----------------------------Team Gio --------------------------------------------vs--------------------------------------Team Stobzilla
Gio Tactics-
Stozilla's tactics
Stobzilla player profiles -
Gio Tactics-
TEAM
Every player in the team was either best-in-the-world-in-their-position calibre or were strong performers when their national teams were the best in the world (see England in the 1960s and 1990, Scotland in the late-1920s and 1930s). In Banks, Cole, Finney and Greaves, we have four who would qualify for an all-time Britain and Ireland select. That's over a third of the starting XI. The defence combines sheer pace in Walker and Cole with Scottish steel in Miller and Young. The great all-round leader Meiklejohn and the gritty Mullery combine to hold the midfield. Together they will do the dirty work and cancel out any threat from Giles. They will support an exceptionally talented front four. Alex James, the passing master, will link midfield and attack, feeding the elusive trio up top. Morton is the wing wizard on the left, one of the very best these Isles have produced. On the right but with freedom to roam is the great Tom Finney who will surely get the better of many, if not all, the full-backs in the draft. The predator up front is Greaves, the foremost goalscorer in the draft, who will thrive on the service provided by Finney, Morton and the assist king James. Read more in the Player Profiles.
THE WAY IT WILL GO
A lot of quality on my left and Stobzilla's right flank with the two strongest full-backs in the draft = likely to cancel each other out. Down my right and Stobz's left, Gray and Young will likely cancel each other out. The difference will be between Tom Finney and Stuart Pearce. Through the middle of the park, as much as I rate Everton's mid-80s vintage, Peter Reid and Kevin Ratcliffe look slightly vulnerable in this company against the likes of Alex James and Jimmy Greaves. Our pace at the back affords a relatively high line that will squeeze the space for Sheringham to operate in, blunting Stobz's attack and presenting a perfect platform for the front four to show their quality.
Stozilla's tactics
Tactics
We operate in the standard 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 Giles further advanced than Reid and allowing Gray, Johnstone, Sheringham and Shearer to dominate. Johnstone can do Cole, who whilst great is up against the best of the best here. Pearce Vs Finney will be tightly contested but I feel the centre of my defence has enough about it to deal with the threat of Greaves we have pace and legs in all areas to hit on the break should we get penned in and the quality of distribution in the 4 of Reid, Giles, England and Hansen is fantastic, we will find our outlet passes quickly and be swift in taking advantage. But we also have the capability of slowing the game right down and keeping possession when needed.
Stobzilla player profiles -
Ron Springett - England's number one shortly before the 1966 finals getting 33 caps, made 384 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday and is widely regarded by their fan base as their greatest ever goalkeeper.
Danny McGrain - 659 competitive games for Celtic between 1970 and 1987. He won seven League Championships, five Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups. McGrain is regarded as one of Scotland's greatest players and award winning sports writer Hugh McIlvanney commented, "Anybody who saw him at his best had the unmistakeable impression of watching a great player, probably one who had no superior anywhere in the world."
Alan Hansen - In Hansen's illustrious playing career for Liverpool, his winners medals include 8 league titles, 3 European Cups, 2 FA Cups and 4 League Cups. Perhaps the classiest defender in the draft capable of bringing the ball out of defence and more comfortable on the ball than most midfielders.
Mike England - An FA Cup winner in 1967, League up in 1971 and 1973, either side of winning the first ever Uefa Cup in 1972, It is often said that Spurs never replaced Mike England until Sol Campbell came along, high praise indeed. Much the same as Hansen with a bit of added bite, the left footer adds a more defined ariel presence as well as fantastic ability on the ball.
Stuart Pearce - Best known for his spell at Nottingham Forest, where he regularly captained the team and became the club's most capped International, making 76 of his 78 appearances for England while with the club and captaining the side on 9 occasions. A free kick specialist, like McGrain on the other side, offers tireless legs and an attacking threat.
Jimmy Johnstone - One the legendary "Lisbon Lions" and former 3rd place in European Footballer of the Year voting. He made 308 league appearances for Celtic, scoring 82 goals and playing a further 200+ in Cups and European Competition. Regarded as Celtic's best ever player.
One story goes that Johnstone had a fear of flying, Jock Stein told him that is they won their first leg european match against Red Star by more than 3 goals, he would not have to travel to Yugoslavia for the 2nd leg. He produced an outstanding performance scoring 2 and assisting the other 3 in a 5-1 victory.
Peter Reid - The heartbeat of arguably Everton's best ever side. A battler in the middle of the park with a fantastic passing range, he was once voted 4th in World Player of the Year behind Michel Platini, Preben Elkjar and Bernd Schuster. Not bad company. He was also voted 1985 PFA Players Player of the Year.
Johnny Giles - Amazingly calm player, who again, like Reid has a fantastic and creative passing range but can also handle himself when he needs to, one half of English footballs best club centre midfield partnerships. Their pairing helped yield several major trophies in the most successful era in Leeds' history. By strange coincidence, Giles and Bremner would both score exactly 115 goals for the club
Eddie Gray - In 1968 he was in the Leeds team which won the League Cup and the Fairs Cup double, scoring winning goals in both semi finals, including a memorable individual goal against Brian Clough's Derby County in the semi final of the League cup. He was then an important part of the team that won League championship a year later, making 33 appearances and scoring 5 goals, during a season in which United would score a record number of championship points and lose only two matches along the way to conquering the title. Voted 3rd greatest Leeds player of all time behind a certain Bremner and Charles.
"When he plays on snow, he doesn't leave footprints" - Don Revie
Teddy Sheringham - 898 appearances and 355 goals, with probably untold amounts of assists via quick thinking, flick ons and knock downs, Teddy provided the perfect foil for whichever striker he played with, unplayable on his day, both in the air and on the deck. Was finally named PFA Player of the year in 2001 and the age of 35 after just having his most accomplished season in a United shirt.
Alan Shearer - The last great English number 9. 734 games and 379 goals in all competitions. He resumes what is probably England's greatest strike duo with Teddy Sheringham. A scorer of all types of goals, but also brilliant at holding up play and bringing others into the game. When he hits them, they stay hit.
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here it goes again.
