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

[aussie]

Yep. Xavi is more complete midfielder than pirlo. That is for sure. But pirlo at his peak is just as good as xavi is. But the problem is he never had the system that xavi generally plays in. So time and again he is going to get exposed unlike xavi who has a remarkable passing midfield on a whole.

Yep. Milan @ their peak played the 4-3-2-1 (Christmas tree) while Barca is (4-3-3).

 

[Ikki]

Xavi doesn't favour short passes. He just plays the best available pass almost every time he gets the ball, and the best ball in football is usually the simple ball.

Inter countered him very effectively last year over two legs, though.

The problem is no one can say what ball is exactly the best ball because to different people with differing levels of vision (vision as a football term) or passing ability that may be a different ball. I think Xavi purposefully employs short-passing to hold possession and limit the opposing team's odds of getting the ball.

It may be a slight difference but you'll see Pirlo more willing to hit a long-rage pass which will be incredibly hard to get right than Xavi who is content to pass around until there is an opening. To sum it up, Pirlo was a more forceful player with his passing, in order to create goals. Xavi is a more probing passer wearing the opposition down until they make a mistake.

 

[Furball]

Yeah, Xavi doesn't play incisive through balls.

Worst thread ever.

I'm out.

 

[Ikki]

Yeh...that's what I said

 

[aussie]

Yes he did. Messi has played as a false 9 on the last 2 occasions Barcelona have played Real away from home.

I said Xavi didn't play behind a false 9 that day, not whether their was a false 9 playing.

Which looking at thow the formation of that game:

Barcelona in La Liga 2008/2009 matchday 34. He certainly didn't that day or start out in such a position. Although looking @ the subs with DMs Kieta & Busquets coming on for, its possible he did play behind the Messi later in the match.

Barcelona in La Liga 2009/2010 matchday 31

THis game last year which i dont have much recollection of, he probably did though.

But going back to point. I'm not that comfortable with Villa playing as the false 9 in the European XI, given how he looked a little ineffective playing that role during the WC. Added to the fact in a hypotetical match vs strong South American & African teams. DMs like a Mascherano or Y Toure could be assigned to man-mark him, which would further cripple his effectiveness.

 

[sledger]

I said Xavi didn't play behind a false 9 that day, not whether their was a false 9 playing.

Which looking at thow the formation of that game:

Barcelona in La Liga 2008/2009 matchday 34. He certainly didn't that day or start out in such a position. Although looking @ the subs with DMs Kieta & Busquets coming on for, its possible he did play behind the Messi later in the match.

Barcelona in La Liga 2009/2010 matchday 31

THis game last year which i dont have much recollection of, he probably did though.

But going back to point. I'm not that comfortable with Villa playing as the false 9 in the European XI, given how he looked a little ineffective playing that role during the WC. Added to the fact in a hypotetical match vs strong South American & African teams. DMs like a Mascherano or Y Toure could be assigned to man-mark him, which would further cripple his effectiveness.

 

[aussie]

But going back to point. I'm not that comfortable with Villa playing as the false 9 in the European XI, given how he looked a little ineffective playing that role during the WC. Added to the fact in a hypotetical match vs strong South American & African teams. DMs like a Mascherano or Y Toure could be assigned to man-mark him, which would further cripple his effectiveness.

Yep for anyone here who say the Spain friendly vs Argentina. The above was again proven.

 

[aussie]

This is subject to change, but this would be my EUROPE, S America, Africa & CONCACAF all-star teams now based on a mixture of current season form & overall career performances. Considering a AFC/OFC team later.



EUROPE

FORMATION: 4-1-4-1

GOAL-KEEPERS: Buffon, Nuer

DEFENDERS: Kompany, Chellini, Boateng, Ramos, Lahm, Alaba, Alba, Liechesteiner

MID-FIELDERS: Iniesta, Modric, Matic, Pogba, Matuidi, Fabregas, Ronaldo, Bale, Hazard

FORWARDS: Muller, Ibrahimovic, Lewandowski

------------------------------------------------------------Buffon---------------------------------------------

Lahm--------------------------Kompany--------------------Chellini-----------------------Alaba

-----------------------------------------------------------Matic----------------------------------------------

Bale---------------------------Pogba---------------------------Iniesta-------------------Ronaldo

---------------------------------------------------------Zlatan--------------------------------------------

Costa, Rakitic, David Silva could be in if i pick this team next week




SOUTH AMERICA

FORMATION: 3-4-3 (Diamond)

GOAL-KEEPERS: Claudio Bravo, Fernando Muslera

DEFENDERS: Thiago Silva, Diego Godin, Jose Giminez, Cristian Zapata, Jeison Murillo

MID-FIELDERS: Javier Mascherano, Arturo Vidal, Gary Medel, Angel Di Maria, Charles Aranguiz, Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez

FORWARDS: Lionel Messi, Luiz Suraez, Neymar, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez


-------------------------------------------------Bravo----------------------------------------

-------------------------T Silva------------Godin---------Zapata------------------------

------------------------------------------------Mascherano---------------------------------

------------------------------Vidal--------------------------------Di Maria------------------

---------------------------------------------------Messi---------------------------------------

Sanchez-------------------------------------Suarez--------------------------Neymar




AFRICA

FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

GOAL-KEEPERS: Vincent Enyeama, Carlos Kameni

DEFENDERS: Mehdi Benatia, Kalidou Koulibaly, Efe Ambrose, A Chedjou, K Asmoah, S Aurier, F Ghoulam

MID-FIELDERS: Y Toure, A Song, V Wanyama, C Kayoute, S Feghouli, A Ayew, R Mahrez, S Mane, Gervinho

FORWARDS: W Bony, A Gyan, P Aubemeyang, A Musa


--------------------------------------------------Enyeama--------------------------------

Aurier-----------------------Benatia-----------------Koulibaly-------------Ghoulam

-------------------------------Song---------------------Asamoah--------------------------

Mane--------------------------------------Y Toure--------------------------Ayew------

-----------------------------------------------Bony------------------------------------------



CONCACAF

FORMATION: 3-4-1-2

GOAL-KEEPERS: T Howard, K Navaz

DEFENDERS: G Gonzalez, G Cameron, J Diaz, O Gonzalez, M Figueroa, E Izaquierre, F Johnson, P Aguilar

MID-FIELDERS: M Bradley, J Jones, H Herrera, R Espinoza, A Guardado, J Dos Santos, G Dos Santos, J Campbell

FORWARDS: J Hernandez, C Dempsey, B Ruiz, C Vela


---------------------------------------------Howard---------------------------------------

------------------------Cameron---------G Gonzalez-------Figueroa----------------

Johnson---------------------Herera--------------Jones-----------------------Guadardo

--------------------------------------------------Bradley-----------------------------------------

---------------------------------Hernandez----------------Dempsey--------------------------

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

WTF. Since when!?

 

[duffer]

Oh god.

edit: The football thread gonna be good though

 

[Cabinet96]

Wtf is that Europe XI. Buffon and Matic?

 

[duffer]

Wtf is that Europe XI. Buffon and Matic?

You've never met aussie before?

He thinks outside the box.

 

[aussie]

Wtf is that Europe XI. Buffon and Matic?

In case you didn't realize this is an old thread that was created in 2006, long before you joined cricketweb. Last i checked when the typo which obviously meant Europe was made, you can't edit thread name headline after posting - so it has been left that way over the years.

Regarding Buffon and Matic. IMO although legendary Gigi may not be at his ultimate best he has not lost much, this I would still pick his as my EUROPE all-star XI keeper, the media takes turn hyping Nuer, Cortouis De Gea as "best keeper in Europe" I personally isn't too caught up with that.

Matic was the best DM in Europe last season & I don't think a few bad months with Chelsea to start this season should cast a shadow over that.

 

[aussie]

You've never met aussie before?

He thinks outside the box.

Ha can always expect some needle on the cricketweb football forum with some posters, hopefully it doesn't have to get ugly and get moderators involved

 

[King Pietersen]

You're wrong. Neuer > Buffon.

------------------------------------Neuer---------------------------------
----Lahm------------Kompany----------Hummels------Alaba--
------------------------Pogba-------------Busquets------------------
----Bale--------------------------Silva------------------------Ronaldo----
-------------------------------Lewandowski---------------------------------

 

[aussie]

You're wrong. Neuer > Buffon.

------------------------------------Neuer---------------------------------
----Lahm------------Kompany----------Hummels------Alaba--
------------------------Pogba-------------Busquets------------------
----Bale--------------------------Silva------------------------Ronaldo----
-------------------------------Lewandowski---------------------------------

Its all good if people want to pick Neur as keeper - I'm standing by the Azzuri legend for now.

 

[The Sean]

324 goals in 310 games for Real means I reckon it's just about time we stopped calling Ronaldo a midfielder as well.

 

[Cabinet96]

Ha can always expect some needle on the cricketweb football forum with some posters, hopefully it doesn't have to get ugly and get moderators involved

Oh I'm definitely abusing my mod powers if you say Matic > Busquets.

 

[Cabinet96]

I'm backing my attackers against a Kompany and Hummels CB pairing btw.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I'm backing my attackers against a Kompany and Hummels CB pairing btw.

VK has been pretty awesome so far this season.