WINNER : WEST GERMANY (1st title).
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| WEST GERMANY 1954 |
Runner-up : Hungary.
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| Hungary 1954 (as in the Final) |
Often descibed as a 4-2-4 since Zakarias operated like a
stopper within this team, that Bozsik was a very peculiar half-back as
he was the true conductor of the team and that the centre-forward was
withdrawn behind the two insides who were Kocsis and Puskas. Indeed, the
veteran player Hidegkuti (by the way ranked behind Palotas prior to the
tournament by the public opinion) generally started his actions from a
deep position. He was however a real striking force able to score goals
(a bit like a Platini later if we want to, on the contrary of a Kopa, at
the same epoch, who was more a dribbler and a passer than a finisher,
Hidegkuti was a good passer too...Di Stéfano, he was everywhere at
everything).
With that long parenthesis now ended, we obviously take note of the unusual positioning of Czibor on the right wing for this match, instead of Budai II, the starter in the semis but who was in balance with Mihaly and Jozsef Toth during the competition. And it is finally M. Toth who found a spot in the XI that lined in Final, so on the left.
The left-footed Czibor surprised the West German defense in the very beginning of the match when he intercepted a back-pass from a defender to its goalkeeper to score the opener, before to quickly fade away and disappear of the game.
Another important point, Puskas was in a poor form during this tournament at which he arrived injured (probably that he delivered his best perfomance in the Final, where he tried everything).
So here are the different lines of attack from match to match :
Hungary - South Korea : Budai, Kocsis, Palotas, Puskas, Czibor. Score : 9-0
Palotas started the competition. Not Hidegkuti who is the starter in the next game. In order to test Palotas? In order to preserve the quite ageing Hidegkuti? In order to have both players, Hidegkuti and Palotas on alert in the case of a forfeit of Puskas? Possibly for all of these reasons, but how to know what it was in the Sebes' head. There was also that debate in the opinion about Hidegkuti judged "finished". Probably that Sebes played with that. But Hidegkuti was well the starter against the biggest rival in the group stage, West Germany, in the second match anyway.
Hungary - West Germany : J.Toth, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Puskas, Czibor. Score 8-3
Quarter-finals : Hungary - Brazil : J.Toth, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Czibor, M. Toth. Score 4-2.
Semi-finals : Hungary - Uruguay : Budai, Kocsis, Palotas, Hidegkuti, Czibor. Score 4-2 a.e.t. Palotas and Hidegkuti play together this time, still in the absence of Puskas. Hidegkuti fill a position of inside left that he knew well in club.
Puskas is back for the Final Hungary - West Germany : Czibor, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Puskas, M. Toth. 2-3.
At last, back to this story of the formation used, a 4-2-4, a 1-3-3-3 with Lorant as a sort of "libero", Bozsik, Hidegkuti and Puskas in support of the front-three including the wingers, why not a 3-2-5... all of that was true.
We'll simply exclude the idea of a 4-4-2 (that often goes with the 4-2-4) as Czibor did not defend much and the idea of a WM with a withdrawn centre-forward as the WM system goes by definition with the idea of individual marking and that it was not the case of this team which, whitout talking about an eventual zonal marking approach, was first of all a team which was strong when attacking (on built attacks or counter-attacks).
And maybe feeble when not in a situation where they dominated.
With that long parenthesis now ended, we obviously take note of the unusual positioning of Czibor on the right wing for this match, instead of Budai II, the starter in the semis but who was in balance with Mihaly and Jozsef Toth during the competition. And it is finally M. Toth who found a spot in the XI that lined in Final, so on the left.
The left-footed Czibor surprised the West German defense in the very beginning of the match when he intercepted a back-pass from a defender to its goalkeeper to score the opener, before to quickly fade away and disappear of the game.
Another important point, Puskas was in a poor form during this tournament at which he arrived injured (probably that he delivered his best perfomance in the Final, where he tried everything).
So here are the different lines of attack from match to match :
Hungary - South Korea : Budai, Kocsis, Palotas, Puskas, Czibor. Score : 9-0
Palotas started the competition. Not Hidegkuti who is the starter in the next game. In order to test Palotas? In order to preserve the quite ageing Hidegkuti? In order to have both players, Hidegkuti and Palotas on alert in the case of a forfeit of Puskas? Possibly for all of these reasons, but how to know what it was in the Sebes' head. There was also that debate in the opinion about Hidegkuti judged "finished". Probably that Sebes played with that. But Hidegkuti was well the starter against the biggest rival in the group stage, West Germany, in the second match anyway.
Hungary - West Germany : J.Toth, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Puskas, Czibor. Score 8-3
Quarter-finals : Hungary - Brazil : J.Toth, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Czibor, M. Toth. Score 4-2.
Semi-finals : Hungary - Uruguay : Budai, Kocsis, Palotas, Hidegkuti, Czibor. Score 4-2 a.e.t. Palotas and Hidegkuti play together this time, still in the absence of Puskas. Hidegkuti fill a position of inside left that he knew well in club.
Puskas is back for the Final Hungary - West Germany : Czibor, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Puskas, M. Toth. 2-3.
At last, back to this story of the formation used, a 4-2-4, a 1-3-3-3 with Lorant as a sort of "libero", Bozsik, Hidegkuti and Puskas in support of the front-three including the wingers, why not a 3-2-5... all of that was true.
We'll simply exclude the idea of a 4-4-2 (that often goes with the 4-2-4) as Czibor did not defend much and the idea of a WM with a withdrawn centre-forward as the WM system goes by definition with the idea of individual marking and that it was not the case of this team which, whitout talking about an eventual zonal marking approach, was first of all a team which was strong when attacking (on built attacks or counter-attacks).
And maybe feeble when not in a situation where they dominated.
Semi-finalist and 3rd : Austria.
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| Austria 1954 |
Dienst played at the centre forward position in the very first match (against Scotland) and left winger in the very last (the third place match). Schlegler played against Scotland, numerically instead of Happel and in the semis instead of Barschandt.
Semi-finalist and 4th : Uruguay.
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| Uruguay 1954 |
Between brackets : they played instead of the usual starters in the
semi-final against Hungary.
Quarter-finalists :
The hosting nation, Switzerland :
England, that reaches the second round for the first time in its history :
Owen only played in the first match, Taylor in the two firsts, first as
inside left then as centre forward in the second instead of Lofthouse, a
match into which the two wings were Finney on the right ad Mullen on
the left, one match in all for Mullen, Wilshaw played against the Swiss
and the Uruguayans.
Between brackets : they played in the quarter-finals - against Hungary, the "Battle of Bern". The players who were replaced had played the two group stage matches.
Dvornik played instead of Bobek against Brazil in the group stage. Mitic was the inside "more of support" and Bobek a "spearhed forward" (not precised every time for every teams, here like in other articles).
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| Switzerland 1954 |
England, that reaches the second round for the first time in its history :
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| England 1954 |
Brazil :
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| Brazil 1954 |
Yugoslavia :
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| Yugoslavia 1954 |
Excellent. Thank you.
RépondreSupprimerRe England: I believe Syd Owen was centre-half in the 1st match, with Billy Wright at right-half, his usual position at the time (though he stayed at centre-half for the rest of his England career).
Source for above: Brian Glanville 'The History of the World Cup'
RépondreSupprimerYes, that's right, thanks for the precision. And thank you for the visit.
SupprimerI also have all the Yugoslavia XI right.
SupprimerI have bookmarked your site, so will be a regular visitor in future.
RépondreSupprimerYou have a fine blog here.
Please exchange Eggimann with Bocquet for Switzerland (can't edit the post at the moment). Also, dunno who's more RH and more LH atm.
RépondreSupprimer