Preview – Atletico Baleares

By: Tom B | June 8th, 2009

In anticipation of the Atletico Baleares match, I thought I should cast a cursory glance over their 1-0 win over Gava. This shed some light on the situation. The goal was scored by their right sided midfielder, Ocana, but that was about the only influence their wingers had in the game. All their play was through the middle, and to further this, they seemed very vulnerable on the counter and especially down the flanks. This hails one thing – I need to use my wings so it is time to go back to the lopsided formation, in a weird 3-4-3.

Jordi Gonzales, my outcast right winger is to play in a right flanker role, getting wide, getting forwards and crossing in often. My fit again 2nd choice left back David Gonzalez (See below) (a 2nd choice left back is about 1000 times better than a 4th choice one) will play as a wing back getting forwards as well to expoit his pace of 14 and crossing of 13. Manuel (II) will be a stay at home right back, as I’ll have to switch to 2 centre backs to accomodate a more attacking intent.

I’ll be playing my Attack, Neutral, Defensive midfield trio, with last game’s goalscorer Vazquez Garcia, the mediocre Hector and lynchpin Nieto in these respective roles.

Given I’ll be whipping these balls in, it’s time to give lanky target man Alfonso his first start of the campaign, although he has strength of merely 6 (and being 6′1″ that’s not great strength), his heading 16 and pace 13 might see him lose his man and nick in a header. I also think he’s a little bit of a split personality, because despite having creativity of only 3, he has flair of 19. I’ll play Garcia Ruiz as a striker on the shoulder of the last man, in order that he might run onto any flicked on headers (remembering that his pace is his only redeeming feature).

Team wise, I’ll switch to play down both flanks and Alfonso as a target man, with the crosses of the wingers aimed at said target man.

In the press conference, I think I was staying pretty cool, undermining relegation rivals, giving their danger man the credit he was due, before saying Manuel (I) would bury him. Manuel (I) was very happy with this. Our relationship (myself and journalist Javier Garcia Ruiz) is enthusiastic, but indifferent. I think the enthusiasim stems from the fact that his brother or cousin or nephew etc. Carlos Garcia Ruiz getting game time. Damn nepotistic Ibizans.

Player Profile – Fit again left back/left wing back/left midfielder David Gonzalez

As you can see, he has a lot going forwards (crossing 13, pace 14, acceleration 15, flair 14), however he doesn’t have lot going back the other way (tackling 6, marking 6, positioning 7). This will be a key battle in the game, if we can impose ourselves he has the engine to dominate up the left flank all day, if not, we’re in some serious strife as he’ll be overwhelmed. I figure it’s best to let him play to his strengths though, as this is the way he’s most likely to influence the game.