We are in for a treat with high-octane semi-finals between the footballing giants, Argentina & Croatia. On the other hand, African giant-killers Morocco takes on World Champion France.
In the quarter-finals, there were many shocking and unexpected results, including the elimination of Portugal, Brazil, and England.
Before we get started with our team, let’s go over the rules for the Semi-Final: now pick up to 6 players from a single nation that is still in the tournament, and only 5 free transfers are allowed at this stage of the competition.
FORWARDS
Football superstar Lionel Messi (12.6 C) has so far 4 goals and 2 assists. With 532 total points in Krida Fans’ fantasy team of the WC22, he is bound to be on everyone’s team.
We have seen Croatia struggles offensively, but they face a shaky Argentina defense that has yet to keep a clean sheet in the knockout phase, and if that trend continues, Ivan Perišić (10.1 C) could be your man. Andrej Kramari (9.2 C) is another option if you enjoy taking chances.
The absence of the Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema is hardly felt by the French team due to the brilliant performance of Olivier Giroud (10.8 C).
It’s not that hard to fit Moroccan Wizard Hakim Ziyech (10.2 C) & his magical wand of a Left foot in your team.
MIDFIELDERS
It appears that a couple of the Moroccan first-team defenders are injured & we can expect France’s all-star attack of Kylian Mbappé (9.9 C) & Antoine Griezmann (10.2 C) to exploit them.
There is a trade-off you can make with Argentina’s mid-fielders. If Di Maria (7.9 C) & Rodrigo de Paul (7.9 C) do start, they are excellent options because they face the tournament’s best midfield trio (Croatian) and this game will be decided in the midfield.
Modric (8.6 C) Still their key man at the age of 37. Takes penalties & free kicks. Despite the fact that he has yet to contribute directly to any direct attacking returns, he is an excellent option for the key passes he provides.
DEFENDERS
Morocco’s incredible run is due to its rock-solid defense rather than its attacking prowess. Considering this and recent injuries, to bag the clean sheet points we can go heavy on the French Defence of Theo Hernández (7.3 C), Jules Koundé (7.1 C), and/or Raphaël Varane (7.1). However, putting all of your eggs in one basket is risky, as France has yet to keep a clean sheet in a single match.
Hakimi (7.4 C) is been a regular threat at wing-back for Morocco.
Otamendi (7.2 C) has played well at the back and is a threat from set pieces.
GOALKEEPERS
When it comes to goalkeepers, you always want someone who has a high chance of keeping a clean sheet.
As Argentina's defense does not allow many shots; Emiliano Martinez (5.2 C) could be a reliable bet for clean sheets rather than to earn save points.
Croatia has been a very good defensive unit and has conceded just 3 goals. Still, Dominic Livakovič (5.4 C) is a bit risky choice as they have a low probability of a clean sheet against Argentina. If they do concede you will have to solely rely on save points.
FORMATION
With the introduction of the new clean sheet rule, identifying the formation and players to pick is no longer an easy task. If you expect a lot of goals, go with a formation that has more midfielders and forwards, but the semi-finals can also be a cagey affair with low-scoring matches.
The classic 4–4–2 or 4–3–3 is our pick for this round, as both Croatia and Morocco are more concerned with not conceding than scoring.
What Next?
So there you have it, a comprehensive preview of the quality players who are set to light up the World Cup semifinals. Now all that is left to do, is to pick your team and make sure you win the Krida Fans fantasy game!
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