Topic: Diamond Anniversary Draft - GROUP A

[NICHOLLS]

Please rank the teams in order of who you think are the best.

Remember, we are voting which teams are the best in terms of being the best constructed team in line with the chosen manager's philosophy, player styles and tactics. NOT 'the team with the greatest 11 players'. Well-chosen players and tactics that execute the manager's philosophy the best should be valued more than a team full of big names that don't.

For example:

1st: Manager A
2nd: Manager B
3rd: Manager C

Group A

Crosby Nick (Ottmar Hitzfeld)

Manager profile, player styles and team tactics

I’m basically copying the 5-3-2 Hitzfeld used at Dortmund (think it was a bit more fluid at Bayern with arguably better attackers at his disposal).

Have to admit I didn’t know a couple of the Dortmund players, or couldn’t read much about them to took a creative licence or two with my right wing back in particular. Otherwise I tried to go fairly like for like in style. Cech for Klos in goal. No fuss but very solid. Beckenbauer for Sammer as a sweeper alongside two very good stoppers.

My wing backs are Dani Alves and Candela. Candela played that system at Roma. Alves is a bit of a liberty but as a strong running right back he’d be ideal for this formation.

Two midfielders sitting deeper, one an out and DM and one a deeper lying playmaker. In front of that I have a powerful runner and shooter and great passer - Gerrard for Moller.

Up front I went for Zamorano as my Riedle. Hard working, powerful, decent in the air. And Weah for Chapuisat.

If anyone could knock up formations I’d be eternally grateful etc etc.

Klos > Cech

Heinrich > Candela
Kohler > Gentile
Sammer > Beckenbauer
Kree > Godin
Reuter > Dani Alves

Lambert > Mascherano
Paulo Sousa > Xabi Alonso
Moller > Gerrard

Chapuisat > Weah
Riedle > Zamorano

[close]

RobbieRedman (Bob Paisley)

Manager profile, player styles and team tactics

"It's not about the long ball or the short ball, it's about the right ball."
Bob Paisley



My team is built on these principles, intelligent, skilful and had working players but those that would have a great chemistry with each other.


I wanted some Premiership proven quality – Keane, Bergkamp, Ljungberg, Schmeichel & Ferdinand would all suit a Bob team really well, all having the class and football intelligence.


Baresi & Ferdinand, in for Hansen & Lawrenson, probably just as many medals as our lads if not more, both without question world class and able to provide the quality in passing and control of the game.


Jankoluvski & Thuram; two great full backs that would live up to the great levels that Neal & Kennedy showed.


Iniesta & Ljungberg again enough quality to mirror the world class attributes of Whelan & Lee; versatility in midfield, focused on passing and moving and finding angles other teams only dream off.


Keane & Kroos, tough and silky, Souness, McDermott & Lee, whichever combo from Bob’s time; these two have proven at the highest level they can command a 4 man midfield with between them all the attributes Bobs central pairings always had.


Bergkamp plays the latter Dalglish role, Ronaldo in for Rush. The era selected for Ronaldo was in his younger years and more suited to the extra work needed to be put in, as Rush would. However, the one luxury player perhaps in a team, Ronaldo is undoubtedly the worlds finest finisher of all time and he was the only choice available to replace my idol for many year Rushie and can easily be accommodated thanks to the precise and accurate selections elsewhere.


Schmeichel in for Brucie, charismatic style, occasional blooper but overall a born winner. The finest we have seen in 1 on 1 situations.

[close]

Philanthropist (Diego Simeone)

Manager profile, player styles and team tactics

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Simeone#Style_of_management

[close]

[Samie]

Rooney on the left of a Simeone 4-4-2? Not so sure chief. 

[Crosby Nick]

Pains me to say it but Robbie has gone for the populist vote by choosing paisley and to be fair to him has done a cracking job with Dalglish and Rush style partnership. Two attacking midfielders rather than wingers as well, Ljungberg would probably have a field day. Have a feeling he’ll walk it.

How many go through? Just one?

Obviously I’ll vote for my team though.

[Samie]

BUMP

[red1977]

I voted for Robbie quite quickly, having looked again and you think about it, its really really close.

[vivabobbygraham]

Starts well at the back with Sir Bob's team then it goes a little bit pear shaped. The first misdemeanour is no like for like Ray Kennedy. An absolute prerequisite for any Paisley team. Rivelino would have been a good shout there or Tostão. The other one is Bergkamp. You need someone with a big fat arse to compare with the king. You couldn't get the ball off him. He never had pace, he had guile, nous, more of a Puskas in his very best years. When he turned provider for Rushie, Kenny was more of your Dennis but they weren't his best years for me.

The Simeone team is all over the place in midfield with Rooney and Figo but Nick's Hitzfeld team is spot on and very plausible so wins my vote.

All 3 teams have merit and I enjoyed running the rule over them

[El Lobo]

Nick, Robbie, Philanthropist

[Betty Blue]

Nick, Robbie, Philanthropist

This.

Robbie is very unlucky to come up against a side so closely built to the original as Nick's. Certainly in philosophy terms, if not totally like for like in some positions - which isn't always possible in any case. Robbie is a close second though. Really liked Thuram in for Neal, both such big game players. Baresi for Hansen ace, Keane for Souness, Ljungberg for Lee. And think Bergkamp for Kenny was about the best possible option in the round you picked him up, my left field pick was maybe a more low centre of gravity guy like Zola but I know you had Italy taken. Phil missed quite a few picks and fell behind, so I don't think it worked for him.

[RobbieRedman]

Thanks Betty

well done to Nick , great team and effort

[NICHOLLS]

I voted:

1st: Crosby Nick (Ottmar Hitzfeld)
- all the right pieces drafted, getting the best out of key player Beckenbauer (Sammer). Zamorano-Weah will love the service from Gerrard/Alonso/Candela/Dani Alves... well crafted team where bigger names were available to be picked, but Crosby Nick kept faithful to the script.
 
2nd: RobbieRedman (Bob Paisley)
- some excellent upgrades, but was unsure of the balance of Kroos/Iniesta in 4-4-2 (both pass and move players but not perfect fits here IMO). A near-perfect defensive platform.

3rd: Philanthropist (Diego Simeone)
- I think Rooney would have been the ideal strike-partner foil upfront in Simeone's 4-4-2. Love the Davids-Essien midfield partnership, they would be horrible to play against (made in the image of their manager). However, Dave Mackay as a centreback not optimal either. Davids as the left midfielder, pushing Mackay (underrated passer) alongside Essien would have been better IMO.   

[Hazell]

Agree with the the comments about Nick's team, I voted for his team too, it's the most in line with what Hitzfeld teams were.