WITH Dream Team Euros briefly in limbo as the group stage becomes the knockout phase, it’s the perfect time to analyse which players are leading the way in the key statistics.
To what extent this information guides your strategy ahead of Matchday 4 is up to you but it’s always helpful to be across the numbers that make up our beloved fantasy game.
Let’s start with the metric that matters most…
POINTS
- 34 pts – Georges Mikautadze (£2m)
- 32 pts – Cody Gakpo (£4m)
- 27 pts – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)
- 26 pts – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
- 24 pts – Theo Hernandez (£5m)
- 24 pts – Koen Casteels (£3.5m)
Georgia have won plenty of hearts and minds at this tournament and the fact their No22 leads the way in terms of total points in Dream Team Euros at this stage is truly remarkable.
The names that follow Mikautadze are more familiar and it’s worth noting Mbappe’s high ranking as he missed Matchday 2 because of a broken nose – France’s No10 averages 13 points-per-game right now.
Musiala, Hernandez and Casteels are the top midfielder, top defender and top goalkeeper in the game respectively.
GOALS
- 3 – Georges Mikautadze (£2m)
- 2 – Niclas Fullkrug (£4m)
- 2 – Cody Gakpo (£4m)
- 2 – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)
- 2 – Ivan Schranz (£1.5m)
- 2 – Razvan Marin (£1.5m)
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Naturally, there’s fair amount of crossover between goals and points but it’s worth marvelling at Mikautadze as Golden Boot leader, at least for the time being.
It will be interesting to see whether Julian Nagelsmann keeps faith in Kai Havertz (£4.5m) or gives Fullkrug a start against Denmark as the Borussia Dortmund target man has looked sharper in front of goal.
In terms of assists, there’s no front runner but the following nine players are level on two each: Nathan Ake (£4m), Ilkay Gundogan (£4m), Ante Budimir (£3m), Remo Freuler (£2.5m), Nuno Mendes (£4m), Juraj Kucka (£2m), Orkun Kokcu (£2.5m), Dennis Man (£1.5m) and Alexander Prass (£2m).
BONUS POINTS
- 9 pts – Josip Sutalo (£3m)
- 8 pts – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
- 7 pts – Jude Bellingham (£6m)
Croatia didn’t make it to the last 16 and so their 24-year-old centre-back won’t be adding to his impressive tally – the secret to his success is revealed further down.
Not only did Mbappe score on his return to action in Matchday 3, he earned the maximum of five bonus points thanks in no small part to the fact he completed six successful dribbles against Poland.
Bellingham’s lofty ranking here may surprise some gaffers, especially after his lethargic showing against Slovenia, but England’s No10 completed his fair share of dribbles and won more than a few free-kicks in his first two outings.
SHOTS ON TARGET
- 7 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m)
- 6 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
- 5 – Kai Havertz (£4.5m)
- 5 – Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m)
How Belgium’s striker didn’t score in the group stage remains a mystery.
A combination of narrow offsides, controversial VAR decisions and imprecise finishes meant the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer was left frustrated, as were his backers.
There he is again, Mbappe, despite the fact he’s played just twice – he’s a serious asset in this game.
Eight players are currently on four shots on target, including Kevin De Bruyne (£7m), Cody Gakpo (£4m) and Alvaro Morata (£5.5m).
BIG CHANCES CREATED
- 4 – Roland Sallai (£2.5m)
- 3 – Lamine Yamal (£4m)
- 3 – Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m)
- 3 – Ante Budimir (£3m)
Hungary didn’t make it out of Group A but it evidently wasn’t due to a lack of creativity – Sallai and Szoboszlai created seven big chances between them!
Spain’s teenage sensation will fancy his chances of creating some gilt-edged opportunities for his team-mates against Georgia in Matchday 4.
Yamal is the only asset in this list still active in Germany.
TACKLES
- 13 – Nicolas Seiwald (£2m)
- 11 – Strahinja Pavlovic (£2.5m)
- 10 – Robert Andrich (£3.5m)
- 10 – Giovanni Di Lorenzo (£4.5m)
- 10 – Stefan Posch (£2.5m)
- 10 – Josip Stanisic (£3.5m)
- 10 – Oleksandr Tymchyk (£2m)
Austria’s intense pressing has been a feature of their impressive performances under Ralf Rangnick and so it’s no surprise to see one of their industrious midfielders leading the way in this metric.
Seiwald will probably have to make a few more against Turkey in what could be an end-to-end thrill ride if both teams go for it in their customary style.
SAVES
- 21 – Giorgi Mamardashvili (£2m)
- 13 – Florin Nita (£1.5m)
- 13 – Thomas Strakosha (£1.5m)
- 12 – Martin Dubravka (£1.5m)
- 12 – Bart Verbruggen (£3.5m)
- 12 – Angus Gunn (£2m)
Another Georgian hero tops the pile!
The Valencia goalkeeper has been fantastic between the sticks, as evidenced by the fact he’s well and truly in a league of his own for saves.
Interestingly, Nita and Verbruggen are set to meet in the round of 16 when Romania take on Netherlands – will that match-up come down to which keeper maintains their high standards?
SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLES
- 13 – Jeremy Doku (£5m)
- 9 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
- 9 – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)
- 8 – Ousmane Dembele (£4.5m)
- 8 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m)
- 8 – Lamine Yamal (£4m)
Dream Team Euros assets don’t earn points for successful dribbles directly but this avenue is one of the best ways to reach bonus points.
This list is essentially a breakdown of the continent’s most-natural dribblers but Belgium’s rapid winger is in a bracket of his own – although his end product will have to improve if his side are to edge out France in Matchday 4.
ACCURATE CROSSES
- 10 – Christian Eriksen (£3m)
- 7 – Lukas Haraslin (£2m)
- 6 – Andrija Zivkovic (£2.5m)
Denmark’s set-piece specialist has been well ahead since Matchday 1 when he registered a whopping seven accurate crosses against Slovenia.
Memphis Depay (£3.5m), Toni Kroos (£3.5m) and Nico WIlliams (£4m) are among the six players on five accurate crosses.
INTERCEPTIONS
- 13 – Josip Sutalo (£3m)
- 7 – Fabian Schar (£3m)
- 7 – Samet Akaydin (£2m)
- 7 – Mario Mitaj (£1.5m)
No wonder Sutalo was such a keen bonus point hoarder during his time in Germany!
The Ajax defender notched almost twice as many interceptions as his closest rival – clearly he’s expert reader of the game.
FOULS WON
- 10 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m)
- 9 – Max Mittelstadt (£3.5m)
- 9 – Roland Sallai (£2.5m)
- 9 – John McGinn (£2.5m)
- 8 – Harry Kane (£7.5m)
Georgia deserve a trophy of some kind, don’t they?
This time it’s their talismanic forward who tops the ranking thanks to his quick feet and, let’s face it, his willingness to hit the deck.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Germany’s left-back is something of an outlier here as the only defender – he’s currently the fifth most-popular player in his position.
Remember, you can check out all the relevant numbers through Dream Team’s Stats Centre at any time.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
