[sbu_large_image] Dugout Discussion
23 June 2014 2806 comments
Paul Paul
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Matchday 3 gets underway this evening, with Fantasy managers treated to four games for each of the next four days. The final two fixtures in Group B are first up at 5pm. Joint-leaders Holland and Chile go head-to-head to decide who will finish at the summit, though the Dutch are definitely at a disadvantage with Robin Van Persie suspended, whilst defending champions Spain and Australia will both attempt to pick up points before heading home:

Holland:Cillessen; Janmaat, Vlaar, De Vrij, Blind; De Jong, Sneijder, Kuyt; Robben, Lens, Wijnaldum

Chile: Bravo; Silva, Medel, Jara; Isla, Aranguiz, Diaz, Mena; Gutierrez; Sanchez, Vargas

Louis Van Gaal makes a total of three alterations from the side that started against Australia. Bruno Martins Indi and Jonathan de Guzman join the suspended Van Persie on the sidelines, with Dirk Kuyt, Jeremain Lens and Georginio Wijnaldum all drafted into what looks like a 4-3-3 formation. Arjen Robben owners will be optimistic of further returns after the Bayern man notched three times in the opening two fixtures.

Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli makes just one change from the side that defeat Spain in Matchday 2. Juventus’ Arturo Vidal is replaced by Felipe Gutierrez in a continuation of the 3-4-1-2, with Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas both looking to mantain the form that has produced a goal and assist apiece so far.

Spain: Reina; Juanfran, Ramos, Albiol, Alba; Koke, Alonso, Iniesta; Cazorla, Torres, Villa,

Australia: Ryan; McGowan, Wilkinson, Spiranovic, Davidson; Jedinak, McKay; Leckie, Bozanic, Oar; Taggart

After seeing his side concede seven goals and fail to pick up a single point in what has been an embarrassing defence of the trophy, Vicente del Bosque axes seven players from the XI that faced Chile last week. Only Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso keep their places as the champions attempt to save face before exiting the tournament.

Ange Postecoglou makes two changes from the side that narrowly lost to Holland. Australia’s chances are dealt a bitter blow this evening with Tim Cahill suspended up front – Adam Taggart is set to lead the line, with Oliver Bozanic replacing Mark Bresciano in the attacking midfield three in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

At 8pm, Brazil face Cameroon and Mexico square up to Croatia as Group A comes to its culmination. All bar the Africans have a chance of progressing and, despite drawing a blank against Mexico last time around, the hosts are heavily backed to return to form and turn on the style in order to ensure they finish at the summit – Neymar owners will be desperate for points, whilst Fred’s starting berth is perhaps at risk following a pair of disappointing displays.

The Mexico-Croatia match looks far more evenly matched. One of only two sides to keep a clean sheet in both their opening matches, the Mexicans may struggle to keep out an attack that put four past Cameroon last time around, with Mario Mandzukic’s return from suspension proving pivotal for Nico Kovac’s side. Oribe Peralta carries the main threat for the North Americans, who need only a draw to ensure their progress to the knockout stages.

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  2. 4vets
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Football!

    Oh... ermm... yes, FOOTBALL!!!!! 🙂

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  3. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    You feckin jinxed that Avishek ya numpty! 😉

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    1. Zombie
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      You talking to me....You talking to meeeeeeeee!!!!

      Sorry mate 😉

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      1. Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Haha. 🙂

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  4. Atwood
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    There's still a goal for Oscar in this game

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  5. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Red card Croatia 😀 Rebic

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

    Rebic red

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  7. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Rebic red

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  8. MJ6987
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Nigeria the only team not to have conceded now!?

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

      Only Messi to come for them

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      1. MJ6987
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        What could possibly go wrong!?

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    2. LewanGOALski
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Yeap. Still a game to come though

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  9. LewanGOALski
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    What a f***ng idiot!!! Should get banned for 10+ international games for being such a clown 😐

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  10. Lucky Luke
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Who got Croatia assist?

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

      Alba

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      1. Mr Sarcastic
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Hours or days left?

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    2. LewanGOALski
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Rakitic. Class assist

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

    Crazy scores.. the goal average in this WC is huge...

    I´m not complaining though 😀

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    1. Fray Bentos
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      And despite that defences still on top in mcds. 🙄

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      1. King Nil Miss ✩
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        😆

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  12. FlyingHamster
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    I wonder if you can keep your Iranians when the knockout stage comes knocking. Algerians have a good chance of making it, but without the Iranians, your money becomes quite tight.

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

      Should be able to based on previous Mcd games

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

    "out played, out maneuvered, & now out"

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

      But enough about England...

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      1. Shels
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        🙂

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        1. Piggs Boson
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          I actually thought we played quite well this tournie. Two narrow defeats against good opposition.

          Tough group, and Costa Rica beating Italy and Uruguay was unexpected!

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          1. chinmusic
            • 16 Years
            11 years, 8 months ago

            I disagree. Italy are very, very ordinary and so are Uruguay. England suffered for being very poor defensively, not for being in a strong group.

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            1. Piggs Boson
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 8 months ago

              Our defence was pretty bad.

              Still, at least it was good attacking football. I'd prefer to lose in that fashion, than win by playing Chelsea-esque.

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              1. chinmusic
                • 16 Years
                11 years, 8 months ago

                Agree with that.

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

                  I don't.

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                  1. chinmusic
                    • 16 Years
                    11 years, 8 months ago

                    You'd have preferred to lose playing defensive fitba? You are a Hammer I suppose...

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

                      No. I would prefer to play without Gerrard being involved at all.

                      I don't really approve of bandwagons.

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                      1. chinmusic
                        • 16 Years
                        11 years, 8 months ago

                        To which bandwagon do you refer?

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

                        The really silly one, which says that England's defence was at fault.

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                      3. chinmusic
                        • 16 Years
                        11 years, 8 months ago

                        It's not a bandwagon, nor silly, in my opinion. Johnson, Baines, Jagielka were all execrable. This isn't to say Gerrard was any better, because he wasn't.

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                      4. Piggs Boson
                        • 14 Years
                        11 years, 8 months ago

                        By saying our defence was at fault, I am not blaming individuals in the back four, but rather the tactics.

                        With Welbeck, Rooney, Sterling & Sturridge all playing, the defence had only Gerrard and Henderson as cover while Baines and GJ attacked. Our defence was always going to be poor in that set-up imo.

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          2. The Shadow
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 8 months ago

            England's too good to consider defeats as playing well aren't they or has it come to this?

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            1. Piggs Boson
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 8 months ago

              No one's under the illusion that the current England team is good.

              Before the tournament everyone had minimal expectations, and were saying this tournament was purely for raising the youngsters.

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            2. chinmusic
              • 16 Years
              11 years, 8 months ago

              It is possible to play well and lose. Are you trolling?

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  14. Woy of the Wovers
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Clark Carlisle starting to preach now?

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  15. Shels
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    red card for croatia..that was as incoming as a laser guided bomb locked onto it's target and deployed, no surprise it was rebic either

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    1. Jimbo123
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Cool

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  16. MJ6987
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Why do they have to play Willian and Marcelo down the same flank???

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    1. Woy of the Wovers
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      You also confused?

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      1. MJ6987
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah

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    2. Jimbo123
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      That sentence would work better without the last 4 words.

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    3. 4vets
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Because they can.

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  17. tw
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    No cs points for any Mexican players in McDonalds game

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

      They get them in other games? 😯

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      1. tw
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        I mean even if they were subbed off

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  18. Shels
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    i'm in holland from the semi's onwards, so guess i'll hava support holland

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    1. Sir_Dunc
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Tough game against Mexico though!!

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    2. iCon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Good idea mate 😉

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  19. VougieDipond
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Oscars poor score means jrod has to play tomorrow.

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    1. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      I'll gladly take 7

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    2. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      I haven't been on here much, but I swear JRod didn't make the team... ???

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      1. SW6
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        James Rodriguez 🙂

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        1. Piggs Boson
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          Ah. Everything makes much more sense now 😀

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  20. Smarty Pants
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Guardado owners, get in line!
    Sakho is still waiting for his clean sheet points vs Switzerland in the second round.

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      **Clean sheet points will only be awarded to a player if the following two conditions are met: (1) their team doesn't concede a goal in the entire match and (2) the player plays more than 61 minutes of the match.

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      1. chinmusic
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        There we are then. Seems a bit ridiculous to penalise a player for conceding who wasn't on the pitch.

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        1. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          definetely

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        2. The Shadow
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          I think it's more ridiculous to give a player a CS when he wasn't on the pitch to complete the clean sheet.

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          1. chinmusic
            • 16 Years
            11 years, 8 months ago

            But you are American.

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      2. Smarty Pants
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Nice, just seen this in the rules section. When did they add this?

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        1. tw
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          Always been there

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        2. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          I don't know, not sure if I noticed it today or yesteday, but it's very possible that it's been there all the time, we just have not paid enough attention for text.

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    2. chinmusic
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah, what happened with that/? I assumed he needed to play 70 to get them, or somesuch, Was it just shiteness from Fifa?

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    3. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      No cs points cuz mexico didn't keep a cs

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  21. GunsnRoses
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Mexico 3 : 1Croatia

    Brazil 4:1 Cameroon

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    1. Woy of the Wovers
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Sorry. Brazil played away.

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  22. Mr Sarcastic
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    C'moon who's next - I'm ready!
    😉

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  23. Tony Warner Fan Club
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    In non-WC talk, a Suarez-less Prem next season is going to suck. Everyone on RVP opening game.

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    1. Jimbo123
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Good riddance

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      1. Werkself
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Say more please.

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    2. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      I'd love to see him at barca but think I'd rather see him still in the prem actually

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    3. Dr Dream
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Agreed Tony..The game needs three or four equally matched top strikers to work best. RVP was a dead place two seasons ago and Suarez last season. It's like playing ten a side.

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      1. Tony Warner Fan Club
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah you don't celebrate when they score because you know everyone has him so makes no difference.

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  24. Vinnie vidic vici
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone got any thoughts about Switzerland's best player this week Vs Honduras?

    Also, Italy or Uruguay? Balotelli or Suarez?

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    1. MJ6987
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      N/A

      Suarez

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  25. GunsnRoses
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Score check : 63 of 4.

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    1. Declan
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      38 from 3

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    2. Saint Domingo
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      48 from 2

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

        Alba and Neymar ... nothing else or everyone else is sh*t ?

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        1. Saint Domingo
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 8 months ago

          ???? Nope nothing else........Why ask that.?

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    3. pundit of punts
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      35 from 2.

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    4. LewanGOALski
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      40 from 2

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    5. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      76 from 6

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    6. Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      56 from 3.

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  26. King Nil Miss ✩
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    40 points on mcds with 4 players.. I´ll take that

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    1. King Nil Miss ✩
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      *3 players

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    2. Jimbo123
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      Look above

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    3. LewanGOALski
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      40 from 2

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    4. Keepergirl
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      46 from 3

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  27. The 12th Man
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    61 from 6

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  28. nashi
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Would you cash 20pts from captain Fred or pass the armband further??? Messi, Benzema, JRod, Shaqiri, Evra, Rojo, Valbuena, etc, wait in line.

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    1. Tony Warner Fan Club
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.

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  29. LewanGOALski
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    Ochoa vs Holland just for save points. I can see Mannonesque performance there 😉

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  30. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 8 months ago

    40 from 3 in Fox. 😎

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    1. Optimus.
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 8 months ago

      57 from 3 😎

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      1. Optimus.
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 8 months ago

        😆 was looking at gw2 points 😆

        31 from 3

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