634x258 Spot the Differential
24 August 2013 1173 comments
Paul Paul
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Our weekly look at some overlooked Fantasy alternatives arrives for your perusal this morning. As always, we highlight a trio of protagonists with some favourable fixtures on their respective agendas in the Gameweek ahead.

Nikica Jelavic

Having taken the Premier League by storm during the latter half of 2011/12, the Everton forward struggled in his first full season on Merseyside last time out. Jelavic notched just seven times over David Moyes’ final year at the Goodison helm and with new Toffees boss Roberto Martinez snapping up Arouna Kone from former club Wigan, it seemed the Croatian would be edged out of the picture.

Jelavic has risen to the challenge, though, and over the summer returned to the form of old, notching four of his side’s 12 goals across the pre-season fixtures. With Martinez’ possession-based game affording Everton an extra attacking edge, the former Glasgow Rangers star is benefitting from the move to a 4-3-3, with Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar offering support on either side; no longer is he reliant on knock-downs from the aerial threat of Marouane Fellaini.

Coming in at 7.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Jelavic has remained an under the radar option ahead of this morning’s Fantasy deadline. Just over 2% of managers have acquired his services thus far but with his confidence restored, the Croatian has a home clash with West Brom and trip to Cardiff look enticing opportunities for Fantasy points.

Peter Crouch

After a narrow defeat at Liverpool last time out, Mark Hughes’ home debut in charge of Stoke sees Crystal Palace pay visit later this afternoon. The Potters’ following three fixtures (whm, MCI ars) could well see them toil, making a victory against Ian Holloway’s men all the more essential at the Britannia.

With Hughes’ men set to go on the offensive against the Eagles, then, Crouch, as the lone target man in a 4-4-1-1 set-up, could be an unlikely Fantasy ally over the weekend. Hughes may be looking to implement a more possession-based approach but Crouch’s aerial threat may well prove the visitors’ undoing, with crosses aplenty expected from the likes of Matt Etherington out on the left. Coming in at 6.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and with an ownership under the 4% mark, he may appeal to owners of Nicolas Anelka or Romelu Lukaku looking for a short-term gamble.

Tomas Rosicky

An injury to Mikel Arteta keep the Czech midfielder in the first-team frame at Arsenal right now. With Jack Wilshere slotting in alongside Aaron Ramey in the double-pivot as a result of the Spaniard’s absence, Rosicky has started both of Arsenal’s fixtures in “the hole” behind Olivier Giroud and looks set to get the nod ahead for today’s lunchtime trip to Fulham.

A convincing midweek win away to Fenerbahce silenced the doubters and handed the Gunners a real confidence boost as they roll up to the Cottage. Martin Jol’s men may have scraped a victory at Sunderland but the Black Cats had 20+ attempts on goal at the Stadium of Light and with injury depriving the hosts of half their first-choice back-four (Kieran Richardson and Fernando Amorebieta) and keeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, Wenger’s side will be buoyed heading into this one.

At just 5.5 in FPL, with a 1.1% ownership, Rosicky is a short-term, under the radar option as Wenger’s side look to build on Wednesday’s morale-boosting victory in Turkey.

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  1. ccc
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    If Rooney starts along with RVP, I think RVP will be a great captain choice. That is all. Good luck.

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    1. Tim Canterbury
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      I think Moyes will probably make him start. Put him in his place. Not celebrating the goals was disgraceful

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    2. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      +1

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  2. Tim Canterbury
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    The way I look at it is Soldado and Benteke aren't great captain choices since they face tight defences so might as well go for glory and go Dzeko (c) Walcott (vc) YOLO

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    1. nedfoo
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Swansea's "tight defence" let 4 goals in last week..

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      1. Tim Canterbury
        • 14 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        True but 2-3 of them were top drawer IMO. Also did you see the one they conceded midweek. Worthy of breaking any clean sheet!

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        1. nedfoo
          • 15 Years
          12 years, 5 months ago

          True, well-argued 🙂

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      2. JUNITED
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        Swansea won't let another 4 goals again like last week which make their defense even tougher this GW.

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    2. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Safest bet - Benteke
      Well balanced option - soldado
      Most explosive possibility - Walcott

      Id go Benteke;)

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      1. Valar(Keith)
        • 16 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        Safest bet.. Villa vs Pool btts 😉

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    3. Valar(Keith)
      • 16 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      the yolo totally negated the post for me 🙂

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    4. FC Tinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      I'm picking Soldado. He is playing on Sunday, so if everything goes horribly wrong with my Anelka and Koscielny cursed team, I can head over to the nearest Catholic Church and pray for the Virgin Mary to save me.

      (I'm not Catholic.)

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  3. Team Name
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    GW2 who the hell to captain out of this bunch

    Migs
    Mert Coleman Collins
    Wally Miralles Oscar Silva
    Aguero Soldado Dzeko

    Currently have Aguero but finding it harder to overlook Miralles

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    1. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Aguero definately

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      1. Team Name
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        I don't think he will play more than 65-70mins plus Cardiff may not be as easy as people think they will be and consider City's not so great away form

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        1. footyjuana
          • 14 Years
          12 years, 5 months ago

          Gamble worth taking IMO, cuz its hardly one.

          Over the season it pays off to go with safe captain choices consistently

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          1. Team Name
            • 12 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Ya you are right I just find it hard to tame my gambling instinct haha

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  4. footyjuana
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    Bench 1 out of these 4:-

    A. Toure(avl)
    B. Reid(new)
    C. Chester(NOR)
    D. Shaw(SUN)

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    1. Team Name
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Toure, will get a yellow and concede 2

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    2. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Bench one out of these 4 please? First to 5

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    3. cfreel
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      BACD in that order from worst to best for GW2

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    4. Esalman
      • 16 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Toure

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  5. SuperOsçarBaby
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    Soldado will flop gw2

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    1. nedfoo
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Why?

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    2. Tim Canterbury
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      As many goals as Benteke in his first two games. And that Europa side were almost as bad as Arsenal 😉

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  6. Macio11
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    One quick question lads for the next few week Dzeko or Welbeck or other? thanks

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    1. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Other. In the beginning of the game, go for the safer options - ie Lambert or RvW

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      1. Macio11
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        Fair point which one would you take? I have no coverage of either

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  7. elkunaguero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    Already used my Ft for JT to Zabaleta?

    worth taking a 4pt hit for Anelka to Crouch or Oscar/Hazard to Coutinho?

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    1. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      If you got 11 playing, no.

      Just do it next week

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  8. div
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    Sorry lost on last page

    S Taylor >

    A. Lovren
    B. Hughes
    C. Whittaker
    D. Rose
    E. Celustka

    For Sky Sports FF, so above player will be playing every week!!!

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    1. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Rose if classified as def in skysports game, otherwise Lovren

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  9. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    Was Sunderland really poor last week, should I double up on SHampton and bench Mignolet?

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    1. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      If you have another Liverpool defender, yes.

      If not, no

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    2. FollowFollow
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      I have decided to treble up on Southampton because of the fact they are at home to sunderland, its a risk worth taking IMO.

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      1. FC Tinker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        At some point someone was talking about trebbling up on West Ham and Southampton. So far that strategy would have worked out quite well.

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    3. hillbillypete
      • 16 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      im benching mig and playing boruc but also playing toure if that helps.......

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  10. My name is an echo
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    believe it or not, I fancy Chamahk getting on the scoreboard today

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    1. Valar(Keith)
      • 16 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      i fancy a stoke cleanie.. one of us will be right 🙂 .. his odds will be crazy on paddy if you wanna punt. dont punt with your team

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    2. footyjuana
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 5 months ago

      The only scoreboard he gets on is the long failed Arsenal signings one!

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  11. Shed ender
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 5 months ago

    GW2
    Mignolet
    cole zabaleta lovren
    walcott snodgrass hazard coutinho bellamy
    Benteke soldado

    Bellamy out..sissoko in
    any other choices for a mid at 6m

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  12. Mak_Gold
      12 years, 5 months ago

      Does the team look okay? This is the best I can do with Anelka out and having already taken a -4 hit.:

      Boruc,
      Toure, Coleman, Chester, Murner,
      Hazard, Walcott, Coutinho, Mirallas,
      RVP, Sturridge.

      Davis, Morrison, Brayford, Anelka. (0.4 bank)

      Thoughts appreciated.

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      1. AM
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 5 months ago

        Captain .

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        1. Mak_Gold
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Captain RVP. What do you think?

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            1. JUNITED
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Good. My captain is RVP as well. 3-0 for United and You will still be happy if RVP scores hattrick. ;P

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              1. Mak_Gold
                  12 years, 5 months ago

                  Thanks bro. 🙂

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          • cfreel
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            pretty good mate will do well

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            1. Mak_Gold
                12 years, 5 months ago

                Cheers. 🙂

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          • hillbillypete
            • 16 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            how do you pick which defenders you are playing?

            a) go off clean sheets odds

            b) go off most attacking

            c) go off gut feeling

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            1. joinho
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              a combination of a and c

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            2. Pratik
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Combination of all 3, isn't it?

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            3. Team Name
              • 12 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              a and c. all of your defenders should have attacking threat IMO

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          • joinho
            • 16 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Thinking of captaining Sturridge over RVP as a captain differential... too risky?

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          • smicker32
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Is captaining Miralles over RVP suicide?

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          • Pope Rogers Son
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Thoughts on (C)?:

            A. RVP < the default option, CHE a factor though
            B. Lambert < SUN enticing, in goalscoring form
            C. Wally < nice work v Fen midweek, FUL weakish
            D. Courtinho Hazard Ben Arfa < I don't feel like rolling the dice really

            Cheers

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          • Deicide
            • 14 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Wal(C)cott FTW

            Who's with me?

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            1. cfreel
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              walvcott for me

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            2. joinho
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              vc atm

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          • waltzingmatildas
            • 15 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Morning guys,
            I have already taken a 4 pt hit. Is anelka to crouch worth another 4?

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            1. JUNITED
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Nope.

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          • cfreel
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Mignolet or Speroni to be in my first team today?

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            1. royals forever
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Both have a chance of conceding but I would go for Mignolet

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          • SuperOsçarBaby
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Hazard and Lampard OUT for Gerrard(c) and Snodgrass, worth the hit?

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            1. cfreel
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              not at all! maybe one, definitely not both

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            2. Schwarzer
              • 15 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Don't think so

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          • Schwarzer
            • 15 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Which defender would you start?

            A) Chambers (SUN)
            B) Collins (new)
            C) Chester (NOR)

            Cheers

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            1. cfreel
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              C

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            2. 1-1 at Newcastle
              • 12 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              B. Newcastle are terrible.

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          • RamaJama
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Dzeko or Aguero most likely to start?

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            1. 1-1 at Newcastle
              • 12 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Aguero

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          • New Ghost
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Theo Walcott vs Matthew Briggs.

            You know what to do.

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            1. La Roja
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              theo to explode today

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            2. 1-1 at Newcastle
              • 12 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              (C) 😀

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              1. New Ghost
                • 13 Years
                12 years, 5 months ago

                Love the name sir. 😀

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                1. 1-1 at Newcastle
                  • 12 Years
                  12 years, 5 months ago

                  😀

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            3. Billy Gilmore
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Could be Riise.

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          • Can’t beat em so&hell…
            • 14 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Very happy with the front 3 of RVP, Soldado and Dzeko.

            No so happy about trying to find a captain amongst them...(or Wally)?

            Help!!!

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            1. jimski
              • 14 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              RVP.

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            2. FollowFollow
              • 12 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Ha ha, I have the same front line, have Soldado at the moment but very unsure, I also have solva, Mirallas, Barfa, Cotinho, Zab - oh the choices.

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          • PogChamp
            • 14 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Madness to go with 3 Arsenal today? Szczesny, Rosicky and Walcott.

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            1. FC Tinker
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Only if one is Koscielny. :-/

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          • La Roja
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Set on Theo (c)

            He's gonna rip Fiham's left apart, who is with me?

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            1. La Roja
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Fulham*

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            2. cfreel
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              It's between Walcott, Dzeko, Coleman and Soldado for me

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            3. Evs
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Not sure i trust him.

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              1. La Roja
                • 13 Years
                12 years, 5 months ago

                😆

                gut feeling says he'll smash it up

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                1. Evs
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 16 Years
                  12 years, 5 months ago

                  Always go with your gut.

                  Best of luck buddy 🙂

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          • rumplestilskin
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Who do U think is more nailed on from the City MID.... [considering next 2 Easy matches]
            And who will You take from them- Yaya, Silva, Navas .....

            can anyone tell me how good was Navas in GW 1

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            1. jimnastics
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 16 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Yaya most nailed on I would say, but Silva would be my choice... he's not far behind in nailed-onness.

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            2. I love DGWs
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              Navas was good but won't score many IMO. Would provide a lot of assists only if Dzeko could convert all the headers!

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            3. rumplestilskin
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              I'm also thinking it should be SILVA.... though wanted to have a different city mid cover....

              navas is also nailed on i suppose. but don't know about his scoring capabilities....

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          • keotes
            • 16 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Who to toss the armband:

            A) RVP
            B) Soldado
            C) Benteke
            D) Walcott

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            1. cfreel
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 5 months ago

              doesnt matter you're gonna score big with all those in your team anyway!

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          • Frip
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Save FT or take out Lukaku and Ivan for a hit?

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          • SuperOsçarBaby
            • 13 Years
            12 years, 5 months ago

            Heitinga will play CB against west brom or not?

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