Dugout Discussion

De Bruyne and Sterling start as Mahrez falls foul of Pep Roulette

15 December 2020 1975 comments
DavidMunday815 DavidMunday815
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Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m) is the latest Manchester City to suffer from Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy.

The Algerian winger finds himself on the bench for the Gameweek 13 meeting with West Bromwich Albion as Phil Foden (£6.4m) is stationed on the left-hand side of attacking midfield.

Captain favourite Kevin De Bruyne (£11.9m) retains his starting berth in a more advanced number 10 role, Raheem Sterling (£11.4m) completing the trio in support of Gabriel Jesus (£9.3m).

But Mahrez is not the only notable absentee as John Stones (£4.8m) is omitted from the matchday squad entirely despite completing 90 minutes in each of the last three Premier League games.

That development certainly strengthens the case for Ruben Dias (£5.6m) whose start against West Bromwich Albion is his 10th consecutive one in the Premier League.

Guardiola continues to tweak his full-backs, sending João Cancelo (£5.5m) back to right-back for his third start on the bounce, benching Kyle Walker (£6.2m) and bringing Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) back on the left.

West Bromwich Albion line-up with a 4-2-3-1 shape, dropping Branislav Ivanovic (£4.5m) to the bench and going with a back-four of Kieran Gibbs (£4.3m), Dara O’Shea (£4.3m), Semi Ajayi (£4.8m) and Darnell Furlong (£4.5m).

Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; B Mendy, Aké, Dias, Cancelo; Rodri, Gündogan; Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling; Jesus.

West Bromwich Albion XI (4-2-3-1): Johnstone; Gibbs, O’Shea, Ajayi, Furlong; Livermore, Sawyers; Diangana, Gallagher, M Phillips; Grant.

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1,975 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Not a fan of Sam Johnstone he cost me about 25/30 points in 2 weeks. Benched Martinez 11 last gameweek for Johnstone 2.

    Now he does a one man show against Sterling and KDB who I both have.

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    1. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Have Sterling and KDB (C) as well. What a costly sitter miss that was by Sterling. I work it out to be around 12pts. Just don't know how you miss from there.

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      1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Harder to miss than score.

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    2. WVA
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Hate Johnstone

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  2. F_Ivanovic
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    My 2 transfers in this week... Dias + Mahrez. Fan-bloody-tastic

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    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      well at least Mahrez didn't come on

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  3. Fudgy
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    What are the final bonus?

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    1. BenDavies
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      dont know yet

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      1. Fudgy
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Okay thanks

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    2. KGFC
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      KDB likely to hold onto 2 bonus

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      1. TOPCAT1960
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Johnstone has to take them I would have thought

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    3. DickFranDyke
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Does it really matter to your O.R. Just give it up.

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    4. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      0 - 0 - 0

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  4. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I'd love a transfer decision to go right, just once and I'll be happy. Rank has been stuck between 2.5mil and 2mil all season. Everything I do doesn't work out, argh!

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  5. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Southampton can win this league. Really no reason why not. The big clubs are dropping points on a regular basis.

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    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Spurs and Liverpool don’t

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      1. Bushwhacker
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Liverpool have dropped masses of away points. . .

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    2. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Tough run of fixtures coming up

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    3. Zimo
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Bruno will single handedly win the league

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    4. F_Ivanovic
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      They've only faced 3 of traditional big 6 so far and they.. spurs beat them 5-2 and they got a 3-3 draw against Chelsea and catipulated vs United to lose 3-2. This could be an open season where a team like Southampton could win it but once they hit the tougher fixtures they might fall down a bit like Everton did.

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    5. WVA
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Give us the title already

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  6. Nanoelektronicar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Salah cappers will be the real winners.

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    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Why not us Bruno cappers?

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      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Because you gloat like hell tonight with no substance at all.

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        1. Qaiss
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          The difference will be max 9 points if you own Bruno as well, it’s not the end of the world ..

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        2. Zimo
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Jelly boy

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          1. Nanoelektronicar
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Yeah, but just a bit. I own both Bruno and Salah.

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        3. EmreCan Hustle
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          True.

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        4. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Who cares?

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    2. harrythealien
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Don't see it

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  7. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Never realised how important are 2 bonus points!

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    1. Capocannonieri
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      It will be cut to 1 or 0 by the FPL game managers.

      The official number is not till later.

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  8. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    10 from 3 including (C)

    HELP

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    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Oh, 14 didn't see the bonus lol

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    2. Bushwhacker
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      That'll end up being a high score this week..

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  9. BenDavies
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Those KDB bonus points hurt my rank more than I thought haha let's get them gone please FPL towers.

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  10. Mweene
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I’ve only had Chilwell play so far.

    City massively underwhelming this season. Hopefully my team takes advantage now.

    As I said earlier, Jesus in the scout picks was laughable.

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  11. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    City created more at the end when De Bruyne was deeper, much more threatening team when he does that for me

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  12. KGFC
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Any chance KDB loses his baps? Did pass astray a couple of times and also got dispossessed.

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    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      How dare you!

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      1. KGFC
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Obviously, non owner 😛

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        1. The Polymath
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          So who's your captain?

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          1. KGFC
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Bruno!
            Let's see how it goes... First time owning this season

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    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Doesn't look like it
      Only one dispossession and one shot off target as the deductions

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      1. KGFC
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        I hoped so 🙁

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  13. sergioaguero67
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Which teams have a double gameweek in GW19?

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    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      FPL updated for GW18 and 19.

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    2. Salan
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      You can see it by yourself.

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    3. tafrère
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Look at GW19 on the FPL site.

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  14. onceuponatyne
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Triple City Fail right here.

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  15. Fudgy
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Yano yano yano

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    1. DickFranDyke
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Another short insightful comment from the Fugemeister.YAWN

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  16. Ruinenlust
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    KDB bonus for what?

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    1. FPL_Motty
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      For creating chances

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    2. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Created two big chances at the very end. Close range headers for both Gundogan and Sterling

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    3. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Did you even watch the game?

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    4. tafrère
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Owned and capped by Mark Sutherns lmao.

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    5. Nanoelektronicar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      For ownership 🙂

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      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        haha

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  17. Casual Player
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    2 bps should only go to KdB owners who didn’t spend the whole game in tears and working out how to kneejerk him out of their squad.

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    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      So nobody then

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      1. Casual Player
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Well I'd get them lol

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  18. Digital-Real
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    KDB in with 2 bonus is nothing short of a farce. He misplaced many passes today and had a few shots off target.

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    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Ok

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    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Shush

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    3. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      It’s farcical how someone can take this game as serious as you. Just chill out, he blanked. Mahrez got a bap a week ago, where were you then?

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      1. DickFranDyke
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Crying with his milk?

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  19. Whazza
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Never thought people would complain over KDB 4 points vs WBA 😆 This place sometimes

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  20. ragonian
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Maupay coming off the bench for Az again

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    1. DickFranDyke
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Is why you have a bench!?

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    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Team mascot.

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  21. Casual Player
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    There’s always talk about casuals here - in a derogatory sense - but a lot of people here I’d describe as “smart casuals”. know some underlying stats and roughly how the game works, but you’re still making the same week-to-week kneejerk reactions. Even worse, it bothers you whereas the casual doesn’t care.

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    1. CaptMidnight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Casual haters are such losers. It's so weird they don't mind crying in public.

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  22. Salan
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    It's a disgrace that no bonus points for Johnstone. Horrible bonus points system.

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    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      He got save points mate

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      1. Salan
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        It's another stuff. 6 saves and a key player to get a draw vs Manc. No bonus points?

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        1. Whazza
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          He was one off, tough luck

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  23. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    10 pts from 3. Terrible terrible start to gw

    Only bruno (c) can salvage this cuz everyone has rest of the starting xi

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  24. KGFC
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Have baps been finalized?

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  25. Nanoelektronicar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Big dilemma for KDB owners.

    Tougher opposition, he plays lone number #10 in 4-2-3-1, almost as second striker, the opponent shows some attacking intent which leaves more room for him. He was unlucky to score from open play.

    Easier opposition, he plays the #8/#10 in a 4-3-3, which often turns into him playing deep, almost as full back or center back, assisting the assister. Aguero involvement takes him of penalties.

    Keep or sell?

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    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      He’s better against tougher opposition imo

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      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        It really puts captaincy into question.

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    2. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Kdb still on penos

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      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Will he take them with Aguero on the pitch? I cannot recall if we had that situation before.

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    3. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I'm going to look to offload when aguero is fit and firing. Cheaper route in and frees funds for other spots.

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  26. InterUranus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    The FFScout staff have a lot to answer for this season. Not worth the price of the membership this year.

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    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Huh, the captain sensible article concluded Bruno was on the margin better than KDB...?

      "It must be said that Fernandes does have some slight advantage over poll favourite De Bruyne in the fact that he has more rest time between Gameweek 12 and 13 and Sheffield United are more likely to give up chances in central areas than West Bromwich Albion according to recent defensive data."

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  27. FPL_Motty
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I'm still keeping kdb for the season. All these people crying on here, captain fail blah blah. Thats just the luck of the draw sometimes, but go ahead, sell kdb, ill be happy with his ownership getting lower again. I haven't dropped kdb once from my team all season and he's still not going anywhere. He creates so many chances, city can have off-days but he will still score 200+pts at the end of the season guaranteed. Sucks today but he should have had 2 assists on another day and ill be there when he does

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    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This is true but Kane and Bruno for a million less and Son at 9.6 are so much better value. As well, they are more often in the box. Captaining a player constantly in that #8 role against a low block isn’t fun. His hauls have only came when he’s had penalties. But I will also keep, ‘for now’.

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    2. Nanoelektronicar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      That's true, but City just look off for entire seasons bar few show ups, and is it affordable with Kane, Son, Bruno and Salah, maybe even Vardy in that conversation? It's always KDB vs them for me, not just him in isolation.

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    3. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I think he needs Aguero and Mahrez to have more starts and City to have more leadership to improve his points haul.

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  28. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Time for Stevo to give Dara his chance for World Cup qualifiers.

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  29. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    is 4 pts a blank? or we need at least 5 for captain?

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    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      If you have to ask...

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    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      It's a captain fail regardless.

      I'm fortunate I at least have Bruno didn't also sell Salah for KDB.

      Feel for those that have.

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    3. GENERATION X
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Its like a safety in American Football

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    4. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Zero is a blank. - 1 is a blankety blank.

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  30. WVA
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Ok I've officially turned cr*p at FPL after a pretty good run of finishes, what would you do to this team to avoid 6 red arrows in a row?

    2 FT 0.2 ITB

    Martinez Johnstone
    Justin Lamptey KWP Coufal Mitchell
    Salah KDB Bruno Son Grealish
    DCL Wilson Brewster

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    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Downgrade a keeper and get a Chelsea or Spurs defender in

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      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Can do Justin to Dier and save 1 FT

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        1. Scapegoat Salah
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Can you get Reguilon somehow

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          1. WVA
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Unfortunately not

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    2. Londongeezaa
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      KDB to Kane?

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    3. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Prob just make a defender change

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    4. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I knew my captain would fail as soon as you'd posted you had KDB (C) earlier on.

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      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        I did apologise earlier and I think I gave people time to change it?

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    5. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      We're all crap if that team is.. Would get rid of Wilson or Justin or both

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      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Agree with Justin but not Wilson and will need him for bgw

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    6. Casual Player
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Be patient. There's not much wrong there.

      I guess longer-term you could invest more at the front and back at the expense of the MID. Switch from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3.

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