The Millennium Draft: SF - Physio vs Gio

[Pat_Mustard]

PHYSIO:

GIO:

PHYSIO TACTICS:

Tactics – Mixed
Formation – 235 in possession/ 442 is the organised defensive phase
Defensive Line – Balanced
Marking – Zonal

The side is built entirely around Andrea Pirlo in his peak DLP role with Davids and Essien as exceptional wide shutters to provide him cover but also to allow Marcelo and Sagnol to play a very aggressive offensive game. The defence is pretty GOATtastic – Nesta and Thiago Silva is an incredible and complementary pairing; both are athletic CBs capable of covering wide if necessary when Lahm and Marcelo bomb-on together. Hazard is in his peak positions as inside left and right where he achieved a near 1 in 2 record over 3 consecutive seasons. Reus joins the forward line to add pace, trickery and industry. Lewandowski has exceptional link up play and of course tons of goals.

In the organised defensive phase, Reus goes to RM with Hazard at 10 so Davids moves to LM giving extra protection for Marcelo.

The addition of Lahm and Thiago Silva gives me more really good passers from deep alongside Marcelo so if Pirlo is severely harried, I have other players who can progress the play; also if needed Hazard can drop deep.


GIO TACTICS:

Xavi and Evra join the team and should shift seamlessly into the 4-2-2-2 shape above.

COMPLEMENTARY PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE TEAM

• At the base of midfield providing a physical and technical presence is Marcos Senna who was such a commanding pivot for Spain at Euro 2008, renewing his partnerships with Xavi and Iniesta here. Verratti gets upgraded to Xavi and clearly the synergies there with the trio plus Alves on the right are off the chart.
• The two attacking midfielders are Andres Iniesta and Kevin De Bruyne. Both look at home in the inside-left and inside-right slots - both capable of controlling centrally and smoothly shifting into wider spaces. Together they offer a full package of attacking midfield threats, possessing excellent ball retention, with Iniesta's slipperiness and agile dribbling, contrasting with De Bruyne's more direct punchy style. In this game I think both are well suited to pressing Pirlo's spaces in front of the defence.
• Neymar and Shevchenko are paired as a front two. Both have plenty of experience in peeling wide, with Shevchenko having done so in textbook style for Milan in narrower shapes. Nonetheless Neymar is most likely to drop wide to replicate classic 4-2-2-2s of the past, drifting across to target Carvajal 1v1, a well as cutting inside to threaten the goal (averages from 1 to 1.6 goals and assists per game)
• The wing-backs in Alves and Evra provide the requisite end-to-end energy to make the formation work. In particular Alves hurtling beyond De Bruyne will force defenders to back up, which will play into KDB's hands. Evra joins to offer similar box-to-box gusto as Sorin but with some more defensive solidity to secure the flank.
• The defensive unit is built on Van Dijk and Boateng, with Allison sweeping behind. Each proven to the very highest level and together they will enable us to play high and on the front foot to get the best out of the technical players ahead.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

@Physiocrat @Gio good luck!

 

[Physiocrat]

Gio has an excellent side here although I think my CB pairing is a level above and Lewandowski is at least as good as Sheva so I'd fancy Lewa to have the better game. Davids and Essien would be as good as anyone to harrie the midfield. I also have excellent ball players from deep to release Hazard and Reus on the counter and exploit the high-line. I'd back my back four and Pirlo to regularly beat the press.

 

[Gio]

Gio has an excellent side here although I think my CB pairing is a level above and Lewandowski is at least as good as Sheva so I'd fancy Lewa to have the better game. Davids and Essien would be as good as anyone to harrie the midfield. I also have excellent ball players from deep to release Hazard and Reus on the counter and exploit the high-line. I'd back my back four and Pirlo to regularly beat the press.

If making that sort of comparison I would agree you are a bit stronger in defence, while we are a bit stronger in midfield and in attack. Irregardless we will be looking to take control of the game in midfield which given the quality and numbers in there is fairly likely. In turn I would back our midfield unit to then get Iniesta, De Bruyne, Neymar and Shevchenko into dangerous positions on a reasonably regular basis.

You do have a tactical problem however that there isn’t a lot of pace in your team. So getting behind us on the break is unlikely. And ideally I’d prefer some more pace to get the best out of Pirlo’s range. On the basis that we keep Lewa far from goal I don’t see him having a great game.