Name: James Melia
Nickname: "Jimmy"
Country:
EnglandClub: Liverpool F.C.
Position: *AMF, CMF, SS
Side: RF/BS
Age: 21-26 years (01/11/1937)
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 65 kg
Attack: 81
Defence: 53
Balance: 74
Stamina: 85
Top Speed: 80
Acceleration: 76
Response: 77
Agility: 76
Dribble Accuracy: 81
Dribble Speed: 73
Short Pass Accuracy: 85
Short Pass Speed: 78
Long Pass Accuracy: 83
Long Pass Speed: 78
Shot Accuracy: 80
Shot Power: 81
Shot Technique: 80
Free Kick Accuracy: 65
Curling: 71
Header: 66
Jump: 69
Technique: 84
Aggression: 82
Mentality: 83
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 87
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 6
Weak Foot Frequency: 6
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Early/Peak
CARDS:
P15 - Free Roaming
S02 - Passer
S05 - 1-touch Play
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Tactical Dribble - Passing - 1-touch Play
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Attack Minded
INFO:
Melia is a former inside left or central midfielder. He spent the majority of his career at Liverpool, where he made 286 appearances from 1955 to 1964, scoring 79 goals. After a half season at Wolverhampton, he had good seasons at Southampton from 1964 to 1968 and Aldershot from 1968 to 1972. He retired in May 1972 after a few months at Crewe Alexandra. He capped for England twice in 1963, scoring once.
Playing in a deep-lying position, Melia was tireless, hardworking, scheming. The orchestrator of Liverpool's attacks, he was regarded as one of the most tactically intelligent forwards in the game. He possessed outstanding vision that allowed him to create magic in the midfield with square passes and through balls. He likely was one of the first players to use the pass that split the defences. As he was short in size, when challenging an opponent one-on-one, he preferred using arts and crafts of the game, trying to overcome the defender near the touchline by taking advantage of his skill, although he wasn't notably quick in turning nor in short distances. Not only he was an amazing passer with either foot, but he combined superb skills and excellent ball control with good positional sense and fine shooting power, especially when he was deployed in an advanced position. Understandably, his eye for goal wasn't as good when he was moved back into midfield.
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