Vs. MaliBrah
SubsSandro Ramírez
Willian
Adrien Rabiot
Andreas Christensen
TacticsAs you can see, I proudly present an excellently balanced team with a good mix of youth as well as experience.
In goal I have Gianluigi Donnarumma, who despite only being 18 years old, is a player mature beyond his years and he was one of the best goalkeepers in Europe this past season. It is no coincidence that big clubs like Real Madrid and Juventus have shown some serious interest in him.
On defense, I have Laurent Koscielny playing the sweeper role, sweeping up balls from behind the defensive line with his great concentration and strong intercepting abilities. Right next to him will be Mats Hummels and his main job will be to stop the opposing attacker, win the ball without giving away a free kick and get it cleared safely up field in a no-nonsense manner. He’ll have a stopper duty, meaning that he’ll push ahead of the defensive line and close down players before they get to the area. Hummels paired with Koscielny in a stopper role will form one of the best CB pairings in this tournament. My full-backs, Benjamin Mendy and Antonio Valencia will focus on providing extra width on the midfield and looking to cross or put in a through ball whenever the opportunity for each arises. On defense, they will focus predominantly on their defensive duties. My FB's may not be the flashiest in this tournament but they are solid all around players that will get the job done on a consistent basis.
In midfield, I have both Moussa Dembélé and Arturo Vidal playing the roles of box to box midfielders, they will push up to support the attack, often surging late into the box to get on the end of crosses and pull backs as well as providing a threat from distance. On defense, their roles will shift to a somewhat related role, with the main function of closing down the opposition and winning the ball, while also helping keep possession. They will also cover my FB's positions if they decide to go up to support my offense. I also have David Silva playing as an advanced playmaker, he will aim to drop into holes between the opposition’s midfield and defense, gaining his ground and looking to spray passes to support my offense. On defense, Silva will provide more defensive security in the middle by tracking back to help the midfield, while also being quick and astute enough to start a counter-attack when he wins back possession.
In attack, my team shows a lot of quality starting with Neymar on the left wing, he will aim to beat his man on the outside, ready to surge into space. When going forward, he’ll try and run at the defense in the final third, causing panic and indecision prior to shooting or attempting to make a through ball/cross to a teammate. On defense, Neymar will aim to press the opposing full backs, win the ball high up the pitch and either hold it up for the rest of the team, drive to the byline or get in a quick cross or put in a through ball. On the opposite wing I have Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, he will aim to cut inside from the flanks with the options of shooting, passing or crossing as he moves into the final third. On defense, Carrasco will perform the same duties as Neymar. Last but certainly not least, I have Zlatan Ibrahimović up top, who will mainly focus on taking advantage of the opportunities provided to him by the rest of my team and he will have no defensive duties to worry about.
Set Pieces and winning/losing situationSet piece taker: David Silva (except direct FK’s – Neymar).
Penalty kick taker: Zlatan Ibrahimović.
If winning by the 80th minute: Sub on Adrien Rabiot for David Silva and Willian for Carrasco then switch to a 4-3-3 formation.
If losing by the 80th minute: Sub on Sandro Ramirez for David Silva, Willian for Carrasco then switch to a 4-4-2 formation.
