634x258 Dugout Discussion

World Cup 2014 – Dugout Discussion – Matchday One, Day Four

15 June 2014 3787 comments
Paul Paul
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With three World Cup matches on offer this evening, Fantasy managers have plenty to look forward to. First up, Switzerland take on Ecuador in the 5pm kick-off, with Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side looking to maintain the form that saw them top their qualifying group with an unbeaten record over 10 matches:

Switzerland: Benaglio: Lichtsteiner, Von Bergen, Djourou, Rodriguez: Inler, Behrami; Shaqiri, Xhaka, Stocker; Drmic

Ecuador: Dominguez; Paredes, Guagua, Erazo, W Ayovi; A Valencia, Noboa, Gruezo, Montero; Caicedo, E Valencia

For Switzerland, the highly-rated young left-back Ricardo Rodriguez will add plenty of attacking threat from the back, whilst the likes of Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri are tasked with supplying the creativity behind Josip Drmic, who notched 17 times in 30 starts for German side Nurnberg in 2013/14. The one surprisde from Hitzfeld’s line-up is his decision to opt for Johan Djourou ahead of Fabian Schar in central defence.

Ecuador will be looking for front two Enner Valencia and Felipe Caicedo to grab the goals. The latter was top scorer in qualifying with seven strikes, whilst elsewhere in Reinaldo Rueda’s 4-4-2, Jefferson Montero and United’s Antonio Valencia will also be hoping to make an impact on the flanks.

After that, France square up to Honduras in the other Group E game at 9pm. Despite losing Franck Ribery to injury, Les Bleus are highly-fancied in this one – they’ve won four and drawn one of their last five friendlies, conceding just a single goal in the process. Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Mathieu Valbuena owners have every reason for optimism as Didier Deschamps’ side look to get off to a winning start before a midweek meet with the Swiss.

Our late night viewing sees Group F get underway with a clash of the favourites, as Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina go head-to-head. Lionel Messi will surely be sporting the armband for a number of managers for the 11pm kick-off, though there’s no shortage of options on our radars for this clash, with Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic all looking to catch our attentions before the schedule eases considerably for both sides.

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3,787 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Come on Griezmann get a cheeky goal

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  2. Demí
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Okay, so it looks like Benzema has got MOTM sealed here 🙁

    Apologies to people who backed Pogba on my word. Well done to those who backed Benzema or who covered by backing both.

    Will make up for it by lumping on Messi in the next game now, to claw back some profit after Shaqiri won earlier. Sorry again

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    1. crystalpalaceRus
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Demi do we have any argentine news

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    2. The Sarjeant
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Damn you Demi!

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      1. The Sarjeant
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        I'm joking though.

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    3. Optimus.
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Berbilly onto a winner 🙂

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      1. Optimus.
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/7428452

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    4. Nutella
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Hate to say I told you so, he should have a hat-trick too! Swings and roundabouts!

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    5. Magerost
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Backed both, 100£ win instead of 200£, meh.. Still happy 😉

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    6. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      321 activate

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    7. Sir_Dunc
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      What should i do with Koscielny now he isn't a starter? I also have lloris and debuchy, so could simply get Sakho OR i could branch out a bit and get Blind. Sage advice would be appreciated.

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    8. Vote Joke
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Are Manolas and Cholevas still due to lose another point?

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      1. Eden Eden
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Yes

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        1. Vote Joke
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Cheers

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    9. Captain Shirokov
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Bae: Come over

      Me: I'm facing France in an important World Cup match

      Bae: I'm horny

      Me: http://imgur.com/F7bDI0T

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    10. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      The way Jonathan Pearce said 3-0 so confidently 😆

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Is it a goal or not, which replay do we believe?

        THE ONE THAT SAID GOAL YOU FECKING NUMPTY

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        1. Bubz
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          "There's no question the second goal will be cause for debate". WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.

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          1. JK - Cønt ⭐
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 6 months ago

            He just called it controversial again

            Nothing controversial about it

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        2. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Grade A top of the class Buffoonery.

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    11. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Trying to decide what is worse

      Honduras' filth, or Jonathan Peace's commentary

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      1. Wilshere Knowledge
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        It's amazing compared to funeral director Phil Neville.

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      2. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        C. The nob who keeps blowing his horn

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    12. Alan The Llama
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Dzeko or stick with 7 points? I'm better off sticking, right?

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    13. Dr Dream
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Do CS's get locked in after sixty mins if a player is taken off and the team concedes afterwards ?..same question for McD's and Fox..

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    14. Spectrum-FFS Doubles Champ
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Be strange if people end up benching Messi hope we don't have to us owners

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    15. Blue Lion
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      They are killing Evra!

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    16. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      What's this about changing formation and losing players/ captains?

      Can McDonald's not just sort their shit out? Ruining the game, think I might just stick with FOX for the remainder if they don't fix it

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      1. ADucksBehind
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Trying to fins out the same thing, the rules are not very clear

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    17. Grounderz
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      If Valbuena's not in the scoresheet, De Bruyne will be on for me.

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        bentaleb 😎

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      2. crystalpalaceRus
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Ditto

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      3. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        +1

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    18. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      just logged in sciglio to r rodriguez worked out well then 😯

      this macd scorin system 😆

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    19. bondsdw
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Evra so close on a couple of assists.

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    20. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      When do CS points get added in McFantasyFootball?

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    21. crystalpalaceRus
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      They are nasty

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    22. Frip
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      FIFA rulebook on own goals: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqMqBgBCIAAhSpr.jpg:large

      I think they might change it.

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      1. Frip
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        well Benzema owners just got their goal any way

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    23. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      The refs are just condoning what Honduras are doing 😡

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    24. Wirtzle Gummidge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Dirty set of bar stewards these Hondurans

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      1. The Enlightener
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Ha! You all are seeing what kind of stuff the U.S. team constantly has to go up against in CONCACAF. Honduras is one of the worst teams. Fouls all day long. Disgraceful.

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      2. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        This. ^^^^^

        Truly horrible team.

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      3. Leeroy Jenkyns
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        This is nothing. All the Central American teams are like this. Plus we get refs from other Central American teams that just wave play on through most this crap. It's ridiculous.

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        1. Leeroy Jenkyns
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          ^"Other Central American countries"

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    25. crystalpalaceRus
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      What a goal benzema..

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    26. SW6
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Benzamaaaaaa

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    27. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Side netting

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    28. Grounderz
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      GOAL!

      Benzema scored.

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    29. Prime
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Benzy

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    30. FACUPARSE
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      It's in. No more goals please

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    31. pundit of punts
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Benzemaaaaaaaaa!!!

      Hell yeah!!

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    32. Dušan Citizen
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      54 points for me so far,from 5 players..what about u?

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      1. Chu Young Ping Pong
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        28491 from 1

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        1. Dušan Citizen
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          Very interesting..please continue..looser

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    33. Prime
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Came off a defender so no assist

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