Dugout Discussion

Defence proves popular in Russia v Saudia Arabia

World Cup Fantasy managers have a first chance to see their players in action as Russia take on Saudi Arabia in the opening fixture.

The showdown takes place in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the venue which will host next month’s final.

Despite both sides combining for just five clean sheets in 22 matches, defensive assets have proved the most popular for the encounter.

Goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf (£4.0m) comes into the opener with five percent ownership on McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Fantasy, more than any other in the match.

Meanwhile, Russian counterpart Igor Akinfeev (£5.0m) and Mohamed Alburayk (£4.0m) both have a three percent share of worldwide managers.

Alexandr Samedov (£7.5m) is the most likely to do well this afternoon, having been involved in 11 goals in the nation’s last 20 matches. Despite that, Samedov has between zero and one percent ownership.

STARTING LINE-UPS

4-2-3-1: Akinfeev; Fernandes, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Zhirkov; Gazinskiy, Zobnin, Golovin, Dzagoev, Samedov; Smolov.

4-5-1: Al-Maiouf; Alburayk, Os.Hawsawi, Om.Hawsawi, Al-Shahrani; Otayf, Al-Dawsari, Al-Faraj, Al-Jassam, Al-Shehri, Al-Sahlawi

970 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Saudi will finish with 0 points and 0 goals scored after 3 games

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      conceded 15

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        13 of which due to Cavani I hope

  2. Fuchs Mane Kante
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Aldasari ran with the ball again.

    1. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Yey! how many pts does that get?

  3. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    I must break you

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      You vil loose

  4. Speédy
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Golovin looking most lively

  5. BONZ
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Its refreshing to see the Russian's simply play with freedom have been written off as worst Russian team ever.....

    Think after 45 mins they proved they have a few players of the quality to contest games and have a decent tournament within this group despite their rank!

    1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      They will get thrashed by the other teams
      They are just playing against donkeys

    2. willl
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      They are playing Saudi Arabia, lets not get ahead of ourselves.

      1. BONZ
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Considering Russia are supposed to be the worst in the tournament they are doing ok and refreshing to see them not simply sitting deep to play on counter...

        nowhere near as bad as pundits had made out.

        1. willl
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          wait till they aren't playing Saudi Arabia mr pundit.

    3. FFSbet.com
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Salah will destroy Zhirkov.

    4. JohnnyMagrinho
        5 years, 9 months ago

        What? They’ve looked alright, far from spectacular and against an absolutely horrendous side.

        They won’t score in their other games and could seriously get destroyed 3/4/5-0.

    5. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      What's the point of celebrating C Smolov???..when you move that C to you more attacking guy tomorrow? Am I missing something?

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        If you get more than X amount you will keep him, and he will therefore be a successful captain selection. If you swap the captaincy, you still get his points.

        And X is probably not that high for many people. Since there's a lot of games left, perhaps 8-12 (probably 9 for me)? As the week goes on, that number comes down

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Actually that number would be 8 if it's "more than X" - and if I even had a captain in this game! 😀

        2. barracuda
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Yeah, so what you are saying is, if he gets another lets say goal, you are going to keep as C? Hmm. I think this could be hard decision especially with the likes of Cavani, Lukaku yet to play.

      2. cthaeh
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Smolov hasn't scored though. Why are we even discussing him?

    6. TEKKERS FC
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Lol at people saying this would be 0-0 1-0

      1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        They were idiots

    7. ooooo
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Can you change your captain every day within a round? So i have cavani down as captain at the moment but can I change it after their game?

      1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        You can change it every day

        1. ooooo
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          phew thanks

    8. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Never heard the commentator say Aldawsari's name... why is he in my team?

      1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        He spooned one into row Z

        Because you are a sheep?

      2. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Thats because they call him Salem.

      3. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        I've heard it quite a lot tbf

      4. Assisting the assister
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Most over rated player pick in WC 2018 history so far

        1. CloudSky
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Cant be that overrated for 5.0

    9. JohnnyMagrinho
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Just shows how big a part of Fantasy football luck actually plays.

        Dzagoev was by far the most involved, best player on the pitch and gets a bizarre hamstring injury.

        His replacement comes on and scores. I mean, seriously. Ha.

        1. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Had Dzagoev (C) so the irony of his replacement scoring wasn't lost on me

          1. JohnnyMagrinho
              5 years, 9 months ago

              To be fair Golovin has looked quality but Dzagoev had been at the heart of every attack. Was only gonna be a matter of time before he grabbed a goal.

              Captain was a good shout in my opinion, just horribly unfortunate.

              Really hoping for a Saudi goal to get rid of any clean sheets!

          2. 420king
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            And the first goal of the tournament is from a 4.5m enabler

            1. JohnnyMagrinho
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Yeah exactly. When that ball could have been put in by pretty much any Russian player.

          3. Taking the Mkhitaryan
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            Maximum captain Salah

            1. 420king
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Thats not how MC works.

              1. Klopptomist Scott Jelly
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                🙂

            2. Klopptomist Scott Jelly
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              That's not how Max Cap works

              1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Good to see you all hve a sense of humour

                1. Klopptomist Scott Jelly
                  • 6 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  It would be funny if it made even the tiniest bit of sense as a joke?

                  1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Oh dearie me

                2. Deulofail
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  That's not how humour works

                  1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Haha

                    1. Deulofail
                      • 8 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      That's not how laughing works

            3. Deulofail
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              That's not how MaxiCap works

              1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Always Maximum capt Salah
                We learned that last season

            4. 420king
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              😀

            5. willl
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              ahahahah good one mate

              lmao

              1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Someone
                Finally

          4. Critical Observer
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            Lol @ the Saudis. I’ve seen pub teams that were better. Special mention goes out to the tiny clown on the right wing, so slow he makes Didi Hamann look like Usain Bolt in comparison.

            1. OPTA FPL
              • 12 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              lol

            2. Taking the Mkhitaryan
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Hamann lol

            3. Deulofail
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Wow you're a critical observer aren't you!

            4. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Not sure they have many pub teams in Saudi Arabia

              1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Haha

            5. George Sillett
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Fabulous technical critique.

            6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
              • 13 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              pub team who made it to the world cup?

          5. Eden Wizard
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            Really want to see rivals team

          6. Big boy Bowen
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            My Dzagoev punt going well then lol

            1. rdamjan
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              I already hate this game.

            2. Big boy Bowen
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Oh fantasy football how I've missed you

          7. Hairy Potter
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            Saudi centre backs are shocking, but it’s like the rest of the team have been told to ignore that with big gaps to the full backs and midfield. Uruguay and fit Salah are going to have a field day if they line up like this in the next two matches.

          8. Revival
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            One of Cavani/Suarez esstential for Round 2 now

            1. Rainer
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              And round 1.

              1. Meimei
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                and round 3

            2. JohnnyMagrinho
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Uruguay can easily score 2-4 goals every single game. Including their first one.

                This game means absolutely nothing.

            3. ooooo
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Is Morocco's defence good?

              1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Decent enough

                1. Meimei
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Is Iran's attack good ?

              2. Revival
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Have a goal chance of clean sheet against Iran but will concede to Spain and Portugal.

              3. JohnnyMagrinho
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  100% clean sheet against Iran.

                  100% will concede against both Portugal and Spain.

                  I’m 100% confident about this.

              4. juanmata8
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Any source to see goals and assists? Unfortunate fixtures doesnt show that like fpl does

                1. Epic Fail
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Flash Scores

                  1. panda07
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 11 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Just went on to flash scores there and there was a Brazilian league match between Palmeiras and Flamengo with 6 red cards!

              5. Shels
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Golovin C but used that captain option, could not withdraw so. Was racing to submit team. I'll bother posting if goes well.

              6. WE GO FOR IT
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Dzagoev owners switching to Golovin?

                1. Dre
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Why would you keep a Russian? This is the game you wanted one for

                  1. WE GO FOR IT
                    • 8 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Captaincy candidate for Day 1 of Round 2?
                    Obviously, this is only on basis of one half. If any other player on any other day does well, I'll get him. But tight now, captaincy is the only thing in my thought process.

              7. Revival
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Golovin on for 3 bonus points after first half!

                1. barracuda
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Are there bonuses in McDs?

              8. DAZZ
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                How nailed in that Brazilian team is Danilo? Sorry if this has been discussed i've been away for a few weeks. I ended up going with him alongside Kimmich and Godin.

                1. WE GO FOR IT
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Pretty nailed.

              9. Euro Raiders
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Who can answer this: I got my two goalies the wrong way round..... The sub goalie plays before the one I have in my team!!

                So can I make a tactical change and switch them and then switch them again? Ummmmm ......?

                1. Epic Fail
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Yes

                  1. Euro Raiders
                    • 6 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    So you reckon you can change players around as long as they haven't played. Is that it?

                    1. WE GO FOR IT
                      • 8 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      Yes, that's right!

                    2. SADIO SANÉ
                      • 8 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      affirmative

                2. Norman Conquest
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  no

                  1. Norman Conquest
                    • 10 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    sorry i meant yes as long as they havnt played

                    1. Euro Raiders
                      • 6 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      OK

                  2. Euro Raiders
                    • 6 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    No to what?

                3. barracuda
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Well, isn't that a point? Shouldn't we play those guys who play first and then if they don't produce switch with those who are yet to play? (Regardless of their quality?)

                  1. Euro Raiders
                    • 6 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Exactly! That was my question. I got them the wrong way round!! lol

              10. Dr Dream
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                ITV carrying a picture of Maradonna and Pele in the background.

                Once again that will be Maradonna the drug cheat being lorded over by the the football world.

                Maradonna was a drug cheat and that should be the end of him...

                1. Hairy Potter
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Because of USA ‘94?

                2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                  • 14 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Doesn't take his greatness away Wakey. The best player who ever lived. It wasn't just the drugs 😀

                  Would you say same about Rio Ferdinand ? I think Maradona is a marked target in this country and always will be

                  1. Dr Dream
                    • 11 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Banned twice for drugs and allowed to retire when he failed a third one and filmed taking cocaine on the pitch in '86.

                    Like all drug cheats the times he got caught will not have been the only times either.

                    He's a drug cheat and that's all.

                    1. willl
                      • 8 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      Is cocaine a PED?

                      1. Dr Dream
                        • 11 Years
                        5 years, 9 months ago

                        Doesn't matter. What matters is he was caught taking it and he was caught taking performance enhancing drugs as a cocktail. Wether anybody likes it or not his sporting career was fuelled by all manner of drugs and he admits that and served bans for that.

                        He's a drug cheat...he just is...

                        1. willl
                          • 8 Years
                          5 years, 9 months ago

                          It does matter. Fair enough if he was taking PEDs, then he is a cheat, but not for taking cocaine.

                    2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                      • 14 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      Cocaine before football is just stupid. The pressure hes putting on his heart would be insane but I'm not sure it would enhance performance.

                      Ephedrine will though

                      1. Dr Dream
                        • 11 Years
                        5 years, 9 months ago

                        Ephedrine again on his next match after that ban.

                        1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                          • 14 Years
                          5 years, 9 months ago

                          Yer since the ephedrine is performance enhancing then you have a point. I've seen the cocaine vid before but as far as cheating goes I'm not sure with cocaine . I'd probably say it hindered him more than enhanced his performance. He liked dicin with death though because both of them hammer your heart to bits. Not a good idea expecting yourself on either

                          1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                            • 14 Years
                            5 years, 9 months ago

                            * exerting

                          2. Dr Dream
                            • 11 Years
                            5 years, 9 months ago

                            The most damming part of it is that when Maradonna was caught in '94, after his cocaine ban, he had taken a cocktail of five drugs that had to have been manufactured for him (no medicine contained those substances together)...when he got caught after that "94 ban it was a cocktail of six....

                            He himself admits that he took anything and everything in the eighties right through to the end of his career.

                            He's not just a sportsman who got caught with a banned substance but was caught using a myriad of drugs and admits it.

                            What I'm saying is that it's amazing that football as a sport still refuse to acknowledge it and lord over him...even FIFA allowing him to give prizes out at annual events.

                        2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                          • 14 Years
                          5 years, 9 months ago

                          No proof of him taking ephedrine whilst he was at the top of his game so we can't just assume he cheated with PED

                          1. Dr Dream
                            • 11 Years
                            5 years, 9 months ago

                            I think that assuming the only time somebody ever took a PEO was the time they got caught is a very naive assumption for anybody to make....especially when that person had served a previous ban for a banned substance.

                            As it turns out Maradonna admits it anyway...

                            1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                              • 14 Years
                              5 years, 9 months ago

                              Not sure I agree with that wakey. Maybe as he got older he wanted to stay at the top. I wonder how many others took it and never got caught. Think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. If he admitted to taking PED in the mid to late 80s then fine

                      2. Dr Dream
                        • 11 Years
                        5 years, 9 months ago

                        Here he is sniffing cocaine on the pitch in '86....

                        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CIygalhVZ00

                        That was also the year he admitted to the Argentine coaching staff issuing pills to him and a few team mates before matches...

                        1. Deulofail
                          • 8 Years
                          5 years, 9 months ago

                          He's obviously wondering what it smells like 🙂

                  2. Dr Dream
                    • 11 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    ...and what's more he admits that as well...

                3. Je suis le chat
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Maradona was my favourite. No player had ever guven me such a rush in the 80's, loved him at Napoli. The physical abuse he put up with drove him to drugs.

              11. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                • 14 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                The moment you realise you have no Uruguay attack and they play Saudi next

                https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pi-bP3XrcO4/hqdefault.jpg

                1. Deulofail
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  De Arrascaeta FTW!

                  1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                    • 14 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    I wanted to so bad. But I couldn't see him in any predicted teams bar 2. I know he will play but didn't want to risk it

                2. willl
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  when you realise you can make transfers

                  😀

                  1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
                    • 14 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    😆

                    I smell a WC brewing already

                3. WE GO FOR IT
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  I have triple Uruguay. All set for GW2. B-)

              12. bitm2007
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                1 point so far, anybody doing better ?

                1. Pierce34
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  I have 2 😎

                2. Norman Conquest
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  2 (c)

              13. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                can we see opponents teams?

                1. Rainer
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  No.

                  Hopefully at FT there's an update of sorts to check rivals and make subs etc.

                2. barracuda
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Good question, maybe after today?

                3. Pierce34
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Doesn't look like it.

                4. bitm2007
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  I can't find the leader board !

              14. barracuda
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                What about price changes? Do we have more info of how often, when?

                1. Rainer
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  "Original player prices will remain the same until the group stage. Upon completion of the group stage, player prices will change depending on their performances in the 2018 FIFA World Cup™."

                2. Pierce34
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  "Original player prices will remain the same until the group stage (Round 3). Upon completion of the group stage, player prices will change depending on performances."

                3. barracuda
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Lovely, thank you troops. Sorry to trouble you with my lame question.

                4. 420king
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  Yeah. After round 3.

                  +0.1m or +0.2m increase for players who do well. (expensive ones can't rise +0.2m)

                  -0.1m for players who do poorly

              15. Shels
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                I'll say it now while I'm here in oz, AFC should be reduced to 2.5 teams at WC

                1. Louis_Sans_Balls
                  • 5 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  can you imagine how it's gonna be in 2026 with 48 teams?! How many crap matches will be subjected to, oh the horror!!

                  1. willl
                    • 8 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Scotland might actually qualify!

                    1. Louis_Sans_Balls
                      • 5 Years
                      5 years, 9 months ago

                      lol

                2. SW6
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  There will be 8 in 2026...

                  1. Louis_Sans_Balls
                    • 5 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    that would be a very short tourney indeed, lol

                    https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/world-cup/news/world-cup-2026-what-are-the-host-cities-in-usa-mexico-and-canada-going-to-be/

                    48 to be exact. Bollocks if you ask me

              16. Ber2k
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                How can I check other minileague teams?

                1. Shels
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 9 months ago

                  What's the code for this league, thanks

                  1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 9 months ago

                    Great reply