Total Members Voted: 31
Voting closed: February 8, 2018, 07:14:03 pm
I chose this team with five criteria: 1) They had to be technically good enough to dominate in possession; 2) They had to have the speed and anticipation to press the ball quickly when out of possession; 3) There had to be excellent passers in midfield and defence, coupled with pace on the wings and up front enabling them to break quickly; 4) There needed to be lots of game intelligence and positional fluidity so players could switch positions and overload areas of the pitch when needed; and 5) Leaders, and lots of them. The defenders alone include two world cup-winning captains and three European Cup-winning captains (that goes up to four if you add Iniesta).DEFENCEClemence not only had hands of iron, he had excellent distribution and the intelligence to know when to speed up a game and when to slow it down. The defence is a five that can change to a three when the full-backs push up, or four if one of Hierro or Moore (usually Hierro) push forward to either bring the ball out of defence, join the midfield to stop incoming attacks through the centre, or man-mark a number ten. MIDFIELDIniesta and Schweinsteiger are both top draw all-rounders with the positional awareness to maintain control in possession, or to press and cut off passing options through zonal shielding when out of possession. Crucially, Lahm and Junior (who helped the '82 Brazil team tick) have both played in midfield, so not only do they have the pace to start attacks rapidly from passes out to the wing, or to push back wing-backs, they can join in in the centre to outnumber two or even three-man midfields, with one of the defenders spreading out to cover. Iniesta and Schweinsteiger are both terrific long-passers playing behind a very pacey attack. That means that if an opposing team pushes too many players forward they'll be hit on the break, but if they're conservative instead, the back seven outfield players will always have a numerical advantage.ATTACKI liked Litmanen in the trequartista role because of his ability to press from the front, but Ronaldinho adds so much pace and ability, while also being able to drop into midfield to reclaim the ball, that I couldn't not pick him. Three of the four best Brazilian forwards of all time, all of whom are lightning quick dribblers, extremely creative (Neymar and Ronaldinho's assist stats have been through the roof at different times at club level) and brilliant finishers. The speed and dribbling ability are crucial because it means the team don't necessarily have to push forward en masse to get goals, and the fact Neymar and Ronaldinho have played in Barca teams, and Pele for 70's Brazil, means they have the intelligence to interchange and drag players out of position, much like the 2015 Barca attack.
While building this team, I spent a lot of time thinking about one of my favourite teams from recent years, Brendan Rodgers’ 2013-2014 Liverpool side.Although using a different formation (and hopefully being a bit better defensively!!), this team is built around the same idea of trying to get the absolute most out of the two strikers up top. I hadn’t actually planned to pick another striker after going for Ronaldo in round 1, but when Thierry Henry made it back round to me, the thought of the pair of them running at opposition defenders was just too much to resist! Two of the greatest strikers of the modern era, Ronaldo and Henry’s speed, power and finesse would prove a match-up nightmare for any defence. Ronaldo playing mostly through the middle while Henry is given a license to drift out wide and cut inside off that left flank as he used to love doing.Providing the ammo is one of the greatest playmakers of all time and a player who absolutely destroyed us in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, Zico. Free from defensive responsibilities, Zico is tasked with being the team’s primary creator while also providing a significant goal threat of his own, having scored over 500 career goals. Behind him, Fernando Redondo pulls the strings in midfield while Frank Rijkaard, one of the most dominant defensive midfielders to have played the game, ensures we’ll give as good as we get in any midfield battle.Having gone with a narrow front three, I felt it was absolutely crucial to move early on a pair of well-rounded wing backs to patrol the flanks. Javier Zanetti and Giacinto Facchetti, two of Inter’s greatest ever players, offer stamina and consistency in abundance, able to motor up and down the flanks to provide width going forwards while also being solid enough defensively to shackle opposition wingers.In defence, I’ve gone for a flexible back three marshalled by the “Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer playing alongside his young apprentice Mats Hummels and the Brazilian tank Lucio. All three are highly comfortably bringing the ball out of defence, giving us the option to launch quick counter-attacks with long, pinpoint balls up to Ronaldo & Henry, or to keep possession by playing the ball around the back when we need to take the sting out of the game. In goal, the last line of defence is provided by the great Sepp Maier, Beckenbauer’s long-term teammate with both Bayern and Germany.
Crosby Nick never fails.
Gerry and the King for me.
First match is tough to call, not sure about a Gerrard-Davids midfield or him having Manc in there but still, Chakan, his wives and KingLuis for me
You cut me deep. Just cause my post count is bigger.
Think Big Sami would struggle a little against that forward line.And I can’t vote for a man with over 70k posts, it’s too close to home.
It's basically like for like in each match in terms of system. Went for Gerry in the other semi since his team looks more cohesive. Luis has some great players in there but there isn't enough up front for me. Five defenders and two holding midfielders leaving those three attacking players looking pretty isolated up top. No way that's breaking through my defence.
People don’t vote for defences. Hence why you unjustly beat me.
Ugh. I checked last night and I was ahead 11-10, now this?
Guess I should have taken Barnes or Baresi
Highway robbery if you ask me, Sheer. Would have been a wonderful final --- Gerry & Sheer.One wonders if the Beckenbauer quotient in the back sealed the result?
Baresi changes everything, my friend.
Sorry for ruining the final for you mate!
Wasn't you, mate. We all have our favorites --- and really its no skin off my backside.I think the voters got it wrong, not you. You drafted and put together an outstanding team --- may very well win the whole enchilada. Wish you luck in that process --- but anyone who tells me that any team could stop Sheer's front three, would be pissing down my back and telling me its raining.
Yeah I can’t blame anyone for voting for that front three, it’s sexy as fuck. Genuinely laughed out loud the first time I saw it. I do feel the balance is slightly off though. Think it would’ve worked better as a front three as Ronaldinho was never an AMC. While my front three are hardly slouches themselves!Think this game would be won and lost in midfield though. I like the Schweini-Iniesta experiment but Rijkaard & Redondo would be far too much for them. Sheer has the advantage in defence I feel, but having Beckenbauer in there closes the gap.
That one of your wives, Chakan?
Poll