After rolling out our guide to the FIFA McDonald’s World Cup 2018 game on Thursday afternoon, attentions now turn to the analysis of the player list.
As Fantasy managers can use all 15 squad players in any given round by subbing out the underperformers, having back-up budget options ready to come off the bench is a crucial part of planning.
With that in mind, we start a two-part series of articles by first looking at defence, assessing those goalkeepers and defenders costing £5.0m or under who can help balance the books for our squads.
Budget Defensive Options
Ahmed Hegazi is a familiar name around these parts after his strong debut season with West Brom.
Coming in at £4.5m in the official FIFA game, the Egypt centre-half netted twice for the Baggies and was the second top value defender in FPL last season.
While an opening Group A match with Uruguay is hardly enticing, his remaining two – against Russia and Saudi Arabia – look decent shouts for clean sheets.
The hosts, in particular, are struggling badly for a cutting edge and have scored just two goals in their last four friendlies.
Iran’s Morteza Pouraliganji is another cut-piece centre-half with an eye for goal, scoring ten times in 49 appearances for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Costing £4.5m, an opening Group B match with Morocco may be his best bet of a shutout, bearing in mind that he then faces Spain and Portugal.
Nonetheless, with Carlos Queiroz in charge, Iran boasted a resilient record in qualifying and are expected to sit deep and frustrate when underdogs.
Morocco’s teenage right-back Achraf Hakimi also offers an intriguing option from Group B.
The Real Madrid signing netted twice in nine La Liga outings last season and sets you back just £4.5m. His country have impressed at the back in recent matches, conceding just four times in eleven matches since the turn of the year.
With showdowns against Australian and Denmark (as well as France) in Group C, Peru’s defence could be worth considering.
They have conceded just two goals in their last eight in all competitions, with first-choice keeper Pedro Gallese (£4.5m) now injury-free in time for the tournament.
However, their raiding left-back Miguel Trauco (£5.0m) could be the one to target. The Fluminese defender served up three assists in qualifying and has also chipped in with a pair of assists in recent friendlies.
His fellow full-back Luis Advincula is even cheaper at £4.5m and has started each of Peru’s previous six outings – including tonight’s meeting with Sweden.
Denmark provide some appealing routes into a defence with seven clean sheets in their last 14 outings.
Kasper Schmeichel comes in at £5.0m between the posts and should profit from save points, while Simon Kjaer (also £5.0m) netted twice for Sevilla in La Liga last season. Both started against Mexico this evening, though Brentford’s Henrik Dalsgaard – priced at just £4.5m – was also in the Dane’s defence and he has now featured in the last two friendlies.
Iceland centre-half Kari Arnason (£5.0m) caught the eye in qualifying thanks to two goals and a pair of assists.
He’s a significant threat from set-pieces, which comes in very handy when you consider that his country scored five of their 16 goals in qualifying from dead-ball situations.
Iceland kept five clean sheets in ten qualifiers, including one against upcoming Group D opponents, Croatia.
With a match against Nigeria (and Argentina) also on their agenda, Arnason – who also scored in a friendly against Ghana on Thursday night – looks the likeliest for points at both ends of the pitch.
Priced at £4.0m apiece, Nigeria keeper Francis Uzoho and defender Bryan Idowu could be two of the cheapest starters around.
Uzoho has started each of the last five friendlies, while Idowu has been named on the teamsheet in four of those matches. The latter played on the left of midfield as an out of position prospect in a 1-0 loss to the Czech Republic on Wednesday night.
Over in Group E, Manuel Akanji (£4.5m) seems to have overtaken Johan Djourou in the centre-back pecking order for Switzerland.
Bought by Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window, his final two matches – against Serbia and Costa Rica – look the likeliest source of points, given that the Swiss face Brazil in their first match of the tournament.
No team produced more goal attempts from corner kick situations during qualifying than Switzerland.
Costa Rica proved a rich source of value in Brazil 2014, conceding just two goals in five matches on the way to the last eight.
However, they approach this tournament in less resilient form, with two clean sheets in six since clinching a place in Russia 2018.
Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas averaged over four saves per match in that run last time around and sets you back £5.0m. As do full-backs Bryan Oviedo and Cristian Gamboa; both will push forward in a 5-4-1, with Oviedo supplying an assist in a clash with Scotland earlier this year.
Sweden’s Andreas Granqvist (£5.0m) ticks a number of boxes.
An ever-present in qualification, he is their designated penalty taker and scored three of them on the way to Russia. Furthermore, the Swedes delivered seven clean sheets in 12, including back-to-back shutouts against Italy in the play-offs.
While a Round 2 encounter with Germany looks unlikely to bring in defensive points, Group F clashes with South Korea and Mexico still seem promising for clean sheets.
Mexico’s defence have also impressed in recent matches, with a 3-3 draw against Belgium last November preceding a run of five clean sheets in six friendlies before tonight’s meeting with Denmark. They have a host of options at £5.0m, though none of those players featured more often than Diego Reyes.
However, the 25-year-old missed out against the Danes with a hamstring problem, as fears on his participation in the tournament build. Hector Moreno – with seven starts in qualifying – could be the most assured budget pick then. He is also priced at £5.0m and looks an assured starter as the left centre-back in Juan Carlos Osorio’s line-up.
With matches against Belgium and England in Group G, the Panama and Tunisia defences may well be given a wide berth.
Nonetheless, they have cut-price regulars that could appeal as enablers. Panama keeper Jaime Penedo comes in at £4.5m and will be kept busy with saves, while defender Fidel Escobar is even cheaper at £4.0m.
Mouez Hassen (£4.0m) had started the last three friendlies in goal for Tunisia though the 23-year-old was back on the bench against Spain tonight as the experienced Aymen Mathlouthi (£4.5m) made a pre-tournament return.
Meanwhile, versatile left-back Ali Maaloul (£4.5m) has been selected in five of the last six, including tonight’s friendly, and looks to be assured of his start in the defence.
In Group H, Colombia’s rearguard has been the most impressive in recent fixtures.
Set to face Poland, Senegal and Japan, they’ve chalked up three clean sheets in the last four friendlies, with only France scoring against them over that period. Left-back Frank Fabra (£5.0m) has started three of the last four for those backing the South Americans.
For Senegal, Youssouf Sabaly (£4.0m) could be worth the risk, though, having started three of the last six in defence.
With a single clean sheet in their last 12, Japan have been anything but convincing at the back.
Metz stopper Eiji Kawashima will be kept busy with saves at least, while Southampton’s Maya Yoshida offers a goal threat from centre-half. Both come in at £4.5m in the FIFA game.
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