Dugout Discussion

Russia stars among most-signed World Cup Fantasy players

Denis Cheryshev (£5.5m) and Aleksandr Golovin (£6.5m) were among the top five most transferred in players ahead of the first match of World Cup Gameround 2.

The pair recorded double-figure hauls in Russia’s 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night and have earned a combined 143,000+ new owners since then.

Only Diego Costa (£9.0m) and Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.0m) were signed by more World Cup Fantasy managers before Gameround 2, with 94,000+ and 132,000+ new owners respectively.

Cheryshev found the net twice while Golovin provided two assists and fired in a stoppage time direct free-kick.

Furthermore, after the first round of Group Stage fixtures only one player had a higher points-per-million than Cheryshev (2.3).

That was Sweden’s penalty-taking centre-back Andreas Granqvist (£5.0m), whose goal and clean sheet against South Korea gave him a points-per-million of 2.4.

Despite the transfer market shift towards Russia midfield assets, the most popular player in tonight’s first match of Gameround 2 is Ahmed Hegazy (£4.5m).

The Egyptian centre-back continues to reap the benefits of a budget price and Fantasy managers will be encouraged by his role in keeping much-fancied Uruguay out for nearly a whole 90 minutes. He sits in 11% of teams tonight.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah could make his World Cup bow tonight, with

It remains to be seen whether Russia can replicate the attacking display put on against Saudi Arabia as Egypt are expected to be a much sterner test.

START LINE-UPS

RUSSIA (4-2-3-1): Akinfeev; Fernandes, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Zhirkov; Gazinskiy, Zobnin, Golovin, Cheryshev, Samedov; Dzyuba.

EGYPT XI (4-2-3-1): El-Shenawy; Abdel Shafy, Hegazy, Gabr, Fathy; Hamed, Elneny; Trezeguet, El Said, Salah; Mohsen.

READ NEXT: Our transfer tips ahead of the World Cup Fantasy Gameround 2 deadline

READ NEXT: How to use VAR and set-pieces to dominate Gameround 2 of World Cup Fantasy

1,158 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Salah on 8, plenty of time for more.

  2. OldBenKenobi
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    SAAAAAAALAH!!!!

  3. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    My Capitano

  4. HamezMace
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Oh captain my captain

  5. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    penalty right decision

  6. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    how many bets on Cheryshev doping?

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Bookies stopped taking bets on this already.

      1. Louis_Sans_Balls
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        what were the latest odds?

  7. kinghenry14
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    come on salah C, two more!!

  8. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Told everyone to get the penalty takers in on their WC. Yet still no Ramos, Granqvist, Rodriguez, Eriksen, Modric, Jedinak etc in the teams.

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Wow, I'm an idiot. I forgot Ramos is the pen taker and got Alba instead.

      1. mir
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        Is Ramos really pen taker. Didn't know that. One for wildcard maybe. Cheers.

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Wrong account you should have logged in as Captain Hindsight Diesel. 😉

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        LOL. I was telling people at 14.00 (UK time) today during the Japan-Colombia game. Don't know why people aren't paying attention.

    3. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Picking a team purely based on pen-takers? No thanks

  9. Alex_thekid
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Cheryshev captain twist?

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      of course

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      For sure. Has to be CR7 tomorrow.

    3. Crouching Tiger
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      If no more goals / assists.. yes

      1. Alex_thekid
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        He's not even on the pitch no more lol

    4. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I made this same mistake in the first round lol

  10. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    GET IN

    Salah(c) 😀 😀

    Just 1 more attacking return Salah and my captain will be sorted.

  11. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Starting as Liverpools pen taker next season after that!

    1. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I don't know Milner has a pretty strong record

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Milner won't be on the pitch as much next season.

      2. Dr Van Nostrand
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Miller will be lucky to start a dozen games he's being phased out thankfully

    2. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Because he scored a pen against Russia? 😀

    3. Dr Van Nostrand
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Fabinho is an excellent pen taker I reckon it will be him

  12. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    imagine if this ends 4-3

  13. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
    • 15 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Well this isn't going well. At least he's going home soon

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Yup.

  14. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Salah (c) and Cheryshev 😀

  15. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Find it funny that people are still criticising VAR. It's still in its infancy and has already improved decision making. What do people want? Wrong decisions?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      It turned on for England games?

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        You know FIFA is anti-England. Lampard's shot was over the line and they still say it wasn't.

        1. Rainer
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 3 hours ago

          Platini's fault!

    2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 15 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I love VAR . Didn't like it then mind

    3. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Agreed 100%

    4. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I agree.
      The time taken to reverse that wrong decision was minimal.

    5. Dr Van Nostrand
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Conservative luddites. God forbid football finally catches up to other sports

    6. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I like wrong decisions, but on the other hand I like pens.

      Which is better? Only one way to find out.

    7. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Working great here, no hold up in play when they check decisions etc...

    8. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      I think it has been a huge success so far and like you say will only get better with time.

    9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      I like it. Doesn't hold up play and adds to excitement somewhat

      Also means the right decision is made and more pens

  16. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Mitrovic > Salah confirmed

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Salah for the KSA game for sure. Even if they are out.

  17. Alex_thekid
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Glad i done Belhanda to Cheryshev last minute

    1. mir
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Same move

      1. Costa Nostra
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Hopefully FPL is taking some notes on some point changes. The drawn penalty is great imo. Makes forwards who draw penalties and take the penalties much more attractive. Also would rather have the max captain than triple “crapshoot” captain chip.

        1. Costa Nostra
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 hours ago

          Post fail 🙁

    2. We Will Klopp you
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I did it in the morning and glad I did so

  18. Dr Van Nostrand
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    VAR gets it right again. It's smashing the WC even more than Russia

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 15 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Yer. Prem need it asap.

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 3 hours ago

        Imagine Milivojevic with VAR

        1. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          6 years, 2 hours ago

          Zaha would get an extra 10 assists for winning pens in a season too

          1. Majestic Chanka
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 2 hours ago

            Would be balanced out by missing games/yellows for diving!

            1. Deulofail
              • 8 Years
              6 years, 2 hours ago

              We have that already

        2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
          • 15 Years
          6 years, 2 hours ago

          Imagine UTD mid table every season 😆

  19. 420king
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Feels like I'm the only one without Salah here 😀

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      I'm with you my friend.

    2. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 3 hours ago

      Go back a few pages, plenty of people LOL@salah owners, they just go quiet very quickly

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        lol@people who go back several pages to look for lollers

  20. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Dammit, I had Cheryshev(c) in my WC draft all the time but they said doubling up in Golovin and Cheryshev was too much so I ditched him for S Zuber 🙁

    S Zuber better play the hell out of him

    1. Godfather Bandit 42
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      I got Golovin (C) and....Gazinsky!

  21. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Thats 4 penalties awarded by VAR so far by my count

    1. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      French, Sweden, and.....?

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Argentina ( Messi miss )

        1. HamezMace
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 hours ago

          Was that VAR? Thought the ref just gave it

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      More than that not given wrongly

    3. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      5 no?

  22. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    thanks VAR, earned me 50 bucks on both teams to score 🙂

  23. 420king
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Another pen for Egypt.

    1. 420king
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Nevermind, should've been though.

  24. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Where's the Egyptian defense today? How come it seems teams seem to forget how to defend when they play Russia?

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Rubels

    2. ★Kuntheman★
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Or maybe, just maybe, Russia is better than you give them credit for

      1. Louis_Sans_Balls
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        so you're saying Russia is better than Uruguay?

  25. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 3 hours ago

    Another Pen denied... What's the point of VAR

  26. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 hours ago

    How is that not a penalty?

    1. 420king
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      No idea!

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Second one was more obvious than the first one.

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Stones push

    3. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Putin called down to the Ref.

  27. Spike ⚽️
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 hours ago

    Bring back the Vuvuzela !!!

    1. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Ban. Flag. Ban.

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Grab your pitchforks lads!

    3. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      It never left - it's just wedged up your backside. 🙂

      1. Spike ⚽️
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 2 hours ago

        Oy cheeky !!

  28. rdamjan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 hours ago

    Trezeguet in for Dzagoev. Will he play against Saudi ? Meh:S

    1. MMN
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 hours ago

      Hope so, got him for Kostic and ignored Cherychev coz of that Saudi game!

  29. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 hours ago

    Lolavin. Must admit that Cherychev has impressed me. I didn't think he'd be good two games in a row.

  30. Fifa las vegas
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 hours ago

    Feck Salah, ruined Ignashevich clean sheet.