Dugout Discussion

World Cup 2014 – Dugout Discussion – Matchday One, Day Four

With three World Cup matches on offer this evening, Fantasy managers have plenty to look forward to. First up, Switzerland take on Ecuador in the 5pm kick-off, with Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side looking to maintain the form that saw them top their qualifying group with an unbeaten record over 10 matches:

Switzerland: Benaglio: Lichtsteiner, Von Bergen, Djourou, Rodriguez: Inler, Behrami; Shaqiri, Xhaka, Stocker; Drmic

Ecuador: Dominguez; Paredes, Guagua, Erazo, W Ayovi; A Valencia, Noboa, Gruezo, Montero; Caicedo, E Valencia

For Switzerland, the highly-rated young left-back Ricardo Rodriguez will add plenty of attacking threat from the back, whilst the likes of Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri are tasked with supplying the creativity behind Josip Drmic, who notched 17 times in 30 starts for German side Nurnberg in 2013/14. The one surprisde from Hitzfeld’s line-up is his decision to opt for Johan Djourou ahead of Fabian Schar in central defence.

Ecuador will be looking for front two Enner Valencia and Felipe Caicedo to grab the goals. The latter was top scorer in qualifying with seven strikes, whilst elsewhere in Reinaldo Rueda’s 4-4-2, Jefferson Montero and United’s Antonio Valencia will also be hoping to make an impact on the flanks.

After that, France square up to Honduras in the other Group E game at 9pm. Despite losing Franck Ribery to injury, Les Bleus are highly-fancied in this one – they’ve won four and drawn one of their last five friendlies, conceding just a single goal in the process. Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Mathieu Valbuena owners have every reason for optimism as Didier Deschamps’ side look to get off to a winning start before a midweek meet with the Swiss.

Our late night viewing sees Group F get underway with a clash of the favourites, as Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina go head-to-head. Lionel Messi will surely be sporting the armband for a number of managers for the 11pm kick-off, though there’s no shortage of options on our radars for this clash, with Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic all looking to catch our attentions before the schedule eases considerably for both sides.

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3,787 Comments Post a Comment
  1. southernpacific
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Hi Guys

    If I am playing 3-4-3 in the Mcds fantasy and want to sub out my far LEFT defender for one of the bench. How do I do this without losing points for the central and right hand sided defender?

    Thanks

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    1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Just click on the player you want to take out and then put your player in you want to replace him with it won't affect your other players

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      1. southernpacific
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Thanks, so i should make that change before wanting to change my formation

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        1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          If you take your left hand player out for someone else it will be a straight swap and you will lose the player you took outs points. If you swapped from 343 to 433 it will take out the last midfielder on the right and will add a new defender on the right hand side of your defence

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  2. Tommytour
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Damn

    Double Swiss defence 🙁

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      O o, spagettio'oo

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  3. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    That's what you get for not playing Schar, Switzerland. GIRFUY

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      What's that last thing mean?

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  4. SW6
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Ecuador goal

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  5. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Swiss cheese defense, full of holes 🙂

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  6. The Missing Link
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    That came out of no where 😀

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  7. Fifa las vegas
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    That might make the Swiss wake up! Sorry for not playing Schar now?

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  8. Parm
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    @bbcsport_david: #GER training now, likely XI for #POR - Neuer; Boateng, Mert, Hummels, Howedes; Lahm, Khedira; Kroos; Ozil, Muller, Gotze/Podolski/Schurrle

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      13 players 😯

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    2. Blue Lion
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Ozil!! Thanks parm.

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  9. Blue Lion
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Whatever happened to the reliable defences in this WC??

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    1. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      You need some Columbian defenders then 😉

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  10. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Djourou with his now trademark look of " where the feck did he come from?"

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      What the feck am I doing? Where am I? Who da fook are you!?

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      1. Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Hehe.

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  11. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Just received this email from FOX:

    Hi,

    All bonus points are added at the end of the GW. Hope this helps.
    Regards,
    Fantasy and Tipping Support

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      There you go.....happy now?

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    2. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Also got one saying there are no price changes, even though they have it on the stats tab.

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    3. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      great! thanks for sharing

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Happy now? 😉

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  12. The_Colonel
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Does anyone know who takes pens and direct free kicks for Ecuador and Switzerland?
    I can't seem to find the article.
    Thanks

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Happy now? 😉

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        1. The_Colonel
          • 10 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          Yes. Very

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          1. Fifa las vegas
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 4 days ago

            Good! You should be!

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      2. The_Colonel
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Thanks

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Shaqiri I guess?

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    2. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      hot topics, LAST MINUTE LINKS . i think is in there

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  13. Ricky - it doesn\'t ta…
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    this swiss defence looks really poor . might be time to ditch the licht

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Yes, bye bye litch

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    2. Lucas Leiva
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Getting forward a lot down the right wing though.

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  14. ★FC Borecelona★
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Did the commentator just say Jackson Martinez is from Ecuador?!

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Dunno. Can't be arsed listening. I'm bored

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    2. Lucas Leiva
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      I was wondering the same 😆

      He said he's seen him play alot in the Europa League and they must be strong if he can't get into the team.

      Could have been talking about Colombia I guess but it would be pretty random!

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    3. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Yeah he did. And that Ecuador should be 2nd favourites to qualify from the group if the likes of Jackson Martinez can't make it into the team 😆

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      1. ★FC Borecelona★
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        😆

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      2. Lucas Leiva
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Classic Clarke Carlisle 😀

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        1. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          Are those the guys with the white hoods?

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          1. Lucas Leiva
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 4 days ago

            😀 These guys are Spanish.

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            1. Gnu
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              10 years, 4 days ago

              😆
              touche.

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  15. LOCO ABREU
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    cs will be rare this wc it seems

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      +1
      Thank god for the mcD game! 😉

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Hopefully they aren't for France tonight! *clutches straws*

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      2. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        I know, I'm still going to end up with 5 at the back this GW

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  16. Fifa las vegas
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Echooooooooo.....echoooooooooooooo....oooooooo.....oooo..oooo.ooo.oo.......o.o......

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    1. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Happy now?

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        No

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    2. Ricky - it doesn\'t ta…
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      everyone is too busy admiring the swiss's tony pulis-esque defence solidarity

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  17. Parm
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Can see Schaer coming on up front in the last 5/10 minutes Chris Samba style if they're still a goal down. That would be nice. 😉

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Not since I've already taken him out 🙂

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  18. JPerks
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Don't know if this has been posted:

    Apparently Higuain hasn't fully recovered from his injury in time to start for Argentina tonight. They will move to a 5-3-2 as a result of this news.

    This is NOT the news I needed to hear!

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      We've already heard it

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  19. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    There are some things you don't get tired of hearing like " I think Jeffrey Archer may have lied again" " Joey Barton has lost the plot" & "that was a mistake my Djourou". He's the Titus Bramble of Swiss football. Big Senderos runs him close but he's more like Phil Jones due to the facial expressions.

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  20. Siva Mohan
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Goal assister?

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      ayovi, lb

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    2. Lucas Leiva
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Walter Ayoví. Good free-kick.

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    3. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Walter Ayovi

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  21. southernpacific
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Guys

    If I want to change formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3 in the Mcds game how do I sub out Gerrard ( for example) without benching Valbuena.

    Rod Zapa Rojo

    Rrod Di maria Gerrard Valbuena.

    Is this possible?

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    1. The Missing Link
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Change formation and valbuena gets removed. You can then swop gerrard for valbuena as he hasnt played.

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      1. ★FC Borecelona★
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        ^ This

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        1. puddingbrood
          • 10 Years
          10 years, 3 days ago

          Guys you can just take out the player you don't want and then change the formation...

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    2. banskt
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Do it now before Valbuena plays.

      1) Change formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3 >> this will remove Valbuena from your team and create a blank spot in your defence.
      2) Substitue Gerrard > Valbuena
      3) Pick your favorite defender in the blank spot.

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      1. southernpacific
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Really helpful thanks both

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        1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          Ps replied to you on previous page 😉

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    3. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Just change it it will automatically take Val out as he is furthest to the right, then click on Gerrard and put Valbuena in, you will lose Gerrards points though.

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  22. PKB
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Swap out Gerrard(7) for Lulic?

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      after lulic who do you have?

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      1. PKB
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        KDB

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        1. LOCO ABREU
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          yeah risk it imo

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          1. PKB
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 4 days ago

            Cheers! Was thinking the same..

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  23. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    All these quotes about Scholes - are they actually real? I've just had a Utd fan on my twitter feed quoting Pirlo as saying the only world class England midfielder was Scholes and that everyone else is a pretender. Never actually see these interviews but seems a bit old that these top players would so easily write off the likes of Lampard, Beckham, Gerrard, etc.

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    1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      *odd

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    2. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Everything with quotation marks and a name underneath on the internet is a genuine quote. Didn't you know that?

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      1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        😆

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    3. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Everything with quotation marks and a name underneath found on the internet is a genuine quote. Didn't you know that?

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      1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Sounds like you're as sceptical about this as me.

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    4. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      I think it's a quote from Pirlo's autobiography, "I think therefore I play"

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      1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        Ah right, OK. I guess if there's a player that can look down on the likes of Lampard Beckham, Gerrard, etc. it's Pirlo but still seems a bit harsh.

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  24. LOCO ABREU
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Lolquiri

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      poor fk and poor post 😐

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    2. iCon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      He's been shocking so far!

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  25. Dušan Citizen
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Did anyone see Antonio Valencia?

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  26. Dušan Citizen
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    There it gone my CS points from Benaglio in McD and Rodriguez in Mirror -_-

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  27. Jacketts Potatoes
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Guys just to recap with the stupid McSHITE game..

    If for example I have a 4 man midfield scoring

    5.........6..........12.........14

    And want to change to a 3 man midfield

    There's nothing I can do so that it's the 5 pointer who gets dropped?

    Is that the case?

    Thanks

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    1. The Missing Link
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      You stuffed 😀

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    2. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      Who are your mids? I thought you had Di Maria at the end?

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      1. Jacketts Potatoes
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        I do mate. It's more a hypothetical question I guess.

        It's a poor game isn't it?

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        1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          Sure is still seething about losing Neymar c as I have to play on my iphone

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        2. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 4 days ago

          If you have Valbuenna on the left you can swap him for Di Maria if he does nothing before the Argentina game starts allowing you to change formation

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          1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 4 days ago

            Your mid would then be DiMaria JRod Cuadrado but start with Benzema in the DiMaria slot if he does well keep him

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    3. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      haha it is outrageous. FFS should offer to start a GW2 Fox mini league for all the Johnny-come-Latelies who did make a team originally

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  28. The Missing Link
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Djourou will score 10+ with all these blocks and recovered balls 😀

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  29. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Ecuador should bring on Wilson Palacios and shut up shop.

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      he's from honduras or i'm wrong?

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      1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        You're correct. Just havin' a chuckle at Clarke's expense.

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  30. Woy of the Wovers
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 4 days ago

    Costa Rica are the new World Champions!!!

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    1. MJ6987
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 4 days ago

      I hope so cos me and Opti's bro have got them in our work sweep!

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      1. Woy of the Wovers
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 4 days ago

        You win if it's for the unofficial world cup. At least until Costa Rica play Italy.

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