Skizzo/Pat_mustard tactics
Formation:
We line up in a 4-3-1-2/Diamond formation. We sport arguably the best keeper in the draft alongside Kahn inWalter Zenga, a three-time IFFHS World Goalkeeper of the Year. Ahead of him the rugged centre-back pairing of Ruggeri and Chiellini are flanked by a Sampdoria legend in Moreno Mannini and one of the all-time great left backs, Bixente Lizarazu.
Our midfield is an imposing, well rounded unit, which combines defensive solidity with a considerable creative and goal scoring threat. Fernando Hierro, a staple inclusion in all-time Spain and Real Madrid XIs, marshals the team from a central midfield position, utilising his defensive nous to shield the defence and his superb passing range to instigate attacks. Less heralded is his superb goalscoring record from central midfield: he scored an astonishing 21 goals in 37 league games from midfield under Raddy Antic in 1991-92, and notching double figures in each of the following two seasons. With heavyweight support from Baraja and Zanetti he'll have licence to choose his moments to attack here. Baraja himself was a formidable box to box presence in some excellent Valencia teams, scoring a respectable 43 goals in 285 La Liga matches himself. Our new acquisition, Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti, slots in on the right of our midfield. He plays a tactically crucial role here, using his endless running and defenive nous to support Mannini against Neymar, and his superb ball-carrying to break upfield and cross for our strikers.
Andreas Moller, winner of a World Cup, a Euro Championship, a Champions League, a UEFA Cup and 2 Bundesligas, is restored to his favoured AM position. A serial winner who maintained a 1 in 3 scoring record for the best part of a decade across Serie A, Bundesliga and internationals, he was also a superb passer who is listed as holding the all-time assists record in the Bundesliga.
Up front we field a pair of World Cup winners in Jurgen Klinsmann and Bebeto. Both Klinsmann and Bebeto excelled in two-man attacks, forming two of the most memorable duos of their era with Voller and Romario respectively. They’ll be a nightmare to defend against here, with Klinsmann’s powerful , tireless running and physical presence in the penalty area creating spaces for the foraging, astute movement of Bebeto.
In possession, Lizarazu will vie to win his individual duel with Bale by taking advantage of his sometimes questioned defensive workrate and looking to get forward at times and offer a creative outlet out wide. As good as Bale is, Lizarazu is an all-time great and we back him to get the better of this contest. Our midfield's powerful ball-winning and excellent distribution should ensure that Moller gets plenty of the ball. He'll look to play in Klinsmann and Bebeto, and to arrive late in the penalty area in search of scoring opportunities.
When we lose possession, the team will drop back into a relatively deep and compact 4-3-1-2, with Klinsmann taking principal responsibility for hounding Marty's defence/midfield while the team regains their shape.
Our Advantages:
Diverse Goal Threats: We have two fairly prolific strikers, who we feel are complementary in their pairing. Supplying them is the Bundesliga's all time assist leader, Andreas Moller, who also has a 1 in 3 scoring record. Hierro was prolific in his midfield prime, and Baraja a consistent goal threat also. Lizarazu and Mannini have both scored a couple of "worldie's" in their time.
Our Defence vs His Attack: Butragueno/Zamarano's aerial threat should be well-mitigated by Ruggeri and Chiellini, and we don't see either of Marty's inverted wingers as being particularly complementary to his central strikers. We back Lizarazu to get the better of his individual duel with Bale, and we feel we've mitigated against Neymar's superb individual threat as well as possible. Mannini was an integral part of some miserly and highly successful Sampdoria defensive units and a superb defensive full back, and here he has the support of Zanetti.
Midfield: We've eschewed the gung-ho 4-4-2 of the previous match to forge an altogether more solid 4-3-1-2 this time around. With Hierro, Zanetti and Baraja's range of attributes and tactical nous, we predict that we'll have the better balanced unit here. Gattuso seems likely to be Marty's DM, and as combative a ball winner as he was, we feel he operated as a defensive box-to-box player who favoured trying to win the ball further up the park. Moller should be able to find pockets of space here.
