P-NUT:
GIO:
P-NUT TACTICS:
A team built around the Milan jewels Pirlo and Kaka. Two completely different ways of impacting and running a game of football that blended perfectly to create a devastating double act.
Overall style
Quite a compact side from back to front, playing on quick, direct counters either through the dribblers in the side, or by Pirlo spraying the vall when the opportunity arises.
Defence
Standard back 4 line up with 2 balanced full backs can go both ways. Vogts and Pearce are definitely defenders first and foremost, with the ability to provide width when needed.
Maguire and Montero are both good at defending balls into the box, which is going to be a key aspect with the obvious overloads out wide.
Midfield
Pirlo at the base of a diamond. What more could you ask for, football porn.
Davids and WvH are the central midfielders pretty much perfect for a diamond. Davids is obviously the more defensive of the 2 by design. He's there to protect Pirlo and Pearce, but also provide Henry with more license to stay a bit higher.
Kaka in the 10, finding the pockets of space in the middle of the park that can be created with a diamond and having the overload on numbers.
Attack
Henry and Suarez should dovetail nicely. Henry will be the more likely to drift into wide positions allowing him to get in the ball and drive at the opposition. Suarez is the focal point who will stay more central and give the team a platform to build from.
GIO TACTICS:
As much of a theme as you can ever hope for in a Sheep Draft there is a South American vibe in play here, with the central defensive and central midfield partnerships and Pele forming the spine of the team.
The defence is backed up by GOAT goalkeeper Lev Yashin behind the complementary partnership of the pacey Hector Chumpitaz alongside the more rugged stopper Jose Nasazzi. No MichaelF draft would be complete without a pre-footage player and we have a reasonable picture of what Nasazzi brought to the fore with the first/second-hand testimony we have on this forum: straightforward, used to playing in a more end-to-end game, serial winner, and the pre-eminent defender of the pre-footage era. Tactically, Chumpitaz should complement him nicely on and off the ball. On the left is Renzo Contratto who isn't too shabby a sheep at all - a Fiorentina Hall of Famer - who was "quick and it wasn't easy for opponents to overcome him. As the years went by, however, he became the marker of the opposing second striker. No longer just on the wing (at the time we played man-based) but also in a more central position" . Eric Gerets is the all-round right-back offering defensive solidity plus a box-to-box game to overlap Robben ahead.
Linking defence and attack is Fernando Redondo and Obdulia Varela. Arguably that is as strong and complementary a partnership as could be sourced from South America, where Varela provides grit and leadership, while Redondo takes responsibility for transitioning the ball into attacking zones. Roberto Mancini takes up the Trequartista position where his selfless creative game should get the best out of Pele ahead - " he’d developed this wish, this skill to always give the last pass" (Vialli). To his left is Dragan Dzajic who will hug the touchline and use his mesmerising dribbiling to service Pele in the box. On the right is Arjen Robben, a clear goal threat in his own right, particularly bouncing off Pele, but also a creative presence who, like Dzajic, can stretch the play. Pele is the centrepoint of the attack with the freedom to roam across the line, dropping into the 10 space, alternating with Mancini. Collectively a lot of pace and trickery in the attack which should present a range of routes to goal.
GIO:
P-NUT TACTICS:
A team built around the Milan jewels Pirlo and Kaka. Two completely different ways of impacting and running a game of football that blended perfectly to create a devastating double act.
Overall style
Quite a compact side from back to front, playing on quick, direct counters either through the dribblers in the side, or by Pirlo spraying the vall when the opportunity arises.
Defence
Standard back 4 line up with 2 balanced full backs can go both ways. Vogts and Pearce are definitely defenders first and foremost, with the ability to provide width when needed.
Maguire and Montero are both good at defending balls into the box, which is going to be a key aspect with the obvious overloads out wide.
Midfield
Pirlo at the base of a diamond. What more could you ask for, football porn.
Davids and WvH are the central midfielders pretty much perfect for a diamond. Davids is obviously the more defensive of the 2 by design. He's there to protect Pirlo and Pearce, but also provide Henry with more license to stay a bit higher.
Kaka in the 10, finding the pockets of space in the middle of the park that can be created with a diamond and having the overload on numbers.
Attack
Henry and Suarez should dovetail nicely. Henry will be the more likely to drift into wide positions allowing him to get in the ball and drive at the opposition. Suarez is the focal point who will stay more central and give the team a platform to build from.
GIO TACTICS:
As much of a theme as you can ever hope for in a Sheep Draft there is a South American vibe in play here, with the central defensive and central midfield partnerships and Pele forming the spine of the team.
The defence is backed up by GOAT goalkeeper Lev Yashin behind the complementary partnership of the pacey Hector Chumpitaz alongside the more rugged stopper Jose Nasazzi. No MichaelF draft would be complete without a pre-footage player and we have a reasonable picture of what Nasazzi brought to the fore with the first/second-hand testimony we have on this forum: straightforward, used to playing in a more end-to-end game, serial winner, and the pre-eminent defender of the pre-footage era. Tactically, Chumpitaz should complement him nicely on and off the ball. On the left is Renzo Contratto who isn't too shabby a sheep at all - a Fiorentina Hall of Famer - who was "quick and it wasn't easy for opponents to overcome him. As the years went by, however, he became the marker of the opposing second striker. No longer just on the wing (at the time we played man-based) but also in a more central position" . Eric Gerets is the all-round right-back offering defensive solidity plus a box-to-box game to overlap Robben ahead.
Linking defence and attack is Fernando Redondo and Obdulia Varela. Arguably that is as strong and complementary a partnership as could be sourced from South America, where Varela provides grit and leadership, while Redondo takes responsibility for transitioning the ball into attacking zones. Roberto Mancini takes up the Trequartista position where his selfless creative game should get the best out of Pele ahead - " he’d developed this wish, this skill to always give the last pass" (Vialli). To his left is Dragan Dzajic who will hug the touchline and use his mesmerising dribbiling to service Pele in the box. On the right is Arjen Robben, a clear goal threat in his own right, particularly bouncing off Pele, but also a creative presence who, like Dzajic, can stretch the play. Pele is the centrepoint of the attack with the freedom to roam across the line, dropping into the 10 space, alternating with Mancini. Collectively a lot of pace and trickery in the attack which should present a range of routes to goal.