634x258 Dugout Discussion

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

15 June 2014 3787 comments
Paul Paul
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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 Login to Post a Comment
  1. FACUPARSE
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Lawrenson just described Aguero as tough.

    You mad bro?

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  2. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    I take it everyone is doing Messi for MOTM for this one ?! 😆 😀

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    1. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      He could take a dump on the penalty spot then go for a nap and still win it with Fifa's system.

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    2. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Guaranteed as it stands 😆

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  3. pundit of punts
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Rojo Recovered Ball right there. 🙂

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  4. Az
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Yawn

    Come on messi, have a tenner on you and Benzema to
    Score at 4/1 do your bit!

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  5. FACUPARSE
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Bosnia have been the better team. Jammy goal for Argentina...

    We need some of this kind of luck

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  6. Billy Gilmore
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Great save

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  7. seanie3
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    anyone have lulic? how much was he in the McDonald's game, looks lively

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    1. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      I think he's 4

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      1. Alan The Llama
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah, he is.

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    2. Pinky and Brain
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Me.

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    3. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      I have him. Think he was either 4 or 4.5 mill. Possibly the former...

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    4. Valar(Keith)
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      looks great.. i had him until the last minute when i swapped him for pjanic.. not lookin like the best upgrade tbh

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  8. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Great save!

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  9. pundit of punts
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Romero racking up saves.

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  10. crystalpalaceRus
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    should be speroni

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  11. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Right here is one to ponder once we reach the knockout stages I'm guessing from experience that we will not be able to select players from teams that have been knocked out, in all likelihood these will be from teams where our budget options come from, with this being considered will it be important to keep some 1m players in your team when it comes to unlimited transfers so reducing the amount of squad players you can choose from but allowing more budget to be spent on players or will this not matter because it's unlimited transfers I've not read up on the transfer rules

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    1. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Right where ?

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      1. HuttonDressedasLahm
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        ^^There

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      2. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        I fail so bad at punctuation 🙂 get too excited and want to write things fast!!!

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    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Keep at least 3 or 4 cheapies for sure

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      1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        The casuals will be fleeced come the later rounds if this is the case then

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    3. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      That's my take on it, certainly how it was last time.

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    4. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      I'd be surprised if they went to the effort to remove teams from the game at the end of the group stages given how the game has been run so far.

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      1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Always have done in previous euro/World Cup games

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  12. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    4 minutes until Messi vote time

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  13. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    😆

    Shot

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  14. Dr Dream
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    This is rubbish. I hope they bring DiMaria on soon.

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    1. crystalpalaceRus
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      hopefully they have messi lined up

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Just imagine if they both came on...that'd be fab.

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        1. Fray Bentos
          • 16 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Why didnt they both start?!?

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          1. Billy Gilmore
            • 13 Years
            11 years, 6 months ago

            Whoosh?

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

      He's playing

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Not for the last twenty minutes he hasn't been...

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    3. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Bahhh. Shoot Messi! Woulve been DI Maria assist too

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      1. Bubz
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Reply fail

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    4. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      This is the first time I've watched womens football.
      Didn't think they'd all be as a hairy as that!

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Haha..

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    5. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Poor half 😕 have Argentina have any shots on target besides Mascherano's shot?

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  15. Woy of the Wovers
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    What odds do you get on a 6/1 and 5/1 multiplier?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      42/1

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      1. Respect My Authoritah
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        *41/1

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        1. Alan The Llama
          • 16 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          This

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        2. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Fair enough, was working on return for £1 🙂

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      2. Woy of the Wovers
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks. Thought that was the way it worked.

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  16. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Who is playing in Higuin's absence ?

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    1. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Campagnaro maybe. Would be a back 4 with Higuain back I think

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

      Noone at the minute.

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      1. Woy of the Wovers
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Noone is a surprise WC pick.

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      2. HuttonDressedasLahm
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Playing with 10? 😉

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      3. Root
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Craig is Argentinian?

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    3. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      A defender

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  17. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Messi and Aguero leaving it for each other

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  18. Willis.
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Messi is so shite

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    1. Chu Young Ping Pong
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Yea 😀 But save it for DM 🙂

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  19. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Messi going on my bench for an Iran defender 🙂

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    1. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      He is on the right of your striker list, then?

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      1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Yes moved him there before the France game all my later players are now on the right

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        1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Messi-Benzema Benzema-Messi ftw stuck with Neymar in the middle

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      2. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        I have formation flexibility 🙂

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    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Me too 🙂

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  20. SW6
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    The only positive thing about watching that half is that I have two Argentine defenders in my team. What a snoozefest

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  21. Fray Bentos
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Snooze fest

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    1. Woy of the Wovers
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Ideal for 11pm kick-off.

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      1. Fray Bentos
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        I'll sleep well tonight 🙂

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  22. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Kaymer so, so awesome !!!!

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  23. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Snooze fest

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  24. Alan The Llama
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Snooze fest fest

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  25. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Correction.

    Messi is awesome

    Man of the match IMO
    Just voting now

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Too late, the casual voter will do you unless he has a mega 2nd half 🙂

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      1. Billy Gilmore
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Who else would they vote for?

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    2. Reedy
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      He has my vote 🙂

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    3. Lucas Leiva
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Not done much but neither has di Maria or Aguero, meaning Messi should be the default vote.

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  26. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Looking at the scoring on the McDonald's game, really we should be hitting 100+ every GW considering we can change are captain and we have so many subs?

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      With all the complaining I'm surprised anyone cares anymore 😀

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    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Definitely

      Maybe less in the knockout rounds though

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      1. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Yes less options to throw the armband around

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    3. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      out* 🙄

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      1. Bøwstring The Carp
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Ah feck this.... *our

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      2. Woy of the Wovers
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Out?

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    4. Woy of the Wovers
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Sounds like you ought to get 60pts per day!!!

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    5. Konig Luther
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      sw6 had 103pts already before argentina match

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  27. Fray Bentos
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Kind of wishing I had Ronaldo instead of messi now

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    1. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Both ftw 😎

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  28. FACUPARSE
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Shearer and Neil Lennon on same pundit panel.

    After this (30 seconds in)

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LPp0teYYi70

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  29. Studgie G
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    ok messi may go on to score but this is why I didn't put him in my team, internationally he is really poor

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    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      But everyone has him so it's more dangerous not to own him

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      1. Studgie G
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        who cares most don't have robben or sanchez because of him

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    2. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      2nd half hatrick incoming

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  30. Studgie G
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Dzeko should have passed it to lulic, he thinks he's ibra

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    1. Reedy
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Greedy player, hate him. Nothing to do with me owning Lulic.

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      1. Studgie G
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        well I have lulic but he always shoots when theirs a guy clear run at goal and he wonders why he doesn't start for city.

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