What we can expect from Poland against Argentina

Poland take on Argentina in their final game of Group C tonight at Stadium 974, with Poland on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time since 1986. Both teams secured hard-fought wins in their last games and go into this tie with their fate very firmly in their own hands.

Argentina need to win or draw and hope that the result and goal difference goes their way in the other match tonight (Mexico vs Saudi Arabia). Poland can afford to lose and so long as results go their way they could still go through in second-place. A win or draw for Poland sees them through as group winners.

The big team news comes from the Argentina camp, where reports suggest that Lisandro Martinez will not start tonight’s fixture. Enzo Fernandez, who scored the second goal on Saturday night, will be in contention to start in the Argentine midfield.

As for Poland, all the reports indicate that Czesław Michniewicz will start with the same XI and the same system against Saudi Arabia, although may keep the game-plan the same in switching to a 4-4-2 like he did for the last half hour of Saturday’s match.

With this in mind, I expect the various formations to look like this:

This is what Poland will probably do out of possession, much like against Saudi Arabia.

In possession, this lopsided variation will probably take effect, with Cash bombing forward and one of the holding midfielders dropping to cover with the two centre halves.

This is the 4-4-2 that Poland went to in the second half against Saudi Arabia. It may well feature again tonight as legs tire and substitutions are made.

Many pundits in Poland are today debating whether this is the most important match the national team have played so far this century, and personally I would still regard the quarter-final against Portugal at Euro 2016 to be more important, but get through to the knockouts and that might not be the case much longer.

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