Moby ---------------- Vs. ---------------------Enigma/TRV
Vs.
Tactics Team Moby
Formation
Similar to a 4-3-3 False 9.
Tactics changed
With the teams neck to neck and mine likely to be in the lead around the half way mark, a slight tactical change in midfield. After a mammoth first half holding the fort at the back, Saul is released as the right sided shuttling box-to-box midfielder allowing him to use his energy off the ball in defending out wide as well charging forward pinning Sandro back and providing late runs into the box if needed. Verratti moves central into the position of a deep lying midfielder, provides further stability and control to that area, shores up the defense and is instructed to play those trademarks lobs from deep to onrushing forwards up front. The team plays slightly deeper than before, inviting the opposition and hitting them on the counter, especially out wide with their wingbacks committed forward.
Theme
The team's first pick is Wayne Rooney and we have taken the opportunity to remodel it as the United team that played around him during his peak years circa 06-08. As someone with a career like Rooney's he had several peaks but we have gone with this one. This is him in his physical peak, the electric pace, lung busting runs, endless reserves of stamina, the hungry mad dog attitude and aggression, the sweet volleys and the ultimate team player who elevated the team to one of the greatest eras under Ferguson. As Fergie often did in big games, we have added more bodies to the middle and taken advantage of the multifaceted diverse attacking force in it's entirety.
Mouthwatering Trio Up Front
During this period he made quality attacking partnerships with forwards such as Saha and Tevez. In this team, he has a cracking young talent who is one of the best forwards in the world already in Kylian Mbappé. Both the forwards are all round players, who can fluidly interchange. Both can pick up the ball from deep and play the other one in. Both are deadly in front of goal. Both are adept out wide (Rooney left, Mbappe right) to stretch the defense for the other. Both absolutely lightning quick with tremendous acceleration, agility, control and dribbling at pace. Mbappe will be playing further forward but there are no rules here.
In addition to the above, in comes the French talisman and the architect of their 2018 World Cup win, Antoine Griezmann. Playing in his favoured role in the hole down the middle, he will be playing similar to a false 9, where he would be able to drop deep during build ups to gather the ball but also with Rooney and Mbappe both capable of utilising the channels perfectly, he will be available in and around the box with constant interchange with the front two.
Another beautiful characteristic of this attack would be the fluidity and the ability to move around and drag the defender with three incredibly versatile and all round attackers:
- In Rooney, we have someone who can lead the line, play in the hole and help out the midfield or drift into either channel and play a free roaming role.
- In Mbappé, we have someone who is absolutely clinical and deadly anywhere around the goal, can just as easily attack either channel, is capable of going wide on the right and isolating the fullback.
- In Griezmann, we have a creative forward who has proven himself at the heart of the World Cup winners this year, has played down the channels numerous times and has a deadly eye for goal from a diverse range.
Both Rooney and Griezmann pack immense work rate as well providing the first line of press, that is going to be a real critical facet of the game in terms of restricting Hummels and forcing mistakes.
Complete Box Office Midfield
The major changes happen in the middle for this game. Angel Di Maria, tucks into his favoured and much in demand position in midfield, as the left midfielder of the trio, the role he utilised to great effect in driving Madrid to the Champions League title in 2014. His creativity, work rate, vertical and horizontal range as well as quality dribbling and control will provide great ball retention in the middle. In addition, there is the Italian midfield general Marco Verratti, a rare combination world class creativity, control and technique as well as immense work rate, defensive ability and tenacity. Rounding them off is the Atletico big game play Saúl Niguez. He will be shielding the defense primarily and will be providing his immense tireless engine, quality technique and control and his trademark lung bursting runs in closing players down and cutting out any space.
As the nature of players suggest, especially along with Rooney and Griezmann, the entire unit has INSANE amount of legs and energy in the middle, something that is going to be a juggernaut for an opposition. I expect them to make the opposition life an absolute nightmare off the ball, getting right in their face for 90 minutes and bullying the players into submission.
This also helps in rotation of midfielders, where either of Verratti or Niguez can play as the one shielding the defense releasing the other one forward, and they will be defending and controlling the midfield as a unit with great cohesion and chemistry.
References to Saul's defensive game:
https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/saul-niguez-complete-midfielder-europe
Saúl’s main strength is pretty much whatever he decides to turn his hand to. Like the kid at school who seemed to dominate every athletic pursuit with ease, the 22-year-old has excelled in every role he has turned his hand to, expertly carrying out various tactical and technical tasks.
He can sit at the base of midfield and act as either destroyer or creator; he can play wide and add width and invention despite not being blessed with tremendous pace and he can conduct play and score goals when unleashed further forward.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ile-of-atletico-madrid-midfielder-saul-niguez
In central midfield, he has played every role imaginable; from the deepest-sat defensive shield, through to a box-to-box role and all the way to playing as a barraging, lung-bursting No. 10 support forward.
He has the physical capacity to perform any of them in both offensive and defensive capacity, the technical traits to be an assured success in possession anywhere on the pitch, and the mental resilience that comes as a built-in standard for players coming through Atleti's cantera and training under the tutelage of Simeone.
Let's compare him to the opposition ball-winner and one who is rated highly for his defensive work, Ngolo Kante for the last two seasons:
Tireless Overlapping Fullbacks
Again, a bog standard feature for a successful Fergie team, here we have Zabaleta and Asamoah marauding from the back. Two quality defenders, Zabaleta has been a key fixture in City's dominance of the PL over the last decade while Asamoah was again an integral cog of the successful Juventus team. Both of them will overlap whichever side the ball is and happily support the two wingers, causing constant 2v1s and dragging defenders all over the place.
World Class Defenders
To complete the team, the two CBs are Raphael Varane and Virgil Van Dijk. Two of the best defenders in the world, Varane has been the lynchpin for the Madrid dynasty winning serial champions league and was possibly the best player for France when they won the World Cup earlier this year. An absolute complete defender who is in full control of his opponent. Alongside him is the Liverpool beast in Van Dijk, a tremendous leader similar to Ramos who plays next to Varane as well as a fantastic defender who transformed their entire defense from incredibly shaky to one of the best in the world. Together they form an incredible pair stylistically favourable against most strikers out there.
Finally, the Mexican legend Ochoa stands in goal, with almost 100 caps to his name a vastly experienced leader and shot stopper. Not to mention, both have great pace to push up and cover any distances.
Key Points
Formation:- 4-2-3-1.
Defensive Line:- Normal.
Style:- Direct. Technical unit, whilst also excellent in transition with lots of versatility and skill in attack.
Team Profiles.
GK:- Fernando Muslera - Proven at the highest level and two great WC's, Copa America win, two times in a row chosen as IFFHS Best Goalkeeper(6th, 7th). An extremely reliable goalkeeper with the ability pull off match-winning saves consistently.
RB:- Dani Carvajal - Probably the best right back in the pool. A key outlet in Real Madrid's right wing and was one of their most influential players in their 4 CL triumphs. Excellent credentials in both phases - defensively as well as overlapping and supporting the attack.
LB:- Alex Sandro - A winner of nine major titles in his club career and twice a Champions League finalist, Alex Sandro is rightfully regarded as one of the best left-backs in world football. Versatile and well-rounded, Sandro is able to slot comfortably into any position down the left side, offering his side the tactical diversity of being able to switch between a back three and a back four without any hassle. His most notable attributes come to the fore in attacking situations, where his outstanding dribbling skills often see him wriggle out of tight situations to find space and push Juventus forward. His crossing is both unpredictable and dangerous. A capable one-vs-one defender, Sandro works well as part of an organized backline, and has benefited from being fielded alongside world-class centre-backs during his time in Turin who have helped mould him into a a very complete defender.
CB:- Mats Hummels - WC winner, 4 BL titles, regularly chosen in team of the year both in the BL and on international stage. Hummels quickly became the cornerstone of Dortmund’s defense as well as the attacking style Klopp instilled. An outstanding defender, who is a beast aerially and reads the game as well as any CB in the modern era. What makes Hummels stand out above his peers is his technique and ability to join the attack and initiate plays out of the defense. Kicker ranked him as the only player in the league worthy of the “international class” rank at his time at Dortmund, putting him in a class of his own.
CB:- José Giménez - Giménez is basically a whirling dervish, a constantly active defender chasing and harassing forwards. He has learned to channel better his aggressiveness and combine that with his outstanding athleticism and improved reading of the game. Gimenez combines his power, pace, and positioning, he is dynamic, forceful and utilizes his intelligence.
CM:- N'Golo Kanté - The pillar of Leicester City’s fairytale title win in 2015-16 and incredibly then won the Premier League again the following season after a £32million move to Chelsea. He was named the PFA Player of the year and FWA Footballer of the Year on the back of his success, but these tributes from some of the biggest names in the game may mean even more to the Frenchman. His contribution to France’s World Cup campaign can not be underestimated. A supreme tackler with a superhuman work rate, he has improved with the ball at his feet dramatically since moving to Chelsea. More abstractly, he levels the balance of any side.
CM:- Toni Kroos - Alongside Modrić and Casemiro formed the second best modern midfield after the Barca trio. Toni Kroos is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the world. He has been dubbed by Spanish publication Marca as “a one-man orchestra”, while Germany coach Joachim Löw lauds the “symmetry and balance” he brings to a side and Zinedine Zidane has called him the “perfect” player for Real Madrid. He was considered a Jahrhunderttalent – “a talent of the century” – when Bayern Munich plucked him from the youth ranks of Hansa Rostock in summer 2006.
AM:- James Rodríguez - The footballer captivated the world at the tournament in Brazil four years ago, where he was the top scorer of the competition. James' football pedigree has many facets. His quality is indisputable, as the Colombian possesses many of the characteristics that make him a top player. James can turn a rival inside out. He is able to eliminate three opponents with a single touch as his talent is innate and that helps him play in midfield or in any area of the attack.
LWF:- Eden Hazard - Following on from a terrific World Cup with Belgium, the Chelsea ace has started the season in better form than any of the game's other superstars. One of the most gifted players of its generation he's enormous presence up front and brings a lot of playmaking, skill and passing ability on the table.
RWF:- Alexis Sánchez - The driving force behind Chile’s Copa-America triumphs. Fantastic output throughout his career, starting from his Udinese days. However it was at Arsenal, where he would claim to be one of the best players in the world. A dynamo, he can play on both wings and as a forward as well. The comination of dribbling, passing, shooting and pressing makes him one of the biggest threats to any defense in the entire league. There has been a general consensus that Alexis Sánchez isn't that great when he plays on the right wing. That simply ain't true. Alexis Sánchez made a name for himself with Udinese as well as Chilean NT in 2010 FIFA World Cup playing as a RWF. He then went on to win two Copa Américas, playing as a second striker coming off the right wing. And his 2nd best league season in club career came as a RWF at Barcelona, where he scored 19 goals and 10 assists in 34 league games. He was world class as a RW/RWF.
CF:- Robert Lewandowski - Happily helping himself to goals which range from the simple to the spectacular – with both feet, from open and set plays - Lewandowski sits well in the company of legends. In 264 Bundesliga appearances to date, he has rattled off 185 goals. And has impressive stats in Europer as well, finding the net on 53 occasions. Lewandowski also has a creative side. Not a single member of the Bundesliga's current cast of forwards comes close to matching the Warsaw native's impressive tally of 54 assists; the product of a cushioned lay-off, eye-of-the-needle through-ball or visionary punt more typically associated with midfield masters and roaming wide men. The ex-Poznan man is rewriting the all-round striker's rule book, and then some. Prolific, selfless and as fit as a fiddle, Lewandowski has to be considered one of the, if not the, most complete striker in world football today.
Defence:- We have got a very solid unit and definitely one of the best defences. Stylistically Hummels and Giménez are a great fit who complement each other perfectly and both are top class CB at their peak (approaching for Giménez). Hummels ability to take the ball out from the back and initiate attacks is welcome, whilst our full back pair is very balanced and solid in both phases of the play, proven both in Europe, internationally and for their clubs. Hummels and Giménez are the perfect sweeper/stopper pairing and would thrive being paired together. And with Carvajal and Sandro as full-backs, we have two excellent full-backs who tick all the boxes you need from modern full-backs. Excellent going forward, but really solid defensively as well.
Midfield:- A double pivot of Kanté and Kroos, with James as the attacking midfielder is possibly the best midfield in this draft. It has everything. In Kanté and Kroos, we have a pretty solid duo which can both control the game and also press the opposition in making turnovers and regaining possession for our side. Kanté is the master of winning back the possession and in Kroos, we have one of the best passers of the modern era to control the game and initiate attacks from deep. In James, we have the perfect attacking midfielder, who can not only help the central midfield by making himself available for passes consistently but also support the attack by creating for them and also linking-up with them.
Attack:- An attacking trident of Sánchez/Lewandowski/Hazard has it all - finishing ability, pace, movement, trickery and ability to create a lot of chances given the opportunity. We'd back our attack to create havoc against any defence and outscore them. Lewandowski leads the line for us, with Hazard playing as left wing forward, where he has the complete license to cut inside and link-up with the rest of the attackers as well as take on the opposition right-back/right-sided centre back and leave them clueless how to handle him. On the other flank, we have got Sánchez. While Hazard brings playmaking and insane close-control, Sánchez provides us with pace, power and penetration. His outstanding movement means he can be a threat both when he is on the ball and also off the ball, where he can make runs beyond the backline and run the channels as well. And upfront, we have the best no 9 of the current generation in Lewandowski. An absolute goal-machine who is capable of scoring all kinds of goals. A true modern 9 who can not only lead the line, but also get others involved with his fantastic hold-up play and the ability to link-up with others. At the same time a very effective presser from the front and often initiated the press for Klopp's Dortmund sides.
In big games its often the midfield which decides the game, and we have a major advantage in the midfield. Both in terms of quality as well as in terms of balance. Kroos and Kante are comfortably better midfielders than Verratti and Koke. Also, another major issue with Moby's midfield is, both Verratti and Koke have thrived and played their best football when they have had a defensive midfielder alongside them. In Verratti's case, Motta and Matuidi were often the ones who were responsible for doing the dirty work and in Koke's case, Gabi. Verratti simply doesn't have the discipline to keep up with the likes of Hazard, Alexis and James in final third.
We also have the definitive advantage on the wings. Asamoah is a solid player but he isn't anywhere near the quality that is required, especially at this stage of the tournament. And against a world-class payer like Alexis, he would struggle big time. The Hazard/Sandro combination on the left flank will simply prove to be too much for Zabaleta to handle and would end up deciding the game for us. Hazard has given nightmares to Zabaleta whenever he has played against him. And with Sandro and in some instances James supporting him from that flank, we would create plenty of chances from that left flank for Lewandowski to pounce on and convert them.
All said and done, we have quality throughout the pitch, with no major weakness and genuine proven mach-winners who can win games single-handedly.
Vs.
Tactics Team Moby
Formation
Similar to a 4-3-3 False 9.
Tactics changed
With the teams neck to neck and mine likely to be in the lead around the half way mark, a slight tactical change in midfield. After a mammoth first half holding the fort at the back, Saul is released as the right sided shuttling box-to-box midfielder allowing him to use his energy off the ball in defending out wide as well charging forward pinning Sandro back and providing late runs into the box if needed. Verratti moves central into the position of a deep lying midfielder, provides further stability and control to that area, shores up the defense and is instructed to play those trademarks lobs from deep to onrushing forwards up front. The team plays slightly deeper than before, inviting the opposition and hitting them on the counter, especially out wide with their wingbacks committed forward.
Theme
The team's first pick is Wayne Rooney and we have taken the opportunity to remodel it as the United team that played around him during his peak years circa 06-08. As someone with a career like Rooney's he had several peaks but we have gone with this one. This is him in his physical peak, the electric pace, lung busting runs, endless reserves of stamina, the hungry mad dog attitude and aggression, the sweet volleys and the ultimate team player who elevated the team to one of the greatest eras under Ferguson. As Fergie often did in big games, we have added more bodies to the middle and taken advantage of the multifaceted diverse attacking force in it's entirety.
Mouthwatering Trio Up Front
During this period he made quality attacking partnerships with forwards such as Saha and Tevez. In this team, he has a cracking young talent who is one of the best forwards in the world already in Kylian Mbappé. Both the forwards are all round players, who can fluidly interchange. Both can pick up the ball from deep and play the other one in. Both are deadly in front of goal. Both are adept out wide (Rooney left, Mbappe right) to stretch the defense for the other. Both absolutely lightning quick with tremendous acceleration, agility, control and dribbling at pace. Mbappe will be playing further forward but there are no rules here.
In addition to the above, in comes the French talisman and the architect of their 2018 World Cup win, Antoine Griezmann. Playing in his favoured role in the hole down the middle, he will be playing similar to a false 9, where he would be able to drop deep during build ups to gather the ball but also with Rooney and Mbappe both capable of utilising the channels perfectly, he will be available in and around the box with constant interchange with the front two.
Another beautiful characteristic of this attack would be the fluidity and the ability to move around and drag the defender with three incredibly versatile and all round attackers:
- In Rooney, we have someone who can lead the line, play in the hole and help out the midfield or drift into either channel and play a free roaming role.
- In Mbappé, we have someone who is absolutely clinical and deadly anywhere around the goal, can just as easily attack either channel, is capable of going wide on the right and isolating the fullback.
- In Griezmann, we have a creative forward who has proven himself at the heart of the World Cup winners this year, has played down the channels numerous times and has a deadly eye for goal from a diverse range.
Both Rooney and Griezmann pack immense work rate as well providing the first line of press, that is going to be a real critical facet of the game in terms of restricting Hummels and forcing mistakes.
Complete Box Office Midfield
The major changes happen in the middle for this game. Angel Di Maria, tucks into his favoured and much in demand position in midfield, as the left midfielder of the trio, the role he utilised to great effect in driving Madrid to the Champions League title in 2014. His creativity, work rate, vertical and horizontal range as well as quality dribbling and control will provide great ball retention in the middle. In addition, there is the Italian midfield general Marco Verratti, a rare combination world class creativity, control and technique as well as immense work rate, defensive ability and tenacity. Rounding them off is the Atletico big game play Saúl Niguez. He will be shielding the defense primarily and will be providing his immense tireless engine, quality technique and control and his trademark lung bursting runs in closing players down and cutting out any space.
As the nature of players suggest, especially along with Rooney and Griezmann, the entire unit has INSANE amount of legs and energy in the middle, something that is going to be a juggernaut for an opposition. I expect them to make the opposition life an absolute nightmare off the ball, getting right in their face for 90 minutes and bullying the players into submission.
This also helps in rotation of midfielders, where either of Verratti or Niguez can play as the one shielding the defense releasing the other one forward, and they will be defending and controlling the midfield as a unit with great cohesion and chemistry.
References to Saul's defensive game:
https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/saul-niguez-complete-midfielder-europe
Saúl’s main strength is pretty much whatever he decides to turn his hand to. Like the kid at school who seemed to dominate every athletic pursuit with ease, the 22-year-old has excelled in every role he has turned his hand to, expertly carrying out various tactical and technical tasks.
He can sit at the base of midfield and act as either destroyer or creator; he can play wide and add width and invention despite not being blessed with tremendous pace and he can conduct play and score goals when unleashed further forward.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ile-of-atletico-madrid-midfielder-saul-niguez
In central midfield, he has played every role imaginable; from the deepest-sat defensive shield, through to a box-to-box role and all the way to playing as a barraging, lung-bursting No. 10 support forward.
He has the physical capacity to perform any of them in both offensive and defensive capacity, the technical traits to be an assured success in possession anywhere on the pitch, and the mental resilience that comes as a built-in standard for players coming through Atleti's cantera and training under the tutelage of Simeone.
Let's compare him to the opposition ball-winner and one who is rated highly for his defensive work, Ngolo Kante for the last two seasons:
Tireless Overlapping Fullbacks
Again, a bog standard feature for a successful Fergie team, here we have Zabaleta and Asamoah marauding from the back. Two quality defenders, Zabaleta has been a key fixture in City's dominance of the PL over the last decade while Asamoah was again an integral cog of the successful Juventus team. Both of them will overlap whichever side the ball is and happily support the two wingers, causing constant 2v1s and dragging defenders all over the place.
World Class Defenders
To complete the team, the two CBs are Raphael Varane and Virgil Van Dijk. Two of the best defenders in the world, Varane has been the lynchpin for the Madrid dynasty winning serial champions league and was possibly the best player for France when they won the World Cup earlier this year. An absolute complete defender who is in full control of his opponent. Alongside him is the Liverpool beast in Van Dijk, a tremendous leader similar to Ramos who plays next to Varane as well as a fantastic defender who transformed their entire defense from incredibly shaky to one of the best in the world. Together they form an incredible pair stylistically favourable against most strikers out there.
Finally, the Mexican legend Ochoa stands in goal, with almost 100 caps to his name a vastly experienced leader and shot stopper. Not to mention, both have great pace to push up and cover any distances.
Key Points
- Incredible Trio Up Front - Centred around one of the best players in the Pool with the largest body of work and goalscoring records to his name, partnered with "Luis Ronaldo mk II" and a pair of flying wingers. With the talismanic Griezmann through the middle linking everything up.
- Quality Through the Middle - An INSANE engine, tireless technically sound midfielders, a full fledge creative midfield general in Verratti and ample support in Di Maria and Saul.
- Quality At The Back - Two of the best defenders in the world, providing a massive wall at the back, aerial ability, anticipation, pace, physicality and ability on the ball. Both well versed in pushing the defense up as well.
- Pace on the Counter - As we often did, this team would be deadly on the counter, with Rooney, Griezmann and Mbappe leaving defenders dead and causing mayhem running into space, with both Di Maria and Verratti/Saul well versed to counter attacks.
- Fluidity - Rooney can go up front, drop deep, drop left/right. Mbappe can go up front, drop left/right. Griezmann can drop between the lines and shuttle vertically disrupting the defensive shape. Di Maria can peel wide or dart through the middle. There is NO way anyone will ever get marked, and there will be constant movement around the box with multiple players capable of scoring and creating.
- Freshly added chemistry - Mbappe and Griezmann just won the world cup together with both putting in brilliant performances. While Mbappe, Di Maria and Verratti play together for a European powerhouse. Something that would only make things easier.
Formation:- 4-2-3-1.
Defensive Line:- Normal.
Style:- Direct. Technical unit, whilst also excellent in transition with lots of versatility and skill in attack.
Team Profiles.
GK:- Fernando Muslera - Proven at the highest level and two great WC's, Copa America win, two times in a row chosen as IFFHS Best Goalkeeper(6th, 7th). An extremely reliable goalkeeper with the ability pull off match-winning saves consistently.
RB:- Dani Carvajal - Probably the best right back in the pool. A key outlet in Real Madrid's right wing and was one of their most influential players in their 4 CL triumphs. Excellent credentials in both phases - defensively as well as overlapping and supporting the attack.
LB:- Alex Sandro - A winner of nine major titles in his club career and twice a Champions League finalist, Alex Sandro is rightfully regarded as one of the best left-backs in world football. Versatile and well-rounded, Sandro is able to slot comfortably into any position down the left side, offering his side the tactical diversity of being able to switch between a back three and a back four without any hassle. His most notable attributes come to the fore in attacking situations, where his outstanding dribbling skills often see him wriggle out of tight situations to find space and push Juventus forward. His crossing is both unpredictable and dangerous. A capable one-vs-one defender, Sandro works well as part of an organized backline, and has benefited from being fielded alongside world-class centre-backs during his time in Turin who have helped mould him into a a very complete defender.
CB:- Mats Hummels - WC winner, 4 BL titles, regularly chosen in team of the year both in the BL and on international stage. Hummels quickly became the cornerstone of Dortmund’s defense as well as the attacking style Klopp instilled. An outstanding defender, who is a beast aerially and reads the game as well as any CB in the modern era. What makes Hummels stand out above his peers is his technique and ability to join the attack and initiate plays out of the defense. Kicker ranked him as the only player in the league worthy of the “international class” rank at his time at Dortmund, putting him in a class of his own.
CB:- José Giménez - Giménez is basically a whirling dervish, a constantly active defender chasing and harassing forwards. He has learned to channel better his aggressiveness and combine that with his outstanding athleticism and improved reading of the game. Gimenez combines his power, pace, and positioning, he is dynamic, forceful and utilizes his intelligence.
CM:- N'Golo Kanté - The pillar of Leicester City’s fairytale title win in 2015-16 and incredibly then won the Premier League again the following season after a £32million move to Chelsea. He was named the PFA Player of the year and FWA Footballer of the Year on the back of his success, but these tributes from some of the biggest names in the game may mean even more to the Frenchman. His contribution to France’s World Cup campaign can not be underestimated. A supreme tackler with a superhuman work rate, he has improved with the ball at his feet dramatically since moving to Chelsea. More abstractly, he levels the balance of any side.
CM:- Toni Kroos - Alongside Modrić and Casemiro formed the second best modern midfield after the Barca trio. Toni Kroos is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the world. He has been dubbed by Spanish publication Marca as “a one-man orchestra”, while Germany coach Joachim Löw lauds the “symmetry and balance” he brings to a side and Zinedine Zidane has called him the “perfect” player for Real Madrid. He was considered a Jahrhunderttalent – “a talent of the century” – when Bayern Munich plucked him from the youth ranks of Hansa Rostock in summer 2006.
LWF:- Eden Hazard - Following on from a terrific World Cup with Belgium, the Chelsea ace has started the season in better form than any of the game's other superstars. One of the most gifted players of its generation he's enormous presence up front and brings a lot of playmaking, skill and passing ability on the table.
RWF:- Alexis Sánchez - The driving force behind Chile’s Copa-America triumphs. Fantastic output throughout his career, starting from his Udinese days. However it was at Arsenal, where he would claim to be one of the best players in the world. A dynamo, he can play on both wings and as a forward as well. The comination of dribbling, passing, shooting and pressing makes him one of the biggest threats to any defense in the entire league. There has been a general consensus that Alexis Sánchez isn't that great when he plays on the right wing. That simply ain't true. Alexis Sánchez made a name for himself with Udinese as well as Chilean NT in 2010 FIFA World Cup playing as a RWF. He then went on to win two Copa Américas, playing as a second striker coming off the right wing. And his 2nd best league season in club career came as a RWF at Barcelona, where he scored 19 goals and 10 assists in 34 league games. He was world class as a RW/RWF.
CF:- Robert Lewandowski - Happily helping himself to goals which range from the simple to the spectacular – with both feet, from open and set plays - Lewandowski sits well in the company of legends. In 264 Bundesliga appearances to date, he has rattled off 185 goals. And has impressive stats in Europer as well, finding the net on 53 occasions. Lewandowski also has a creative side. Not a single member of the Bundesliga's current cast of forwards comes close to matching the Warsaw native's impressive tally of 54 assists; the product of a cushioned lay-off, eye-of-the-needle through-ball or visionary punt more typically associated with midfield masters and roaming wide men. The ex-Poznan man is rewriting the all-round striker's rule book, and then some. Prolific, selfless and as fit as a fiddle, Lewandowski has to be considered one of the, if not the, most complete striker in world football today.
Defence:- We have got a very solid unit and definitely one of the best defences. Stylistically Hummels and Giménez are a great fit who complement each other perfectly and both are top class CB at their peak (approaching for Giménez). Hummels ability to take the ball out from the back and initiate attacks is welcome, whilst our full back pair is very balanced and solid in both phases of the play, proven both in Europe, internationally and for their clubs. Hummels and Giménez are the perfect sweeper/stopper pairing and would thrive being paired together. And with Carvajal and Sandro as full-backs, we have two excellent full-backs who tick all the boxes you need from modern full-backs. Excellent going forward, but really solid defensively as well.
Midfield:- A double pivot of Kanté and Kroos, with James as the attacking midfielder is possibly the best midfield in this draft. It has everything. In Kanté and Kroos, we have a pretty solid duo which can both control the game and also press the opposition in making turnovers and regaining possession for our side. Kanté is the master of winning back the possession and in Kroos, we have one of the best passers of the modern era to control the game and initiate attacks from deep. In James, we have the perfect attacking midfielder, who can not only help the central midfield by making himself available for passes consistently but also support the attack by creating for them and also linking-up with them.
Attack:- An attacking trident of Sánchez/Lewandowski/Hazard has it all - finishing ability, pace, movement, trickery and ability to create a lot of chances given the opportunity. We'd back our attack to create havoc against any defence and outscore them. Lewandowski leads the line for us, with Hazard playing as left wing forward, where he has the complete license to cut inside and link-up with the rest of the attackers as well as take on the opposition right-back/right-sided centre back and leave them clueless how to handle him. On the other flank, we have got Sánchez. While Hazard brings playmaking and insane close-control, Sánchez provides us with pace, power and penetration. His outstanding movement means he can be a threat both when he is on the ball and also off the ball, where he can make runs beyond the backline and run the channels as well. And upfront, we have the best no 9 of the current generation in Lewandowski. An absolute goal-machine who is capable of scoring all kinds of goals. A true modern 9 who can not only lead the line, but also get others involved with his fantastic hold-up play and the ability to link-up with others. At the same time a very effective presser from the front and often initiated the press for Klopp's Dortmund sides.
In big games its often the midfield which decides the game, and we have a major advantage in the midfield. Both in terms of quality as well as in terms of balance. Kroos and Kante are comfortably better midfielders than Verratti and Koke. Also, another major issue with Moby's midfield is, both Verratti and Koke have thrived and played their best football when they have had a defensive midfielder alongside them. In Verratti's case, Motta and Matuidi were often the ones who were responsible for doing the dirty work and in Koke's case, Gabi. Verratti simply doesn't have the discipline to keep up with the likes of Hazard, Alexis and James in final third.
We also have the definitive advantage on the wings. Asamoah is a solid player but he isn't anywhere near the quality that is required, especially at this stage of the tournament. And against a world-class payer like Alexis, he would struggle big time. The Hazard/Sandro combination on the left flank will simply prove to be too much for Zabaleta to handle and would end up deciding the game for us. Hazard has given nightmares to Zabaleta whenever he has played against him. And with Sandro and in some instances James supporting him from that flank, we would create plenty of chances from that left flank for Lewandowski to pounce on and convert them.
All said and done, we have quality throughout the pitch, with no major weakness and genuine proven mach-winners who can win games single-handedly.
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