Matchday Surgery

The Saturday Surgery

After a fraught and frenzied double Gameweek schedule, this weekend brings us back down to earth with the simple pleasures of a single set of fixtures. While that reels in our expectations, the pressure is still on to squeeze out every last point from the Gameweek, whilst keeping one eye on the next double header arriving in a fortnight’s time.

While some will be looking to consolidate after enjoying their recent three-figure haul, others will be assessing the damage of double Gameweek gambles gone bad – wondering if their squads can be reassembled to cope with the tests that remain.

We’re here to help. This week’s “Scout Picks” are laid on a platter for you just here, while those seeking emergency measures can perhaps find a game-changer amongst our selection of “Differentials”. With all the team news, together with our predicted lineups collated for you just here, you’ve plenty to absorb if you’re playing catch-up this morning.

Of course, our “Matchday Surgery” chatroom is also now open to welcome those who seek some real-time solutions to their dilemmas.

Our first “Dugout Discussion” of the Gameweek begins around 2.45 ahead of today’s kick-offs. A leisurely “Pre-match Preamble” is on its way shortly.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

459 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Anyone sick of red arrows, have a good feeling this week for something nice and green! 🙂

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    1. Joga Bonito®
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I've had a few rough weeks too with all of my players getting injured or banned but hopefully this week will be the start of an improvement again.

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      1. Your Mum's Athletic
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        good luck

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    2. Thick Of It
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Asparagus is just coming into season too

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      1. Your Mum's Athletic
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        funnily enough, thats on the menu today 🙂

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        1. Thick Of It
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          Brilliant! May you have both forms of green then 🙂

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    3. blokeman
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Today is 4.20 😉

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  2. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Ideas on this lot?

    de Gea
    Sagna / Davies / Martin R
    Fellaini / Mata / Walcott / Santi Cazorla
    Lambert / Suarez (vc) / Van Persie (c)

    Federici / Puncheon / Figueroa / Clyne

    1 FT, 0.8 in bank.

    a) Fell to michu
    b) Santi to bale
    c) Puncheon to Maloney
    d) something else
    e) save transfer

    Thanks in advance. 🙂

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    1. Your Mum's Athletic
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      definitely b

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    2. Joga Bonito®
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Your team looks insanely like mine. http://imgur.com/rDmBOIA

      I would do Caz to Michu but then your team would be pretty much just my team.

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      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        😆

        blame the DGW.

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    3. Sean.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      A think fellaini will be deep +YC again

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      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        I agree but I would like him vs FUL.

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        1. Sean.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          in his forward role though not much use sitting deep

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          1. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 7 days ago

            Osman back next week will help.

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    4. NATSTER
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      i'm considering (b) right now.
      it's something you will do before the next Caz price drop anyway.

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  3. Lizard Lips
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Mark should do a regular on Saturday morning of transfers he has or hasn't made and reasoning. He's very good at the game and all us amateurs are here to get better so it would be a very rewarding and interesting read. It's a fantastic site over all, this would just be the cherry on top for me and I'm sure many others. Top stuff guys 🙂

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    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I should give Mark tips. 😎

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      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Confident in Elite 64?

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  4. NATSTER
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    People are selling Suarez... 😯

    I think he will do well with Chelsea. 🙂

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    1. footyjuana
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Haha, precisely.

      Always been one of the Suarez sellers, and pinched.

      This time no selling till he gets that yellow!

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      1. Puncheon Guly
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Yellow deadline has passed, no longer a risk

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  5. Manani
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    gonna let the madness continue.
    Carroll (C) ftw!!

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    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I'm going Rooney captain even though everyone is considering selling him 🙂 . He who dares wins

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      1. Manani
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        everyone told me not to get Carroll last week, still got smug on my face till today 😆

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  6. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    last post on previous page

    1) Lukaku or Tevez for the dgw??
    2) would you do berbs >> lukaku/tevez (-4)

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    1. Sean.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      tevez and maybe do it free next week

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    2. ILOVEBAPS
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Tevez
      Not for a hit this week.

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    3. UnitednationsXI
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Will have berbs (eve), santi (utd) wally (utd), giroud (utd) next week so

      next gw's FT is for santi >> bale...and i will have to take a hit next gw as berbs, wally, giroud will be a a liability...so might as well take the hit now?

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  7. Lao Tzu
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Repost

    Bench Piennar or Sissoko?

    I already have Baines and Fellaini

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    1. Lawrø
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I thought I'd give you a sneak peak: http://i.imgur.com/2KLfDVP.png

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      1. Lao Tzu
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        RVP captain then?

        Knew you wouldn't go Kagawa!

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        1. Lawrø
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          Yeah, just having Kagawa is risky enough, I replied with Sissoko on the other page incase you missed it!

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          1. Lao Tzu
            • 12 Years
            11 years, 7 days ago

            Oh yes I did miss it.

            Do me a favour and captain Demel, thanks mate.

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  8. Romford Pele - Don't w…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Bench Fellaini (sun) or Hazard (liv)?

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    1. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Fellaini likely to play deep

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  9. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Hax anyone ?

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Save that for the nightclub.

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      1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        its too early for sarcasm

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        1. Bolt-on
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          Never early for that on here it seems - ever

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  10. Gizmo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Cazorla -> Bale (-4) anyone?

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    1. SpinyNorman [*_*]
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Many are against it.

      I an for it.

      3 arsenals was too much for my liking

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    2. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Just done it. not entirely confident but who cares?!

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    3. ILOVEBAPS
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Nah...

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  11. The Finnisher
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    I'm surprised at just how much love Bale is getting on here and in the Scout Picks;

    - He's only just returning from an injury
    - He has barely trained apparently
    - He's up against a team that usually concede few goals, especially against big teams (their last 3 against other top 4 teams they've conceded 1 goal vs United and kept clean sheets against both Chelsea and Arsenal)

    There, I said it.

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      2 goals coming up....

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    2. Valar(Keith)
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Good man.. he's my no1. priority next week though

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    3. Gizmo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      When you put it like that... Disgregard that previous question 😀

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      1. The Finnisher
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        I'd say no, especially for a hit. For a free transfer *maybe* but Fulham are average.
        Having said that I got rid of Cazorla and kept Walcott...

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    4. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Next week the obvious week especially for those Cazorla holders, see how he reacts to his injury first.

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    5. Joga Bonito®
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I agree. No way I'd put him in this week. Good chance he'll be on the bench and he's up against a tough team, also when players come back from injuries like this one they often get injured again. Seems like a big risk to me. If he sees this week through then yes, of course get him in before the double.

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    6. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      All the Caz to Bale transfers this week seem a bit mad to me.

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      1. The Finnisher
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Seen plenty for -4 too.

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    7. Plagued by indecision
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      if you're chasing a sizeable deficit is it not worth the gamble? everyone will have him next week anyway

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      1. The Finnisher
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        perhaps yeah, but it's hardly the best punt against City imo.

        Cue hat-trick 😯

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        1. Plagued by indecision
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          ha ha here's hoping! It's not the best punt, but you never know. With 65 points to make up I'm doing Cazorla > Bale, Berbatov > Lukaku and handing Michu the armband. Is this madness?

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          1. The Finnisher
            • 12 Years
            11 years, 7 days ago

            In your position they are good gambles imo. Not madness, but definitely risky.

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    8. Mind över Mata
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Totally agree with you - next week

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  12. elkunaguero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    crazy to do Fellaini and Caz to Bale and De Guzman for -8?

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    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      yes

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    2. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Yep crazy

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    3. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Dagenham

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  13. Jimbo123
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Play one of these…….

    Nasty(tot) or Sagna (ful)????

    Ta people

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    1. Manani
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      sagna

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    2. Bolt-on
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Sagna

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  14. Bio Hazard
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    All gravy to go?

    ____________DDG_____________
    Baines______Sagna_______O'Brien
    Walcott__Nolan___Michu___Fellaini
    Mirallas____Rooney(c)_____Lukaku

    Subs:

    Robles, Maloney, Boyce, Dawson

    3.2m in the bank

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      I'd play Maloney over Fellaini. Love the Nolan pick 🙂

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      1. Bio Hazard
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Cheers, playing Fellaini because it's the last week I'll have him in...next week Fellaini>Bale

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    2. Milhouse
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Rooney (c) - Huge differential if it pays off. Good luck

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  15. SpinyNorman [*_*]
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    DDG
    Evra / kosc / clichy
    Bale (c) / Gerrard / Fellani / Morrison
    RvP / Giroud / berbs

    Maloney, Dawson, Riether

    All set? 🙂

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    1. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      No you have the captaincy on Bale?

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      1. SpinyNorman [*_*]
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Differential.

        I'm chasing points.

        Reckless.

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  16. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Sullivan takes a year out, first frame, first break: 74 already!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Demí
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Legend

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      1. Your Mum's Athletic
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        your a FFS legend!

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    2. Milhouse
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Different class. Who's your money on?

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      1. Your Mum's Athletic
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        i fancy selby myself but looking at ronnie, hard to ignore him. bottom half of the draw is ridiculous

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    3. MCH
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      A year so he can be the only one coming into it fresh! Nice move from him! Judging by Edbons comments O'Sullivan is playing as good as ever.

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  17. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Am I right to bench Lambert this week?
    My Mids would be Michu/Mata/Gerrard/Hazard/Fellaini

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    1. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Fellaini or Gerrard to be benched

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    2. Sean.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      play lambert bench fellaini all day

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    3. Milhouse
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Mata AND Hazard? Bit much?

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  18. Plymouth
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Allrighty fellas, ready to see my Snodgrass (c) explode in Reading´s face!

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  19. DVassell
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    my only question is who to play this week:

    Zabaletta vs Spurs away

    or

    Dawson vs Citeh home?

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  20. Dr Dream
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    What's the best option for anybody chasing a lead at this time of the season, 50pts maybe ?.....Is it better NOT to replicate any of you rivals players and hope for a change of fortune even if those players have been the best picks to date (eg Mata>Silva...Fell>Sess)...Or just to go for less obvious capts choices where the FPL players teams are similar...(Mata not RVP) What do other people do in that position ?....

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    1. Bolt-on
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Go the different captain but not too silly - say for this week if you both have RVP then put michu

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Yeah...Done Michu this week and he hasn't got him as far as I know...We both have Caz as of last week and whilst i'm not keen on hits (did one last week for DGW) I surely have to do Caz>Bale....don't I ?....

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        1. Bolt-on
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          Yes you will need him

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    2. Pap Le Cissier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Caught up last year by a mixture of the 2

      Gw 30 brought in Siggy, Dempsey, Valencia, Cisse and Jelly

      It worked wonders but also catied the captain choices. Only thing is that yhere dont seem to be any outstanding differentials this season. If there wasnt a dgw looming Id punt on Kagawa.

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        My saving Grace may be that up to press we only have two overlapping players...and I think I may be better placed for DGW36 with perhaps nine players to his six (ish)....depending upon his hits...

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        1. Pap Le Cissier
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          Good call on.that one.

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    3. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      (C)aptaincy

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Do you think so.....He's an RVP capt'r nearly every week so there's a bit of scope there...

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    4. The Pink Panzer strikes aga…
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Ok, so from first principles in any given week there is a line up with the highested expected return.

      Let's assume that your opponent's team looks pretty similar to the "best" team (of which the RMT calculator is a reasonable guide). If you can improve on their team outright then great.

      If you can't, then you are looking at taking differentials. I.e. apparently suboptimal choices that you hope you will get lucky on.

      The amount of risk you take depends on A) the difference in your scores and B) the amount of game weeks remaining.

      With a 50 point difference as in your case, you only need about 10-12 choices (or differentials) to work in your favour against your opponent until the end of the season.

      I would therefore suggest keeping your team fairly similar to your opponents, and having about 3-4 important differentials (which can be either captain choice, or different players - it doesn't matter that stasticially which which you go for).

      If you are not cathching your opponent quickly enough, then start ramping up the number of differentials as the finish line (GW38) approaches. But don't go too "differentially" until you have to or you'll just have a suboptimal team.

      Hope that gives some food for thought.

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        Yeah it does...thanks...

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        1. The Pink Panzer strikes aga…
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 7 days ago

          I might be a bit conservative with only 3-4 differentials. Assuming your other options are also strong, you could easily have 6-7 differences and not lose sleep.

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  21. The Pink Panzer strikes aga…
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Quick questions: is Gervihno going to start?

    Is Gervihno on with Sissoko on the bench the right move?

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    1. Pap Le Cissier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      God knows. Id just play sissoko to be safe

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  22. john25
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Hey guys, any update on Cazorla injury? Will he be starting tonight?

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    1. Milhouse
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      No news. Most think he'll start

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    2. emperikal
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Hopefully not as I just got rid.

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  23. emperikal
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Decided to go De Guzman over Michu this week because I'm stubborn like that even though Michu has torched me so many times already this season. Needed the extra money to bring in Bale and for changes over the next coming weeks. Leaves me the following team, good to go?

    DDG
    Azipilicueta - Baines - Monreal
    Bale (vc) - Mata - Fellaini - De Guzman
    RVP (C) - Suarez - Berbatov

    Bunn - Maloney - Wilson - Pearce

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  24. Manani
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    why people selling berba?
    do they realise he has reading in gw36? just as good if not better than any other dgwers

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    1. Milhouse
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Better options and DGW to plan for

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    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      He scored twice v arsenal at Emirates, I would keep

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      1. Valar(Keith)
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 7 days ago

        lol/ coincidence repliers?

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    3. Pap Le Cissier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Have to admit, the dgw is making me twitchy.

      Thinking about Kone or Lukaku in but i see your point

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  25. JS
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Kind sirs, please advise whether to do a transfer this week or put it in the bank.

    De Gea
    Demel Zabaleta Davies
    Cazorla Coutinho Fellaini Michu
    RVP Berbatov Suarez
    Subs: begovic maloney sagna mariappa

    £2.4m in bank.

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    1. Bolt-on
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Save but I would play sagna over zab - pretty sure spurs will score

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  26. UKG
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Hi all,

    How am I lining up this week? Slightly worried no Chelsea or Arsenal attacking cover. Are my sub's and order correct?

    DDG

    Baines Demel Zaba

    Bale Michu (vc) Yaya Felliani

    RVP (c) Suarez Berba

    Roubles Maloney Sagna Wilson

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  27. Baby Cuties
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    (C) on Walcott.

    Bottle it and go (C) Michu?

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  28. VICTORIOUS SECRET! !
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Fellani or
    Maloney
    ??

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  29. Sánchez
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Anyone else got in Bale for Caz. I have.
    Now look at his hitory.
    He seems to blank on return from missing a game every time. Starting to worry me now.

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    1. Pap Le Cissier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 7 days ago

      Wouldnt be too worried. Over the next two and the dgw, Bale should outscore Caz anyway

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  30. rafadob
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 7 days ago

    Mata (Liv) or Maloney (West Ham) ?

    Tempted to play Maloney and bench Mata this week.

    This would mean Michu Walcott Sessegnon (Mata/Maloney)

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