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Arteta explains Leno benching as ill Aubameyang misses out again

18 April 2021 506 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Arsenal v Fulham is one of just two Premier League matches that takes place on a less-busy-than-usual Sunday.

Kick-off at the Emirates is at 13:30 BST.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) isn’t part of the Arsenal matchday squad, with the Gunners confirming on Saturday that he “will continue to be supported and assessed by the medical team in the coming days” after contracting malaria.

Martin Odegaard (£5.9m) also misses out with an ankle issue but “is hoping to be back in light training next week”.

Aubameyang’s absence means a fifth successive competitive start for the in-form Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m), who has six Fantasy Premier League attacking returns in as many top-flight appearances.

The Frenchman was the fourth most-bought player of Gameweek 32, attracting 270,608 transfers in.

Mikel Arteta makes five changes to the Arsenal side that started the 3-0 win over Sheffield United, with a benching for Bernd Leno (£5.0m) the most eye-catching decision.

Mat Ryan (£4.1m) starts in goal for the hosts this afternoon, with Hector Bellerin (£5.0m), Gabriel (£4.9m), Mohamed Elneny (£4.2m) and Emile Smith Rowe (£4.2m) also recalled.

Thomas Partey (£4.9m), Nicolas Pepe (£7.6m), Calum Chambers (£4.5m) and Pablo Mari (£4.4m) drop to the bench.

Arteta explained his line-up ahead of kick-off:

It’s rotation, it’s precaution, there are players who haven’t recovered from the [Slavia] game and we have to be very careful because we don’t want to lose them.

And then there are others who deserve to play, for example like Mat [Ryan] in goal. He trains like a beast, he’s been really positive around the place, he’s doing really well and he deserves a chance.

Scott Parker has matched his opposite number and made five changes to his starting XI.

Kenny Tete (£4.3m) and Terence Kongolo (£4.3m) are among the quintet to make way, with the former testing positive for COVID-19 and the latter out for the season with a knee injury.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£5.5m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) and Harrison Reed (£4.4m) drop to the bench, meanwhile.

Ademola Lookman is back from injury and starts, while Tosin Adarabioyo (£4.5m), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (£4.5m), Josh Maja (£5.3m) and Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.3m) are also thrown back into the fray.

This is the reverse fixture of the Gameweek 1 clash at Craven Cottage, a match that the Gunners won 3-0.

Arsenal XI: Ryan, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Saka, Ceballos, Elneny, Xhaka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Lacazette.

Fulham XI: Areola, Aina, Andersen, Robinson, Zambo Anguissa, De Cordova-Reid, Adarabioyo, Cavaleiro, Lemina, Lookman, Maja.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 32 SO FAR…

Latest update on Kane’s ankle injury after double-digit haul at Everton
Lingard limps off as Cresswell absence affects West Ham’s attack and defence

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506 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Holmes
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Henderson, Shaw, Wan Bias, Maguire, Lindelof, Fred, McTominay, Pogba, Bruno, Rashford, Greenwood

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

      Cavani benching is strange

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      1. Thomas Magnum
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Can only presume it’s due to his injury history this season and playing in the EL, in saying that his minutes were managed in that. As long as it’s not injury which it shouldn’t be it’s fine. Him fresh for Leeds next week would be great

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    2. Moderately content penguin
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      That doesn't make things any easier

      Looks like Pogba playing further cup again and a choice between Greenwood and Cavani. Unless you punt Pogba - very 2019 that

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  2. LewanGOALski
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Laca came off injured..?
    Bought him & Lingz this week 😀

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  3. The 12th Man
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Son,Lacazette >> Salah,Benteke?

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    1. Moderately content penguin
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Form forward of course - good hamstrings too 🙂

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      1. The 12th Man
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Wouldn’t need Tekkers every week.

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    2. Moderately content penguin
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      My Tekkers move this week would be from Kane 🙂

      Salah would be coming the other way so not complete nonsense if Kane is out.

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  4. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    man that's really annoying with all the injuries so far
    any idea who to replace Laca with? Already got Kane and Nacho and about 9.2 in the bank

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

      Watkins

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      1. Chalobah's Witness
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        for shizzle?

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  5. fr3d
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Why are people coming to FFS to comment on F1?

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Maybe Arsenal fans feeling like they watching car crash ?

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    2. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Lacazette's screams sound like the cars whizzing by

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

      Because this is a lads club for lads that like lad things. Phwoar!... Jules Breach. Phwoar!... Sound of a car. Etc

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    4. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I’m happy to talk about any sport at any time

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      1. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Phwoar!... what a mustache!

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        1. Thomas Magnum
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Thank you! Wait until you see my car, Ferrari 308 (I know a cultured man like you would like it), I was the talk of the town in Oahu, Hawaii in the 80’s... great times!

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          1. Deulofail
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            An impressive man!
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pmjd3l5NHQ

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            1. Thomas Magnum
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Classic! Alright, alright, alright

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

    Damn it Holding:(

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  7. HellasLEAF
    • 17 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Can't believe I brought the Bum Leno in as 2nd keeper and he is benched out of the blue. Plus Holding.

    Never trusting Arsenal again this year poor decisions.

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    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      You say Bum Leno like its his actual name :p

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    2. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Almost went Leno, but decided on Lloris at the last minute, so I totally hear you.

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  8. AM9
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Ffs benched Areola last minute

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    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Aina coming in for DCL

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  9. Weeb Kakashi
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Cavani benched. WC fail till now.

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  10. FantasyTony
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I don't think Arteta is a top manager but to be fair to him the squad just isn't there and my major criticism of him would I don't think it's building towards anything. Really reminds of Rogers Liverpool the season after they lost Suarez.

    I know he signed a new contract but surely Saka will be looking elsewhere if they continue over the next few years.

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

      The squad is better than West Ham/Everton, similar level to Spurs/Leicester. As you say it just doesn’t look like he’s building towards anything.

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      1. JONALDINHO
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Spurs and Leicester have much better squads

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    2. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I think there's a lot of quality on the pitch. A few mediocres, but enough to take the game to the opponent and avoid defeats.

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    3. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Just question some of their recent signings, lots of money for Pepe, Willian (albeit guess that was a free) and even Saliba, I remember he was the talk of the town at the start of the season (I fell for the hype) they spent lots of money on him and he never even featured on the bench once

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    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Yep true

      It’s also mad that Emery actually had slightly better results than Arteta during his tenure

      And even madder that Wengers final 50 games were in turn slightly better than Emery’s

      You really have to hand it to Arsenal’s board to oversee that type of decline for so long now, impeccable consistency from them tbf

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

        Emery was sacked for nothing compared with this.

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        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          He lost the dressing room, as they say. There was no possibility of improving.

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    5. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      The squad is there other than a backup LB. I have assumed Odegaard will go back to Madrid and Arsenal won't be able to buy him.

      Leno
      Bellerin Holding Mari Tierney
      Elneny Partey
      Saka Smith-Rowe Martinelli
      Aubameyang

      Ryan
      Soares Chambers Gabriel ?????
      Xhaka Luiz
      Pepe Ceballos Willian
      Lacazette

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    6. FantasyTony
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      If you were to rebuild arsenal, I don't even know which players you'd say "well we have to keep him".

      The younger players, I guess because you'd hope they'd kick on but other than Tierney and Saka, I think you'd be comfortable showing most of them the door.

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    7. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Although the other thing is - it’s not for want of spending money either

      They have one of the most expensive front 3’s in european football in Auba - 56m, Pepe - 72m (omfg) & Laca - 46.5m

      Throw in 45m on Partey, 40m on Xhaka, 37m on Mustafi, 27m on Saliba, 25m on Torreira...

      That’s 350m spent right there

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  11. Party time
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Arteta is not the Messiah

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    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      This is why I’m not for signing club legends as managers, especially when they’re mostly unproven

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

    Massive bench boost fail with Mendy and Cavani.

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  13. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Competitive finish is out of sight. Brothers head to head all that’s left to play for.

    He (stupidly) (c) KDB (vc) Kane and going to get Aina off bench..

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  14. Moderately content penguin
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Looking at the progression of this week short odds now on Jota benching.

    He looked the most vulnerable of the template at the start of this week - he wouldn't be in it had his returns in 30 and 31 been reversed.

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    1. Chalobah's Witness
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Jota is the perfect kind of player to score a brace against a defence like Leeds

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  15. JBG
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I hate Fulham and Arsenal... Played Areola last GW, no CS.. Benched Areola this GW, most likely CS. Ffs.

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    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Rotating your keepers is a recipe for frustration - just have 1

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      1. JBG
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Thats my plan, but I can't get Areola out, had injuries that I have been prioritizing ahead of getting him out.

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        1. Utopsis
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Well, until you do, despite the fixture temptation, just set and forget one

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  16. Nomar
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I actually thought Arsenal were better than this but watching this game they are pretty poor aren't they.

    How the mighty have fallen!

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  17. el polako
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Bukayo Saka is too good and too driven to be playing for Arsenal, would happily welcome him at West Ham next season.

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    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah him and Lings would bring the trophy hone.

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  18. ☈☾
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Why did bitcoin crash?

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    1. fusen
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Because it's extremely volatile and drips occur all the time. There are 3 popular ideas for this latest dip but no one truly knows

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      1. ☈☾
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        I know about two. What's the third one?

        Turkey ban and US treasury fines

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        1. @persecuted_by_mods
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Third one is me buying some right before the crash

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        2. fusen
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Chinese power outage knocked something like 30% of all mining operations out for a couple of hours.

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    2. KAALI_DAAL
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Cause it wanted to get its parents attention.

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    3. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      It's not real

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    4. HellasLEAF
      • 17 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Money laundering crackdown apparently

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    5. Londongeezaa
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Regulation can and will crash crypto’s overnight.

      And no, that’s not a Spurs defender.

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    6. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 5 months ago

      US treasury talking about stopping money laundering and Turkey banned it I think

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    7. Kane and Ablett
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Because it’s is worthless and costs a fortune to create, it’ll be worthless one day but until then some lucky people and criminals will make a lot of money and some mugs will lose a load, it’s not even a good distributed ledger but as long as it’s advertised on Facebook some people will have a gamble

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    8. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Also, why has dogecoin increased so much?!

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    9. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      itll rise back in no time... It so volatile you just have to take the up and downs as they come

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  19. KAALI_DAAL
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Areola gets a YC.

    For showing his nipple.

    What a plit twist that would be.

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    1. ☈☾
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      That should be red innit

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      1. ☈☾
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        IYKWIM 😉

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  20. KadMan
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Nipple 3 saves

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  21. Londongeezaa
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rumours are we will be getting a Hamstring chip for next season.

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

      Does that activate hamstring injury?

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    2. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Chip called new bench, when all 3 of the players on your bench are red flagged you can sell them all without a hit!

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

      You get to give hammy to a player?

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    4. el polako
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      If you keep Antonio for 3 months you'll get an extra one.

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  22. Kane and Ablett
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lacazette went off injured, and Kane and JLing, sounds like Mendy has been dropped and Spurs and City blank next week, that could be six out of my squad next week and I’ve only got 2 FTs.... there could be a lot of hits taken on Friday

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    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Wild Card.

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  23. MrZ
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Cmon areola, lose that CS like you did vs wolves when i started you!

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

      You got your wish

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  24. Nomar
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I think I should just avoid Arsenal players completely in FPL.

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    1. Nightcrawler
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Only arsenal player in fpl ive had in the past 3 years is auba

      There was a time when i had 3 players all the time in the days of sanchez walcott koscielny

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  25. KadMan
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    When did Areola get the YC? Just checked Sofa Score and he hasn't gotten one but FPL says he has.

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  26. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Nketiah G

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  27. Sandy Ravage
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Hodling FTW?

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  28. Moderately content penguin
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Burnley could yet be in a spot of bother and the GW35 game with Fulham could make it really quite tight if Fulham win and Burnley don't do anything before then.

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  29. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Oh Fulham...

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    1. Moderately content penguin
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Oh Fulham

      Count all those draws and lost points

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  30. Gazwaz80
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    WOW!!

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