Topic: Diamond Anniversary Draft (1962 - 2022)

[Samie]

Ramos is the Shawcross but is Becks Delap? 

[JordanTremenderson]

Ramos is the Shawcross but is Becks Delap? 

Bale is Delap with the long throw.

Beckham is just there to work hard and produce set plays for the huge team to attack.

[Crosby Nick]

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

[Hazell]

[Crosby Nick]

Not sure who your boss is but I like your team.

[vivabobbygraham]

Clemence>Jennings You can't better Clemence in my view. Englands greatest, maybe Banks runs him close. So, Pat was similar for the Irish. Similar in stature, agility, shot saver, hairstyle, everything except the conk

Carlos Alberto> Chris Lawler. Marauding full backs with an eye for goal. Chrissie was so underrated. Carlos is an upgrade of course but I saw Lawler score a similar goal in the derby as the world cup wonder goal in 70 from Carlos. Lawler would have done that for Brasil.

Ron Yeats>Jack Charlton. Bill moved away from the big stopper after Larry Lloyd left but Rowdy was his pride and joy. 'Come and have a walk round him' said the great man when Ron was introduced to the press on signing from Scotland somewhere. Big Jack was similar if a bit more gangly. Hard as nails the pair of them.

Alessandro Nesta> The mighty Emlyn. Brothers from another mother.  Double European cup winners, tenacious, skilful, great footballers, brilliant defenders but brought the ball out of defence to start attacks

Gerry Byrne>Andy Robertson. Dogged, determined full backs asked or gave no quarter. Gerry Byrne played 87 minutes of the FA Cup final in 65 with a broken collarbone. Robbo would have done that...and a broken leg. No subs. Fellow Scot to the great man. I rest my case

Thiago Alcantara>Peter Cormack. 'Twinkle toes' Peter Cormack was the 'final piece in the jigsaw' when Shanks signed him in 72. 2 league titles, the fa cup and uefa followed. A playmaker, he made that early 70's side tick. Skinny, diminutive but loved a tackle, Shanks loved Peter, another fellow Scot. How he would have adored Thiago

Tommy Smith>Claude Makelele. Early to late 60's Tommy played in midfield, Shanks put him in when he was 18 and he never came out, paying in a variety of positions. He was a destroyer, fearsome, but his skills as a footballer were vastly underrated. Shanks said 'Tommy wasn't born, he was quarried.' Claude is my favourite 6. He would have marshalled a Shankly team from there. Bill liked the double  pivot. Used it a lot. Stevenson/Strong a prime example of his 60's side. Smith/Stevenson another pair. He would have his two wide midfielders as wingers. 442 became 424. He took that from Ajax. Paisley carried on this tradition. Thiago and Claude would have been perfect

Salah>Cally/Brian Hall. Some might think this is a stretch. But Mo's best years for us is wide right, exactly where Cally played. Cally/Hall was more industrious, would drop into midfield and play right mid but still wide. Mo' can do that in his sleep. Shanks demanded a lot from his wide players, they'd cheat and play both roles. Mo's football nous would have been perfect for Bill in a 424 with the added bonus of goals. How else can you compare the longest serving player in the clubs history with arguably, by the time he's finished, our greatest ever player.? I just did!

Cruyff>Thompson/Heighway Yes, wide left for Johan in this Shankly team in similar mode to Thommo and Stevie. Cruyff loved Shankly, his football philosophy, his personality, his Liverpool. He'd have loved to have played for Liverpool in front of the kop. He said so, it was on the wall of Melwood "There’s not one club in the world so united with the fans. I sat there watching the Liverpool fans and they sent shivers down my spine. A mass of 40,000 became one force behind their team"

Keegan/Toshack>Suarez/Lewandowski. Nuff said

I finish with these quotes that fit aptly with the Shankly philosophy and were at the forefront of my thinking when drafting this team...

“My idea was to build Liverpool into a bastion of invincibility. Had Napoleon had that idea he would have conquered the bloody world. I wanted Liverpool to be untouchable. My idea was to build Liverpool up and up until eventually everyone would have to submit and give in.”

“A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing.”

“Football is a simple game based on the giving and taking of passes, of controlling the ball and of making yourself available to receive a pass. It is terribly simple.”

“For a player to be good enough to play for Liverpool, he must be prepared to run through a brick wall for me then come out fighting
the other side.”

“The socialism I believe in is everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards. It’s the way I see football, the way I see life.”

[Sheer Magnetism]

"My concern is that we coaches don't arrogate to ourselves the right to remove from the spectacle the synonym of festival, in favour of a philosophical reading that cannot be sustained, which is to avoid taking risks. And in football there are risks because the only way you can avoid taking risks in any game is by not playing."

"There's a right-wing football and a left-wing football. Right-wing football wants to suggest that life is struggle. It demands sacrifices. We have to become of steel and win by any method... obey and function, that's what those with power want from the players. That's how they create retards, useful idiots that go with the system."


Unfortunate phrasing but it's what César Luis Menotti believed, he was one of football's true aesthetes. He prioritised skill and entertainment but his teams weren't all-out attack. They were filled with tactically intelligent players who knew where to be and when, influenced not only by Total Football but the 1970 Brazil team. But how did he line his teams up?

The key Menotti teams were the unfancied Huracan team he took to the club's second ever league title, the Argentine team he took to a World Cup and the Barca team he won three trophies with in four months. That team often used a more contemporary 4-4-2 but typically, Menotti's teams lined up in a lopsided 4-1-2-3 with a sweeper and a stopper in defence, a destroyer, a playmaker and a goalscorer in midfield and an attack made up of a conventional winger, a creative wide forward and a skillful number 9 who could also hold the ball up when necessary. You have players who can push up but who are smart enough to know when to drop off and fit enough to do it.

These are the two main templates: Huracan 1973 and Argentina 1978:

     

And here's my version:

So, here's how they compare player by player. I'd say all the positions are stylistically similar profiles with big upgrades in many:

GK (Ibaldo Fillol >>> Joseph-Antoine Bell) Template: acrobatic, quick keeper a touch under six foot who comes off his line a lot. I posted the videos further up but Bell is the closest keeper in world football to Fillol, a keeper who's massively underrated because he's African, he didn't come to Europe until he was in his 30's and he came up alongside Thomas N'Kono, a very good conventional choice for Cameroon (think Clemence vs Shilton).

LB (Alberto Tarantini/Julio Alberto >>> David Alaba) Template: an attacking left back with the tactical nous to play centre back. Alaba doesn't quite have the same maverick streak as these two but he started off as a winger, is currently at centre back and has played mostly in midfield for the national team.

SW (Daniel Passarella/Jose Ramon Alexanko >>> Fernando Hierro) Template: A physically strong sweeper and onfield leader who scores goals. Hierro won everything with Real, had a great passing range and had a one-in-three record for Spain. They weren't all penalties either.

CB (Alfio Basile/Migueli (AKA Tarzan)>>> Big Virj) Template: The more conventional defender who acts as cover. Van Dijk is hugely athletic, never gets dribbled past and is basically the ideal choice to play alongside a sweeper who goes up. Have you seen him next to Matip?

RB (Jorge Olguín/Tente Sanchez >>> Berti Vogts) Template: A more defensive counterpoint converted from a central player (CB and MF respectively in this case). Vogts was primarily a right back but also a defensive one who played in the centre of defence for Borussia Mönchengladbach in some big games.

DM (Américo 'The Octopus' Gallego/Víctor Muńoz >>> N'Golo Kanté) Template: A diminutive, strong, tireless destroyer with telescopic legs who can break up attacks before they get to the defence. Kanté is the literal epitome of this player and probably the best ever example.

MF (Osvaldo Ardiles/Bernd Schuster >>> Luka Modric) Template: Elegant midfield playmaker capable of running the game and setting up goals for the players higher up the pitch. Modric won a Ballon d'Or in this exact position.

AM (Mario Kempes/Carlos Babington >>> Jari Litmanen) Template: A creative, gritty player who can dribble the ball and make runs from midfield to score. His injury record in his later years makes people forget that Litmanen was actually quite a physical player - a six-footer like Kempes - and although he had a superb scoring record, he tended to play behind the front three for Ajax. Perfect fit.

LW ('El Rapido' Oscar Ortiz/Omar Larrosa >>> Ryan Giggs) Template: A speedy winger who can carry the ball up the field quickly, beat a player and slide a cross in. Giggs at his peak was exactly this kind of player, he wouldn't have been able to score that goal against Arsenal if he wasn't. He's also still top of the all-time PL assist table, about 50% ahead of nearest competitor Cesc Fabregas.

CF (Leopoldo Luque/Roque Avallay >>> Pelé) Template: A skillful centre forward who can hold the ball up and drop off in addition to scoring goals. Menotti actually rated Pelé as the greatest ever, and the role Luque played in the Argentine team was very similar. Avallay played somewhat of a Firmino role in the Huracan team, allowing teammates to play around him like Pelé did in the 1970 side. I picked the more intelligent late career version rather than the goalscoring phenomenon - this centre forward also has to be a playmaker.

RW (Daniel Bertoni/René Houseman/Diego Maradona >>> Leo Messi) Template: The attacking centrepoint of the side, a creative dribbler in a free role who's job is to destroy the other team's defence and score goals. Look, Messi is the best ever in this role - even Maradona couldn't fill it in the same way - and he has the tactical intelligence to thrive there in front of Modric.

[NICHOLLS]

I will explain the evaluation threads later today.

In the meantime please can everyone post their manager/team profiles in this thread.

I will then set up the analysis/evaluations threads.

[El Lobo]

Manager - Johan Cruyff

I've gone with the total football '343' formation. The players I've 'replaced' are those that I'd consider as the best he coached rather than a single team he coached. With that in mind, there's a lot of arrows. No touchline hugging wingers, but versatile players all over the pitch.



Rinat Dasayev 84-88 - Zubizaretta. Top class, solid goalkeeper. Not particularly amazing with his feet or distribution, but didn't need to be.

Frank De Boer 92-96 - Sergi. Centre back/full backs on both sides. Top class CB but also adept going forward, providing width, dropping into LB

Bobby Moore 64-68 - Ronald Koeman. Sweeper/CB. I did want someone who was more prolific, but the goalscoring I think is secondary and would be made up for elsewhere. But as a defender there aren't many (any?) better, sweeping up but also bringing the ball out of defence and into midfield
 
Giuseppe Bergomi 87-91 - Albert Ferrer. Same as the left side. Top class either CB or RB, going forward and defending.

Roberto Falcao 80-84 - Pep Guardiola. Similar as a deep lying playmaker. I dont think he ever dropped into defence but I think he'd be adept at it, particularly with the two beasts in front of him and the one behind.

Michael Ballack 01-05 - Frank Rijkaard. I've gone for the late Leverkusen/early Bayern vintage Ballack here. Box-to-box, good goalscoring record as Rijkaard was in his short time under Cruyff. Again, versatile. Able to play deep or attacking, drift wide etc.

Marcel Desailly 94-98 - Miguel Angel Nadal. The early Desailly to replace the beast Nadal. Marauding defensive midfielder, hard tackling, good distribution and another able to drop into multiple positions.

Diego Maradona 84-88 - Michael Laudrup. I thought the only upgrade on Laudrup in that role would be the GOAT.

Diogo Jota 18-22 - Hristo Stoichkov. I've gone Jota after watching a few videos of Stoichkov at Barca, maybe a little surprisingly. Their movement and finishing technique is really similar, little backlift, clinical, in the corners. He's not a right winger but neither is that position.

David Villa 09-13 - Gheorghe Hagi. I've gone for the Barca Villa, where he played predominantly off the left, rather than the arguably better Valencia Villa where he was more out and out striker. Again with the theme, very versatile, dropping into different positions, interchanging with the other attackers.

Kenny Dalglish 77-81 - Romario. I've gone early LFC Kenny to replace Romario, as he was more of an out and out striker rather than later on feeding Rush. But adept at dropping deep and again versatile. Good timing as Ian Wright was on the telly t'other day talking about how Kenny could have played at RB and still been amazing, the perfect striker for total football

[Crosby Nick]

Nice idea Lobo. I might do the same in my write up because there’s three or four of Hitzfeld’s Dortmund team I know next to nothing about, so might replace them with a few of his Bayern CL winning side.

Might not get a chance to do a decent write up until later. Is there a deadline?

[RobbieRedman]

will do my write up this afternoon if thats ok

[Hazell]

Not sure who your boss is but I like your team.

Thanks. It's Valeriy Lobanovskyi.

[Crosby Nick]

Thanks. It's Valeriy Lobanovskyi.

Answered like I’d complimented your aftershave.

[NICHOLLS]

Did Phil make his final pick?


Philanthropist (Diego Simeone) - 1) Michel Platini FRA (83-87), 2) Wayne Rooney ENG (08-12), 3) Giorgio Chiellini ITA (12-16), 4) Didier Drogba IVC (06-10), 5) Michael Essien GHA (06-10), 6) Luis Figo POR (96-00), 7) Dave Mackay SCO (62-66), 8 ) Edgar Davids HOL (98-02), 9) Marcelo BRA (13-17), 10) Joshua Kimmich GER (16-20), 11)

Betty Blue (Jock Stein) - 1) George Best NIR (67-71), 2) John Barnes ENG (87-91), 3) Fabio Cannavaro ITA (02-06), 4) Roberto Carlos BRA (98-02), 5) Johan Neeskens HOL (70-74), 6) Paul Breitner GER (78-82), 7) Roberto Ayala ARG (00-04), 8 ) Eric Gerets BEL (85-89), 9) John Aldridge IRE (87-91), 10) Denis Law SCO (63-67), 11) Iker Casillas SPA (08-12)

RobbieRedman (Bob Paisley) - 1) Franco Baresi ITA (88-92), 2) Ronaldo BRA (94-98), 3) Roy Keane IRE (96-00), 4) Lilian Thuram FRA (98-02), 5) Andres Iniesta SPA (06-10), 6) Rio Ferdinand ENG (06-10), 7) Dennis Bergkamp HOL (98-02), 8 ) Toni Kroos GER (14-18), 9) Marek Jankulovski CZE (04-09), 10) Peter Schmeichel DEN (95-99), 11) Freddie Ljungberg SWE (98-02)

NICHOLLS1986 (Jurgen Klopp) - 1) Hristo Stoichkov BUL (90-94), 2) Frank Rijkaard HOL (88-92), 3) Javier Zanetti ARG (98-02), 4) Andreas Brehme GER (86-90), 5) Elias Figueroa CHI (72-76), 6) Gaetano Scirea ITA (78-82), 7) Samuel Eto’o CAM (07-11), 8 ) Bryan Robson ENG (84-88), 9) Florian Albert (63-67), 10) Mario Coluna POR (62-66), 11) Ederson BRA 18-22

El Lobo (Johan Cruyff) - 1) Diego Maradona ARG (84-88), 2) Kenny Dalglish SCO (77-81), 3) Bobby Moore ENG (64-68), 4) Marcel Desailly FRA (94-98), 5) Giuseppe Bergomi ITA (87-91), 6) Michael Ballack GER (01-04), 7) Falcao BRA (80-84), 8 ) Frank De Boer HOL (92-96), 9) David Villa SPA (09-13), 10) Diogo Jota POR (18-22), 11) Rinat Dasayev USSR (84-88)

Crosby Nick (Ottmar Hitzfeld) - 1) Franz Beckenbauer GER (72-76), 2) Steven Gerrard ENG (05-09), 3) Claudio Gentile ITA (78-82), 4) Xabi Alonso SPA (08-12), 5) Javier Mascherano ARG (07-11), 6) Ivan Zamarano CHI (94-98), 7) George Weah LIB (94-98), 8 ) Diego Godin URU (11-15), 9) Dani Alves BRA (08-12), 10) Vincent Candela FRA (97-01), 11) Petr Cech CZE (04-08)

Hazell (Valeriy Lobanovskyi) - 1) Lothar Matthaus GER (88-92), 2) Daniel Passarella ARG (78-82), 3) Sadio Mane SEN (16-20), 4) Graeme Souness SCO (80-84), 5) Ian Rush WAL (83-87), 6) Ruud Krol HOL (70-74), 7) Willy Sagnol FRA (00-04), 8 ) Pietro Vierchowod ITA (87-91), 9) Alisson Becker BRA (18-22), 10) Edinson Cavani URU (11-15), 11) Gaizka Mendieta SPA 98-02

Samie (Tele Santana) - 1) Ronaldinho BRA (02-06), 2) Andrea Pirlo ITA (11-15), 3) Michael Laudrup DEN (90-94), 4) Sergio Busquets SPA (09-13), 5) Philipp Lahm GER (10-14), 6) Trent Alexander-Arnold ENG (17-21), 7) Hugo Sánchez MEX (86-90), 8 ) Davor Suker CRO (95-99), 9) Ricardo Carvalho POR (04-08), 10) Raphael Varane FRA (14-18),  11) Jan Oblak SLO (17-21)

Lastrador (Rinus Michels) - 1) Alfredo Di Stefano SPA (53-57), 2) Paolo Maldini ITA (94-98), 3) Pavel Nedved CZE (99-03), 4) Arjen Robben HOL (10-14), 5) Cafu BRA (98-02), 6) Kylian Mbappé FRA (18-22), 7) Jürgen Kohler GER (93-97) 8 ) Juan Sebastian Veron ARG (97-01), 9) Billy Bremner SCO (70-74), 10) José Luis Chilavert  PAR (94-98), 11) Gheorghe Popescu ROM (93-97)

JordanTremenderson (Tony Pulis) - 1) Ruud Gullit HOL (87-91), 2) Patrick Vieira FRA (98-02), 3) Gareth Bale WAL (11-15), 4) Sami Hyypiä FIN (99-03), 5) David Beckham ENG (98-02), 6) Thibaut Courtois BEL (14-18), 7) Branislav Ivanović SER (12-15), 8 ) Erling Haaland NOR (18-22), 9) Zlatan Ibrahimović SWE (05-09), 10) Giacinto Facchetti ITA (64-68), 11) Sergio Ramos SPA (16-20)

Sheer Magnetism (Cesar Luis Menotti) - 1) Lionel Messi ARG (11-15), 2) Virgil Van Dijk HOL (17-21), 3) Pele BRA (66-70), 4) Luka Modric CRO (15-19), 5) N'Golo Kante FRA (15-19), 6) Jari Litmanen FIN (93-97), 7) Fernando Hierro SPA (98-02), 8 ) Berti Vogts GER (72-76), 9) David Alaba AUT (15-19), 10) Ryan Giggs WAL (98-02), 11) Joseph-Antoine Bell CAM (85-89)

vivabobbygraham (Bill Shankly) - 1) Johan Cruyff HOL (70-74), 2) Luis Suarez URU (13-17), 3) Mohamed Salah EGY (17-21), 4) Claude Makelele FRA (01-05), 5) Alessandro Nesta ITA (03-07), 6) Andrew Robertson SCO (17-21), 7) Robert Lewandowski POL (17-21), 8 ) Thiago Alcântara SPA (15-19), 9) Jack Charlton ENG (66-70), 10) Pat Jennings NIR (70-74), 11) Carlos Alberto (66-70)

[Betty Blue]

Jock Stein's Lisbon Lions -

“I think it is important to win a match, but I think what is even more important is the manner in which you win.”

“I am now going to tell him (Herrera) how Celtic will be the first team to bring the European Cup back to Britain. But it will not help him in any manner, shape or form: we are going to attack as we have never attacked before. Cups are not won by individuals, but by men in a team who put their club before personal prestige. I am lucky – I have the players who do just that for Celtic.”

“If you’re ever going to win the European Cup, then this is the day and this is the place. But we don’t just want to win this cup, we want to do it playing good football – to make neutrals glad we’ve won it, glad to remember how we did it.” (his pre-match talk to the players before the 1967 final)

“There is not a prouder man on God’s Earth than me at this moment. Winning was important, aye, but it was the way that we have won that has filled me with satisfaction. We did it by playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it’s so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style.”

Final XI	The Original

Iker Casillas SPA (08-12) >>>> Ronnie Simpson
- According to Billy McNeill, "Ronnie was as much a footballer as he was a goalkeeper." Well known for his aerial ability, shot stopping, and comfort with the ball at his feet. All of which Iker was tops at. At 5ft 10 Ronnie was fairly short for the era as well as possessing a slender build, not dissimilar to Iker who at 6ft wasn't the tallest for a modern day keeper and had a similarly slight build.

Eric Gerets BEL (85-89) >>>> Jim Craig
- Craig was a classic all rounder with his heart on his sleeve. Nothing to shout about, but Jock trusted him to get forward when needed and he knew how to defend too. Gerets, though obviously a higher calibre player, had similar attributes being a well balanced defender/attacker who fought every second he was on the field.

Fabio Cannavaro ITA (02-06) >>>> Billy McNeill
- The big captain McNeill was the heart of Jock's side. A hard as nails bastard who played as the team's stopper. Cannavaro has led his nation to World Cup glory, and has that nasty bastard Italian grit in him. A perfect fit.

Roberto Ayala ARG (00-04) >>>> John Clark
- Clark was the team's sweeper. Unlike the sweepers of the 70/80s, the role in those days was less about entering the opponent's half and more about complimenting the role of the stopper and literally sweeping up anything that got through McNeill. While offering some good forward passing as a bonus. Ayala would relish this role.

Roberto Carlos BRA (98-02) >>>> Tommy Gemmell
- Gemmell was one of Jock's great secret weapons. In the 1967 European Cup final his attacking runs put the Italians into disarray. Scoring the breakthrough goal that put them on level terms on the night in question. Roberto Carlos spent over a decade doing just that at every level of football.

Johan Neeskens HOL (70-74) >>>> Bobby Murdoch
- Murdoch was a box-to-box midfielder who could do everything. Passing, tackling, scoring. He was both the engine and the midfield conductor for that Celtic side. Neeskens was everything and more of that for the Dutch.

Paul Breitner GER (78-82) >>>> Bertie Auld
- Auld was a converted left sided winger, who Jock moulded into a lethal weapon in the heart of midfield. Known for powering in shots from anywhere outside the box, bossing the centre of the pitch with his physical presence, while still enjoying forays up the left side of the field when the mood took him. As an attacking left back who later moved to a midfield general role with a net-bursting shot, Breitner is a dream replacement here.

George Best NIR (67-71) >>>> Jimmy Johnstone
- By all accounts, Johnstone was one of the most electric players of the period. A dribbling master, utterly unpredictable and capable of moments of magic that could turn a game upside down. Sound like anyone to you? Best and him could have been two peas in a pod.

John Barnes ENG (87-91) >>>> Bobbie Lennox
- Lennox was often overlooked because of how eye catching Johnstone was on the other flank, but the likes of Di Stefano and B. Charlton held him in the highest regard. He was more of your classic winger, who dribbled at great speed down the left flank and created havoc against any team he faced. I'm sure Jock would gladly take Barnes in this role.

Denis Law SCO (63-67) >>>> Willie Wallace
- Wallace was the more versatile of the front two. Both a creator and a chance taker himself. He was well known for blasting shots in from 25-30 yards out with both feet, dominating in the air and carving out chances for those around him. Law had all this and more to his game. Got to admit I'd never watched footage of him play until this draft and my jaw dropped. For a manc, he was pretty darn good.

John Aldridge IRE (87-91) >>>> Stevie Chalmers
- Chalmers was the archetypal goal poacher. Always knew where to be and when, and rarely wasted a chance. Many of his goals also came from headers with the incredible service supplied by Lennox and Johnstone. Aldridge was a dynamo both on the ground and in the air, and would surely be in his element with not only his buddy Barnes but Best supplying the ammunition.

So that's it. I tried not only to pick players who fit with their Lisbon Lion counterparts and could compliment one another on the pitch. But also ones who fit with Jock's footballing philosophy. The kind of players who would relish the freedom that he gave his players to attack attack attack. Those who had heart and fight in them, who were winners themselves and would die for the shirt if called upon just as his players did in 1967.

[JordanTremenderson]

Phil's team:

Simeone Manager

[Betty Blue]

The unpicked list of attacking players is nuts. Of course it probably wasn't so easy to tie some of these guys into a manager's style - Van Basten, Romario, G. Muller, Eusebio, Henry, Batistuta, Baggio, Zidane, Zico, Garrincha, Socrates.

Felt for sure one of the total football teams would be all over Xavi.

Hazell must've been in torturous pain seeing Redondo sitting on the shelf all draft too.

[Crosby Nick]

Yeah I’ve definitely got into the spirit of things by selecting slightly less than stellar strikers given Hitzfeld never had truly elite ones. Will cost me i the voting.

[Samie]

The unpicked list of attacking players is nuts. Of course it probably wasn't so easy to tie some of these guys into a manager's style - Van Basten, Romario, G. Muller, Eusebio, Henry, Batistuta, Baggio, Zidane, Zico, Garrincha, Socrates.

Felt for sure one of the total football teams would be all over Xavi.

Hazell must've been in torturous pain seeing Redondo sitting on the shelf all draft too.

Baggio was considered for the left of my Attacking Two but chose my boy Ronaldinho. 

[JordanTremenderson]

The unpicked list of attacking players is nuts. Of course it probably wasn't so easy to tie some of these guys into a manager's style - Van Basten, Romario, G. Muller, Eusebio, Henry, Batistuta, Baggio, Zidane, Zico, Garrincha, Socrates.

Not sure many would get in a Pulis team! 

[Betty Blue]

Not sure many would get in a Pulis team! 

Still feeling sorry for Gullit in there.

[JordanTremenderson]

Still feeling sorry for Gullit in there.

Yeah, he's just got the height and all round game to hopefully make it work.

[Betty Blue]

Yeah, he's just got the height and all round game to hopefully make it work.

Haha just kidding, mate. Genuinely think you've done a really good job sticking to the Pulis blueprint and the kind of players he'd like.

[Hazell]

Answered like I’d complimented your aftershave.

[JordanTremenderson]

Haha just kidding, mate. Genuinely think you've done a really good job sticking to the Pulis blueprint and the kind of players he'd like.

Yeah I don't think my team will do well in the voting, but my team is different and was fun to do.

[Samie]

Tele Santana's early 80's Brazil team, specifically 1982 World Cup.




My team

https://www.buildlineup.com/shared/6387a81540d2e127d64c87b2

[Betty Blue]

My team

https://www.buildlineup.com/shared/6387a81540d2e127d64c87b2

[Crosby Nick]

Return of the cock-and-balls formation!

[Samie]

Thanks Betts. 

[RobbieRedman]

Bob Paisley won 14 trophies in nine years for Liverpool Football Club between 1974 and 1983. He is the only British manager to win the European Cup three times.

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

He based his management on his ability to judge a player, feeling that if the 11 players fit the basic system and were intelligent enough to read the game themselves, then tactical coaching could be kept to a minimum.

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.

[NICHOLLS]

Diamond Anniversary Draft (1962 - 2022)
EVALUATION STAGE

There are 4 groups (randomly drawn), 3 teams in each group.

We will vote in the thread which teams 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'.

I.e we will rank the teams in the thread, and give our reasons/opinions:

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

A public poll will be added too - but this will only be counted as a single vote.

The manager with the highest votes (i.e a 1st place vote gets 3 points) progresses to the grand final.

There will be a single wildcard entry into the grand final (a 3-way play-off between the three 2nd-placed teams).

The final will be evaluated the same way, ranking the teams: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.




Please note

Team evaluation:- 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.


Each manager should present their manager & team (IN THIS THREAD). I will then copy your write-up into the group thread.

E.g
- manager's philosophy and key principles (style and tactics)
- favoured formations
- any peak/quintessential version of the manager's tactical vision
- player style profiles
- how your picks fit into that philosophy/style

[NICHOLLS]

I think Philanthropist still needs to post his formation.

Please can all write-ups be finished by Saturday morning - I will then create the group threads.


Klopp XI



(Players of inspiration: Alisson, Weidenfeller)
Ederson (18-22) – a world-class example of the modern 'sweeper keeper': extraordinary playmaking and passing ability, great timing off the line, excellent one-on-one and able to make accurate long throws. Ederson is also commanding, very strong with a solid frame, while still possessing amazing reflexes, agility and shot-stopping abilities. All-time legends like Yashin, Zoff and Banks wouldn’t have fit either the player technical profile or the tactical style required for my keeper position. Ederson will be an important weapon in getting the ball to Stoichkov and Eto’o with pace and accuracy.

(Players of inspiration: Robertson, Piszczek, Schmelzer, Milner)
Javier Zanetti (98-02) – Zanetti represents endless energy and stamina down the flank (as both fullback and winger). A solid and tenacious defender, able to cover his centrebacks and midfielders. Consistency and workrate must be very high. A fullback possessing excellent passing and crossing skills is also required (overlapping Eto’o and crossing horizontally to Stoichkov). Zanetti is both a formidable man-marker at one end, and a creative/attacking force in the opponent's half. The Inter Milan legend is physically strong, quick and agile, also possessing the leadership intangibles to raise his team’s energy and morale.

(Players of inspiration: Matip, Subotić, van Dijk, Gomez)
Elías Figueroa (72-76) - the complete centreback. Figueroa is a talented ball playing centrehalf, able to build from the back, initiate attacks from deep with long vertical balls and make marauding runs. Dominant in the air and an expert man marker (world class positional sense and reading of the game). Regarded as the greatest South American defender of all time, the Chilean is strong and pacey, able to deal with a #9 target man in the box or quick forwards on the high line. A natural leader and organiser.

(Players of inspiration: van Dijk, Hummels)
Gaetano Scirea (78-82) – the graceful complete centreback partner. Not the typical Catenaccio tenacious stopper, but a ball-playing centerback whose game is based on clean interceptions, positioning and reading of the game. Scirea has a strong athletic build, comfortable and elegant on the ball. ‘El Capitano’ is a leader of men and highly respected my players, managers and critics.

(Players of inspiration: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tsimikas, Robertson)
Andreas Brehme (86-90) - A special fullback needed here: elite passing and crossing skills are required (accuracy, swerve, power and technique). A modern fullback able to play the full flank (fullback/wingback/winger) or tuck in centrally. Brehme was also a solid defender, demonstrating an intelligent positional sense. The German’s vertical/horizontal passes will be used to spring quick attacks/switch play/stretch our opponent. Brehme was without doubt a clutch player (assists/goals in the biggest games). A multi-faceted team player. A set-piece specialist (corners and free kicks) is the cherry on top.

(Players of inspiration: Fabinho, Henderson, Bender, Kehl)
Frank Rijkaard (88-92) – the crucial defensive midfielder for our spine. Rijkaard can sit between my two centrebacks as a third centreback. The Dutch legend offers supreme protection, breaking down play, anchoring and covering. Rijkaard boasts the vision and passing technique to launch attacks from deep, while also possessing the box-to-box quality when needed.

(Players of inspiration: Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum)
Bryan Robson (84-88) – ‘Captain Marvel’ is my box-to-box dynamo. Robson offers the much needed high defensive workrate and match engine. A dual goal scoring threat and destroyer: Robson will screen the back four and cover advancing defenders, distribute the ball with accuracy and zip and get into the opponent’s box to score. Robson also possesses great leadership intangibles.

(Players of inspiration: Wijnaldum, Gündoğan, Lallana, Keďta)
Mario Coluna (62-66) – ‘The Sacred Monster’ was known to be a creator, enforcer and all-round inspiration in midfield. The Portuguese box-to-box force of nature transformed from a forward into a midfielder now operating deeper: Coluna now had the whole pitch infront of him, where he could demonstrate his complete game: vision, passing range, slalom dribbles, stamina, long range shooting, intelligent movement, drives into the box, strong tackling and leadership. An important player to link up play between defence and our attack.

(Players of inspiration: Mané, Jota, Błaszczykowski)   
Samuel Eto’o (07-11) – Eto’o was the perfect lethal forward: insane natural pace, a prolific finisher and creator, tactical versatility to play centrally or on the wing and possessing impressive dribbling and shooting technique. Physically strong and tenacious, Eto’o had a high defensive workrate (even able to play as a defensive wingforward). Historically a big game player, Eto’o had a high football IQ, able to play in both possession, counter attack and pressing systems.

(Players of inspiration: Firmino, Götze, Lewandowski, Mané)
Florian Albert (63-67) – ‘The Emperor’ wasn't your typical centre forward. He would drop deep (sometimes even play as deep as central midfielder) playing as a withdrawn forward. Always moving for his teammates, possessing a high work rate and able to tactically press. Albert was an elegant footballer, possessing amazing dribbling skills, technique and ball control. Still a prolific goalscorer, for his club career he scored an astonishing 595 goals in 643 games, and for his country 32 goals in 75 games. Albert loved to combine with his midfielders and attackers, demonstrating his excellent vision, creativity and tactical intelligence. He will be able to thread accurate passes to Stoichkov and Eto'o. A deadly finisher, but also strong on the ball, able to slalom past defenders.

(Players of inspiration: Salah, Mané, Reus)
Hristo Stoichkov (90-94) – the ideal wingforward for my attack. The Bulgarian can press from the front, offering great workrate off the ball. ‘The Dagger’ possesses the deadly pace and power to be lethal on the counter, cutting in from the wing, getting in behind or driving forward centrally. The importance of being versatile across the front three forward positions and being both a goalscorer and creator maximises his influence.

[NICHOLLS]

Group A
Crosby Nick
RobbieRedman
Philanthropist

Group B
vivabobbygraham
El Lobo
NICHOLLS1986

Group C
Sheer Magnetism
Samie
Betty Blue

Group D
Lastrador
JordanTremenderson
Hazell

[Samie]

Piss easy group for me. 

[NICHOLLS]

Quick reminder to post your manager/team profiles guys.

Whichever group is ready (if not Group A), I will start the first knock out thread on Saturday.

[Samie]

What's happening with this mate? 

[NICHOLLS]

Group threads will be up Monday morning instead.
Hopefully all team profiles have been posted/updated.

[Crosby Nick]

I’ve tried a few times and as ever I can’t do a formation on my phone? Even did one in Dortmund colours and couldn’t save it FFS.

Anyone be so kind?! Sorry for the delay.

[NICHOLLS]

I’ve tried a few times and as ever I can’t do a formation on my phone? Even did one in Dortmund colours and couldn’t save it FFS.

Anyone be so kind?! Sorry for the delay.

Done. 


Group A thread now up:

https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=353385.0

[Crosby Nick]

Done. 


Group A thread now up:

https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=353385.0

Awesome, thanks.

The only 5-3-2 I could find was a flat three in midfield and required arrows all over the place!