Football World XI's - Eurpoe, South America, Africa

[roseboy64]

Agreed. He's class.

 

[aussie]

Good time to dig this.

Selection criteria is based on a mixture of recent form & overall career performances.

EUROPEAN 20 MAN SQUAD:

GOAL-KEEPRS:

1. Gianluigi Buffon* - Captain (Juventus) (Italy)
2. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) (Spain)


[COLOR="Blue"]DEFENDERS:[/COLOR]

3. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) (Spain)
4. Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) (England)
5. Ricardo Carvaldo (Chelsea) (England)
6. Carlos Puyol (Barcelona) (Spain)
7. Patrice Evra (Manchester United) (France)
8. Christian Chivu (Inter Milan) (Romania)
9. Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United) (Serbia)


MID-FIELDERS:

10. Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan) (Italy)
11. Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona) (Spain)
12. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) (England)
13. Mark Van Bommel (Bayern Munich) (Netherlands)
14. Frank Ribery (Bayerb Munich) (France)
15. Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) (Spain)
16. Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) (Netherlands)


STRIKERS:

17. Fernando Torres (Liverpool) (Spain)
18. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) (Portugal)
19. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) (England)
20. David Villa (Valencia) (Spain)



Sneijder, Iniesta, Pique, De Rossi, A Cole, Ibrahimovic the unlikiest to miss out.



FORMATION: 4-1-2-3:


----------------------------------------BUFFON-------------------------------------------


RAMOS--------------PUYOL----------FERDINAND----------------------EVRA


--------------------VAN BOMMEL-----------PIRLO---------------------------------


-------------------------------------XAVI---------------------------------------------------


RONALDO----------------------------------------------------------ROBBEN


------------------------------TORRES-------------------------------------

Basically the Spanish WC winning formation with more wing play.




SOUTH AMERICAN 20-MAN SQUAD:

GOAL-KEEPERS:

1. Julio Cesar (Inter Milan) (Brazil)
2. Doni (Roma) (Brazil)


DEFENDERS:

3. Javier Zanetti* - Captain (Inter Milan) (Argentina)
4. Lucio (Bayern Munich) (Brazil)
5. Diego Lugano (Fernabache) (Uruguay)
6. Walter Samuel (Inter Milan) (Argentina)
7. David Luiz (Benfica) (Brazil)
8. Daniel Alves (Barcelona) (Brazil)
9. Maicon (Inter Milan) (Brazil)


MID-FIELDERS:

10. Ronaldinho (AC Milan) (Brazil)
11. Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors) (Argentina)
12. Kaka (AC Milan) (Brazil)
13. Javier Mascherano (Liverpool) (Argentina)
14. Estaban Cambiasso (Inter Milan) (Argentina)
15. Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) (Ecuador)


STRIKERS:

16. Diego Milito (Inter Milan) (Argentina)
17. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (Argentina)
18. Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
19. Luis Fabiano (Sevilla) (Brazil)
20. Robinho (Santos) (Brazil)

Tevez, Aguero, Cordoba, Gago, Sanchex, Alex, G Milito the unluckiest to miss out


FORMATION: 4-2-2-2


---------------------------JULIO CEASAR------------------------------------------

MAICON------------------LUCIO---------SAMUEL------------------ZANETTI

------------------MASCHERANO--------RIQUELME---------------------------

MESSI-----------------------------------------------------------------VALENCIA

----------------------------------------KAKA------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------D MILITO-----------------------------------





AFRICAN 20-MAN SQUAD:

GOAL-KEEPERS:

1. Essam El-Hadary (FC Sion) (Egypt)
2. Carlos Kameni/Richard Kingston (RC Espanyol/Wigan Athletic) (Cameroon/Ghana)


DEFENDERS:

3. Kolo Toure (Manchester City) (Ivory Coast)
4. Joseph Yobo (Everton) (Nigeria)
5. John Mensah (Lyon) (Ghana)
6. Chris Samba (Congo)
7. Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal) (Ivory Coast)
8. Benoit Assou-Ekotto/Taye Taiwo (Tottenham Hotspur/Marseille) (Cameroon/Nigeria)
9. Guy Demel (Hamburger SV) (Ivory Coast)


MID-FIELDERS:

10. Michael Essein (Chelsea) (Ghana)
11. Didier Zokora/Mahmadou Diarra/Seydou Keita (Sevilla/Real Madrid/Barcelona) (Ivorty Coast/Mali)
12. Yaya Toure (Barcelona) (Ivory Coast)
13. Mohamed Aboutrika (Al-Ahly) (Egypt)
14. Stephen Pienaar (Everton) (South Africa)
15. Salomon Kalou (Chelsea) (Ivory Coast)
16. Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan) (Ghana)


STRIKERS:

17. Didier Drogba* - Captain (Chelsea) (Ivory Coast)
18. Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan) (Cameroon)
19. Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City) (Togo)
20. Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg) (Nigeria)


FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

--------------------------------EL HADARY--------------------------------


EBOUE-----------------K TOURE---------YOBO---------------------MENSAH


-----------------------ESSEIN------------Y TOURE----------------------------------


ETO'O-----------------------ABOUTRIKA---------------------------PIENAAR


--------------------------------DROGBA-----------------------------------



WORLD XI:


-------------------------------------------------------BUFFON-------------------------------------------------------

MAICON------------------------------LUCIO------------------PUYOL-----------------------------------EVRA

-----------------------------------------MASCHERANO---------PIRLO------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------XAVI----------------------------------------------------------

MESSI----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RONALDO

--------------------------------------------------TORRES/DROGBA------------------------------------------------

 

[marc71178]

Needs to be either current or based on career not a mix of the 2 (and quite how Valencia fits in as a left winger under either category I'd love to know)

 

[Furball]

Your European midfield is a joke, there's no way that Alonso, Pirlo, Ribery, van Bommel and Gerrard make it ahead of Sneijder and Iniesta.

 

[aussie]

Needs to be either current or based on career not a mix of the 2 (and quite how Valencia fits in as a left winger under either category I'd love to know)

Dont agree it has to be either or based on career. Since for eg you take the examples of Pirlo & Torres.

Pirlo is still just as good as Xavi. But given both his club & country have been in decline, he doesn't have quality players up front for either Milan or Italy to make use of his quality service from mid-field. Like how Xavi does for Spain & Barca.

While Torres injury obviously has decreased his output in the last 6 months. But these last 6 months shouldn't overshadow his last 2-3 years in which he has been the best forward in Europe. Most likey he will be back to his best very soon.

Then the reverse of this is Cambiasso. If i went on current form, he was the defensive mid-fielder in Europe last season & the world last season (Maradona made a obvious HUGE blunder not taking him to the WC). But one season for doesn't make him better than Mascherano who has been the best DM in the buisness for the last 2-3 years (closely flanked by Y Toure & Essein).

Buffon still the best goalie in Europe & world for me, even if Casillas & Cesar is the limelight. Buffon's defense is similar to Pirlo.

Alot in the media where saying A Cole was the best left-back in Europe for much of last season. Given he definately seemed to take it another level last season. But the likes of Evra & Chvu (super versatile) have been better for much longer.


With Valencia of course he isn't a left-winger. But i have seen many teams usE (Ronaldo (Madrid), Robben (Holland in WC), Nani, Ash Young). Wingers on the oppositie flanks to cut in on their stronger foot & score. Dont see why Valencia wouldn't be able to do this well in that hypotetical XI.

Your European midfield is a joke, there's no way that Alonso, Pirlo, Ribery, van Bommel and Gerrard make it ahead of Sneijder and Iniesta.

Haa well obviously if you would prefer Sneijder & Iniesta in, only two of those players have to go out.

Alonso is must pick. Direct replacement Xavi or Pirlo in case of injury of bad performance in a match.

- Van Bommell is a must pick. There is no other better defense-midfielder in Europe.

- Sneijder & Iniesta, where battling with with Ribery & Gerrard for a final place (although maybe you pickedd a 23-man squad they would be in. But the thought of having so much stars on the bench was too much. So i narrowed it down to just a 20 man-squad with the normal 7 subs one would have in a international .

Ribery vs Iniesta is debatable. I wouldn't disagree if someone chose Iniesta over him. Maybe i can pick Iniesta & pick a 21-man squad for Europe?

But Gerrard definately has a better all-round game than Sneijder. Gerrard can play all positions across mid-field well. If Sneijder isn't playing in the "hole", you would be wasting him. Got 6-7 other players who can play in the "hole" in this 20-man squad - who are versatile enough to play other roles effectively.

 

[Furball]

Haa well obviously if you would prefer Sneijder & Iniesta in, only two of those players have to go out.

Alonso is must pick. Direct replacement Xavi or Pirlo in case of injury of bad performance in a match.

- Van Bommell is a must pick. There is no other better defense-midfielder in Europe.

- Sneijder & Iniesta, where battling with with Ribery & Gerrard for a final place (although maybe you pickedd a 23-man squad they would be in. But the thought of having so much stars on the bench was too much. So i narrowed it down to just a 20 man-squad with the normal 7 subs one would have in a international .

Ribery vs Iniesta is debatable. I wouldn't disagree if someone chose Iniesta over him. Maybe i can pick Iniesta & pick a 21-man squad for Europe?

But Gerrard definately has a better all-round game than Sneijder. Gerrard can play all positions across mid-field well. If Sneijder isn't playing in the "hole", you would be wasting him. Got 6-7 other players who can play in the "hole" in this 20-man squad - who are versatile enough to play other roles effectively.

Ribery v Iniesta isn't even close to debatable. Iniesta is miles in front of Ribery as a player.

Sneijder is also very versatile, more so than Gerrard. He's also a better player in his stronger position.

edit: just noticed you've picked Torres over Villa for your starting XI, which is just lolworthy.

 

[aussie]

Ribery v Iniesta isn't even close to debatable. Iniesta is miles in front of Ribery as a player.

Given i have the pace of Ronaldo & Robben on the wings. Ribery is the best top-quality sub for them, since his pace can compare. In a hypotetical scenario if i take of one of Ronald/Robeen i want another pacy winger to come on.

Iniesta has a tendancy to drift inwards too much & could be bullied out i fear with good man marking. But i certainly dont want lose Ribery from this team - thus i suggesting making EUR a 21-man squad & having both him & Iniesta.

Sneijder is also very versatile, more so than Gerrard. He's also a better player in his stronger position.

Disagree. Gerrard & Senijder are equal as attacking mid-fielders.

I have never seen Sneijder play & excell in defensive mid-field/deeper mid-field postions or playing out left or right. Like Gerrard has done for club & country.

Sneijder has only ever excelled in the last year for club & country playing as an attacking mid-fielder.

edit: just noticed you've picked Torres over Villa for your starting XI, which is just lolworthy.

Probably have a little too much laughing gas in your system then.

Its is perfectly logical for Torres to start. Torres is better leading the line as lone striker than Villa who plays best playing behind the "hole" or anywhere where he is given roam to move about (i.e playing out left in the WC for Spain).

 

[marc71178]

Pirlo is still just as good as Xavi.

Right...

 

[L Trumper]

Disagree. Gerrard & Senijder are equal as attacking mid-fielders.

I have never seen Sneijder play & excell in defensive mid-field/deeper mid-field postions or playing out left or right. Like Gerrard has done for club & country.

Sneijder has only ever excelled in the last year for club & country playing as an attacking mid-fielder.



Probably have a little too much laughing gas in your system then.

Its is perfectly logical for Torres to start. Torres is better leading the line as lone striker than Villa who plays best playing behind the "hole" or anywhere where he is given roam to move about (i.e playing out left in the WC for Spain).

That is lol worthy mate. You probably didn't follow much of wesley's career. His tactical awareness while going forward is as good as zidane's. You are saying he is same as gerrard while going forward? He is on a different level to gerrard.

Regarding villa, torres : If you have wrong footed wingers cutting in you want a striker who likes to drop deep and drifts away rather than out and out striker. Obviously villa is better suited than torres for that kind of system. Actually your logic gives the reason why villa should be in your team instead of torres.

 

[Furball]

Sneijder has only ever excelled in the last year for club & country playing as an attacking mid-fielder.

Clearly you haven't watched a great deal of Sneijder.

 

[marc71178]

Clearly you haven't watched a great deal of football.

Fixed.

 

[aussie]

That is lol worthy mate. You probably didn't follow much of wesley's career. His tactical awareness while going forward is as good as zidane's. You are saying he is same as gerrard while going forward? He is on a different level to gerrard.

I'd say Sneijder is probably more skillful than Gerrard, better close control & can do more tricks with the ball. But no the only attacking mid-fielder than reminds of Zidane @ his peak where Riquelme, Kaka, Ronaldinho (in his Barca days).

But when it comes to timing runs into the box & scoring goals, when Gerrard plays being Torres & Sneijder behind Milito or Van Persie. I can't spit them.

Regarding villa, torres : If you have wrong footed wingers cutting in you want a striker who likes to drop deep and drifts away rather than out and out striker. Obviously villa is better suited than torres for that kind of system. Actually your logic gives the reason why villa should be in your team instead of torres.

But the wingers in Ronaldo & Robben wouldn't be cutting in at least not all the time. They would be starting in their natural position. So they can run @ full-backs to the line & send it crosses or they can cut in. They are not one-dimentional these are two of best wingers in Ronaldo & Robben here.

The formation is basically Spain WC set-up with more dynamic wing-play. Torres in top-form can stay in box & with the supply from Xavi/Pirlo, he would be lethal.

Right...

He certainly is, for reasons i stated. You trying mock the statement by saying "Right", without giving your reason why Pirlo isn't still just as good. Proves nothing..

Clearly you haven't watched a great deal of Sneijder.

Yes i have. What would be better for me to say was that his exploits this year for club & country, gave him the most worldwide acclaim to date in hsi career.

He obviously was excelling as attacking mid-fielder for Ajax (less so @ Madrid) & Holland before. But it wasn't given much prais & attention before - he was respected as a talented dutchman.

 

[vcs]

Right...

Mobile all-round creative midfielders (Xavi/Scholes) are simply better than deep-lying playmakers like Alonso/Pirlo. Always have been, always will be. Simple reason for that. Alonso/Pirlo need a creative influence up the pitch who they can find with an early crossfield pass or a long ball (Kaka or Gerrard in their respective teams). Xavi/Scholes can involve themselves more directly in attacking play, deliver through-balls, long range strikes etc. while being able to cover enough ground in midfield to defend when the need arises.

 

[L Trumper]

Mobile all-round creative midfielders (Xavi/Scholes) are simply better than deep-lying playmakers like Alonso/Pirlo. Always have been, always will be. Simple reason for that. Alonso/Pirlo need a creative influence up the pitch who they can find with an early crossfield pass or a long ball (Kaka or Gerrard in their respective teams). Xavi/Scholes can involve themselves more directly in attacking play, deliver through-balls, long range strikes etc. while being able to cover enough ground in midfield to defend when the need arises.

Not sure.. Pirlo/Alonso are in general more defensively aware, and will provide more cover than xavi/scholes do. Its quite easily detectable in scholes game a dynamic midfielder in opposition can run circles around him.
As for xavi barca, spain press very high up the pitch and opposition has to move the ball very quickly so he really need not bother about opposition midfield dominating possession. His team defence depends on their abilty of passing, intercepting attacks, rather than tackling and marking. If you put pirlo at his peak in the same role as xavi there won't be much difference.

 

[aussie]

Mobile all-round creative midfielders (Xavi/Scholes) are simply better than deep-lying playmakers like Alonso/Pirlo. Always have been, always will be. Simple reason for that. Alonso/Pirlo need a creative influence up the pitch who they can find with an early crossfield pass or a long ball (Kaka or Gerrard in their respective teams). Xavi/Scholes can involve themselves more directly in attacking play, deliver through-balls, long range strikes etc. while being able to cover enough ground in midfield to defend when the need arises.

Pirlo is a mobile creative all-round mid-fielder just like Xavi & Scholes The way Xavi controls the mid-field play for Spain & Barca is exactly what Pirlo did with Italy & Milan @ their peak.

If Xavi & Pirlo where to swap clubs. Xavi good passes would go to waste @ Milan. While Pirlo's good passes would be put to use @ Barca.

 

[vcs]

Not sure.. Pirlo/Alonso are in general more defensively aware, and will provide more cover than xavi/scholes do. Its quite easily detectable in scholes game a dynamic midfielder in opposition can run circles around him.
As for xavi barca, spain press very high up the pitch and opposition has to move the ball very quickly so he really need not bother about opposition midfield dominating possession. His team defence depends on their abilty of passing, intercepting attacks, rather than tackling and marking. If you put pirlo at his peak in the same role as xavi there won't be much difference.

I don't think so at all. I personally think Pirlo is vastly overrated. I've seen midfields containing him taken to the cleaners, whereas it rarely, if ever happens with Xavi.

Despite Pirlo/Alonso playing deep, they still need a midfield enforcer in the mould of a Gattuso/Mascherano to function at their best. This is why I'm naturally wary of these deep-lying playmakers. Midfields that are built around deep-lying playmakers tend to be too defensive and reactive for my liking.

 

[L Trumper]

I'd say Sneijder is probably more skillful than Gerrard, better close control & can do more tricks with the ball. But no the only attacking mid-fielder than reminds of Zidane @ his peak where Riquelme, Kaka, Ronaldinho (in his Barca days).

But when it comes to timing runs into the box & scoring goals, when Gerrard plays being Torres & Sneijder behind Milito or Van Persie. I can't spit them.



But the wingers in Ronaldo & Robben wouldn't be cutting in at least not all the time. They would be starting in their natural position. So they can run @ full-backs to the line & send it crosses or they can cut in. They are not one-dimentional these are two of best wingers in Ronaldo & Robben here.

The formation is basically Spain WC set-up with more dynamic wing-play. Torres in top-form can stay in box & with the supply from Xavi/Pirlo, he would be lethal.


Yes i have. What would be better for me to say was that his exploits this year for club & country, gave him the most worldwide acclaim to date in hsi career.

He obviously was excelling as attacking mid-fielder for Ajax (less so @ Madrid) & club before. But it wasn't given much prais & attention before - he was respected as a talented dutchman.

Erm.. Robben is not the touchline hugging winger, he always cuts in. Besides the whole point of having wrong footed wingers is to cut inside, while full backs overlap. May be wingers may swap some time in the game but even then its better to have a striker who can perform as a false nine so to encourage midfield runs. Both robben, ronaldo are goal scoring wingers rather than crossing type so its better to have villa rather than torres in your line up, for pure tactical reasons. Also the fact villa is more complete forward than torres will solidify villa's case.

Zidane is completely different type of player to both ronaldinho,kaka. Riquelme is better comparison, but riquelme doesn't offer much goal scoring threat. So i'm pretty sure sneijder is better comparison to zidane than the names you mentioned.
You are also saying you can't see difference between gerrard playing behind torres and sneijder playing behind milito? Well there is a lot of difference between those two systems. The most obvious being sneijder can control the pace of the game accordingly, something that gerrard never did in his career so far.

 

[vcs]

Pirlo is a mobile creative all-round mid-fielder just like Xavi & Scholes The way Xavi controls the mid-field play for Spain & Barca is exactly what Pirlo did with Italy & Milan @ their peak.

If Xavi & Pirlo where to swap clubs. Xavi good passes would go to waste @ Milan. While Pirlo's good passes would be put to use @ Barca.

Whenever I've watched Pirlo, he plays much deeper than Xavi. Rarely gets forward. He generally leaves the creative work up the pitch to Seedorf/Kaka.

I remember the Arsenal/Milan CL tie in 2008, Pirlo barely got a sniff against Fabregas. This year, it was Fabregas who was handed a lesson by Xavi. Obviously it doesn't mean Xavi>>Fabregas>>Pirlo, but it was pretty illustrative to me.

 

[L Trumper]

I don't think so at all. I personally think Pirlo is vastly overrated. I've seen midfields containing him taken to the cleaners, whereas it rarely, if ever happens with Xavi.

Despite Pirlo/Alonso playing deep, they still need a midfield enforcer in the mould of a Gattuso/Mascherano to function at their best. This is why I'm naturally wary of these deep-lying playmakers. Midfields that are built around deep-lying playmakers tend to be too defensive and reactive for my liking.

Erm.. That's the systems they are playing in. If you put xavi in ageing milan's squad, people will run rings around him too. During their peak pirlo has a midfield of gattuso,seedorf,rui costa(kaka later). While xavi has busquets,keita,ineista. Clearly xavi is playing with two players defending behind him, while pirlo has one. Before that xavi has vanbommel, edmilson, deco; again the same.

As far as pirlo being overrated, that's your opinion, which I think is a misjudgment from your POV. Remember he is originally a trequartista (in the hole player) and then had to readjust his position which is quite probably the best tactic came out of the last decade.

 

[vcs]

Keita is not a regular first teamer in Barcelona. Also, Xavi has run midfields with and without Iniesta playing alongside him (see CL and the Clasico this year). I think Iniesta needs Xavi but not vice versa.

Perhaps I'm doing Pirlo a disservice. I've always felt he's not mobile enough to dominate top-class midfields on his own like Xavi.. great player no doubt, but needs a bit more assistance than Xavi to really shine IMO.