Great Expectations

Great Expectations – Matthew Lowton

Snapped up from Sheffield United last summer, Matthew Lowton fitted the bill as part of Paul Lambert’s restructuring program at Aston Villa. Young, ambitious but with plenty yet to prove at the top level, the right-back arrived from Bramall Lane for a fee of around £3m and was immediately installed as a key component in Lambert’s first XI.

As the season unfolded, the defensive problems that plagued Lambert at Norwich continued to blight Villa’s backline. An attack-minded philosophy looked naïve at times as the midlands outfit found themselves on the wrong end of some serious goings-over – shipping five to City, four at home to Spurs and eight against Chelsea, Villa leaked 69 goals over the course of the campaign and managed five clean sheets all season, conceding in every match from Gameweek 17 onwards.

Key Factors

  • Few defenders, if any, afford the same consistency of starts as the Villa right-back. Lowton missed just one match all season – the Gameweek 37 loss at Chelsea – after being subbed off early in the previous league fixture and was fourth overall defender in terms of minutes played. Lambert’s faith in the former Blades man is unquestioned – if he’s fit, he should start every match for Villa.

  • After altering formation on a number of occasions last term, Lambert finally seems to have struck upon a 4-3-3 as his preferred option. As the Villa boss tinkered with his tactics in order to get the best out of his charges, he trialled three, four and five-man backlines with varying degrees of success – as he steels himself for a second season in charge, a greater degree of consistency looks key to Villa’s improvement under the Scot.

  • Villa’s form across the final few months of 2012/13 affords reason for optimism. The midlands side registered five wins and a couple of draws in their last 10 games, tasting defeat only to United, Chelsea and Liverpool and scoring 21 goals over that period – given that they had won five of their opening 28 matches, scoring 26 times, their improvement is marked.

  • Lowton also stepped as the season went on – he managed a single goal in the first 24 Gameweeks but followed that up with a goal and four assists in his final 13 appearances, with his penchant for a spectacular strike from distance always a threat. A 4-3-3 formation looks tailor-made for his talents – with a couple of defensive midfielder sitting deep, he should be afforded plenty licence to bomb forward and supply width from deep.

  • Let’s face it – Villa’s defence can barely get any worse. From a Fantasy perspective, then, a price rise for Lowton looks unlikely across the games – if he continues at last term’s initial 4.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), he has the potential to be a real bargain, providing Lambert can instill a little extra resilience at the back next time round.

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1,869 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Studgie G
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Norway consilation goal please

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    1. isacki: full casual
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      It's so wrong but I would find that mega entertaining.

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      1. Studgie G
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        guy in the lead has whole spain defense 2-0 not a good score for anyone tryin to catch him

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    2. Studgie G
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      *o

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  2. Fantasy Football Friend!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    No assist for Morata?

    I don't have him but these rules are very harsh.

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  3. Darth
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Lovely jubbly, isco (c)

    City's midfield will be immense next season if they get Isco, may move to Madrid instead though.

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    1. Declan-
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      What a goal Morata

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      1. Declan-
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Oops 🙂

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    2. Declan-
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      That would be crazy.

      Yaya, Fernandinho
      Silva, Isco, Navas
      Aguero

      😯

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      1. Darth
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Isco and Silva interchange

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  4. isacki: full casual
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Brilliant goal by Morata.

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    1. isacki: full casual
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Acute angle, must have been about 5 degrees to aim from.

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    2. SuperOsçarBaby
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      ASSIST?

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Not sure, pass came from somewhere in central midfield so might not be anyone people own...

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  5. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Morata goal lol

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  6. SW6
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Morata is a goal-machine

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  7. CarsonYeung
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Morataaaaaaa!!

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  8. SuperOsçarBaby
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    shit Morata goal 😯

    amazing!!!

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  9. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    No assist again.. These assist rules are much better

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    1. Gimli son of Gloin
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Disagree.

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  10. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    How annoying is that??? 😀

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  11. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Morata showing up Rodrigo badly in this tournament! Natural finisher.

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  12. SuperOsçarBaby
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    is morata on steroid?

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  13. charlie1X
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Scores when he wants. impressive.

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  14. SWFC_GMGM
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    As if! I have captain Thiago, is that not an assist?

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  15. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Get in! 4 def cs, 2 mf cs inc Capt and a Capt goal too... 😎

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      +4 and the (c)

      😎

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    2. charlie1X
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Impressive. I have gabaddini (c).....oops

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  16. Gimli son of Gloin
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Morata captain 😀

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  17. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    4 goals in 4 games all from the bench. Outstanding!

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    1. Declan-
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      He started v the Netherlands (I think) 🙂

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        He's way better than Dzeko too...

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      2. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        I think you're right.

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  18. Declan
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Score check:

    33 with 6 to play, 160.

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      41 with 5 to play

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      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        157

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    2. mir
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      33 .. 6 to play. 168

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    3. Declan-
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      37 with 6 (Donati, FlorenZi, Maher, Immobile, De Jong, Wijnaldum)

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      1. Declan-
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        150

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        1. Declan-
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          Wait is it points or rank?? 166 points 150 rank

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          1. Declan
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 3 days ago

            🙂

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            1. Declan-
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 3 days ago

              I just got a little bit confuzzled 🙂

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        2. Declan
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          You're on 166 Dec 😕

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    4. Parm
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      39 with 5 to play, 159. Played the wrong keeper 🙁

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    5. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      45 with 5 to play (all attackers) 183

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      1. Declan
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Noice.

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      2. Beautiful Game
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        same here...which 5 have you got???

        for me fer is not starting 🙁

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        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          Maher, Florenzi, John, Insigne, Wijnaldum

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          1. Beautiful Game
            • 11 Years
            11 years, 3 days ago

            i have fer instead of insigne, WR.

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    6. SW6
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      43, 4 to go

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    7. Darth
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      39 with 5 to play

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    8. Gimli son of Gloin
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      37, 5 to play. 169

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    9. Absinthe Minded
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      42
      5 to play
      163pt

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    10. Messimerized- Join My FPL L…
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      39 with 5 to play
      Could have been 48 had I accidentally not left Montoya & DDG on the bench 🙁
      Maher on the bench as well 🙁

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  19. isacki: full casual
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Swear referee stopped game way before 5 minutes of stoppage time out of sympathy to Norwegians...

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  20. ElementWire
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Pretty perfect for me so far; Quadruple spanish defence (Montoya(C), Isco and Rodrigo but the guy at the top did pretty much the same rendering it slightly pointless in the quest for top spot.

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  21. SW6
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Anyone got an article/news story on how Spain have changed their national team around so much? I remember when they were perennial under-achievers (like we are now) even when they had great players like Raul and Morientes, what was it that changed things for them?

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        'Fidelity strategy'

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  22. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Which one of these would you prefer and why?
    A) A hugely talented player who wins you an odd game, but for the most part never makes the most of his talent.

    B) A hardworking player, not the most talented, but who gives his 100% game in game out, 7/10 performance virtually every game.

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    1. Parm
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Depends on who he has around him.

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    2. isacki: full casual
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Always B for me. I'd take Milner over Taarabt any day.

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    3. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      B...the sort of player that is A usually come with baggage of the disruptive kind in the dressing room...

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      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Balotteli being a classic example...

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        1. Mílanista
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          Hey!

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          1. Dr Dream
            • 11 Years
            11 years, 3 days ago

            hahaha...thought you might not like that...True though. He was a fish out of water and didn't perform and god only knows what went on behind the scenes. I'm glad he's gone back home and hopefullly he'll be the player he can be.Great player.

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    4. Darth
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      A, match winners are rare

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    5. King Kohli
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Really mixed opinions..not what I expected

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  23. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    No assist for the Morata goal but who would it have been if dodgy assists were awarded?

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  24. r0nh
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    I can't wait to wake up on Wednesday morning, with a cup of tea in my hand & read over the seasons fixtures 🙂

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    1. /
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Gw1 fixtures will be leaked on Tuesday night

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      1. r0nh
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        I hope so!

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    2. Fantasy Football Friend!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      SPOILER ALERT: Every team will play every other team over the course of the season anyway 😉

      Sky desperately trying to get us pumped by turning the fixtures into a story.

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      1. r0nh
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Every team is not equal throughout the season though.

        Relegation candidates are tough in the last 10 GWs'

        City &/or Chelsea could buy big named players before 31st August, or during Jan.

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  25. Studgie G
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    can't believe everyone is happy spain kept a cleanie have you guys actually looked at the guy leading he had this not good for anyone trying to catch him

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    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Nobody was likely to catch him.. Would we be happier if we didn't have any Spanish defs? 😕

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      1. Studgie G
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        yes

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  26. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    New season, new grav

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    1. Declan
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      I like it.

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    2. isacki: full casual
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Do you think he's come home? No more pissing around?

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      1. Mílanista
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        He's still prone to having his crazy moments but he seems a lot happier now.

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        1. isacki: full casual
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          For me Milan was a test of whether he would ever settle at a club since he made a big thing about supporting them including wearing your bloody jersey while undergoing treatment while still with us. Looks like he actually can!

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          1. Mílanista
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            11 years, 3 days ago

            12 goals in 13 games is an excellent start. He causes the opposition lots of problems during the game as well, defenders are having to foul him constantly. Aside from THAT goal, he was never assisting at City, the way he's played at Milan I can see him adding a few assists to his game to go with the goals.

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            1. isacki: full casual
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 3 days ago

              Yeah he's going to be a bit terrifying, definitely going to be looking at him in UCL FF.

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              1. Mílanista
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 3 days ago

                Who needs Messi(c) when you can have Mario?

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    3. SW6
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Nice 😀

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  27. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Fer, Maher, Wijnaldum, de Jong and John to play.

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    1. Declan
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Zoet. Donati, De Vrij, Florenzi, Maher, De Jong here.

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    2. SuperOsçarBaby
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Immobile, Maher, John, Florenzi and Bertolacci to play.

      42, 161

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  28. Messimerized- Join My FPL L…
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    BREAKING: Liverpool have reached an agreement with Sevilla to sign Luis Alberto. (Estadio Deportivo)

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      How many tokens?

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      1. Declan
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        😆

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      2. isacki: full casual
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        😆

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      3. Messimerized- Join My FPL L…
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        😆

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    2. Parm
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Gah, more foreign players.

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Can't knock Pool for signing foreign players and mock them for signing expensive English ones though 😉

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    3. A.T
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Is he any good? What position does he play?

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  29. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    FPL should adopt these assist rules.. much better imo. Only genuine assist count

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    1. Declan
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Agreed.

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    2. isacki: full casual
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they're deciding what a 'genuine assist' is

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    3. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Of course the rules affect everyone but I like getting more points, keep the jammy assists.

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      1. Declan-
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Always this for me. Any points are good points 🙂

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        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          Until your rival scoops them... 😉

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    4. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      What are the rules exactly? Bartra never seemed to get the final touch for the Rodrigo goal but he still got the assist.

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      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        That was a mistake, not an interpretation of the rules

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        1. Count of Monte Hristo
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 3 days ago

          So if the last touch comes off the opponent no matter how slight, no assist can be awarded?

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          1. Wild Rover
            • 13 Years
            11 years, 3 days ago

            The def headed it not Bartra

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            1. Count of Monte Hristo
              • 11 Years
              11 years, 3 days ago

              I know that. I'm trying to understand the assist rules better.

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    5. SW6
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      I disagree, whoever played that pass for Morata deserves points more than Bartra for what he did in the first goal

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      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        Bartra was given it because they think he headed the ball to Rodrigo, it was an error

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    6. Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      The cleared cross volleyed in is an absolute nonsense assist in FPL.

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      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        One of many, like the short pass to a player who the runs half the length of the pitch beating five men before scoring

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    7. Fantasy Football Friend!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      I'll bet you don't have Morata or Thiago 😉

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      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        No but I have Bartra who shouldn't have got an assist

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    8. Gimli son of Gloin
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Disagree to an extent. The 3rd goal did not deserve an assist.. but the 2nd goal most definitely did (If I'm right in saying that Morata won't get it.)
      Of course Isco still had a bit to do, but that's still an assist in my opinion.

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  30. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 3 days ago

    Have a good feeling about the team for later despite Fer being benched 🙂

    http://i.imgur.com/qS0zIra.png

    Bring it on 😎

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Fer is an impact player 😉

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    2. Declan-
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 3 days ago

      Not if the Italians win 😉

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      1. Bøwstring The Carp
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 3 days ago

        My money's on the Dutch 🙂 however Italy can score a consolation after Martins Indi is subbed 😉

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