Skizzo Vs. Team Beam
Vs.
Tactics Team Skizzo
Line up/Formation - 433/4231
In goal is the legendary Italian Keeper, Gianluigi Buffon. Marshaling the defensive line ahead of him, consisting of Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Alan Hansen. The classic stopper/ball-playing defender here where the physical style of Schwarzenbeck is offset by the Scotsman Hansen, who could spring the team forward quickly with a ball to the front line as necessary.
Danny McGrain and Bixente Lizarazu take up the full back spots, and would look to overlap in attack where the opportunities arise, and without dedicated wingers in the opposition, could see chances to overload at times. As always though, defense first, and both were defensively sound, all round players who could contribute both ways.
Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira rekindle their World Cup partnership in central midfield, looking to shield the back four. With the two of them helping with the defensive workload, France only conceded three goals in the World Cup as they went on to finish in second place. They create the base for Gunter Netzer to help link the back to the front, as he'd look to get on the ball and find the runs in behind of our front three. The movement, pace, and directness of our front three would create ample opportunities for Netzer to send them in behind. Netzer would thrive in the directness and quick tempo of our setup, especially with the players ahead of him. He could quite easily put in a MotM performance purely by feeding the organized chaos of the forwards on the counter.
The front three of Blokhin, Conti, and Henry is brimming with pace, trickery, hard work, and most importantly, goals. Henry playing through the center as a striker, putting him in where he did his best work. His ability to find the back of the net with clinical finishes in one on one situations, as well as his ability to score from outside the box and beat a man on the dribble, will be key to making the most of our chances on the counter. With his penchant for drifting along the front line and wide left, the fact he put up 23 assists in one season means we needed someone who could take advantage of his movement and vision. Step up Oleh Blokhin. Almost a 1 in 2 goal a game scorer at his peak, he would thrive on the space and movement offered by Henry, and the vision of Henry and Netzer. On the right side is Conti, who would offer his tremendous work rate out side, as well as a wide threat, giving our attack a versatile base in which to attack all sides.
On the counter, we offer too much of a threat to be shut out, and with distribution from deeper positions with Hansen, Vieira, and Netzer, we have too many outlets to be shut down in quick transitions.
Tactics Team Beam
The team is playing in a rare 4-3-2-1 formation, also known as Christmas tree formation with the intention of playing quick, direct, fluid and incisive football at all times and especially threatening on the counter when we gain possession.
The team can also control the game when needed through brilliant midfield minds of Pirlo and Modric who will be in the heart of every build up while having the likes of Schuster, Mazzola and Batistuta upfront who all have great movement and can provide sharp passing interchanges between them. Also, five players in central areas are sure to create a numerical advantage against their opponent and if the opponent press and try to deny space for two attacking midfielders that will leave the central midfielders with too much time, something you least want to do when you have players like Pirlo and Modric on the opposite side. This aspects will be key in the phases of the game when the opposition goes on the back foot and tries to defend.
When we get possession, we will play vertical football at great speed, with no more than few passes to get into or around the box and create the danger for the opposition as soon as possible. This will be allowed and provided through great passing ability throughout the team and players who have great movement and thrive in quick, direct football.
In the defensive phase, this formation will force opponent wide and they will struggle to build any kind of possession play centrally.
My team will play deeper so we can nullify the attacking threat of Skizzo's forwards who are brilliant but are best used when they have a space to operate which will struggle to find here. Mackay also has a key role in the defensive phase as he will be the defensive shield in front of defence while covering for Pirlo in the same way Gatusso used to do and on top of that there is also a brilliant engine of Luka Modric on the other side. At times and if necessary the two attacking midfielders can quickly slot in with the central midfielders, in a wide role, to create a midfield five and thus a 4-5-1, extremely hard to break.
Defence
No nonsense, hard-tackling defenders in Ruggeri and Burgnich will be the main defensive shield while Irwin and Cafu will provide both defensive cover and width when needed while the opposition tries to get hold off our midfield.
Irwin and Cafu will occasionally go forward and support the attack when opposition becomes very narrow with the intention to negate the central threat.
Midfield
In front of defence stands the Architect - Andrea Pirlo and there is no need for the special introduction of his genius and playmaking ability. He has the protection of one of the hardest tackling midfielders in Mackay who will not only provide extra energy in that midfield but is also excellent with the ball and can put an excellent pass on his own.
Modric is a fantastic player with a brilliant engine on top of supreme technical ability and will provide an extra option for controlling the tempo aside from Pirlo, while also having a licence to break through the opposition lines allowing the main idea of quick transition to work in this match.
Attack
In the attack, we have Batistuta with the support of Schuster and Mazzola as attacking midfielders. All three of them thrive in direct, fast and counter-attacking football while also having a great work-rate to help defensively.
Conclusion
Pirlo in the heart of everything, but supported with fantastic players around him has the perfect platform to perform. The idea was to put movement, athleticism, hard work and intelligence alongside him and these players compliment him perfectly to that general idea. Defend deep and hit the opponent directly and with purpose through skillful midfielders and pacy forwards which will be the key in breaking down the opposition defense.
Vs.
Tactics Team Skizzo
Line up/Formation - 433/4231
In goal is the legendary Italian Keeper, Gianluigi Buffon. Marshaling the defensive line ahead of him, consisting of Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Alan Hansen. The classic stopper/ball-playing defender here where the physical style of Schwarzenbeck is offset by the Scotsman Hansen, who could spring the team forward quickly with a ball to the front line as necessary.
Danny McGrain and Bixente Lizarazu take up the full back spots, and would look to overlap in attack where the opportunities arise, and without dedicated wingers in the opposition, could see chances to overload at times. As always though, defense first, and both were defensively sound, all round players who could contribute both ways.
Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira rekindle their World Cup partnership in central midfield, looking to shield the back four. With the two of them helping with the defensive workload, France only conceded three goals in the World Cup as they went on to finish in second place. They create the base for Gunter Netzer to help link the back to the front, as he'd look to get on the ball and find the runs in behind of our front three. The movement, pace, and directness of our front three would create ample opportunities for Netzer to send them in behind. Netzer would thrive in the directness and quick tempo of our setup, especially with the players ahead of him. He could quite easily put in a MotM performance purely by feeding the organized chaos of the forwards on the counter.
The front three of Blokhin, Conti, and Henry is brimming with pace, trickery, hard work, and most importantly, goals. Henry playing through the center as a striker, putting him in where he did his best work. His ability to find the back of the net with clinical finishes in one on one situations, as well as his ability to score from outside the box and beat a man on the dribble, will be key to making the most of our chances on the counter. With his penchant for drifting along the front line and wide left, the fact he put up 23 assists in one season means we needed someone who could take advantage of his movement and vision. Step up Oleh Blokhin. Almost a 1 in 2 goal a game scorer at his peak, he would thrive on the space and movement offered by Henry, and the vision of Henry and Netzer. On the right side is Conti, who would offer his tremendous work rate out side, as well as a wide threat, giving our attack a versatile base in which to attack all sides.
On the counter, we offer too much of a threat to be shut out, and with distribution from deeper positions with Hansen, Vieira, and Netzer, we have too many outlets to be shut down in quick transitions.
Tactics Team Beam
The team is playing in a rare 4-3-2-1 formation, also known as Christmas tree formation with the intention of playing quick, direct, fluid and incisive football at all times and especially threatening on the counter when we gain possession.
The team can also control the game when needed through brilliant midfield minds of Pirlo and Modric who will be in the heart of every build up while having the likes of Schuster, Mazzola and Batistuta upfront who all have great movement and can provide sharp passing interchanges between them. Also, five players in central areas are sure to create a numerical advantage against their opponent and if the opponent press and try to deny space for two attacking midfielders that will leave the central midfielders with too much time, something you least want to do when you have players like Pirlo and Modric on the opposite side. This aspects will be key in the phases of the game when the opposition goes on the back foot and tries to defend.
When we get possession, we will play vertical football at great speed, with no more than few passes to get into or around the box and create the danger for the opposition as soon as possible. This will be allowed and provided through great passing ability throughout the team and players who have great movement and thrive in quick, direct football.
In the defensive phase, this formation will force opponent wide and they will struggle to build any kind of possession play centrally.
My team will play deeper so we can nullify the attacking threat of Skizzo's forwards who are brilliant but are best used when they have a space to operate which will struggle to find here. Mackay also has a key role in the defensive phase as he will be the defensive shield in front of defence while covering for Pirlo in the same way Gatusso used to do and on top of that there is also a brilliant engine of Luka Modric on the other side. At times and if necessary the two attacking midfielders can quickly slot in with the central midfielders, in a wide role, to create a midfield five and thus a 4-5-1, extremely hard to break.
Defence
No nonsense, hard-tackling defenders in Ruggeri and Burgnich will be the main defensive shield while Irwin and Cafu will provide both defensive cover and width when needed while the opposition tries to get hold off our midfield.
Irwin and Cafu will occasionally go forward and support the attack when opposition becomes very narrow with the intention to negate the central threat.
Midfield
In front of defence stands the Architect - Andrea Pirlo and there is no need for the special introduction of his genius and playmaking ability. He has the protection of one of the hardest tackling midfielders in Mackay who will not only provide extra energy in that midfield but is also excellent with the ball and can put an excellent pass on his own.
Modric is a fantastic player with a brilliant engine on top of supreme technical ability and will provide an extra option for controlling the tempo aside from Pirlo, while also having a licence to break through the opposition lines allowing the main idea of quick transition to work in this match.
Attack
In the attack, we have Batistuta with the support of Schuster and Mazzola as attacking midfielders. All three of them thrive in direct, fast and counter-attacking football while also having a great work-rate to help defensively.
Conclusion
Pirlo in the heart of everything, but supported with fantastic players around him has the perfect platform to perform. The idea was to put movement, athleticism, hard work and intelligence alongside him and these players compliment him perfectly to that general idea. Defend deep and hit the opponent directly and with purpose through skillful midfielders and pacy forwards which will be the key in breaking down the opposition defense.
