Official FIFA World Cup Game – Budget Midfielders

In this article, I will be looking at potential bargain players who are nailed on to start and will gain quite a few bonus points. Due to the points available in the Official FIFA World Cup Game, players from teams who are not expected to do well may gain more points than expected due to the bonus points received from blocked shots, recovered balls and other bonus.

Whilst many of you will be aware of potential mid-range budgets such as Matheiu Valbuena and Kevin De Bruyne, I will be looking at those midfield options available for 3.5m or less, who have the potential to score a lot of points. All the players being analysed are nailed-on starters and are likely to pick up points should one of your main midfield players fail to perform to the required standard. I was also be looking at some of the bargains who are listed as midfielders but who are in fact defenders.

Serey Die (3.5m)

After an impressive season in the Swiss super league and Europa League with FC Basel, Ivory Coast’s Serey Die has earned himself a holding midfield role alongside Chieck Tiote of Newcastle. Die will line up in front of the defence in a 4-2-1-3  formation, and his role will be to break up play and distribute the ball to the Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Toure. Whilst Die many not provide Fantasy football teams with a lot of attacking points, he will certainly be able to gain lots of defensive bonus points due to his tenacious nature. Expect to see Die rack up plenty of points for blocked shots and recovered balls.

Emilio Izaguirre (3.5m)

Being listed as a midfielder may improve Honduran Emilio Izaguirre’s Fantasy Football prospects. Whilst he may be a full-back by nature, Izaguirre is very attack-minded and he will be tasked with setting Honduras on quick counter attacks. The benefit of Izaguirre being listed as a midfielder is that he will be able to gain more points for recovered balls and blocked shots. Although Honduras are not expected to get out of their group, expect to see Izaguirre regularly gaining defensive bonus.

Christian Bolanos and Yeltsin (both 3.5m)

These two midfielders have a vital defensive role in the Costa Rican team to break up play and distribute the ball to forwards Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz. Whilst Costa Rica’s fixtures are extremely challenging, the duo will pick up plenty of defensive bonus points.

Alejandro Bedoya (2.5m)

Tasked with taking corners and leading the United States on counter attacks, the pacey Alejandro Bedoya could prove to be bargain. The former Rangers man has had a very successful season in France with Nantes, scoring five times and assisting over half a dozen goals in Ligue 2. The USA’s fixtures are tough so expect to see them adopt a backs-to-the-wall approach against Portugal and certainly against Germany. With little opportunity to attack in these two matches, Bedoya will be tasked with counter-attacking for the Americans and distributing the ball to Clint Dempsey and Jozy Alitdore. Bedoya should gain both attacking and defensive bonus and he also takes corners for the Americans. Due to the limited attacking opportunities that the US will have in their matches, expect Alejandro Bedoya to be crucial when the Americans do attack, especially given his blistering pace and corner-taking responsibility. Bedoya could prove to be one of the bargains in the FIFA game.

Park Jong-Woo (3.5m)

Park Jong-Woo is South Korea’s midfield lynchpin. His role in his country’s national team is to break up the play and distribute the ball to Ki Sung-Yueng. Although Park only started two of his sides qualifiers, he is expected to line up alongside Ki in the defensive midfield role against Russia. Expect to see Park Jong-Woo make plenty of tackles and gain lots of defensive bonus during his matches for South Korea.

BEST OF THE REST

There are plenty of other options available in the midfield roles who available for less than 4Million and are nailed on to start, including Spurs and Algerian youngster Nabil Bentaleb (1m), who recently scored in a friendly win over Romania. Hashem Beikzadeh (1m) of Iran is a full-back by trade but is listed as a midfielder, so his potential is similar to that of Izagurire’s. Also, Honduras’ defensive midfielder, Wilson Palacios (3.5m), will gain plenty of points for blocking shots and recovering balls, as will his compatriot Roger Espinoza (3.5m), who is tasked with taking many of his country’s set pieces and is anticipated to gain bonus points for deliveries into the box.

A quick mention must go to some players for those with a little bit more to spend, who are also nailed on to start. My picks in the 4m price-range are Jean Makoun of Cameroon, Yasuhito Endo of Japan, Bosnian duo Senad Lulic and Muhamed Besic and America’s Kyle Beckerman.