Dugout Discussion
28 June 2018 836 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The final two matches of the 2018 World Cup group stage take place this evening, with England and Belgium facing off to decide who qualifies as Group G winners.

With both sides having already progressed to the knockout rounds (and with finishing in first place perhaps not quite as advantageous as usual), managers Gareth Southgate and Roberto Martinez have made sweeping changes to their starting line-ups with the round of 16 in mind.

Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Jesse Lingard (£7.5m), who both have Fantasy ownerships of above 10%, are among eight players rested by Southgate this evening. Jordan Pickford (£5.5m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£6.0m) and John Stones (£5.5m), who scored two goals in the 6-1 win over Panama, are the only England players to keep their place.

Romelu Lukaku (£10.0m), owned by over a fifth of McDonald’s FIFA managers, misses out with injury, while Thomas Meunier (£6.0m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£10.0m), both one booking away from suspension, have not been risked. Eden Hazard (£11.0m) is another casualty of rotation, with Thibaut Courtois (£6.0m) and Dedryck Boyata (£5.0m) the only Belgium players playing tonight who also featured in their 5-2 win over Tunisia.

Belgium and England have scored six big chances apiece going into this fixture, more than any other nation so far despite playing one match fewer than 28 other nations.

Panama and Tunisia, already eliminated, meet in Saransk in the other match to kick off at 7pm.

There is little interest from Fantasy managers in this dead rubber, with budget bench fodder accounting for most of the money invested in these two squads. Ferjani Sassi (£5.0m), who scored from the spot in Tunisia’s 2-1 defeat to England, is one to watch tonight given that Panama conceded two penalties in their 6-1 loss to the Three Lions.

England XI (3-5-2): Pickford; Jones, Stones, Cahill; Rose, Dier, Delph, Loftus-Cheek, Alexander-Arnold; Rashford, Vardy

Belgium XI (3-4-3): Courtois; Dendoncker, Boyata, Vermaelen; Chadli, Dembele, Fellaini, Tielemans; T. Hazard, Januzaj, Batshuayi

Panama XI (4-5-1): Penedo; Ovalle, Roman Torres, Escobar, Machado; Gomez, Godoy, Avila, Rodriguez, Barcenas; Gabriel Torres

Tunisia XI (4-3-3): Mathlouthi; Nagguez, Meriah, Bedoui, Haddadi; Sassi, Skhiri, Chaalali; F. Ben Youssef, Khazri, Sliti

World Cup Data

We’re delighted to offer World Cup data as an early addition to our regular season offering to help those playing Fantasy games over the summer.

We’ve secured Opta data, not only for the tournament itself, but also from the Qualifying Rounds for Europe and South America and for international friendlies involving the participating nations. This includes all the matches played right up to the tournament kick-off.

Just to stress, this World Cup offering comes packaged with the regular Fantasy Football Scout membership.

Check out this new trailer detailing the World Cup content below…

McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Fantasy

Join our McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Fantasy league ‘FantasyFootballScout’ using the code: HEWJPVYR

Fantasy iTeam

Fantasy Football Scout is supporting Fantasy iTeam, a free World Cup game available on a number of mobile devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPodTouch and Android. We have an official Fantasy Football Scout League open to UK users only, with a £1000 of Amazon vouchers to give out, split between the top three performers. There’s also the small matter of £10k worth of prizes available in the main competitions: Overall World Championship and Manager of the Gameround.

Click here for details and here to sign up.

Our League name is Fantasy Football Scout and the pin is 1887.

Please note, users must be over 18 and based in the UK to join our league.

836 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Longlatini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    I’m watching ‘Orkney When the Boats In’ on BBC, is it worth turning over to the footy?

    1. Waynoo
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      No

    2. Wetdream
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      No

    3. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      What footy?

    4. Wetdream
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Some rugby league on in a bit...

  2. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Imagine being a pundit prior to this game pretending with a straight face that its going to be a spectacle when everyone with a brain realizes it will be a boring walk in the park for two B-teams. Absolutely pathetic the things they do to build up their "product". Are British studios also like this?

    1. Longlatini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      People are going to watch no matter what

      Not sure what difference the pundits have on people watching or not

      In fact i switch over when the itv pundits are on

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 15 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        I switch over but will watch the match

        I couldn't really care how they build up a game or not

      2. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Yes so why not talk truth instead of lying through their teeth? It has 0 credibility when people who have watched thousands of games act as if this game was ever going to be a great show.

    3. Waynoo
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      yes

  3. Norman Conquest
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    you know how this game is going when the pundits are talking about who is winning with yellow cards

  4. UNDERSCORE
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    who schedules such a promising clash as the last group game ... that too with too upcoming teams who don’t have too much experience

    1. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      how is scheduling determined anyway?
      How come Portugal and Spain played 1st match but these two teams didn't?

      1. DJDave1979
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        The seeded team is top of the pool. The others' positions were drawn after their group had been decided. It wasn't decided on TV time or anything like that. The matches' times and dates were in place before the teams were.

        Only Russia knew their schedule before the draw as seeded team in Group A.

        1. Louis_Sans_Balls
          • 7 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          Right I knew all that, I just wasn't sure of the head to head format, 1 vs 2 3 vs 4 in the order they were drawn or if it was some other logic like top seed vs lowest for example

          1. DJDave1979
            • 11 Years
            7 years, 6 months ago

            After the team was selected for a pool they drew out which position in the group they would take.

    2. DJDave1979
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      I don't understand what you mean. It was a televised draw.

      1. Louis_Sans_Balls
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        so it's determined at that moment teams are drawn? 1 vs 2 3 vs 4 etc?

        1. DJDave1979
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          Yes. That's why we knew exactly who would play where and when after the draw. Would have been CHAOS to have some kind of TV horse trading after the draw.

      2. Fred54
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Think he means top two teams in the group should play each other 1st or 2nd game.

        1. DJDave1979
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          How many dead rubbers have there been? This is pretty unusual.

          1. Louis_Sans_Balls
            • 7 Years
            7 years, 6 months ago

            In order to avoid this in the future, I would have the top 2 seeded teams play first after the groups have been drawn, using Fifa ranking or whatever bullocks they want but if it will avoid a situation like this I'm all for it.

          2. Louis_Sans_Balls
            • 7 Years
            7 years, 6 months ago

            Mate, I've had dead rubbers a lot more than I would have liked

  5. Sterling is £11Mill..…
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    That Bale and Neymar advert is just weird

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Unrealistic advert

      No dives from neymar

  6. The Great Statuto
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    My life in football tournaments. Reading back, long read so summary, disappointing on the whole!

    WC '78: Didn't qualify. Great WC tho
    Euros '80: Qualified undefeated. Convinved we'd win it. Exit 1st round. England fans rioted during first match when opposition equalled. Quite appalling. Clemence and Shilts alternated
    WC '82: Another great WC. I remember playing football at school, coming home and just dunked my first biccy in my tea and watched with incredulity as robbo got that goal. Also it was the time I got together with the girl that is now my wife.
    Euros '84 : didn't qualify. TV coverage wasn't that great that year I seem to remember
    WC '86: Out by the 'hand of God' goal
    Euros '88: lost to Rep Ireland first match. 3rd Group game interrupted our post grad project work when one guy said he had a portable TV in the boot of his car and we could watch England vs Holland in the computer lab! Van Bastan destroyed us and i fell behind on project!
    WC '90: lost on pens to the Germans. Annoyingly their opening goal took a wierd deflection over Shilts. More annoyingly Stuart Pearce hit his penalty TOO HARD down the middle that the German keeper hadn't had time to dive out of the way before it hit his feet! Check out the replay next time and you'll see.
    Euro '92: turnip head took Lineker off!
    WC '94: didn't qualify. Not a great world cup I don't think.
    Euros '96: Gazza just a tad too late on that slide!
    WC '98: B(low) E(ngland's) C(hances) K(ick) H(ard) A(rgy) M(idfielder).
    Euros 2000: Keegan attacking style had us 2 up to Portugal to lose 3-2 in first match, beat Germany but Phil Neville gave away the most obvious penalty of all time to Romania inn3rd group game when all we had to do was draw! Exit first round
    WC '02: early morning matches. We just had nothing extra against a 10 man Brazil in Japan.
    Euros '04:Lost to Portugal on Pens
    WC '06: Owen injured, Rooney sent off, no thanks to Ronaldo. Lost to Portugal on Pens again
    Euros '08: didn't qualify
    WC '10: bought a HD TV. ITV managed to miss the first game's England goal! Later we get killed by Germany Inc a disallowed goal that was miles over the line
    Euros 2012: packed the bus against Italy in knockout stage until they beat us on pens
    WC '2014: Out at group stage.
    Euros '16: got beaten by a nation that has more volcanoes than footballers!

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      WC 2018: Wrote a summary of football tournaments during England B vs Belgium B

      1. The Great Statuto
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Brilliant:-)

      2. Chucky
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        😀

      3. ktongue
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Haha great comment mate

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Not because ye weren't good enough in any of those tournaments?

    3. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      WC'2018: Nightmares of Inui.

    4. Waynoo
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      I can only go back as far as 86 and the hand of God

      1. The Great Statuto
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        I can just barely member 74. I wasn't interested in football then and it seemed to be on forever

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          I can't remember the football in '78 much, I was nearly 10. Can remember the Argentine ticker tape and the name Mario Kempes. Ye had a great team in the 86-90 era, but also a great manager, RIP Bobby Robson. Tough men who could play ball.

          1. The Great Statuto
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            7 years, 6 months ago

            Fell in love with football in that 7i world cup. Spent whole summer practicing that nelhiniho goal in the 3rd place playoff. YouTube it, it's fantastic!

            1. GreennRed
              • 14 Years
              7 years, 6 months ago

              Cheers. It's a thing of beauty 🙂

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNrc3TejOyI

              1. The Great Statuto
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                7 years, 6 months ago

                Isn't it tho! First few times I saw it I thought it had deflected off the defender. About 3rd replay realised it hadn't. I then dreamed of scoring such a goal and attempted it many times. There is actually footage of the same player doing it in a league match in Brazil too somewhere.

            2. The Great Statuto
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              7 years, 6 months ago

              *78*

    5. The Great Statuto
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Actually 78 was also the world cup when Zico had his last second header disallowed by a British ref because the 90th minute had expired inbetween the corner coming in and him heading it in past Sweden.

  7. A.T
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Ive had enough of this. The timing is all wrong, they're all out of sync, it's just the same thing over and over again.
    And that's just the flipping band.

  8. Sterling is £11Mill..…
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    This like watching West Brom v Stoke

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Premier League or upcoming Championship version?

  9. DantheManinaPan
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Cmon England! Let's bring Kane on and smash this game. Keep the winning mentality!

  10. Wetdream
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Gary Neville and Ian Wright competing in a sh*t shirt competition ?

    1. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Ian wins every time

  11. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Interesting that Giggs uses 'we' when talking about England

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Let’s face it he’s probably been with all the players wives.....

      1. diesel001
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        true dat

    2. Wetdream
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Even Alan Brazil was doing it...

  12. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Jules Rimet still gleaming

    1. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      You will never win the Jules Rimet

  13. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    If you're currently watching the football, a reminder that Grand Designs comes on More 4 in a bit, where you'll be able to see some actual paint dry. #ENGBEL

    https://twitter.com/Channel4/status/1012406935663120384

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      First comment meme.....an Optimus classic....

    2. Fred54
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      What is your nationality Rainer?

  14. subhojit123
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    1. Olsen, lovren
    2. Subasic, akanji
    Which one would you go for?

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      1

  15. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone think Kate Abdo is hot?

    1. Wetdream
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Very

    3. Louis_Sans_Balls
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      What is she anyway? I can't tell
      Half Asian or something?

      1. Louis_Sans_Balls
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Thai perhaps?

    4. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Absolutely yes.

  16. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Les Ferdinand in the Norwegian studio telling stories about Gazza. Quality. I love how British ex-players always seem to be laid back and having a good time when they visit Norwegian studios.

  17. boc610
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    THAT ad . god almighty.

  18. Sterling is £11Mill..…
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    So whats everyone thoughts about foreign managers managing international teams from other countries?
    I think its odd tbh, like surely deep down your own country comes first, say if you had a manager from France playing vs France is his heart really going to be 100% in it to beat his own country or even knock them out? Seems really bizarre to me. I would always prefer an English manager over a foreign manager

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Depends on whether you have the coaches of your nationality of a sufficient quality to manage an international football team.

    2. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Jobs a job. Some folk like working and earning money.

      1. Sterling is £11Mill..…
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        yes, the greedy people who put money before country. Takes a special kind of person to betray your country - sociopath? Maybe

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          That was tongue in cheek. That manager is in charge of a very important project that they put time, energy and passion into. When you put those things in you end up caring for and possibly loving that project. So you have the love of country vs project and then as professionals they put the project first.

    3. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Should always be a manager from the same country. Especially when you bring in a foreign manager and he does fek all.

    4. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yea I find it strange. Norway has swede Lagerbäck right now and hes doing a good job tbf but Id rather have someone Norwegian.

      1. Sterling is £11Mill..…
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        For some countries with smaller populations I can understand why, but say for instance England with a population of 70million that lives and breathes football. Its ridiculous how many foreign managers we have had. I have quite a lot of faith in Southgate

    5. George Sillett
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Manager tarts akin to prostitutes.

      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Sorry now, you're name suggests you're looking for free ladyboys!

        1. George Sillett
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          It's only what you read into it.☺

    6. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Ultimately it's the players who go out onto the pitch and play for the result not the manager.

  19. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Probably missed people by, but Sassi YC

    1. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      😆

    2. DJDave1979
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      FNARRR.

      I'm sure he'll miss a pen now...

  20. Skalla
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Still on zero for today after that Sassi YC

  21. anish10
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Boyata nailed for belgium?

  22. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Someone captained Maguire?

    Plenty of time left for an OG!

    1. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Stones off.

      Calf getting attention.

  23. DJDave1979
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    If I'm reading it right I think only one team from Draw Pot 2 has gone out but two teams who were seeded top have gone out.

    Suggests the strongest* last 16 for a while.

    Poland have been atrocious as top seeds.

    *On paper.

    1. Fred54
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Can't think who the others might be?

      Achtung Baby.

  24. 420king
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Stones off for Maguire makes sense. England don't have 3 backup defenders, took Welbeck instead.

  25. Jòse
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Rmt? Using BB and still have WC
    Muslera - Pickford
    Granqvist - Lovren - Maguire - Carvajal - Godin
    Isco - Coutinho - De Bruyne - Quintero - Inui
    Kane - Costa - Lukaku

  26. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Sassi off
    Badri on

    1. 420king
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Sassi 0 pointer!

  27. Waynoo
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    what is that relentless chant?

  28. Sterling is £11Mill..…
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Pickford is chit

  29. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    LOL. Belgium scored

  30. Syd.
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Yessssssssss

    England fans celebrating