World Soccer Draft Group Stage Starting Lineups Thread

[argentine soccer fan]

This thread is for the teams that advanced to post the most common starting lineup and formation that you used during the group stage. You can post other variations you used, if you want.

Just for fun, I'd like to see the lineups of teams that were eliminated as well, if they're willing to post them.

[argentine soccer fan]

Ok, I'll start. Here is the lineup and formation I used most:

....................Frey
...........Terry.........Alex
Lahm..........................Clichy
...............Yaya Toure
..Camoranesi.........Borowski
...............Riquelme
..........Lisandro....Yakubu

Subs: Vidal, Santacroce, Meireles, Veron, Lavezzi.

[The_ChelseaSupporter]

Torossi drew up some complicated formations that we ended up using (cba to remember what they were) but here's the one I liked the best:

Casillas
Maicon-Lucio-Gamberini-Heinze
Makelele
Arteta-Xabi Alonso-Modric
Villa
Benzema

Subs: Yobo, Srna, Capdevila, Miguel Veloso, Martins

[cr7torossi]

Well, our default formation was this a 4-2-3-1 with 2 holding mids, that's why I am surprised how we ended up losing both games 3-2.

---------------------Casillas
Maicon------Gamberini----Lucio-----Capdevila
------------------Veloso----Makelele
Arteta---------------Modric
----------------------------------------Benzema
------------------------Villa

[Wonderwall952]

The line-up changed for each match but here's the general formation-

--------------------Cech-----------------

Rafinha-----Marquez-----Cordoba-----Bridge

Moutinho---Tymoschuk---Sissoko-----J. Cole

------------Pogrebnyak---Torres-----------

[The_ChelseaSupporter]

Well, our default formation was this a 4-2-3-1 with 2 holding mids, that's why I am surprised how we ended up losing both games 3-2.

---------------------Casillas
Maicon------Gamberini----Lucio-----Capdevila
------------------Veloso----Makelele
Arteta---------------Modric
----------------------------------------Benzema
------------------------Villa

Yeah that was probably our best formation.

[johno]

Different formation and line up every for every match.

Against CR7toRossi, our closest game we lined up like so...


-------------------------------------Drogba
Ronaldinho-----------------------LGF--------------------------Maxi
-----------------------------Gago----------Essien(c)
Grosso--------------------------------------------------------------Fucile
------------------------ Gallas -------------Campbell
----------------------------------Pletikosa

[SirManchester]

Ok, I'll start. Here is the lineup and formation I used most:

....................Frey
...........Terry.........Alex
Lahm..........................Clichy
...............Yaya Toure
..Camoranesi.........Borowski
...............Riquelme
..........Lisandro....Yakubu

Subs: Vidal, Santacroce, Meireles, Veron, Lavezzi.

Just like we predicted. ;)

[nirvaanfc]

.........................................Amelia
...........................Richards............Cannavaro
Sergio Ramos.....................Ambrosini................Chiellini
................Aquilani........Fabregas...................................Quaresma
.......................................Del Piero
...........................................................Henry

Subs: - Maxwell, Bodmer, Joaquin, Pato, Iaquinta

Lineups were tweaked for each game but generally was this lineup.

[comme]

We generally played:

---------------Reina

-Bosingwa--Albiol--Woodgate--Evra

------Toulalan--Pirlo--Lampard

Stankovic---------------------Young

--------------Berbatov

[frasermc]

This was roughly our general formation -

http://www.this11.com/ui/20086161043143.jpg

[Sweetness]

Versus Peru FC
My line-up
---------------------------James
-------------Ferdinand-----------Carragher
Hutton-------------------------------------------Barry
---------------------Xavi----------Poulsen
----------------------------Hleb
Quagliarella--------------------------------------Mutu
--------------------------Fabiano

Versus Jpick & frasermc
My line-up
---------------------------James
-------------Ferdinand-----------Carragher
Hutton-------------------------------------------Adriano
---------------------Poulsen---Barry
----------------------------Xavi
Hleb-------------------------------------------------Mutu
--------------------------Fabiano



Versus Wonderwall
My line-up
---------------------------James
-------------Ferdinand-----------Carragher
Hutton-------------------------------------------Adriano
---------------------Xavi----------Poulsen
----------------------------Hleb
Quagliarella--------------------------------------Mutu
--------------------------Fabiano

[Dr.Phil]

Our defult formation
---------------Howard---------------------
Sagna----Vidic----Kompany----Jansen
-------------Mascherano------------------
-----------------Guti-----------------------
Mancini----------------------------Ribery
----------Raul(C)----Trezeguet----------

[Perú FC]

As an eliminated team, these were my tactics:

Group B

- Perú FC
- Wonderwall952
- Sweetness
- jpick & frasermc

First match against Wonderwall952

I think his team is basically conformed by flexible and fast players, so I’ll try to impose me with a solid and flexible defensive system and a fast offensive that respond of the same form.
I think he will present the following starting line-up (4-5-1):

-------------------------- Petr Cech ---------------------------
-------- Rafael Márquez ----– Iván Córdoba ----------
-- Rafinha -----------------------------– Wayne Bridge -
-------- Seydou Keita --– Mohamed Sissoko -------
- Andrei Arshavin -- David Silva ---–- Joe Cole --
--------------------- Fernando Torres ----------------------

Or this other (3-5-2):

---------------------------- Petr Cech ---------------------------
- Mladen Krstajic – Rafael Márquez – Iván Córdoba -
----------- Seydou Keita --– Mohamed Sissoko ----------
- Andrei Arshavin ---- David Silva ---–--- Joe Cole -----
--------- Pavel Pogrebnyak ---- Fernando Torres --------

Maybe with a pair of different players I expect, but I think in these same systems and with the same functions. So, the team I’m going to present against him is (4-3-3):

---------------------------- Gianluigi Buffon ----------------------------
------------------- Kolo Touré -----– Gabriel Milito ------------------
---- Miguel -----------------------------------– Claudio Morel Rodríguez
------------------ Patrick Vieira ---– Sulley Muntari -----------------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
- Robin van Persie –--------------------------------- Ánderson -----
----------------------------- Samuel Eto’o -------------------------------

Captain: Steven Gerrard
Right-side corners: Robin van Persie
Left-side corners: Steven Gerrard
Foul kicks: Robin van Persie and Steven Gerrard
Penalty kicks: Steven Gerrard

First, I trust completely in the leadership of Buffon to control the defense, Touré and Milito, both are solid and fast defenders that I think they’ll can controlling any fast advance of Torres, maybe any of David Silva if he surpass the coverage in the midfield. Miguel is going to comply a more defensive work than an offensive covering any advance of the talented Joe Cole, or maybe the velocity of Ryan Babel if he decided to put in, and I think Morel Rodríguez is the more suitable player to stop any backslider of the small Arshavin and a great support to the cover to Milito.

I’m going to aligning the pair of central midfielders Vieira and Muntari, I believe they’re going to provide me the security and necessary solidity to cover and bothering to his offensive midfielders, and especially, they’ll give the liberty to my captain, Steven Gerrard, to move freely for all the midfield doing too difficult to Keita and Sissoko to cover him, distributing in the midfield, accompanying in some opportunity behind Eto’o, and ever attentive to the possibility of any volley or a space to his powerful long shot.

As I drew, I think he has the option to play with 4 or 3 defenders, and if he put the line of four as I presume, I think van Persie will find the perfect setting to advance with diagonals or surpassing with velocity to Bridge, and Ánderson would have enough space to unbalancing with his talent against Rafinha who are more offensive than defensive fullback. If he will present a line of 3, I think Ánderson could surpass with his ability to Krstajic, a strong but slow defense, and van Persie would be a more winger player to open the defense. Eto’o is my hot card for the goal, I think he’s the best forward of the world for his aggressiveness and velocity and would be a great challenge to Márquez and Córdoba.

If I was in disadvantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my attack, I’d put in Roque Santa Cruz for Ánderson, and I’d do this type of offensive formation:

---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
- Robin van Persie –- Roque Santa Cruz -- Samuel Eto’o ----

With the possibility to replace van Persie for Forlán and Muntari for Zé Roberto (in the same position but with more liberty to accompanying to Gerrard in the offensive).

If I was in advantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my defense and possession of ball, I’d put in Hamit Altintop for Ánderson to complete a line of three midfielders like this:

------ Hamit Altintop ---- Patrick Vieira -- Sulley Muntari ------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
---------- Robin van Persie –-------- Samuel Eto’o ----------------

Second match against Sweetness

I think he definitely drafted players to play with 2 wingers, maybe with a midfield with good touch but perhaps limited to change his function without enough midfielders and more than necessary forwards.
I think he will present the following starting line-up (4-3-3):

---------------------------- David James ----------------------------
------------ Jamie Carragher --– Rio Ferdinand ---------------
-- Alan Hutton ---------------------------------– Gareth Barry --
------------------------- Christian Poulsen -------------------------
------------ Aliaksandr Hleb –---------- Xavi ----------------------
- Fabio Quagliarella –---------------------------- Adrian Mutu -
---------------------------- Luis Fabiano ----------------------------

So, the team I’m going to present him is (4-4-2):

---------------------------- Gianluigi Buffon ----------------------------
------------------- Kolo Touré -----– Gabriel Milito ------------------
---- Miguel --------------------------------------– John Arne Riise --
----------------- Patrick Vieira ---– Steven Gerrard ----------------
-- Hamit Altintop –------------------------------------ Zé Roberto ---
-------------- Roque Santa Cruz ----- Samuel Eto’o ---------------

Captain: Steven Gerrard
Right-side corners: Hamit Altintop
Left-side corners: Zé Roberto
Foul kicks: Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise
Penalty kicks: Steven Gerrard

I believe I could take the possession of the ball on the midfield over Xavi and Hleb with this formation and that strategy would be enough to break his team leaving without provision to his attack. Miguel is going to take the coverage of Mutu (or Capel if he decides to put him in), and Riise have to be quite attentive in the defensive for Quagliarella, Hleb, Bentley or Palacio, the variety of footballers that could attack for the right wing. Also Riise is going to help with the air balls to Milito and Touré.

Vieira and Gerrard are going to be my pair of centre midfielders, Gerrard with the liberty to go the attack; I hope he can connect him with Vieira so well as with Mascherano in Liverpool. Zé Roberto is going to comply a multifunctional role, he could cover the space of Gerrard when he go forward doing couple with Vieira, or he can advance for the wing to face and surpass to Hutton with his ability and velocity. Altintop is aligning to assure me possession of ball. Both of them, Altintop and Zé Roberto, adding the frontal balls on attack of Gerrard, are going to try to take advantange of the velocity of Eto’o and the air play of Santa Cruz to collide with Carragher and Ferdinand, waiting for any mistake.

If I was in disadvantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my attack, or maybe change pieces, I’d put in Diego Forlán for Santa Cruz to give more mobility to my attack and also van Persie for Altintop to exploiting the left side of Barry (or the win the back of Adriano if he put him in) like this:

----------------- Patrick Vieira ---– Steven Gerrard ----------------
-- Robin van Persie –------------------------------- Zé Roberto ---
----------------- Diego Forlán ----- Samuel Eto’o ------------------

With the possibility to replace Zé Roberto for Ánderson.

If I was in advantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my defense and possession of ball, I’d put in Claudio Morel Rodríguez for Riise, Muntari for Zé Roberto and van Persie for Santa Cruz to play to the counterattack like this:

------------------- Kolo Touré -----– Gabriel Milito ------------------
---- Miguel --------------------------------------– Claudio Morel Rodríguez
------- Hamit Altintop --- Patrick Vieira -– Sulley Muntari ------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
------- Robin van Persie ---------------- Samuel Eto’o ------------

Third match against jpick & frasermc

I think their team has very good players to the attack: midfielders, wingers, fullbacks; but has a very weak point in their defensive midfield with only Rolfes to do the task, so I’ll try to impose me opening the midfield to move in these spaces and putting wingers who maintain very busy to Dani Álves and Vargas to they won’t can go to the attack.
I think he will present the following starting line-up (4-3-3):

---------------------------- Manuel Neuer ----------------------------
------------- Per Mertesacker ----------– Juan --------------------
-- Dani Álves -----------------------------------– Juan Vargas --
--------------------------- Simon Rolfes ----------------------------
----- Juninho Pernambucano –---- Andrés Iniesta ----------
- Antonio Di Natale –---------------------------------- Robinho -
--------------------------- Miroslav Klose ---------------------------

Or (4-4-2):

---------------------------- Manuel Neuer ----------------------------
--------------- Per Mertesacker ------– Juan ----------------------
-- Dani Álves ------------------------------------– Juan Vargas --
----------------------------- Simon Rolfes ----------------------------
-- Andrés Iniesta - Juninho Pernambucano ---- Robinho --
------------- Miroslav Klose -------- Antonio Di Natale ---------

So, the team I’m going to present against them is (4-3-3):

---------------------------- Gianluigi Buffon ----------------------------
------------------- Kolo Touré -----– Gabriel Milito ------------------
---- Miguel --------------------------------------– Claudio Morel Rodríguez
------------------ Patrick Vieira -----– Zé Roberto ------------------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
- Robin van Persie –--------------------------------- Ánderson -----
----------------------------- Samuel Eto’o -------------------------------

Captain: Steven Gerrard
Right-side corners: Robin van Persie
Left-side corners: Zé Roberto
Foul kicks: Steven Gerrard and Robin van Persie
Penalty kicks: Steven Gerrard

Very similar to the team I presented against of Wonderwall952, with the difference of the inclusion of Zé Roberto for Muntari. The Brazilian has to comply with doing a solid defensive midfield accompanying to Vieira, but also going to the attack accompanying to Gerrard to surpass constantly the cover of Rolfes when I’ll have the ball.

Ánderson and van Persie are going to be the first stops to Dani Álves and Vargas, trying to block their advances or exploiting the spaces when one of them or both will be advanced. Miguel and Morel Rodríguez are going to have to maintain their defensive position to contain their attacks by wings (if he put Robinho and Di Natale or McGeady and Thiago Neves in that position) and fullbacks.

If I was in disadvantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my attack, I’d put in Roque Santa Cruz for Ánderson and John Arne Riise for Claudio Morel Rodríguez, and I’d do this type of formation:

---- Miguel ---------------------------------------– John Arne Riise -
------------------ Patrick Vieira -----– Zé Roberto ------------------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
- Robin van Persie –------------------------------- Samuel Eto’o --
-------------------------- Roque Santa Cruz ---------------------------

Trying to taking advantage that I think Neuer is not too sure with long shots testing him constantly with Gerrard, van Persie and Riise, and with the possibility that if I turn the disadvantage, put in Muntari for Zé Roberto and Hamit Altintop for van Persie.

If I was in advantage and needed to enlarge the volume of my defense and possession of ball, I’d put in Hamit Altintop for Ánderson to complete a line of three midfielders like this:

------ Hamit Altintop ---- Patrick Vieira --–- Zé Roberto -------
---------------------------- Steven Gerrard -----------------------------
---------- Robin van Persie –-------- Samuel Eto’o ----------------

With the possibility to put in Muntari for Zé Roberto and Forlán (if I needed mobility) or Santa Cruz (if I needed forces to collide with Mertesacker and Juan) for van Persie.

[johno]

I thought all the teams that advanced were supposed to post in here? We've got at least one team missing.

[Sweetness]

My line-up against Nirvaanfc


---------------------------James
-------------Ferdinand-----------Carragher
Hutton-------------------------------------------Barry
---------------------Xavi----------Poulsen
----------------------------Hleb
Quagliarella--------------------------------------Mutu
--------------------------Fabiano

[SirManchester]

We generally played

-------------------Toni
-------------Kaka
Krancjar---------------------Park
------------Flamini--Ballack

A.Cole-Demichelis-Nesta-Sagnol
--------------van der Sar

:) Sorry for the trouble everyone.

[clinton morrison]

yakubu has to be picked...lethal finisher!

[argentine soccer fan]

yakubu has to be picked...lethal finisher!

I drafted Yakubu.