As another Gameweek edges towards its conclusion, we handpick the standout statistics over Saturday and Sunday’s nine Premier League fixtures. Andre Villas-Boas’ shift to 4-3-3 brings a Tottenham new boy onto our radar, a certain Saints frontman catches our attention, City’s midfield schemer offers goal promise, while a trio of Everton’s assets also make the cut:
Go on, do something random now.
Follow my local team Cambridge United away to Luton Town on the radio (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_cambridge). Second half just kicked off. We're top of the Conference. THIS IS OUR YEAROpen ControlsContext: it's 0-0, Sam-Yorke is our main striker today, Arnold and Berry are excellent central midfielders.
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Go Luton Town 🙂
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I was in Cambridge on Saturday night, West Hall.
Open ControlsWow, you lucky, cultured man! You weren't watching your son play were you?
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Would rather listen to prestatyn vs new saints. Bet on the home team now markets suspended and can't lay. Looks like I'm with them till the end. 6 more minutes and 1 nil up. Beats studying
Open ControlsBad luck! Wonder if I can place a bet...
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I would really love it if Real Madrid just told Spurs to shove it, and pulled out of the Bale deal.
It feels like all summer Daniel Levy has been dragging this deal out, revelling in the little bit of power he has lucked into through having Bale. Spurs are a nothing club compared to Madrid, and they should show some respect. More and more they remind me of the little weedy, nerdy kid who by being made corridor supervisor, or milk monitor at school, enjoy some imagined power over the bigger, cooler kids.
Madrid are too big an institution to be treated like this, and Spurs should know their place.Open ControlsUtter nonsense. And I am a Hammer. 🙂
Open ControlsYou disagree that Levy is being a tool over this?
Open ControlsI do. I derive great amusement from his antics, and I wish him all the success in the World. 🙂
Open ControlsI'm not really, you know. People like Levy are what a club really needs. Spurs may well break through to another level.
However, I am intensely jealous! 🙂Open ControlsHow can Spurs break through to the net level? Are they going to generate another 40K fans from around where they play. I do not know London but would imagine not.
Open ControlsEasily. They are held back by their stadium, just as Arsenal were. That is really what the Bale money is for.
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Surely you should be rooting for the underdog in this big bad world of financial muscle?
And I'm a Gooner.
I loathe Real Madrid, their bully-boy tactics, their propaganda machine Marca and their philosophy of the individual above the team. A huge money wasting machine that has failed to win a Champions League in 11 years, or even reach a final I believe.
They have succeeded in one thing though, wasting great players' careers.Open ControlsThem, Man U, and Barca are the three teams with the history and heritage that makes players want to play for them. They are the pinnacle of the game and should be treated as such.
Open ControlsForelock tugging is something we're forced to do, not something we should embrace.
Open ControlsI don't. The middle class may kiss my arse. 😉
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lol please dont mention manu as being on the same level as barca and madrid
Open ControlsWell, they are.
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You're right, Levy shouldn't try and get the best possible price for Bale, he should just be content that Real Madrid have coming fishing at WHL and sell Bale for 25 million or whatever Madrid deem worthy.
Open ControlsThe tongue, out of the cheek, should come.
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whose choice is it to join real madrid? yea thats right its the players. dont make it sound like players are bullied to go there.
Open ControlsDidn't suggest that, it would be the clubs who are bullied to sell. For a big payday that ultimately, for the majority of players, works out as a footballing disappointment.
Also, Real Madrid were pissing Arsenal about with Higuain if you read up on that, significantly hiking up the transfer fee when a deal was close. The thought they are the innocent party in transfers is amusing.Open Controlsperez stated early in the summer that 30 mill would not get higuain and arsenal were not even willing to pay that.
Open ControlsBad faith negotiations = what the original poster was complaining about vis a vis Bale. Real hiked up the price on Higuain. Read the tweets for context. https://twitter.com/arseblog/status/360046615605673984
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Madri are the most despicable club I've come accross.
They buy who they want, and often, players they don't need.
As a club, I would point the finger at them as being the team who have ruined football.
Huge transfer fee's for players underserving of them, was started by Madrid and other such clubs.
I really, really hate them as a club.. delighted they've been overtaken by Barca in Spain and that they haven't won a European cup in a decadeOpen ControlsNonsense. They are the biggest & best club in the world. It would be an honour for any player to play for them.
Open ControlsYeah it's an honour to play for them.
But going out with big money every summer and buying who they went is just not the way football should be.Open ControlsThats not the point! Is it an honour for other clubs to sell to them? If so then they should sell at basement prices.
Open ControlsSo isn't that what they're trying to get?
Popular belief (not mine, but most of the footballing world's) is that there are 2 players who may be able to reach the heights of Messi and Ronaldo in the future - Neymar and Bale. Since the other three are not for sale, what becomes the price of Bale - let demand and supply answer that for you..Open Controls
lol are u trolling?
Madrid do not deserve respect at all.. look at the way they go about their business.. tapping up the player before they agree a fee and requesting the player to do the most harm he can to the club to force through the transfer.
Obv u must be a madrid supporter- bitter utd one here regarding the way they went about ronaldoOpen ControlsI am a Rangers fan, and do not have any allegiance between Barca & Madrid. I respect their history though.
Open ControlsAhhh
Open Controlsthe respect should only go to barca for the way they run their club- through their youth academy and how many players they have had come through their ranks and turned into great players.
On the other hand: madrid spend bucket loads of cash for their galaticos and are only able to do this through keeping all the money from image rights/shirt sales of the player they have bought.
tldr; barca deserve respect not madrid.. dig in levyOpen Controls
All clubs do it, if anything at least Madrid are more honest about it.
Arsenal haven't covered themselves in glory with the Suarez and Cabaye bids.
United's bids for Everton showed nothing but contempt for the Toffees.
As for Barcelona being a club worthy of respect, that is also rather far fetched. They too spent over the odds for players,such as Neymar and Ibrahimovic. Plus,did they not bully Arsenal over the Fabregas deal?Open Controls*bids for Baines and Fellaini
Open ControlsI agree with you, its unfortunately the way of the world. But just as Madrid pay the highest fees they all use these tactics the most.
There was one point in the window where it really didn't look like Bale would go - then suddenly Marca started with Bale headlines which were then repeated in the echo chamber that is the football media and then they've effectively bullied them out of the player.Open Controls
Arsenal did nothing but bid for Cabaye and Suarez. They have said nothing about the players, and it was only Newcastle and Liverpool that released the information to the media.
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Levy's been smart about it. He's realised that if they sold him at the start of the window, any players they went in for would be at an inflated price because clubs would be aware of the money they had. He's waited on it so they could bring in players to compensate for Bale leaving
Open ControlsI like Spurs and Madrid so am torn on this one. And my first love is Hearts so I am used to seeing bigger clubs come in for our players, it's just the way it goes.
Marca is Madrid obsessed but not always to the benefit of the club. Having lived in Madrid I have seen how Marca and As like to stir things up to boos sales. There always seems to be some sort of strife with this guy or that guy vying to be President or have some influence.
The cash they are talking about for Bale is crazy but they will recoup it with the strategies that Florentino Perez uses.
As for Barcelona, I really don't get the love in that most people in the UK seem to have for them. They have won the PR war over Madrid hands down, one of the biggest most powerful clubs in the world but they love to play the victim card when it suits.Open Controls
Such elitist nonsense. Teams like Madrid splashing ridiculous cash to steal world class players from other teams are like a plague to football. Credit to Levy for sticking it to them and milking them for all they have. European football would be a better, more balanced place without the likes of Real, Chel$ky, Man City, PSG and Monaco. He speaks the truth http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/08/26/4213343/martino-refuses-to-retract-bale-comments?ICID=OP
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Would love some thoughts about Whittingham.
Apart from having all the set pieces in his locker, does he get forward much and have an eye for goal from open play?
Like take shots from long range et all?
How does he compare with Brady.
ThanksOpen Controls
He has a rather impressive goalscoring record from the midfield, i'd expect around 7 goals this season, maybe even more if Kim is dropped and he plays advanced. Also on Pens as well as free-kicks and corners.
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I hope so, brought him in for a hit with a drunk transfer and benched Collins 😀
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I'm tempted to WC for GW4 and bring in RVP, but I don't know which two to have with him out of Sturridge, Soldado or Benteke.
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Anybody else a bit surprised at how few transfers out Mirallas has?
He hasn't done crap yet but is only at -3.8k.Open ControlsHe hasn't done too badly.. has looked dangerous enough, just need Everton to click for him to get firing.
Anybody who knows anything about football, and not just fantasy football, will keep faith.Open Controls
Aiming for the top 100 tonight! 😉
Fingers crossed Lamps and Hazard do the businessOpen Controls
Amazing start. Hope u do it mate
Open ControlsCheers Zlatan
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Seriously who the f.... cares....hate posts like this, add nothing to the site. You've already milked the fact you had a good start, but is your life really so intolerable that you have to keep banging on about a gw 2 ranking.....
Open ControlsSorry fella, have been playing this game for 3 seasons and never got close to this. Am enjoying my moment in the spotlight before I sink down again
Open ControlsJust be happy for him and move on. Posts like yours don't really add to the site, either.
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you can only go down with that lineup for tonight at this stage of the season.
Open ControlsAlmost certainly, I'll enjoy my last couple of hours at the top
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Who is a better option?
Brady or whittingham?
And who to ship for RVP ....
Soldado or benteke?Open Controls
Brady and Soldado, imo.
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Whos your other striker? I wont feel happy shipping either of those 2 very nice fixture comes GW4
Open ControlsThinking Whit and Soldado
Open ControlsBrady, slughtly.
Ehm... Soldado I'm afraid.Open ControlsCheers for responses. Will have a think.
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Got no Man Utd or Chelsea. Need a 1-1 game with people like Anderson and Ramires scoring..
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Big Sam talking up R. Morrison. Got a feelin he will start this weekend. I need him to...
Open ControlsLikely winner?
Me: 9p ahead all done
Him: Terry + HazOpen Controls
Hazard and Benteke > Michu and Sturridge - yay or nay?
Open ControlsSturridge yes. No point doing the other one.
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ok one more time 😀
start Boruc(nor) OR Foster(SWA) assuming he is fitOpen Controls
rvp owners
Will you captain him every week ?Open ControlsSoon to be RVP owner here, but based on when I had him last season, no. Walcott + Bale shared the captaincy. Also add Aguero to the equation this year.
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Haven't done, but will gw4 onwards for a while....
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Most weeks I will, like many say at 14m you kinda have to
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New competition, who has the most points on their bench? What players?
I have an epic 22 points, with Toure and Foster doing most of the damage.
Each keeper I've benched has kept a clean sheet.Open Controls22 points on mine.
I played boruc over foster which was the right move on paper
I played Toure over Chester which was the right move.
Other 2 players were ward and jedinak.Open Controls
Chances of Anelka not retiring?
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Took a quick gander at the RMT tool... it predicts slightly more points for Walcott, but yet recommends that I captain Silva and VC Dzeko... 😕
Anyone hazard a guess as to the reason?Open ControlsYeah, but why predict more points for a player if you're going to suggest not captaining them?
I'm sure the figures in this model will take into account the recent history of this tie... but surely a model trying to predict points and offer guidance as who will score the most points, it seems a little confusing not to suggest captaining the person you have predicted to score the highest amount of points... if not, then predict less points for him...Open Controls
easier fixture for city
Open ControlsI regret to say that I am an anti-fan of RMT ... 🙂
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It's useless?
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Just guessing, but I doubt the scout appreciates you revealing stuff they charge others for 🙂
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Because Silva and Dzeko are less likely to start their number is lower. If they start though they'll likely get more points than Walcott.
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I've yet to update RMT for the week ahead so the numbers aren't 100% yet. However, in the examples you give, it is because for the Build My Team feature, all players are rated for selection as if they are 100% certain of playing and therefore, City's fixture gives them the edge over Walcott, despite Walcott showing a higher number.
The user sees the value based on Walcott's/Dzeko's probability of playing. However, when it comes to recommending captains and bench players, RMT uses 100% of 90 minutes of all players.Open Controls
Benteke to
a) Sturridge (long term)
b) Bent (short term punt)
c) Lambert (short term punt)
Will change to Bony once he hits form (plan GW 8 but can be earlier) if I go with Bent or Lambert.Open Controlssturridge wouldn't be long term because you need to see how brendan shapes the team when suarez is back. i'd keep benteke. has great fixtures after the blank
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what is the ultimate forward line ??
on week 5 iam planning to have RVP STU BENTEKE
options on midfield are dull so iam spending big on forwardsOpen Controls
Could be. I've gone for Sol over Stu, but both look good picks. I've a feeling my weak mids will come back to haunt me however
Open ControlsSame here. Benteke or Giroud as my third.
Open ControlsRVP. Benteke. Soldado
Open ControlsI'd say RVP, Benteke, Soldado/Sturridge is as strong as you can get up front, currently. Aguero and Suarez may change that later on.
Open Controlsbenteke - soldado - sturridge gw4 onwards looks tasty
Open ControlsSuarez back soon perhaps so Sturridge might not be great.
Open Controlsmy front 3 this week are: Aguero, sturridge + soldado
by gw4 it'll be RvP for Aguero
worried about bentekkers + lamberts gd run of fixtures but not bad with my WC still intactOpen Controls
A. Silva (c), Giroud, walcott
or
B. Coutinho, Kim, walcott (c) +4
What do you reckon?Open ControlsA
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Afternoon all, looking to possibly get Aguero in for next week. Team is below.
Cech | Boruc
Zabaleta | Toure | Terry | Chester | Tuner
Silva | Walcott | Hazard | Nolan | Whittingham
Soldado | Sturridge | Anelka
Thoughts on these 3 transfers for -4 hit?
Terry --> Colins
Hazard --> Barkley
Anelka --> AgueroOpen ControlsSilva or Theo (c) GW3?
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Isacki, just noticed you're a Cambridge fan. Do you remember the play-off semi v Stevenage?
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I am guessing Hazard's price will go down over the 2 weeks of international break?
What's the latest consensus view on Hazard replacement?Open Controls
did barkley and kasami play this weekend?
also, whose combined value would you expect to rise more by next weekend:
A) Barkley and Kasami
B) Brady and WHU's Morrison
Morrison I know will not rise but those are the options with the money i have available.
Thoughts please!Open Controls
Hi guys I'm considering becoming a memeber on here to those of you who already are is it worth the cash? What are the benifets ?
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You will be able to read my tables. Of course it's worth it! 😉
Open Controlsteam stats, player stats, average player position, comparison tool, create your own stats tables, rmt tool, members only articles, season ticker
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Just looking at the fixtures for next week. I think it could be a GW with very few clean sheets. I have a feeling we are going to see a feast of goals, particularly in the 2 big games! It will be a week for forwards and midfielders so those who think the new BP system means you should play 5 at the back should probably think again 🙂
Open ControlsMy back line is
Foster
Collins
Mbiwa
Coleman
Turner
I expect 3 cleanies if Foster is fit. Also, none of my defenders that I've played have conceded.
But thanks for the tip.Open Controls
Any better ideas than transferring out Hazard for Nolan this week?
I can then bench Turner.
Gives me 2.4m in the bank.
I can swap Lambert to Benteke. Is this a good idea? I am unsure.
Mignolet
Coleman, Shaw, Collins, Turner
Walcott, Mirallas, Kim
RVP, Soldado, Lambert
Harper, Toure, Brady, HazardOpen ControlsSeems logical. Would mean u have a solid team this week. Benteke is a good move for gw4
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