@PDG1978 How many games in the group stage for us to use 16 players? 4 games in the KO stage, for us to then use the full 23, right?
3 games in the group stage. 4 games in the KO stage yes for those that get to the end, but if you have used certain players in the group stage they don't have to play in the KO stage necessarily (just all 23 have to have played in the tournament as a whole if your team gets to the final game, or the 3rd place play-off - if it plays 7 games basically).
Has the drafting begun? I just realised a nice twist as well is that your Spanish team poetgooner will be playing the bigman's British Isles team in the first group game!
The French draft is well underway! Picking subs now. I’ve drafted your alltime cult hero... the fantastic David Ginola. Wanted to give him a chance to shine on the biggest stage. On his day he can turn any fullback inside out.
Interesting - thanks for the update. thebigman must be very busy in simultaneous drafts! As it seems to be going well I'll just leave you all to announce the finalised squads then when you get to 23 players each. Ginola isn't my cult hero lol, but yes very skilled player and entertaining certainly! Cool that he finally gets an International reprieve!
Just to confirm: can you all just announce the full squads, not specifying either first choice XI or chosen XI for the opening game.... Thanks.
….Roland Nilsson, slightly alarmed by the comment, checks the draw to see how likely it might be that he'll be playing France-A! Not that he is guaranteed to be picked if such a game does occur at any stage.
Great, thanks. Do you want to choose a Rest of SA team (A, B, or C) or let the randomiser pick one for you?
No he was happy to be 4th choice, to be able to play in such a great tournament (but may or may not have accepted a bribe to not dispute this official line). 4th choice striker when the manager only picks 3 strikers isn't so good though! Being serious for a minute, maybe having Litmanen, M.Laudrup etc to to be able to play as AMs or support forwards, meant his ability to perform a supporting function in attack wasn't so needed in the squad. Nordahl provides the target man, Elkjaer the speed merchant, and Larsson a bit of both.
Ok, Rest of South America-B it is! Not that it changes your immediate plans, as they are still just to compile the Uruguay squad. We will wait and see who else will be drafting 'Rest of South America' players although maybe it's not impossible you will take another Rest of South America squad yourself when we start to take our 3rd and 4th teams.
France A 23-man squad (Manager: La-Máquina) 1 Fabian BARTHEZ 2 Manuel AMOROS 3 Maxime BOSSIS 4 Didier DESCHAMPS 5 Lilian THURAM 6 Marcel DESAILLY 7 Raymond KOPA 8 Jean TIGANA 9 Just FONTAINE 10 Michel PLATINI 11 Franck RIBERY 12 Joel BATS 13 Patrick BATTISTON 14 Patrice EVRA 15 Luis FERNANDEZ 16 Robert JONQUET 17 Marius TRESOR 18 David GINOLA 19 Paul POGBA 20 David TREZEGUET 21 Alain GIRESSE 22 Eric CANTONA 23 Jocelyn ANGLOMA
My squad allows me two midfield options: The modern balanced 4-2-3-1 midfield; Tigana (box to box) alongside Deschamps (defensive mid). Platini performing as my advanced playmaker in the #10 role. Kopa (inside forward) on the right and Ribery (inverted winger) on the left wing. ---------------------------Jean TIGANA------- Didier DESCHAMPS ———-Raymond KOPA———Michel PLATINI—————-Franck RIBERY My alternate option is to use the tried and tested Magic Square (of France ‘84) with two forwards up front. --------------------------------------Luis FERNANDEZ ------------------Jean TIGANA --------------------------------------------------------Alain GIRESSE -------------------------------Michel PLATINI
England A George Best Ryan Giggs Kenny Dalglish Jimmy Greaves Ashley Cole Sol Campbell Phil Neal Alan Hansen Paul Scholes David Seaman Graeme Souness Paul Gascoigne Duncan Edwards Gareth Bale Pat Jennings John Charles David Beckham Rio Ferdinand Wayne Rooney Stuart Pierce Gary Neville Glenn Hoggle Gary Lineker
France B Zidane Henry Blanc Vieira Rocheteau Lizarazu Makelele Sagnol Pires Varane Lloris Papin Kante Djorkaeff Giuly Petit Abidal Gallas Leboeuf Sagna Coupet Six matuidi
British Isles B: Bobby Moore Bobby Charlton Sir Tom Finney Sir Stanley Matthews Roy Keane Danny McGrain Tony Adams Denis Law Gordon Banks Steven Gerrard Eddie Hapgood Frank Lampard Dave Mackay John Terry Dixie Dean Bryan Robson Alan Shearer Danny Blanchflower Billy Wright Billy Bremner Peter Shilton Jimmy Armfield Kenny Sansom
I think a "B" team from Spain that could not be inferior to France "B", nor to Holland "B" and, probably, would not be worse than Brazil "C".
Hmm, interesting thought mate: maybe I don't tend to agree but I respect the viewpoint for sure! It is getting to be a more understandable opinion during this new century than it would have been at the end of the last century probably anyway. I would say a British Isles C would be better than Argentina B, Germany B, Hungary.....actually no I'm lying lol I wouldn't really. It would be pretty decent still though I think to be fair. I think you are in discussions to take Italy A anyway mate, according to my sources (which happen to be yourself via PM!)?
You're welcomed to throw names my way. I'm doing the only Spain team, and I'm struggling for the wide areas. Tiki-Taka is obviously the way to go, but it needs pace and penetration from out wide. Spain doesn't have too much of those, but it has too much talent down the middle lol.