Monday Dugout Discussion

Put up your feet, pour yourself another glass of mulled wine and grab that tin of Quality Street. After all it is christmas, and after all we’ve got another match to take in as we round out gameweek nineteen just as soon as it starts.

The Dugout Discussion closes it’s door for no-one and a festive game between Arsenal and Chelsea are no exception. Just nineteen weeks down and Arsene Wenger finally gets to start his two key players – Cesc Fabregas & Robin Van Persie – together for the first time this season, while the likes of Walcott finally get a start after weeks waiting patiently on the bench. Managerial heavyweight Carlo Ancelotti meanwhile gets to start Frank Lampard for the first time since August also. Team sheets in full are…

Arsenal: Fabianski; Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy; Song, Fabregas, Wilshere; Walcott, van Persie, Nasri
Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Drogba, Malouda

Come join the festive banter as we all gorge on treats ahoy together and close out the gameweek in the Dugout Discussion.

2,892 Comments Post a Comment

Duckbill
13 years, 5 months ago
I hate this game.

Had nasri on my bench and guess who got the captaincy with nani not playing, yes nasri. Lucky got a green arrow and won most of my h2hs.

Just bloody hope i,m not forced to use emergeny captain again, not fairing well with it for the last 2 games.
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1. TorresMagic™
  13 years, 5 months ago
  You picked form.
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  1. Duckbill
    13 years, 5 months ago
    actually i changed it 2 weeks ago and didnt bother reverting back and ended up losing baines and drogba captaincy for these last 2 game weeks.
    
    Got to pay more attention to it.
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GeneralDisarray
13 years, 5 months ago
Final decision time.
Transferring out Elmander. Who to get in?
Currently considering Welbeck, Piq and Odem (have no cover for any of these teams aside from a suspended Brunt)
Any advice over which of these 3?
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1. mullenlad
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Welbeck probs.
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jamsiep
13 years, 5 months ago
Gordon
Vidic Kolarov Johnson
Nani Nasri Yaya VDV
Drogba Torres (c) Odemwingie

Good team, ya?
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1. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
  13 years, 5 months ago
  ya
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2. NLB
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Very good, thanks for the help earlier mate
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3. applebonkers
  13 years, 5 months ago
  fantastic team. hopefully the jammyp luck will rub off on g.johnson 😉
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  1. jamsiep
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Luck?! What luck?
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    1. applebonkers
      13 years, 5 months ago
      the 09/10 model of course
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badker
13 years, 5 months ago
did malouda to VDV!
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Clintymints
13 years, 5 months ago
cant be arsed making a change tonight, nothing is tickling my fancy
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TorresMagic™
13 years, 5 months ago
Trade made. Can go out now & do some shopping. Enjoy the cricket. 😉
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1. Waldaz
  13 years, 5 months ago
  So Cahill?
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  1. TorresMagic™
    13 years, 5 months ago
    The Aussie is too much of a differential to keep.
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Drip Doctor
13 years, 5 months ago
What formation do you prefer? 3-4-3 or 3-5-2? Do you prefer having 5 quality midfielders and only one Expensive striker?
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1. TheHazard
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Often been 352, but Andy Carroll's heroics have pretty much forced a 343 this season.
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  1. Drip Doctor
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Nice score this week! Are you keeping Drogba?
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    1. TheHazard
      13 years, 5 months ago
      Cheers man! Long time coming 🙂
      
      Yep - really like his fixtures.
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      1. Drip Doctor
        13 years, 5 months ago
        Same, im worried about the lack of Liverpool Coverage though.
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        TheHazard
        13 years, 5 months ago
        Hmm, yeh, it'd be nice to get Torres or Gerrard - but it's a big investment for an underachieving team. Happy with a defender to be honest.
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2. Gaz Downright
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I asked this alot earlier this season, without much response. I reckon it depends on what time of season it is. When it is this busy, having 8 good attacking players might be good, i.e. both formations. Otherwise consider which ultra cheap attacking player you want as 1st sub, i.e. Varney = 3-5-2. Capiche?
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  1. Gnu
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Edward James Olmos from Bladerunner?
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  2. Drip Doctor
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Capiche. Im thinking of Drogs - Varney(DG's coming up) & N'Zog - Gerrard. Leaving me:
    
    VDV, Nani, Bale, Gerrard Nasri(with enough to get Fabregas in)
    Carroll Tevez Varney
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Public user
13 years, 5 months ago
Isit stupid to transfer Rooney out torres in ?

Got tevez already
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1. ssetem
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I did just that
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2. dierstraights
  13 years, 5 months ago
  do it, i would
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NLB
13 years, 5 months ago
Can't pick my keeper for tomorrow

Foster - Man U home
Robinson - West Brom away

Looks like an obvious choice, but I can't stop thinking of about Foster vs. Chelsea at home earlier this season (I chose Krul instead).
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1. director
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I would pick Foster just for the save points alone.
  Blackburn are still reeling after Sams exit plus West Brom are always good for a few goals.
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director
13 years, 5 months ago
What do you think lads..

Foster Out - Reina In
Bale Out - Van der Vaart In
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1. GeneralDisarray
  13 years, 5 months ago
  No to the first transfer
  Yes to the second
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2. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
  13 years, 5 months ago
  isit for a hit???
  
  if it is just do Bale > VDV
  
  foster is amazing at getting save points BPs unlike reina
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tbhogal
13 years, 5 months ago
foster or carson in goal?
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1. applebonkers
  13 years, 5 months ago
  hard to ever back carson but this week i would
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mullenlad
13 years, 5 months ago
Whats the opinions on the overnight snow? Set to cause havoc again or is its bark bigger than its bite this time?
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Bigbars
13 years, 5 months ago
Malouda out for Gerrard
Drogba out for Torres
Piquionne out for welbeck
or Jaaskelainen for Gordon

decisions, decision, your feedback ?
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1. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Malouda > gerrard sounds good
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  1. Bigbars
    13 years, 5 months ago
    trying to avoid jumping on the vdv bandwagon like everyone else
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    1. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
      13 years, 5 months ago
      its difficult when hes so dam good
      
      hes like carroll...you can avoid him forever but hell just keep getting points
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    2. Clintymints
      13 years, 5 months ago
      dont think it can be avoided, i did without him at the start of the season... didn't work out that great
      
      so thankfully i got him in for the gameweek jsut gone... i think ya need him once hes fit
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2. jms
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I just took Malouda out for Gerrard. If Anelka didn't have a knee injury, I not sure that Malouda would even start against Bolton.
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  1. Bigbars
    13 years, 5 months ago
    ta...
    
    midfield at the mo is :
    
    Nani mgp malouda ferguson (brunt)
    
    so edging towards gerrard cos of their fixture list and going against the grain
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Taff
13 years, 5 months ago
Apologies for double post - this got lost at top of last page. Am thinking of doing Kuyt for MGP to get some Liverpool coverage for upcoming easy home fixtures. Can't afford Gerrard or Torres. Decent differential or madness?
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1. jms
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I have gone down the Kuyt road in the past. Not pretty, full of potholes. With Gerrard back and likely playing behind Torres, I see Kuyt being less effective, if that is possible.
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2. bhargi
  13 years, 5 months ago
  As someone mentioned to your last post, Kuyt is way down the pecking order and Liverpool does nto score much. Torres/Gerrard and a defender is max you must invest
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  1. Taff
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Thanks for your thoughts chaps. Despite your wise words, I'm going to take a short-term plunge with Kuyt and then wildcard him out if he produces his standard filth
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Gaz Downright
13 years, 5 months ago
How long since last time Blackpool played? October? Reckon they are match fit over there?
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Public user
13 years, 5 months ago
Choose 1

Nzog coleman Elmo elmander

Jaask

Greek Ferdinand kolarov

Nani nasri vdv tchoyi

Rooney tevez
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1. Public user
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Sorry choose 1 from
  
  Coleman Elmo elmander nzog
  
  Above is my curr team , thinkin of playing Coleman/Elmo
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browner3107
13 years, 5 months ago
Would you do Elmander to Welbeck and MGP to VDV for 4pt hit?
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1. LaLa
  13 years, 5 months ago
  i would - just done malouda out for vdv - needed to drop brunt as well but otherwise would of done elmander out welbeck in .
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Wolverine
13 years, 5 months ago
foster
shawcross skrtel kolarov
nani vdv(c) etherington MGP
torres tevez drogba

looking to score 60 with that hopefully
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TorresMagic™
13 years, 5 months ago
Wigan vs Arsenal last season

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/18/wigan-athletic-arsenal-live

N'Zogbia 1 goal.
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1. NLB
  13 years, 5 months ago
  But...but...everyone has been saying 2 goals! 🙂
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2. applebonkers
  13 years, 5 months ago
  the winner in a 3-2 win where watson and moses scored too after arsenal went 2-0 up with bendtner and walcott goals. and what!
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  1. Shakey
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Wrong.
    
    Bramble and Silvestre.
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  2. applebonkers
    13 years, 5 months ago
    alright so it was moses and bendtner assists not goals. and what!
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  3. jamsiep
    13 years, 5 months ago
    How can you forget Bramble's goal after Flappy flapping at a corner?!
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    1. applebonkers
      13 years, 5 months ago
      did n'zogbia get an assist for that? if bale got his dodgy assist the other day then reading this one it seems n'zogbia should have got an assist too if flappy parried his corner
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Shakey
13 years, 5 months ago
Okay then, my midfield is as follows:

Nani Nasri Brunt Fabregas Insomnia

I'm not particularly sure whether to swap Brunt or Fabregas, or just play N'Zogbia (who would be on the bench otherwise).

I have 6.3 to get rid of Brunt, and obviously if I chop Fabregas, it'll be for VDV, with a view to getting him back the week after (probably for Nasri, which seems really crabby, but it's Fabregas). I could play N'Zogbia, who's up against Clichy, but then I've only got Dann on my bench, and there's 100% going to be at least one of my other players rested.

So essentially, what the f*ck do I do?
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1. jamsiep
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Keep Brunt, swap Fabregas for VDV and play: Nani, Nasri, VDV, N'Zogbia.
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2. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
  13 years, 5 months ago
  whos insomnia..... i erm...really dont know
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3. HowManyGoals
  13 years, 5 months ago
  what about tchoyi for brunt?
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4. TheHazard
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I like Fabs to VDV, made that swap this evening with a view - as you say - to the uncomfortable Nasri > Fabs move later.
  
  Other than that, in my experience doing nothing is always a good call if you're proper f*cked, then you can just regroup the next week - Fabs back in the game and two free transfers.
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  1. jamsiep
    13 years, 5 months ago
    You'll just end up being even more f*cked if you leave it and then VDV scores 7 goals tomorrow...
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    1. TheHazard
      13 years, 5 months ago
      Meh... you can't play Villa every week 🙂
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    2. Shakey
      13 years, 5 months ago
      But I'd be super-angry if Van Der Vaart gets rested anyway.
      
      Redknapp's pushing his fitness to the very brink. Is he really going to play 2 games in 4 days?
      
      I remember last season Harry Barksdale smugly sent out a second string at Fulham in one of the post-Christmas games.
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5. Gaz Downright
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Nzog OUT, Vdv IN. Downgrade Nasri next gw.
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greghammer95
13 years, 5 months ago
Two things, Samba -> Konchesky, free transfer, good move? And Torres (C)?

Jamsiep, I see you on hear, fancy a game of Fifa? Be warned mind, I was 3-0 up within 30 minutes of playing Soup and then his internet went, Can I be Chelsea?
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1. jamsiep
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Watching the cricket... Plus I don't like FIFa.
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  1. Granville
    13 years, 5 months ago
    England should just declare so we can bowl them out and finish the game in 3 days. Casual.
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    1. jamsiep
      13 years, 5 months ago
      Indeed. Not entirely sure why we are still batting on...
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2. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I needed more warm up time 😉
  
  Akers beat me 4-0 a while back, when I had just signed in, we've played 5 or 6 times since then (when I've been prepared) and I've beaten him every time 😀
  
  Btw, think I might have fixed it, gunna leave it signed in and see if it will stay that way!
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  1. greghammer95
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Akers stuffed me the first time to, 3-0, then 4-2. Will try again now then Soup? Even when we were playing it was just permanently lagging my end.
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    1. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
      13 years, 5 months ago
      Yeah same for me, wait a few mins anyway
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3. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I have a PS3 again woooho, but FIFA is still stuck in my old chunky YLOD one 🙁
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rasher
13 years, 5 months ago
Have to bench Carroll and elmo even though I want to start them this week!! Am I mad???

Foster

kolarov vidic kyriagos

ethers bale nasri cahill nani

Tevez berbatov
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njfsdkffslkf
13 years, 5 months ago
I have an awesome team this week.

Pity about the casual -12. Fun times ahead

Now for a 7 hour return trip to the airport with no sleep and to decide the captain in hte morning.

Gordon
Koncheksy,Kolarov,Rafael,
Nani,Nasri,Vdv,N zog,
Tevez,Torres,Bent.
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1. jamsiep
  13 years, 5 months ago
  My team is better than yours, and it didn't require a 12 point hit.
  
  Johnson > Konchesky
  Vidic > Rafael
  Yaya > N'Zogbia
  Drogba > Tevez
  Odemwingie > Bent
  
  😆
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  1. njfsdkffslkf
    13 years, 5 months ago
    Ya so Drogba with his malaria and lack of form is better than the top scorer in the game?
    And odem who is probably out is better than Bent at home to Blackpool?
    Yaya doesnt do anything when Tevez plays and Rafael is outscoring Vidic since he came into the team
    
    1 out of 4, just. But Johnson hasnt done anything for ageeeees.
    The 8 points more of hits was already taken care off by tevez last week. 🙂
    I need sleep.
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2. applebonkers
  13 years, 5 months ago
  my team has been awesome on paper for the last 5 weeks and i'm 300k in the world 😉 but this really is a good team... on paper 😛
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  1. greghammer95
    13 years, 5 months ago
    I like it when I see your ranking AB, makes me feel better about mine, yes I know it is quite good, but in comparison to some. Makes me feel like even if you know what your talking about you could do badly.
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    1. applebonkers
      13 years, 5 months ago
      that's why i thought your rant the other day was a wee bit pathetic. you dropped out of the top 25k and it seemed you were considering suicide, especially as you had vdv still to play that evening.
      one thing i've learnt with my horror run is people on here often think they are owed good weeks and find it hard to deal with not having a good week. or anytime they don't get lucky it's bad luck when imo it's simply not getting lucky, or having normal luck
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      1. greghammer95
        13 years, 5 months ago
        I realise that now, I think it was due to my lack of interest/motive in FF now, I should pretty much win all my mini-leagues and bag myself a cool 100 quid along the way, but besides that, I need another motive, out the cup, top of FFS H2H 7 by 6 points.
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  2. HowManyGoals
    13 years, 5 months ago
    i was just over 3,000th and got myself fabs, malouda, vdv, nani and arteta. good times were surely ahead. downhill ever since.
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3. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
  13 years, 5 months ago
  I have almost the same team
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SkyBlueArmy
13 years, 5 months ago
Just done
Hart - Al-Habsi and Nasri - VDV
Thinking of playing 5 defs this week - feels very uncomfortable! Am I right?

Carson (Al-Habsi)
Baines, Konch, Kolarov, Ivan, Rafael
Cahill, VDV, Nani (MGP, N'Zog)
Carroll, Tevez (c) (K Davies)
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Public user
13 years, 5 months ago
Haha seems like everyone telling me to play nzog over coleman/Elmo/elmander
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1. Gaz Downright
  13 years, 5 months ago
  Play Coelmohamandery..
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mullenlad
13 years, 5 months ago
Whats the opinions on the overnight snow? Is it set to cause havoc again or is its bark bigger than its bite this time?
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Nawton
13 years, 5 months ago
hmmm tevez, torres or vdv for captain...? currently sitting with it on vdv but am getting an itchy finger.
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badker
13 years, 5 months ago
davies for wellbeck? any better option

Also who to play from Konchesky,kolarov,onuoha,shawcross
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1. badker
  13 years, 5 months ago
  have to choose 3 from that lot
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  1. Bouncebackability
    13 years, 5 months ago
    The first three.
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gillyhullcity
13 years, 5 months ago
Is Fabrigas banned??
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1. badker
  13 years, 5 months ago
  think so
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David Davros
13 years, 5 months ago
Does Fabregas miss the next game now? Was it his fifth yellow tonight?

Are there any likely postponements tonight or are we looking pretty good?
Sorry for the tedious questions, have been out most the day
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