World Cup Fantasy Preview: Uruguay

Goalkeepers:

Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad).

Defenders:

Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto).

Midfielders:

Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo).

Forwards:

Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol).

Fantasy players to watch

Diego Godin

Had the season of his career at Atletico Madrid winning La Liga and runner up in the Champions League.  Solid, calm and fantastic awareness.  Uruguay will play a defensive system and Godin will be the main man.

Diego Forlan

At 34 he lost his first team place in qualifying but has the qualities to find himself back in the lineup

Edinson Cavani

Absolutely fantastic forward.  Often called the best box to box forward in the world explaining the amount of work he puts in.  Guaranteed first team starter and has a dynamite partnership with.......

Luis Suarez.

Yes the man cheats, dives, bites and bitches but wow what a player.  The ultimate player who works nonstop irrelevant of form.  Scorer of any type of goal you like and on his day unplayable.  Now has the pressure of being the main man of the team, scorer of 39 in 77 games he is the player us english focus on.  Bound to tempt many of you but be careful  He comes into the competition after minor surgery (i'm sure he will be fine).  Greater concern is game two where he plays the mighty England.  I know some of you will be cheering him but if anybody knows how to deal with him it has to be us.  Engerland, Engerland, Engerland, Engerland , Engerland, Engeeeerrrrrland.

Conclusions

In Fifa 2010 where they made the semi finals, Uruguay had less possession in every game they played but more shots than the opposition.  They followed by winning the Copa America.  This is an aging squad but one that has been there and done that and a side that on their day can beat any opponent.  In Cavani and Suarez they have the firepower to scare teams.  The key will be the form and fitness of you know who.  With Suarez agent giving voice to a summer Madrid move and the player himself doing himself no favours by talking around the question of a move, Liverpool as well as England fans should hope he has a quiet World Cup.  Fantasy wise we have four tough defensive teams.  For that reason maybe the value is not with Suarez in the group stage but then again it is Suarez.

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