大象传媒

World Cup 2006 Blog

From our reporters in Germany

Let the games begin

Martin Richardson
LONDON - If your office is anything like this one, although I'll grant you at 大象传媒 Sport we've got a few more football fanatics than at most, you'll have been deluged with invitations to join various World Cup sweepstakes/predictions/competitions etc.

Out of about eight such invitations I've managed to narrow myself down to four: a fantasy game run by the , a predictions competition with my football mates, plus our very own World Cup Daq.

I'll also be proving my mettle against my fellow bloggers on Radio Five Live's Challenge Lawro - You're all going down!!!!.

Anyway, I'm poring over the list for the fantasy football game - 拢100m to spend on 12 players, no more than two from a country - and I'm looking for the surprise packages of the tournament that'll make the difference - everyone will have Ronaldinho.

Any suggestions?

I'm gonna check out the form of Aaron Lennon tonight at the England B game - first time I've been to the Madejski and looking forward to it - but what about the star men from other countries that I might be able to pick up for a bargain price.

Who are you tipping to be the breakout player of the tournament?

PS - Check out the latest in our series of World Cup video features - It's the top 7 moustachioed goals!

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 02:44 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • wrote:

I'm already playing World Cup Daq and hanging World Cup Paraphernalia in my office.

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  • 2.
  • At 03:12 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • Ruaridh wrote:

Might want to bring in Muntari from Ghana for your midfield, he's a bargain, as is Lee Yung-Pyo (spelling?) at the back. Get a keeper from Poland, Croatia or the Ukraine, they're cheap and not likely to concede any.

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  • 3.
  • At 03:59 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • Alex Trickett - Blog Editor wrote:

Rico - I recommend stocking up with Togo and Saudi Arabia defenders. They will probably fly below the radar where these games are concerned and only have the likes of Henry, Trezeguet, Torres and Shevchenko to deal with in the group stages. You can thank me later.

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  • 4.
  • At 05:54 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • wrote:

I think the Italians are the best fantasy football bet, especially at the back - Cannavaro/Buffon are in my team. They have a relatively easy group, which if they win will leave them with a pretty easy route through to the quarter finals at least... you have to get as many games as possible out of your players!

Portugal are the other team I'd back - although they will have a difficult 2nd round they've got a group which should get them goals, goals, goals so I'm going for Pauleta as one of my strikers for sure.

I wouldn't bet on Lennon - he will never start as long as Beckham is fit and you have to guarantee all your players will start in my opinion.

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  • 5.
  • At 06:31 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • Gavin wrote:

Go for Mendez of Ecuador.

5 goals in qualifying and he's a midfielder. Or alternatively, Didier Zokora.


Or for a cheapish striker; Miroslav Klose.

He's playing on home soil and Germans always do well at tournaments. 25 goals and 14 assists this season. According to your website...

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  • 6.
  • At 08:39 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • wrote:

I run which is a predictions league game.

I'm also in a couple of fantasy football games. I'm always terrible at them though.

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  • 7.
  • At 11:01 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • Ali wrote:

For your metro team....Karimi of Iran would make a great sub. At only 拢6m he's a proven goalscorer and was recently voted Asian Footballer of the Year.

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  • 8.
  • At 11:57 PM on 25 May 2006,
  • wrote:

I fell for the old Ecuador are high scoring trick at the last world cup. They only score at high altitude ( a bit like mary poppins), and as far as I'm aware, Germany is not!

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Cheers Trickett - Togo defenders you say? Well they are cheap enough!

Lennon did pretty well tonight, although as a Spurs fan I'm used to him taking on defenders but he still doesn't produce enough telling passes for my liking - not that I'm complaining too much, he is exciting.

Thanks for the tip on Mendez Gavin, although I've gone for Podolski instead of Klose.

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  • 10.
  • At 04:12 AM on 26 May 2006,
  • wrote:

Ricco - have a close look at the French and Dutch players. Steer well clear of Argentina - they're going down!

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  • 11.
  • At 11:46 AM on 26 May 2006,
  • James P wrote:

Ricco, isn't this a bit of an abuse of your powers, usuing the 大象传媒 reading public to give advice on your team... shame on you, although might take some of these tips for my self :-)

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  • 12.
  • At 02:35 PM on 26 May 2006,
  • Gavin wrote:

Probably worth playing 3 4 3 as well.

Too short a tournament to build up points using clean sheets, plus 1

Get Materazzi; Italy never concede many but he'll get the same clean sheet points that Nesta, Cannavaro etc would get, for less money.

Just buy a cheap defender to put on the bench; frees up money for the rest of the team.

Cech is a good shout for 'keeper too...

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  • 13.
  • At 03:35 PM on 26 May 2006,
  • Dan Tallis wrote:

I think the Mexicans are a good bet, they've got a decent chance of winning their group. Marquez is sound in defence while Borgetti will get three or four against Angola.

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  • 14.
  • At 12:37 AM on 29 May 2006,
  • feralmoggy wrote:

Some people might say this is off topic but if you are going for having a truly celabratory time you'd really need to include someone from the Trinidad and Tobago team. If anyone who knows how to party it would be them. How could you complain with as much rum and Stag/Carib beer to toast good times with?

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  • 15.
  • At 11:08 AM on 02 Jun 2006,
  • wrote:

Anybody else struggling with the 大象传媒 World Cup Daq, it's so slow and I'm getting page timeouts when I try to make a transaction, been happening for the last couple of games.

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  • 16.
  • At 12:33 PM on 02 Jun 2006,
  • simon wrote:

although he's expnsive, i cant immagine shevchenko non scoring against tunisia, saudis or even spain for that matter

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