The Numbers Game – 2014/15 Review – Liverpool

Never heard of him.

Another flop to Liverpool.

Ugh, don't get me started. It's the same people, too.

Happy as an LFC fan but won't touch him in FPL, or any other Liverpool player for that matter

You are not missing much.

http://www.futwiz.com/en/compare/memphis-depay/13538/roberto-firmino/7851

🙂

Fimino. Depay isnt playing at the Copa America. Koeman also said depay is sh*te. Apparently Van Gaal was under the impression that he was signing Depay until Edward Woodward told him he signed Memphis. Cried for days, he did

Wouldn't have a clue. Only heard of them recently and can't remember ever watching them play or at least didn't notice them if I had.

Don't know. Firmino at the moment - more proven in a much tougher league. Depay has a lot more potential though IMO, and he's only 21, whereas Firmino will soon be 24.

Casting my bias being a Liverpool fan away, I would just rate Firmino higher on account
of playing in a tougher league and doing well for more than 1 season

Depay has the tools to be explosive and is also an amazing prospect

The better thing is that we are getting such players who have flair back into the PL

What? This is not even a valid question. Memphis had one season of cute dribbles and FKs in a very ordinary league, while Firmino has been consistently playing well in one of the top 4 leagues in the world for 3-4 years now.

Maybe Depay will be better than Firmino when he's 24, but it is not even a debate now.

No idea, never really seen either of them play!

I'd really love it if the Sterling dosh goes towards a top DMF and CB

who is Firmino btw?

There's a lot of different ways they could set up that front six. Can and Henderson will be the two more defensive midfielders, and Sturridge the main man up front, but Milner, Coutinho and Firmino can all play centrally or wide, whilst Milner and Coutinho are just as capable in a midfield three as they are in an attacking three.

I think there will be a lot of fluidity, with Milner tucking and helping to give some defensive solidity when Firmino and Coutinho are given license to combine in attack, regardless of their starting positions. It's up to Rodgers to find the best system to get the most out of these players, because they look to have a great combined set of qualities, with plenty of work rate, creativity and goalscoring potential amongst them. They really need a settled team, with Sturridge fit, and a lot of work on the defence as you say.

Not Skrtel? Defence needs improving and Clyne is looking likely. Depending how we play, Coates looked class at the end of last season for Sunderland and he'll be back this year.

With Kovacic instead of one of Henderson or Milner ideally, but let's not get too greedy. 🙂

Fathering one would be a good way to start.

Set up an academy and become a full agent for the players in your academy. Seek to get them signed up by Brazilian clubs and maybe a few will make it big?

I'd agree with that top 5. I can definitely see Spurs and City dropping a little bit.

k.

I'd argue.

Arsenal/Chelsea
Arsenal/Chelsea
City
Liverpool

...but each to their own.

Southampton will finish above Liverpool.

I doubt it. Everton could well finish above Liverpool again. So could Spurs.

agree. apart from City's position.

Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester City
Manchester United
Liverpool

You were going on about Stekelenberg for a good 3 pages.

7 YCs last season apparently. I think we need to find out whether they were for fouls/dissent/diving. Could someone please watch all of Hoffenheims games from last season and get back to me. Thanks

This place seems to have turned into a competition between Liverpool and United fans. Once fighting for the prestige of Greatest Team in England, now bickering over who has signed the best random young foreigner.

Did he cost that much! blimey, I think United did well to avoid. I suspect Liverpool were the only one going after him.

Great post!

Always fantastic to hear your input!

"Rodgers hasn't worked out yet that Emre Can is a good defensive midfielder (is he watching the U21 competition?) and not a right-back, anything is possible."

I just want to comment on this line. It's been a common theme on here in the last few days, and I don't think it's fair. Getting the best out of a team doesn't necessarily mean getting the best out of individual players. Wilshere isn't at his best deep for England, but it's the position that is best for England. Liverpool had an amazing run of form when they switched to 3 at the back with Can at right centre back, and it gave them control from the back that they had lacked. Apart from a couple games against good wingers, I thought he did a good job.

Rodgers isn't a defensive mastermind, but he is a good coach. Manager of the year last year lest we forget.

41 million euros for someone a only heard of about a 2 weeks ago is scandalous. Good luck Pool

Bruce Almighty. Another flop in the offing? 😕

If Hoffenheim spend the cash wisely then I can see then pushing for a CL spot next season. Schär and Kaderabek are a good start (don't know much about Schmid) along with getting Volland on a long term contract.

Nice business by Hoffenheim with Schär, Schmid and Kaderabek. Wasn't aware they had all signed for Hoffenheim. Renewing Volland too! Looking good!

And I agree that there's a worry about how Firmino will be used at Liverpool as BR particularly emphasised him being exciting as a player that can play any position behind the striker. That sounds bad, because Firmino is definitely AMC or a support-striker, meant to play just behind the striker.

I became a full member recently and am now able to access lots of stats tables that I don't understand. Well worth the money 😉

In all seriousness there seems to be quite a lot of extra stats and the enhanced ticker is excellent. I'm sure other more seasoned members may be able to advise on more of the benefits.

- All the opta stats and customisable tables to help sort according to your needs
- Season ticker (also customisable)
- RMT projections
- Comparison tool
- Members articles that give a nice break down of stats

Mid July sometime the season starts.....Usually at 4am 😉

- A better Fixture Ticker that shows full season, allows reordering to find rotations etc
- Members stats for teams and individual players
- Comparison Tool, which lets you compare two players you're trying to choose between
- Members' stats tables. Doosra makes some very popular ones
- Members' Articles (like this one)

Most members would say that their Fantasy Football performance (i.e. rank) improves, and for lots of people, winning their cash mini-league pays for the membership.

For me, the best thing is just the added richness of playing around with all those toys. Someone once defined any game as "a series of interesting decisions". For me, these tools make the decisions of FPL more interesting and that's worth every penny considering how much time I spend on this damned game 🙂

The main benefit is that you get a small side profile of a man next to your name, what more could you want?

hi all

Can anyone please provide the starting date of FPL for the last 3-5 years .
thanks in advance

The ticker alone is almost worth it. Do it. 😉

on top of what everyone said (RMT alone is worth it IMO), i would like to add one more reason:

This site is awesome even without the members area. Much work is being put in with the articles, the podcast, and the moderation. don't be a d**k - support a site that gives you so much - 12.5 pounds for hundreds of hours of fun. be a mench.

HAHAHA!!! 😀

Mitchell and Webb (bad) luck

You'll be paying regular visits to that pub i bet.

David Mitchell was partying? 😯 😆

Wow. I don't know what to say. Unlucky dude!

As a massive Peep Show fan i am gutted for you. Where is the pub out of interest/ stalker like intentions?

Oh man, how come your housemate didn't text you? You're going to have some serious FOMO every time he leaves the house now!

Walcott

I think the days of OOP midfielders who really play up front are coming to an end. Most managers seem to like a -

-------------GK--------------
DEF--DEF--DEF-DEF
-------MID---MID------
---MID--MID---MID--
----------FWD-----

Or some variation of. I think the only real OOP players we may get are defenders who end up in midfield

Plenty of mids play OOP without it being recognised. The trick is to ignore the published position and check the average position per player each week to find those mids that play higher up the pitch than their respective strikers on a regular basis (that and touches in the box).
GW1 last season
Sanchez... http://members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/matches/755303/
Hazard... http://members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/matches/755304/
I posted each mid who took up that position after every GW last season for about the first ten weeks, which included the likes of Downing, ADM, Chadli and co.
Don't just go off the official pigeon holed OOP as per the team sheet...look at the facts.

Schlupp maybe?

If they're paying that much, you'd expect him to be nailed on, but Lallana and Markovic showed that that's not always the case. It probably depends on how well he settles.

the fee is £21mil potentially rising to £28mil

Hard to say what position he'll play because we're not sure what formations Rodgers will play. Finding roles for him and Coutinho will be interesting.

Seen a bit of him. Seems to play best in the CAM position but can play up front too i believe. Looks a good player but not exactly their priority imo. Him and Cout seem v v similar.

£29M isn't bad for a player of his ability.

Didn't B'mouth concede the least and keep the most CS in the league?

I am going to take a chance on the Cherries, personally. I may have the Norwich goalie. It will either be:

Sou/Nor

or

Lei/Swa

I think your order is correct. Norwich number 1 and not too much between WAT and BOR. Bournemouth seemed to blow other teams away with their attacking last year. The opposition was always on the back foot which led to clean sheets. They will still attack this year i recon but will be picked off more.

Doesn't really matter. If the worst of the lot defensively has a 4.0 starter, we'll have him.

1 Nor 2. Bournemth 3. Watford.

Purely for the experience NOR have of the PL.

Bournemouth is a tricky one as they did well defensively last season partly due to the amount of possession they had in games. They may well have a lot of possession at home to lower half teams this season but away from home and against the top sides I'd imagine this would decrease.

Not really expecting defensive returns from any of them tbh.. Bournemouth play a bit like BlackPool and i can see them having problems if they go at EPL teams the same way Blackpool did. I read on here that Watford had the 5th best defensive record in the Championship. Does not bode well for the EPL. Norwich could do ok.. i remember getting loads of points from Martin and Bassong the last time Norwich were in the EPL. If Martin goes to RB i may take a punt on him

Admittedly though, that's probably the 1 position they had sufficient quality in already. Remains to be seen if they'll strengthen the other positions they need like full-backs, DM and FW.

Wouldn't want to see Kane captain again

Good management. Give them some responsibilities so they feel that they have more ownership and will end up staying at the club.

They're adapting the Arsenal career path system where naming player a captain is soon followed by a transfer to a bigger club. 😀

This would suggest Lloris will move first, for Kane to inherit the captaincy before his transfer to ManU.

i tried to watch a film with 50 and De Niro in it.. Was truly awful. he is a terrible actor

The Pardew connection again.

bad enough to be an Inter reject once..hilarious if it becomes twice

Pardew obviously not impressed with Pape Souaré then.

So we're looking at Chelsea, Arsenal and City then? So Arsenal?

I don't think we need Turan. 😉