The Knee Jerk

The Knee Jerk – Wednesday

A midweek programme under lights provides an avalanche of points as Luis Suarez delivers one of the biggest solo hauls in memory. By contrast, Wayne Rooney’s evening was blighted by a blank, a fifth booking and a home defeat as United’s title challenge withers before Christmas.

The Game Changer

Prior to tonight’s Anfield clash with Norwich, Brendan Rodgers remarked that Liverpool could not depend solely on Luis Suarez for goals following the injury to Daniel Sturridge. Within half an hour, Suarez had emphatically proved him wrong.

It’s ironic that, on an evening where Yaya Toure and Eden Hazard made up ground on Aaron Ramsey’s relentless midfield profits, a striker dominated once again. Suarez, like Sergio Aguero weeks before, stuck to the script to fire a devastating haul of four goals and an assist as he returned to haunt Norwich who continue to haemorrhage goals on their travels.

That shouldn’t detract from Suarez’s display. Thirteen strikes in just nine Premier League starts represents form that matches the very best spells we saw from Robin van Persie last season. In simple terms, Suarez has become essential. Not least to offer a captaincy option who almost guarantees regular returns with the propensity to explode to levels that no other player, not even the prolific Aguero, can match.

The Selection Poser

United’s home defeat came packaged with a bitter pill for Wayne Rooney owners who had to watch on while both Suarez and Aguero returned to the scoresheet while their man blanked. That was compounded by a fifth booking of the season, which guarantees another blank to follow as Rooney sits out the home clash with Newcastle in Saturday’s early kick-off.

It remains to be seen how this will influence transfer trends in the next few days but, having harvested large numbers of investors since his brace at Spurs, Rooney could now be set for heavy sales and a rapid price drop over the next ten days.

Elsewhere, rotation took a chunk out of our squads once again, with an array of talent “rested” to the bench. Olivier Giroud’s remaining owners were perturbed by the news that the Frenchman was handed a much-needed break with a Hull City defence, sans Curtis Davies, arriving at the Emirates. With Nicklas Bendtner firing an unlikely early goal, there may even be further fidgeting required. The last thing Giroud’s owners wanted or expected was the much-maligned Dane suggesting he could deputise as the lone striker from this point on. Nevertheless, an immediate recall against Everton is surely on the cards for the seven-goal Frenchman.

Stephane Sessegnon’s plight looks more serious. Ranked highly in the Watchlist off the back of decent early form for the Baggies, coupled with an enviable set of fixtures, the Benin international has laboured of late and Steve Clarke’s decision to bench him this evening may well be more damaging.

Typically, Sessegnon’s flame has faded badly. Having been the catalyst for much of West Brom’s attacking verve in their five-match unbeaten run which included the win at Old Trafford, he’s slipped back into obscurity at a time when the fixture computer appeared to hand him the chance to establish himself as a mid-price midfield asset of note.

Once again, those who took a punt on a midfield differential have been let down and Sessegnon’s owners will now be wondering if their man can win a recall for the visit of Norwich at the weekend.

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

4,526 Comments Post a Comment
  1. HVT
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Test

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    1. Jackson123
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      icles

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      1. momo
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 3 months ago

        Bicycles

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  2. ViperStripes
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    repost:
    For those that have Boruc / Mannone combo......I've been looking at who to pair with Mannone until GW24 (end of Winter wildcard).

    SUN/CAR: cpl,WBA,NOR,SOT,SUN,AVL,WHM,SOT,STO,NOR
    All home games after this GW BUT the opposing fixture is always tough, so if one of 2 keepers is crocked it's risky or if Mannone is dropped for Westwood.

    SUN/ARS: EVE,whm,NOR,whm,car,CAR,avl,FUL,STO,CPL
    After Xmas, both teams have a good run, so if either keeper is crocked/rotated then gives options and for me I don't have Mertesacker.

    SUN/MAN:NEW,avl,NOR,hul,car,AVL,SWA,SOT,CAR,sto
    The highest scoring pairing according to members RMT tool but De Gea is expensive

    SUN/CPL: CAR,whm,NOR,avl,car,NOR,ful,STO,HUL,new
    Also looks like a good combo, with flip a coin options some weeks.

    Any thoughts?

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  3. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Morrison to Shelvey worth a punt? When is Michu due back?

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    1. Kings of Lyon ★
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      Thats what iv done

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    2. Shifty
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      could be this weekend

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  4. LaxaxL
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Rooney to Aguero? yay or nay?

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    1. Robe Wan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      yay

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    2. jmcclory123
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      nay, rooney plays aston villa next week, with RVP back this is when Man Utd will become dangerous (from an arsenal supporter,no bias)

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  5. DonTheSpecialOne
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Not decided yet on what to do, but came up with two options that could seem decent, what is the better transfers you think?

    A) Ozil + Sess -> Ramsey and Yaya/Gerrard

    B) Giroud + Sess -> Ramsey and Lukaku

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    1. Robe Wan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      B

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      1. DonTheSpecialOne
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 3 months ago

        Thanks.

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    2. Dogba
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      If I had to pick between those two, I'd pick A. I think Giroud is nailed to start and usually does well at home.

      You know my stance though, I wouldn't ditch Sess 😀 Especially not if it's for a hit.

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      1. DonTheSpecialOne
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 3 months ago

        Thanks Dogba! 2 FT 🙂

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  6. super zlatan
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Caught on bottom of last page..

    Any ideas lads

    Szcz
    Terry. GJ. Coleman. Burner. Clyne
    Hazard. Ramsey. Sess. Whitt. Barkley
    Rooney. Aguero. Suarez

    1FT. 0.4 in bank.

    Don't mind benching Rooney for one match

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    1. rvp786
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      barkley >> shelvey

      or save it

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      1. super zlatan
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 3 months ago

        Was thinking that. Cheers

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  7. Link
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Morning fellas,

    2 FT's - 0.7 in the bank. No idea what to do with it!

    Krul (Davis)

    Merts - Evans - Johnson ( Baker - Rosenoir )

    Hazard - Gerrard - Ramsey - Brady ( Morrison )

    Suarez - Aguero - Remy

    Was going to get Rooney in but now he's suspended...

    Shall I just take out Rosenoir for a playing cheapie....and save the 2 for next week?

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    1. McSauce
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      yes save when possible over the xmas break

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  8. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Dilema???

    Marhsall
    Distin Ivanovic Baker (Clyne Chester)
    Ozil Ramsey Hazard Brady (delph)
    Suarez (C.) Aguero Benteke

    A or B

    A) GW 15 - Benteke ---> Lukaku
    GW 16 - Ozil --> Oscar (cry)

    B) GW15 - Brafy --> Shelvey
    GW16 - Benteke --> Lukaku (keeping Ozil)

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  9. I am not a smart guy
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Bring in Ward, Moxey, or Gabbidon?

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    1. boogle
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 3 months ago

      Gab's your man

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  10. boogle
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    So with Rooney and Morrison out, and planning to keep both, I need one of my two fringe players to be guaranteed a start. Problem is they are Baker and JWP.

    My options with 1FT and 0 in the bank:

    A) Baker > Chester
    B) JWP > Pozuelo
    C) JWP > Delph
    D) Save and start Baker making a 5 man defence.

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  11. viewoftheland
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Think I'm ditching Rooney. Only got him just before the weekend GW, so no value tied up. Got 2FTs too. Can't have £11.1m sat around on my bench. Question is... who for?

    So apart from RVP, I can have any striker, and still bank my FT. But I've got Morrison suspended too, as well as having Januzaj, so would ideally shuffle Januzaj off too for a sure starter.

    Now, there's a lot of flexibility there. I've got to say, with Man U's fixtures, I am tempted by

    Rooney > RVP, Januzaj > Bannan

    But if anyone's got suggestions then I'm all ears. I'd have £18.3m for the two replacements for Rooney and Januzaj.

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  12. Van Dal
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone thinking of getting Jenkinson in?

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  13. New Article Posted
  14. FISSH
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    which is a more pressing transfer do we think my preciouses

    Boruc > Marshall

    Rooney > Lukaku

    save FT and have 2 to use next week..

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  15. bigdip
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Repost Got 92pts BUT a red arrow 🙁 .

    Mignolet (K.Davis)
    Terry Evra Mertsacker Clyne (Parr)
    Nasri Hazard Ramsey (Ravel Thomas)
    ROONEY (vc) BENTEKE Suárez (c)

    A) Rooney and Benteke -> Aguero and 7.6 striker
    B) Tekkers and Parr -> Lukaku and Williams (so play 5 at the back)

    Any other suggestions?

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  16. Alonso The Great Midfielder
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    i want ditch m.turner.....swap for b.turner or ward???

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  17. Jackson123
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Everton double up done. Clyne > Distin.

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  18. BobbyV
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Okay, here's my team for the weekend.

    Migs
    Chico, Mertasacker, Terry, Coleman
    Hazard, Shelvey, Gerrard, Ramsey
    Aguero, Suarez (c)

    Bench: Boruc, Remy, Barkley, John (don't ask)

    - 0 FT
    - Should I play Remy over one of Mertasacker and Coleman? Which one?

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  19. Mobydeus30
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    hell i'm the only loser who keep rvp for 3 gw an now still in doubt to sell/not to sell.
    what it's happening with him ?anybody tell me something about him.
    and what to buy?
    speroni
    c.davies moxey gabbidon
    brady ozil hazard ramsey
    aguero suarez robin van persie

    subs:
    harper clyne mutch coleman

    tks

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  20. Schürrle Class
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Any cheap defender options below 5 Million

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  21. Spectre
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 3 months ago

    In the immediate feature, who do people think are the best captaincy options when Suarez has a tough fixture?

    Here is my run-down of the next few weeks:

    GW15: Suarez
    GW16: Hazard, Rooney
    GW17: Suarez, Aguero
    GW18: Hazard, Rooney, Ozil
    GW19: Rooney

    There are several other options which I have not included, but these ones seem to be the best/most popular..

    Conclusion: One of Hazard or Rooney is essential in the coming weeks, both if you can afford it 🙂

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