In our second members article of the week, we turn to our own ICT Index for inspiration. Assessing player performance for Influence, Creativity and Threat in accordance with the relevant Opta statistics, we create a Members table in order to analyse the top-scoring midfielders over the last four Gameweeks:
So since its a bit slow around here, lets talk about the World Cup. Who do you think are going to be the dark horses this WC?
For me, Italy as always and Urugauy. I think Belgium are overrated....Open ControlsAgree on Belgium.
I think France will be a positive surprise for many.Open ControlsYep, Italy surely. People always write them off but they always perform in the Finals.
Uruguay are favourites, mind you. They have a shot at winning it.
My pick:- Chile, Ivory Coast and Belgium as dark horses.Open ControlsFrance and Argentina are looking good..
Open ControlsChile! They are a great team...
Open ControlsI think Urugauy will struggle, don't see them doing much. Only have a few decent players and have been playing horrendously of late. Suarez Cavani Forlan wont be able to counter how poor the rest of the team is imo
Open ControlsFrance and Ivory Coast. But mostly France.
Open ControlsArgentina.
I thinbk Belgium are over-rated in terms of tournament experience and perhaps some players are over-rated. Courtois, Kompany, Hazard, maybe Vertonghen are the real quality there. Benteke out, not convinced he's consistent enough anyway. Mirallas can let them down being greedy.
You're right about Italy. Skills, great defence and tournament experienceOpen ControlsBelgium are decent crop of players, but we tend to over hype most in the PL, and they have many basic problems like their defense is basically 4 CBs..
Italy are the dark horses IMO, Juventus based miserly defense who all know each other plus Pirlo, De Rossi, Motta can really control games...Open ControlsI've heard the 4 CBs argument too. Not sure how much that'll hinder them. I think it's because they play 'nice' football, will be interesting to see how they like being kicked which is bound to happen.
Italy will suffer by not having a top striker as will Spain by not having a striker who's in good form.
Aregentina will, unfortunately, fail by having a dodgy defence.Open Controls
it's funny how things work in phases, first Belgium were the great fancied dark horse and now it has totally turned the other way for some because of all the attention they get. They are still a very good team, it's not just the PL players. Add in names like Witsel, Mertens, Alderweireld, Defour & Bakkali
Open ControlsI'm sorry I personally never bought that, the thing is while they're a good team they
don't have any tournament experience
don't have any full backs.
and while I think they have a good bunch of players there are just too many teams far better than then IMO..Open ControlsThey're all good ball players. But the best ball players don't always win tournaments. Dembele would be one of my favourite Belgian players. Can play a bit but also good defensive mid. I'd say the likes of himself, Kompany, Vertonghen, maybe Hazard who has toughened up under Mourinho can lead the team but I'd have no faith whatsoever in Kevin Mirallas. The rest will play for Belgium and Mirallas will play for Mirallas. Italy in 2006 had a few great players but a collective strength and knew how to get past each stage.
How many of the Belgian team are French and how many are Dutch?Open ControlsOn the tournament experience I don't really buy that as their U21 team got to the semis of Euro 2007, many of the current squad were involved. Also it's not essential for me anyway.
They don't have proper specialist fullbacks but the likes of Lombaerts, Alderweireld & Vertonghen are good there.
I don't think Belgium will win it but I can see them going pretty far with a nice draw. Certainly much better set up in every possible way than England.
On the split, difficult to say as I didn't know where they were all born, probably a few more are Flemish from those I know, than the Walloons, but there are also a few born elsewhere like Benteke etc..Open Controls
ENGLAND.
Open Controls😆
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g2g? Feel like playing Chester but not sure how..
Mannone
Coleman Cahill Olsson
Hazard Yaya Silva Mirallas
Suarez (c) Sturridge (vc) Lukaku
Adrian Chester Noone WardOpen Controlsg2g i think hull will concede
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Why isn't everyone getting Flanagan? I feel he's the best value defender in the entire game?
Open Controlshes in my plans for the next couple weeks
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Wow, just saw the Benteke news..
Bummer, I hope nobody listened to me and get him in for Fulham.. 😐 😳Open ControlsI planned to but as always never do transfers before the pressers
Open ControlsFantastic call as it turns out 😀
I'm just glad I went Bony over him.. Could have easily gone for Tekkers.Open Controls
Captain Baines next week.
Who's joining me on an exciting journey of clean sheets and goals?Open Controlsstrongly considering that
Open Controlso/
Open ControlsI wish I can. But already got Coleman, Mirallas and Lukaku.
Open ControlsBaines or Goalman..? 😉
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Any ideas for my team chaps? 1FT and 0 in the bank, looking to save the transfer this week.
Marshall (Mannone)
Coleman, Cahill, Terry (Ward, Demel)
Toure, Gerrard, Silva, Hazard (Noone)
Suarez, Lukaku, Sturridge
Cheers.Open Controlseither save or do gerrard to eriksen to free up some cash
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Quite a few DZers in the final 25 of Last Man Standing.
Triggerlips, Djerbil, AJ & Innsie for starters.Open ControlsWhat's the format for elite 64 TM?
Open Controlshttp://www.tinyurl.com/elite64
Seems you went out last week.Open ControlsDam. Was close though!
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If Aguero ISN'T back for GW34, would you
(a) Get another City attacker in (Silva or Nasri)
(b) Save my last City slot for when Kun does return, and get Ward for 34 instead
Mannone/Adrian
Zab/Baines/Coleman/Bardsley/Chester
Yaya/Hazard/Lallana/Mutch/Sterling
SLSOpen ControlsRooney to be rested at Newcastle??
Moyes must be thinking about it.Open ControlsHe usually needs to play to keep his form up so doubt a full rest, may come off early again though or come on in the second half if not starting
Open ControlsI'd rest him.
Only way into UCL next year is to beat Bayern next week.Open Controlscome to think of it, there is a possibility, however I think he may just be subbed off early
Open ControlsWhat is this madness
Open ControlsYeah maybe..well he should be rested even though I am a Rooney owner..he deserves a game's rest..and he should start Nani instead of Young...I would like to Nani playing Vs Bayern...
Open ControlsI'm sorry that would be the worst thing possible, you need discipline whilst playing Bayern, I don't see Nani tracking their full backs well..
Open ControlsHe managed it ok against them last time at their ground, and against Madrid. What he offers going forward (compared to Young anyway) is worth the risk. They need goals anyway, as it is they are going out
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Time for Moyes to troll the owners 😆
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Hoping more than 2 players score over 2 this week...
Open ControlsMorning all
Manonne
Coleman Collins ward m.Olson Davies
Hazard yaya silva parker gerrard
Suarez lukaku sturridge
Problem is happy enough with what I have for this week but have two free transfers so need to use one.
0.3 in the bank.
Any ideas .thanksOpen Controls@Tina: In order for me to go Aguero (c) for DGW three things would need to happen
Aguero starts
Aguero looks good
Lukaku looks... not so good
In order for me to GET him though, not much, a cameo and he's in probably 😀 Need to "cover" my rival on that.Open ControlsCool.
I doubt Kun will start this week, presser will prob shed light. 25min cameo from bench?Open Controls
Any news on Aguero's Fitness? or will have to wait till the team sheet actually arrives?
Open ControlsPresser later today no? Should get something then.
Open Controlspelle presser
Open ControlsSomeone was at the training ground yesterday and said he was taking full part. So there's now a very strong expectation of a 10-15 min cameo Vs Saints and a start against Pool.
Pellegrini tends to have early Friday morning pressers so we should know more quite soon.Open Controls
will be interesting to see how Pool line up against WHU who are going to play deep and not give them the space behind. Obviously, the long ball to Caroll will be testing on their defence.
Open ControlsEriksen wipes the floor with AJ in the comparison tool!
Yet all the 'projections' have AJ ahead...
Who'd you get? and would you leave Gerrard for another week?Open ControlsEriksen/Schurrle for me
Open ControlsDisagree, look closer and you'll see that on most of the stats that matter for scoring fantasy points Johnson is ahead:
Pen area touches per minute played, goal involvement, mins per goal, all ahead. Hes slightly behind on chances created but not a lot in it, and more points come from goals anyway. To be honest the only fly in the ointment is him not playing most of matches!
Personally Ill be having both though 🙂Open Controls
So why no scoutcast?
Open ControlsCheck Hot Topics.
Open ControlsOk, cheers.
Open Controls
Ignore the hot topic. It's just code for Mark getting a vasectomy and Granny going away for a dirty weekend in Manchester with Mrs Granville.
Open ControlsDo we get a live version with community interaction on either of these events?
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Kompany (SOU) Baines (ARS) Coleman (ARS) Flanagan (whu) Lallana (mci)
Which two will you drop?Open ControlsAvoiding doing work. Anyone want to RMT for this week? Got 2 FTs and only using 1 and here is my team. Good to go?
Mannone
Coleman / Chester / Zabaleta
Yaya / Eriksen / Hazard / Gerrard
Suarez(C) / Sturridge / Dzeko
Subs: Adrian / Dummett / Bardsley / ColbackOpen Controls1 - r bennet (WBA)
2 - AJ (tot)
3 - mirallas (ARS)
If you need only one to play, who will you choose?Open ControlsMy DGW team
Mannone
Baines Coleman Azpi
Yaya (c) Nasri Hazard AJ
Saurez Dezko LukakaOpen ControlsQuick yeah or neigh....
2nd in my 3 cash ML's, biggest point gap is 80 so I can either go flat out to win that one or try and hold 2nd across all 3 leagues and maybe sneak it week by week, 2nd is worth €300+. He has 3x Everton so was planning on avoiding them as a diff..
His Team:
Krul Marshall
Stones Coleman Skrtel Ivanovic Brown
Yaya Silva Oscar Schurrle S.Davies
SaS Lukaku
My Team:
Adrian 3.9
Azp Zab Ward Chamb Demel
Yaya Haz Gerrard Nolan Barkley
SaS Dzeko
So gonna bring in Speroni and hope double C. palace can out point his Everton defence, they're not exactly tight at the back anyway and Palace have a few weeks where I can see them keeping shut outs. Gerrard out next week to potentially fund Aguero as I know he won't buy him.
Any thoughts?Open ControlsStones will drop out soon. Decent plan.
Open Controls
Best option?
A. Gerrard to silva (and do mata and shaw > Lallana and zab next week)
B. Gerrard and shaw to Nasri and zab/Demi
(Yaya only City coverage)Open ControlsTransfer history....
worst looking ivanovic to celustka gw 19
best looking moses to silva gw 10Open ControlsBest:
Bacuna -> Yaya GW26 or Barfa -> Ramsey GW6
Worst:
Yaya -> Nolan GW28Open Controls
Anyone looking at Stones for the DGW or is he too much of a risk? With Martinez saying he needs to be careful with Jagielka, he could be a good pick.
Open ControlsToo risky imo.
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2pm for Liverpool's presser, for anyone who cares
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/160498-2pm-br-s-west-ham-preview-on-lfctv-goOpen ControlsGuys,
I have 2 FT but absolutly have no idea how to improve the team:
Mannone / Adrian
Coleman, Azpi, Flanagen, Ward, Chester
Silva, Yaya, Haz, AJ, Noone
SLS
0,9 M in the bank.
So I have 7 players with dgw. I may get one more city player, probably it should be a defender but in order to do this, I have to leave either coleman or Azpi. I see coleman have a great dgw and a potential 5 CS for Chelsea. So I can't decide.
I may get another everton player but can't see a good midfielder.
So I think I may switch Adrian to Speroni?Open ControlsA Question for the ages today:
Start Ward(car) or Turner(CRY)
currently leaning towards WardOpen ControlsI say ward
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Public apology for Granville - who listened to my advice last week and got Jagielka in...looks like another blank week for the injury ravaged Everton man.
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