Fantasy World Cup Live Match Chat Semi Finals
And then there were four. It’s semi-final time at the World Cup and very much a South America vs Europe affair. We’ve said a sad farewell to Colombia, who received an amazing reception when they returned to Bogota. Also offski are Costa Rica, who played with so much heart and a stubborn defence throughout the tournament, while Belgium and France have also exited stage left.
Our first semi-final sees hosts Brazil take on the World Cup’s Herr Consistent, Germany. Since 1950, the Germans have failed to reach at least the quarter-final stage on just one occasion and will be looking to add to their three stars by going all the way. Brazil, of course, will have home support on their side – unfortunately for them they won’t have influential defender and captain Thiago Silva or their main attacking threat, Neymar, on their side – they are ruled out through suspension and injury respectively. But it’s ok, Germany have Mesut Ozil, which evens things up somewhat. The Germans were back to their robotic best in disposing of France, while Brazil produced their best display of the tournament, certainly in the first half as they fought, literally, past the plucky Colombians.
The second semi brings together Argentina and the Netherlands, both of whom have somewhat stuttered through so far. The Dutch needed penalties to find a way past Costa Rica, which will be an obvious concern for LVG as he attempts to plot a way past the Argentinian defence which has kept two clean sheets in a row. If recent form is anything to go, goals may be at a premium here, so it may just be a moment of magic from Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben, Gonzalo Higuain or RvP which settles the tie. Worth noting that Angel Di Maria has been ruled out with injury, but better news of Sergio Aguero, who is expected to have recovered from (his latest) injury in time for the showdown.
FPL not far away now ladies and gentlemen – likely to be launched within the next fortnight. What are you looking forward to most? Will you play Ultimate too ?
Transfers hopefully coming thick and fast now – Costa, Sanchez, Fabregas, Herrera – exciting times.
Who would you most like your club to realistically buy this window? I think as a United fan, I’d like to see 2 world-class players, one a midfielder and one defender. Vidal and Hummels are the obvious names – I think United would do very well to secure those two names.
I’m really looking forward to you doing endless RMT’s
I might play UFPL…I played it last season but didn’t particularly enjoy it. From an FPL point of view I’m quite excited by Arsenal.
With regards to Liverpool, obviously we’re set to lose Suarez. Who would I like to see us bring in? I honestly don’t know mate.
Mate, think again if you believe that’s how I’m going to spend pre-season!
Arsenal could be a big challenge this year, but they do need to secure the Sanchez, Debuchy & Remy signings. I understand all three are close to being announced. Their other aim must be to minimise those injuries – they do seem to suffer more than most, which suggests something wrong internally – can’t put everything down to bad luck.
Re Liverpool – how do you think they’ll cope with a life without Goofy and also a CL campaign too ? In your heart of hearts do you think last season was their best chance or you think they can push on?
We had our chance last season!!!
We’ll learn an awful amount about Daniel Sturridge in the coming season…
We wont be able to get a like for like replacement for Suarez, but I just hope we spend the money a little better than Spurs spent the Bale money.
Yeah, that would be a shocker for you – Lallana should be a good signing at the very least.
Tadic is a great replacement. Also if Koeman manages to get Pelle from Feyenoord he’ll have 2 class act players at Southampton for a decent price.
Main problem with Pool at the moment is that they have a super attack but still a really weak defense if you ask me. With an unsteady goalie.
Yeah he could be a decent signing, it’s just a pity we paid over the odds for him.
I’m hearing rumours it could be launched as early as Monday mate.
As for transfers I think we did all of ours yesterday with the Barry loan!
I believe we’ve asked about Lukaku again but also Ba. One of those 2 is essential, preferably both but they depend on what happens with Mandzukic going to Athletico. Other than that I’m sure Martinez will have a few up his sleeve but if he goes for Cleverly then I may be looking for a new club to support!
RMT
Could be an exciting season at Everton, young Init. Stones, Coleman, Barkley all a year more experienced, new striker up front…or a permanent one at least…and Young Tom and Barry sitting in the middle of the park.
The good times are back :hippo:
They’ve got a permanent striker….Arouna Kone
I hear Franny Jeffers is looking for a new club… return of the king perhaps? Hahaha.
#Foxinthebox. #alittlebitshit
Bit harsh on NIN, he’s trying his best 😉
Also, try to sell Kevin Mirallas. 😛
Overrated and since he started the last game for Belgium he might be worth something.
When will the new FPL season start? Ummm, I mean when will we be able to put together a new team? Weeks of fun. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think I changed my team a billion times last season before it all started.
Cookie – What i’m most looking forward to is no Suarez, and no Yaya. Both should be offski before the season starts. No UFPL for me.
As for United, we need another mid and a few defenders, for me. Vidal seems to be edging closer to a move, great signing that. Hummels would be the ultimate dream signing but i don’t see it happening. It looks like Evra is going to Juve now so cover there, a right full and a center back would be sweet. And Vidal of course, or someone similarly lethal.
I doubt i’ll play Ultimate either NIN, didn’t massively enjoy it last season and it’s not a like-for-like for thei WC McDonalds one, which I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Yeah, i agree. At the start it was a nightmare but as the tournament has progressed i’ve loved the game. Potty’s tournaments have been brilliant too, all this not knowing who has who or what (c) and shit has been top drawer. Still wont make me even consider buying myself a Big mac though!! Haha.
I am a man without a club ( in EPL ) I just want Colombians signed, but now they might be too pricey. Double shite!! I don’t ask for much, yet all I can get is Hugo Rodallega. The Colombian player I dislike the most. #sad might go play La LigaFPL, so long Amigos…
Morning Cookie et al,
Looking forward to FPL. That inital squad selection is one of my favourite bits!
I’m torn on UFPL for this season. Loved it at the start last year and was doing well (those two things being closely related, obviously) until i missed one sat/sun gameday deadline which meant no goofy and sturridge. Lost ground massively and kind of lost interest after that. Realistically i can’t see me hitting every gameday deadline for a whole season so will probably give it miss.
Re. arsenal transfers, i think either Remy or Bony are must gets. I’d prefer the latter (or both!).
Sanchez would be great if he stops hitching up one leg of his shorts. Wtf is that all about?!
We need a right back and Debuchy seems to fit with the Arsenal fullback requirements of: Good forward runs with questionable end product, regularly injured, and not much defensive quality. See previous Silviniho, vivas, gibbs, lauren, clichy, santos… Basically everyone since Lee and Nigel except Cashley.
We need a defensive mid to be Ramseys bitch. I like Flamini but not sure he’d last a whole season. Getting rid of Captain slow and Sideways aka Areta would be nice but it won’t happen. At least Dennis Bendtner has finally left.
And lets not forget… Diaby will be like a new signning… 😉
Finally, we need a new person to write the training programs so we stop getting soooo many bloody injuries.
Didn’t realize you were an Arsenal fan Chins.
:big-lol:
Oh yeah!
:big-lol:
Wait, what?
Day of reckoning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vlaar, RvP, de Jong and Janmaat are a doubt for the game. RvP and Janmaat have some sort of stomache flu and the other 2 are coming back from injury problems.
good luck tonight Raz, hope your boys can pull it off
Everything is possible. On paper Argentina has the better team, against Belgium they played as a team for the first time. I never predict games, just predicted that we’d win the Spain game. On a positive note, the defenders of Argentina are slow…………………. Demichelis already said he’s planning to get Robben………. Hope ref reads into that. 😉
I think you can defo get at them Raz. No Di Maria is an obvious plus for you, but with RvP a big doubt, that could even things up.
Messi being Messi means they can never be written off, but they have hardly hit the heights in this tournament. What are the chances of De Jong playing mate?
Hmmmmmmmmm. Van Gaal is keeping secrets. RvP, de Jong, Vlaar and Janmaat will be decided at the day itself.
Unsure if RvP will be a big miss. More like the RvP factor miss because apart from the first game he’s not shown all that much.
You out on the town tonight Raz to cheer them on?
Nope mate, that never works for me. Can’t watch it anywhere, only at home or in a stadium. Just have that with WC’s and EC’s, thank God. Aah yes, I can watch it at 1 friend. But he’s on vacation. 😉
Can’t help it, just have it with Holland. When I watch anywhere else, or with other people I don’t know I don’t feel I can be myself and I feel I have to behave appropriately. I don’t want to be quiet but I also don’t want other people that annoy me (in a Dutch bar people tend to get on my nerves during these games). I want to focus on the game with the right kind of crowd around me. 😛
Afterparty is usually coolest. Remember as a kid me running like Forrest Gump all over town with the Dutch flag and my friends. Everybody greeting us, blowing horns in cars and also sticking out flags. Good memories.
No afterparty for me tonight, not vacation yet. Hopefully there will be another opportunity. If there is, that would be the best scenario ever.
Aaah yes. Cookie did you know? If Holland by some miracle do beat Argentina and Germany. They will have killed all the Worldcup ghosts of the past. In ’74 we lost the final against Germany, in ’78 we lost the final against Argentina and in 2010 we lost it against Spain (whom we beat 5-1). Would be perfect. If only dreams can come true. 😉
Good luck Raz!
Raz, I totally know what you mean. I’m really selfish when it comes to watching footy. I have to be alone in front of the TV, volume up and utterly immersed. Same with porn, I guess.
You missed a trick there Cookie. Surely he would be ‘out on the raz’, right?
Footy, beer in hand
Porn, Richard in hand?
I can’t take all your lines Bry!
Good luck tonight Raz, hope you do to the Argies what Germany did to Brazil!
I’m not sure who I’ll be rooting for to be honest. Reckon it’ll be a game time decision for me. On one hand (the beer hand) an all-European final would be a real turn up given pre-tournament expectations about the heat, but on the other hand (Richard hand) I despise cheating diving Robben (© Chins).
If there was a third hand that contained a red card for Robben and a Holland win, i’d take it.
Throw in a Dutch clean sheet; a Lazarus-like recovery from RvP for my beleaguered Fantasy McD team; and a double cheeseburger then it’s a deal.
That still leaves three teams to choose from though… The Dutch, Holland and The Netherlands.
Good luck Raz. I would love to see Holland get through, kinda fancy Argentina though. Either way it’ll be a serious match!
Sighs, Argentina haven’t impressed at all this worldcup. Also, if you look at the opponents they faced. On that note, we face much harder opponents but we had more problems with the smaller opponents such as Australia/Costa Rica.
Argentina did something in their last game which Germany also did, kill a game after scoring 1-0. That’s also a way to win matches. As we can see, Germany the next match killed Brazil. On that note, Brazil were shite.
Guess we know tonight. Always fear Messi though, lol. But in van Gaal we trust. 😉
Who is everyone captaining tonight?
Same as last night. 😉
yeah i think i’m sticking with Muller.
If i was changing captain i’d probably go with Messi
Philipp Lahm!!
Bastards. Rub it in why don’t ye. Hummels here…
Dreamers, I’m pretty sure you’re doing quite a bit better than me in the overall standings 😉
You know what they say. Your only as good as your last game. Thing is cookie is having a poor round too so all to play for.
Good luck tonight Dreamers mate
You too Cookie. I hope you get a mammoth score and courageously lose ur semi by one point
Haha we all love a gallant loser!!! Thanks for your best(ish) wishes mate
I’m glad I wasn’t involved in a Potty semi-final. I completely forgot that the Brazil v Germany game was on and woke up minutes before the deadline. I managed to rush through just enough transfers to put a team together but ran out of time before I could captain anyone. haha. I had a bigger ‘mare than Scholari.
if i could change it i would change to Kroos
Hi Dreamers,
I’ll probably stick on Kroos. 😉
Oh ok, i had it on Oscar. (9). Might actually stick, or switch to cheating diving Robben.
I have never understood why diving is categorized as cheating. But then again that might be my South American blood speaking.
CHELSEA have signed midfielder Mario Pasalic from Hajduk Split for £3m.
Sky sources are reporting that Swansea have made a bid in excess of £5m for Watford striker Troy Deeney.
That could be worth keeping an eye on as a cheapish third FPL striker. He scored for fun last season in an average team. Should get decent game time too. Not sure the same could be said for Pasalic at Chelsea!
Evening everyone. I have Gustavo on 7points do you think its worth brining Wijnaldum in?
For a 7 I would yes.
+1