[sbu_large_image] Euro 2012
15 June 2012 1708 comments
Paul Paul
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After Iniesta-gate, it’s time for Fantasy managers to move on and quickly focus on tonight’s couple of Group D fixtures. Roy Hodgson’s England will go looking for their first win of Euro 2012 against Sweden later this evening but, for now, our attentions turn to the 5pm clash between Laurent Blanc’s France and the tournament co-hosts Ukraine. As always, our Dugout Discussion is up and running ahead of the first of those matches:

The team news as now in and the lineups are as follows:

France XI: Lloris; Debuchy, Rami, Mexes, Clichy; Diarra, Cabaye; Menez, Nasri, Ribery; Benzema

Ukraine XI: Pyatov; Gusev, Mikhalik, Khacheridi, Selin; Nazarenko, Tymoshchuk; Yarmolenko, Voronin, Konoplyanka; Shevchenko

Laurent Blanc makes two alterations from the side that drew with England on Monday. Jeremy Menez comes in for Florent Malouda, while Gael Clichy replaces Patrice Evra at left-back. The changes suggest a shift in system, with France moving from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, perhaps allowing Nasri a role in the hole behind Karim Benzema and Menez a slot on the right flank.

Unsurprisingly, Oleg Blokhin keeps the same XI that saw off Sweden 2-1. Andriy Shevchenko leads the line, with Andriy Voronin in a more withdrawn role and the threat of Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko out wide.

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  1. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone not needed to use all their subs yet? 😀

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      *raises hand*

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      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Really? No 2 or 3 pointers in your team? Kudos

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  2. Scratch
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    How to finish this wildcard team?

    Given, Anderson
    Debuchy, Lescott, Strinic, Perquis
    Dzagoev, Mandzukic, Pilar, Pirlo
    Gomez, Benzema

    Either
    1. Bonucci, Ozil and Lewandowski
    or
    2. Hummels, Shirokov and van Persie
    or
    3. Bonucci, Iniesta and Torres

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  3. Djerbil
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Good luck everybody..Hers on my part hoping Cabaye scores from a Benzema assist

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  4. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    FF Uefa : Group A Review - Gameweek 2, Match 4

    With gameweek 2 of the FF Uefa competition drawing to a close, the
    atmosphere in Group A (Poland/Russia/Greece/Czech Rep) is incredibly tense.

    Both Russia (Daniel/Monte Hristo) and Poland (Chrissy Waddle/Fuzzy) won the
    first round of games, leaving it all to do for Greece (Doos/Ginkapo) and
    the Czechs (Jafalad/D.Flamingo) to qualify for the QF's. GW2 draws to a
    close with all four teams in with a chance of winning this round, making
    Group A a veritable cauldron of tense, sweaty banter.

    Poland, overturning an early deficit with great "Pirlo" style and panach,
    are currently leading Russia by 6pts going into tonights games, so it's all
    about cpt choices and the Eng v Fra players. With Hristo proving to be
    level headed Russian, he has seamingly stuck with Dzagoev as (c) since game
    1, leaving his more maverick comrade Daniel to spin the captaincy wheel
    and, like a crazy man in a pontoon contest, has twisted three times already
    with less success. Daniel's cpt pick is key for the Russians, with the
    likely candidates being Benzema, Nasri (who has been "Demi-confirmed" as a
    starter) and Young. My polish spies tell me it's Young or Benzema for
    Daniel, which mirrors my cpt choices, so who comes on top here may hold the
    key to the QF's.

    But wait, Poland holds another card in it's favour! My comrade Fuzzy has a
    cpt pick tonight also (Iniesta danced his way to only 3pts for the both of
    us...) and this may be where the win lies for Poland. Two strong cpt picks
    for Poland will surely seal victory against Russia. The winner tonight all
    but seals a place in the QF's, so you can cut the tension with a rusty
    knife!!

    Having both lost out in GW1, the winner of tonights other match-up in Group
    A is vital, as the loser can surely kiss goodbye to the QF's. But who will
    it be?

    Greece and Czech Rep are also seperated by 6pts before tonights games, so
    it's all to play for.

    Let's first look at the Greeks, who tried and failed to outwit the Poles in
    GW1, but seemed to have upped their game for this round, and lead by 6pts.
    Their teams suggest they picked themselves up after GW1 and formed a
    strategy that spread their game 4 players for a strong finish. They possess
    7 players from Eng and Fra, with only 2 duplicated, so the Greek potential
    for points tonight is strong. Their current points total suggests only one
    has a cpt still active, so getting this right will be crucial.

    The Czechs look the underdogs going into tonight, but shouldn't be
    underestimated. They too have 7 players from the same sides. However more
    are duplicated, so their net casts over a smaller group of players than the
    Greeks. A different strategy to Greece, but not necessarily a bad move. Get
    these players right and this could bring them the GW2 crown. Unsure again
    of any active cpt's for the Czechs, but again I guess they may gamble on
    one, as playing it safe may backfire horribly, allowing the Greeks to
    march, trojan like, to victory!

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    1. Menly
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Noooooooice 🙂

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    2. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Doos has captained Lescott for Greece, and we suspect a Benzema captain for the Czechs

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      1. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Lescott! A typically maverick choice from Doos. Hoping for another cheeky header I see. 😉

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    3. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Excellent!!! 🙂

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    4. Abominable Snowy84
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Noice indeed!

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      1. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers guys. 🙂 My first attempt! Was abit rushed (people at work kept disturbing me and asking me to perform tasks... bloody cheek!) so apologies for anything that's inaccurate.

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        1. FPL Daniel
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 8 months ago

          Great preview. Maverick comrade 😀 😆 marvelous

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    5. COMH
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Classy stuff Waddle. Nicely done.

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  5. Djerbil
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Golf fans:

    Click my link for US Open updates

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  6. COMH
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Never realised Clichy was starting. He is a better player than Evra anyway.

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  7. bradbury1
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    got 2 little doubles

    benzema and caroll to score first £2.50 £118 return
    and
    nasri and welbeck to score first £250 £180 return

    done better with betting than i have fantasy football so probably got more chance of them coming in than i have of getting any captain points!

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    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      You were robbed on the second bet 😛

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      1. bradbury1
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        haha so i see

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    2. Menly
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Wow you were very charitable with that second one 😉

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  8. COMH
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    The Ukraine keeper looks like Will Ferrell. By the beard of zeus!

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  9. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    well reputation staked, Rami starts for JK.

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    1. Abominable Snowy84
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Rami starts for me too. Yes my luck has turned 😀

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      1. Sleep Talk
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Sounds good Snowy! Guess we'll beat Brazil after all then. 😉

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        1. Abominable Snowy84
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 8 months ago

          I did a differential preview. Its up on the Euro site if you want to have a look!

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          1. Sleep Talk
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            13 years, 8 months ago

            I'll have a look. Just got back home, and will leave after this game to go see the England match with some friends. Who did you end up captaining?

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            1. Abominable Snowy84
              • 14 Years
              13 years, 8 months ago

              I went with Gerrard. We needed to shake things up a bit.

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              1. Sleep Talk
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                13 years, 8 months ago

                Nice! Worth a shout, not like it can get any worse.. 😛

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  10. Djerbil
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Do they have a Lunar Eclipse today @Ukraine?? Why are they pllaying under a Black sky??

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    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Was also wondering this, its very dark

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    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Because it reflects the Black Sea ...

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  11. deejay
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    iniesta-->sneijder
    ronaldo-->torres ( taking -3 hit)

    OR

    ronaldo-->van persie

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  12. Abominable Snowy84
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Lightening!!

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  13. COMH
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Bolts of lightning. Game abandoned.

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    1. Spike ⚽️
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Suspended 😉

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      1. COMH
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah that's what I meant 🙂

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        1. GunsnRoses
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 8 months ago

          But you made a mess of it 😉

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          1. COMH
            • 14 Years
            13 years, 8 months ago

            They all ran for shelter so it did seem like abandonment to me 🙂

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  14. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Lightening stops play! 😯

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  15. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Now I'm worried, if this match is cancelled, what happens to Benzema (c) :O

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    1. Abominable Snowy84
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Seriously?!

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      1. Bøwstring The Carp
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        It could be... hope it blows over because I switched from Fab to Benzema... cringe

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    2. Spike ⚽️
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      We've already got the points added 🙂

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    3. Fancy Feet
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      this

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  16. Elniñorules
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Damn! I forgot to click CONFIRM 🙁

    Benzema & Mexes stay on the bench....

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    1. Pratik
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      You may end up being lucky!

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    2. Red20
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Serious?! Raging!!

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    3. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Been there done that
      now I refresh the page before I consider it done

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  17. Sleep Talk
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Wow.

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  18. crystalpalaceRus
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    That weathers crazy

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  19. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Wow, what does this mean if you are playing a French defender? I know how can I think of Fantasy Football now, but what else is there to think about atm?

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    1. Pratik
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Surely it should be back within an hour.

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    2. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      2 pointer, because you need 60mins for CS

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  20. Heydudes13
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Wtf? It's just thunder and lightning

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    1. Red20
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Not just any lightening.. Fork lightening!!

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    2. crystalpalaceRus
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Plus that rain is past torrential

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    3. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      I wonder why 🙄

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    4. megatronaldinho
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      god damn it's so exciting. it hits you like a hammer. god dammmnnnn

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  21. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Never seen anything like it 😯

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  22. emperikal
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Wow.. Some crazy shots of the weather!

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  23. Ramboros
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    5 mins before gm started I went alba(c)>benzema(c) 🙁

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  24. Heydudes13
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Really is an incredible sky, humidity caises terrific electric currents, probably going to be a waterlogged pitch!

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  25. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Those lightning bolts are just ridiculous

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  26. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    What happens to my French and Ukraine players now????

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    1. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      -2 points each.

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      1. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        How???

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        1. Mull
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 8 months ago

          I don't know.

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    2. emperikal
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Obviously nobody knows. They could get this game going soon enough if it subsides

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      1. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        With a empty stadium! It will be replayed another day but wondered about our points

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    3. Spike ⚽️
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      They have a couple of pints a game of pool and play later 😉

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  27. King Nil Miss ✩
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    How much game time there was ?

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  28. DV8R
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    People having a shower in this rain lol

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  29. Heydudes13
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    Fans loving it, this is going to be re-scheduled me thinks, fantasy points to start over

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  30. A2U
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 8 months ago

    That storm's set to hit the UK over the weekend. Worst storms in 50 years, they predict. Fun times 😀

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    1. Spike ⚽️
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      It will miss sunny West Sussex 🙂

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      1. A2U
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Hahaa, but of course!

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    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 8 months ago

      Our weather comes from the Atlantic ...

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      1. A2U
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 8 months ago

        Then a different storm's expected, apologies

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