Euro 2016 is now just one day away after Portugal’s 7-0 win over Estonia brought an end to the recent batch of friendlies last night. In the first in a series of two members articles, we focus on some of the most pertinent statistics over each sides’ last four friendlies this calendar year. We begin with a look at the standout performers in defence and also assess a trio of midfielders, with a further three players in the centre of the park set to feature in tomorrow’s follow-up piece.
Perisic
Hamsik
Cal
Best 4 - 4.5m defenders?
Denayer, Chester, Gonul, Fonte or Cedric for 4.5m. Guerreiro for 4.0m tho Portuguese boys are not nailed.
Think I'm set with starting 11? Help with subs would great
Lloris (Westwood)
Boetang Dragovic Rose (Guerriero Bartra)
Ozil Matuidi Alaba Perisic (Sanches)
Giroud Muller Ronaldo
Dzemaili is tempting but just can't see past Stanciu.
Big fella is he?
Obnoxious too. Won't move.
Gotta be Dez then, wind him up 🙂
Had the same internal conflict. Same with Mak over Mario. But in the end, it's Slovakia/Romania and Switzerland/Portugal...Of course the players in smaller teams may get more attention, but I can't see Mak and Stanciu doing much more than Dzemaili and Mario.
is it worth mentioning that Stanciu has only scored in internationals against the following teams:
DR Congo, Lithuania, Ukraine and Georgia
4 in 5 thoughYep I was thinking about that.. but Spain failing to score v Georgia is bolstering my faith 😉
Have you seen 5min highlights of Stanciu vs Spain?
Yep, selfish little Hagi wannabe 😉
How dare you! He's the second coming.
This. Awesome player. Plus , he takes 5-6 shots every game which is very good for Fantasy purposes.
Good. Spain couldn't score against Georgia.
*sniggersWell he has only played 5 internationals. 😛
And the one he didn't score in he was motm, had 5 shots, amd created 4 chances, against the European champions.
Club form has been greatIn short PF, how dare you!
🙂
He takes 5-6 shots EVERY game Champ. That is Messi-Ronaldo level albeit he is yet to show he can maintain this regularly against the top sides. Even if the number drops to 3-4 , its world class.
I know he is fantasy gold. Let's hope he can earn a move to the FPL with his euro performances 😉
i will go with him
Also dzemaili has 6 goals in 47 international games. Stanciu 4 in 5. Dzemaili 3 club goals last season. Stanciu 14. Case closed. How dare you.
Dzemaili for me.
Has scored first in their last 2 games and has fantastic fixtures to begin with.How da... etc
Matuidi - 8 goals , 4 assists in 44 appearances for France. I do not get the hype.
Don't have him, but was looking at his position earlier and he did play DM quite a lot years ago.
25 games where he played 60+ as a CM.
8 goals and 4 assists in them. Good but all but of them came in friendlies.
*all but one
IMO , he and Alli are going to bring in similar points and Alli is cheaper....
P.S - I don't have either of Matuidi or Alli.
Is Fabregas a better 7.0M in your opinion?
Yes but he comes with his own risks. I am personally on the hunt for a 7m midfielder.
Thanks for your reply. Mulling also...
France will be in the competition longer than England
He has a new role for France nowadays. Check his average position. He is THE link between the midfield and attack.
Sure , he is getting forward a lot in meaningless friendlies but when the Euros start , he will have to be more responsible and protect the back.
*back 4.
No need for that when you have N'Golo Kante 😎
I am skeptical. We shall see.
He is a solid pick at 7m based on where he is playing in the friendlies and there are stats to back it up . That is all people are saying no one has called him essential or anything close to that . You just seem to be ignoring what is front of you because you don't like him as a pick .
That came across as angry and that was not my intent . Sorry Hazardous
That gif though 😆
There you go again, happy batslapping everything in sight. 😉
Only you 😉
😆
Its ok mate, I was rude as well. I understand why people would want Matuidi. He is in great form . But touting him as much more attacking than Pogba does not seem right to me personally.
(as has been done - not particularly by you tho)
Yeah this is really what I don't get. Pogba is definitely the better player at the business end of the field
Me either
He is the same as Fabregas and Kroos imo . They are decent players who might do well . Nobody is comparing Matitudi to Payet or Fabregas to Silva in terms of fantasy potential.
Same as kroos from open play in my mind. Kroos has some set pieces. I wouldn't pick either. Fabregas a fair bit better IMO, as long as he gets the minutes
I agree with this. I actually want Fab but already have 3 Spanish players. 🙁
Fair point though. I much prefer the 5.5's and 7.5's. Don't really like any of the 7.0's
Point taken AW he is probably up there with them
Is this team ok or any obvious problems?
Patricio Randolph
Denayer Rami Schar Juanfran Hector
Alaba KDB Perisic Sterling Whelan
Giroud Morata MullerDont like Sterling's chances. The rest looks pretty good.
Who will partner Kosc?
ielney
Rami 90%
Mangala 10%François Hollande 0 %
Battle of the cheapos . Who'd you prefer ?
A) Denayer
B) Guerrero
C) StrinicC followed very closely by B.
Guerreiro. I believe at the moment he is the most nailed, and also the cheapest.
BCD
C looks most likely to start.
C because he's the most nailed, imo
Isnt Denayer nailed?
Apart from Rodriguez, who all are the sure starters for Swiss defence?
Lichsteiner nailed on or will Lang be a problem?Get Sommer and pocket the cash. Can see them conceding anyway.
Rodriguez stats for national team aren't great. Schar seems a greater offensive threat, as weird as it sounds.
Lets try again 🙂
Sommer Rui
Dier Hector Rami 1Fran Giacherini
Alli Payet Fab Januzovic Perisic
Morata Muller Giroud
Any good?Pretty template, pretty good. Real close to mine.
Anyone hoping Giroud and Mueller fail early on as Captains or just me?
Makes things interesting.Certainly not me
Ronaldo owners would want that.... 😉
Yeah, but even before then it becomes interesting...
I wouldn't want a Giroud blank tbh. He is a FFS differential to Griezmann. I wouldn't mind a Muller blank tho.
Just gimme a 10 point Giroud and I'll be happy.
I had to put up with an entire season of moaning about how jammy casuals benefited from Leicester I don't want that for the Euro's
There will the usual level of complaint as soon as the bunfight gets underway.
Yep. Stan(c)iu 😎 siggy cap after muller too.
No french froggy(c)?
Boring
I sense a possible opening upset. Or at least a high scoring open game. Stanciu will get plenty of look ins
Tinkered a lil:
Sommer, Patricio
Denayer, Darmian, Dragovic, Guerreiro, Schar
Alli, Ozil, Payet, Kante, Sigurdsson
Lewandowski, Muller, Arnautovic
Thinking of replacing Alli/Kante, maybe Arnautovic, but don't know good replacements. Any help?Alli > Mak, Weiss, Dzemaili, Stanciu
Kante > Anyone really. Fabregas, Perisic, Alaba
Arnautovic > Nolito, Janko, maybe an 8.5 if you save somewhere else.So I've changed Kante > Alaba, and Alli to Renato Sanches to give me enough to swap Arnautovic to Janko, though Sanches might not play, he's a cheap enabler that maaay come on at least
Kante and Arnativoic?!?!
Well Kante really is a holding midfielder as we know, so maybe look at Forsberg or Stanciu for some attack-minded action.
Triple Swiss defence overkill? They play before most so if no CS can sub them out
Great tactic if you believe they won't concede. In a short tourney like this could get you loads of points. Gamble and do it.
Yes but it's not just about subbing out failure, we must at least try to balance the risks and rewards when a cleanie is worth a striker's goal.
yes
Quick question guys.
It's my first time playing UEFA fantasy league, so I'm still trying to get my head around the substitution rule. Is it always better to have your starting 11 include the players with the closest fixtures, then substitute in from your bench? And can you change formation during a match day with these substitutions?
Any help much appreciated?This is exactly right. When you make your subs the team will auto change the formation. You must have at least 3 defenders though.
No restrictions on subs, as long as the games are finished for the day. Put whoever plays first, sub if needed.
France's front three are ????
Payet/ Martial Giru Griezman
Griezmann- Giroud - Martial/Payet
Martial/Payet - Giroud - Griezmann
Repost Plz help me on this
1 Nolito+ KDB + Dragovic + Hamsik
2 Morata + KDB + Mak + Guirierro
3 Ronaldo + Mak + Fab + Guirriero1. Just.
Thanks 😀
1
thanks:D
Last decision to make:
- keep Matuidi and 1.5m in the bank to have some options for transfers in GW2-3 (e.g. Subbing Özil for KDB or Hazard once Belgium is past Italy - can't see them winning that game)
- spend extra 1.5 now on Pogba (instead of Matuidi) [I already have Rami and Giroud for France]
after this, the matches may start 🙂Keep Matuidi and the cash.
Show us your team ! We gonna invest these millions right off the start
Patricio - Kozacic
Glik- Rami - Hector - Rodriguez - Giaccherini
Özil - Junuzovic - Matuidi - Perisic - Joao Mario
Müller - Giroud - Shaqiri
Transfer of one of the Swiss guys in GW3 (as they play France then)
Matuidi and 1.5m
So thoughts on Bailly?
For me he is Mediocre overall...
The Good: he young, good in on on one situations and physical
The Bad: Was bought for too much money, bad at passing and has recurrent injury history of hamstring and thigh problemsMy thoughts are that pronouncing his name properly doesn't come easily to me
one of the best young players in the world now according to united fans 🙄
He's no Calum Chambers
I had never heard of him 😳
I still haven't ... 😉
I honestly know nothing about him. Tbh , I learnt yesterday that his name is pronounced as Bay-yee and not Baily!
A) Juanfran + Hector
B ) Pique + Dier/Drag/GiaccheriniB with Giaccherini. You could consider Ramos too
A.
A
@Champ - I've tweaked things again. Will sleep on it and report back tomorrow morning.
Sorry.Haha cool 🙂
Is Payet even nailed on?
Surely it's Grizeman Giroud Martial??Payet vs Martial
Should be Payet. Not certain. But whoever plays isn't getting 270 minutes in the 3 games, for sure.
We will see the lineups before the deadline so it's not that big of a deal . I don't think he is nailed on .
None of France's wide players are nailed on.
the simple answer is no
I've come to a point where I'm pretty happy with my team, just one question: Alaba or Junuzovic? I will pocket the change has I don't have any obvious upgrades.
There's always an upgrade...
Sommer Patricio
Bonucci Alba Schar Rami Dragovic
Dzemaili Ozil Perisic Austrian Mario
Muller Giroud Morata
Can't really find a place where the 0.5 would make the difference. I considered Hector for Dragovic, but I'm not sure Germany is going to keep more clean sheets than Austria, with their respective groups.Maybe Schar to Rodriguez?
I had Rodriguez for the longest time, however when I checked statistics, for some reason Rodriguez stats are terrible (completely opposite to my personal belief)
Last 10 games played for NT:
Rodriguez 1 assist (vs San Marino)
Schar 1 goal 4 assists
In this case I think it's worth paying the extra rather than banking it.
Is Nolito a solid pick? Or is it worth spending the extra money to have Morata?
What are peoples views on having a really week bench to supplement front 7? Atm I'm going with
Lloris
Denayer - Fuchs - Mitrovic
Alaba - KDB - Fabregas - Ozil
Lewandowski - Morata - Muller
But bench is full of 4 and 4.5s
Thoughts? Will probably wildcard after week 1weak*
With subs being made each day it's better to have bench players you can bring in imho.
my view atm is to try and max out week 1, then WC after 1 and create more of an even team, as my ML i'm playing with won't strategise that sort of thing
I understand your plan but then the problem is then you can only make 1 change for MD3 when people will be rested if qualified. Plus all it takes is 1 or 2 players getting 1 or 2 and you're stuck.
Who are the 4 missing players?
Hitz, Hodson, Guerreiro, Garics
Haha
haha exactly, I put in guerreiro and just pressed auto fill!
I don't think it's a viable tactic at all mate you need to beef that up a little
It depends on how good the cheapos are really, not all are carp.
A) Dragovich, Payet, Alli
B) Guerreiro, De Bruyne, ForsbergB. I'm unconvinced of Guerreiro but think the other two will score enough.
If Payet doesn't start... Who is getting Martial as plan B?
Any outsider bets for the top goalscorer in EURO 2016? 🙂
Swap to Siggy for me, I think.
Perisic!
Will be WCing after GW 1. How does this 1 GW team look?
Patricio - 4m
Schar - Lichsteiner - Juanfran - Dragovic - Denayer
Ozil - Perisic - Hamsik - Alli - 4.5m
Muller - Lewnadowski - GiroudIf it is for the first Gameweek, I would get French defence over Spain or Belgium. Could also consider getting Payet over Hamsik and getting Dzemaili for Alli.
Interesting ideas.
Ta.
Can do Ronaldo and Gilk for Lewa and Lichsteiner.
Thoughts on these?
Neuer (Berisha)
Bonucci | Ciman | Dier | Srna (Hector)
Alli | Payet | KDB (Torbinsky, Glushakov)
Giroud | Ibra (c) | Müller
So is Juanfruan nailed or risky?
Choose one
A. Fabregas, Forsberg
B. Grosicki, Forsberg
C. Blaszczykowski, Andre Gomes
D. Payet, Chipciu/Renato
E. Arda Turan, Chipciu/RenatoUrgh. Sorry. And to your answer. A bit of both. But will play possibly
8 years, 11 days agoA)Perisic
B)Hamsik
C)Calhanoglu
Rank in order for first gameweek