Before starting to post the Round of 16 line-ups (starting sometime later today and continuing tomorrow), I'll first show the final standings for each group (for reference the tally of scorers, assisters and Man of the Match awards is being updated on the discussion thread, as everyone taking part is aware of I think). * pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Final Group 1 standings: 1# Benelux-A (7 pts, 6 GF, 4 GA) 2# Argentina-B (7 pts, 6 GF, 4 GA) 3 Uruguay (3pts, 4 GF, 5 GA) 4 Poland (0 pts, 3 GF, 6 GA) # Benelux-A won the 6-a-side Play-Off for 1st place in this group. Final Group 2 standings: 1 Italy-B (7 pts, 5 GF, 3 GA) 2 Rest of South America-A (4 pts, 4 GF, 4 GA) 3# France-B (2 pts, 5 GF, 6 GA) 4# Hungary (2 pts, 5 GF, 6 GA) # The tie for 3rd place was resolved by France-B's point obtained vs group winners Italy-B. Final Group 3 standings: 1 British Isles-A (7 pts, 6 GF, 2 GA) 2 Spain (7 pts, 7 GF, 4 GA) 3 Yugoslavia (3 pts, 3 GF, 3 GA) 4 Rest of the World (0 pts, 1 GF, 8 GA) Final Group 4 standings: 1 Argentina-A (7 pts, 8 GF, 4 GA) 2 Benelux-B (7 pts, 6 GF, 3 GA) 3 Bulgaria-Romania (3 pts, 5 GF, 6 GA) 4 Italy Reserves (0 pts, 1 GF, 7 GA) Final Group 5 standings: 1 British Isles-B (7 pts, 6 GF, 3 GA) 2 Portugal (7 pts, 6 GF, 4 GA) 3 Austria (1 pt, 4 GF, 6 GA) 4 Africa (1 pt, 3 GF, 6 GA) Final Group 6 standings: 1 Germany-B (7 pts, 7 GF, 3 GA) 2 Brazil-A (7 pts, 6 GF, 3 GA) 3 Soviet Union (3 pts, 3 GF, 4 GA) 4 Spain Reserves (0 pts, 0 GF, 6 GA) Final Group 7 standings: 1 Germany-A (7 pts, 6 GF, 3 GA) 2 Italy-A (7 pts, 5 GF, 2 GA) 3 Fennoscandia (3 pts, 5 GF, 6 GA) 4 Brazil Reserves (0 pts, 3 GF, 8 GA) Final Group 8 standings: 1 Brazil-B (7 pts, 8 GF, 3 GA) 2 France-A (7 pts, 7 GF, 4 GA) 3 Czechoslovakia (3 pts, 3 GF, 5 GA) 4 Rest of South America-B (0 pts, 1 GF, 7 GA)
Round of 16 Game 1 - announcement of line-ups Benelux-A vs Rest of South America-A Benelux line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Van Nistelrooy for Rep ("Van Nistelrooy joins the forward line as a #9. Ruud Gullit performs as a complete inside right forward, with Gerets overlapping on the right flank. Cruyff now performs in a free-role from midfield, supported by the steel and covering of Davids and Rijkaard.") After 70 minutes - Overmars for Davids (Gullit rejoins Cruyff and Rijkaard in midfield, and Overmars plays as right winger aiming to get in behind the defence) South American line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Erico for Alexis Sanchez (to play as CF, with Spencer at right wing) After 70 minutes - James for Joya (to become a 4th midfielder, and 2nd attacking midfielder, leaving two strikers ahead - Spencer and Erico)
Round of 16 Game 6 - announcement of line-ups Germany-B vs Portugal German line-up: Sub to be used: After 70 minutes - Littbarski for Schuster Portugal line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Sousa for Germano After 70 minutes - Deco for Rui Costa
Round of 16 Game 7 - announcement of line-ups Germany-A vs France-A German line-up: Sub to be used: After 70 minutes - Heynckes for Seeler French line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Fernandez for Deschamps (to give more direct vertical balls and drives from deep) After 70 minutes - Trezeguet for Ribery (the formation becomes 4-2-2-2 magic square with Kopa and Platini in the advanced midfield positions behind Trezeguet and Fontaine)
Round of 16 Game 8 - announcement of line-ups Brazil-B vs Italy-A Brazilian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Ronaldinho for Falcao (Cerezo plays in a pair with Mauro Silva, with Ronaldinho as left attacking midfielder, and Zico as right attacking midfielder) After 70 minutes - Alves for Djalma Santos Italian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Pirlo for Baggio (to play from deeper, with less forward movement than Baggio while "Causio moves somewhat to the right, Riva towards the center and the left wing is free for some incursions by Valentino Mazzola") After 70 minutes - Ferrara for Nesta
Round of 16 Game 3 - announcement of line-ups British Isles-A vs Benelux-B British Isles line-up: Sub to be used: After 70 minutes - Bale for Giggs (aiming to "stretch the opposition") Manager comments: Benelux line-up: Tactical details contained within either a rousing team talk or a propaganda piece, located in the dressing room: ".... need a highly athletic and physical backline against the British. ......wanted the team to adhere to Total Football. When one wingback attacks, the other defend. Both central midfielders are very well-rounded so when one drops deep, the other pushes forward. When one of the inside forwards carry the ball forward, the one other make runs into the box. Bergkamp can feed van Basten, or if van Basten roams to create chaos, Bergkamp can just as easily push forward into the box. ....always flowing and moving, but also maintaining their shape, covering for each other, as I utilize the well-rounded nature of the players to the fullest extent."
Round of 16 Game 4 - announcement of line-ups Argentina-A vs Spain Argentina line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Bochini for Orsi (taking Maradona's '#10' role, if not his actual #10 shirt, while Maradona moves to play as left winger) After 70 minutes - Gatti for Carrizo Spanish line-up: Tactical details (for clarification the 'propaganda' is removed pretty much from all line-ups throughout the group stage too, not only from poet's Round of 16 submissions....but is welcome on the discussion thread for pre-match banter in theory!) contained on paper in dressing room: "....focus on playing Tiki Taka. ....don't let them get near the ball"
Round of 16 Game 5 - announcement of line-ups British Isles-B vs Brazil-A British Isles line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Dean on for Law After 70 minutes - Gerrard on for Charlton Tactical details: "Keane is placed as left defensive midfielder, to be able to move wide and help to shut down Garrincha. Mackay aims to be positioned to shut down a playmaker type from the left. Charlton will look to drop back to mark a left-over midfielder, when Keane or Mackay are pulled wide. NOTE - I'm inserting this whole paragraph without amendment or propaganda removal, because I don't want to be upsetting poetgooner while also not wanting to do too much editing and it's better explained in his words alone I think: "The reason we can afford to move the midfielders around to shut down the wide threat rather than go 3v3 in central midfield is that we will leave their deepest midfielder alone. If it's a pure DM, then he poses no threat when we funnel the ball to him, as his skills are limited. If it's a deep playmaker, he still poses little threat as we play a deep-line, and our defenders are superior in the air so any long ball from him will be dealt with comfortably. As long as we keep our defensive block deep and disciplined, and we outnumber them in the back for Moore to be free to sweep behind and shut down any danger, their balls played from deep will pose no threat to us" "Charlton will also try to support the attack and connect with Law. After 70 minutes he will be tired so Gerrard will take the role and look to take advantage of Brazil's own tiredness" "Look for crossing to be regularly used as a key threat, getting Matthews and Finney in behind the wing-backs" Brazilian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Carlos Alberto for Cafu ("to offer an additional attacking threat trying to overload tired opposition") After 70 minutes - Rivelino for Tostao (to play left wing while Pele moves into the main central forward role - "4-2-3-1 to control the last 20 minutes") Manager comments:
Round of 16 Game 2 - announcement of line-ups Italy-B vs Argentina-B Italian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Totti for Del Piero After 70 minutes - Bonucci for Cannavaro Argentina line-up: Sub to be used: After 70 minutes - Veron for Moreno Tactical details: "Try to take advantage of spaces in wide areas by out-numbering full-backs 2 to 1" "Loustau will aim to feed Kempes crosses in the air" "Moreno to contribute offensively but also helping the DMs, and Veron to do the same"
Ok, that is all the games. All participants are free to send votes for all games now. If you vote for draws after 90 minutes in any games, can you also send details of how you'd see extra-time (and maybe even penalties) going? Thanks.
They told me that in the bookmakers those who bet on Benelux A, Rest of South America and Portugal have won enough money
Several people attempted to win money on the betting exchanges unsuccessfully, with speculative bets on final day qualifications for the likes of France-B, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union, as well as more than 4 goals in the Austria-Africa game, and France-A topping group 8! Only a few of them who decided to lay the bets on France-B and the Soviet Union once the odds had temporarily fallen very slightly were able to win a bit of money, but otherwise the ones accepting the bets took all the cash from them!