-------------------------------------- P-NUT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2MUFC0 -----------------------------------
P-nut's write up:
Tactics
All roles will remain the same as last game, with the keys being...
Pirlo - dictator
Charlton - Free role (work rate for Pirlo)
T. Muller - Opening spaces for others
G. Muller - Finisher
Sheep
Andoni Goikoetxea
The 'butcher of Bilbao' replaces Santamaria in the stopper role in this game. As his nickname would suggest he's a no nonsense tough as old boots centre back. There are no tactical revelations here, simple hard tackling, ball winning centre back duties.
Rafael Martin Vazquez
Taking the place of Gerard as the attacking wide midfielder in the diamond Vazquez was part of the Madrid side that won 5 league titles in a row from 85/86 to 89/90. This was the peak for him as he suffered injuries later in his career, but at his best was considered a key cog in a serial title winning side. Here he's got a great supporting cast around him to allow him to link with the more prestigious players & provide a platform for them to win the game.
2mufc0's write up:
The team is built to give Don Alfredo centre stage with tireless runners and movement around him, he is surrounded by players who will allow him to take the reigns in attack and build up maximising his impact on the game. The frontline is packed with movement and pace creating space to expose and giving the Don plenty of options with his passing range. The defence and midfield provide a solid base with a strong spine able to absorb pressure and create a strong defensive wall which will be very difficult to break down.
Pierre van Hooijdonk
Now, of course, utter the name Pierre van Hooijdonk and the first thing anyone thinks is: “That Dutch guy who went on strike at Forest.”
Forget his utterly phenomenal career record – 335 goals in 551 games across 18 years at club level, and a highly-respectable 14 in 46 for the Dutch national team – his contribution to Celtic winning their first trophy in six years at the end of his debut season at Parkhead and his 34 goals in the First Division for Forest which took them up to the Premier League and leading the way beating Dortmund in the final of the 01-02 UEFA Cup nad winning the Dutch footballer of the year in the process.
And whenever anyone else puts themselves in the same position – Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Kieran Dyer – even Paul Scholes – and now Dmitri Payet at West Ham – out comes van Hooijdonk: the striking daddy of them all. A very tall striker but didn't lack the technical skills and considered one of the best strikers of all time, he was a true menace.
Victor Sanchez del Amo
His crossing ability is among the qualities which brought him international recognition with Spain, and especially Deportivo. He started his career with Real Madrid, and went on to win a total of seven major titles between the two clubs combined; over 11 seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 310 matches and 49 goals.
Sánchez was born in Madrid. Being a product of the famous Real Madrid youth system, he made his first-team debut on 25 May 1996 in the season's last matchday, a 1–0 away win against Real Zaragoza.
Almost never a starter during his spell in the capital, Sánchez did appear in 36 La Liga games in 1996–97 (25 starts, five goals) as the Fabio Capello-led side won the national championship, and would play a relative role in Madrid's conquest of the following campaign's UEFA Champions League.
For 1998–99, Sánchez had to leave his hometown club as he faced stiff competition, and his first stop was Racing de Santander where he scored 12 top division goals to earn a move to Deportivo de La Coruña. In the 1999–2000 season, he missed just one league match as Deportivo won the league – its first – netting four goals.
It was as creator rather than scorer, however, that Sánchez impressed in the 2001–02 edition of the Champions League, a season which saw the Galicians win the Copa del Rey. He helped Depor to a third-place finish in 2002–03 with four goals in 30 games, adding a couple in the Champions League prior to the team's second group stage elimination.
In 2003–04, Sánchez enjoyed his best return in front of goal, scoring seven in 31 appearances, including a 3 January 2004 hat-trick at neighbours RC Celta de Vigo (5–0 victory), as Deportivo finished third behind Valencia CF and FC Barcelona. He failed to find the net, though, in a Champions League campaign which concluded with a semi-final loss to FC Porto.