Preamble December 21

The Pre-match Preamble – Gameweek 17

This is a time for family and feasting. A time to indulge those you love and the treats and temptations around us. For Fantasy managers, however, Christmas offers us a tortuous programme that clashes with such merriment and has us break etiquette and risk the wrath of loved ones. We embrace the fixture frenzy that Christmas brings – it’s all that family and friends nonsense that gets in the way.

Every year I’m amazed by the numbers. While I’m reliably informed that, by January, the typical Fantasy Football player base has dropped off by 50%, on our pages we see no such trend. The Christmas spell is a boom period.

It leads me to ponder that, if Fantasy Football is a drug for the enthusiastic “hardcore” player, then the Christmas period is a pure and relentless hit that renders us giddy with the possibilities and often exhausts us with its outcomes. This is no time to shelve our lineups and pursue the expected Christmas agenda – our time is dictated by deadlines, kick-off times and the live television schedule. We need our fix and it’s never been so plentiful.

And yet, I know full well I will have to make concessions. I know that, come Boxing Day, my excited expectations for my teams will have to be hushed amongst company, limited to a smuggled mobile phone under the dinner table and improbably frequent toilet breaks that will have loved ones concerned about the condition of my bladder.

It’s a painful experience (not the bladder) to maintain the threads of conversation over dinner when the mind is drifting to the chances of Marko Arnautovic notching for Stoke. It’s unnatural, unnecessary and against all that Christmas stands for. And yet, for myself and doubtless other Fantasy managers, it’s become the norm.

Hands up, then. The normal service will be interrupted. Pulls and responsibilities, the magic of seeing my near two-year-old experience all that Christmas brings will distract me and those who help me to fuel your own obsession at this time. But I’ll sneak and cajole, win brownie points and trade them for time to be amongst you. Enjoy the festivities.

1,617 Comments Post a Comment

Raddy
10 years, 4 months ago
Suarez is my captain yet the Liverpool game is irrelevant to me, whatever happens everyone in top 100k will get the same.

Crazy season.
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1. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Liverpool conceding would be nice!
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  1. Peggi
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Whittingham brace 😎
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    1. Courtois in the Rye
      10 years, 4 months ago
      I hope not as I've benched him... which means it will almost certainly happen.
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      1. Peggi
        10 years, 4 months ago
        i have him first sub with rooney on.
        
        Rooney to come on for a minute to get a 1 pointer
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        Courtois in the Rye
        10 years, 4 months ago
        There was some bloke on here earlier this week who'd benched Walcott and Flanagan last week and watched while every single one of his starting XI played.
        
        I've got Terry first sub, Whittingham second.
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2. Funkyav
  10 years, 4 months ago
  what about the other 14 in everyone's squad?
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  1. Raddy
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Obviously I meant points gained from the captaincy of Suarez in the pool game.
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3. Namtab Nomolos
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Playing in the Beach Soccer World Cup most weeks all the captians (strikers) would cancel each other out. The Semi-FInal and Final were blanket Suarez (c) so made no impact for anyone
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odannyboys
10 years, 4 months ago
williams or dawson?
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1. HurriKane
  10 years, 4 months ago
  dawson
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Smudger’s Dirty Dozen
10 years, 4 months ago
Bench Lallana or Cabaye??
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1. Jafooli
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Neither......must have a duff def?
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  1. Smudger’s Dirty Dozen
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Chico McAuley Coleman Merte
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    1. Jafooli
      10 years, 4 months ago
      Bench Mert?
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MJ6987
10 years, 4 months ago
So, Rooney owners...keeping or selling for a hit?
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1. Scottys Army
  10 years, 4 months ago
  keeping
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2. Raddy
  10 years, 4 months ago
  100% keeping.
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3. Epic Fail
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Keeping.
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4. HurriKane
  10 years, 4 months ago
  keeping
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5. Chris_White
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Don't know. All my ML rivals have Negredo now. FML.
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6. Beavis
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Keeping definitely. News not concrete enough to get rid and even less concrete about next GW where I'd want him anyway.
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  1. mookie
    10 years, 4 months ago
    well said
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7. Konig Luther
  10 years, 4 months ago
  keeping
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8. Declan
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Keeping, Im struggling to find any other striker worth taking a punt on.
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9. Lord Flashheart
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Sold now.
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10. Derailed Bandwagon
  10 years, 4 months ago
  sold for adebayor 😯
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megatronaldinho
10 years, 4 months ago
how can rooney be in the squad when he's in your mother's bed? generic response
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1. TheSteady ¤ Wines th…
  10 years, 4 months ago
  How can he be inn all of our beds at the same time. Seems unlikely to me.
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2. megatronaldinho
  10 years, 4 months ago
  so much untapped antipathy. i'll find the font
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Mak_Gold
10 years, 4 months ago
Am I good to go?:

Mignolet,
Coleman, Clyne, Chico,
Hazard, Silva, Ramsey, RMorrison,
Suarez(C), Rooney, Lukaku.

Chester, Koscielny (inj.), Brady (inj.)

Or do I need to take a hit if these rumors surrounding Rooney are true?
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1. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I think you're ok, not much room for manoeuvre - if you brought Rooney in this week I'd consider Negredo for a hit but if you're sitting on huge profit and inability to buy back then I wouldn't.
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2. JasonV
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Mignolet is good shout even though clean sheet ain't gunna happen. Many saves though.... insane midfield but you need to sell your dead weight even if they are benched. That's lost money right there.
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  1. Mak_Gold
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Cheers guys. 🙂
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Evans
10 years, 4 months ago
Really tempted to do Romney to lukaku for a hit
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1. DA Minnion (Former great)
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Is that mitt romney:-)
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  1. In Like Flynn.
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Romney Marsh
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Valar(Keith)
10 years, 4 months ago
I loved my SAR strikeforce.. no one could afford it in my ML and i happily climbed.. They brought in Negredo and Lukaku weeks back to counter but they could not hold a candle to my SAR. Now i'm taking hits to get their strikeforce! :grrrr:
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1. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  We rode the wave brother...
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2. Evans
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Yeah.... It's cr@p ain't it
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3. Raddy
  10 years, 4 months ago
  SAR is dead mate.
  
  Time to move onto greener pastures
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JasonV
10 years, 4 months ago
REPOST

Myhill
Evra Fonte Jagielka
Whittingham YayaToure Oscar Ramsey
Remy Suarez Lukaku

Bench: Sessegnon McAuley Davies

I made a transfer already for Evra... do I need to make a point hit for more changes?!
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⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
10 years, 4 months ago
jelavic to start this week and mess everyone up even more
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1. Evans
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Source ?
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  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    10 years, 4 months ago
    daniel
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2. Jimmers
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Lukaku then comes on after 60 ineffective minutes from Jelavic and scores twice
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Piggs Boson
10 years, 4 months ago
This injury is well staged by Moyes. He's even convinced you cynics 😉

I wonder if Wayne will pass the late fitness test... 🙂
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1. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I think it's quite an amateur one trying to ape the old Fergie surprises.
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FPL Daniel
10 years, 4 months ago
Martinez

"I think it is quite easy nowadays to know when to bring players in or to give players a rest. We get inundated with data and it is about using that data in the right way and knowing the players. When you have so much information, it is easier to call when a player may be getting fatigued or towards a risk of injury.

"In that respect, sports science and all the data we receive does play a big part."
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1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
  10 years, 4 months ago
  lukaku? 😯
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  1. Woy of the Wovers
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Always was a risk.
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2. FPL Daniel
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Jelavic starting will be hilarious 🙂
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  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    10 years, 4 months ago
    I think jelavic starts the home game next week
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3. Raddy
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Natural conclusion from that is Lukaku, Coleman, Howard and Jags rested.
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GreennRed
10 years, 4 months ago
Howard ir Mignolet?
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1. SW6
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Howard
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Wild Rover
10 years, 4 months ago
Hits to bring in Rooney and Rafael.. Worrying times 🙁
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1. Voodoo
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Late fitness test for Rooney, he'll probably score from the bench
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2. Namtab Nomolos
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I've always enjoyed owning Rafael. Hope he's ready to go on an assist spreee for the Jan WC
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3. FPL Daniel
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Mate I worry about u.
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4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
  10 years, 4 months ago
  where is rafael?
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5. roscola
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Rafael is in the squad at least:
  
  http://redmancunian.com/2013/12/21/manchester-united-without-rooney-van-persie-fellaini-vidic-ferdinand-weekend/
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  1. Wild Rover
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Cool, I just saw a link to the squad that didn't have him 🙂
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    1. roscola
      10 years, 4 months ago
      Yeah, me too. I'm choosing to believe this one. Have had a weird felling all week that he's going to monster West Ham 🙂
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  2. In Like Flynn.
    10 years, 4 months ago
    On the upside, at least Ferdinand is out.
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RafaMC
10 years, 4 months ago
Play one of the following. Both are at home

Gabbidon Home to Newcastle

or

Shaw Home to Spurs

Other defenders are Mert and Coleman
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Optimus.
10 years, 4 months ago
Hits for everyone
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1. Wild Rover
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Get your hits our for the lads...
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  1. Jafooli
    10 years, 4 months ago
    😛
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2. Piggs Boson
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I was forced to do Michu -> Wally (-4) this week 🙁
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3. Jafooli
  10 years, 4 months ago
  😎
  
  the more the merrier, have a mince pie
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4. Peggi
  10 years, 4 months ago
  not me 😎
  
  😉
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Heydudes13
10 years, 4 months ago
Lukaku to be rested Daniel?
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1. FPL Daniel
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I think not this week, but one of the next ones surely. The games are every 2 days
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  1. Heydudes13
    10 years, 4 months ago
    True enough.
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2. Ryan
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Midweek most likely
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Voodoo
10 years, 4 months ago
Anyone not captaining Suarez?
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1. Epic Fail
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Yeah.
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  1. FPL Daniel
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Rooney was the alternative. Now? Yeah everybody
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2. toxik
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Lukaku (c)
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3. Mr Smith
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Wally(c) FTW 😀
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SpinyNorman [*_*]
10 years, 4 months ago
Why was my post removed??

Guiness poo is a very important FPL problem.
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El Zurdo
10 years, 4 months ago
Is Redmond still good option? He is nailed for upcoming ~5 games?
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1. FPL Daniel
  10 years, 4 months ago
  I was burnt by him in the past. I think Mark has him. Check that. But if Mark has him don't go there 😉 😆
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Wild Rover
10 years, 4 months ago
What happened to deleting all the scaremongering posts with no links? 😕
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1. Heydudes13
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Daniel's DOES though. 🙁
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  1. FPL Daniel
    10 years, 4 months ago
    I posted a reliable quotes? What I have done ?
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    1. Heydudes13
      10 years, 4 months ago
      Nothing, that's what I was saying, yours has a reliable link. 🙂
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2. Epic Fail
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Seconded.
  
  I want to see the Guinness poo.
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  1. Jafooli
    10 years, 4 months ago
    😆
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  2. SpinyNorman [*_*]
    10 years, 4 months ago
    It was enormous and had a layer of white foam on top, that filled up the can touching my bottom.
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3. Ryan
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Flag it up yourself if you think it breaches the T/C's
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Valar(Keith)
10 years, 4 months ago
in 13 games this season Terry has got 5 bps and above.. that run includes just 4 CS's and 2 goals.. He's always in the mix for bonuses isn't he.. prob still be a bargain soon
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1. Mr Smith
  10 years, 4 months ago
  You have seen how many games they've conceded in, right? 😕
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2. The3rdTurd
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Generally it's 7 minimum needed for baps. 6 has been enough on a very small number of occasions, but never 5.
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Lovzat
10 years, 4 months ago
Bench collocini (cpa) or Whits (liv) ? Cheers guys
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1. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Bench Whittingham.
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  1. Big_Andy_GAWA
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Yeah.
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Breadbin
10 years, 4 months ago
Good old Bemba, always around when there's scaremongering required.
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1. Scottys Army
  10 years, 4 months ago
  legend
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2. Optimus.
  10 years, 4 months ago
  😀
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Scottys Army
10 years, 4 months ago
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/13/aston-villa-manchester-united-squad-sheets

evra out for villa

he started the game

same with wazza

prays
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1. SpinyNorman [*_*]
  10 years, 4 months ago
  What???
  
  I just brought in Evra for a hit to replace Zab 🙁
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  1. Denis Tueart on the wing
    10 years, 4 months ago
    That was last year - !!!!!!!!
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  2. Tomlette Greggs
    10 years, 4 months ago
    they played Villa last week, remember?
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MattysFantasyFooty
10 years, 4 months ago
Terry -> Evans

YES OR NO?
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1. Evans
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Yes
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2. Raddy
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Do it for free
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Evans
10 years, 4 months ago
Fook it Rooney is staying
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1. toxik
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Same here
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Optimus.
10 years, 4 months ago
To hit or not to hit,that is the question...
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1. Evans
  10 years, 4 months ago
  For who ?
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  1. Optimus.
    10 years, 4 months ago
    JWP > Sterling?
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  2. Piggs Boson
    10 years, 4 months ago
    He's talking about his wife.
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Voodoo
10 years, 4 months ago
Get yer hits out. I'll start. I've took -8. total this season = -12
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1. Raddy
  10 years, 4 months ago
  -4 this week.
  
  -12 season total.
  
  Only take hits when my hand is forced as it was this week.
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2. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Still just can't get my head round hits. I've taken -12 this season, all in a single gameweek and it prompted a massive rise up the rankings.
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Ludo
10 years, 4 months ago
Just can't bring myself to sell Rooney and go to a -12, even though he doesn't look like starting. Learnt my lesson on Saturday night transfers though - last time I did it, Michu then Silva got injured, this time it was Aguero then Rooney!
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1. toxik
  10 years, 4 months ago
  -8 here too and still might struggle to field 11!
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2. Courtois in the Rye
  10 years, 4 months ago
  Why Saturday night? No danger of price drops was there?
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  1. Ludo
    10 years, 4 months ago
    Was to beat a rise, not a good move!
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