VF Draft SF: Enigma vs Himannv

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

vs

............................................. TEAM ENIGMA .................................................................................................. TEAM HIMANNV ..................................................


TEAM ENIGMA

Formation: 4-4-2 Diamond
Style: Balanced, direct, moderate backline, samba style build around flair Brazilian core

Defence:
Hector Chumpitaz is playing as a ball playing CB, having calming presence at the back blending well within the overall style of the team:
A more graceful defender with bundle of pace he's a very good fit for keeping tabs on Baggio and his lower center of gravity matches well with what the opposition will bring in as a threat. Pietro Vierchowod is a no nonsense defender with his physical presence is mainly tasked to taking care of Seeler and marking him throughout the game. He has the physical frame and attributes to limit the opportunities he would get in front of goal.

Carlos Alberto and Bixente Lizarazu play as attacking full backs that have the lung capacity to man their flanks and keep motoring till the final whistle. They offer support in the attacking phase and calm in defence. Most likely they will face a 5-3-2 on the other end and not dedicated wingers.

Midfield:
A mouthwatering quartet of four of the greatest midfielders that have graced the game we have P.R. Falcao in a deep lying playmaker role, who will initiate attacks from deep and boss our midfield from deep. Ronaldinho is the attacking midfielder who will link the midfield with the attack in a true #10 role. Those two little magicians are flanked by B2B monsters in Robson and Tigana, who provide support in midfield and will give the opposition a stiff battle.




Attack:
The cherry on top is the attacking triumvirate. Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo have very distinct characteristics, different styles, that mesh well together forming one of the most deadly trios in history.

These three fired Brazil to World Cup glory in Korea and Japan in 2002, winning all seven matches they played in the tournament.

They defeated Germany in the final with a double from Ronaldo, with both Rivaldo and Ronaldinho putting in top performances.

Of the 18 goals Brazil scored in the competition, 15 came from their front three with Ronaldo winning the Golden Boot with eight, Rivaldo scoring five and Ronaldinho contributing two.

Some highlights just how great the trio was:


The three R's absolutely tearing up a top Argie side. Rivaldo scoring a hattrick and Fenomeno adding one. Disallowed goal as well. The score could've easily been double digits as the movement and pace those three played at that game was absolutely insane.


First game all three played together. Not the greatest opposition but they all got on the scoresheet in a 7-0 rout.

Opposition this time is Uruguay, result is the same.

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

TEAM HIMANNV

Formation: 5-3-2

Tactics:

Attacking phase:

• Generally we expect to play on the counter.
• In cases when it's not a counter and we have to build up, it will be a 3-2-5
• Banks is actually quite good on the ball and a good distributor with his feet.
• Dunga drops deeper to effectively form a back 3 and a strong defensive base. All 3 are decent to good on the ball.
• The above allows Sammer to step up into midfield and run the game from there with Schweinstiger.
• Fullbacks Zanetti and Cabrini push up the pitch.
• Modric operates on the inside right position but also drops deeper to create from there if necessary..
• Baggio sometimes operates as an inside forward, sometimes as a second striker alongside Seeler.
• Seeler works on creating space for the others to attack but also gets on the end of chances with his continuous movement.

Defensive phase:

• Generally a zonal defence but with good defensive workrate.
• Banks a top tier shot stopper.
• Kohler and Stam are excellent at stopping the dangers from counters and are very good man markers.
• Sammer sweeps up behind the other two CBs
• Dunga shields the back 4 and is ably supported by Schweinstiger and Modric who help defend from the flanks.
• Baggio and Seeler work hard and don't give the opposition defence much time on the ball to force the error.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Enigma_87 @Himannv All the best!

 

[Physiocrat]

That is an absolute beast of a back 5 @Himannv

I would generally speaking say that great attack would beat a great defence but here I'm unconvinced, again, of Carlos Alberto at right back in this system. Yes, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho can drift but a diamond wants a lot from their full-backs and I don't see that here. You might want more passing ability from the back 3 but they aren't shabby. However Himannv's ace is all three on the midfield three are excellent long passers and I can see Baggio being an absolute menace on the counter.

 

[General_Elegancia]

Excellent teams from both

@Enigma_87 how about your plans to deal with Uwe Seeler?

 

[Enigma_87]

Excellent teams from both

@Enigma_87 how about your plans to deal with Uwe Seeler?

Cheers.

Seeler will be marked by Vierchowod who is one of the finest markers in the game and is a very good fit to deal with him in the air and on the deck.

He faced a lot of different type of players during his career at serie a and was universally recognised dealing well with them like Maradona, Fenomeno himself, Van Basten, Batistuta etc..

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Enigma's diamond looked irrepressibly good at the top but loses a bit of its lustre in the defensive half. No issue with Falcao at the base as I'm sure he's played well as the deepest midfielder before, but Carlos Alberto doesn't seem ideal, particularly with a more defensively-orientated side midfielder ahead of him. The CB pairing looks a wee bit cobbled together in comparison to Himannv's brick wall.

Himannv hit the jackpot here by drawing the 5-3-2, no question. The defence looks perfect and the midfield will provide a shitload of resistance too. A properly horrible team to play against. Dour in comparison to the samba-fest opposition, but there's enough creativity and goal threat to get the job done.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Himannv needed that 1 scorer from midfield for this to be an easy slam dunk win. As it stands, I think his team is a bit short in the goal scorers department, especially considering what the opponents have. Other than that, what a team (Same goes for Enigma's team as well).

 

[Gio]

Himannv hit the jackpot here by drawing the 5-3-2, no question. The defence looks perfect and the midfield will provide a shitload of resistance too. A properly horrible team to play against. Dour in comparison to the samba-fest opposition, but there's enough creativity and goal threat to get the job done.

Agree with this. Enigma’s attack is off the charts and I have no issues with the rest of the team (love the use of Falcao), other than someone who could instinctively run a channel on the right in the midfield or attack. The 532 is a game changer for Himannv in turbo-charging Sammer and allows the man markers to focus on their considerable jobs safe in the knowledge they have cover behind them if/when skinned. The midfield is such a suffocating unit, but one like the current Real juggernaut that can both withstand lots of pressure and slip forward passes through the lines.

 

[Himannv]

Himannv needed that 1 scorer from midfield for this to be an easy slam dunk win. As it stands, I think his team is a bit short in the goal scorers department, especially considering what the opponents have. Other than that, what a team (Same goes for Enigma's team as well).

Now that this is over, I do want to comment on this. I agree completely with the comment on goal threat. What I had in my mind was that we're sort of really set up more for the counter than anything else. I expect this side will defend like a dream and there is just the right amount of quality for someone in there to make that game changing pass for the front two (who I think will work together very well) to act on.

I considered keeping Schuster and dropping Modric instead and spent about 20 minutes just swapping them around when it was my turn to reinforce. The main concern, as you rightly pointed out, was the extra goals I needed from the midfield. The problem with that is that I've watched a few of Modric's games recently and he's just such a lovely player that I wanted to have him in there. Some of his passes are just scintillating and I think he's a wonderful player. Also, I just loved the thought of the midfield three with him, Dunga, and Schweinstiger - I think that will be a treat to watch. If I can, I'll keep him in the side for the finals, but no guarantees, it's a tough call to make for this last round.

I considered playing Schuster as a Sweeper as well actually. I had a look at the compilation of him against Forest (I think) really early on in his career and he really impressed me as Sweeper in the second half of that game. However, at this stage of the draft, you need to have the best options in there so I had to sacrifice him and Sammer was the natural choice.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Now that this is over, I do want to comment on this. I agree completely with the comment on goal threat. What I had in my mind was that we're sort of really set up more for the counter than anything else. I expect this side will defend like a dream and there is just the right amount of quality for someone in there to make that game changing pass for the front two (who I think will work together very well) to act on.

I considered keeping Schuster and dropping Modric instead and spent about 20 minutes just swapping them around when it was my turn to reinforce. The main concern, as you rightly pointed out, was the extra goals I needed from the midfield. The problem with that is that I've watched a few of Modric's games recently and he's just such a lovely player that I wanted to have him in there. Some of his passes are just scintillating and I think he's a wonderful player. Also, I just loved the thought of the midfield three with him, Dunga, and Schweinstiger - I think that will be a treat to watch. If I can, I'll keep him in the side for the finals, but no guarantees, it's a tough call to make for this last round.

I considered playing Schuster as a Sweeper as well actually. I had a look at the compilation of him against Forest (I think) really early on in his career and he really impressed me as Sweeper in the second half of that game. However, at this stage of the draft, you need to have the best options in there so I had to sacrifice him and Sammer was the natural choice.

I believe you made the right decision with squad selection as the result reflects
I was just mentioning the ideal scenario.

 

[Enigma_87]

Well done @Himannv and best of luck in the final.

 

[Himannv]

Thanks @Enigma_87 - I thought your attack would sway voters more than it did. Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, it doesn't get much better than that. Adding Rivaldo was a nice idea as well.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

where the 3Rs actually any good together or is that mostly a myth because of the names.....i only really remember 02(did they play earlier any serious stuff?) and neither of the 3 were close to their peak(Rivaldo probably closest).

 

[Pat_Mustard]

where the 3Rs actually any good together or is that mostly a myth because of the names.....i only really remember 02(did they play earlier any serious stuff?) and neither of the 3 were close to their peak(Rivaldo probably closest).

As a trio, not really. Rivaldo and Ronaldo were class together of course, but Rivaldo and Ronaldinho only played <90 minutes together at Copa America 99 outside of WC 02. Ronaldinho and Ronaldo played together at WC 06 and during the qualifiers but Ronaldo was obviously much further past his peak then.

 

[Gio]

where the 3Rs actually any good together or is that mostly a myth because of the names.....i only really remember 02(did they play earlier any serious stuff?) and neither of the 3 were close to their peak(Rivaldo probably closest).

I'd say the only myth would be the idea that they were all at the peak of their powers which would've been impossible (Ron 96-99, Riv 97-01, Ron 03-06). But it's not a myth that they totally hit it off as a trio and all played to their potential at that stage of their career. They did play some marvellous stuff together in 2002 to transform a side that barely qualified into comfortable winners. There was great synergy between the three of them - most of their goals were assisted by each other, not just the straightforward ones but also those telepathic ones such as Rivaldo's dummy for Ronaldo's goal in the final which is the type of the goal where the partnership is more than the sum of its parts.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

I'd say the only myth would be the idea that they were all at the peak of their powers which would've been impossible (Ron 96-99, Riv 97-01, Ron 03-06). But it's not a myth that they totally hit it off as a trio and all played to their potential at that stage of their career. They did play some marvellous stuff together in 2002 to transform a side that barely qualified into comfortable winners. There was great synergy between the three of them - most of their goals were assisted by each other, not just the straightforward ones but also those telepathic ones such as Rivaldo's dummy for Ronaldo's goal in the final which is the type of the goal where the partnership is more than the sum of its parts.

of course but if they were all at their best dynamics would be completely different so i wouldnt have them as one of the best attacks ever and i have a feeling they are seen as that