634x258 Dugout Discussion
26 June 2014 3877 comments
Paul Paul
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We reach the end of the group stages of Brazil 2014 this evening as the last 16 match-ups are finalised. Group G gets us up and running at 5pm and with all four of the teams still in with a shout of progressing, Fantasy managers will be hoping there’s less chance of rest and rotation. Germany face up to USA and Portugal square up to a Ghana side devoid of Kevin Prince-Boateng and Sulley Muntari after both players were sent home for disciplinary reasons earlier today:

Germany: Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Mertesacker, Howedes; Lahm, Kroos, Schweinsteiger; Ozil, Muller, Podolski

USA: Howard; Johnson, Gonzalez, Besler, Beasley; Jones, Beckerman; Davis, Bradley, Zusi; Dempsey

Joachim Low makes a couple of changes from the side that drew with Ghana. The Germany manager brings in Bastian Schweinsteiger for Sami Khedira in the centre of the park, while Lukas Podolski comes in for Mario Gotze in the front three. Thomas Muller owners will be looking for more of the same, after the Bayern man notched three goals and an assist in the opening couple of matches, whilst those holding Mesut Ozil will be desperate for an improvement after a couple of patchy displays so far.

Jurgen Klinsmann also makes two alterations as he attempts to get the better of his native country. Omar Gonzalez replaces Geoff Cameron in central defence, whilst Brad Davis gets the nod ahead of Alejandro Bedoya on the right flank – Clint Dempsey is looking to score for the third successive match, though the likes of Michael Bradley and Graham Zusi also offer a threat from the attacking midfield positions.

Portugal: Beto; Pereira, Alves, Pepe, Veloso; W Carvalho, Moutinho, Amorim; Nani, Eder, Ronaldo

Ghana: Dauda; Afful, Boye, Mensah, Asamoah; Rabiu, Agyemang-Badu; Atsu, Waris, A Ayew; Gyan

Paulo Bento welcomes Pepe back from suspension for the vital game with Ghana, as Ricardo Costa drops out to accommodate the Real Madrid man at centre-half. The Portugal boss makes three further changes, drafting in William Carvalho, Ruben Amorim and Eder for Andre Almeida, Raul Meireles and Helder Postiga – the former two look set to be installed in the middle, with Miguel Veloso shifting to left-back. All eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, though, as he looks to get his goal account finally up and running and fire his side into the last 16.

Prince-Boateng and Muntari’s omissions are the only two changes from Kwesi Appiah after a very encouraging draw with Germany. Udinese player Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu comes into the double-pivot to replace Muntari, whilst the highly-rated Abdul Majeed Waris is tucked in behind Asaomoah Gyan up top. Andrew Ayew, with a goal in both group games so far, looks the major threat for the Africans once again.

Later on, Belgium go head-to-head with South Korea as Marc Wilmots’ side look to end the group stages with a 100% record. Bearing in mind they’re already through, though, there’s a fear that we could see a number of changes from the Europeans in this one, with Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne owners hoping they’ll keep their places in the starting XI. Up top, Wilmots may well omit Romelu Lukaku from his line-up after subbing off the Chelsea man in each of the first two games, whilst at the back, Belgium are set to be without both Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen through injury.

Those defensive concerns will afford the Koreans optimism and with three goals in their first two matches, they present a definite threat to Thibaut Courtois’ clean sheet prospects. The highly-rated Son Heung-min grabbed his first of the tournament in Matchday 2 and, having netted 10 times for Leverkusen in the previous Bundesliga campaign, carries the main threat for Hon Myung-bo’s side.

Despite scoring once and picking up a single point in their opening two matches, Russia are still in with a shout of making the last 16. A win against Algeria, coupled with a Belgian triumph over South Korean, will take Fabio Capello’s side through – Alexander Kokorin looks their best chance of netting, though Alexander Kerzhakov will be hoping for his first start after climbing off the bench in the first pair of fixtures.

After an emphatic 4-2 win over South Korea, Vahid Halilhodzic’s side will approach this one with little fear. Islam Slimani, Abdelmoumene Djabou and Sofiane Feghouli have all served up a goal and assist in the first two fixtures and will fancy their chances of picking up further returns against an unconvincing backline that has been breached in both their opening matches.

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  1. Zombie
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Play Kokorin or Djabou?

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    1. r9rivera
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      djabou imo

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      1. r9rivera
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Russia just can't score for some reason. akinfeev is doing a better job putting them in

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  2. Parm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Courtois, Vertonghen (c), Fellaini, Mirallas, Mertens, Van Buyten, Defour, Lombaerts, Dembele, Januzaj, Vanden Borre

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      so it was true, what a poor lineup

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  3. tw
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    cholevas (3pts) and hosseini (4pts) out for kombarov and mesbah right?

    and do I take out sanchez's 5pts for lukaku or kdb or do I stick?

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    1. Shels
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      yes
      & stick

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  4. maaaaloney
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Montazeri (6) out for Belkalem (Alg)?

    Who should I play between Slimani and Djabou?

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    1. Andrew7
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Djabou

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      1. maaaaloney
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah? Any opinion on ALG def?

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        1. Andrew7
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Play him, he should get RBs and maybe blocked shot points.

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          1. maaaaloney
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            Thanks for the help

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  5. MITHRRANDIRR
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Is Bentaleb going to cover 4 pts? Based on his last performance I'm fearful of losing that extra 1 pt.

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    1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      i just gambled on a 7 point player.

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  6. Atwood
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Benzema out, Djabou in

    Yay or nay?

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    1. LOCO ABREU
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      yes

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  7. Parm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    S G Kim, S Y Yun, Y G Kim, H M Son, Y Lee, J C Koo (c), K Y Han, S Y Ki, C Y Lee, S W Kim, J H Hong

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    1. Atwood
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Are Koreans the least-picked players in this game? They must be, I feel like I never see anyone discussing them.

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      1. Shels
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        correct

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    2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      christ thats a baffling ordeal for the commentators right there

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  8. rk007
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Djabou for Sadeghi(5)? KDB/Dzagoev for Gerrard(3)? Please suggest.

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  9. Blue Lion
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Play Mesbah or Bentaleb?

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    1. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Mesbentaleb 😉

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    2. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      I've gone Mesbah. Defenders seem to rack up points more easily and Bentaleb is probably not gonna return any attacking points.

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    3. Blue Lion
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      cheers.

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  10. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    whilst it is great having a newborn not in the depths of a cold and miserable winter.........the sun being so bright that rooms are blazing hot and bright still at 9pm makes it hard to get em to sleep

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    1. Shels
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      curtains & fan?

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        thats with the curtains drawn....... i need black out ones really.........no fan

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        1. Shels
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          I know the feeling of a bright room, luckily im in ireland so the heat....

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        2. Shels
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          should buy a fan really with a new baby, no proper sleep = nightmare 24/7

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          1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            i hear ya, but blowing warm air about isnt great either, need an aircon unit lol

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        3. Dr Dream
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          We ended up with black out blinds. Have you tried the hair dryer trick on low ?...assuming you have a hair dryer that can be turned low..

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    2. dribbler
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      sing a lullaby

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    3. VougieDipond
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Congrats man. hard work but worth it.

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    4. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Play the Brandenberg Concertos. Infallible, in my experience.

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  11. Les Bleus
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    If Kompany stays on the bench, Janmaat comes in with his delicious 10 points for me (mirror game)

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  12. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Who's more likely to come off the bench, Lukaku or KDB?

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    1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      lukaku i would say

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    2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      im guessin lukaku, but prob only for 20mins tops

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  13. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    sod it

    bringing bentaleb in for one of my seven point players

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    1. thermogimp
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Should I twist Griezemann (5pts) for Kombarov?

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      1. thermogimp
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Oops. Replied by accident. 😛

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      2. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        as i just transfered out a 7 point player i am going to say yes... but its up to you... i am gambling

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    2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      nice

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      1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        he who dares rodders 🙂

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        1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          mange tout mange tout

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          1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            😀

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    3. Shels
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      i woudn't

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      1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        not in the top 100 so cant see me winning it.. currently just outside 1k.. roll the dice

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        1. Shels
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          im outside 2k.. sticking with pogba 6 i think

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  14. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Just watched that Messi free kick again. We will never see another player even in his league again. 🙁

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Yes we will.

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      1. Poseidon. Not arrogant, jus…
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        No.

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    2. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      yeah we will

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  15. LOCO ABREU
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    106 pts. kombarov and vert to come,let's go boys!

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  16. The Missing Link
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    5 players, 50 point gap. Let's go 😀

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  17. The Sarjeant
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    91 points with 4 to play!

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    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      snap

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      1. The Sarjeant
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Who have you got to play? Kombarov, M'bolhi, Slimani and Bentaleb here.

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        1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          komb bentaleb mbolhi n lukaku

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    2. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      102 with 3 to play!

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    3. Blue Lion
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      101 with 3 to play.

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    4. The 12th Man
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      112 with 2 to play

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  18. The 12th Man
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Korokin or Djabou?

    Kambarov or Bentaleb?

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  19. Jack Frost
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Bentaleb starts... stick or twist for a 6 pointer. He has played full 90 the last two games. I say twist.

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    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      im twistin but only cos kdb is benched

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    2. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      I think I'll go boring stick.
      Minileague very close up top, so don't want to take a "gamble".
      Propably 1-2 points for good or bad.

      * cue a goal now 🙁

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  20. tw
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    a) 5pts
    b) lukaku
    c) kdb

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    1. bunnyrampage
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      I'm trying to make the same decision, but with option A being 4 pts.

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      1. bunnyrampage
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Leaning towards lukaku because I think he's more likely to be subbed in than kdb

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  21. Beautiful Game
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    1) Would you switch 6 points for Kombarov?

    2) Would you switch 7 points for bentaleb?

    3) Would you switch 8 points for Kokorin/Slimani?

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    1. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      1) maybe
      2) no
      3) not sure

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    2. TheDogTor
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Stick with em all, for me

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    3. ManofKent
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      1 - yes
      2 - no
      3 - still deciding 🙂

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    4. The Missing Link
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Yes to first one

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    5. Jafalad
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      No, no and no. 6 pts looks the cut off point from previous rounds.

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    6. Beautiful Game
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      thanks guys 🙂

      will take a chance with the first one

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  22. TheDogTor
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Vertonghen, hazard, slimani, bentaleb, bouguerra. Pick 2, I know hazard isn't starting but we've all been done by thinking a non starting player result in a 0 before.

    So what you reckon guys?

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    1. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      vert for sure
      not so sure about the other one though

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    2. dribbler
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      bouguerra is injured if that helps

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  23. Blue Lion
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Should i play Bentaleb insteada of kdB?

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    1. The Sarjeant
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Yes.

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    2. Frip
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Yes sir.

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    3. Blue Lion
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      cheers

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    4. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      yeah

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  24. Frip
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Bentaleb or Djabou?

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    1. The 12th Man
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Djabou

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  25. 7shadesofsmoke
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    wheres that TommyT?

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  26. Keno
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Djabou or stick with 5 points in Griezmann??

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  27. CunkOnFPL
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    McD game:

    a. Komba
    b. Vert?

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    1. tw
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      vert. or both

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  28. BT31 - WE ARE ALL TINKERMEN…
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Sub Blind (7) for?

    Halliche
    Kombarov

    Or keep?

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    1. Shels
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      maybe risk kombarov, im risking 6 for him but 7 would make it harder for me to decide

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  29. ADucksBehind
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Kind of a nothing question
    pick 2

    6 points, Halliche, Mesbah

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  30. Les Bleus
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Mirror players:
    Rank?

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    1. Les Bleus
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      293 here with 10 points to come off the bench

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    2. User
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      99

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      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Nice. Points?

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        1. User
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          59 this round with Hazard (or 5 on bench) and Kombarov to play. No Neymar or Messi lets me down. 🙁

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          1. Les Bleus
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            Nice rank though!

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    3. McEwan
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      215 rank with 12 points to come on. Sold Shaquri this week aswell, bloody transfers to use. Couldn't leave the team alone!

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      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Ah unlucky!

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    4. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      318 with 10 points to come on and Kombarov to play

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      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        You must be a point behind me!

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    5. pundit of punts
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      149th with 13 points coming of the bench.

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