Preamble

The Pre-match Preamble – Gameweek 16

For some reason I’ve got it into my head that I always prosper at Christmas. That somehow my decision making, fuelled by sentimental movies and mince pies, clicks into groove and brings in a run of green arrows. I cling to it every year, point to it as a boom period that will see me push up the ranks.

In truth, there’s little or no proof to back up this theory. I seem to remember one season where I found festive fortune with a few armbands which suddenly transformed my campaign; ever since I’ve convinced myself that Christmas is “my time”.

I do wonder if there’s something in it, though – whether Christmas is a period that can suit a certain type of Fantasy manager. After all, with the quick-fire Gameweeks offering little time to ponder and procrastinate, it can favour those who go with their gut; those who ignore player prices and let instant decisions guide their transfer and armband strategies.

If a regular Gameweek is the equivalent of a striker having too much room and time with the goal gaping, the Christmas spell snaps like a centre-back pincer movement – Adams and Keown – breathing down our necks and giving us little option but to act on instinct.

That all means that, in football terms, I’m perhaps more Stephane Sessegnon than Sergio Aguero. Give me time to dwell on things and pick my spot and I’ll spoon it. Let’s face it, I’ve missed some sitters this season – Aaron Ramsey and Luis Suarez, to name just two. However, perhaps I’m now due a thirty-yard volley? An improbable, athletic scissor-kick from nowhere.

Ironically, Sessegnon’s manager has recently backed him for goals and, with bigger priorities elsewhere in my squad, I’ve also been forced to keep the faith. Maybe the Baggies man can still make my Christmas? Or perhaps I’m just heading for the inevitable – the indignity of buying myself a Ramsey and faking a grateful smile when he pops in yet another goal on Boxing Day.

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

1,957 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Machine
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Predicition 4-3

    Ramsey and Nasri hat-tricks,

    Aguero own goal,

    Ozil and Mertesacker red cards for nothing, get overturned after appeals

    Cheers

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    1. El Berbossa - \\\"El b…
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      5x Ozil own goal

      Walcott x 4

      Ramsey 4 assists

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      1. The Machine
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Thats not realistic at all

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        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Neither was yours.

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          1. The Machine
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Sarcasm's lost on you

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            1. 7shadesofsmoke
              • 11 Years
              10 years, 10 months ago

              😀

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        2. El Berbossa - \\\"El b…
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Neither is yours 🙂

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          1. El Berbossa - \\\"El b…
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            I was taking the piss in case you didnt reaslise 🙂

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        3. Peggi
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          😆

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      2. JJO
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        I could see that happening

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  2. Gaz Downright
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Not many Premiership teams left in the FFS FA Cup

    Fulham - Birmingham City
    Tranmere Rovers - Chippenham Town
    Ipswich Town - Queens Park Rangers
    Morecambe - Luton Town

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      We all got knocked out. 🙁

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    2. The Machine
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Thats because the "Popular" overrated ones get the premiership teams, directly going into 3rd round.

      Were always gonna be knocked out early

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  3. Cheggers
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    where have all the united fans gone?

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    1. SPorting
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Newcastle United?

      In the pub probably.

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    2. FACUPARSE
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      They're currently buying Chelsea shirts

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    3. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Eh?

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    4. Gaz Downright
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      long time passing

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    5. jas5sk - Youtube channel
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      there's only one Manchester club

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    6. JJO
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Nowhere,they are playing tomorrow

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  4. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    We start with City Vs Arsenal and end with Hull Vs Stoke.

    If the myths are true, the first game should be a stinker, and the Stoke match should be full of goals.

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    1. QPR expects... glory!
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Strangely, I'm hoping for it to be the other way around having got Mert, Ramsey, Nasri & Aguero in this one and just McGregor later on 🙂

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  5. Plagued by indecision
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Lost on last page. I have a technical question:

    I have had to suspend someone from my mini-league, but the standings haven't corrected themselves. Will they be fixed after the gameweek?

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    1. SPorting
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Yes.

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      1. Plagued by indecision
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Ta.

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    2. floydy_floyd
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      What did he/she do?

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      1. Krionos
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Extend his/her lead by too much!

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  6. Open Controls
    1. jas5sk - Youtube channel
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Have they not seen Joey Barton's work?

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      1. the axolotl
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        The list: 10) Nigel De Jong, The Netherlands, 9) Marco Materazzi, Italy, 8) Mark Van Bommel, The Netherlands, 7) Roy Keane, Republic of Ireland, 6) Gennaro Gattuso, Italy, 5) Luis Suarez, Uruguay, 4) Andoni Goikoetxea, Spain, 3) David Navarro, Spain, 2) Pepe, Portugal/Brazil, 1) Kevin Muscat, Australia.

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        1. jas5sk - Youtube channel
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Pepe and Gattuso way too high. No Clattermole or Barton. No Costa.

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          1. jas5sk - Youtube channel
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            interesting still

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    2. Peggi
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      never missed a pen though

      i loved muscat,

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    3. Dial Square
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Karl Henry

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  7. copps
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Rooney 14.7% ownership and only 12% of the top 10k captained him. HUGE differential

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      I love his low ownership; This could be a huge week for us.

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      1. 7shadesofsmoke
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        was just saying the same on the stats post. see we have the same points exactly GB!

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        1. Piggs Boson
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Wow! Good spot.

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    2. QPR expects... glory!
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Yep, I'll either be smiling like a Cheshire Cat or crying with the 12% (even though I'm at the 20k point)

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    3. Sheldon420
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      May I ask you how did you find what percentage of top 10k has captained Rooney? Thanks.

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  8. Parm
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Does anyone else have someone in their mini-league with a transfer record like this?

    http://i.imgur.com/jR9xIfx.png

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    1. SPorting
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Yes.

      But he's a boring fecker and I don't talk to him.

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    2. copps
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      yes i have many that never ever take hits - sometimes even when they can field only 10 😆

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  9. Laserface
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Players captained by Top 10 Overall !!

    Lukaku 4
    Hazard 2
    Aguero 1
    Rooney 1
    Suarez 1
    Yaya 1

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    1. Crash
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Let's hope the majority is right!

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  10. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Loving the GW already with the variety of captains. Hopefully there will be big differences in scores between the 6 or so captains with Lukaku topping the lot.

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    1. Cheggers
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      my rival is 80 ahead but doesnt have lukaku
      ive got lukaku (c) hoping for a good 20 points back

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    2. Smarty Pants
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      yeah, good to see after 97.7% Suarez captainers last week

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    3. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      +lots

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  11. Plagued by indecision
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Got 4 players in the 12:45 kick-off. Should be interesting. Hope it's high-scoring but Szczesny gets a penalty save.

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  12. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    So is anyone NOT captaining Suarez next week?

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    1. The Machine
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Doosra

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    2. Crash
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Depends on wether he bites someone today. 😛

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    3. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Maybe. We''ll see.

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  13. The Machine
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    This is the week people realize Suarez Captain every week is the way to go

    he is the new Ronaldo.

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    1. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Another week for me to gain points on you this week then.

      Rooney(c)

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  14. Sparks
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Benched Ozil for Januzaj. Could be madness could be genius

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  15. Gaz Downright
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Any chance of spotting the winner from these lots?

    H) Howard Chester Morrison Ramsey Hazard Lukaku(c)
    A) Pantillimon BTurner Barkley Özil Brady Agüero Rooney

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    1. Crash
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      The other team doesn't have a captain?

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  16. isacki: full casual
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Well, I slept through the deadline today. The truly dumb thing was that I woke up to the alarm and slipped back into sleep. Maybe it'll be for the best... just kidding. The even dumber thing was that I had 2FT. Luckily I'd sorted out my team order. My planned transfers were Migs & Amalfitano > Howard & Barkley.

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  17. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Fulham cleanie today. Sidwell MOTM.

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    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      dont mind as long as everton get one too

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        I reckon Rene Meulensteen's Fulham could wreck it.

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      2. QPR expects... glory!
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        This!

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    2. Jax
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      can't see everton scoring too many. fulham will score. 2-1

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  18. SMELL MY CHEESE YOU MOTHER
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Is it right to have 6 players from one game?

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Depends on the score. 0-0 works.

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      1. SMELL MY CHEESE YOU MOTHER
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        0-0 would get me 11 points

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        1. Jax
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          then no obviously.

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        2. Jax
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          can you add right?

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  19. Demí
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Good luck with Michu GB.

    Do you plan to sell him any time soon? Swansea's fixtures get nasty in a while

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers Demi.

      I'm planning to do Michu -> Wally GW18. So many things could happen in between though, I don't like planning too far ahead.

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  20. Alaric
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Everton vs Fulham predictions?

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    1. Demí
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      3-1 Everton

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    2. Crazy Joe
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      12-0.

      12 for Lukaku with 12 Coleman assists.

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    3. r0nh
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      1-1

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

      3-0

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    5. Notorious
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      4-1, I hope

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      1. FACUPARSE
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Would be ideal

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    6. Laserface
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      1-0 ev

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    7. t4thomas
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      The Rene will steer Fulham to a less embarrassing loss.

      2-1

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    8. Jebiga
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      0-0

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      1. Jax
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        won't be scoreless. 2-1

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  21. Crazy Joe
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Great start to that interview on BT Sport. Germans in a camp...

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  22. Esalman
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Guess I'll be watching this for next half an hour. http://www.twitch.tv/notch/

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    1. Crazy Joe
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Not while Oddler is doing his Final Fantasy month! http://www.twitch.tv/oddler

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      1. Esalman
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Will check it out as well, thanks.

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  23. Scottys Army
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    with cabaye out

    any chance remy is on pens

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    1. Demí
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Might be Ameobi. Or even HBA if he starts

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      1. Scottys Army
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        cheers demi

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    2. isacki: full casual
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Best to ask this before deadline? 🙂

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      1. Scottys Army
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        not really 3 juicy fixtures and hes a long term differential

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        1. isacki: full casual
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Yes, did you captain him though

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          1. Scottys Army
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            yes mate

            40 ahead in ml

            so time to attack and build my lead.

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  24. The Machine
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Forgot to make my subs

    Looks like i've benched Lukaku again.

    Thank God Cabaye is suspended

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    1. isacki: full casual
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      It's like having our very own Piers Morgan.

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      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Stop insulting

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        1. isacki: full casual
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          But I'm a huge fan of Piers

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          1. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 15 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Over your head.

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  25. Evs
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    It's only just dawned on me that I have 5 players in this City v Arsenal game 🙄

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      3 attackers for me.

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      1. Evs
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Panto, Nasri & Aguero

        'V'

        Ozil & Ramsey.

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        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Ugly unless goals.

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    2. .
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Seen this Evs?

      http://gyazo.com/423afea44423fa03cd141a15f2dbd606

      These boys clearly know their rugby 😉

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      1. Evs
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        That's all a bit weird 😆 ?!

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        1. .
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Jerry Flannery works for Arsenal now, he put them up to it 😀

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  26. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Next gw my midfield play in the one game..Arsenal v Chelsea

    Hazard Oscar Ozil Ramsey 😮

    http://tinyurl.com/psgp2z2

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    1. t4thomas
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Oops.

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    2. Jax
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      unless injuries

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  27. t4thomas
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    I am on aguero (C).

    Let's hope he doesn't play like a right kun.

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  28. Squires FC
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Oscar captain!!! Squeaky bum time....

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  29. Alaric
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Evra's out for this week, yeah?

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Does it matter now? Looks like it.

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    2. Parm
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Looks like it.

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  30. ~SpartakMac
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    So Walcott hasn't scored against City.

    Can he score today...?

    I'm sure Ozil is going to be looking forward to sliding through balls into someone, it's been a while.

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