634x258 Euro 2012
16 June 2012 4170 comments
Paul Paul
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Danny Welbeck’s sublime back-heel hands England victory and sends Sweden crashing out of Euro 2012. Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott also pick up the plaudits in the five-goal thriller while, in the storm-delayed earlier kick-off, France see off tournament co-hosts Ukraine 2-0, with Karim Benzema setting up both goals for Les Bleus:

France 2 Ukraine 0
Laurent Blanc made two changes from the side that drew against England for last night’s game, with Jeremy Menez and Gael Clichy replacing Florent Malouda and Patrice Evra respectively. The alteration up front allowed France to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Samir Nasri behind Karim Benzema and Menez on the right. Benzema provided the assists for both goals, with Menez notching the opener – the latter’s classification as a forward in the McDonald’s game may cause many Fantasy managers to overlook him, however, despite his 7.4 price tag. Benzema looks the forward of choice but Menez clearly offers a differential option if he can maintain his place in Blanc’s starting XI, with a mere 0.2% ownership.

Benzema has three shots and provided a trio of goalscoring chances, though Nasri and Franck Ribery were rather disappointing in the change of system. Both had just a shot apiece, though the Bayern man was the better creator, laying on four opportunities to find the net for his team mates. Alou Diarra’s role in the double pivot looks under threat after Yann M’Vila returned to action midway through the second half. The latter is a firm favourite of Blanc’s and, with Yohan Cabaye grabbing a goal and hitting the post, the Newcastle man’s starting role also looks assured.

The French now need just a point in their final game against Sweden to progress – indeed, as this handy guide indicates, the only way they can be eliminated is if Ukraine beat England and France lose to the Swedes by a margin that would make their goal difference inferior to that of Roy Hodgson’s side.

The tournament co-hosts fielded the same starting XI that defeated Sweden 2-1 in their opener on Monday evening. Once again, Yevhen Konoplyanka had more attempts than any team mate – after producing five shots against the Swedes, he fired three efforts last night, though has failed to muster a single attempt on target. Andriy Voronin was hauled off at half-time, allowing Marko Devic to line up alongside Andriy Shevchenko up front but Ukraine’s failure to find the net meant that France were one of only two sides – along with Spain – to return a clean sheet for their Fantasy owners in Matchday Two. Given that they now need to beat England to qualify, yesterday’s lack of goal power is a real worry for Oleg Blokhin and he may well consider ringing the changes for Tuesday’s crucial encounter.

England 3 Sweden 2
Roy Hodgson make just one change to the XI that started against France, with Andy Carroll coming in for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The move saw Ashley Young shift out left, with the Liverpool man partnering Danny Welbeck up top – both forwards grabbed a goal apiece in the 3-2 win and, with Wayne Rooney’s suspension now served, the England manager has a selection headache ahead of the final group game against Ukraine. Rooney will surely play and, with a mere 1% ownership, looks a strong differential captaincy choice for the showdown, leaving Carroll and Welbeck to likely battle it out for the other slot.

Theo Walcott’s goal and assist contribution from the bench also makes him one to consider and perhaps places question marks against James Milner’s place on the right flank. Coming in at just 7.9 in the McDonald’s game, the Arsenal man made a more than persuasive case for his first-team inclusion next time round. Steven Gerrard once again picked up the points – the Liverpool skipper has now returned an assist in back-to-back games after Carroll nodded home his cross for the opener.

Erik Hamren made three changes from the side that slumped to defeat against Ukraine in the opener. Johan Elmander started in the lone forward role last night, with Markus Rosenberg dropping to the bench, Jonas Olsson came in at centre-half, which allowed Andreas Granqvist to move to right-back and, in midfield, Anders Svensson was given a start in the centre, with Rasmus Elm moving to the left and Ola Toivonen dropping out.

Olof Mellberg’s goal and assist helped the 5.0 priced centre half to a 10 point haul, while Seb Larsson’s owners picked up a five point return after the Sunderland man provided an assist for Mellberg’s goal. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had six efforts against Hodgson’s side but failed to find the net last night as his side were stunned by a Walcott-inspired comeback. With 22.7% ownership and a game against France up next before he boards the flight home, the Milan man is the most susceptible of Hamren’s men to a price drop over the next day or so, bearing in mind that knockout stage wildcards are available once the final couple of Group A games kick off at 7.30pm tomorrow.

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  1. XVIVX
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    really need to know the italian defense situation. is abate going to play (some reports are saying he will). if not, who is the cheapest italian defender who you think will play?

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    1. Hazard267
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Erm i want to no as well weather to keep maggio

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    2. jez_wright
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      No one knows whats going on with the italian defence. I've heard Maggio/Abate, Bonucci/Barzagli Giaccherini/Balzaretti De Rossi in defence... I think the cheapest nailed on has to be Buffon surely?
      Either way I think Barzagli has a strong chance of starting so he would be my choice.

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  2. The EJJ
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Would you swap Bonucci to Zhirkov?

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    1. big oak
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      50/50

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    2. NATSTER
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      For free, I would like to.. But two Russian for MF + FW is probably better.

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    3. PanTanti
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      i probably would but i believe the chance of italy getting a clean sheet is higher than russia

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  3. danielbak1990
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    GOING TO PLAY MY WILDCARD- RMT

    BUFFON

    ALBA- DEBUCHY- BONUCCI

    DRAGOVNEV - PILAR - KUBA - MANDUZUKIC

    TORRES - BENEZEMA GOMEZ

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    1. big oak
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      weak mid imo

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      1. danielbak1990
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        how to make it stronger?? i tempted to do silva instead of torres??

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  4. shiffo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Is the Poland line up out? Is Tyton playing?

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    1. PanTanti
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      yes he is

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    2. Demí
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Yes and yes

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      1. big oak
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        weird.
        they will regret this
        it is always a heavy burden to carry for a keeper when u have a good gk on the bench
        like de gea, he only started producing when lindegaard got injured

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  5. big oak
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    pavluchenko capt of day 1
    i love this game
    i can take mad punt and rectify them the next 3 days

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    1. Tin of Directors
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      You don't have Dzagoev?

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      1. big oak
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        no
        never even considered it

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  6. NATSTER
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Please help… Lack of player / captain choice from Group B.

    Anderson – Chalkias
    Alba – Maggio – Lescott – Selassie – Maniatis
    Iniesta(3) – Dzagoev(1) – Shirokov – Nasri – Pilar
    Benzema(4) – Lewandowski – Cassano

    -3pt hit for the change.. Which one is best move?

    A: Maniatis >> Hummels .... Maniatis is unlikely to keep CS
    B: Pilar >> Khedira .... Czech will not have Rosicky.
    C: Shirokov >> Schweinsteiger

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    1. Parm
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      A

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      1. NATSTER
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks Parmtree.

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    2. NATSTER
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Any more comment please. Just a quick one.

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  7. Tin of Directors
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Is the general consensus on here that Kerzhakov has done enough to show that he is just doing everything but score and tonight is floodgate central?

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    1. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      He is the Euro FF equivalent of Suarez.

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    2. Declan
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Hopefully 😉 but if he doesnt there is always other (C)'s to come 🙂

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    3. Smarty Pants
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      He hasn't had a shot on target yet. He might confine himself to achieving this goal to begin with. 😉

      If serious, I expect him to score tonight. But I also expected him to score against Poland, so I'm not very good at this.

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  8. Hazard267
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Guys would you say keep or get rid of maggio

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    1. NATSTER
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      I keep.. Because any change will be -3 pts for me.

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    2. manehi
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Keep unless you have absolutely nothing else to do with 1FT, in which case Maggio -> Barzagli.

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  9. Demí
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Gekas.

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    1. Menly
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      I agree completely

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  10. Sean.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    ronaldo +hubnik(non runner) > rvp/ huntelaar +gabre salassie ?
    and which one
    (do so want the dutch to win)
    help!

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  11. XVIVX
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    last comment on last page:

    really need to know the italian defense situation. is abate going to play (some reports are saying he will). if not, who is the cheapest italian defender who you think will play?

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    1. @ImpressiveTackl
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Buffon 😉

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    2. big oak
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      bonucci is still the best choice there

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    3. Mr. Greedy
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Is Bonucci going to play?

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  12. Menly
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Who has replaced Rosicky?

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Kolar

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    2. Demí
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Kolar. Hubschman's a DM, replied on the last page.

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      1. NATSTER
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        Is he good? I'm worried that Pilar may have no chance without Rosicky.

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    3. Le Gooner
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Kolar

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  13. XVIVX
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    also

    i’ve been hearing reports abate might play. but just in case, should i do pirlo to marchisio and abate to barzagli?

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    1. Sess!
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Why lose pirlo. Has there been some news?

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      1. XVIVX
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        i need to downgrade to be able to upgrade abate who may not start

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        1. Sess!
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 6 months ago

          Ah right, fair enough. Yeah I can't see abate starting as not played so far.

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  14. mikess
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Russia line up out? Got kerzakov

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      yes and he plays

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    2. NATSTER
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      he starts.

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  15. Bubbles oOoO
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone keeping hold of Fabregas for this round of matches?

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    1. Kostja
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      I am, but I would not on a wildcard.

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      1. Bubbles oOoO
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        What about if you had both he and Iniesta? Which one would you keep, or stick with both?
        Thanks for your reply.

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        1. Kostja
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 6 months ago

          I actually have both, but I also had Ox who I felt was more important to get rid of. I thing Fabre still has a 30% chance of starting and even if he doesnt Torres good fail and get subbed early.

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          1. Kostja
            • 14 Years
            13 years, 6 months ago

            But if you get rid of 1 of them for sure than defenatly Fab out.

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            1. Bubbles oOoO
              • 15 Years
              13 years, 6 months ago

              Thanks muchly for advice!

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  16. COMH
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    e-mailed you Daniel.

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  17. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Schmelzer to start anybody?

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    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Nobody knows, it could be him or Bender replacing Boateng.

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    2. COMH
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Too risky to guess.

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  18. Touré De Force
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Can I just say the theme tune for the Euro's is really catchy!

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      1. Smarty Pants
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        I was trying to spread it around here before the Euros. I was mocked and told that it was a bad tune 🙁

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        1. Touré De Force
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 6 months ago

          Philistines!

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  19. COMH
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Are you guys watching Poland v Czech tonight?

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  20. seanie3
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    worth a hit for iniesta to Schweinsteiger or pirlo (this also allows me to bring in torres for Kerzhakov)

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  21. Dynamic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Which to do?

    A) Ronaldo -> RVP
    B) Ronaldo -> Gomez, Hubnik -> Limbersky/Boenisch (-3)
    C) Ronaldo -> Gomez, Ozil -> Sneijder (-3)
    D) Ronaldo -> Torres, Iniesta -> Sneijder (-3)
    E) Hubnik -> Limbersky/Boenisch

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  22. little_wizard123
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Do we think Di Natale will start? Need an £8m striker and I have Lewandowski and Kerzhakov already!

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    1. EoinM
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Cassono 🙂

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    2. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Pick one of Welbeck or Carroll and hope they start.

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    3. big oak
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      apparently he has a ledly king type of knee so cnt play 2 games a week and cnt train
      i think he will remain a supersub

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      1. little_wizard123
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        Found this, posted on twitter a minute ago:

        http://sulia.com/channel/euro-2012/f/26fd80fb-a9d4-4697-becc-891d5a5f06b5/?source=twitter

        Going to take a punt on him. No England striker, we're a terrible team.

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  23. mikess
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    excellent el capitan

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  24. Alonso The Great Midfielder
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    so is kerzha is any good?is he going to get a goal based on his perfomance for last 2 games?

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    1. little_wizard123
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      He'll score tonight. I promise.

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    2. shermanater
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      good at club level, got in the right positions and greece looked really dodgy last game so got him as my captain for tonight

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      1. Alonso The Great Midfielder
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        tq then, but knowing balotelli injured, might go for him also...

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  25. Pratik
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone seen Sporting here?

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    1. Parm
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      He's probably sh*tting himself due to the fact he faces the mightly Italy!

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  26. Tin of Directors
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    The assistant manager feature on the McDonalds game is about as much use as Anne Frank's drum-kit!
    You really would have to be a retard to use it.

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    1. big oak
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      well ii had chalkias and he recommended to transfer him for tyton
      and that was yesterday.....
      apparently the AM knew something i ddnt

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      1. Tin of Directors
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        Well he's telling me to put Nasri ahead of Ronaldo!?!

        I've sacked him.

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  27. Demí
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    ‏@UEFAcomRichardA
    Bad news for #ITA. #Balotelli limped out of training today with knee injury and will undergo scan tomorrow. In danger of missing

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    1. little_wizard123
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      http://sulia.com/channel/euro-2012/f/26fd80fb-a9d4-4697-becc-891d5a5f06b5/?source=twitter

      That says that they've been training with Di Natale and Cassano on the same side. Points to Di Natale starting. Cheers Dem.

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      1. Demí
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        You punting on him mate? Should start now, but as always he won't last 90.

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        1. little_wizard123
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 6 months ago

          I am indeed 🙂 41 points last GW, total disaster.

          Kerzhakov and Di Natale in for Ronaldo and Jelavic. Got a feeling the first two will score big, and Ronaldo was awful against Denmark, plus Jelavic up against Spain won't be a big scoring event.

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    2. Alonso The Great Midfielder
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      good news for us....surely natale will start then?

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    3. Miro
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Good news for Di Natale owners

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      1. little_wizard123
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        And Italians!

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    4. XVIVX
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      speaking of italians, can you predict a backline for them? really need to know if abate will play before the deadline. thx CG

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  28. The EJJ
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Ahh, can't decide on transfer so I'll just leave it 😛 could turn out horribly!

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  29. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    Damn I hate 1 week punts. I love more midterm punts 4 weeks at least. This is just pure luck and 10% skill

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    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      Example 17th and 19th in FPL in my league 2 years in a row is winning this mini league by huge 20pts

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    2. Parm
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      That's why JK is 14th!

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 6 months ago

        I resent that remark. I won my FPL ML this year and was just outside 3k overall.

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        1. EoinM
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 6 months ago

          True JK....daniel no need to be a sore loser man!

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          1. Mull
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            13 years, 6 months ago

            He's being quite truthful though. It takes much more skill to finish highly in FPL and it requires much more luck to do well in this.

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  30. shermanater
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 6 months ago

    not sure why zyryanov has been benched he's been excellent for russia

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    1. 3173
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      he is ill

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    2. Smarty Pants
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 6 months ago

      he is sick, got fever and stuff

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