retired_kjcurnyn

So, winning the Euros with England would be difficult, right? How about following it up with a World Cup win?
The goal of this challenge is to do just this... But just to make things a little trickier, we're also not allowed to play ANY player in a position they have so much as an orange dot and no "comfort level" in. Everyone must be totally, fundamentally out of position.

And just to really spice it up, we should really consider dots in the sweeper positions and dots in the corresponding defence position in front of it to be one and the same. No playing a back line with high defending, all in sweeper to get around the challenge.

Rules: Any database size you like. At least English Premiership loaded. Any extra players you wish to load. Fog of War off, using real players.

Player naming allowed, tactical discussions allowed, playing a striker up front strictly prohibited.


Good luck!

retired_kjcurnyn

Oh, and I'm not overly fussed if you use the 8.00 or 8.01 database. I'll use 8.01, but you can choose for yourself.

retired_kjcurnyn

Choosing the Team

My first job was to identify where to play people to get the most out of them. In goal, i wanted someone with concentration, agility, positioning and generally excellent mental attributes. Mr Beckham seemed to fit the bill perfectly. His excellent passing may even convince me to test using a keeper as a playmaker in a friendly or two. The second choice keeper was ashley cole.

Next up was the centerback positions. Looking just for the first eleven, i realised we needed to dominate in the air. Thus, Crouch was pulled back. Besides him i needed a slightly faster player who can tackle. I resisted the obvious move of playing a fullback here, and instead opted for Alan Smith. I may be convinced to use fullbacks later if need be, but in the spirit of the challenge, i felt two strikers were the perfect pairing.

Then, on to Left Back. Good old Gerrard, able to play in all but two positions, left sided defender and goalkeeper. Stevey got the nod here. On the right, i decided Jenas looked like a decent defensive player. He can play DM, he can play right wing, why not right back? No dots, so he's good.
In center mid, i decided i needed a defensive and an attacking player. John Terry seemed ideal as the enforcer in the middle, he can pass the ball, and is clearly an excellent defensive player. For the Attacking midfield role, i went looking for a striker or a winger who couldn't play in the middle. Then i realised, no. Wayne Bridge was the perfect fit. He can pass, he can tackle, he has decent stamina, he's creative...

So on to up front. First up, Sol Campbell. Someone that big and strong could be a powerhouse. Next to him, i wanted someone who can finish. Big Fat Frank seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

Just wingers left. For a fast, physical player, i chose Rio on the left, while Aston Villa's Gardner took the right berth based on the fact that he can't play out wide, but has an okay cross.

Now, to make this work...

retired_kjcurnyn

First Game: Germany visit Wembley

With Jenas and Bridge out, Carrick and Taylor came in to do their jobs. Normally playing similar positions to their replacements, it was an easy change to make.

In the 4th minute, disaster stuck as Germany scored from a corner. thankfully, the ref spotted a push on Terry and awarded a free kick. 13 minutes later the deadlock was broken for real, with Lampard slotting in a decent goal. He really is playing like an out and out striker.

A fairly end to end game broke out, which suited England, as their players have the attributes to perform well so long as Germany don't realise their weaknesses. A fast, end to end game seems perfect to disguise positional problems that may show up should the germans probe.

Going in to half time, England's only problem was a slight knock to Crouch. He was promptly replaced with Darren Bent, and the lads were sent out to the cheers of a somewhat bemused and confused nation.

The Second half started as the first ended, a scrappy, end to end game with neither team keeping possession long enough to do any real damage. As the game wore on, both England and Germany had their moments, but the superb David Beckham managed to complete the lock out until the 87th minute, when Gomez sliced through the defence and buried the ball in Beckham's goal.

With 4 minutes added, was the drama over? Unforunately, yes.

Final stats:
Possession: England 52% Germany 48%
Shots on Target, England 4 Germany 4
Shots off target, England 4 Germany 6.

An even game.

retired_macca1875

It surprises me that Sol Campbell has no dots up front, this was the position he started his career in. He even scored on his debut for Spurs playing up front.

retired_kjcurnyn

Isreal and Russia, now it's for real.

Wembley now played host to Isreal and Russia. First up, the Isrealies. In theory, an easier game than Germany, but will the lack of Friendly status hinder the out of position superstars?

With Crouch suspended, Bent retained the place he took in the second half against Germany. A returning Jenas sent Carrick to the bench.

England started well, stamping their intent on the game, but Isreal quickly recovered, setting up another fast, scrappy match. Then, ten minutes in, just as England looked settled, Toto Tamuz beat Beckham at his near post. 1-0 Isreal.
This only seemed to spur England on, and force them to take the game by the scruff of the neck. However, the totaly ineffectiveness of Big sol up front meant the score was still 1-0 with half hour gone, when he was pulled off for the other Taylor, Matthew.
His introduction heaped pressure on a well organised Isreali side, almost leading to an equaliser on a few occasions, before the tragic half time whistle.

A hairdryer treatment later, England were booed onto the pitch.

As the game slowly played on, Englands hopes slowly ticked away, minute by minute. With ten to go, a desprate England sent John terry up front to act as target man. fianlly, in the 87th minute the ball ended in the back of the net... Only for the ref to blow for a free kick to Isreal. A desprate England threw everythign forward to no avail. Time to try Ashley Cole in goal perhaps?

England now needed to beat Russia to stay within touching distance of qualification. Another defeat would mean the end of the dream. Crouch returned in Defence, and Ashley cole took beckham's gloves.

4 Minutes on the clock, and Sol Campbell redeemed himself for his poor displays, putting England 1-0 up after a neat 1-2 with Terry. ten minutes later, he almost doubled the score with an amazing header from outside the area, which left the kepper standing, but clipped the post on the way out for a goal kick.

As time went on, England grew in stature. However, the loss of Lampard to injury in the 25th minute hurt. Matthew Taylor, fresh off the bench, however, made an instant impact, converting a sol Campbell cross. 2-0.

England went into half time leading by two goals for the first time. A pat on the back later, they walked onto the pitch smiling. within 90 seconds, they had won a freekick on the edge of the box, which the keeper magnificantly put out for a corner. While nothing resulted from the corner, England had given Russia fair warning. This would be their first win. With 60 minuts on the clock, however, a Sychev header put the cat amoung the pidgeons. 2-1.

Could England hold on? Russia put them under immense pressure, but England seemed strong on the counter. Who would crack first?

You should have known. England conceed from a 76th minute corner. Another desprate late attack for an equaliser for England then.... Which as usual, never came. 1 point from 2 games. Are England out?

retired_kjcurnyn

Ashley Cole also lacks dots up front, despite starting out there. He wasn;t of the same class as Lampard up top though.

retired_kjcurnyn

Estonia visit

Needing a win at all costs, England are without Taylor or Gardner, having Michael Owen and Michael Johnson coming in to replace them.

A defeat means near-certain elimination, so the pressure was on.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Owen scored from the midfield. Against Estonia, one might even be enough1 the team seemed lifted by the goal. Five minutes later, Sol scored from a corner, giving them the two goal cushion they squandered against russia. The twenty Eigth minute saw Lampard score the third. game, set and match.

Looking for more goals to boost confidence, England kept probing, while Estonia threw everything forward to get back into the game. However, half time came without any shift in the game's balance. 3-0 England.
The second half started terribly, with Estonia snatching a goal within 45 seconds. Englands fans looked like they'd seen it all before.

With 25 minutes to go, England brought beckham on up front for the booked Sol Campbell. Moments later, Estonia snatched a second. 3-2, qualification on the line.

In an attempt to control the game, England took the game to Estonia, shutting them in their own area for long periods, resulting in an 87th minute goal for Owen. 4-2, game over. England are still in with a chance...

All England need now is to win their final two games, while hoping both Isreal and russia drop points. Not much to ask, is it?

retired_kjcurnyn

Moscow Mule

Once again, England need a win. Who will be their Moscow Mule, carrying them through?

A suspended Terry is dropped for Glen johnson, but other than that we keep the same team that won against Estonia.

59 seconds in, England are 1-0 down. Is the dream over? 11 minutes later, a second russian goal confirms that it is. A third follows moments later, prompting an English reshuffle. Beckham come son up from, Micah richards takes Ferdinand's left wing spot, while glen Johnson makes way leaving a 3 man midfield. Can a 4-3-3 claw it's way back?


27 minutes in, russia go 4-0 up. England's campaign ends in utter humiliation.

Russia stormed ahead to a 6-0 lead, before Beckham scrambled in a consalation goal just before the interval.

The second half went better for England, ending 0-0.

England need a win. England lose 6-1. Typical.

retired_kjcurnyn

End Days

Croatia at Wembley. Well, what did you expect? A 2-2 draw with sol Capmbell sent off? Yikes. The toughest game and they came out okay.

So, England finish 4th with 19 points... 5 points in 5 games with everyone out of position. I can't help feeling that if i'd left the keeper out of the challenge, we may have qualified.

Somehow, however, I've kept my job.

So, guys... It;s over to you. Can anyone do better? Can anyone actually manage to complete even the Euro part of the challenge? Or even qualify?