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11 August 2014 6408 comments
Paul Paul
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There may be under a week left under the 2014/15 season gets underway but for many Fantasy managers, the midfield dilemma is yet to be resolved. In the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, in particular, the player price list has handed us numerous options to consider for our five-man midfields, with ten players coming in at 9.0 or over:

In this, our latest article for members, we take a look at four of the main contenders – Eden Hazard, Aaron Ramsey, Juan Mata and Raheem Sterling – currently on Fantasy radars.

Sterling has netted in two of his last four appearances and, after notching nine times last term, is backed by many to step up for Liverpool after Luis Suarez’ departure. Ramsey’s 10 goals and nine assists in just 23 appearances last season has catapulted the Welshman into the premium bracket at 9.0, with his strike in yesterday’s Community Shield handing us a timely reminder of his talents. Mata (9.0) has been one of Louis van Gaal’s star performers in the role in “the hole” in a new 3-4-1-2 formation, whilst the 10.0-priced Hazard, despite only returning to pre-season action last week, sits in 22% of squads ahead of fixtures against promoted pair Burnley and Leicester in his first two fixtures.

Casting an eye back to last season, then, we delve into the data and compare their respective displays. First up, we assess each player’s creativity and distribution.

Paul Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season. Follow them on Twitter

  1. Ginkapo FPL
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Spreadsheet fixture ticker. Aka safe for work?

    RMT

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  2. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Would like to see Yaya compared here too, anyone?

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    1. Rödallegabomb ᴿᴮ
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I will be submitting an article about Yaya soon

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    2. Demí
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Not for me. Think he operates in a totally different way. He's not an attacker. Half his goals from set pieces too.

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  3. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Start Siggy in 3-4-3 or Wisdom in a 4-3-3 ❓

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Siggy

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        even with Evans?

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        1. Count of Monte Hristo
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          Maybe Andre then, pray for that CS 😉

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    2. Heydudes13
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      You know I didn't even bother to see who Wisdom was playing until this post, has a bloody strong fixture as it so happens! 😀

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Indeed, but I'm also playing PvA so I'd need a 0-0.

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        1. Heydudes13
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          I would play Wisdom over PvA.

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      2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        He does. 🙂

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    3. Snikii
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      i was just about to ask that lol i think i feel like wisdom, is it to risky

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    4. kalmoffit
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I think Sunderland will score. Siggurdsson

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    5. MagnetBPS
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Siggy

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  4. FF Dirtbag
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    How does this team look?

    Speroni Myhill
    Evans Pieters Mariappa Naylor Wisdom
    Mata Ramsey Fabregas Siggy Davis
    Rooney Costa Dzeko

    Main question: is the defence good enough?

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    1. J0E
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Our dedicated RMT thread is the best place for team advice http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2014/08/11/rate-3/

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  5. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Your favourite?

    a) Forster + Green

    b) Speroni + Green

    c) Krul + Foster

    d) Krul + Elliott

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      e) Bego and 4.0

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    2. FANTASY KING
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      CA

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      1. FANTASY KING
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        I just meant C

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    3. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      F) Begovic and Green

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Forster and Green is MUCH better rotation IMO

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        1. TOKAMAK
          • 11 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          what happened to julio cesar, i thought qpr recalled him

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    4. Waterwheel Inc.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I'm personally unconvinced about West Brom, but C sure looks good on the ticker and RMT.

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    5. Optimus.
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      B if Speroni is a certain starter if not for the same funds you could have DDG+4m?

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        im sticking by spereeni

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  6. Sting
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    A) Evans, Sterling Costa

    OR

    B) Chester, Eriksen, Sturridge

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    1. Waterwheel Inc.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I like A. Don't feel Sturridge is worth the price.

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    2. The Iron Tulip
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      A, easily.

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    3. Podge
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      A

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  7. Waterwheel Inc.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Bah. Had Ramsey, Mata and Sterliing . . . Now I want Hazard too. So . . . Help? Please?

    Costa & 5m mid

    or

    Hazard & Bojan

    Or potentially another option involving Fabregas? On Costa and JWP at the moment, definitely leaves a more flexible looking team than with another big mid.

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    1. Coach Taylor
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I went for Hazard & Bojan personally

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      1. Waterwheel Inc.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers. Bojan certainly makes more appeal than any 5m mid, but in a really stupid way I think I should avoid Bojan because I'll be tempted to try and be clever and bench a far bigger player for him when I get a bad feeling about a fixture.

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        1. Coach Taylor
          • 16 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          If you're thinking that way, I guess Weimann would happily sit on your bench!

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  8. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Great article. Some of those numbers are quite surprising...

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    1. Heydudes13
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      You tease. 😉

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  9. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Hmmm. Interesting. Thanks, Paul.

    It appears that I have the right two! 😀

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    1. Heydudes13
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Ah, cheers mate! 😀

      Sterling eh...

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        🙂 ... and Ramsey. S & M, as it were. 😉

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        1. JK - Cønt ⭐
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          and no Chelsea attack?

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    2. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Ramsey + Mata 😎

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        If you like. 🙂

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  10. DanM8
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Please help 4 big hitting midfielders but weaker defence, or more balanced....

    DDG Myhill
    Caulker Ward
    Fabregas Ramsey Boyd Eriksen
    Rooney Costa Bojan

    Cahill Lovern Debuchy Sigurdsson

    OR Aspi/Luis Wisdom Chambers Mata

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    1. J0E
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Our dedicated RMT thread is the best place for team advice http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2014/08/11/rate-3/

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  11. rocrocodile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    To me, these numbers scream out for a Hazard/Mata/Costa/Rooney combo. I think they (along with Ramsey) are all pretty much nailed on for me now.

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    1. Mouldmaster
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      You think Hazard is nailed on for week 1? I'm worried Mou gives him the last 30 mins.

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  12. super zlatan
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    @jk.

    Why don't u have hendo for gw1 then trade in Siggy for gw2?

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  13. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    was all set on no mata, now I am thinking of getting him back.....so difficult

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  14. Coach Taylor
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Hey guys, I'm currently having this argument with myself regarding my team. Currently have:
    Krul/Guzan
    Debuchy/Ward/Van Aanhalt/Wisdom/Hutton
    Sanchez/Hazard/Mata/Eriksen/Siggy
    Rooney/Dzeko/Bojan

    I was considering changing Eriksen to Sterling and changing Dzeko to Ade. That would leave me with no City cover and would have to try find an extra 0.5 for Sterling. Would it be worth it?

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  15. SGTMacaroni
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    What a fantastic article - top notch writing paul

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  16. jwaltz86
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Surely Hazard isnt as appealing this season with Fab and Costa coming into the frame and likely to take share of the FPL points? Just my opinion though

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    1. Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      +1

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      1. Twelve years a slave
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Happy to start with fab and see how it develops

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    2. Home Run Baker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      This begs an interesting question. If talented players are added to a team, do they enhance the value of players around them, or do they steal their scoring opportunities? I'm inclined to think its the former more often than the latter.

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      1. Home Run Baker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        I'm wasted on you lot 🙂

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        1. jwaltz86
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          I agree to an extent but i think in Chelseas case they relied heavily on Haz last year for goals and creative spark, hence his massive points haul. This year theres less of a burden on him for goals now theyve got a proven goalscorer in Costa, plus Fab will chip in with assists and few goals

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    3. The Iron Tulip
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Good point.

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    4. thes7s
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      talented player add more value to existing star players. Ozil and Ramsey is what I'm building my argument on.

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    5. Del Griffith
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Fab could be rotated with Ramirez at key times as well

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    6. Leelas legs 11
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Yup, I have decided to go Fabregas over hazard primarily due to price and recent positive pre season reports. However, hazard was great for my team last year!
      Costa just too pricey for me at present but will be watching closely..

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  17. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    I just finished watching Citzen Kane

    Didn't see what all the fuss was about tbh

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    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Ah. Now, go back, and understand the context. Watch the framing of each shot.

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        I think I understood the context

        I enjoyed it, just think "the best film ever made" is stretching it a bot

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        1. Ludo
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          Not so much the best as the greatest. A lot of that comes from innovations, which don't seem so remarkable when you've grown up watching them as standards.

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          1. JK - Cønt ⭐
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            11 years, 4 months ago

            well that is true

            I remember Jason and the Argonauts being massively hailed for it's special effects. When you watch it now the stuff is so basic, but back then.

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        2. The Machine
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          Agree with the second. Could name a few better, but still...Great movie

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      2. Hay Number 2
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        I agree...it changed cinema!

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        1. JK - Cønt ⭐
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          In what way?

          I'm curious, I found it enjoyable, but what did it do that was so different at that time?

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    2. Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Curious: how old are you and where are you from?

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        29, from the UK

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  18. Andy1
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Which is best?

    A. Eriksen & dzeko
    B. Henderson & costa

    Already have fabregas

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    1. XhakaCan
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      A, but both are good options

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    2. dykeypunk
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      A imo

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  19. FredrikH
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Fabregas or Ramsey? I got D. Costa.

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    1. XhakaCan
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Ramsey

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      1. FredrikH
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Thank you:)

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  20. Super Frank
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard & Eriksen or Mata & Cesc (I have DDG, Rooney & Costa)

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    1. The Iron Tulip
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      B.

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  21. PHILLYSTEAK
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    guys, Eriksen or Lamela?

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    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Eriksen

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  22. Albert Cole
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    QPR defence - how do you guys think it will look?

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    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      well hes goin 3 at the back apparently....

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  23. bangers and M*A*S*H
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Which combo to go for

    1. Eriksen and 4.0 def
    2. Mutch and Terry/Cahill

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    1. Albert Cole
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I like the latter. Think both Terry and Cahill will outscore Eriksen this season.

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  24. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    a) Clyne and 4.0

    or rotation with:

    b) Van Aanholt and NTaylor

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    1. v12w12
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I've gone for A

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  25. Cadavre
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    A)
    Foster, Krul
    Lovren, Kolarov, Caulker, Evans, Clyne
    Mata, Hazard, Silva, Eriksen, Ramsey
    Bojan, Wickham, Pelle

    B)
    Guzan, Krul
    Wisdom, Kolarov, O'Shea, Taylor, Clyne
    Snodgrass, Hazard, Silva, Eriksen, Sigurdsson
    Rooney, Lukaku, Pelle

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  26. LewanGOALski
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    I've settled my front 8, but struggling with the back-line now :/

    DDG - Gilks
    Ward - ____ - ____ - PvA - Collocini

    A. Pieters + Naylor
    B. Clyne + Ferdinand
    C. Debuchy + Wisdom
    D. Lovren + Wisdom
    E. sth else for combined 9.5 M

    ??

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    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      C

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    2. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      huth and taylor...

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  27. Sting
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Inspired by RodallegaBomb I have made a new spreadsheet.

    Makes for some interesting figures about values.

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    1. Rödallegabomb ᴿᴮ
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Good to hear 🙂

      What does the sheet entail?

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  28. XhakaCan
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    A) Siggy + Dzeko (No Man Utd midfield)
    B) Bojan + Mata (No City cover)

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    1. hunkydory
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      B

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  29. aries1973
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Getting closer but having put Sturridge in, concerned about my defence is pretty poor until general team increases in price and I can bring in a better defender

    De Gea Hamer
    Terry O'Shea Widsom Bruce Moore
    Fabregas Sterling Mata Ramsey Wanyama
    Rooney Sturridge Fletcher

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    1. J0E
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Our dedicated RMT thread is the best place for team advice http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2014/08/11/rate-3/

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  30. copps
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Lovren, Ramsey, Marney
    OR
    Huth, Eriksen, Siggy

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