Week 2 Fixtures Group 1: Benelux-A vs Poland Argentina-B vs Uruguay Group 2: Hungary vs Rest of South America-A France-B vs Italy-B Group 3: Yugoslavia vs British Isles-A Rest of the World vs Spain Group 4: Italy Reserves vs Benelux-B Bulgaria-Romania vs Argentina-A Group 5: Austria vs Portugal British Isles-B vs Africa Group 6: Soviet Union vs Spain Reserves Germany-B vs Brazil-A Group 7: Germany-A vs Brazil Reserves Fennoscandia vs Italy-A Group 8: Czechoslovakia vs France-A Rest of South America-B vs Brazil-B Deadline for submitting line-ups: Tuesday 6th August Period for sending votes (after I post all the line-ups in this thread): Wednesday 7th August to Friday 9th August
Group 2 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Hungary vs Rest of South America-A Hungary line-up: PDG1978 said: ↑ Hungary line-up for Group Stage game 2 vs Rest of South America-A Subs to be used: After half-time - Albert for Hidegkuti (moving Sarosi back into midfield) After 70 minutes - Puskas for Czibor So after half-time Sarosi joins Bozsik in the midfield, a la the set-up in week 1, while Albert roams between the midfield and Tichy. After the final change the overall set-up is even a bit more similar to how things were at the end of the week 1 game, with Puskas high up on the left and cutting inside towards goal, and Bene operating in the inside and outside right areas. Rest of South America line-up: Sub to be used: After half-time - Zamorano for Erico Manager tactics/instructions:
Group 2 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups France-B vs Italy-B French line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Gallas for Leboeuf After 70 minutes - Six for Djorkaeff After the final change Six operates from the left wing, and Henry moves in behind Papin, leaving Zidane as the main central attacking midfield playmaker. Manager comments: Italian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Vialli for Piola After 70 minutes - Burgnich for Bergomi The manager instructs his forward line to impose itself on the French defence, and anticipating some of the French selections, instructs Tardelli to carry out important marking work on Zidane, and the defence to make sure Henry doesn't have things easy.
Group 7 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Germany-A vs Brazil Reserves German line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Heynckes for Rahn After 70 minutes - Szepan for Netzer Brazilian Reserves line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Careca for Edmundo After 70 minutes - Oscar for Clodoaldo Manager's tactical comments:
Group 7 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Fennoscandia vs Italy-A Fennoscandia line-up: PDG1978 said: ↑ Fennoscandia line-up for group stage game 2 vs Italy-A Subs to be used: After half-time - Nordahl for Larsson After 70 minutes - Gren for Thern Italian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Zola for Valentino Mazzola After 70 minutes - Bettega for Pirlo When Zola enters, Pirlo takes a step forward into more of an attacking role leaving Benetti as DM, while Baggio advances to play as a support striker or 'half point'. For the final 20 minutes the system becomes a 4-3-3 without pure wingers, with Bettega joining the attack to play as a forward with Baggio and Rossi.
Group 6 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Soviet Union vs Spain Reserves Soviet line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Voinov for Voronin ("more ball distribution and control") After 70 minutes - Chivadze for Kuznetsov (Chivadze to libero and Shesternyov now more of a stopper) Spanish reserves line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Gorostiza for Gainza After 70 minutes - Zubieta for Fabregas Tactical comments
Group 6 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Germany-B vs Brazil-A German line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Littbarski for Effenberg After 70 minutes - Lahm for Brehme Brazilian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Rivaldo for Leonidas (taking Pele's position, while Pele pushes up to play more as a striker) After 70 minutes - Zito for Kaka (Socrates pushes forward and Zito joins alongside Gilberto Silva and aims to help with breaking up play and keeping possession) Manager comments:
Group 8 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Czechoslovakia vs France-A Czechoslovakian line-up: Sub to be used: After 70 minutes - Rosicky for Kubala (aiming for better control of the midfield) Manager comments: French line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Evra for Battiston (Amoros to swap to the right, and Evra aiming to combine with inverted winger Ribery on the left) After 70 minutes - Pogba for Tigana ("With Deschamps as my holding defensive midfielder, Pogba will have more freedom to support the attack and carry the ball")
Group 8 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Rest of South America-B vs Brazil-B Rest of South America line-up: Sub to be used: After half-time - Leonel Sanchez for Seminario "In midfield Marcos will have freedom to join attack, but mostly the double pivot must fill the gaps defensively. Up front, Sotil can help Etcheverry to link play" Brazilian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Dida for Gilmar After 70 minutes - Ronaldinho for Falcao (to play as left attacking midfielder, with Zico as right attacking midfielder, and Cerezo slotting alongside Mauro Silva)
Group 1 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Benelux-A vs Poland Benelux line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Van der Hart for Israel After 70 minutes - Van Nistelrooy for Van Heel After the second change, Van Nistelrooy leads the line as a striker, and Gullit and Cruyff play ahead of Rijkaard as twin number 8/10 hybrids in midfield. Polish line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Glik for Lato After 70 minutes - Willimowski for Lubanski For the second half Poland play a back 5 with Glik-Gorgon-Zmuda as centre-backs and with a 3 player forward line of Boniek-Lewandowski-Lubanski.
Group 1 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Argentina-B vs Uruguay Argentina line-up: Uruguay line-up: Sub to be used: After half-time - Suarez for Gomez Tactical comments:
Group 3 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Yugoslavia vs British Isles-A Yugoslavia line-up: PDG1978 said: ↑ Yugoslavia line-up for Group Stage game 2 vs British Isles-A Subs to be used: After half-time - Boban for Modric After 70 minutes - Susic for Stojkovic (to play from closer to Suker) At the start of the second half, Boban plays from the left of Zebec (who operates more centrally but still with an eye on covering the left back area and still holding back behind the other midfielders) and Stojkovic from the right of centre, so it is more like how the midfield was set up in game 1. When Susic comes on though, Boban generally stays a bit deeper (advancing as appropriate to the overall game situation and the play as it develops) and plays more on Zebec's right hand side, while Susic roams from behind Suker as an attacking number 10 type. British Isles line-up: After half-time - Beckham for Bale (to play as right midfielder, while Best plays like an inside forward from the left wing) After 70 minutes - Greaves for Lineker ("for fresh legs and an extra push for more goals") Manager comments:
Group 3 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Rest of the World vs Spain Rest of the World line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Nakamura for Zagorakis After 70 minutes - Viduka for Chapuisat Spanish line-up:
Group 4 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Italy Reserves vs Benelux-B Italian Reserves line-up: PDG1978 said: ↑ Italy Reserves line-up for Group Stage game 2 vs Benelux-B Subs to be used: After half-time - Carbone for Lombardo After 70 minutes - Signori for Prati Benelux line-up:
Group 4 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Bulgaria-Romania vs Argentina-A Bulgaria-Romania line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Apolzan for Bozhkov ("Aplozan plays as the sweeper, while Popescu steps into midfield") After 70 minutes - Dumitrache for Berbatov ("We will increase the number of high balls into the box") Argentina line-up: Sub to be used: After half-time - Batistuta for Pedernera. Second half-formation Manager comments:
Group 5 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups Austria vs Portugal Austrian line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Happel for Pezzey After 70 minutes - Polster for Bican Portugal line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Sousa for Germano After 70 minutes - Peyroteo for Eusebio
Group 5 - Week 2 - announcement of line-ups British Isles-B vs Africa British Isles line-up: African line-up: Subs to be used: After half-time - Okocha for Bonga Bonga (Yaya Toure to Bonga Bonga's position and Okocha to Yaya Toure's position) After 70 minutes - El-Fanagily for Kuffour