Theme
All 10 outfield players to have played for the great Associazione Calcio Milan.
Tactics
All very obvious.
The great dane is between the sticks as the last line of defence. No better man to keep the back 4 on their toes, not they need it given their experience and quality.
A watertight back four. 2 of the all time great fullbacks Cafu and Paulo Maldini will get up and down the pitch all game. Nesta and Costacurta are again reunited, Nesta using his pace and reading of the game to deal with Weah and Costacurta using his class and defensive nous to fill in where required.
Andrea Pirlo sits in his trademark position dictating play from deep. He and Fernando Redondo will control the pace of this game, mixing it up between playing it around short or launching raking long passes out wide to the flanks when its available. Pirlo has his trusted sidekick and cnut Gennaro Gattuso to do all the dirty work and who will also offer Cafu greater security. Clarence Seedorf awaits on the bench should the game require him.
The acquisition since the last round of the outstanding Dejan Savicevic takes some of the attacking burden from Kaka. These 2 will work in tandem at exposing Chester’s defence, Kaka with his powerful running gliding past defenders, and Sacicevic with his wonderful ability of leaving defenders bamboozled with his skill and close control.
Upfront is a complete centre forward. A player with class but one also capable of doing a lot of the work that goes unnoticed. Hernan Crespo will provide a focal point upfront and occupy Chesters back 4 with his movement and endeavour, and should be good for a goal in this one.
Main instruction
These players have been there and done that on the greatest stages of World and European football. There should be no special instructions to distract anyone from playing their natural game. Hence playing everyone is in a formation to suit, and in an environment that they are known to flourish. Chester has some brilliant players who on their day can give anyone a game, but if these 11 players go onto the pitch and play their natural game, they should win this game more often than not.
VERSUS
Team Chester
Players/tactical considerations/etc:
Contrary to rumours in the press I will not start Viv Anderson in goal. Yes, it's true that I feel for Viv, who hasn't gotten a minute on the pitch so far - but he's used to that. Anyone familiar with Viv's career knows this. Anyway, Kahn gets the nod again - and we all know what a smashing fellow, and goal keeper, "Olive" (as I like to call him) is.
I'm going for five at the back this time round. The usual quartet of Bezsonov, Buchwald, McGrath and Cabrini will be joined by a legend, the Madrid maestro Fernando Hierro. Two points about Hierro's impact:
a) His presence back there means that Bezsonov and Cabrini will have more freedom to join the attack. That does not mean they'll be bombing headlessly down the flanks. They will play their natural game - but the latter involves getting forward, something both are superbly adept at. Having these two join the attack with greater freedom will add a new dimension to my game - as both Francescoli and Littbarski will be able to combine to a greater extent with said gents.
b) He will surge forward when given the chance. He will carry the ball out from the back, looking to start a sequence. He will also, when the occasion calls for it, join the attack more directly - in his trademark style. Hierro will play what we can a free-ish role in my back five. In the purely defensive phase Hierro will come in very handy against Kaka, allowing the others to concentrate on the forwards - and on Cafu, who I imagine will try to join the attack as frequently as he can.
a) His presence back there means that Bezsonov and Cabrini will have more freedom to join the attack. That does not mean they'll be bombing headlessly down the flanks. They will play their natural game - but the latter involves getting forward, something both are superbly adept at. Having these two join the attack with greater freedom will add a new dimension to my game - as both Francescoli and Littbarski will be able to combine to a greater extent with said gents.
b) He will surge forward when given the chance. He will carry the ball out from the back, looking to start a sequence. He will also, when the occasion calls for it, join the attack more directly - in his trademark style. Hierro will play what we can a free-ish role in my back five. In the purely defensive phase Hierro will come in very handy against Kaka, allowing the others to concentrate on the forwards - and on Cafu, who I imagine will try to join the attack as frequently as he can.
Bryan Robson will perform his usual box-to-box duties. He will seek to get into the box, as he always does, and finish off moves whilst marshaling the middle of the park in his customary manner. He will be joined by Roy Keane. I've gone from upgrading Petit with Dunga to upgrading Dunga with Keane. Keane too will hold, but he will do it in his own way. He is more dynamic, more energetic, more aggressive...than his predecessors. The addition of Hierro to the team will also mean that Keane carries less of a burden in terms of shielding the back four. He will play his natural game here - driving the team on, grabbing the game by the proverbial scruff of the neck, and prove a constant menace for any opponent who happens to be in possession near him.
The attacking midfielders who have served me so wonderfully thus far will both perform their usual roles: both Francescoli and Littbarski will roam freely, sometimes driving down the wing, sometimes cutting in, using their skills and intelligence to get involved wherever they'll make the biggest impact. They're licensed to roam, create and finish - as usual. But in the absence of Valderrama, who has been my main playmaker, I depend on these two to carry the heaviest creative burden - in terms of setting up the striker, in particular - a task they'll no doubt relish.
I will not mark Pirlo. I regard that as pointless. That doesn't mean he'll be left alone. Both Francescoli and Littbarski are hard workers who will always seek to interfere, intercept and be a general nuisance to the opposition. If anyone will hound Pirlo, it will be these two, but I stress again that I'm not taking any particular measures to stifle him.
The attacking midfielders who have served me so wonderfully thus far will both perform their usual roles: both Francescoli and Littbarski will roam freely, sometimes driving down the wing, sometimes cutting in, using their skills and intelligence to get involved wherever they'll make the biggest impact. They're licensed to roam, create and finish - as usual. But in the absence of Valderrama, who has been my main playmaker, I depend on these two to carry the heaviest creative burden - in terms of setting up the striker, in particular - a task they'll no doubt relish.
I will not mark Pirlo. I regard that as pointless. That doesn't mean he'll be left alone. Both Francescoli and Littbarski are hard workers who will always seek to interfere, intercept and be a general nuisance to the opposition. If anyone will hound Pirlo, it will be these two, but I stress again that I'm not taking any particular measures to stifle him.
Starting today is George Weah, often referred to as the greatest African player ever. And why not? He's a faster, more skillful version of Didier Drogba. A beast of a forward, in other words, who will lead the line in much the same way Ronaldo did for this team.
Overall:
Same as always. I'll play my game, not worrying too much about individual players on the other side. The noticeable changes from the last match, in terms of tactics, may be summed up like this:
a) More freedom for the fullbacks, i.e. more combinations between fullbacks and midfielders - possibly more crosses too, I talked to Moyesie earlier today and he insisted on the importance of the latter.
b) More creative responsibility for Francescoli and Littbarski.
c) The brand new role of Hierro. Regarding the latter I can add that it doesn't influence my set-up whether he will be regarded as a CB or a libero here: I'm on 10 TP points with him in the former, and 11 TP points with him in the latter, category.
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