Here’s my review of Day 8 which included Colombia v Ivory Coast, Uruguay v England and Japan v Greece. We’ll look at lineups, match comment, key player performance and Sun Dream Team scoring. We’ll also preview the key players to look out for in Day 9 which consists of Italy v Costa Rica, Switzerland v France and Honduras v Ecuador.
World Cup 2014 fantasy football tips – Day 8 review Day 9 preview
Colombia 2 Ivory Coast 1
Goals: Rodriguez Quintero/Gervinho Assists: Cuadrado Gutierrez
Lineups (lineups and ratings from the Daily Mail)
Colombia: Ospina 6, Armero 7 (Arias 72), Yepes 7, Zapata 6, Zuniga 6, Sanchez 6, Aguilar 6 (Mejia 78), Ibarbo 6 (Quintero 53 7), Rodriguez 7, Cuadrado 8, Gutierrez 6.
Ivory Coast: Barry 6, Boka 6, Bamba 6, Zokora 5, Aurier 7, Die 6 (Bolly 73), Tiote 6, Gervinho 6, Yaya Toure 6, Gradel 6 (Kalou 67 7), Bony 5 (Drogba 60 5).
Lineup comment:
Colombia: They played the same team that defeated Greece
Ivory Coast: Saint Etienne midfielder Gradel replaced Kalou. Otherwise the same team that beat Japan
Match Comment:
Colombia basically got the ball to the flanks and Cuadrado especially whenever possible. He was excellent throughout the game. Ivory Coast looked to get their full backs forward especially Aurier after his success with 2 assists in the last game. That unfortunately just exacerbated the Cuadrado dilemma for the Ivory Coast. After the isolated Bony went off Ivory Coast did everything they could to equalise but it just didn’t happen.
Player Comment:
Rodriguez
In general ran the game and particularly was able to feed Cuadrado effectively. Also scored again, this time in the most unlikely way with a header and also found space effectively to distribute from his central midfield position. Became a little quieter when Quintero came on and he moved to the left but another great performance. The undoubted star of the team and always likely to get you bonus points
Cuadrado
Another excellent performance on the flank. Constantly running at people and pushing the defence back with his pace to create space for the midfield.
The Colombian defence
Looked solid apart from the 1 goal from Gervinho when the otherwise excellent Ospina could have done better along with the 4 or 5 people Gervinho dribbled past. The next game against Japan gives another great chance for a clean sheet.
Yaya Toure
Another pretty ordinary performance. Looked dangerous on the odd occaison but too often not involved. Hard to see a recommendation for a transfer against Greece next. The man who should have been a star man magnet was a big disappointment
Sun Dream Team Scoring:
Colombia: Ospina Aguilar Sanchez Cuadrado and Gutierrez got 7’s. Rodriguez got an 8 plus a Star Man award.
Ivory Coast: Only Gervinho got a 7
Uruguay 2 England 1
Goals: Suarez 2/Rooney Assists: Cavani/Johnson
Lineups:
Uruguay (4-3-1-2): Muslera, Gimenez, Godin, Pereira, Caceres, Rios, Gonzalez (Fucile 78′), Rodriguez, Lodeiro (Stuani 67′), Cavani, Suarez (Coates 88′)
England (4-2-3-1): Hart, Cahill, Jagielka, Johnson, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson (Lambert 87′), Sterling (Barkley 64′), Welbeck (Lallana 71′), Rooney, Sturridge
Lineup comment:
Uruguay: Gimenez came in for the injured Lugano. Rios, Gonzalez, Lodeiro and Suarez came in for Gargano, Arevalo, Stuani and Forlan
England: England played the same team that lost against Italy but Rooney started centrally behind Sturridge.
Match comment:
A game that was disappointing from an England point of view in that they were poor after such a lively performance against Italy. Uruguay pressed England and denied them space concentrating on Rooney and Gerrard. England came back into it with the substitutions which saw Baines and Johnson get forward to create opportunities. At that stage they looked like they would go on to win. However England lost it at the end with Suarez finishing off a Gerrard error.
Player comment:
Suarez
Played further up the pitch with Cavani playing deeper. This is the reverse of what we would normally see with Liverpool with him playing deeper than Sturridge. We therefore saw a player far less involved in the game than he would be for Liverpool. Presumably he couldn’t be the all action striker due to his injury. However he finished his 2 chances clinically and therefore was unquestionably the biggest influence on the game
Rooney
Played in his central position and had a number of chances to score which he eventually did. Did move around the pitch alot but that was probably to try and avoid the pressing that Uruguay were doing on him and the team. Didn’t create much for a number 10 but considering that he seemed to be the main object of Uruguays pressing it was a good performance and a big improvement on the Italy game. They have got Costa Rica next which depending on Costa Ricas performance against Italy could be fruitful. They are unlikely to progress though so it’s a one off bet
Sterling
After such a lively performance against Italy was followed by a pretty flat performance here. Just couldn’t get the ball or find space.
Sturridge
Needs service and just didn’t get it
Sun Dream Team scoring:
Uruguay: Star Man unsurprisingly was Suarez with an 8. Pereira,Godin,Gimenez, Rios, Lodeiro and Cavani got 7’s
England: Only Rooney got a 7.
Japan 0 Greece 0
Lineups:
Japan: Kawashima, Uchida, Konno, Yoshida, Nagatomo, Yamaguchi, Hasebe (Endo 46), Okazaki, Honda, Okubo, Osako (Kagawa 57)
Subs: Nishikawa, Gotoku Sakai, Morishige, Kiyotake, Kakitani, Aoyama, Inoha, Saito, Hiroki Sakai, Gonda
Booked: Hasebe
Greece: Karnezis, Torosidis, Papastathopoulos, Manolas, Holebas, Maniatis, Katsouranis, Kone (Salpingidis 81), Fetfatzidis (Karagounis 41), Mitroglou (Gekas 35), Samaras
Subs: Glykos, Tzavelas, Moras, Tziolis, Vyntra, Christodoulopoulos, Samaris, Tachtsidis, Kapino
Booked: Katsouranis, Samaras, Torosidis
Sent off: Katsouranis
Lineup comment:
Japan: Konno came in for Morishige and Okubo instead of Kagawa. Both were tactical. Otherwise as per the Ivory Coast game.
Greece: Salpingidis was dropped for Fetfatzidis. As was Gekas for Mitroglou.
Match comment:
Japan controlled the possession especially after the sending off but created little.
Player comment:
Honda
After such a good performance against the Ivory Coast he was disappointing playing too deep and his passing poor. Colombia next and a likely exit would deter any transfer activity
Sun Dream Team scoring:
Japan: Despite what I said above Honda was the only 7 and the Star Man award.
Greece: No one got a 7 for Greece
Key Players for Day 9
Italy v Costa Rica
Balotelli
Probably the only transfer I would consider for this game. Italy should progress to the next stage so could be more than temporary if wanted. Did play well against England. All depends on whether you believe that the Costa Rica performance against Uruguay can be replicated.
Switzerland v France
Benzema
The Swiss defence has a good record but France have been excellent in recent games and there should be goals for France here
Griezmann
Only in TFF as a midfielder is he worth it for me. Looks the most dangerous and the most forward thinking of the midfielders
Honduras v Ecuador
Both probably wont progress but if you’re desperate to use you transfers then here’s 2 options
Montero
The best of the midfielders where at least he is in TFF
Caicedo
A bit of a stretch but the striker is an option again if you’re desperate to use transfers
Follow us on twitter @fantasyfoot20 or www.facebook.com/fantasyfootballgeek
World Cup 2014 fantasy football tips
World Cup 2014 fantasy football tips
