634x258 Dugout Discussion
18 June 2014 2465 comments
Paul Paul
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Fantasy managers will be looking for an improvement from this evening’s three fixtures after yesterday’s schedule served up just five goals. The first match on our agenda bodes well for Fantasy returns as Holland square up to Australia on the back of a stunning 5-1 triumph over defending champions Spain last time around:

Holland: Cillessen; Janmaat, Vlaar, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind; De Jong, De Guzman, Sneijder; Van Persie, Robben

Australia: Ryan; McGowan, Wilkinson, Spiranovic, Davidson; Jedinak, McKay, Bresciano; Leckie, Cahill, Oar

Unsurprisingly, Louis Van Gaal names an unchanged side after last week’s humbling of Spain. Holland are expected to line up in a 5-3-2 formation once again, then, with Daley Blind and Daryl Janmaat handed the wing-back role, while front two Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie will be hoping to maintain the form that saw both score twice in their Group B opener.

Australia make a couple of alterations from the side that lost to Chile. Ivan Franjic is out with a hamstring injury, allowing Ryan McGowan the chance to deputise at right-back, whilst in central midfield, Matt McKay comes in for Mark Milligan. As always, Tim Cahill carries the main threat as the former Everton man looks to get amongst the goals again, having netted in last week’s 3-1 loss.

Following that one, Spain square up to Chile in a must-win Group B match. Their humbling by the Dutch, allied with the South American’s opening win over the Aussies, means Vicente del Bosque’s side have it all to do – if Holland win in the earlier match, a victory for Chile would send the Spaniards tumbling out after just two games. Diego Costa’s starting role looks under threat in light of a poor display against the Dutch, whilst Fantasy managers will be hoping del Bosque’s side can replicate the resilience that made their defence such strong options in the previous couple of international tournaments. Chile will look to Alexis Sanchez to maintain the form that saw him produce a goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Australia, though Jorge Valdivia and Eduardo Vargas are also in form, having served up a goal and assist respectively last time around.

The late 11pm kick-off sees Croatia take on Cameroon as both sides attempt to bounce back from Matchday 1 defeats. Suspended for the loss to Brazil, Mario Mandzukic is available once again and is expected to lead the line – with Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic supplying the guile from midfield, Niko Kovac’s side may well prove too strong for their opponents. The Africans are sweating on the fitness of Samuel Eto’o ahead of tonight’s game – the veteran’s potential absence could afford Vincent Aboubakar his first start of the tournament in a reshuffle up top.

Paul Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season. Follow them on Twitter

  1. tm245
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    That was a blunder.

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

    Re-Post.

    New rules on McDonald's!

    "You can change your formation even if a round is in progress. You are unable to change to a formation that would remove a player who has already played during the round. You can remove players who already played manually and change the formation afterwards."

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

      This is not a new rule, it's a bug fix

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

        Well it is, as you can't change formation, unless you remove a player first.

        The player on the far right won't get sent to the bench.

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

          I tried switching from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3. The right-most player was still benched.

          But my right-most mid hasn't played, don't know if it'll be different if he has

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

      If I try to change formation, there's crosses next to the ones which would remove a player.

      So I'm guessing it's now fixed.

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      1. Zizou
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        yeah just noticed that my front three are neymar messi and vargas and i cant select 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 so i assume i have to remove the two that have played to go with that formation

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    3. Tony Warner Fan Club
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah it's just McD's trying to cover their arses.

      Look! We know what we are doing!! Stop emailing us. There's only two summer interns in this office and their English is not much good.

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      1. Fray Bentos
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        To be fair you can't now lose a players points unless you sub them out. All many fixes to make though, how about the mobile issues?

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  3. FPL Touches
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Ramos red card at some point this evening...

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  4. Jimmers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Early exit for Spain is good news for Chelsea - Costs and Fabregas will come back next season after a decent break.

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

      low on confidence, both are shite anayway

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      1. Jimmers
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Jealousy is a terrible thing 🙂

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

          Costa and Fabregas have proved to be great players at this WC.

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          1. Jimmers
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 15 Years
            11 years, 6 months ago

            So ignore the rest of their careers? If Fabregas had rejoined Arsenal you'd be welcoming home the hero!

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

              But he's not and he joined a local rival.

              Barca didn't want him Arsenal didn't either...

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              1. Jimmers
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 15 Years
                11 years, 6 months ago

                About the only thing you have in common with Barca........

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

                  😆

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

                  Chelsea have nothing in common with them either...

                  Nobody is that scummy

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

                    Both teams have a winner's mentality

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

                      and both won nothing last season you donkey

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

                        Last season 😆 how about the remaining 8?

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        2. Leaf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          We rejected Fab , not good enough for us anymore 🙂

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

            Arsenal spent 42.5m on shit, certainly they have to play him no matter what

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          2. Nico.
            • 12 Years
            11 years, 6 months ago

            instead of signing a replacement*

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      2. Leaf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Agree is costas

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  5. SPorting
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    McDonalds - I'm fixin' it!

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

    What a miss Busquets

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  7. Give The Todd Some Love
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    What a miss

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  8. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Shocking miss.

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

    😆 😆

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  10. Tony Warner Fan Club
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Wowowow what a miss.

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

    Robben and RVP points in the McD game?

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  12. Malcolm Tucker for England …
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    If you have your first name on your shirt you don't deserve anything else

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

    Busquets (c) trolling me 😕

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

    Before the start of the tourney if anyone said our teams would last longer than Spain we would have taken that 😆

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

    Cameroon XI:

    Itandje- Assou-Ekotto, Nkoulou, Chedjou, Mbia- Eyong, Matip, Song -Moukandjo, Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting

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

      this team is not scoring

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      1. FPL Touches
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Aboubakar is their best striker anyway..

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        1. Polaris - The Mortal Coil
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          This.

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    2. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Eto'o dropped?

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      1. Polaris - The Mortal Coil
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Injured.

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    3. FPL Touches
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Croatia should be way too strong for them

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  16. Gubbins94.
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Chile's high pressure is a joy to watch. Few things in football finer on the eye than a team pressing so high the opposition can't even breathe in their own box.

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  17. FPL Touches
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    What does Busquets actually do? Seriously what is the point in him?

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      1. FPL Touches
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        His most beneficial work for his teams has come when he is lying down on the pitch instead of playing on it.

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

        😆

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  18. potatoace
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    lol, just seen the graham taylor aldi advert.
    fair play to you sir, very funny.

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  19. tw
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 6 months ago

    Why didn't negredo make the squad...?

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

    Not seen this for ages.. Sergio Busquets dog 😆

    http://i.imgur.com/Q33yJ.gif

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  21. JT's Dog
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Torres the saviour

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    • Fray Bentos
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Torres 🙄

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    • Tony Warner Fan Club
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      I suppose it's rather fitting that Spain go out today, the same day the King abdicates. It's almost like Spain are entering a new era. It's rather poignant.

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    • FPL Touches
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Torres being brought on to steady the ship for Chile and help them maintain their clean sheet 🙂

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    • Saniul
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 6 months ago

      Torres yet again?

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      1. Tony Warner Fan Club
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        It's like when England used to bring on Heskey; a sign they've run out of ideas.

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

          But they have Villa and Fabregas on bench?
          England used to have Crouch and Defoe.

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

      Hopefully Costa can carry this form with him into the new season

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    • JT's Dog
        11 years, 6 months ago

        Spanish players trying to avoid ball going out of play since Torres got stripped

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      • Give The Todd Some Love
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        I hope Aranguiz isn't injured...

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        1. Granville
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 16 Years
          11 years, 6 months ago

          That would be a major dent in their chances, he's one of the discoveries of this world cup.

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

        Busquets up to 7 pts, come on Sergio keep it going!

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      • BeerGoggles
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 6 months ago

        🙂

        Is Costa exiting without a shot on goal either game?? Turn cloak.

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