Post by Kieran on Jun 29, 2013 15:15:29 GMT
Hello, welcome to the 00s World Football Draft Game. Basically, 16 players have spent the last few weeks picking players to make a team (you can see how they did it in this thread pldraftgame.freeforums.net/thread/26/world-football-draft-game-round ) and they are now ready to go head-to-head against each other to win your vote - which do you think is the better team? The voter has both the squad-sheet and the bios/tactics to consider!
The key rule for this edition of the game is that players are to be judged on the basis of their performances in the 2000s - so what they did pre 2000 is not directly relevant here.
Additionally, voters are requested to please justify the votes you cast: an explanation of why you voted for the team you did would be much appreciated and would add to the game as a whole. If you vote but don't justify your selection, then that vote may be discarded when totting up the final results. Please vote and adhere to the rules on each match thread.
Kieran - Formation/bio/tactics
Bios
Tactics
First of all i'd like to say it was pretty difficult to decide which player i should leave out against JK. I am unsure of his formation as he seems to have picked 5 defenders. If he plays a back 4, then i reckon he would probably leave out Carragher or Heinze. This would imply that he's playing all 3 of Aguero, Inzaghi and Van Nistelrooy. The latter 2 are clear out and out strikers, which would mean Aguero would act as a a traditional wide man with Giggs on the other side. The other option, which i see as more likely, is playing a back 5 and leaving out one of his 3 strikers. Therefore, i've set my team up to combat who i feel he will put out based on my assumptions. I'm going to assume Inzaghu is left out, and that Van Nistelrooy is flanked by Aguero and Giggs on the right and left respectively. This means he would have Stankovic and Makelele in the centre.
Yaya Toure
My formation is a 4-3-3 with Van Bommel being left out. This decision is based on my belief that Xavi and Yaya Toure will be combative enough to dominate Makelele and JK's midfield. Yaya will be the deepest of the midfielders, where his ball winning attributes can be put to good use. This requires discipline and i feel the Yaya Toure of Barcelona is more than capable of holding his own in this role. He'll form the basis of my attacks and with the help of Xavi, will try and stop the opposition's forwards when they are in possession. Yaya Toure has excellent tactical awareness(how can you not playing for Barcelona?) and this will be useful when the opposition is attacking. Toure will drop back and become the 3rd central defender. I feel Toure's well capable of doing this role, given he excelled there for a few years at Barcelona, until he was pushed out with Guardiola wanting a younger, spanish model(Busquets). My team will look to dominate possession from the start and i feel i have the 2 best passers in the tie to try and do this in Toure and Xavi.
The defence
Fairly standard here. I've gone with a back 4. Badstuber and Cannavaro in central defence with Ashley Cole on the left and Sergio Ramos as a right full back. Cole will be given license to get forward and link up with Pires and Eto'o in attack when in possesion. Likewise, Ramos will make raids down the right, and overlap with Di Maria to provide crossing opportunities for my attackers.
The attack
As stated before, my formation is a 4-3-3 with Yaya Toure as the deepest midfielder. Xavi will be the main orchestrator looking to dicate the play when in possession. Aimar will be slightly further forward and just generally float around in the opposition's half looking for space to exploit or to provide a burst into the box with his pace and dribbling skills. He will also be key in assisting my attackers; Di Maria, Pires and especially Eto'o. The plan is for Aimar to try and find himself free with time, i feel JK's back 5 will struggle to pick him up. If they man mark him or come out of defence to pick him up, then i feel Di Maria and Eto'o can exploit the space perfectly with their directness and sheer pace.
The Pires and Ashley Cole partnership + Eto'o
Pires will act as a second playmaker from time to time. He'll drift inside with his right foot and make attacking runs into the penalty area with the objective of putting the ball in the back of the net. This will give license to Ashley Cole to get forward and provide the width. He'll also be handy with his crossing. Pires and Ashley cole had a brilliant understanding at Arsenal, and with the help of Henry were responsible for a large number of their goals in the league. I hope to recreate something similar on the left side of my attack here. The difference is that i have Eto'o instead of Henry. Eto'o is less comfortable out wide but in terms of finishing off chances there's not alot between them. A similarity is that both were great at exploiting the space behind the defence, as they were extremely quick and tactically aware. When Pires comes inside into central areas, he'll also look the pierce the defence with through balls for Eto'o to latch on to. Another difference here is that Henry had Begkamp, so he could comfortably drift out wide and provide crosses, knowing that Bergkamp would be in the box. Eto'o is less suited to this role, so he'll mainly be tasked with being near the opposition penalty area and occupying JK's centre backs. The crosses, as stated before will mainly come from Ashley Cole on the left. I hope people here remember Arsenal's Cole. He was very good in linking up with the attack, and providing assists from a wide position.
Other areas of attack
The left side of my team will be where the majority of my attacks occur. This doesn't mean i've ignored the right though. Di Maria will play a key part when i attack. He is for me the perfect right sided attacker in this role. He'll mainly cut inside and shoot from distance. I feel this is where he excels, given his dribbling ability and powerful shot. Xavi and Ramos will help in linking up with Di Maria. Xavi's the best passer in the world and so effective with his short range passing but also his long range passing. He'll feed balls over the top for Di Maria and look to play short passing combinations with him and Ramos on the right.
His attack
I believe against his 2 wide forwards, i have two solid fullbacks to counter them. Cole was always a match for any winger and usually came up trumps. Here he'll be up against Aguero who isn't in his natural position. I will give Cole the task of sticking tight to Aguero and not let him cut inside for a shooting opportunity. Cole has the pace and tactical awareness to keep Aguero quiet and restrict his impact on the match. On the other side i think Giggs is a good enough match up for Ramos, and don't expect many issues there. He'll receive a bit of help from Pires tracking back, but also from Toure. I believe my centre backs will cope adequately with the threat of Jk's central striker. Both Inzaghi and Van Nistelrooy are absolute foxes in the box, so i will need my centre backs to be alert and cut the space for the attacker, not allowing them any time on the ball. Cannavaro and Bastuber are both quick enough to deal with Aguero and the other forwards should they be left alone with them in a one on one situation. Cannavaro also has a great leap which will be effective when dealing with crosses, and corners/free kicks.
Set pieces
Corners - Xavi/Di Maria
Direct free kicks - Xavi/Ramos
Indirect free kicks - Pires/Xavi
Penalties - Eto'o
Jkisthe1 - Formation/bio/tactics
JK’s All-Stars
Team Bios
1. Edwin van der Sar – 4 time Premier League winner, Champions League winner, twice Champions League runner-up, FIFA Club World Cup winner, European Goalkeeper of the year 2009, EURO 2008 Goalkeeper of the tournament. This is just a small list of the accolades collected by the legendary Dutchman since the year 2000. Acknowledged as one the best in the world throughout this period he added a calmness and stability to the United backline that had been lacking for over 5 years. Commanding in his area, a fantastic shot stopper, a proven leader. Van der Sar also holds the record for the longest run without conceding a goal keeping 14 straight league clean sheets. A fine bedrock on which to build any team.
2. Gary Neville – Another 4 time PL winner, an FA cup, a League Cup and possibly the best right-back of the era. England have never properly replaced Neville. Never the most gifted of players, his sheer will to win compensated for this and his crossing was first rate. But, he was also very quick and positionally aware which made him just as effective when defending his own goal. Gary Neville was the archetypal modern full-back.
3. Paulo Maldini – Quite simply one of the all time great defenders. Won everything there is to win in the club game with AC Milan, he was never able to repeat this with the Italian national team, where a runner’s up medal at Euro 2000 was the best he could muster. Cultured, quick, strong, fantastic positional sense and two-footed Maldini is virtually the template for a defender. 1 Serie A title, 1 Coppa Italia, 1 Italian Super-cup, 2 Champions Leagues 2 Super Cups an Intercontinental cup, twice a member of the UEFA team of the year do not do justice to just how truly great Maldini was. Very few players in football ever see their shirt numbers retired, but he has the honour of being one of those men.
4. Sinisa Mihalovic – A hat-trick of free kicks in one game indicates the prowess of this Serbian defender from set pieces, eat your heart out Aleksander Kolarov. Mihalovic once joked that without free-kicks he wouldn’t be playing football. This is certainly not the case. Winner of the Scudetto in 2000 Mihalovic won it again with Inter in 2005 and he won 2 Coppa Italias. But Mihalovic was also an accomplished defender at both centre-half and left back and, occasionally, in midfield. Do not be fooled by his free-kick record. As good as it is, there is more to this fella than just set-pieces
5. Claude Makelele – A player so good at what he did they named the position after him. Is there another player about whom that can be said? The prototype of the modern holding midfielder, quick, strong, good in the tackle and able to distribute the ball quickly so that he could be almost be a deep-lying playmaker. Makelele will not win any prizes for flair, but take him away and the whole team breaks down. The cornerstone of, first, the all conquering Galacticos of Real Madrid in the early 2000s that collected a Champions League, 2 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Super Cups, the Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup, Makelele then became the fulcrum of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team that collected 2 league titles, 2 league cups and an FA cup. In his final seasons he also won a French cup at PSG. But look past all the medals and what you get is man who allowed the Zidane’s Figo’s Beckham’s, Robben’s and Raul’s of this world to do what they do best, go on the attack, knowing that he would always be there to mop up. Quite simply the man who re-wrote the book on defensive midfielders.
6. Markus Babbel – A very under-rated defender who was robbed of a portion of his prime years through serious illness. Nevertheless Babbel was a key member of the Liverpool team that won 3 trophies in season back in 2001 scoring in the UEFA cup final. Comfortable at both centre-back and full-back, Babbel was an excellent defender, who should feel right at home alongside a certain Scouse centre-half.
7. Jaime Carragher – A very versatile player. Barring a league title Carragher has won every trophy there is to win in the club game. Another member of the Liverpool treble winning side of 2001, he was also an integral part of the 2005 Champions League winning side. Comfortable anywhere across the defence, Carragher was never blessed with incredible pace, but made up for this with great determination and a tremendous reading of the game that allowed him to make blocks he seemed to have no right to make, due to his great positional sense. In his final season he outsted the popular Martin Skrtel from the Liverpool side and became a first-choice centre-back again.
8. Dejan Stankovic – Though predominantly known as an attacking midfielder Stankovic can play a holding role, or be used in a wide role if needed. Famous for his long-range shooting ability, (anyone remember his goal in the 2011 Champions league semi?) Stankovic is also a great playmaker, able to play both short and long passes with great accuracy and speed. He has also won 6 Serie A titles, 5 Coppa Italia’s, 6 Italian super cups, a Champions League and a Club World Cup. Stankovic was a key member of the Inter side that secured a historic treble in 2009-2010
9. Sergio Aguero – “It’s Sergio Agueeerrroooooo” 3 words that will haunt me till the day I die. Aguero scored the 95th minute goal that secured the league title for Manchester City in 2012. The goal capped an incredible debut season for the little Argentine who scored 23 league goals in total that season. But, even leaving that aside, there is no doubting Aguero’s all-round brilliance. A striker blessed with pace, skill, a low centre of gravity that makes him deceptively hard to knock off the ball and a great finisher, Aguero’s goalscoring record is phenomenal throughout his career. He made his Independiente debut in 2003 and scored 23 times in 54 games in 3 seasons. After a move to Atheltico Madrid, where he eventually replaced the legendary Fernando Torres, Aguero scored 75 goals in 175 games, and so far has 35 in just 64 games for City. The list of accolades goes on. A Europa league, a UEFA Super Cup, an Olympic gold medal 2 Under-20 World Cups, FIFA Young Player of the year in 2007. Aguero is still young, at yet is already a top talent. Capable of being the main goalscorer, or as the support striker, even as an attacking left winger, Aguero is one of the talents around today.
10. Fillipo Inzaghi – An incredible goalscoring record and a man who was won everything in the game. Fillipo Inzaghi was a man who struck fear into the hearts of defenders and linesmen alike. 2 Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, 2 Italian Super Cups 2 Champions League titles, 2 Super Cups, a European Super Cup, a World Cup and a European Championship runner up, 2nd highest scorer in Champions League history and 73 goals in 202 games for Milan. This is a player who won almost everything there is to win. An incredible penalty box poacher, whether from the start or off the bench Inzaghi had the ability to change a game with just 1 goal, or as Liverpool found out in 2007, 2 goals.
11. Ruud van Nistelrooy – Simply put, the best out-and-out goalscorer of his era. 95 goals in 150 games for Manchester United, 46 in 68 for Real Madrid. That’s better than 1 in 2 for two of the biggest teams in the world. Simply put, give this man even half a chance and he will find the back of the net. As well as being a great scorer, and penalty taker, van Nistelrooy’s time at United also saw his all-round game develop as his hold-up and link-up play improved and he gained more assists. But, let’s be honest van Nistelrooy is about one thing only, goals, and he scored them in bucket loads. 3rd highest scorer in Champions League history he was also top scorer in the competition in 3 separate seasons, a feat no one has matched. A Premier League title, an FA Cup, an League Cup 2 Eredivisie titles 2 La Liga titles, a Spanish super cup, UEFA forward of the year 2002-2003, member of the team of the tournament for EURO 2004. van Nistelrooy may never have won some of the bigger prizes, but his record is almost un-matched as a goalscorer.
12. Ryan Giggs – 8 Premier League titles, an FA Cup, 3 League Cup a Champions League, a World Club Championship. Ryan Giggs has done everything, and yet he just keeps going, into his 40th year. The real question is, what is the most remarkable aspect about him? Even taking out the trophies, Giggs has continually re-invented himself. Starting the 2000s off as a left-winger Giggs used pace, balance and no little skill to terrorise full-backs. He was an also an effective attacking midfielder using his positional sense and passing abilty to act as a playmaker, whilst his technique in striking a ball meant he could score goals as well. He has since become an effective central midfielder, using his range of passing to be a deep-lying playmaker. Despite having to play second fiddle to first, David Beckham, then Cristiano Ronaldo, Giggs was a tremendous set-piece taker, and is currently reckoned to be the best penalty taker at United. All teams need players that change games, and whether is an outstanding individual goal, such as against Panathaniakos in 2002, or a moment of genius, such as his last minute assist v West Ham in 2013, Ryan Giggs has the ability to do that.
13. Gabriel Heinze – Were it not for a serious injury in 2004, who knows how things may have worked out at Manchester United for this Argentinian. Voted the club’s player of the season in his debut 2004/2005 campaign. But early in the following season he suffered a serious injury that force the club to Patrice Evra. Henize never regained his place. Nonetheless he is fondly remembered during his time in Europe with PSG, United, Real Madrid and Marseille. Capable of playing both left-back and centre-back, it was a left-back that Heinze spent most of his career due to his stamina. He was able to get forward and join the attack, and quickly get back to do his defensive duties. He won 72 caps for Argentina, He won league titles in all of France, England and Spain, the FA cp, a French cup, a French league cup, a Spanish Super cup and an Olympic Gold medal.
Tactics for the match v Kieran (Demi)
The key rule for this edition of the game is that players are to be judged on the basis of their performances in the 2000s - so what they did pre 2000 is not directly relevant here.
Additionally, voters are requested to please justify the votes you cast: an explanation of why you voted for the team you did would be much appreciated and would add to the game as a whole. If you vote but don't justify your selection, then that vote may be discarded when totting up the final results. Please vote and adhere to the rules on each match thread.
Kieran - Formation/bio/tactics
Bios
Xavi - One of the most decorated players of all time. This guy is phenomenal. Him and Zidane are in their own bracket as being two of the best central midfielders of their generation, if not of all time. Xavi will be the one dictating play in my team and controlling the match. He's the best passer in the game, constantly finding his teammates, with his pass success rate always being in the high 90s. His ability to find space on the pitch is also second to none. Xavi will be trusted upon to maintain possession and at times supply the killer ball for my forwards to latch on to. He's shown throughout his career that he can protect the ball like no other, and take the pressure off his teammates. Xavi is also no slouch when out of possession. He works very hard to win the ball back, pressing the opponents, and is usually always at the top of the list, when it comes to players who've covered the most distance in a match. Xavi has been so vital to Barcelona's success (7 La Liga titles and 3 Champions leagues) and also for Spain with whom he's won 2 European Championships and a World Cup. He was named man of the tournament in Euro 2008, setting up the winning goal in the final. His individual honours are far too many to list, so here's a screenshot of them: i.imgur.com/EihiCwq.png
Samuel Eto'o - The greatest African footballer of all time. Presenting to you Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o is known to of been one of the most deadliest strikers of the 2000s. He's scored over 100 league goals in less than 150 La Liga appearances for Barcelona(No other La Liga based player scored more goals than him in the 2000s), being a vital member of the all conquering Barcelona side between 2005 and 2009. Samuel Eto'o was a thrilling player to watch in the immediate vicinity of the goal, and his textbook of finishes has no blank pages. He's the only player in the history of European football to have won back to back trebles, he was the first player to score in 7 different competitions in a calender year and is the all time African Cup of Nations record goalscorer with 18 goals. Eto'o also loved the big occasion, having scored vital goals in 2 Champions league finals. His goalscoring record at Inter Milan was fairly modest by his obscene standards (33 in 67 league appearances) but this was largely due to him playing as wide forward on the right, which is a testament to his dynamism, and also his selflessness. Eto'o will play upfront in my team. His work-rate and willingness to harass the opposition CB's will also be a key feature in the match.
Ashley Cole - The left back in my team. Cole has been not only the most consistent, but one of the best LB's in England and the World for the last decade. At Arsenal, Cole was known to be a fairly attacking full back, constantly linking up with Pires and Henry in Arsenals brand of attacking football. He was fairly attacking at Chelsea under Scolari too but was more focused in defence later on. He's been a key defender in Chelsea's success under Abramovich. Cole's had countless exemplary defensive displays for Chelsea resulting in plenty of cleansheets. He's one of the few to have kept Ronaldo quiet when one-on-one on several occasions when Chelsea have played United. Ashley Cole's won 3 Premier League titles and a record 7 FA Cups. He's also been in the PFA team of the year 4 times.
Julio Cesar - Goalkeeper who's won almost everything there is to win. There was a period where he was arguably the best keeper in the world, when he was winning titles left right and centre with Inter Milan. Athletic goalkeeper who at his peak had stunning reflexes and shot stopping abilities. He also has an excellent leap and a very safe pair of hands when catching the ball. He was a match winner in many games for Inter. With Brazil, Cesar set the longest consecutive clean sheet record, going over 10 hours without letting in a goal. He was Brazils' first choice goalkeeper, playing all 6 games when they won the Copa America in 2004. Voted Serie A goalkeeper of the year in 08-09 and 09-10.
Fabio Cannavaro - Nicknamed "The Berlin wall" for his performance against Germany in the 2006 World cup. He is one of the finest defenders of the 2000s. Cannavaro was known for his excellent reading of the game. He wasn't the tallest of CB's but this didn't matter because of his ability to jump so well. He was a fast mobile defender and very good at cutting the spaces for the opposition forwards, and his anticipation skills were excellent. Crowning moment came when he captained Italy to World Cup glory in 2006. He was imperious all tournament and this was recognised as he won the Ballon d'Or which identified him as the best footballer in Europe that year. Cannavaro was voted Serie A defender of the year in 05 and 06. He moved to Real Madrid and was pretty much an ever present when they won back to back La Liga titles in 2007 and 2008. In April 2013, he was named by Marca as a member of the "Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history".
Sergio Ramos - Ramos is part of the Spain generation to dominate World football winning 2 European championships and a World cup. He is mainly a central defender but is more than capable at playing Right back and has done for prolonged periods for Real Madrid and Spain. He won La liga titles in 06/07 and 07/08 when he was establishing himself as a right back, following the departure of Salgado. Ramos has great speed, technically excellent and is positionally astute which is important for any defender. He is also a menace in the opposition penalty area, blessed with a phenomenal goalscoring instinct. Ramos is also a great athlete and a leader on the pitch.
Robert Pires - Part of Arsenals' invincibles season where they went 49 league games unbeaten. Pires was a major part of that with his excellent techinque, skills and finishing. Pires was mainly a left winger but could also play in support of the striker. He, Henry and Cole had an amazing understanding on the left hand side during that season and they were at times unplayable and the most feared combination in Europe. Pires and Henry registered a staggering 57 goals between them that season in all competitions. Pires was a genius and a footballing wizard all rolled into one. He's been one of the finest wingers to ever play in the Premier league. Pires had a great knack for scoring goals but also for providing them. At his best Pires was a wonderful passer who's ability to link up play with the attack is unheralded in the Premier league era. 62 goals, 2 League titles and 3 FA Cups is a testament to that.
Yaya Toure - A box to box midfielder who does just about everything in the midfield. He's a big man with an amazing touch and excellent technique. Yaya Toure's game is built on power and driving through midfields, and when he goes on his lung busting runs, he's usually unstoppable. Toure was also part of one of the finest Barcelona sides of the 2000s which is presumably where he learn't to be such a good passer too. He's always in the high 90s in terms of pass completion rates in the Premier league. His passing can be safe, but also very daring and inquisitive. Toure is often also deployed further forward as as an attacking midfielder, scoring some vital goals for Manchester City. In his career he's won 2 La Liga titles, a Champions league, a Copa del Rey, a Premier league title and an FA Cup. “There isn’t another Yaya,” says Roberto Mancini.
Angel di Maria - A tricky, wiry, speedy winger who can play on both flanks. Di Maria is an excellent footballer who was destined for big things from a young age. He's skillfull on the ball, is a wonderful dribbler and has a great burst of pace to beat his man. It says alot about how good he is that he is now a constant fixture for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. Di Maria is a brilliant attacking force in the Madrid side, second only to Ronaldo. Di Maria has won an Olympic Gold medal with Argentina and a La Liga title whilst at Real Madrid. He's scored 18 goals in under 90 La Liga appearances, whilst providing countless assists.
Pablo Aimar - A little Argentine magician. Aimar possesses excellent feet, and superb vision. He's best known for 2 seasons at Valencia under Rafael Benitez, where he was instrumental in them winning the La Liga title twice. In the 03-04 season, he and Valencia did the treble by also winning the Uefa Cup, and Uefa Super Cup. Aimar was up there as one of the most talented players of his generation but injuries have prevented him from truly fulfilling his potential. After leaving Spain, Aimar went to Benfica where he's enjoyed relative success winning a league title and 4 Portuguese cups.
Holger Badstuber - Left footed centre back. Played for Bayern aged 17. Badstuber is your typical modern CB. Possesses good pace and great passing from the back. First choice for Germany when not injured. He can also play at left back. He was part of a defence that once went on a run of 11 consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.
Samuel Eto'o - The greatest African footballer of all time. Presenting to you Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o is known to of been one of the most deadliest strikers of the 2000s. He's scored over 100 league goals in less than 150 La Liga appearances for Barcelona(No other La Liga based player scored more goals than him in the 2000s), being a vital member of the all conquering Barcelona side between 2005 and 2009. Samuel Eto'o was a thrilling player to watch in the immediate vicinity of the goal, and his textbook of finishes has no blank pages. He's the only player in the history of European football to have won back to back trebles, he was the first player to score in 7 different competitions in a calender year and is the all time African Cup of Nations record goalscorer with 18 goals. Eto'o also loved the big occasion, having scored vital goals in 2 Champions league finals. His goalscoring record at Inter Milan was fairly modest by his obscene standards (33 in 67 league appearances) but this was largely due to him playing as wide forward on the right, which is a testament to his dynamism, and also his selflessness. Eto'o will play upfront in my team. His work-rate and willingness to harass the opposition CB's will also be a key feature in the match.
Ashley Cole - The left back in my team. Cole has been not only the most consistent, but one of the best LB's in England and the World for the last decade. At Arsenal, Cole was known to be a fairly attacking full back, constantly linking up with Pires and Henry in Arsenals brand of attacking football. He was fairly attacking at Chelsea under Scolari too but was more focused in defence later on. He's been a key defender in Chelsea's success under Abramovich. Cole's had countless exemplary defensive displays for Chelsea resulting in plenty of cleansheets. He's one of the few to have kept Ronaldo quiet when one-on-one on several occasions when Chelsea have played United. Ashley Cole's won 3 Premier League titles and a record 7 FA Cups. He's also been in the PFA team of the year 4 times.
Julio Cesar - Goalkeeper who's won almost everything there is to win. There was a period where he was arguably the best keeper in the world, when he was winning titles left right and centre with Inter Milan. Athletic goalkeeper who at his peak had stunning reflexes and shot stopping abilities. He also has an excellent leap and a very safe pair of hands when catching the ball. He was a match winner in many games for Inter. With Brazil, Cesar set the longest consecutive clean sheet record, going over 10 hours without letting in a goal. He was Brazils' first choice goalkeeper, playing all 6 games when they won the Copa America in 2004. Voted Serie A goalkeeper of the year in 08-09 and 09-10.
Fabio Cannavaro - Nicknamed "The Berlin wall" for his performance against Germany in the 2006 World cup. He is one of the finest defenders of the 2000s. Cannavaro was known for his excellent reading of the game. He wasn't the tallest of CB's but this didn't matter because of his ability to jump so well. He was a fast mobile defender and very good at cutting the spaces for the opposition forwards, and his anticipation skills were excellent. Crowning moment came when he captained Italy to World Cup glory in 2006. He was imperious all tournament and this was recognised as he won the Ballon d'Or which identified him as the best footballer in Europe that year. Cannavaro was voted Serie A defender of the year in 05 and 06. He moved to Real Madrid and was pretty much an ever present when they won back to back La Liga titles in 2007 and 2008. In April 2013, he was named by Marca as a member of the "Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history".
Sergio Ramos - Ramos is part of the Spain generation to dominate World football winning 2 European championships and a World cup. He is mainly a central defender but is more than capable at playing Right back and has done for prolonged periods for Real Madrid and Spain. He won La liga titles in 06/07 and 07/08 when he was establishing himself as a right back, following the departure of Salgado. Ramos has great speed, technically excellent and is positionally astute which is important for any defender. He is also a menace in the opposition penalty area, blessed with a phenomenal goalscoring instinct. Ramos is also a great athlete and a leader on the pitch.
Robert Pires - Part of Arsenals' invincibles season where they went 49 league games unbeaten. Pires was a major part of that with his excellent techinque, skills and finishing. Pires was mainly a left winger but could also play in support of the striker. He, Henry and Cole had an amazing understanding on the left hand side during that season and they were at times unplayable and the most feared combination in Europe. Pires and Henry registered a staggering 57 goals between them that season in all competitions. Pires was a genius and a footballing wizard all rolled into one. He's been one of the finest wingers to ever play in the Premier league. Pires had a great knack for scoring goals but also for providing them. At his best Pires was a wonderful passer who's ability to link up play with the attack is unheralded in the Premier league era. 62 goals, 2 League titles and 3 FA Cups is a testament to that.
Yaya Toure - A box to box midfielder who does just about everything in the midfield. He's a big man with an amazing touch and excellent technique. Yaya Toure's game is built on power and driving through midfields, and when he goes on his lung busting runs, he's usually unstoppable. Toure was also part of one of the finest Barcelona sides of the 2000s which is presumably where he learn't to be such a good passer too. He's always in the high 90s in terms of pass completion rates in the Premier league. His passing can be safe, but also very daring and inquisitive. Toure is often also deployed further forward as as an attacking midfielder, scoring some vital goals for Manchester City. In his career he's won 2 La Liga titles, a Champions league, a Copa del Rey, a Premier league title and an FA Cup. “There isn’t another Yaya,” says Roberto Mancini.
Angel di Maria - A tricky, wiry, speedy winger who can play on both flanks. Di Maria is an excellent footballer who was destined for big things from a young age. He's skillfull on the ball, is a wonderful dribbler and has a great burst of pace to beat his man. It says alot about how good he is that he is now a constant fixture for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. Di Maria is a brilliant attacking force in the Madrid side, second only to Ronaldo. Di Maria has won an Olympic Gold medal with Argentina and a La Liga title whilst at Real Madrid. He's scored 18 goals in under 90 La Liga appearances, whilst providing countless assists.
Pablo Aimar - A little Argentine magician. Aimar possesses excellent feet, and superb vision. He's best known for 2 seasons at Valencia under Rafael Benitez, where he was instrumental in them winning the La Liga title twice. In the 03-04 season, he and Valencia did the treble by also winning the Uefa Cup, and Uefa Super Cup. Aimar was up there as one of the most talented players of his generation but injuries have prevented him from truly fulfilling his potential. After leaving Spain, Aimar went to Benfica where he's enjoyed relative success winning a league title and 4 Portuguese cups.
Holger Badstuber - Left footed centre back. Played for Bayern aged 17. Badstuber is your typical modern CB. Possesses good pace and great passing from the back. First choice for Germany when not injured. He can also play at left back. He was part of a defence that once went on a run of 11 consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.
Tactics
First of all i'd like to say it was pretty difficult to decide which player i should leave out against JK. I am unsure of his formation as he seems to have picked 5 defenders. If he plays a back 4, then i reckon he would probably leave out Carragher or Heinze. This would imply that he's playing all 3 of Aguero, Inzaghi and Van Nistelrooy. The latter 2 are clear out and out strikers, which would mean Aguero would act as a a traditional wide man with Giggs on the other side. The other option, which i see as more likely, is playing a back 5 and leaving out one of his 3 strikers. Therefore, i've set my team up to combat who i feel he will put out based on my assumptions. I'm going to assume Inzaghu is left out, and that Van Nistelrooy is flanked by Aguero and Giggs on the right and left respectively. This means he would have Stankovic and Makelele in the centre.
Yaya Toure
My formation is a 4-3-3 with Van Bommel being left out. This decision is based on my belief that Xavi and Yaya Toure will be combative enough to dominate Makelele and JK's midfield. Yaya will be the deepest of the midfielders, where his ball winning attributes can be put to good use. This requires discipline and i feel the Yaya Toure of Barcelona is more than capable of holding his own in this role. He'll form the basis of my attacks and with the help of Xavi, will try and stop the opposition's forwards when they are in possession. Yaya Toure has excellent tactical awareness(how can you not playing for Barcelona?) and this will be useful when the opposition is attacking. Toure will drop back and become the 3rd central defender. I feel Toure's well capable of doing this role, given he excelled there for a few years at Barcelona, until he was pushed out with Guardiola wanting a younger, spanish model(Busquets). My team will look to dominate possession from the start and i feel i have the 2 best passers in the tie to try and do this in Toure and Xavi.
The defence
Fairly standard here. I've gone with a back 4. Badstuber and Cannavaro in central defence with Ashley Cole on the left and Sergio Ramos as a right full back. Cole will be given license to get forward and link up with Pires and Eto'o in attack when in possesion. Likewise, Ramos will make raids down the right, and overlap with Di Maria to provide crossing opportunities for my attackers.
The attack
As stated before, my formation is a 4-3-3 with Yaya Toure as the deepest midfielder. Xavi will be the main orchestrator looking to dicate the play when in possession. Aimar will be slightly further forward and just generally float around in the opposition's half looking for space to exploit or to provide a burst into the box with his pace and dribbling skills. He will also be key in assisting my attackers; Di Maria, Pires and especially Eto'o. The plan is for Aimar to try and find himself free with time, i feel JK's back 5 will struggle to pick him up. If they man mark him or come out of defence to pick him up, then i feel Di Maria and Eto'o can exploit the space perfectly with their directness and sheer pace.
The Pires and Ashley Cole partnership + Eto'o
Pires will act as a second playmaker from time to time. He'll drift inside with his right foot and make attacking runs into the penalty area with the objective of putting the ball in the back of the net. This will give license to Ashley Cole to get forward and provide the width. He'll also be handy with his crossing. Pires and Ashley cole had a brilliant understanding at Arsenal, and with the help of Henry were responsible for a large number of their goals in the league. I hope to recreate something similar on the left side of my attack here. The difference is that i have Eto'o instead of Henry. Eto'o is less comfortable out wide but in terms of finishing off chances there's not alot between them. A similarity is that both were great at exploiting the space behind the defence, as they were extremely quick and tactically aware. When Pires comes inside into central areas, he'll also look the pierce the defence with through balls for Eto'o to latch on to. Another difference here is that Henry had Begkamp, so he could comfortably drift out wide and provide crosses, knowing that Bergkamp would be in the box. Eto'o is less suited to this role, so he'll mainly be tasked with being near the opposition penalty area and occupying JK's centre backs. The crosses, as stated before will mainly come from Ashley Cole on the left. I hope people here remember Arsenal's Cole. He was very good in linking up with the attack, and providing assists from a wide position.
Other areas of attack
The left side of my team will be where the majority of my attacks occur. This doesn't mean i've ignored the right though. Di Maria will play a key part when i attack. He is for me the perfect right sided attacker in this role. He'll mainly cut inside and shoot from distance. I feel this is where he excels, given his dribbling ability and powerful shot. Xavi and Ramos will help in linking up with Di Maria. Xavi's the best passer in the world and so effective with his short range passing but also his long range passing. He'll feed balls over the top for Di Maria and look to play short passing combinations with him and Ramos on the right.
His attack
I believe against his 2 wide forwards, i have two solid fullbacks to counter them. Cole was always a match for any winger and usually came up trumps. Here he'll be up against Aguero who isn't in his natural position. I will give Cole the task of sticking tight to Aguero and not let him cut inside for a shooting opportunity. Cole has the pace and tactical awareness to keep Aguero quiet and restrict his impact on the match. On the other side i think Giggs is a good enough match up for Ramos, and don't expect many issues there. He'll receive a bit of help from Pires tracking back, but also from Toure. I believe my centre backs will cope adequately with the threat of Jk's central striker. Both Inzaghi and Van Nistelrooy are absolute foxes in the box, so i will need my centre backs to be alert and cut the space for the attacker, not allowing them any time on the ball. Cannavaro and Bastuber are both quick enough to deal with Aguero and the other forwards should they be left alone with them in a one on one situation. Cannavaro also has a great leap which will be effective when dealing with crosses, and corners/free kicks.
Set pieces
Corners - Xavi/Di Maria
Direct free kicks - Xavi/Ramos
Indirect free kicks - Pires/Xavi
Penalties - Eto'o
Jkisthe1 - Formation/bio/tactics
JK’s All-Stars
Team Bios
1. Edwin van der Sar – 4 time Premier League winner, Champions League winner, twice Champions League runner-up, FIFA Club World Cup winner, European Goalkeeper of the year 2009, EURO 2008 Goalkeeper of the tournament. This is just a small list of the accolades collected by the legendary Dutchman since the year 2000. Acknowledged as one the best in the world throughout this period he added a calmness and stability to the United backline that had been lacking for over 5 years. Commanding in his area, a fantastic shot stopper, a proven leader. Van der Sar also holds the record for the longest run without conceding a goal keeping 14 straight league clean sheets. A fine bedrock on which to build any team.
2. Gary Neville – Another 4 time PL winner, an FA cup, a League Cup and possibly the best right-back of the era. England have never properly replaced Neville. Never the most gifted of players, his sheer will to win compensated for this and his crossing was first rate. But, he was also very quick and positionally aware which made him just as effective when defending his own goal. Gary Neville was the archetypal modern full-back.
3. Paulo Maldini – Quite simply one of the all time great defenders. Won everything there is to win in the club game with AC Milan, he was never able to repeat this with the Italian national team, where a runner’s up medal at Euro 2000 was the best he could muster. Cultured, quick, strong, fantastic positional sense and two-footed Maldini is virtually the template for a defender. 1 Serie A title, 1 Coppa Italia, 1 Italian Super-cup, 2 Champions Leagues 2 Super Cups an Intercontinental cup, twice a member of the UEFA team of the year do not do justice to just how truly great Maldini was. Very few players in football ever see their shirt numbers retired, but he has the honour of being one of those men.
4. Sinisa Mihalovic – A hat-trick of free kicks in one game indicates the prowess of this Serbian defender from set pieces, eat your heart out Aleksander Kolarov. Mihalovic once joked that without free-kicks he wouldn’t be playing football. This is certainly not the case. Winner of the Scudetto in 2000 Mihalovic won it again with Inter in 2005 and he won 2 Coppa Italias. But Mihalovic was also an accomplished defender at both centre-half and left back and, occasionally, in midfield. Do not be fooled by his free-kick record. As good as it is, there is more to this fella than just set-pieces
5. Claude Makelele – A player so good at what he did they named the position after him. Is there another player about whom that can be said? The prototype of the modern holding midfielder, quick, strong, good in the tackle and able to distribute the ball quickly so that he could be almost be a deep-lying playmaker. Makelele will not win any prizes for flair, but take him away and the whole team breaks down. The cornerstone of, first, the all conquering Galacticos of Real Madrid in the early 2000s that collected a Champions League, 2 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Super Cups, the Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup, Makelele then became the fulcrum of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team that collected 2 league titles, 2 league cups and an FA cup. In his final seasons he also won a French cup at PSG. But look past all the medals and what you get is man who allowed the Zidane’s Figo’s Beckham’s, Robben’s and Raul’s of this world to do what they do best, go on the attack, knowing that he would always be there to mop up. Quite simply the man who re-wrote the book on defensive midfielders.
6. Markus Babbel – A very under-rated defender who was robbed of a portion of his prime years through serious illness. Nevertheless Babbel was a key member of the Liverpool team that won 3 trophies in season back in 2001 scoring in the UEFA cup final. Comfortable at both centre-back and full-back, Babbel was an excellent defender, who should feel right at home alongside a certain Scouse centre-half.
7. Jaime Carragher – A very versatile player. Barring a league title Carragher has won every trophy there is to win in the club game. Another member of the Liverpool treble winning side of 2001, he was also an integral part of the 2005 Champions League winning side. Comfortable anywhere across the defence, Carragher was never blessed with incredible pace, but made up for this with great determination and a tremendous reading of the game that allowed him to make blocks he seemed to have no right to make, due to his great positional sense. In his final season he outsted the popular Martin Skrtel from the Liverpool side and became a first-choice centre-back again.
8. Dejan Stankovic – Though predominantly known as an attacking midfielder Stankovic can play a holding role, or be used in a wide role if needed. Famous for his long-range shooting ability, (anyone remember his goal in the 2011 Champions league semi?) Stankovic is also a great playmaker, able to play both short and long passes with great accuracy and speed. He has also won 6 Serie A titles, 5 Coppa Italia’s, 6 Italian super cups, a Champions League and a Club World Cup. Stankovic was a key member of the Inter side that secured a historic treble in 2009-2010
9. Sergio Aguero – “It’s Sergio Agueeerrroooooo” 3 words that will haunt me till the day I die. Aguero scored the 95th minute goal that secured the league title for Manchester City in 2012. The goal capped an incredible debut season for the little Argentine who scored 23 league goals in total that season. But, even leaving that aside, there is no doubting Aguero’s all-round brilliance. A striker blessed with pace, skill, a low centre of gravity that makes him deceptively hard to knock off the ball and a great finisher, Aguero’s goalscoring record is phenomenal throughout his career. He made his Independiente debut in 2003 and scored 23 times in 54 games in 3 seasons. After a move to Atheltico Madrid, where he eventually replaced the legendary Fernando Torres, Aguero scored 75 goals in 175 games, and so far has 35 in just 64 games for City. The list of accolades goes on. A Europa league, a UEFA Super Cup, an Olympic gold medal 2 Under-20 World Cups, FIFA Young Player of the year in 2007. Aguero is still young, at yet is already a top talent. Capable of being the main goalscorer, or as the support striker, even as an attacking left winger, Aguero is one of the talents around today.
10. Fillipo Inzaghi – An incredible goalscoring record and a man who was won everything in the game. Fillipo Inzaghi was a man who struck fear into the hearts of defenders and linesmen alike. 2 Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, 2 Italian Super Cups 2 Champions League titles, 2 Super Cups, a European Super Cup, a World Cup and a European Championship runner up, 2nd highest scorer in Champions League history and 73 goals in 202 games for Milan. This is a player who won almost everything there is to win. An incredible penalty box poacher, whether from the start or off the bench Inzaghi had the ability to change a game with just 1 goal, or as Liverpool found out in 2007, 2 goals.
11. Ruud van Nistelrooy – Simply put, the best out-and-out goalscorer of his era. 95 goals in 150 games for Manchester United, 46 in 68 for Real Madrid. That’s better than 1 in 2 for two of the biggest teams in the world. Simply put, give this man even half a chance and he will find the back of the net. As well as being a great scorer, and penalty taker, van Nistelrooy’s time at United also saw his all-round game develop as his hold-up and link-up play improved and he gained more assists. But, let’s be honest van Nistelrooy is about one thing only, goals, and he scored them in bucket loads. 3rd highest scorer in Champions League history he was also top scorer in the competition in 3 separate seasons, a feat no one has matched. A Premier League title, an FA Cup, an League Cup 2 Eredivisie titles 2 La Liga titles, a Spanish super cup, UEFA forward of the year 2002-2003, member of the team of the tournament for EURO 2004. van Nistelrooy may never have won some of the bigger prizes, but his record is almost un-matched as a goalscorer.
12. Ryan Giggs – 8 Premier League titles, an FA Cup, 3 League Cup a Champions League, a World Club Championship. Ryan Giggs has done everything, and yet he just keeps going, into his 40th year. The real question is, what is the most remarkable aspect about him? Even taking out the trophies, Giggs has continually re-invented himself. Starting the 2000s off as a left-winger Giggs used pace, balance and no little skill to terrorise full-backs. He was an also an effective attacking midfielder using his positional sense and passing abilty to act as a playmaker, whilst his technique in striking a ball meant he could score goals as well. He has since become an effective central midfielder, using his range of passing to be a deep-lying playmaker. Despite having to play second fiddle to first, David Beckham, then Cristiano Ronaldo, Giggs was a tremendous set-piece taker, and is currently reckoned to be the best penalty taker at United. All teams need players that change games, and whether is an outstanding individual goal, such as against Panathaniakos in 2002, or a moment of genius, such as his last minute assist v West Ham in 2013, Ryan Giggs has the ability to do that.
13. Gabriel Heinze – Were it not for a serious injury in 2004, who knows how things may have worked out at Manchester United for this Argentinian. Voted the club’s player of the season in his debut 2004/2005 campaign. But early in the following season he suffered a serious injury that force the club to Patrice Evra. Henize never regained his place. Nonetheless he is fondly remembered during his time in Europe with PSG, United, Real Madrid and Marseille. Capable of playing both left-back and centre-back, it was a left-back that Heinze spent most of his career due to his stamina. He was able to get forward and join the attack, and quickly get back to do his defensive duties. He won 72 caps for Argentina, He won league titles in all of France, England and Spain, the FA cp, a French cup, a French league cup, a Spanish Super cup and an Olympic Gold medal.
Tactics for the match v Kieran (Demi)
Before we start, please note the arrows are simply a rough guide to how this team is set-up, for example, Neville and Heinze wouldn’t just suddenly stop at half-way and Malsini and Carragher would only go out there if they were covering or helping.
I really only see one area where Demi can beat me here. Van Der Sar is a better keeper than Cesar in my opinion and my backline has taken on a whole new level of quality with the addition of Maldini. Eto’o was a superb striker, but van Nistelrooy was just awesome, as was Inzaghi on my bench, and Kun is one the best around today. It’s the midfield where this battle will be won and lost. Although Makele is the ultimate in defensive midfielders, van Bommel is no slouch in this area, Xavi is arguably the best midfielder in the world at present, and Yaya Toure is just a beast whilst on the wings we find Di Maria and Pires. So if I am to beat Keiran the midfield will be where I will do it, as I will back my defence to shut down his Eto’o and Aimar combination, and if I can feed van Nistelrooy and Aguero I can get goals.
So, how do I intend to win this match? Well, that is where my back 3 comes in. With Maldini on the left hand side of defence to deal with breaks or overlaps if they come from that side, or Eto’o if they come from the right, and likewise Carragher on the other side, this leaves Mijhalovic able to step forward and push up onto Aimar and shut down his range of passing. Heinze will be very familiar with Di Maria from their time together in the national team, and Neville and Pires are old sparring partners from the Premier League. Backed-up by the relevant centre-back I’m pretty confident I can deal with the wide threat and the attacking threat. This also means that I can deploy Makele to deal with Yaya Toure whilst Stankovic showed for Inter Milan back in 2010 that he can deal with the threat posed by Xavi as Inter triumphed over Barca, and, when in possession he will have a license to get forward to join the attack to use his abilities from long-range. These 2 also have the passing range to move the ball quickly and accurately to Aguero and Giggs, or out to Neville or Heinze if the counter attack is on. Aguero and Giggs, who although not a natural right-winger has shown that he can play there when needed, and, being left footed, can swing the crosses in, not out, have the skill to create the chances for themselves, win free-kicks for Sinisa or to feed van Nistelrooy, and I really don’t need to say anything about his finishing.
Combine all these factors and I think you will agree that my team has the ability to counter the threat posed by Kieran’s undoubtedly talented squad.
I really only see one area where Demi can beat me here. Van Der Sar is a better keeper than Cesar in my opinion and my backline has taken on a whole new level of quality with the addition of Maldini. Eto’o was a superb striker, but van Nistelrooy was just awesome, as was Inzaghi on my bench, and Kun is one the best around today. It’s the midfield where this battle will be won and lost. Although Makele is the ultimate in defensive midfielders, van Bommel is no slouch in this area, Xavi is arguably the best midfielder in the world at present, and Yaya Toure is just a beast whilst on the wings we find Di Maria and Pires. So if I am to beat Keiran the midfield will be where I will do it, as I will back my defence to shut down his Eto’o and Aimar combination, and if I can feed van Nistelrooy and Aguero I can get goals.
So, how do I intend to win this match? Well, that is where my back 3 comes in. With Maldini on the left hand side of defence to deal with breaks or overlaps if they come from that side, or Eto’o if they come from the right, and likewise Carragher on the other side, this leaves Mijhalovic able to step forward and push up onto Aimar and shut down his range of passing. Heinze will be very familiar with Di Maria from their time together in the national team, and Neville and Pires are old sparring partners from the Premier League. Backed-up by the relevant centre-back I’m pretty confident I can deal with the wide threat and the attacking threat. This also means that I can deploy Makele to deal with Yaya Toure whilst Stankovic showed for Inter Milan back in 2010 that he can deal with the threat posed by Xavi as Inter triumphed over Barca, and, when in possession he will have a license to get forward to join the attack to use his abilities from long-range. These 2 also have the passing range to move the ball quickly and accurately to Aguero and Giggs, or out to Neville or Heinze if the counter attack is on. Aguero and Giggs, who although not a natural right-winger has shown that he can play there when needed, and, being left footed, can swing the crosses in, not out, have the skill to create the chances for themselves, win free-kicks for Sinisa or to feed van Nistelrooy, and I really don’t need to say anything about his finishing.
Combine all these factors and I think you will agree that my team has the ability to counter the threat posed by Kieran’s undoubtedly talented squad.
