qualities and the sheer potency of their combination. They are up against a quality defense but I'd back my attack to have a higher chance of breaking his defense than vice versa. The duo of Nesta-Bossis/Happel/Carvalho will also find it hard to come to terms with Elkjaer's aerial superiority in particular.

How This Will Pan Out

Aldo's team whilst not being an extreme tiki-taka version, is still a fairly possession oriented one with a talented midfield with the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Nedved and even Monti who is decent on the ball. Throw in Albert and a back 4 which is comfortable on the ball, you can't not see them having the edge in possession, naturally. This requires an alert and solid defense and midfield from the opposition, which can stifle his midfield/attack by staying compact whilst also possessing a devastating threat on the counter/quick transition (there will potentially be a few turnovers as this is a side that is inspired by a more direct Spain 2008 side).

As stated before I have a cracking core in Bergomi, Desailly and Moore who are rigorously shielded by the commanding Effenberg and Pluskal duo who are capable of stifling and frustrating Aldo's talented midfield core. Plus the perfect counter-attacking/quick transitioning set-up with 2 rapid twin pronged wing-forwards and the likes of Moore, Effenberg and Sindelar who could provide the ammunition from deep and in close proximity. Also keep in mind that only Kaltz and Nedved are capable of providing the width to supplement Aldo's impressive central unit but Nedved is up against Maldini and Kaltz has to keep an weary eye on the whirl-wind Elkjaer. This should further aid my efforts in keeping his team at bay whilst getting one over him with Elkenigge.

Good luck Aldo.

------------------------------

Good luck @Aldo @Joga Bonito

 

[Balu]

More from Joga Bonito:

Spoiler: Sindelar vs Monti

On the legendary Sindelar vs Monti debate

1) It wasn't the CEICs but rather the WC and such shouldn't be taken into account of. More importantly it was widely recognised that the Wunderteam (and Sindelar) was past its peak by 1934 and was on the wane.

2) It wasn't a fair match up. The influence of Mussolini in that tournament is well documented.



The goal which knocked out Austria was a blatant foul on Platzer by Meazza which was ignored in addition to it being reportedly offside and well, the referee was biased throughout the match (seen in the VIP area alongside Mussolini and chosen to referee the final as well - an event which was written off as a confirmed win for Italy in many quarters)

A couple of articles if you are a history buff and interested in Mussolini's influence on the 1934 WC

Spoiler: Articles

http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=6870

http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/research...1950s/mussolinis-football/the-1934-world-cup/

http://www.overtimeonline.co.uk/?p=1330

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/05...ll-how-italy-won-the-1934-and-1938-world-cup/

http://www.thehardtackle.com/2013/how-mussolini-affected-world-cup-and-italian-football/

Simply put there was no way Italy weren't emerging from the WC without the enormously sized 'Coppa Del Duce' in their hands. Not saying Monti will struggle against Sindelar or vice versa but there won't be any 'shutting down' or 'neutralizing' going on here in their possible encounter .

3) Anyway and more importantly, I think he will be playing a midfield duo of sorts with Xavi and Monti, so I don't think Monti will have the full tactical freedom to man-mark Sindelar here who will be flitting in and between the lines, constantly on the move as a false 9.

 

[Balu]

@Rado_N @Damien , could one of you please add the poll to the thread? Thanks a lot.

Question:
Judged on the Euro performances, who will win the match?

- Team Aldo
- Team Joga Bonito

Poll for 24hrs. Public Poll. View results without voting. Can change votes.

 

[Rado_N]

Poll added.

 

[Gio]

Two immediate points from this match-up:

• I can see Baros getting gobbled up in this one. Despite his goals there wasn't enough in his all-round play in 2004 to suggest he'd really get the better of that defence, although the connection with Nedved is a welcome one.
• Joga looks light in central midfield. That's bad in normal circumstances, but with Aldo having the greatest possession players of all, within a four (not even a three!), there's going to be a serious possession mismatch. And that's not counting the neat-and-tidiness of the wing-backs. That said, Barca/Spain never faced a defence like Joga's.

 

[MJJ]

Joga's defense!!!

 

[Balu]

Poll added.

I seriously start to wonder if you're a bot or a real person. I actually have a bet running if it once takes more than 10 minutes until the poll is added (I can't say if I bet for or against you and Damien, that would spoil it of course. Three more games to go in this draft, should be interesting how it turns out.

Anyway, thanks again.

 

[Rado_N]

I seriously start to wonder if you're a bot or a real person. I actually have a bet running if it once takes more than 10 minutes until the poll is added (I can't say if I bet for or against you and Damien, that would spoil it of course. Three more games to go in this draft, should be interesting how it turns out.

Anyway, thanks again.

heh, I'm pretty sure I've already had at least one that went way beyond 10 minutes, but you're welcome!

 

[Balu]

heh, I'm pretty sure I've already had at least one that went way beyond 10 minutes, but you're welcome!

I don't think so. Damien once took exactly 10 minutes, after that one I made the bet. The last 4 matches, you needed 3, 8, 6 and again 3 minutes. You're awesome.

 

[Rado_N]

You're actually keeping track

 

[Balu]

No, I'm slightly crazy but not that crazy. I looked it up in the threads just now.

 

[harms]

First thought - Joga was expecting Albert to play and he had changed his set-up to minimize his influence, but he didn't even start.

 

[harms]

• Does Aldo have enough goalthreat to break Joga's defence? I think that this maybe too much for Baros. What's Iniesta's and Nedved's goalscoring records on Euro's? I'm too lazy to check myself.
• Will ultra-defensive Joga be capable of taking the ball to his forwards efficiently?

I don't have an opinion yet, I'll wait to hear what the managers will have to say about that.

 

[berbasloth4]

this looks like the perfect game of a team of Possession footballers vs a team of hard workers..

At the end of the day I think its going to be who is going to take their chances.. Will baros get enough of the ball or does he have the beaten of desailly or more..

Will magic have to come from nedved/xavi from distance infront of a great keeper??

Big questions are when on the break and making use of rare possession how crucial can Rummingege and Sindeler be?? Will Effenberg be able to bully that midfield like he did for years vs Monti who was a Hard man and not easily bullied??

To be honest I see this being a draw I can't see a defence with Bergomi maldini desailly and moore being broken down, but I can't see how Aldos side will be caught on the break..

Penalties anyone?? lol

 

[Moby]

First of all that's a top team, Joga, specially the defense as expected is top notch. I'll be honest, I don't see my team, or either team for that matter, scoring more than a goal in this game. In all probability this will be a 0-0 decided in ET or penalties - however I would like to make a case of why I might edge or score that one precious goal in the game that would tilt the tie.

- The biggest thing to talk about right now is that Joga has prepared for the wrong opposition. That may not seem something huge on paper, but in any game, a big tournament KO game no less, misjudging the opponent to this extent can lead to the team being surprised early on in the game and that could give my team a quick start. As it is we were a lot more prepared than the opponent and made no such drastic misjudgements.

- The midfield battle is a huge game changer here. I anticipated that you would field the same midfield and for that, I have stacked that area with players who would dominate most midfields anyway, but in this case, not only would they dominate but would be able to afford being a lot more expressing and creative given the amount of space there.

- I can see that Baros doesn't look like someone who would make impact here, but he's going to be touching the ball a hell lot more than his opponent number, and he will get a lot more quality chances. Of course it is a mammoth task to break that defense, but I would like to think that with the constant bombardment, he will sooner or later find an opening. Remember - based on Euro performances, he is right up there. Yes, Joga has quality names and in an ordinary match up there's no way I would hope for a goal but this is strictly based on Euro's, and Baros here has zero burden of anything but scoring.

- Following up on the previous points, Xavi, Iniesta and Nedved are three of the greatest players in this competition's history, and effectively would hold greater weight in this match up than a couple of Joga's defenders, even if they are bigger names in their positions. Given the freedom in midfield to them, and given how versatile and unpredictable they are, they will have a massive impact on this game. Iniesta and Nedved are not just possession players! Both, whenever given the ball will look to create chances, utilize the wingbacks to great effect, move the ball really quickly and get the ball forward. We will not spend ages going around in midfield. We are playing with a very adventurous attitude, we have the quality of passing and technique in the team to be confident of attacking creatively and in direct ways without losing the ball and doing that constantly in the game.

More to follow.

 

[Moby]

this looks like the perfect game of a team of Possession footballers vs a team of hard workers..

At the end of the day I think its going to be who is going to take their chances.. Will baros get enough of the ball or does he have the beaten of desailly or more..

Will magic have to come from nedved/xavi from distance infront of a great keeper??

Big questions are when on the break and making use of rare possession how crucial can Rummingege and Sindeler be?? Will Effenberg be able to bully that midfield like he did for years vs Monti who was a Hard man and not easily bullied??

To be honest I see this being a draw I can't see a defence with Bergomi maldini desailly and moore being broken down, but I can't see how Aldos side will be caught on the break..

Penalties anyone?? lol

Yep, just wrote the same. It's a draw 7 or 8 times out of 10 imo.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Demyanenko as right wing back? Thought he was a leftie. Did he play there in the Euros? How was his performances there? Also don't like Maldini in a wing back role. It's a defensive overkill. He should drop Desailly for a midfielder, if he's any on the bench.

I think this will be a draw. Aldo doesn't have the threat to break Joga defence, but will dominate possession and deny opponent too.

 

[harms]

Demyanenko as right wing back? Thought he was a leftie. Did he play there in the Euros? How was his performances there? Also don't like Maldini in a wing back role. It's a defensive overkill. He should drop Desailly for a midfielder, if he's any on the bench.

I think this will be a draw. Aldo doesn't have the threat to break Joga defence, but will dominate possession and deny opponent too.

Yeah, Joga did a good research on him. He was subbed on for injured Bezsonov in the semi and played on the right in the final. Originally he was a left-back/wing-back, but he did play there.

Agree about defensive overkill - Joga has 3 centre-backs on only 1 forward, who isn't even that threatening (there are at least 3-4 unarguably better players in Aldo's team)

 

[berbasloth4]

Yeah, Joga did a good research on him. He was subbed on for injured Bezsonov in the semi and played on the right in the final. Originally he was a left-back/wing-back, but he did play there.

Agree about defensive overkill - Joga has 3 centre-backs on only 1 forward, who isn't even that threatening (there are at least 3-4 unarguably better players in Aldo's team)

Jago kills the game which is the best thing to do.. It is a mourinho like side, settling for a draw or to nick it by a goal to nil.. I know Baros had a great euros record but he wasn't up vs desailly or moore was he??

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Jago kills the game which is the best thing to do.. It is a mourinho like side, settling for a draw or to nick it by a goal to nil.. I know Baros had a great euros record but he wasn't up vs desailly or moore was he??

if some big name had the same Euro as Baros we wouldnt ask this question....but this really looks like a defence vs attack game, Mourinho vs Pep. One goal max and now is the question who has the bigger chance of scoring.....joga on the counter or will aldo break this wall?

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Jago kills the game which is the best thing to do..

Actually it's not. He could drop Desailly without having any impact defensively imo.

In fact so could Aldo. Don't see any point of playing back 3 against single striker formations.

 

[Gio]

Demyanenko as right wing back? Thought he was a leftie. Did he play there in the Euros? How was his performances there? Also don't like Maldini in a wing back role. It's a defensive overkill. He should drop Desailly for a midfielder, if he's any on the bench.

I think this will be a draw. Aldo doesn't have the threat to break Joga defence, but will dominate possession and deny opponent too.

As Harms said. Although he primarily played down the left, he was right-footed and could fill in on the right flank easily enough.

 

[Moby]

CHEMISTRY

​

A tight game that this one is, it makes these proven partnerships a lot more valuable. They are given the task to 'break down' that defense, with little resistance from midfield, and the chemistry in the team takes it it to a different level. Specially as it is one of the greatest partnerships in the history of the game - Xavi and Iniesta. But it is not just Xavi and Iniesta, it is peak Euro 2008 Xavi and peak Euro 2012 Iniesta here combining.

One can argue that would dominate any midfield that can be thrown against them, but with Luis Monti providing the steel at the back and Nedved providing his action next to them, it is more or less going to control the game with ease the whole game. It is way too much to ask for any defense to withstand that kind of passing, creativity and magic that would be a result of these combinations.

 

[Moby]

Actually it's not. He could drop Desailly without having any impact defensively imo.

In fact so could Aldo. Don't see any point of playing back 3 against single striker formations.

He is playing three forwards.

 

[Annahnomoss]

Demyanenko as right wing back? Thought he was a leftie. Did he play there in the Euros? How was his performances there? Also don't like Maldini in a wing back role. It's a defensive overkill. He should drop Desailly for a midfielder, if he's any on the bench.

I think this will be a draw. Aldo doesn't have the threat to break Joga defence, but will dominate possession and deny opponent too.

Right footed I believe too.

 

[Moby]

Jago kills the game which is the best thing to do.. It is a mourinho like side, settling for a draw or to nick it by a goal to nil.. I know Baros had a great euros record but he wasn't up vs desailly or moore was he??

Well, most players wouldn't have the record of scoring past those names in a single tournament. Who were the defenders against which Puskas scored his 10 goals in the CEIC? Yet, I believe if I had Puskas here, it would be better as he is a bigger name.

I don't get this criticism of Baros, I know he's not Van Basten, but anyone who watched Euro 2004 would be aware of how sensational he was in that tournament. Absolutely electric up front and he has his beloved captain, Nedved here back to supply him.

 

[harms]

I don't get this criticism of Baros, I know he's not Van Basten, but anyone who watched Euro 2004 would be aware of how sensational he was in that tournament. Absolutely electric up front and he has his beloved captain, Nedved here back to supply him.

It's not really a criticism, it's just that he isn't Van Basten, that's about it

 

[Moby]

Now to the defensive side.

Joga is playing a three forward front line, and I have the perfect setup to make it tough for them to score. Both Elkjaer and Kalle are great at working in the channels, exploiting spaces that usually occur in a back four between a fullback and a CB, which is well covered here. Bossis and Happel and exactly going to be in their way. Sindelar will be getting attention from Monti when he drops in midfield to create things. Sindelar is the creative heartbeat of the team, and Monti has a record of getting the better of him. With Monti being present in that space, that is bound to break the backbone of his attack, and cut off the supply. Nesta is the last defender in the team, and again, perfectly suited against a threat like Sindelar, where he will use his great anticipation and immaculate defensive technique to eradicate the threat.

His attack will not provide width. I didn't understand why Kalle and Elkjaer will be near my wingbacks (he thought it would be fullbacks). My wingbacks are against his wingbacks, simple as. If Kalle or Elkjaer drop THAT wide, they won't be able to impact the game the way they like to. They are best near the box, and that is where I have put a wall to stop them.

Joga has not only misjudged the personnel, but the entire system! He was expecting a back 4, and his forwards were instructed to work according to that. It is completely different now, I have an extra defender, and a backline shaped exactly like the one that would get in his forwards' ways.

Will that misjudgement cost him an early goal?

 

[Moby]

It's not really a criticism, it's just that he isn't Van Basten, that's about it

Yeah, and not a big name in general, which is going against him. But ask yourself, why would I go on to pick a Liverpool flop, which is possibly the worst reputation possible for a draft pick in Redcafe, if I was not convinced by his performances? It is not some old time record with no evidence that I am fighting for, if that was the case, I would have kept Carvalho, picked once of the CEIC top scorers that weren't picked and just argue with numbers. It's not that, I watched every minute of Euro 2004, so did most others here I believe, and till this day I remember the impression Baros left on that tournament. Czech Republic were the most exciting team to watch that year, and their attack worked marvellously. It was not a static system, it relied on a lot of movement and clever positioning and Baros was a key member of it. Plus, he has Nedved, the star man of that attack and the team overall, supporting him with a lot of freedom in midfield.

 

[harms]

Yeah, and not a big name in general, which is going against him. But ask yourself, why would I go on to pick a Liverpool flop, which is possibly the worst reputation possible for a draft pick in Redcafe, if I was not convinced by his performances? It is not some old time record with no evidence that I am fighting for, if that was the case, I would have kept Carvalho, picked once of the CEIC top scorers that weren't picked and just argue with numbers. It's not that, I watched every minute of Euro 2004, so did most others here I believe, and till this day I remember the impression Baros left on that tournament. Czech Republic were the most exciting team to watch that year, and their attack worked marvellously. It was not a static system, it relied on a lot of movement and clever positioning and Baros was a key member of it. Plus, he has Nedved, the star man of that attack and the team overall, supporting him with a lot of freedom in midfield.

That's the thing, nobody in their right mind would judge him by his club career, everyone knows how brilliant he was, but he still falls a little short in comparison to the very best strikers/forwards, like Van Basten, Müller, Sarosi and Puskas here. And to be able to beat this monstrous defence of Joga's you need to be the very best.

You're unlucky to face such a strong defence in QF - Baros is perfectly fine at this stage and the only stage that he would've been really our of his depth is the final itself. But Joga has final-worthy defence already.

The question is - do you have enough goalthreat besides Baros here?

 

[Moby]

That's the thing, nobody in their right minds judges him by his club career, everyone knows how brilliant he was, but he still falls a little short in comparison to the very best strikers/forwards, like Van Basten, Müller, Sarosi and Puskas here. And to be able to beat this monstrous defence of Joga's you need to be very best.

You're unlucky to face such a strong defence in QF - Baros is perfectly fine at this stage and the only stage that he would've been really our of his depth is the final itself. But Joga has final-worthy defence already.

The question is - do you have enough goalthreat besides Baros here?

I understand, I am not arguing that he will alone dominate those defenders or beat him with individual brilliance, but his job is fairly simple here. Provide a direct threat with his pace, and get at the end of the chances.

I have touched a bit on how I plan to create chances using the two wingbacks and the four midfielders. He is going to have to be pinned in his own half for most of the game, and I wouldn't do that against players like Xavi, Iniesta and Nedved with Lahm and Kaltz in support.

Anyway, at this point, the biggest matter is that he was not prepared for the team I started at all, he is expecting something totally different, tactically as well as the starting 11 itself, and it will take time for any team to adjust to a system they had no anticipation of before the game, and given how my team can quickly up the tempo if it sees the opposition unsettled, it is something that can open up the game with an early goal.

 

[antohan]

What is it with back threes with wingbacks? Are they fashionable again or is it just a case of the tourno having tonnes of great defenders?

I really like Joga's defence of course, but it is overkill once Albert isn't starting. Never expected Demyanenko to be starting here, let alone at rightback. It's not exactly a "Maldini at rightback" issue because he did play there as an emergency backup to Bezsonov. Actually, why wasn't he playing before Bezsonov's injury? Love the coining of "Elkenigge" The midfield could really struggle here.

I've no idea which game Aldo thought he was preparing for here, but I never expected him to start like that either Baros won't score in a month of Sundays here.

It's a goalless draw or a 1-1 at best, it boils down to three factors:

1) set pieces, but neither team stands out as clearly superior, pretty underwhelming actually. Maybe Joga has a slight edge here due to the number of midgets in Aldo's team.

2) long shots, clearly favours Aldo as he will quite clearly enjoy most of the possession.

3) which team was more surprised by the sudden changes in the rival they were preparing for. But both seem to have prepared for a rival who attacked more, so after five minutes of probing and WTF? around the centre circle, the game will take its natural course.

Leaning to Aldo here. But I made a promise!

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

As Harms said. Although he primarily played down the left, he was right-footed and could fill in on the right flank easily enough.

Don't know much about him tbf.

Will he be able to help against Iniesta who had a good Euro? Or will Bergomi be expected to step up. Do you see any advantages for Aldo?

Nothing much differentiates the best teams, have to look at minor mismatch if any I suppose!

 

[Moby]

3) which team was more surprised by the sudden changes in the rival they were preparing for. But both seem to have prepared for a rival who attacked more, so after five minutes of probing and WTF? around the centre circle, the game will take its natural course.

I was prepared for exactly how Joga has set up. The only question I had was will he start Villa or Elkjaer. Sindelar is quite clearly best as a false 9 and that pretty much settles it.

In any case, my primary reason to go with a back 3 was to shore up against the false 9 plus the two wing forwards. Unlike him, I don't have three forwards, Iniesta and Nedved are more midfielders than forwards. Which basically leaves one of his defenders redundant and gives me a big advantage in midfield.

With proven combinations, that advantage will make itself count.

 

[antohan]

Now to the defensive side.

Joga is playing a three forward front line, and I have the perfect setup to make it tough for them to score. Both Elkjaer and Kalle are great at working in the channels, exploiting spaces that usually occur in a back four between a fullback and a CB, which is well covered here. Bossis and Happel and exactly going to be in their way. Sindelar will be getting attention from Monti when he drops in midfield to create things. Sindelar is the creative heartbeat of the team, and Monti has a record of getting the better of him. With Monti being present in that space, that is bound to break the backbone of his attack, and cut off the supply. Nesta is the last defender in the team, and again, perfectly suited against a threat like Sindelar, where he will use his great anticipation and immaculate defensive technique to eradicate the threat.

His attack will not provide width. I didn't understand why Kalle and Elkjaer will be near my wingbacks (he thought it would be fullbacks). My wingbacks are against his wingbacks, simple as. If Kalle or Elkjaer drop THAT wide, they won't be able to impact the game the way they like to. They are best near the box, and that is where I have put a wall to stop them.

Joga has not only misjudged the personnel, but the entire system! He was expecting a back 4, and his forwards were instructed to work according to that. It is completely different now, I have an extra defender, and a backline shaped exactly like the one that would get in his forwards' ways.

Will that misjudgement cost him an early goal?

You know I'm a big fan of "what game did the managers prepare for?" but I don't think it means he can concede an early goal.

I do agree his front three will have prepared a gameplan against a back four and will take a while to adjust to this.

 

[Moby]

Iniesta who had a good Euro

That's an understatement, my friend. He was unstoppable the whole tournament, and that tournament is his peak for Spain, and in fact one of the best moments in his overall career. It was that performance that gave him that third prize in the Ballon D'or, and he is one of the best players on the pitch right now. Then when you consider his style of play and his ability to operate either centrally or out wide, deeper or in the final third and have his amigo Xavi controlling the game behind him, it's a huge weapon for me.

Precisely the same for Nedved. Starred in multiple Euros and has a diverse skillset, and is not being given much attention.

 

[berbasloth4]

if some big name had the same Euro as Baros we wouldnt ask this question....but this really looks like a defence vs attack game, Mourinho vs Pep. One goal max and now is the question who has the bigger chance of scoring.....joga on the counter or will aldo break this wall?

Store but you have to bring in who the defenders are.. Not many strikers who ever played football would get joy against that defence.. So you have to be a Van Basten, Ronaldo(yes I know he's brazilian), Puskas, etc you have to be in like the top 5% best strikers ever bracket.. Like someone said before against most defences yes baros for his euros form is perfect.. just not here

 

[antohan]

Store but you have to bring in who the defenders are.. Not many strikers who ever played football would get joy against that defence.. So you have to be a Van Basten, Ronaldo(yes I know he's brazilian), Puskas, etc you have to be in like the top 5% best strikers ever bracket.. Like someone said before against most defences yes baros for his euros form is perfect.. just not here

In fairness, I agree with Aldo that the strength of his setup is elsewhere and that it doesn't rely on a monster striker but one that plays along with the setup. Baros does that, he keeps two out of those three honest and stops them from encroaching on the midfield space where he is working his magic until he breaks with Iniesta and Nedved, both excellent dribblers and man-beaters. It works in my book.

 

[berbasloth4]

In fairness, I agree with Aldo that the strength of his setup is elsewhere and that it doesn't rely on a monster striker but one that plays along with the setup. Baros does that, he keeps two out of those three honest and stops them from encroaching on the midfield space where he is working his magic until he breaks with Iniesta and Nedved, both excellent dribblers and man-beaters. It works in my book.

but nedved or iniesta aren't known for scoring goals for two of the worlds greats there records are not as good as you might think they should.. Effenberg and Pluskal are walls in themselves and have the potential to bully that midfield..