Welcome to a new feature on the website; The International Dream Team! Wondering who is in form? Have no worries, as this is the article to read. This dream team will not be like any normal Fantasy Premier League dream team, as most countries had 2 games, so the points will be higher than an average dream team. Many players also had decent international games but missed the cut; De Bruyne, Walters, Montero, Brady and Rooney, to name a few. However here are the players who did do enough to get into the, International Dream Team.
Goalkeeper
Adam Federici (AUS) – Federici has had a lot of critics recently with his performances against Manchester City (conceding 5 goals) and Newcastle. However during the international break he may have proved a point to them. Federici bagged himself 2 clean sheets, albeit against poor opposition in Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh. He made just 2 saves in those 2 matches, both coming in their 3-0 victory to Kyrgyzstan. Looking at Federici from an FPL Manager perspective, with Boruc also making an appearance for Poland in their game against Czech Republic and some rough fixtures coming up, it doesn’t look like Federici will be getting too many points any time soon.
Defenders
Maya Yoshida (JAP) – Yoshida is an interesting player. He started the first few games of the season for Southampton but game time after that has been hard to come by ahead of Fonte and Van Dijk. However, Koeman did try him at right back instead of Cedric in their away trip to Sunderland and it certainly worked, with Yoshida getting a clean sheet and a 3 point bonus that game! He continued his good form with a goal and a clean sheet against Singapore for Japan and another clean sheet vs Cambodia, rounding off a great week for Yoshida. He played both games at centre back, which may be something to ponder. Fantasy football wise, he looks like a decent move as Southampton are looking forward to 2 home games versus Stoke and Aston Villa, either side of a tough away trip to Manchester City. The main question is, will he start ahead of Cedric as he has some helpful game time for Portugal.
Christian Gamboa (CR) – Gamboa has been very much out of the spotlight at West Bromwich Albion this season, making only 1 substitute appearance in West Brom’s away win at Stoke. In contrast to his dull season so far in the Premier League, he has had some decent game time for his country, Costa Rica. He took his chance very well by shining in Costa Rica’s 1-0 victory to Haiti scoring the winner in the 29th minute and keeping a clean sheet at the other end of the pitch. In his second game his rustiness may have shown, as he failed to keep a clean sheet and found himself booked in the process. However, because of his great performance in his 1st game, he finds himself in our International Dream Team.
Geoff Cameron (USA) – Cameron has been a very key part in Stoke’s defence until the recent return of skipper Ryan Shawcross. He had started the first 9 games for Stoke, but has only made 2 sub appearances since. Cameron has made a strong claim to Mark Hughes after his performances for the USA. In his first game vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, he failed to keep a clean sheet but grabbed himself a goal in a 6-1 thumping. He then showed his defensive attributes against Trinidad and Tobago, by keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. In the Premier League however, he may not be the greatest player to add to your team as he is unlikely to start, after 2 clean sheets with Shawcross and Wollscheid as Stoke’s centre back pairing.
Midfielders
Gerard Deulofeu (SPA) – Deulofeu has been a key component for Everton recently grabbing 1 goal and 4 assists in his last 3 games for the Toffees. However, he has only managed 90 minutes twice this season and has strong competition for his place in the team. He has definitely given Martinez a no-brainer by scoring 5 goals in 2 games for the Spain u21’s team. In his first game he bagged himself a well-earned hat trick against Georgia u21’s in a 5-0 victory. Just a couple of days later, he got a game winning brace in a tight 3-2 victory against Croatia u21’s. He is a very good bet for your fantasy team, as his next 4 games include; Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich.
Ki Sung-yeung (KOR) – Ki has had a very quiet season after having a decent run last season. He has played all but 2 games this season, but with Cork and Shelvey getting a lot of the games, Ki has found himself on the bench for more games than he would have expected. On the other hand, Ki has had a great international week by guiding South Korea to 2 comfortable victories. The first of which was a 4-0 win against Myanmar where he provided an assist for their first goal. In the second game he flourished once more scoring the first 2 goals in a 5-0 thrashing of Laos. In fantasy football terms, he has actually started the last 3 games but the results haven’t been great. Even with players like Cork and Britton competing for his place and the recent poor results, he should be able to keep his place after his performances internationally.
Yannick Bolasie (DRC) – Bolasie is obviously part of Alan Pardew’s plans at Crystal Palace after racking up the full 90 minutes in his last 7 games. Getting the winning goal at Liverpool certainly won’t affect his chances of staying in the starting line up. Internationally, Bolasie plays his football for the Democaratic Republic of Congo and finds himself along side Norwich duo, Mulumbu and Mbokani. In his first game Bolasie found himself on the scoresheet once again in a 3-2 victory over Burundi, which very much put the DR Congo in the driving seat in their hopes of qualifying. A 2-2 draw in the second leg confirmed their qualification with Bolasie scoring his third in 3 games from the penalty spot. Bolasie is a strong contender for many fantasy teams, as his next game is against Sunderland at home, which he scored a hat trick in the away fixture last season.
Mile Jedinak (AUS) – Jedinak is known as a defensive minded midfielder for Crystal Palace, but has failed to show his experience and work rate this season, mainly because of the addition of French midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who has had a fantastic season so far. He’s made just 5 sub appearances this season, but may have just given Pardew a headache with his recent international performances. In his first game for the Aussies, he captained them to a 3-0 victory against Krygyzstan, scoring a penalty in the process. He then helped Australia to the top of their qualification group, by scoring in their 4-0 victory over Bangladesh, with a little help from ex-Everton star, Tim Cahill who bagged himself a hat trick within the first 37 minutes of the game!
Riyad Mahrez (ALG) – Mahrez has had a wonder of a season so far in the premier league, scoring 7 and assisting 5 for Leicester. The Algerian has certainly proved himself at Premier League level, but can he do it internationally… Of course he can! The first game was a quiet one for him, just bagging just his 2 points for playing against Tanzania in a 2-2 draw. In the second leg however the Algerian team put their feet to the pedal and ran out comfortable 7-0 winners to a deflated Tanzanian side. Mahrez grabbing himself 1 goal and 2 assists in the process. So, it doesn’t look like Mahrez wants to go out the spotlight any time soon, so selecting him in your fantasy team is a must (if you haven’t already).
Strikers
Son Heung-min (KOR) – Son has only started 3 games this season, after his move from Bayern Leverkusen in the summer. With Tottenham playing with just 1 striker up top and Kane being in decent form, Son has had no real chance, aside from their home victory against Crystal Palace, to make a proper name for himself. However his recent performance for South Korea might just be the all important step he needs to get in the Spurs starting line up, more likely in the attacking midfield role. In his first game he started on the bench, but that didn’t phase him. Coming on in the 63rd minute he set up 2 goals to seal a 4-0 victory against Myanmar. That late contribution earned him a start against Laos. He grabbed that chance with 2 hands, or should I say 2 goals, in a 5-0 win for the Koreans. Son however, in my eyes, will have not have done enough to get a place in the Spurs starting XI so I’d stay clear of him for the time being.
Mame Biram Diouf (SEN) – Diouf had a good start to the season with goals at Tottenham and Norwich, but since then has gone off the boil. Mainly because of the return of Spanish striker Bojan who has took his place and played well. Despite only playing 9 minutes of Stoke’s last 4 games Diouf isn’t giving up without a fight, which is shown in his international performances for Senegal. First up for him was the first leg of an African World cup qualifier vs Madagascar where he scored a goal in a tense 2-2 draw. Him and the rest of the Senegalese players upped their games and sealed their qualification with a 3-0 win, thanks to a goal and an assist from Diouf. All well and said, but Diouf realistically won’t get ahead of Bojan or Walters any time soon, as Bojan has been decent all season and Walters has also had a good international week for Ireland.
So, that is why all these players are worthy of a place in the first edition of the International Dream Team. Who are you going to bring in from this list? Let us know by tweeting us @Fpl_updates.
By Harry Clark
