vs
Team Religion
4-4-2 (fluid to 4-2-2-2)
Key Notes (adjustments)
* Trippier is the perfect defensive full back to deal with Ronaldo. His stint with Simeone transformed him in this regard and as shown by Southgate internationally when playing him ahead of other options either side he has the energy, tenacity and tactical awareness to manage threats from his side and can even switch sides with Cancelo should he move.
* Ljundberg on the right with Trippier also gives him a hardworking tireless operator who will track back and assist him in defensive phases. The benefit here is during transitions Ljundberg was at his best operating from deep (explained more in player profile below) so we can turn defence into attack perfectly and catch the opponent napping.
GK Lehmann (54 clean sheets, 1 assist)
LB Cancelo (8 PL goals, 3 assists, 31 CS)
CB Terry (41 PL goals, 214 CS)
CB T.Silva (PL 5 goals, 18 CS)
RB Trippier (4 PL goals, 18 assists, 29 CS)
CM Essien (17 PL goals, 10 assists)
CM Scholes (107 PL goals, 55 assists)
LM Eriksen (52 PL goals, 62 assists)
RM Ljundberg (48 PL goals, 29 assists)
CF van Persie (144 PL goals, 53 assists)
CF Henry (175 PL goals, 74 assists)
543 goals, 283 assists (mid and attack)
Subs
CF Hasselbaink (127 PL goals, 58 assists)
AM Ozil (33 PL goals, 54 assists)
L/RW Sterling (103 PL goals, 52 assists)
Overview
I have assembled a team with strength in every area of the pitch. It is built on a winning mentality, strong leadership and bags of team chemistry with more than a sprinkling of star quality. It also includes the following partnerships;
Terry/Essien
Trippier/Eriksen
Scholes/RvP
Lehmann/Lundjberg
RvP/Henry/Ljundberg
Player Overview
Lehmann - One of the invincibles and a commanding, quality shot stopper. Boasted great distribution and brought the best from his team mates. European goalkeeper of the year whilst at Arsenal (and a World Cup All Star). Still holds the record of consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League and highest number of minutes without conceding a goal. A maverick and character yes but also very good.
Cancelo/Tripper - Both superb modern day full backs with fantastic technique along with the ability to interchange on either flank. Each has the pace to support attacks going forward and also to cover along side Terry and during defensive phases. Both comfortable on either foot.
T.Silva - If anyone was in doubt about this man’s quality the league cup final a few days ago surely put that to bed. Described by both Rio and Ronaldo as the best defender in the world he offers the complete package as the perfect modern day CB; pace, passing ability, anticipation and reading of the game, ability in the air.. criticism of his leadership and mentality is irrelevant here as he partners the monstrous John Terry. The perfect combination.
Terry - Whatever you think of the man himself as a player he was one of the best PL defenders of all time (either him or Rio depending on the style you prefer). Five time FIFA world XI member, three time UEFA defender of the year and a World Cup All Star. People will view him as a stopper but he actually had much more to his game; nice passing range, natural leadership by example, goals, recovery pace and an ability to anticipate and read the game like no other. 214 clean sheets.. impressive. Completes a perfect CB partnership.
Scholes - I don’t believe I need to say much here but as my deep lying playmaker there’s no better in the draft, and in my view, the world. His role here allows him to dictate from deep, picking long or short passes to feed the forwards and linking in with Eriksen in the final third. Here he can arrive late in and around the 18 yard box and cause havoc as play progresses. He just didn’t give the ball away and even if you try you aren’t getting it off him. Period.
Essein - At his peak one of the best midfield players in the world and surely the most complete. Powerful defensively with his tough tackling, physicality and drive, he also had a superb engine allowing him to operate box to box and influence the game in the final third. A technically superb intelligent footballer and another natural leader. Here he is the primary defensive cog in the midfield and works well with Terry offering the team a solid and tough core.
Eriksen - Moved to a LM role here he is still able to create, drift inside into pockets behind the forwards, and in the channel. In attacking phases at 4-2-2-2 he is the creative spark, operating in his most productive area of the pitch orchestrating attacking phases and using his intelligence to create and utilise space. With over 50 goals and 60 PL assists it’s hard to see how he doesn’t influence proceedings especially with the quality of Scholes and Essein behind him and the footballing intelligence of van Persie and Henry to link up with.
Ljundberg - Another one of Arsenals invincibles and a key part of their success. A technically great dribbler with excellent movement on and off the ball. Scorer of goals, 48 PL ones in-fact, on the biggest occasions. A different challenge and threat to Sterling in the sense he can operate in deeper areas effectively.
Viera stated “he can then turn a match with one touch of the ball, either because he creates the goal or scores it himself. He is a match winner.”
“He likes playing deep and, because he is highly intelligent and reads the game so well, he is very difficult to mark.”
Comfortable on either wing or even more he sticks with the theme that all of my wide players can interchange and create serious problems for the defending team. Premier League player of the season 01/02 and member of the overseas team of the decade.
RvP - What. A. Player. Only Shearer and Henry with higher goal per game ratio in PL, 11/12 season scored 37/48 for Arsenal in all competitions then in 12/13 season arguably a best ever individual season performance with 34/35 including 15 PL assists. 25 CL goals at a rate of 0.42 per game. An absolute machine and for me the most classy, complete forward in the draft. He could do it all. Big game player with bags of intelligence and pedigree. Undoubtedly unstoppable at his peak.
Henry - Arguably the best player to grace the PL and one of the best of all time. World Cup winner, European Championship winner, two time FIFA world player of the year, five time UEFA team of the season member, four time golden boot winner who scored over 20 goals in five consecutive PL seasons. Henry was also a master creator boasting the highest volume of assists in a season with 20. Two footed, versatile, can get at you on the inside or the out. Unplayable.
Summary
I genuinely believe this team has it all and is perfectly balanced in each area; mentally and physically tough, hard to beat, impossible to play through and with a variety of different that’s all over the pitch. A complete nightmare to play against as with each avenue you close another opens up. You simply can’t keep this team quiet and the number of PL goals and assists highlight this emphatically. The additions of Henry offers the best strike partnership in draft, with Thiago Silva complimenting PL all time great Terry offering absolute solidity at the back. Formidable.
Team Peanuts
Reinforcements are Fernandinho for Barry and Fabregas for JWP.
Nice combo of reinforcements allowed me to bring in Fernandinhos ability as a sole sitter, adding protection to the defence and extra ball retention ability. With that additional protection allowing a more attacking CM in Fabregas to take over from JWP in playmaking duties and gives him a license to break forward from the centre of midfield.
Attack functions in the same way as last game and the defence is also untouched.
Style of play is a little more expansive than previously with Fernandinho and Fabregas both used to playing in expansive systems the side is more prepared to stamp its authority on the game. It will still be a fast direct style, but not the all out counter attacking style we employed last game.
