After assessing the Defenders, our series of members articles analysing the opening month of fixtures continues with a look at some of the stand-out statistics in midfield. Summer signings from Swansea, Crystal Palace, Man City, Chelsea and Norwich come under focus, whilst Arsenal’s premium big hitter offers many reasons for optimism.
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qwerty
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uiop
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Having a great season.
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The sarcasm is strong with this one 😉
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Thought it was a Shelvey article 😆
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Thought you were talking about your own season 😆
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Time to retire soon like Torres.
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Early days..I remember my PB season I was ranked 1.8m gw8 before the turn around
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Costa does not look like a good fit for the Spanish team for some reason
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That's because he's Brazilian
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you can say that again..
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my god those are some huge numbers
hnnnnnggg!-
3 million 2 thousand and 22
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Captain Mahrez or Sanchez?
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Sanchez
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I really like Mahrez this week. Not sure any of the big names will through up a big score this week..
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see those sako figures for shots-wow
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He looks a real option. If I was on WC I'd be all over him
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You've got a transfer.
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Video games?
Saturday evening, missus is away, I've spent all day entertaining the kid and now he's in bed! Time for some computer games (rocking evening).
Think I'm going to give Destiny another go. What video games, if any do you play? What are you looking forward to?
For unreleased titles - FIFA 16 and Battlefront I'm looking forward to. Potentially Fallout 4 as well.-
Black Ops 2 PS3 is all I play but only at weekends after I've drank a skipful,KSG for the win 🙂
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Haha - sounds good to me 🙂
I've played the Black Ops III beta but think I'll give it a miss this time around, not liking the wall running or jet packing around.-
Yeah I don't like the futuristic stuff that's why I'm still where I am 🙂
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I miss MW2 🙁
It was my first proper CoD so quite attached to it. Loved hardcore Search and Destroy-
Cod4,MW2 and World at War were beast
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Haven t played any for a while but loved the Resident Evil series, especially Resident Evil 4.
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bit of a bummer there is no premier league to dissect
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Video games will do in the interim 🙂
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Just bought Metal Gear V: Phantom Pain. Fantastic reviews. Should arrive on Monday.
I'm with you on SWBattlefront and FO4.-
Battlefront will be fuuuuuuuuuuun! Played a little bit at Gamescom, even enjoyed the air combat.
As for MGSV I'm giving it a miss. Looks brilliant but I'm not really into stealth, I don't have the patience.
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Until Dawn looks interesting. Cant wait for Fallout 4 and Uncharted 4
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I've never played an Unchartered game but I don't think I can resist 4 - looks amazing.
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Terraria is my go to at the moment, a great indie game thats like a 2D Minecraft but with more palatable graphics and better gameplay
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I think I have that on Steam just because it was cheap one day but haven't ever played it (like all Steam games!)
I never got into Minecraft but weirdly I have watched people play it on YouTube and find it okay. My son is really into it, I'm going to have to buy it soon for him.
Reckon I can get away with letting him play Terraria? 🙂-
Depends why he wants Minecraft to be honest. If his mates play minecraft and he wants in just get him minecraft. If he's just into because he's heard of it, introduce him to terraria first and tell him Balders says its even better 😉
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Yeah, not sure I can get away with it. Considering I've never played it and he's only heard about it from friends I might just have to take the plunge
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Fair enough, you could always offer him Terraria first and see if he jumps in. I genuinely believe it to be a better game as there are more and more varied monsters and boss monsters to fight that can give your exploring a bit more narrative whilst essentially still being an open world explore and build game. Also there are more materials and more items, equipment and building blocks to craft with the materials you've collected.
There's a good chance he'll love it and a good chance he shuns it because minecraft is the must play. If he wants minecraft don't force terraria for the sake of a tenner saved.-
Cheers for the info Balders!
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It's slow around here - I've gone for an off topic - hot topic. Don't panic!
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We've enjoyed having you as a mod Andy. Had to come to an end eventually. 😉
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Haha! I'll get fired for this.
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Road rash on the megadrive. It's been a while.
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Classic i got a emulator and rom and finished again on my pc
Desert strike is also 1 that is priceless-
Desert strike has just reminded me of a completely different game, Conflict: Desert Storm. It's one of only a few games that I've completed the story in coop mode with a friend. God this takes me back, I probably spent a whole term after school at a friends house completing that game.
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Woah blast from the past 🙂
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Those graphics.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfYTeIem5k
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Quality! Kids these days don't know they're born!
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Tell me about it. Little brother won't play any of the GTA games before GTA V because of graphics.... Won't okay Deus Ex either which is, in my opinion, one of the greatest games ever crafted. I dare not show him megadrive level graphics 😀
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So true.
Sensi Soccer on Megadrive - now that was what gameplay over graphics was all about - those banana shots with after swerve into the top corner. Many an hour whittled away re-playing Norwich v Bayern Munich Uefa 93 tie.
Now know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow morning before the midday Sky match!-
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Road Rash 3 is the way to go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxwoKkhnPIg
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PES 2015
Rory Mac Golf
GTA
F1 only played recently and best game i have played so far on ps4 highly recommend
But over all i have been disappointed by new gen consoles maybe i am just getting old 🙁-
I have Rory Mac Golf but myself and the missus haven't played it much.
I've NEVER been into PES. Even back when it was considered the better of the big 2 football games (around 2008) I still preferred FIFA.-
**** Fifa and all belong to them there not getting a penny of me
PES is for the purest don't spend money on advertising or license fees much just game development i see a lot of reviews putting PES back in number 1 this year-
Seems unlikely but we'll see 🙂
Was discussing at work the other day - licencing makes such a difference for me-
If it means lining Sepp Blatters pockets then they can shove there license up there holes
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PES is a far superior game anyway don't believe the hype
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Well I did play PES and sorry to say this but it comes nowhere near FIFA in terms of graphics AND gameplay! There are a few faces better constructed by PES (like Ribery) but in overall the depth and accuracy that FIFA has just can't be competed by PES. They spend so much effort into the planning and details of the game (ball dynamics, stadium construction, player personalized dribbling etc) that PES is nowhere even close to FIFA now.
And the future? We all know FIFA is gonna continue to prosper while PES will struggle for existence! :p
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The Golf was disappointing really not offering much new only faster loading between holes
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Battlefront should be awesome
Just finished South Park:Stick of Truth which was really fantastic-
Stick of Truth was so good! I don't tend to finish single player games but I got it when it came out and completed it very quickly after. Would definitely buy a sequel 🙂
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Apparently there's gonna be a sequel and it'll be on the Coon and Friends 🙂
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Oh god - that will be so good and so wrong.
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Fractured But Whole
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Fifa all the way
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Looking forward to 16?
I made my draft team earlier - http://imgur.com/w14Y554 🙂-
I am indeed! What a lineup
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Fifa is for kids
Pro is for the serious gamer
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FPL is a pretty fun game.
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It is indeed - the one that takes most of my time these days.
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Gears of War Ultimate Edition is bringing back some nostalgia in 60 FPS, and no broken controllers yet!
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Not played video games in a long time recently got back into it . Playing Metal Gear Solid 3 at the min
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Sounds ace.
Just spent the afternoon decorating and the wife is in so no games for me 🙁
Once the house is sorted, reckon I will get fallout 4 when it comes out though. Treat it as a carrot to dangle in front of myself and get the work done 🙂
What system do you all usually play on?-
I have everything basically - gaming PC, XBOX One, PS4, Wii U
I had mainly played on PS4 console wise but I won a XBOX One for playing FPL last year so I'm slowly moving over to that. I'll probably be playing Destiny and FIFA 16 on XBOX One (for the legends on FIFA 16!)
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Company of heroes. Fantastic game.
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yeah, used to love that game. Great fun on the multiplayer as well.
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Definitely. So many mods on it now since the release of COH2 as well....and maps.
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FIFA 15, GTA V and sometimes COD AW on the PS4. Or FM2015 on my laptop.
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I think I'll have to buy a PS4 just to play Battlefront! Was a huge Star Wars fan as a kid. I don't play many games though, I like Assassins Creed, think there's a new one of those coming out too, not too sure though.
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Is it ps4 only for battlefront? Assumed it would be on PC as well but hadn't checked?
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PC, XBOX One and PS4
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Ok, thanks
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I'm so stuck in the past. I have a thingy called DosBox ( x86 emulator ) on my PC and it allows me to play the one computer game I really loved from 20+ years ago called Clash of Steel.
It's a turn based WW2 strategy game and it's best played with 2 players rather than Vs the PC as the AI is brutal.
My mate comes to my house every 3 months or so and we have an all night Allies Vs Axis marathon game. It usually takes about 10 hours to finish a game.
We are both married with kids but it's a great way to remember our Uni days and have a few beers at the same time. And we are both as ultra competitive as we were back then.
Simpler times 🙂-
Sounds good to me...
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Ah we have great craic. And we are probably the only 2 eejits in the whole world still playing it! 😀
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You ever play any of the Fallout series?
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No but just had a quick scan on wiki. They look good.
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Yeah a few are RPGs and that tactics one is turn based battle.
My cousin is a big PC gamer I used to go to his house to play the computer only to spends hours being the young cousin watching him play computer.-
Cheers Tony!
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I think Fallout Tactics if I have right game us turn based along the same lines as the game your chatting...
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Sounds good to me.
I'm similar to yourself, I still enjoy playing a board game like risk when my uni mates come over. It's good fun and a bit of nostalgia as well..-
Risk is great fun, especially with a few beverages.
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That sounds awesome RCA 😀
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Hah!, sounds quite like the game I play on pc, Combat Missions I & II - a turn based game but played out in real time once both players lock in their orders for each round.
Just an amazing game, a real find from 15 years ago. -
Haha good stuff RCA 😀
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I'm so out of touch with gaming its unbelievable compared to how often I gamed in my youth.
Was always a big RPG head.
That and racing games.
Plenty of late night Final Fantasy and Gran Tourismo marathon sessions.-
I finally completed FF7 this year!
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Wow. Really? What a game. One of my all time favs.
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Yeah I've attempted it many times but for one reason or another I've never done it.
Did it this year, although not a full complete with Ruby/Emerald weapon etc. Fantastic game.-
I remember I absolutely hammered the final boss.
Sepiroth?-
I find it incredible that the classics I played in my youth on PSOne and PS2 are now available for tablet/phone!
Just started FFVII on tablet, looking forward to playing it on the beach while the other half reads her books.-
I've considered buying FF7 for iPad but that would be about the 5th version of the game I've bought then!
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Now they're doing a remake for PS4, probably wont be out until 2025! I just hope they don't destroy the soundtrack.
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I don't play any computer games. They eat up your time and destroy your life. A book is far better.
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How do they destroy your life any more than a book?
They are ways of stimulating your brain and entertaining you. Just a different format surely?-
If computer games 'destroy your life', what does FPL do to it? 😉
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Are there any other decent xbox footy games apart from FIFA?
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Just PES really
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I'm on PC and there's a few games I love (though they are fairly old now)
Bad Company 2
The Fallout series
Football Manager (if you have the patience)
Company of Heroes I've just bought because I like strategy but I just can't seem to get into it. Going to try Windward, which looks decent. -
ive probably spent like a third of my entire life playing football manager
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N64, Goldeneye and some mates.... all you really need
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Mates not required
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They are to get the best out of it! 🙂
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Works great with a projector. MarioKart is a laugh too.
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Around 1-2 years ago I went round a mates who had a N64 with Goldeneye hooked up. Couldn't get to grips with the controller after all these years.
I decided at that point it was best to leave it in the past otherwise all those good memories would be wiped! 🙂
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So much time on games throughout my life.
Played Unreal Tournament 2004 to a competitive level back in the day but now the only 3 games I play are Dark Souls 1 and 2 and FM-
I always buy FM but as the years go on I play it less and less. I actually preferred it when it was a bit simpler with less things you could manage. I always play classic mode!
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Currently spending valuable time on:
Crusader Kings 2
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
Street Fighter 4
SimCity 4
Football Manager 2006
Oblivion-
Oldskool - I like it 🙂
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Waiting to buy an XB1 & PS4 next week to buy Fallout 4, MGS V, Everyone's gone to Rupture, Until Dawn & Halo 5!
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PS4 and XBOX One! Good work! 🙂
Looking forward to Halo 5 myself - was trying to go through the back catalogue as I have the MCC on XB1 but only managed to finish the first one so far.-
Cheers, time to see what all the fuss is about with this new generation 😉
You should definitely finish the campaign before you tackle H5 imo. So much fantastic lore you're missing out on & the campaigns are always great. I'd also recommend checking out http://huntthetruth.tumblr.com/
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Anyone playing League of Legends? It's one of the most commonly played games globally. Do we have enough Summoners for a FFS team?
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I've played HOTS but that's about it. Never got into LoL - feels too late now, plus the community seems horrible
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HOTS is a lot of fun for sure. I agree the LoL community is toxic, but if there were 5 FFS members, would be a lot different I feel.
If anyone wants to try team HOTS for fun, let me know.
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Ahahaha this being a hot topic is such an abuse of mod rights Andy 😉
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I am stuck in the past last few games ive played have been -
FFVI
FFVII
Resident Evil 1
Resident Evil 2
MGS
Crash Bandicoot
Loved the Uncharted series as well as Red Dead Redemption, dont get enough time to play the PS as much as I used though. -
Heroes of might and magic 3. Never gets old.
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Any reason not to go Benteke to Giroud for one week on the FT?
Transfer Benteke back in the week after..-
Is Giroud nailed on to start? Walcott started last week after all.
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Waste of transfers
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This for me. Never do a one week punt unless you know you're wildcarding the next week.
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Waste.
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How has Pedro's price still not gone up?! Over 100,000 net transfers in this week so far. Plus the ones carried over from last week.
Given that Ward went up for Palace yesterday it makes me think that he may still be price locked for some reason?
Any possibly explanations?-
Not sure I'd fully trust any of the rise sites..
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I think it's because the initial transfers in (during the 10 day freeze window) are treated as if teams were picking him before the start of the season so they don't count in price rises. So the same reason why over 50% ownership of Hazard before the season starts has no bearing on price rises
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This^
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Ah I see. Still 107,000 transfers in this round compared to Ward's 48,000.
I guess the price rise sites get more accurate as the season goes on. It's just frustrating as I bought him in this week hoping (half expecting) a 0.3 price rise or 0.2 at the very least. All the sites I use have him at 200%+ of what he needs to go up and he still hasn't. Very strange.
Thanks for the responses though 🙂
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brady-yes but no one to put them away-i lost patience
ollson returns will brady move to a regular spot upfield? -
Jonjo looks like Dr Evil. Glad to see he's playing well, another one that the pool let go.
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All the players that leave Liverpool end up moving to a better club.
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Liverpool's a feeder club now ..... Like Southampton.
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He's a very good player. LFC weren't offering 1st team football so was right to move on and no hard feeling between him and the club. Reckon he might get snapped up by one of big guns come January..
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think he's found his level and where he is adored
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He's a good player on his day, and a good start to the season. Normally a few comic errors around the corner.
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Can see him at Arsenal in the future.
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Diva are you about? I've just seen your message
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I just know that whoever I pick for captain this GW will be the wrong decision.....
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Who are you picking? I will stay away
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Your grav is making me sad - happy times with bale and modric. no such fun at the lane these days.
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Yes these are dark times.
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Haha!! Haven't got a clue, probably flip a coin between sanchez and aguero. Il let fate decide! I haven't had a goal or assist out of any of my captain choices all season so far ! Might let me 3 year old daughter decide.....
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Might be the right one too though
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Mahrez!
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He is such a headache, out scoring people like aguero and sanchez week in week out..... Great player so far.
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Anyone care to predict the Arsenal/Stoke game? Captaining Sanchez seems very likely for me, despite owning Aguero.
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I'm going 3-1 Arsenal with Sanchez x2
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i fancy 3-0 to Arsenal, hopefully a goal or 2 from Sanchez
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2-1
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2-0
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Arsenal 2-0
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4-1 Arsenal
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Captained him last GW. Not sure I dare to do it again. Arsenal hasn't been very convincing so far.
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His stats don't lie though, he's been very unlucky.
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4-0 stoke with a Butland goal and a Diouf hatrik
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Sanchez is like Hazard for me......I know he is going to come good its just a matter of when!!!!
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2-0, Giroud and own goal Muniesa
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Man City defence long term.....Kompany is obviously a keeper but long term do we thing that Otamendi will come in for Mangala in the next couple of weeks and then Zabaletta and Clichy too once fit??? I assume there will be some rotation at LB but I can't make my mind up on the other two
And I am gearing up for a draft league picks tomorrow night so its not a case of wait and see or avoid for not, got to make picks for keeps/-
Kompany will be a safe pick all season, Kolarov is safe for 6 weeks, Sagna is safe for 3 weeks, and the other CB slot can't really be predicted.
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Not sure anyone knows. My guess is there will be rotation when the CL starts and then it's wait and see. No reason to mess around with the defence at the minute with 0 conceded after 4.
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Yeah thats the "fun" of doing a draft league, you have to assess the risk and choose if you want to take a punt for the whole season or stick to a safer pick in a lesser team. I still think Mangala is a bit rubbish so Otamendi will come in and that Zabaletta will be a main stay once fully fit so I may try to get one of those if they don't go too early on.
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Hi....I'm on a wildcard....Who would u go for as 4th midfielder....mahrez or sako?...
If I go with Dakota I can boost my keeper option....currently on Butland McCarthy..
Thanks-
mahrez
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How are the farmer giles? 😉
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Had a bath...and used the cream again.....feel a bit better for now....thanks!
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You have to get Butland 😉
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Or an arsenal keeper.......
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🙂
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More good stuff for Jonjo then. Still happy I took the plunge last week.
Yaya Toure plays bigger football than everybody else, he runs bigger, he passes bigger, he shoots bigger and he is bigger...it's all just bigger. The stats are good but they don't show that Jonjo is also playing bigger football right now...not many of them about. -
I suppose Engerland will win the Euros now?
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Nah.
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No, a quarter final spot would be good as always
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Iceland surely?
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Best defences in euro qualifying:
1 goal : Romania
2 goals: Wales, Austria, Albania
A bit surprising. Yes I'm bored -
What a comeback from switzerland
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Totally amazing
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Butland McCarthy
Morgan Nyom Kolarov Darmian Ward
Sanchez Silva Mahrez Payet Westwood
Gomis Aguero Pelle
2FT and 0.2 ITB. Don't want to lose a transfer, but at the same time I don't see any obvious changes that need made right now, any suggestions?...Pelle to Wilson is the only I can really think of and then will use funds left over following GW to upgrade Payet or Westwood, although Pelle has a decent fixture. -
Scout picks challenge - GW4
SCOUT PICKS CHALLENGE - GW4 RESULTS
Apologies - its been a maniac week and I knew I could take some more time due to internationals. But finally, here are GW4 results!
***** SCORES ON THE BOARD *****
1st - Konig Luther (57pts) [3pts]
Top 4% - TM245 (56pts), Hearts of Olofinjana, Kopite65 (47pts) [2pts]
Top 10% - Walsh (45pts), Pundit of Punts, Mattse14 (44pts), Barry Woj and Mr.Robot (43pts) [1pt]
Unfortunately, DarkGreen was just short on 42 pts!
Sadly, Sindrisegal had a late entry which has had to be ruled out, otherwise he would have got inside the top 10%!
The FFS Scout Picks + Differentials only scored 40 pts this gameweek, so in addition to the above people; DarkGreen, Beavis, Jay_ and RuberX all scored a bonus point this gameweek!
Unfortunately Teekay 101 and MB10 had illegal squads, which meant they were not awarded a bonus!
Thus we have the following rankings as of now;
1st - Mr.Robot (6pts)
2nd - Konig Luther, TM245, Balders (4pts)
All to play for, very early days indeed! Until the next time.
Spreadsheet: https://www.dropbox.com/s/oyuz31n7ppeccuu/Scout%20Picks%20Challenge.xlsm?dl=0-
Only 2 players contributed for me this week 🙁 If I didn't have Mane it'd be a complete disaster
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A victory. Thanks OCProdigy.
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Mignolet / Ruddy
Williams / Cedric / Huth / Wolscheid / Francis
Hazard / Ozil / Mahrez / Ritchie / Surman
Aguero / Benteke / Pelle
2 FT & 1.0 ITB
I'm thinking of Ozil + Pelle -> Silva + Sakho .. any other suggestions?-
Pelle to Wilson. Ozil to Silva
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Can we all agree on that Englands group is a joke? It will be a rough awakening in France.
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0 from 0 about average then? 😥
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I got 56. Quite disappointed.
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Thoughts on Chadli (C)?
A type of player who loves to score every other game. Blank last week...
Has a good record on the road and is facing the worst defensive side. No form in Kane so I reckon the goals will come from him.
And the emotional benefits of a Sunday captain 🙂-
That would be a bold captaincy choice, I'll give ya that.
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determined to have a differential? Mahrez over chadli. But kun and alexis could hurt you
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Do it
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What's that all about ?
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No idea maybe Barca/Real related?Either that or Fab doesn't shake hands with those with shite facial hair 😉
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It looks a bit kak. I don't care who they are if any player started that sort of lark in a team that I ran they'd be off....
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De Gea probably wasn't sharing his chewing gum earlier so Cesc blanked him
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Have a few quid nothing major but a small wager on Joel Brunker beating Warrington on points. 14/1
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Is the second series of True Detective as bad as a lot of people are saying it is? Just about to watch the last episode of the first series..
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I lost interested 2-3 eps in, Rachel McAdams though, BA GAWD.
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Think I'll give it a miss, going to start Narcos
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Do it!
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I will!
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Yeah, she is hot in that.
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I was really disappointed.
Farrell and Vaughan struggled to match the guys from the first series and a lot of the other acting was really wooden. Felt like a 2nd rate version of the first series.-
That's what I've been hearing. The first series was superb
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Anyone have any topic suggestions they'd like to see an article on?
I've absolutely nothing to do tomorrow except look for insurance quotes, so I've plenty of time to kill and try do an article.
Let me know anyway if there's anything-
Which of the stats has the closest correlation to points: Shots, shots on target, shots in box, touches in box, touches in final third, chances created or some other.
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That could kill the day indeed, cheers
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I suspect touches in box but some people swear by shots in box. It would be interesting if there is any significant statistical correlation.
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Eva Green (c) ?
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I frickin love Eva Green. Those eyes...
Other assets too, of course. But those eyes...-
she's got man citeh next GW
-she's captaining my midfield...........
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Hook someone (from FFS) up to a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. Someone that has all 11 players playing on the Saturday (like me, last GW). Make them do the MOTD challenge.
Publish the results.
We'd all quit playing on health grounds! 😀-
I wore a heart rate monitor to my exams at uni this summer. No surprise, my heartrate was through the roof for the one I hadn't revised properly for! I could do this for you next weekend 😛
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A review of defensive BAP magnets so far
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