[sbu_large_image] Fixtures
17 April 2011 1019 comments
Akers Akers
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A weekend light on Premier League fixtures (and Fantasy Football points in my case), finishes on a potential high as title contenders Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium. An important game, both in terms of the destination of the Premier League title and for us Fantasy Managers, you can follow it throughout in our Dugout Discussion chatroom.

The team sheets are in and here is how the sides line-up…

Arsenal XI: Szczesny, Eboue, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Diaby, Wilshere, Walcott, Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie

Liverpool XI: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Spearing, Lucas, Meireles, Suarez, Carroll

No shocks whatsoever for either team, meaning that Wojciech Szczesny returns from injury as expected/predicted.

Both Wojciech Szczesny and Johan Djourou return to the Arsenal lineup then, handing us Fantasy Managers possible budget options for the remainder of the season once again. Arsene Wenger also starts Theo Walcott on the flank, with Samir Nasri presumably lining up on the left against young John Flanagan in the Liverpool side. Andrey Arshavin has to make do with a bench role once again; he sits alongside Alex Song who returns from injury but watches on as Abou Diaby keeps his starting role. Liverpool are unchanged – Kenny Dalglish keeping faith with the same starting XI that demolished City last time out.

In addition to the Emriates clash, there’s also the FA Cup Semi-Final tie between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City taking place at Wembley, the team news for which can be found right here courtesy of the ever-reliable SuperDunny. If that’s the game you are watching (and have endured the 90-minute television build-up), then please take a seat in our Dugout Discussion chatroom and inform the rest of us how it’s going.

Akers Richard or Akers, as he is known, has been regularly haunting this site since July 2008. He is young and foolish, take what he says with a pinch of salt. Follow them on Twitter

  1. Futbol Heritage
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Great Game.

    RVP scores but gets a -1 for celebration = Good I have him,rival captained him

    Liverpool Penalty : No one in my league has kuyt,but 2nd placed guy has djourou on bench and would come on if Nani doesn't play.

    Oh and Arsenal drop 2 points

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  2. Egg noodle
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    and that is why cricket > football. because it doesnt thrive on referee controversy 😀

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    1. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Answering this would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

      With one of these:

      http://www.imfdb.org/w/images/9/9b/M9a1_Bazooka.jpg

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      1. Egg noodle
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        haha u wish. i cant even remember the last premiership big game where one team didnt whine about the referee once the game ended (their reason for whining was justified though). there just always has to be a wrong offside or a wrong penalty. especially in the big games.

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        1. Locarno
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 11 months ago

          Two words: Darrell and Hair.

          Not to mention the fact that many cricketers are on the take from bookies...

          Footballing controversy in Britain has never actually reached the stage of games being thrown.

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          1. TommyK
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 11 months ago

            It probably has, but in the past.

            Besides, it's not the umpires in cricket, it's the players.

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          2. dribbler
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 11 months ago

            erm grobelar?

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            1. Locarno
              • 15 Years
              14 years, 11 months ago

              Found not guilty.

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              1. Attila the Bum
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 15 Years
                14 years, 11 months ago

                Barely. He was awarded £1 I think and made to pay costs. Though he couldn't be found guilty of the main charge I think there was enough to suggest serious dishonesty.

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          3. Egg noodle
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 11 months ago

            These things dont happen in England. Even cricket games arent thrown in England :-/ (nor in the IPL)

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  3. Demí
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Stupid. I placed a bet on both teams to score prior to kick off. Stake of 5 quid at 1.85 and then at 75 mins it wasn't looking likely, so i placed a bet on full time score 0-0. at 1.99, just under evens using the rest of my money. So after 95+ mins i;m thinking i'm a f*kin genius. And then arsenal get a penalty and my world hits rock bottom, as i think i've lost all my money. And then liverpool get a pen in the dieing embers of the game. I'm now the same as what a started with.

    Bizarre

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    1. Scoredelario
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      so basically, nothing happened!

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  4. invincibles4ever
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Unbelievable game, had everything. Was def a pen though! Was just beginning to like Dalglish until the end.

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  5. Bubbles
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Oh. My. Days. Literally the perfect ending to that game!

    Seeing the Arsenal cock it up once again, and that game was the last in a treble I had today (both teams to score, which I presumed was a no-hoper with 5 mins left) for £90. Amazing end, absolutely amazing!!!

    Chins, Arsene! 😆

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  6. Ninjaa
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    any thoughts on bp's guys?

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    1. Scoredelario
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      see my post below haha. but im praying for vanP and nasri to get back their yellow card and clean sheet point at least!

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    2. Johnny Unitas
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Should be:

      Nasri 3
      Reina 2
      Kuyt 1

      Will be:

      RVP 3
      Fabregas 2
      Kuyt 1

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      1. tosey
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        hopefully

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      2. Scoredelario
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        i'll take a combination of them.

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      3. Futbol Heritage
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Agreed.

        I can't believe Nasri will come out of this game with 2 points.

        Oh and I would say that even if he weren't in my team

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      4. Goose
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Nasri 😯

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    3. tosey
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      my rival has him so i hope he doesnt but i do think koscielny was class today

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  7. Scoredelario
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    I think they should just keep those 6 bonus points for a match where someone deserves some

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  8. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    i understand wenger's reaction completely. 1 minute he's back in the title race in dramatic fashion, the next a soft penalty in debatable time snatches it away again. it's hard for managers to be saints when they care so much. not right but understandable

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    1. jamsiep
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      It was a foul by Lucas for deliberately running into Eboue. No attempt to actually play the ball.

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    2. Gargamel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      I think everybody understands him a bit, but still prefers to laugh at him because he's done exactly this SO BLOODY OFTEN and NEVER LEARNS

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    3. Jas aka The age of Ozil is …
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Kenny should have understood that, and Wenger was still walking towards him to shake his hand..

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    4. Ini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Wenger probably has the largest ulcers on this planet. The last month for him has be awwwwwful..

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    5. TommyK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      TBH, I'm never really outraged by Wenger's actions- I just find it quite funny when he loses his rag.

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      1. Jas aka The age of Ozil is …
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        +1

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  9. super zlatan
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    United to win the league for sure

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  10. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Actually not a bad thing as no or Liv defenders. But that rvp yellow is bloody annoying and the fact that that've blown the league!

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  11. ozone
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    fergie laughing at the result, up to liverpool to draw level with man utd next year. ynwa

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    1. invincibles4ever
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      At least the Man-U fans will get bragging rights yet again. After all thats what is all about for them right!

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  12. Cheggers
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Never been more gutted to be a Bolton fan. Absolutely disgraceful performance.

    I wish Knight, Robinson and Klasnic never played for Bolton again 🙁

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    1. Akers
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      http://www.sadtrombone.com/

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      1. Cheggers
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Least you guys are out too.

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        1. jamsiep
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 11 months ago

          Yeah, you lasted a day longer in the FA Cup than the scum. 😉

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          1. Cheggers
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 11 months ago

            United were awful without Rooney but we equally as bad. I was convinced it would be United v Bolton final.

            Scholes cost United their tie. How much longer can that guy flatter to decieve?

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    2. disparate dan - a reasonabl…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      i feel for you

      embarrassing result

      no getting away from that

      coyle was very good in his interview on the bbc after

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    3. Jas aka The age of Ozil is …
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      They played Klasnic???? Why! They have 4 strikers who are better

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      1. Cheggers
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Abysmal. Absolutely abysmal.

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    4. Attila the Bum
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Bad luck Cheggers, I had hoped you'd win it.

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  13. The Artist
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    absurd finish.

    no WAY liverpool deserved a point there. complete injustice. whistle should have gone right after chesney had that scare near the crossbar.

    unbelievable. the ref just blew the call and arsenal's shot at the title, all in one fell swoop.

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    1. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Arsenal have spent the entire season blowing their shot at the title. Don't blame the ref because a team doesn't have a heart.

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    2. disparate dan - a reasonabl…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      pardon?!!!

      a draw is what both teams deserved!

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      1. The Artist
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        simply can't agree with that assessment.

        but to each his own!

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    3. Dave Bauer
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Home to West Brom - lost
      Home to Newcastle - lost
      Home to Tottenham - lost
      One isolated (and correct) decision by a referee.

      One of these things will NOT have cost Arsenal the title - hands up who knows the answer.

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      1. The Artist
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        a scramble near the edge of the 18 yard box with the ball moving AWAY from goal following a huge goal-mouth scramble in time beyond the allotted injury time.

        it's the kind of incident where you have to look at the whole situation, not merely the contact (which was as much lucas running into eboue as vice versa), and ask yourself, if a penalty WASN'T given, would you be up in arms?

        all that being the case, calling that a CORRECT penalty decision can only be self-delusion.

        arsenal could have been in a better position to win the title but for their own slip-ups this season--absolutely.

        but let's not delve into the realm of the absurd by claiming the decision to be correct.

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        1. Gargamel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 11 months ago

          I think everyone except you think it's a penalty to be honest.

          The rules are clear, a foul inside the penalty area means a penalty. Compare to when any ball hits the arm of a player anywhere in the penalty area, they are always given as penalties if the ref sees it.

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        2. The Artist
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 11 months ago

          unless you're just paying homage to your avatar, in which case i hurriedly concede the point.

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    4. sinusoidal
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Pool should have had a pen in the first few mins so count yourself lucky you scraped a point, frankly.

      A lesson in team spirit for the arse!

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    5. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Title race was over before today. Don't make excuses.

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  14. Ini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Walters (c)

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    1. Dave Bauer
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      I've heard worse ideas.

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      1. Fancy Feet
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        I haven't

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    2. Ini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      I think I might just get him. No one in my league is gonna catch me, so I might as well take a punt to get a higher ranking.

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    3. Jafalad
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Isn't Carew a threat to his position?

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  15. Egg noodle
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Im sure I know these bap judges by now. 3 baps to Nasri because fpl leader has captained him 😉

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  16. The Artist
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    dalglish appeared in that last moment to be the intellectual equal of shelvey and spearing.

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    1. Hello. Yes, This is Dog
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      And Wenger looked like Einstein?

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    2. sinusoidal
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      I think it was utterly reasonable considering the childish attitude displayed by the wengster.

      You'd have thought he was used to that bitter taste in the closing stages by now - maybe he should have a curly wurly at 80 mins to soften the blow...

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  17. jamsiep
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    This 'Nasri for 3 BPs' campaign, led entirely by those with him in their teams, is confusing the shit out of me.

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    1. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      it's a bit bizarre. i can't see how anyone stood out that game

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    2. Scoredelario
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      yeah, he didnt play great. saying that, there were numerous times where he nearly got an assist - i know because i kept cringing.

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    3. Gargamel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Same. I might have been hard when I branded him shocking and he improved in the second half but he's still one of the main culprits for me in why Arsenal only created 2 good chances all game.

      I'm personally fronting the campaign for Spearing to get 3 BPs.

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      1. Goose
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Lucas Spearing and a token one for an Arsenal player IMO.

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    4. Goose
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Me too, it's a joke right?

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    5. Futbol Heritage
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Who deserve the BPs in your view?

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      1. jamsiep
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Perhaps some of the Liverpool players who stopped Nasri from doing anything in 100 minutes?

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    6. TommyK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Marriner 3 BP's

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      1. Hated, Adored but never Ign…
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        He was very good all game, to be fair.

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        1. TommyK
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 11 months ago

          I'm being serious (sort of)- made two arguably correct calls that led to an entertaining conclusion.

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    7. dribbler
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      well i have him and it's baffling me too

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  18. halnone
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Arsenal should have won.

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  19. BoobyZ
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    3 weeks ago I gave up on fantasy football. Today I give up on Arsenal

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    1. Boom!!!
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      1 month ago u gave up on arsenal as well...now u only supports arsenal girls team 😉

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      1. TommyK
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        To be fair, they are a serious team!

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    2. invincibles4ever
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      LOL I gave up ages ago but hey, you have to stick by them.

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  20. Attila the Bum
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Bugger, I had hoped Walters would be kept quiet. He's my Nasri replacement for next GW

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    1. Scoredelario
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      I was thinking that, but no harm in not being the only one with him!

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    2. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Of course he was. 🙂

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      1. Attila the Bum
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Eh? Truth telling here.

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    3. Im Not Marshal Foch
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Thats my tactic too.. and getting rid of Zigic - probably be known as Sturridge My Bitch up next week…

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    4. Ini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Stop that talk.

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  21. zyad947
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Who will get the bonus points?

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    1. Futbol Heritage
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Lucas 3
      Kenny 2
      Spearing 1 🙂

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    2. Hated, Adored but never Ign…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Lucas 3
      Spearing 2
      Clichy 1

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  22. mvtaylor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Kenny, HAH.

    Brilliant.

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  23. jagz
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    bps im sayin rvp fab and spearing

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  24. halnone
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    50 points so far... here's hoping for 3bps to rvp and maybe some to nasri to get me at least 56.

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    1. andy85wsm
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Not sure how that would guarantee 56

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      1. Scoredelario
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        I guess he has captained van persie

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  25. PFOR
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Just in, missed the 2nd half. Why was there 12 minutes added time??

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    1. Gargamel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Carragher had a bad head injury, taken off with oxygen(?) and everything.

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      1. dribbler
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Carroll and Carragher injuries...it was 8 mins extra...then Arsenal goal celebration...then Arsenal wall took an age to retreat...then extra time to allow the penalty to be taken (so it wasn't really 12 mins)...seemed reasonable to me

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    2. andy85wsm
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      Carragher injury was one reason, not sure if there was any other.

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      1. PFOR
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks lads.

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    3. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      1 minute for an injury to Carragher and 11 minutes for Kyrgiakos coming on the pitch

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    4. HST
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      So Arsenal could score a goal, ref felt sorry for them.

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    5. Futbol Heritage
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      8 due to Injury scares to Caroll and Carrager

      RVP scored and celebrated wildly in added time,leading to 2 extra minutes

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      1. Jack Frost
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks Dean, guess that yellow card for RVP explains some extra time-- .

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    6. Jack Frost
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      8 minutes added time, not much delay in OT except the two pen kicks which are ON the clock (right?)-- I'm neutral , but would like to know how the refs manage the clock.

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      1. sinusoidal
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        With a stopwatch?

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  26. Jack Frost
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Last five seconds in basketball, NO FOULS-- kind of a rule in most sports when the opp doesn't even have the ball.

    Also, why wasn't the game called for time right after the initial repulse of the ball-- they seemed to be 11 minutes into an 8 minute overtime? Are the refs suppose to let the play go on until XXX happens?

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    1. TommyK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      They added on time for the goal celebration and stoppages resulting from set pieces.

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      1. Jack Frost
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks Tommyk , understand it now.

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    2. Bubbles
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      It's a MINIMUM of 8 minutes. There was the Arsenal penalty at about 97 minutes, so by the time the penalty was actually taken and RVP had his celebration you can add an extra 90 seconds or so. Then the free-kick incident right outside the Arsenal box took another 30 or so seconds. And the time to actually take the penalty/Arsenal complaining etc.

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  27. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Eboue Nasri and Spearing for bonus

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  28. Retro
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Haven't seen the boni yet. But every time I read someone say 'I can't believe Fabregas got them instead of Nasri', I just think you don't know how to play the game. Why don't you get Fabregas/Adam/Johnson or whoever the bonus hooverer in question is?

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  29. Scoredelario
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    Even before he got a knock - does anyone think carroll looked off the pace?

    I know he served me well last week, but wondering whether to ship him out for zamora.

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    1. tosey
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      im considering getting carroll....

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      1. Scoredelario
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 11 months ago

        well i wasnt considering getting rid but he looked pretty slow today

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    2. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 11 months ago

      good idea

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  30. jayzico
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 11 months ago

    gw going ok (ish). does anyone think Nani will play?

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