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17 September 2011 2286 comments
Andy Andy
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The Fantasy Games have updated and another weekend of disappointment begins now.

Missed penalties, red cards, disallowed goals and all sorts of contentious decisions – they’re all coming the way of the intrepid misbegotten Fantasy Manager. To help everyone through this hardship we’ve opened up our Saturday edition of the Dugout Discussion so like minded souls can wallow together. At least until someone turns up at five o’clock and casually mentions how they’ve got a “measly” 100 point haul.

We begin with Arsenal at Blackburn. Most notably Yakubu starts for Rovers while Theo Walcott sits out for the Gunners. Line-ups in full are…

Blackburn XI: Robinson;, Salgado, Dann, Samba, Givet; Hoilett, Nzonzi, Lowe, Rochina, Formica; Yakubu

Arsenal XI: Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Santos Song, Arteta, Ramsey; Gervinho, Arshavin, Van Persie

After the dust has settled on that tie we’ll have five more match-ups at three o’clock including Leighton Baines at home against Wigan, Swansea still awaiting their first ever Premier League goal and Kevin Davies and Grant Holt duking out a battle of the gargantuan strikers.

Plenty to keep you busy on a Saturday afternoon and the Dugout Discussion will be here for it all.

Andy Leicester won the Premier League. Leicester. Premier League. What is this life? Follow them on Twitter

  1. dierstraights
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    next week walcott -> mata
    i'll keep RVP i guess 🙁

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  2. SkyByBo
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    No hunt today.............. More great news to go along with my genius pick mertesacker!

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  3. rohan
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    IN ARSENE, ARSENAL SUPPORTERS TRUST...LOL

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  4. FC Tinker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Argh. RVP (c) fail.

    Then again Arteta 7 + RVP 10 is a lot better start then I've had in the first 4 rounds...

    Maybe I'll make it into the top 1,000,000 by end of season!

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    1. O Fenomeno
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      A 5 point captain is not to be sniffed at.

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    2. User
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      5 points for RVP (C) isn't bad at all - 1 point Walcott (C) on the other hand is. :S

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  5. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Brunt on the bench, really hope he doesn't feature at all.

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  6. Hated, Adored but never Ign…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Why did Mer Pertesacker have to miss that header at the end. At least Ramsey is coming off my bench because Danny Graham is not in the squad. Anyone know why?

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  7. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    alright then let me have it.
    amazed it took only 20 minutes for the two players i defended at half time to score own goals.
    HAD. A. MARE.

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    1. Granville
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Koscielny is just awful, no better than last year.

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      1. applebonkers
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        he had a shocking game. still think he's not as bad as people make out

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      2. Declan
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        French 2nd division player.....

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      3. AP
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        .+1

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        1. louie1
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          koscielny was appalling and even capped an awful performance with an own goal. bringing djourou on vs hoilett's pace also shows how weak our squad is defensively, i would have preferred eboue tbh...despite all this a back five of sczny, sagna, mertesacker, verminator and santos could be alright, if they are ever fit...

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    2. Attila the Bum
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Lulz.

      For the record if Forward Thinking was still running I would have picked the Yak. Honest.

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      1. applebonkers
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        ha, might need to alter his multiplier for next week.
        i'm surprised he's not in big dunc's differential article, he picked out gervinho and normally plucks out a gem like yakubu too

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  8. SkyByBo
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Arsenal are dreadful. Santon was woeful today as were the rest of the defence. How Arshavin is still getting a place in the team is beyond me. Wenger has lost the plot.

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    1. Kostja
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      I dont get it either. The offense looked way better with Walcott on the pitch. I dont understand why he was benched.

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    2. yeahbuddy
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Defence sucks and too many passes are just giving the ball away to the opposition, i mean look where u pass!

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    3. Jax
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      santos you mean...

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  9. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    So far, 1 played, 1 point. Not a good start, but at least Ward(c) is up front 🙂

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    1. tajulariff
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      +1

      we're in the same boat.. Walcott 1 point.. 😀

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  10. AP
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Gary Cahill was the biggest winner of that game .

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    1. Declan
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Nice catch!

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    2. Admiral Stark
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      lol

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    3. Waldaz
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      That's ab's trademark. 😉

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    4. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      i'll choke on my koscielny humble pie today ap if you choke on your fabregas and nasri one. i'd even argue fabregas was arsenal's best defensive player simply because if you have the ball you can't concede.
      even worse for gooners i can see spurs getting 4th this season

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      1. Declan
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Ha! Spurs 4th

        Citeh
        United
        Chelsea
        Liverpool
        Spurs

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      2. AP
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Tell you what going by today Fabregas could be the best player in the world if he was the difference between that shambles and 4th place. Nasri - no. He was massively overrated after that 1/2 season. Also, did you miss my fullstop?

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        1. applebonkers
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          i saw it 🙂 . you made my rookie error of leaving a space between the full stop and the last word.
          i just mean in general, i had a mare with my half time comments. was about 90 seconds between saying something complimentary about song and his own goal. that's probably his first own goal in 5 years of football, yet 90 seconds is all it took for me.

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  11. The Finnisher
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Didnt most RVP owners say "If he doesnt score this week at Blackburn im selling" ?

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      they say that every week...

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    2. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      I was going to sell him either way.

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      1. louie1
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        be fair to the man he had 2 headers well saved by robinson, a stiff shot from the right hand side well saved by robinson, earned an assist and could have had a great goal if gervinho had looked up and passed, I for one am definitely keeping him for next week on another day he could have had a hatful of points...

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    3. tajulariff
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      wait for another 5 weeks.. LOL...

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  12. mr. inconspicuous
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Derby beating forest with 10 men brilliant !

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  13. Optimus.
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    rvp owners keeping or selling for aguera if you dont have?

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    1. Cheggers
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      You might as well keep him for Bolton at home, sell after that.

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    2. SkyByBo
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Im selling him to adebayor so i can bring in mata for hunt.

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      1. Gavin - Gers in turmoil!!!
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Same here, RVP and Brunt out Mata and Adebayor in

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    3. Andy
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      No chance.

      Arsenal are... iffy, definitely, but with [BOL, tot, SUN, STK] coming up I'd have to have a lobotomy for me to want to "waste" a transfer on that. He'll get points.

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      1. Feanor
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Agree.

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      2. The Holy One
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        +1

        Arsenal scored 3 goals today. Their attack isn't really the problem.

        However if anyone have a Arsenal defender, that might be worth a transfer.

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      3. Attila the Bum
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Sense.

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      4. SkyByBo
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        We were saying the same before SWANSEA Blackburn too wernt we? Hes too expensive, in terrible form, in a team in possibly the worst form in the league and there are better options elsewhere.

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        1. Andy
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          If I didn't have him would I buy him now? Maybe not. If I had him (I do) I wouldn't dream of considering selling him right now.

          They are two incredibly different scenarios. Selling Van Persie would be lunacy in my book.

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        2. bunk_medal
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          He doesn't look much different from how he looked last season to be honest. Got an assist today, had at least two great efforts thwarted by good saves, scored one in midweek against Dortmund with a good finish.

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          1. louie1
            • 15 Years
            14 years, 3 months ago

            agree and see my post above, had three good efforts well saved earned an assist and would have scored if gervinho could look up...madness to sell rvp

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    4. Drip Doctor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Undecided, can i really go into next GW without Chica or Rooney?

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      1. super zlatan
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Nope

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    5. eviemonkey
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Keeping and will re-assess after BOL

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    6. The Laughing Man
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Keeping RVP for Arsenals match against Bolton, then he's out for me to get Rooney for Man U's match against Norwich.

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      1. jimmythegent
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Im sticking with Van Persie.

        The service to him was awful today.
        Gervinho is a headless chicken and could have set RVP up many times.

        He is a world class striker surrounded by a team that are gelling. I trust the goals will start up again soon.... i wont dare captain him though!

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        1. The Laughing Man
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          Ya if Walcott had started in place of Gervinho I think Van Persie would have atleast gotten 1 today if not more.

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  14. BT31 - WE ARE ALL TINKERMEN…
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    arteta 7points any chance of him getting any bonus??
    Also anyone know if ward is playing up front or in defence??

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    1. Granville
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      He was top Arsenal player in the Metro game so there is a small chance, but normally the winning team will pick them up all all the bps. Obviously Yak will get 3, but there weren't any other Blackburn scorers, so not sure.

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      1. GREENDREAMS11
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        maybe robinson might get something as well

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  15. SOM.... This is Fellaini�…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Bets?

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    1. comeondieyoung
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      southend, swindon, reading, morecambe, sheff utd 30/1

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    2. O Fenomeno
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Bradford +1 away to Crawley.

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      1. O Fenomeno
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        And a single on Newcastle, Come on the Toon!!

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  16. Just One More Thing
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Needless to say that I won't be investing in a Blackburn or Arsenal defender this season. The hitherto untouchable Wenger needs to turn the corner soon (not that I am that concerned if he doesn't).

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  17. Spoiler
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    anyone know where ward is playing?

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Up front 🙂 Did you captain?

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      1. Spoiler
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        no.

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      2. viewoftheland
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Come on captain Wardy!

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      3. BT31 - WE ARE ALL TINKERMEN…
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        yes good news i've captained him 🙂

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        1. Piggs Boson
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          Yay! There are 'others' 🙂 Ward ftw!

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          1. viewoftheland
            • 14 Years
            14 years, 3 months ago

            Cult of Ward!

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  18. Clintymints
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    I'd 4-3 to be an Arsenal fan

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    1. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      😀

      4rs3nal

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      1. Granville
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        hehe. Stole that one. Cheers.

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        1. 1966 was a great year for E…
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          Is there any way to see Mark's slot on that internet TV show?

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    2. Robin Van Persie's Nip…
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      I laughed at this

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  19. exammy
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Grant holt you stay on that norwich bench

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    1. Clintymints
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      if he comes off the bench, im quitting

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    2. O Fenomeno
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Is Hoolahan starting?

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  20. The Finnisher
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Young and Walcott > VDV and Mata next week for my 2 free's, that's the plan so far anyway 😉

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

    Was Yakubu on the captain's poll? 🙂

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  22. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Worst CB pairing in the PL?

    Kos n Mertz.

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    1. eviemonkey
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Santos at left-back was woeful as well

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

      Very difficult to spell as well Cahill and Samba would have been much better and easier to spell.

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    3. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      kos was supreme v newcastle and good v swansea. no defending todays' performance, it wasn't even the own goal it was getting caught under the ball for yakubu's second and numerous times getting robbed of possession in the first half.

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  23. Wasabi Jim
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Mertesacker - lanky slow and awkward

    Santos - looks like any old LB will do after Clichy sale!

    Koscielny - one good season in france clearly dosent make you a good player, looks so lost without Vermaelen

    Arshavin - totally not interested anymore

    Benayoun - not the caliber of player we should be signing, need a lot more after your losing 2 of the best attacking mids in the world!

    Squillaci - LOL

    the list goes on....

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    1. The Finnisher
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Santos just needs to improve his fitness

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      1. Wasabi Jim
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        hope so bud, maybe im being unesscasarily harsh but im still thinking wtf!!! you a gooner jack?

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        1. The Finnisher
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          Yeah, I'm just trying to stay positive!! haha
          We need a major overhaul come January IMO

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          1. Wasabi Jim
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 3 months ago

            agreed!!! hope they have a contingency plan for no champions league revenue next year!!!

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    2. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      RVP - not a good captain choice

      Walcott - just a weird player. Flashes of something good, but mainly crap decision-making

      I like the goalkeeper though.

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    3. Drip Doctor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      To be honest, Mertasacker may aswell not be here, i havn't seen him make a block, tackle or clear a set piece. It's bascially Koscielny on his own. Why buy him if we are going to play a Zone defence, makes no sense, he was nowhere near Samba on any corners or free kicks.

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      1. Wasabi Jim
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Samba's the player we should of bought...or Jags.....or Cahill, seems like we took the cheap option!

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      2. Declan
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        panic buy, simple as that!

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        1. Wasabi Jim
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          +1,000,000,000

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          1. denial
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 16 Years
            14 years, 3 months ago

            Scott Dann would've been a better option than the German.

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            1. Wasabi Jim
              • 16 Years
              14 years, 3 months ago

              yeah defo denial, woulda taken him aswell! we really do have the whos who of crap defenders (Vermaelen excluded) adams keown dixon bould and winterburn will be crying somewhere right now!!

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  24. Jinswick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Andy Townsend massively slagging off Wenger on Showsports. "That was 100% Arsene Wenger's fault today. Nobody else". Don't completely agree with that (Koscielny, Mertesacker, Djourou etc were all shocking), but i have to be honest, I'm starting to question Wenger's position at the club.

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    1. Wasabi Jim
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      me two, i feel guilty saying it though :-/

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  25. @ImpressiveTackl
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    New strategy:

    Captain the striker up against that Arsenal defence?

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    1. Maz
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      😀

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    2. Andy
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      David N'Here we Gog.

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

    Wolves all-irish front two a bohs man and cork city man.

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  27. Gargamel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Honestly, that was a penalty for Arsenal in the last attack. The ref took the easy way out there judging that Walcott shot it and therefore had no intent to reach it after the shot.

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    1. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      no pen imo (have only seen 1 brief replay, will look again tonight). i thought robinson got a touch on the shot then had no chance of getting out the way, especially on a drenched pitch.

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      1. O Fenomeno
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        He didn't get a touch on ball but there was no contact with Walcott either, no penalty.

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        1. Royal5
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          Clear penalty.

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    2. Hated, Adored but never Ign…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Dunno, also surely Walcott should have tried to round the keeper. Most chance of scoring and winning a pen that way. No football brain whatsoever

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      1. Gargamel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Very much this. Plenty of players get a penalty out of that situation 9 times out of 10.

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        1. applebonkers
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          no we should rephrase this as no football cheating brain whatsoever 😉

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      2. O Fenomeno
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        + 1

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  28. Bartowski
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Is Steve Kean really small or was that interviewer really tall?!

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    1. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      hahaha he seems to do this in every interview! I think he just stares at space above the interviewers head

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  29. Locarno
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    I feel sorry for Arsenal. They've been dealing with the 8-2 wordplay jokes 4-3 weeks now.

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    1. O Fenomeno
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Nice. 🙂

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    2. Gargamel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      hahahaha

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      1. denial
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Yep, very good.

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    3. Attila the Bum
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      😆

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    4. AP
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      lolsies.

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

      hahahah, very good

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    6. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      loool

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  30. GinjaWhinja
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 3 months ago

    Walcott out....but for who (9.8 to spend)
    VDV, Adam, Nani (if he drops) or downgrade?

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    1. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Mata or VDV

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    2. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Mata

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    3. O Fenomeno
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      VDV.

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    4. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 3 months ago

      Mata?

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      1. The Finnisher
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Im getting Mata and VDV in this week, so dont get either 😉

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        1. denial
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          14 years, 3 months ago

          I prefer Barndoor to VDV at the moment. VDV is a hamstring waiting to go.

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      2. GinjaWhinja
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 3 months ago

        Got Mata and Silva already...

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