634x258 Dugout Discussion
26 June 2014 3877 comments
Paul Paul
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We reach the end of the group stages of Brazil 2014 this evening as the last 16 match-ups are finalised. Group G gets us up and running at 5pm and with all four of the teams still in with a shout of progressing, Fantasy managers will be hoping there’s less chance of rest and rotation. Germany face up to USA and Portugal square up to a Ghana side devoid of Kevin Prince-Boateng and Sulley Muntari after both players were sent home for disciplinary reasons earlier today:

Germany: Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Mertesacker, Howedes; Lahm, Kroos, Schweinsteiger; Ozil, Muller, Podolski

USA: Howard; Johnson, Gonzalez, Besler, Beasley; Jones, Beckerman; Davis, Bradley, Zusi; Dempsey

Joachim Low makes a couple of changes from the side that drew with Ghana. The Germany manager brings in Bastian Schweinsteiger for Sami Khedira in the centre of the park, while Lukas Podolski comes in for Mario Gotze in the front three. Thomas Muller owners will be looking for more of the same, after the Bayern man notched three goals and an assist in the opening couple of matches, whilst those holding Mesut Ozil will be desperate for an improvement after a couple of patchy displays so far.

Jurgen Klinsmann also makes two alterations as he attempts to get the better of his native country. Omar Gonzalez replaces Geoff Cameron in central defence, whilst Brad Davis gets the nod ahead of Alejandro Bedoya on the right flank – Clint Dempsey is looking to score for the third successive match, though the likes of Michael Bradley and Graham Zusi also offer a threat from the attacking midfield positions.

Portugal: Beto; Pereira, Alves, Pepe, Veloso; W Carvalho, Moutinho, Amorim; Nani, Eder, Ronaldo

Ghana: Dauda; Afful, Boye, Mensah, Asamoah; Rabiu, Agyemang-Badu; Atsu, Waris, A Ayew; Gyan

Paulo Bento welcomes Pepe back from suspension for the vital game with Ghana, as Ricardo Costa drops out to accommodate the Real Madrid man at centre-half. The Portugal boss makes three further changes, drafting in William Carvalho, Ruben Amorim and Eder for Andre Almeida, Raul Meireles and Helder Postiga – the former two look set to be installed in the middle, with Miguel Veloso shifting to left-back. All eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, though, as he looks to get his goal account finally up and running and fire his side into the last 16.

Prince-Boateng and Muntari’s omissions are the only two changes from Kwesi Appiah after a very encouraging draw with Germany. Udinese player Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu comes into the double-pivot to replace Muntari, whilst the highly-rated Abdul Majeed Waris is tucked in behind Asaomoah Gyan up top. Andrew Ayew, with a goal in both group games so far, looks the major threat for the Africans once again.

Later on, Belgium go head-to-head with South Korea as Marc Wilmots’ side look to end the group stages with a 100% record. Bearing in mind they’re already through, though, there’s a fear that we could see a number of changes from the Europeans in this one, with Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne owners hoping they’ll keep their places in the starting XI. Up top, Wilmots may well omit Romelu Lukaku from his line-up after subbing off the Chelsea man in each of the first two games, whilst at the back, Belgium are set to be without both Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen through injury.

Those defensive concerns will afford the Koreans optimism and with three goals in their first two matches, they present a definite threat to Thibaut Courtois’ clean sheet prospects. The highly-rated Son Heung-min grabbed his first of the tournament in Matchday 2 and, having netted 10 times for Leverkusen in the previous Bundesliga campaign, carries the main threat for Hon Myung-bo’s side.

Despite scoring once and picking up a single point in their opening two matches, Russia are still in with a shout of making the last 16. A win against Algeria, coupled with a Belgian triumph over South Korean, will take Fabio Capello’s side through – Alexander Kokorin looks their best chance of netting, though Alexander Kerzhakov will be hoping for his first start after climbing off the bench in the first pair of fixtures.

After an emphatic 4-2 win over South Korea, Vahid Halilhodzic’s side will approach this one with little fear. Islam Slimani, Abdelmoumene Djabou and Sofiane Feghouli have all served up a goal and assist in the first two fixtures and will fancy their chances of picking up further returns against an unconvincing backline that has been breached in both their opening matches.

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  1. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Robben would be a great addition to United. Adds immediate boost to the squad while allowing for younger players to be brought in

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    1. Mavric Marco
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Perfect mentor for Januzaj

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      1. Epic Fail
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Robben is selfish. He ain't mentoring nobody.

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        1. Mavric Marco
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Haha, Adnan could benefit from all his experience - he won't become Robbin, just learn from the bast features of his game

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    2. LOCO ABREU
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      he should go,bayern sucks with guardiola

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    3. MJ6987
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      One of the best players in the world a great addition? That's a bold statement there Bowstring!

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      1. Bøwstring The Carp
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Hehehe I meant for a 30 year old, he'd be a great role model for the younger lads like Janizaj, etc.

        His skill goes without saying, easily the best right winger in the world.

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    4. Studgie G
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Bayern won't let him go, not with shakiri agent talking with pool the other day

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    5. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Why would he leave Bayern and join a team not playing CL? I say this as a United fan.

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      1. King Kohli
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Bayern could decide to sell Robben and keep Shaqiri. Also a United fan! 😉

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    6. VougieDipond
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Man utd still have smalling,jones, valencia, rooney, welbeck and many other duds too early to get excited

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      1. Tuchap - Lurker
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Rooney's a dud apparently....

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  2. Mavric Marco
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Hope Hazard comes on at HT and does a James Rodriguez!

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  3. MJ6987
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Are there any good Chile players to go for apart from Sanchez and Vargas?

    To clarify, this is for TFF so just CSs, assists and goals count!

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    1. GREENDREAMS11
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      valdivia

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      1. MJ6987
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        He's only started one game though.

        What about Aranguiz?

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      2. Beavis
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Rotation risk. Vidal is an okay pick but wouldn't get any besides from the forwards.

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        1. Pinky and Brain
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Beavis aren't you from Cyprus? Any news on Karnezis?

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          1. Beavis
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            He claims that he should be back for the Costa Rica game.

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            1. Pinky and Brain
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 5 months ago

              Thanks.

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        2. MJ6987
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Cheers.

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    2. LOCO ABREU
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      vidal also

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    3. Il Gladiatore
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      I'd say only Sanchez is worth it in TFF. He's more likely to be involved in any goals Chile score, especially with the points for key contributions.

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  4. GunsnRoses
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Slimani :'(

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    1. GunsnRoses
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Offside 🙂

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    2. NERONALDO
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Akinfeev played very well

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  5. Beavis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    South Korea's GK is just awful.

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  6. Mr Sarcastic
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Kombarov 6 and counting.

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    1. Zombie
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Bentaleb 3 & counting

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      1. Mr Sarcastic
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        🙂
        Maybe I should have changed Montazeri for him then.

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        1. Zombie
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Well, life teaches us in hard ways 😉

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          1. Mr Sarcastic
            • 15 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            last round I changed and lost one point 🙁

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            1. Zombie
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 5 months ago

              last round I benched Djabout for Kokorin

              This round I benched Kokorin for Djabou 😆

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      2. PGR
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Looks like he'll be outscoring Mesbah 🙁

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  7. PGR
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Didn't know Bentaleb was only 19 years old!

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      was or is

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      1. PGR
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        is 😛

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        1. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          😉

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  8. RyanC
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Hi everyone,

    I'm currently in a unique position of actually being in the top handful of players over on the Mirror game. I've got there mostly thanks to wild luck -- Rodriguez, Rojo, Shaqiri, Benzema, picking the right captains at the right time, etc.

    However, I'm totally clueless as to what to do next. Really, I'm not a pro!

    My current team for the 2nd Round is

    Lloris (Cesar)
    Lahm Rojo Duarte (Blind, Rodriguez)
    Muller J Rod Cuadrado Oscar (Di Maria)
    Neymar Messi Benzema

    Any suggestions? My logic behind Duarte is that I think he'll be a crazy differential for Costa Rica, who I think might keep a clean sheet against Greece. My biggest nightmare is whether or not to play Di Maria -- he's been knocking at the door. But out of him, Oscar and Cuadrado, which two would you play?

    Thanks for all the help. Like I say, I'm an accidental leaderboard leader (well, top 20), and I'm really out of my comfort zone. But loving the bragging rights. 😛

    Cheers!

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    1. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      There's a game on.

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        there is 😯

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      2. Zombie
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        or two

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  9. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    err does the korean GK have no fingers under that glove

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        arghhh thatll haunt my nightmares

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    1. Mavric Marco
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Kim Jong un dont allow fingers 😉

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      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Wrong Korea, but nevermind

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        1. Mavric Marco
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          😉 Joke

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  10. Fray Bentos
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Another dull Belgian game, a pattern forming

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    1. Mavric Marco
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      …until Hazard comes on at HT 😉

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      1. Fray Bentos
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Doesn't seem to make a difference. Belgium rank alongside Iran for entertainment in this WC

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        1. Defcons are for Kinnear
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          Oi. If watching Sadeghi making all those clearances isn't entertainment then I don't know what is!

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          1. Fray Bentos
            • 16 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            Sorry please don't cut anything off

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    2. VougieDipond
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Get the russians on. Decent enough. Russia playing well

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      1. Fray Bentos
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Way ahead of you 🙂

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    3. GREENDREAMS11
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      its quite strange, they were really strong in qualifying when we played them, but they had big Benteke then

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  11. GREENDREAMS11
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    here we go Fifa las Vegas

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  12. Beavis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Forgot to post this earlier but those asking about Karnezis, he has made claims that he should be back and starting for the Costa Rica game and it was just a muscle pull.

    Need more official news but quite encouraging words.

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    1. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Mesbah yellow noooooooooo

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      1. Bubz
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Reply fail

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  13. GREENDREAMS11
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    eff off Vertonghen

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    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      What's he done?

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      1. GREENDREAMS11
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        taking the f/k off Mertens. bets on

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    2. Studgie G
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      he's so bad, the guy thinks he's wclass

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  14. Ginkapo FPL
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Benched Mesbah and Shatov.

    Played Kombarov and Bentaleb.

    BOOM 😎

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  15. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Mesbah is gonna get sent off 😕 utter crap he is

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    1. Fray Bentos
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      He really is

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  16. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Mesbah yellow 🙁

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  17. Fray Bentos
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Mesbah RC this game, no doubt

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  18. Zombie
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Bentaleb on 5 😎

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      uuuuurrrrrrgggghhh

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    2. Studgie G
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      nice

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  19. Mr Sarcastic
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Kombarov down to 5 🙁
    Played minutes 3 and no assist atm - how are the able to do this, someone must be really bored!

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      there's also slight possibility that some idiot looked round 2 points and forgot to move back to round 3, I'm sorry Ronald.

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      1. Epic Fail
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        😀

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  20. Shakshuka
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Gonna be though to pick 3 out of Neymar, Messi, Muller, RVP, Benzema...

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    1. Fray Bentos
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Don't forget robben...

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    2. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Pick them all.

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  21. VougieDipond
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Mesbah was horrendous in the last game no way he was getting near my team this round.

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  22. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    playin bentaleb over kdb workin out thus far

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    1. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Brave move 😯

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        yeh playin a starter over a non starter is how i roll

        #lifeontheedge 😎

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        1. GunsnRoses
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          You don't get sarcasm ?

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          1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 5 months ago

            you dont get double sarcasm

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  23. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Wow red card Defour

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  24. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Disgusting challenge Defour

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  25. Beavis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Awful tackle by Defour but obvious there was no malice. Apologised straight away to the player and walked off without arguing.

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  26. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    hmm unlikely lukaku will play now 🙁

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  27. Mo Mané Mo Problems
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    So Lloris has been given 80%+ save bonus but Cillessen hasn't. FML

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Just in case I lose that Kia by 4 points or less - did they fix Sakhos points or did he get to keep that cs?

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      1. SW6
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        Got the points, according to Gink I deserved them because of how they worded the rules though

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        1. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          saw that comment, but it really isn't so (or actually looks like it is 🙂 )

          quite simple here:
          **Clean sheet points will only be awarded to a player if the following two conditions are met: (1) their team doesn't concede a goal in the entire match and (2) the player plays more than 61 minutes*** of the match.

          but hey it's not your fault, good luck for you!

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  29. Studgie G
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    kdb on after the break hopefully

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    1. Mr Sarcastic
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      isn't he on yellow? surely no need to risk it

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      1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        nope

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        1. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          11 years, 5 months ago

          okay, then there's a little chance

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    2. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 5 months ago

      Doubt it

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      1. Studgie G
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 5 months ago

        they should belguim have been awful atleast entertain the crowd, rightly both got booed off

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  30. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 5 months ago

    Looks like this is gonna be another failed double 🙁
    Germany and Belgium, Belgium leg not looking good (also had Mertens anytime, should've has his goal!)

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