FRANCE vs SPAIN | POSSIBLE STARTING 11 TEAM LINE UPS

Important match for the Spanish National Football Team next Tuesday against France. The current European & World Champions need to win & get the three points to take the Top position of Group I. The first placed Nation gets a direct ticket for the 2014 World Cup competition in Brazil, while second placed has to play a "knock-out" tie with other second Group placed European Nations. This last option is full of risk & is best be avoided.

The debate in Sports media & around coffee tables is which will be the starting 11 team line-ups for France & Spain. Difficult to say as both Coaches are sure to be holding a card or two up their sleeve. But we can attempt to figure it out by intuition & with facts. In the case of Spain we can already eliminate from the team Jordi Alba injured & David Silva who will be side-lined after receiving a yellow card against Finland. Continuing with Spain Xabi Alonso & Xavi Hernandez will definitely be back, so we can more or less put forward a Spain starting 11 team. 

In the French case I think that Coach Deschamps will confide & make limited changes ( if any ) & stick with the starting 11 team that gave his side a convincing 3 - 1 victory over Georgia last Tuesday.
Possible starting 11 team line-up for France:

Lloris; Jallet, Varane, Sakho, Clichy; Valbuena (Remy), Matuidi (Sissoko) Pogba, Ribery (Ménez, m.78); Benzema & Giroud.

In the Spanish case, things are not so clear. One of the big lessons of the Finland game last Tuesday was that 85-90% of ball possession means nothing if you can´t score goals. Spanish Coach Vicent Del Bosque has been using the "false striker" tactic many a time & it seems the novelty effect has worn out. Spain called up 23 players & it called my attention the lack of true strikers in his list, Spain may pay for their over emphasis on midfielders.

Having said,  this Spain is a much better team with much better players than France in all positions. It´s not the first time that talent & class has saved the day & Spain will recover two World Class "maestros" of the ball in Xavi Hernandez & Xabi Alonso. The question is if Spain will start with a Number 9, or alternatively place David Villa as the Number 9 & give a start to a quick winger like Pedro or Jesus Navas to break a possible French defensive wall. One thing is clear Spain will need goals.

This is my speculated possible starting 11 team line up for Spain:

Victor Valdes, Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Monreal, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, David Villa & Jesus Navas (Pedro).

In all cases, all options are being well noted & studied by the two Coaches who are the true experts. I take it for granted that little will both be surprised as they to have calculated all the possible variations & possible tactics. What I can say with absolute certainty is that next Tuesday game between France vs. Spain will be one of the Top encounters of any of the Groups in action. A game not to be missed.

Good luck to both sides.