Utd Draft: R1 - Sjor vs Gio

With players at their career (not Utd) peak, who would win?

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Physiocrat

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Sjor

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Gio

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Sjor Tactics

Formation - lovechild of a magic square and atletico 442
Started writing classic tactical OP everyone used but whats the point, everyone knows how great Roy Keane is etc. Team is pretty much perfect for him as i mentioned him, changing room full of characters and leaders, and probably most important - winners.
Idea for the team was to create the advantage in the central area as there isnt a single Man United fullback that scares me on the offensive end bar maybe Irwin so why not pack the midfield, get advantage there and pick hardworkers that are still able to help out wide if needed(Mount and Whiteside). The mentioned two would have absolute freedom on the offensive end, both can swap positions and play wherever they like, both are comfortable out wide so width would never be an issue.
Midfield full of energy, pace and power....up front electric teenage sensation in Michael Owen so i needed a glue guy, someone that would nit all that together and who better then late round pick Teddy Shaggingham. He is what everyone think Berbatov is - technique, class and football intelligence + it helps he isnt a lazy git.

Gio Tactics

True to the theme we go for a classic 4-4-2.

Holding the forte in the nets is David De Gea, whose 550 games for United and 5 PFA Team of the Year selections speak to just how exceptional he was from 2013 to 2018. Long-term club colleague Luke Shaw operates from his usual left-back slot, twice Man Utd Player of the Year and twice in the PFA Team of the Year. In the centre of defence is Lisandro Martinez whose dynamism, aggression and quality on the ball are a godsend for this current United side. His partner is Martin Buchan, another United legend with almost 500 appearances, a captain for Aberdeen at just 20, who went on take the armband at United, leading the club to 2 FA Cup wins. Team-mates spoke highly of his organisational skills, his reading of the game and use of the ball. To his right is his long-term club colleague from the '70s in Jimmy Nicholl who was solid and dependable and appeared in two World Cups.

The midfield four is comprised of the swashbuckling and effervescent Ryan Giggs on the left flank, who needs no introduction. Inside in his customary left-half position is Duncan Edwards who by the time of his passing at 21 already had almost 200 United appearances and 3rd place in the 1957 Ballon D'Or. Scrapping away next to him in midfield is the tireless Remi Moses who developed a fantastic partnership with Bryan Robson in the mid-80s. With Sjor solid in the centre of midfield with Keane and Matic, it makes sense to use Moses' battling qualities alongside Edwards in the centre of the park. And crafting from the right is Steve Coppell - inventive with good feet and a superb crosser who understood his role in the team.

A good 4-4-2 always needs a strong strikeforce. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a short but dominant spell at United, winning 3 trophies in 12 months. We expect Ibra to receive the ball back to goal or on the half-turn, using his size and strength to roll the centre-half where possible, before either shooting or slipping in Taylor. Otherwise it’s little bounce passes of his feet or body into Giggs, Coppell or Edwards. Alongside him is United legend Tommy Taylor who was extremely highly rated before Munich. Tremendous in the air, he was one of the first centre-forwards to combine physicality with the ability to work across the front line, drop off centre-halves into the pocket and stand them up. His 175 goals in 256 games, including 16 in 19 England caps, point to his goalscoring prowess. Together they pack a firm punch and have the necessary physicality for a 4-4-2 where they will be willing targets for the expert crossing of Giggs and Coppell.
 
4 United captains, 8 Champions Leagues and 1 World Cup - team full of winners and players proven at elite level.
 
Amazing teams, really shouldn’t be facing each other in the first round :(
I can’t quite make up my mind at the moment.

Mount sticks out like a sore thumb even though he probably shouldn’t — that’s the downfall of picking today’s players who are much more vulnerable to being assessed by their current level (unless they have a Varane-like body of work to fall back on).
 
harms said:
Amazing teams, really shouldn’t be facing each other in the first round :(
I can’t quite make up my mind at the moment.

Mount sticks out like a sore thumb even though he probably shouldn’t — that’s the downfall of picking today’s players who are much more vulnerable to being assessed by their current level (unless they have a Varane-like body of work to fall back on).
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Knew he would look like that but he was a quality player at Chelsea, twice player of the year there and won the CL as well as a KEY player. He wont be a key player here, is here to do a job and for that task he fits nicely with both his qualities on and off the ball.
Brilliant assist in the CL Final and would have had a hattrick of assists if his teammate was not called Timo Werner.


I know both are United legends but considering the criteria, Mason Mount IMO is easily a better footballer then both Whiteside and Coppell, and i bloody love Coppell.
 
Hmm I wouldn’t have Mount ahead of Coppell. The way he’s struggled to find a home in this malfunctioning and underwhelming United midfield doesn’t speak to his credentials. Granted United are disjointed, and there are strong performances in a more bespoke Chelsea team that played to his strengths. But Coppell could easily have dropped into Liverpool’s midfield in that era and helped himself to multiple European Cups. I also think he was unlucky to be cut down by injury in his prime at 26. He could have ended up playing right through the 80s next to Robbo for club and country.

For what it’s worth, Pete rated him very highly as well.

peterstorey said:
I saw Cunningham playing for Orient where he was pretty awesome, I don't think he ever really fulfilled that potential due to injuries and inconsistency. It also wasn't the easiest environment for black players in the late 70s. As an aside, Coppell is much underrated - a better player than Beckham in my book.
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Gio said:
Hmm I wouldn’t have Mount ahead of Coppell. The way he’s struggled to find a home in this malfunctioning and underwhelming United midfield doesn’t speak to his credentials. Granted United are disjointed, and there are strong performances in a more bespoke Chelsea team that played to his strengths. But Coppell could easily have dropped into Liverpool’s midfield in that era and helped himself to multiple European Cups. I also think he was unlucky to be cut down by injury in his prime at 26. He could have ended up playing right through the 80s next to Robbo for club and country.

For what it’s worth, Pete rated him very highly as well.
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Cant say with which part i disagree more :D
First of all, he barely played in his first season at the club and the club is a proper mess - i mean just look at his signing, we sign a player that plays in a position we dont have! Also, even better players then him would struggle and did struggle at the club in the current state.
Regarding Coppell, we dont know how he would play at higher level, just look at your "star" player in Ibra, guy is a Pele at the level below elite yet turns into hide and seek champion at elite level. As i said, i adore Coppell but we cant know how he would react at higher level, playing against elite opposition in most intense pressure - same cant be said for Mason Mount. Mind you, Coppell should be a very good option throughout this entire draft but people should also give credit to Mount and not almost see him as some sort of sheep.

Pete said he is a better player then Beckham so that tells you everything.
 
The one thing I enjoyed the most from researching this draft was listening to these two share their memories on Tommy Taylor. Genuinely worth a listen.

 
Gio said:
The one thing I enjoyed the most from researching this draft was listening to these two share their memories on Tommy Taylor. Genuinely worth a listen.

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you will enjoy this one then :)

 
This is close but I prefer Gio's flanks. I think there's a lot required of Byrne here as he is not behind a genuine winger.
 
Close game this, I like both sides and given it's battle of the same formations it goes down to personnel and individual quality. Slightly prefer Bepo's team especially the defence and Owen/Sheringham combo.
 
Narrow 2-1 win for Sjor. I think Sjor's strike partnership is more dynamic. Owen's raw pace and mobility is a good match for Sheringham's link up play and cool finishing. In Tommy Taylor and Ibrahimovic you have two 'target men' type forwards who'd benefit playing with a more mobile partner to open up space for eachother and split or stretch the opponent's back four. I think Varane and Foulkes will prefer their respective one versus one match ups. Gio admittedly has the better natural width in midfield in Giggs and Coppell, but Sjor acknowledge's that having a player like Mount or Whiteside inverting and joining Keane and Matic in central areas will help control the midfield, and having that extra body in there will help.
 
BIG DUNK said:
Owen's raw pace and mobility is a good match for Sheringham's link up play and cool finishing.
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Agreed, really complementary partnership. Little odd in retrospect that they barely played together for England.
 
congrats gio! its a lovely team but for the love of god please drop that bottler in future games as he ruins the whole thing.
 
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