Thread by @BigManBakar

The Preview: Euros – Group A and B

Hi everyone, welcome to first edition of The Preview for the Euros. Here I preview all teams in group A and B:

#Euro2020 #EuroFantasy

*In collaboration with @drafthound – my content partner

(Data taken from @FFScout and @FFHub with consent)

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Group A:

Italy: Most of their assets that I like aren’t fully nailed in terms of security of starts so the fact that we will have lineups available before the first deadline will be a big help. First, I come to their defence. Historically, Italy have always been a defence...

... first side so to see them concede just four goals in the Euro qualifying campaign isn’t a huge surprise. They are also on the run of seven consecutive clean sheets as I write. According to the odds, they are one of the most likely teams to keep three clean sheets in...

... the group stages. Bonucci, Donnarumma and Florenzi are the nailed options when it comes to the defence. Donnarumma isn’t likely to make too many saves though while Bonucci and Florenzi have limited attacking threat hence there is a lack of upside. I really like Spinazzola...

... though, but he isn’t fully nailed. He has recorded ten attacking returns this season domestically while he’s averaging an assist every four games for Italy which is a great record to have as a defender. He is likely to start ahead of Emerson due to the latter’s lack of...

... minutes this season for Chelsea. Attacking wise, the goals are spread about. Ciro Immobile has been a talisman domestically but his record over the international level isn’t great registering 12 goals in 45 appearances. I don’t think with that record he’s worth the premium...

... price tag, particularly when you consider that he could be susceptible to an early substitution with Belotti hanging around. Lorenzo Insigne is nailed and coming on the back of a 17 goal season in the Serie A. I’m slightly more interested in who starts on the other flank...

... though, because whoever does so could turn out to be a bargain. Both Chiesa and Berardi will be fighting for that spot – and it seems as if Chiesa is more likely to start. Should that be the case, he can turn out to be a bargain coming on the back of a season with Juventus...

... in which he recorded 24 goal involvements. However, so far in 24 international appearances, he has managed to score just once for Italy. Should Berardi get the nod, he’s...

... an equally good option and one worth keeping an eye on given that he scored 17 times domestically for Sassuolo this season.

Turkey: Turkey conceded the fewest amount of goals of all teams in the Euro qualifiers – conceding just thrice in 10 games and recording eight clean sheets over that spell. However, Turkey have only kept two clean sheets in their last 11 matches since qualification which...

... is a cause for concern and fantasy managers would be hoping for them to regain their qualification form. Çelik is a budget enabler as their right back, and would be my pick from their defence. He was top among all Turkish players for chances created and big chances created...

... during the qualifiers so possesses a decent amount of assist potential. In the recent three World Cup qualifiers, Çakir has established himself as the first-choice keeper. Their top scorer during the qualifiers was Cenk Tosun and in hence absence, Burak Yılmaz will be even...

... more integral to their attack. Yılmaz is coming on the back of a great season for Lille where he accumulated over 20 attacking involvements. He’ll be on penalties as well. His attacking record of just two goal involvements in seven appearances during the qualifiers wasn’t...

... great, but recently he scored a hat-trick in the World Cup qualifier against Netherlands. Çalhanoglu is the other attacker worth considering given his record of seven attacking involvements in the previous six appearances for Turkey, recording the most goal involvements of...

... any Turkish player in that spell as well. He created the highest number of chances for Turkey in the qualifiers as well. He will chip in with points here and there but won’t be an explosive option.

Wales: From what I gather, recent matches involving Wales have been usually low scoring so in my opinion, none of their attacking assets possess big upside. I believe they will concede in all of the games while attacking wise, they will struggle to score more than once in...

... general having scored just 10 goals in their eight qualifying matches. Bale is their talisman – he’s their all-time leading goal scorer on penalties and set pieces. He was top for their shots in the box and big chances during their qualifiers as well but it must be kept in...

... mind that he has scored just once in his previous 10 Wales starts. Harry Wilson and Dan James could be two out of the box picks. Wilson is likely to play as their false nine and his goal threat numbers are similar to those of Bale while James is likely to start on the left...

... on a front three and is his underlying numbers suggest that he will be more of an assister rather than an out and out goalscorer.

Switzerland: Shaqiri is likely to be their main man. He hasn’t played much for Liverpool this season but his record of 23 international goals and 24 assists for Switzerland is prolific. Ricardo Rodriguez would be my pick from their defence. He could potentially...

... play as a wing back, and is likely to have penalties and set pieces in his locker. However, his attacking numbers domestically haven’t been great where he has failed to register a goal involvement over two seasons...

... Elvedi is cheaper and could offer value but I won’t be confident of a Switzerland clean sheet in any of the fixtures.

Group B:

Belgium: The world knows about Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne. Lukaku is on penalties (in the absence of Hazard) and comes on the back of being Belgium’s all-time top scorer and one of the odds-on favorites for the golden boot this tournament. De Bruyne has...

... 17 goal involvements in his previous 12 appearances with Belgium, and is likely to be playing in the front three if Eden Hazard fails to prove his fitness. It is no surprise to see Belgium top the goal scoring charts for most goals during the qualifiers with assets like...

... these at their disposal. Thomas Meunier, with 21 goal involvements in 46 caps, has unreal upside if he looks like starting as the right wing back but he hasn’t played much domestically so I can’t say whether he’s nailed with too much assurance. I don’t think any of their...

... other defenders are worth considering as none provide any real attacking threat hence don’t offer value for money. Denayer is decent but I don’t think Belgium will keep a clean sheet against either Denmark or Russia.

Denmark: Christian Eriksen is the first thing which comes to mind when you think of Danish football. He has recorded 36 goals and 23 assists over his international career in just over 100 appearances which makes for incredible reading. He plays as the number 10 behind the...

... striker which suits him. He’s on all set pieces including penalties, so has a lot of avenues to points. However, he has only scored four goals in 34 appearances for Inter this season, failing to register a single assist. His role in the Danish team is likely to be...

...different but this is still something worth keeping in mind. Jonas Wind looks to start as the striker but is by no means nailed. He has 15 goals and seven assists domestically so is worth keeping an eye on should he be certain to start. Denmark managed to record eight...

... clean sheets in their last ten games so it’s natural for me to speak very highly of their defence. They recorded the best xG conceded and big chances conceded numbers in the qualifiers. I expect that trend to continue. They also have one of the best clean sheet odds for...

... a clean sheet in matchday 1. Kjaer, Schmeichel and Mæhle are the ones who I like. Kjaer is the nailed central defender with the likes of Vestergaard, Christensen and Anderson fighting for the other slot. Mæhle is affordable and is expected to start at left back. He has...

... three attacking returns in his past seven appearances for Denmark and also registered six assists this season domestically.

Russia: Dzyuba is Russia’s main man. He’s on penalties and his stats during the qualifying stages were simply incredible – no player recorded more big chances and shots in the box than the big guy. He’s easily the best Russian attacker to pick all things being equal. Golovin...

... would be the other player I’d consider. He’s likely to possess more assist threat but can chip in with the odd goal here and there. He was second among Russian players for big chances created yet registered just the single big chance in seven appearances during the...

... qualifiers. Cheryshev was one of the standout players of the last World Cup, but he hasn’t played much for Valencia this season and due to the formation switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, his spot is in doubt. I think Russia will concede to both Belgium and Denmark so their...

... defence is only worth considering against Finland in matchday 2. Mario Fernandes plays as a wing-back in the new formation which makes him an enticing option. He possesses a decent amount of goal threat so has a bit of upside. Semenov is the other one I would consider if...

... funds were an issue – he’s likely to start as the right centre back.

Finland: There are realistically two players worth talking about here. Teemu Pukki, once an FPL darling, has been their talisman scoring almost 63% of their goals in the qualification stages. He’s an injury concern for the tournament though and Finland will lack goal threat...

... without him in particular. They are the kind of team who don’t score too many anyway prioritizing a defence first playstyle which tells me they should be a good team to target by owning defenders against them. Hradecky, Finland’s goalkeeper, is the other player I want to...

... talk about. He’s coming on the back of a good Bundesliga season, is cheap and will get a good number of saves. Clean sheets are unlikely though.

This is my team for @DreamSportHQ! I’ve already spoken in depth about the Belgian and Danish boys in my piece. I will be writing about the remainder of the groups in the upcoming threads too. Don’t forget to sign up!

Sign up here: dreamsport.com

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A big thank you to my friend @fplwaleed who will be helping me with my work during the Euros! Do follow him to show your support!

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