Gio
Eddy
Gio Tactics - age 30+
The 4-3-3 merges a high-calibre possession game with the ability to counter attack at pace.
Xavi and Modric join forces as arguably the two greatest central midfielders of all time for a ball-dominant game. Ahead, Totti offers neat on-the-ground interplay and overloads in central areas. Behind them, the defence oozes quality on the ball. Passarella's credentials in that respect are crystal clear. His partner Thiago Silva would have turbocharged Barcelona over the last 15 years and his passing range and pace make him a natural fit. The resemblance to Barcelona is also evident on both sides with the Xavi/Alves axis back in action, with Nilton offering the Abidal-esque tuck-in-to-make-a-three option as well.
The attack drips with counter-attacking threat with Cristiano and Robben two of the greatest inverted wide forwards. Both are equally dangerous breaking down defences with their finishing ability when cutting onto their stronger feet. As the gel inside, Totti's technique and selfless creativity should get the best out of them whilst joining up the midfield with the attack.
Eddy Tactics - age 26-30
Building out from the back:
I think I’ve got a very technically proficient team, so we’ll seek to build out from the back in a 3-2 shape. Marcelo inverts into midfield with Charlton which allows Platini to push a bit further up next to Van Basten. Busquets slots between the center backs and forms a back 3 that contains Sammer who’s excellent on the ball. He can drive forward with the ball at times to ease pressure as well. Lucio isn’t dynamite on the ball, but he’s capable enough. Ter Stegen is a great keeper at distribution, so he should be fine in this role.
There might be a question mark of Marcelo inverting, but he’s arguably the most gifted full-back of all time in terms of technical ability, so I think he should be fine in that role. I also think it’ll pull a player away from Ribery whose job is to maintain width giving him isolation situations potentially and he's an excellent ball carrier. On the other side, Maicon keeps the width as a marauding full-back covering a full flank, while Salah occupies the half-spaces a bit more playing off of Van Basten and potentially making runs into the channels to create space for others or even to get through on goal. And we can’t forget about Van Basten. Arguably the best striker of all-time and only perhaps bested by Ronaldo Nazario otherwise, he is the key man in this team. His all-around ability should get the best out of both wingers who can link up with him and he’ll be an option if we need to go long or even potentially dropping a bit deeper to gain a numerical superiority in midfield at times if necessary. And I think he and Platini should be excellent at linking-up.
In the final 3rd: The shape mostly stays the same, but Charlton and Platini play as more roaming 8s, while Marcelo occupies the half-spaces(slightly) a bit more often than Maicon to again free up space for Ribery out wide, but he can occupy a wider area as well if the midfield is clogged up. And he’s got a great cross in him(as well as Ribery) if Van Basten has space to attack in the box. Maicon overlaps more frequently, to give Salah more space in the right half-spaces where he’s most devastating. And I do think Salah’s crossing is underrated, so he could also pick out Van Basten. And if we carve out situations towards the byline where a cutback is on, Platini or Charlton are both excellent strikers of the ball, so they’ll be wary of that. Van Basten’s all around ability should prove key in the final 3rd as well. His incredible acrobatic ability makes him a great target in the box and I think we’ve got wide players to maximize that potentially. And his superb link-up play should again help with Charlton and Platini roaming behind him. And Salah could potentially again make darting runs from the half-spaces to be an option for Van Basten or even as a decoy.
Defensively: I think I’ve got a team that could press high up the field, but the athleticism of the midfield slightly worries me compared to other midfield units, so I think we’d keep a relatively moderate line(not a low block nor high) and press only on occasions(with Salah/Ribery usually leading the triggers). We'll defend in a normal 433 shape keeping the midfield compact. I’d like to be as compact as possible to make use of Busquet’s great reading of the game and not rely on him defending in space. There might be question marks of Marcelo’s defending, but I do think during these years, he was a capable full-back defensively and I don’t recall many defensive mishaps from him during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 season for Real specifically. With him arguably peaking defensively in the 2015-2016 season IMO. Sammer’s positional sense along with Lucio’s aggression should be a good pairing at the back. Lucio is more gifted athletically, but Sammer’s ability to read the game and avoid getting caught out should make for an optimal pairing. Gio does have Ronaldo on Maicon’s side, and I suspect people might remember how Bale tortured him. I do think Maicon is facing a different prospect than Bale however. Ronaldo post 30s is no longer in his physical prime and isn’t as explosive as he used to be(nor as Bale himself then), so Maicon should have an easier time defending him if Ronaldo wants to attack him head-on. And I saw Maicon excel defensively during Inter’s treble, so I do have confidence in his ability to be a stout defender for the team. Ter Stegen in goal during the 2018-2019 season was arguably the best keeper in the world, so he’s capable of making worldie saves, and I like his overall ability as a keeper in terms of sweeping, making saves, dealing with crosses(maybe his biggest weakness besides a lapse of concentration which I think he corrected this specific season). He’s pretty much a lesser Neuer, but that’s no indictment since Neuer is arguably the best keeper ever. Marcelo/Maicon in the back for our ‘rest defense’ on corners.
Eddy
Gio Tactics - age 30+
The 4-3-3 merges a high-calibre possession game with the ability to counter attack at pace.
Xavi and Modric join forces as arguably the two greatest central midfielders of all time for a ball-dominant game. Ahead, Totti offers neat on-the-ground interplay and overloads in central areas. Behind them, the defence oozes quality on the ball. Passarella's credentials in that respect are crystal clear. His partner Thiago Silva would have turbocharged Barcelona over the last 15 years and his passing range and pace make him a natural fit. The resemblance to Barcelona is also evident on both sides with the Xavi/Alves axis back in action, with Nilton offering the Abidal-esque tuck-in-to-make-a-three option as well.
The attack drips with counter-attacking threat with Cristiano and Robben two of the greatest inverted wide forwards. Both are equally dangerous breaking down defences with their finishing ability when cutting onto their stronger feet. As the gel inside, Totti's technique and selfless creativity should get the best out of them whilst joining up the midfield with the attack.
Eddy Tactics - age 26-30
Building out from the back:
I think I’ve got a very technically proficient team, so we’ll seek to build out from the back in a 3-2 shape. Marcelo inverts into midfield with Charlton which allows Platini to push a bit further up next to Van Basten. Busquets slots between the center backs and forms a back 3 that contains Sammer who’s excellent on the ball. He can drive forward with the ball at times to ease pressure as well. Lucio isn’t dynamite on the ball, but he’s capable enough. Ter Stegen is a great keeper at distribution, so he should be fine in this role.
There might be a question mark of Marcelo inverting, but he’s arguably the most gifted full-back of all time in terms of technical ability, so I think he should be fine in that role. I also think it’ll pull a player away from Ribery whose job is to maintain width giving him isolation situations potentially and he's an excellent ball carrier. On the other side, Maicon keeps the width as a marauding full-back covering a full flank, while Salah occupies the half-spaces a bit more playing off of Van Basten and potentially making runs into the channels to create space for others or even to get through on goal. And we can’t forget about Van Basten. Arguably the best striker of all-time and only perhaps bested by Ronaldo Nazario otherwise, he is the key man in this team. His all-around ability should get the best out of both wingers who can link up with him and he’ll be an option if we need to go long or even potentially dropping a bit deeper to gain a numerical superiority in midfield at times if necessary. And I think he and Platini should be excellent at linking-up.
In the final 3rd: The shape mostly stays the same, but Charlton and Platini play as more roaming 8s, while Marcelo occupies the half-spaces(slightly) a bit more often than Maicon to again free up space for Ribery out wide, but he can occupy a wider area as well if the midfield is clogged up. And he’s got a great cross in him(as well as Ribery) if Van Basten has space to attack in the box. Maicon overlaps more frequently, to give Salah more space in the right half-spaces where he’s most devastating. And I do think Salah’s crossing is underrated, so he could also pick out Van Basten. And if we carve out situations towards the byline where a cutback is on, Platini or Charlton are both excellent strikers of the ball, so they’ll be wary of that. Van Basten’s all around ability should prove key in the final 3rd as well. His incredible acrobatic ability makes him a great target in the box and I think we’ve got wide players to maximize that potentially. And his superb link-up play should again help with Charlton and Platini roaming behind him. And Salah could potentially again make darting runs from the half-spaces to be an option for Van Basten or even as a decoy.
Defensively: I think I’ve got a team that could press high up the field, but the athleticism of the midfield slightly worries me compared to other midfield units, so I think we’d keep a relatively moderate line(not a low block nor high) and press only on occasions(with Salah/Ribery usually leading the triggers). We'll defend in a normal 433 shape keeping the midfield compact. I’d like to be as compact as possible to make use of Busquet’s great reading of the game and not rely on him defending in space. There might be question marks of Marcelo’s defending, but I do think during these years, he was a capable full-back defensively and I don’t recall many defensive mishaps from him during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 season for Real specifically. With him arguably peaking defensively in the 2015-2016 season IMO. Sammer’s positional sense along with Lucio’s aggression should be a good pairing at the back. Lucio is more gifted athletically, but Sammer’s ability to read the game and avoid getting caught out should make for an optimal pairing. Gio does have Ronaldo on Maicon’s side, and I suspect people might remember how Bale tortured him. I do think Maicon is facing a different prospect than Bale however. Ronaldo post 30s is no longer in his physical prime and isn’t as explosive as he used to be(nor as Bale himself then), so Maicon should have an easier time defending him if Ronaldo wants to attack him head-on. And I saw Maicon excel defensively during Inter’s treble, so I do have confidence in his ability to be a stout defender for the team. Ter Stegen in goal during the 2018-2019 season was arguably the best keeper in the world, so he’s capable of making worldie saves, and I like his overall ability as a keeper in terms of sweeping, making saves, dealing with crosses(maybe his biggest weakness besides a lapse of concentration which I think he corrected this specific season). He’s pretty much a lesser Neuer, but that’s no indictment since Neuer is arguably the best keeper ever. Marcelo/Maicon in the back for our ‘rest defense’ on corners.
