Theon
Lord of the Iron Islands
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2011
- Messages
- 13,370
Tactics
We'll be going in with a diamond formation with Hagi at the head of the diamond. Guardiola is the deep lying playmaker with Ballack providing the steel and the craft ahead of him. Lahm will provide the width on the right and we'll have the better of Zambrotta when Hagi and Lahm double team on him. All the midfielders aside from Hagi are hard workers and help out in defense.
Vidic and Ferdinand are a good paring but I just cannot see my team not scoring in this. In Hagi, Guardiola, Ballack and newly signed Henry I expect Romario to at least bag a couple. Henry is arguable the best striker the premier league has ever seen and one of the most complete strikers of his generation.
I also expect us to win the midfield battle. Technically this midfield is top drawer and easily surpasses Gio's midfield no matter who he puts out. I'd expect us to have more possession and press that advantage by putting pressure on his defense.
PLAYER PROFILESSantiago Canizares
One of the best goalkeepers in the world at his peak, regarded by the Great Dane himself as the best keeper in the world when the likes of Kahn were also in their prime. A very reliable and complete goalkeeper who an excellent shot stopper and also good in the air when it needed to come out and deal with crosses as it is shown here. An absolute legend at Valencia and one of my personal favourites as well.
Philipp Lahm
Without a doubt the best fullback in the world for the last 4-5 odd years. Very comfortable on both flanks though he prefers to be on the right which is where he would be playing for us. An ever present fixture for both club and country, Lahm has proven to be an excellent all round fullback being extremely solid at the back while also being a dangerous threat going forward, which is proven by his performances in big games such as his 90th minute match winner in a Euro semi final against Turkey and also his excellent overlapping attacking play against Barcelona in a CL semi. A great leader while also a player who rarely has bad game, he also went on playing over 100 games for Bayern on the trot which show his immense fitness levels.
Fabio Cannavaro
Often talked as one of the very few defenders to win the Ballon D'or, Canna has enjoyed a highly successful career at both club and country level. Throughout his club life he has been one of the best defenders in Serie A, a league that boasted of names such as Maldini, Nesta, Thuram and Zanetti. For Italy, "Muro Di Berlino" gave what probably is one of if not the best performances by both a defender and captain in the 2006 World Cup where he steered Italy throughout the tournament with hardly a scare and did not put a single foot wrong, which earned him the prestigious Ballon D'or. An immense defender and a great presence in the air, with him in the team we can be sure of keeping most striker at bay.
Giorgio Chiellini
A stellar name in the modern day game, Chiellini is an established fixture for his club and country and is considered one of the best hard men in the world. A no nonsense player he has won the Serie A defender of the year award three times which is a great feat in itself.
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst
A true attacking fullback, Gio was great in providing width in the great Barcelona team under Rijkaard and his role in attack can never go unnoticed, as shown by this magical goal . With 106 caps for the orange he's a proven name at every level.
Pep Guardiola
For me, one of the best deep lying playmakers of his generation, and a true genius in himself, Pep was as key as anyone else for Cruyff's dream team. A unique player, he's a great mix of strong defensive ability, great tactical reading of the game as well as unmatched skill on the ball that combined excellent vision and creativity to start one attack after another. Just look at his through balls and you will surely find it hard to find another player with similar brilliance. Him pinging balls from the back will be a huge asset for the team and would never let the attacking players get isolated.
Emmanuel Petit
An energetic and combative player, the Frenchman has proven himself in clubs like Monaco, Arsenal and Chelsea. At Arsenal he was a key player alongside Vieira in Wenger's early years when they steered the team to cup and league wins. At the same time Petit enjoyed a great time with the French National Team and was an integral part of the team that won the 1998 World Cup, also scoring in the final . He was known for his defensive ability, energy, stamina and mobility that allowed a great platform for attacking players.
Ruben Baraja
One of the most complete midfielders of his generation, Baraja is another Valencia legend that we have in our team. Spending a whole decade at the club, Baraja was a part of Valencia's golden years where they consistently challenged for the CL and the league while also winning the La Liga twice. As shown here , Baraja's skillset is very vast, with great energy, stamina, tenacity combined with excellent ability on the ball whether it came to passing or shooting. He'd complete the midfield trio.
Gheorghe Hagi
One of the best attacking midfielders in the world at his peak, Hagi made a name for himself as a versatile and talisman attacking player of his time and was a magnificent sight to watch. Having played for a host of clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, he was a cracking little fella to have in the team. His fine performances lit up the 1994 World Cup when he destroyed a Fernando Redondo led Argentina . Brilliant skill, vision and creativity on the ball, his tricky nature makes it extremely hard for his marker to keep track of him and his ability to wriggle out of tight spaces and play a decisive pass was what made him really deadly.
Steve McManaman
Not a very popular figure, but McManaman was a really important player for Liverpool and Real Madrid in his peak. As the phrase went "Stop Macca, Stop Liverpool", it showed how he was the star player in the team, also often dubbed as a right sided twin of our very own Giggsy. Again a very versatile player who could play anywhere behind the striker, he was a great dribbler and a very neat passer. Bagged the man of the match award in the Champions League final as well.
Romario
One of the greatest goal scorers of all time, Romario's exploits are unfamiliar to none. Winning the Ballon D'or after leading Brazil to a World Cup victory in 1994, Romario has a claim to over 1000 goals while playing for many top clubs throughout his career. Like Pep, he was a vital part of the Barca dream team and he displayed great composure, skill and finishing to finish many chances created by his superstar teammates. An expert in beating his marker, he is virtually impossible to mark.
Thierry Henry - One of the most complete strikers of his generation and Arsenal's all time leading scorer. He's won the golden boot on 4 separate occasions adding to the 3 player of the year awards whilst in England. He's also the only striker in rack up 20 goals and 20 assist in the same season .
Bixente Lizarazu - Integral part of the Legendary French backline that swept all before it. Excellent in defense and attack and a player who is proven in the champions league having won it with Bayern Munich.
Michael Ballack - One of the most complete midfielders of his generation and outstanding technically. There's not much the German couldn't do. He could score goals, create them, put in a shift defensively and absolutely commanding in the air. He is a 3 time German Player of the year and had the most assists in the 2002 world cup where he unfortunately missed the final.
Team Akash
but I'm not quite sure I fancy Hagi as much as others on here seem to, nor do I think Ballack makes that midfield stronger than Baraja. I would argue Baraja is the better and more defensively sound option the way the game has been laid out. I thought Ballack was picked to make up for Hagi's absence (i.e. McManaman not being dropped). At least that was the only explanation I had for it... odd pick that.