Dugout Discussion

The Dugout Discussion – Chelsea vs Manchester United

23 October 2016 2420 comments
Paul Paul
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The final fixture of Gameweek 9 sees us pay visit to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea entertain former manager Jose Mourinho and Man United at 4pm.

The home side have chalked up two straight wins and clean sheets since Antonio Conte switched to a 3-4-3 formation, defeating Hull and Leicester in consecutive Premier League fixtures.

Diego Costa is the Blues’ main threat, having scored or assisted in seven of the Blues’ first eight fixtures.

The Spain international sits just one booking short of a single-match suspension, though it’s worth noting that a caution today would see him sit out the midweek EFL Cup clash with West Ham and free him up to face Southampton in Gameweek 10.

Those who have held onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be hoping for signs of a return to form, bearing in mind the Reds then host Burnley next weekend.

The Swede – who is the second most-captained player for Gameweek 9 – has plummeted in price to 11.3 after scoring just one goal in his previous six league outings.

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  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    No yellow for costa

    Hopefully he gets it midweek

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    1. Costa in Wengerland
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Wont play midweek

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  2. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Hmmm might need to get some Chelsea coverage

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  3. Numb
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Worst case scenario for Costa owners - a blank and his ban still hanging over him

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    1. Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      I think I might sell him.

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      1. Numb
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Not sure it would be a priority though

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    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      He might get booked midweek in league cup then

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      1. Numb
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Wouldn't he be banned for the PL game then?

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  4. southernpacific
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Stuck with ibra in my team.

    Got aguero and Lukaku are there any other strikers worth selling to?

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    1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Austin in a few weeks maybe. Other than that not really in terms of pure quality, you'd be looking to free up funds. Costa is a separate entity.

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      1. southernpacific
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Yeah might hold for another week then downgrade to Austin

        Probs do Antonio to lallana this week

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  5. Marcin the Pole
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Thoughts on Firmino to Coutinho? Sideways?

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    1. shirtless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Got both and happy with them.

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  6. BB-8
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    No yellow for Costa? Wtf Conte?

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  7. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    If and when Costa gets injured or banned the Batshuayi guy will be essential

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    1. Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      To cover the one game ban?

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  8. Jimmers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Agent Jose continuing the great work started by Agent LVG

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    1. Fred54
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Its all gone Inception.

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  9. Davido989
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    This clown craze has gone too far. 11 spotted at Stamford Bridge today.

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    1. Del Griffith
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Haha brilliant

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    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Lol

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    3. Lecky Legs FC
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Hahaha

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    4. Sánchez
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      😆

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    5. Syd.
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Circus Master on the side lines 😉

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  10. itwaswritten
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    But I thought Premier League was competitive!!!!!11111!!!!! even during games. What happened?

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    1. Worzel Gummidge
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Can someone please decipher this and rewrite it below please? Thanks.

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        1. itwaswritten
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          All you need to know is that La Ligod IS BETTER!

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        2. devils advocate
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          ITWASWRITTEN is to spelling and grammar, as is what United are at playing football at the moment, so I wouldn't worry about it.

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    2. Sánchez
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      City 20
      Arsenal 20
      Liverpool 20
      Spurs 19
      Chelsea 19

      Don't care what anyone says. PL is better than la liga. Much more competitive.

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      1. Krul Runnings
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Well of course it is

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      2. RMA
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Not saying that you are wrong, but have you even bothered to check la liga standings? Villareal, Atletico, Sevilla all competitive this season.

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      3. Camp No No
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Sevilla 20
        Barcelona 19
        Atleti 18
        Real 18 (1 match less played)
        Villarreal 18 (1 match less played)

        Seems quite as competitive to me in that regard. The big difference is

        Barcelona 4
        City 0

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        1. Ziro
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Nail. Head.

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          1. Sánchez
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            How many of those will genuinely be possible winners? 5 i said all are

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        2. Les Bleus
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          This is new this year in la liga. Not something new in the EPL.

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          1. Camp No No
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            PL last season, distance between 1st and 2nd: 10 points
            La Liga last season, distance between 1st and 2nd: 1 point.

            And yeah, the distance from 1st to 5th was way massive in La Liga, but it's not as if that was the standard. 2014/2015, difference from 1st to 5th, 20 points in La Liga, 23 points in PL. And 2nd and 3rd still in closer distance to 1st in La Liga.

            There's also the fact that PL literally lacks a mid table. It is proven to be precisely very unequal in the standard measure which is reversion to mean: will the points, during the season, revert to mean, or divert from it. In PL, they divert from it, meaning that the low table of the league is distanced from the top half by a gap, whereas in most leagues, like La Liga, the teams close to bottom also remain in hitting distance from the top half, and those in higher bottom half often in hitting distance from EL spots, and teams move between top and bottom halves.

            http://statsbomb.com/2016/01/is-the-premier-league-a-level-playing-field/

            This could be changing as the money is in such an abundance in PL now that though the difference of wealth between, say ManU and Leicester, is still immense (well, check last season at least), it means less because the absolute wealth of even the poorest PL clubs is so crazy compared to other leagues that they can afford players good enough that it gets difficult to make a big difference to that.

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            1. Camp No No
              • 12 Years
              9 years, 2 months ago

              Sheet. There goes two things bundled a bit in that piece of writing:

              1. the distance between the top and bottom table is huge
              2. the teams remain in the part of the table where they've been.

              So, you seethe latter pretty well in La Liga as well. But, say, in Bundesliga and Ligue 1 there's more movement season to season. And then, in each of these, there's no such bottom-6 or bottom-8 as in PL, that would during the season get massively distanced from the top half of the league.

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        3. Sánchez
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          We all know which teams might win though not aleti or Seville btw

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          1. Dr Van Nostrand
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            Atleti won the league a couple years ago and could easily do so again

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        4. itwaswritten
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Ooops. CLOCKED!

          Poor P (L) fans.

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      4. devils advocate
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Captain Obvious, is that you?

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      5. itwaswritten
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Sevilla 20
        Barcelona 19
        Atletico Madrid 18
        Real Madrid 18
        Villarreal 17

        IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE IF THESE ENGLISH CLUBS COME GET ALL THESE AMAZING PLAYERS.

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        1. itwaswritten
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          DIDN'T COME*

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      6. Epic Fail
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        The Championship is more competitive.

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      7. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        And if Barcelona or real were here they would still be on top by 6 pts.

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        1. Chenku╰☆╮
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          And look at who won Europa league last 2 times EPL teams can't even win that. I like EPL but Spanish league so much better.

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      8. Dr Van Nostrand
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        nah La Liga teams consistently beat Prem teams and the big 3 in Spain are all easily better than any Prem team lately

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    3. Fred54
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Are we sure Conte is Italian? Not every Italian of him...

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      1. devils advocate
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        You want to try that again in English this time?

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    4. columbo
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Hazard and Antonio to Firmino and Coutinho or not please? No other pool coverage. 2 FT's.

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      1. Coaly
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Keep hazard

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        1. columbo
          • 15 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Can't afford any other pool asset without him or Sanchez going

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    5. Spg76
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      I'm thinking a Pickford Lloris rotation. Pickford Foster not working out. WBA threaten C sheets but never pull them off

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      1. Hibbo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Haha what does Pickford do exactly?

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        1. Spg76
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Had a spell where he was picking up baps and he's only 4M.

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    6. AlCapwnUK
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      looking at 46 points once all is said and done. Seems ok, not great, not terrible.

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      1. GHB
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Not great.

        Yawn

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      2. jurgenklopp.8
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        37...

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    7. Licky
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Remember when United fans were singing 'are you watching Liverpool?' week one against Bournemouth... 😆

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      1. devils advocate
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Remember when Liverpool use to play like this?

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        1. jurgenklopp.8
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          remember when united were good?

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    8. Bolivian Seaman
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Ooo

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    9. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Commentator says United just playing for pride now, lol.

      If only they started playing that way. 🙁

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    10. Original Sin
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      at least 1 goal to ruin chelsea CS

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    11. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Utd back down to 7th in the table

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    12. Syd.
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Lovely from Ibra

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      1. devils advocate
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Still level with Aguero this gw then? 🙂

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    13. El-Kloppico
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      WTF Conte.
      Couldn't you wait for Costa's YC???

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      1. Licky
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Maybe he'll start a fight from the bench?

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    14. Mario Balofail
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Hello Zlatan. Welcome to PL 🙂

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      1. El-Kloppico
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        What about the World record signing?

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    15. JÆKS ⭐
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      I think I'm just going to ignore fixtures for attacking players now....

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    16. Lecky Legs FC
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      35 pts all out if Costa doesn't score please Diego just an assist at least.

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      1. Krul Runnings
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        He's not on the pitch I'm afraid old chum

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        1. Lecky Legs FC
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Sorry went for a tinker must of missed s**t GW this 🙁

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      2. Fred54
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        He's not even on the pitch mate.

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        1. Lecky Legs FC
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Solid CS banked then haha

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      3. Werkself
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        he's off

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      4. Granville
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Wont happen now, he's been subbed

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      5. El-Kloppico
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Already on the bench!

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      6. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        😆

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      7. Syd.
        • 16 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        He was subbed 5 minutes ago

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      8. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        He might come back on

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        1. AnfieldLad
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          hhahahahah

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      9. Numb
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        People love delivering bad news

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        1. Lecky Legs FC
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Yeah had about ten people tell me he's gone off imagine these lot are bad news bearers 😉

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      10. Lawrø
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        He's no longer playing

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    17. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Europa league curse continues for English sides

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      1. Syd.
        • 16 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Wont be a problem next season

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      2. George Sillett
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        It's not down to that it's just because MUFC are crap and Jose has lost the plot.

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    18. Total Foot 5
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Baines: anyone keeping baines ag WHU? hes on 78% to drop also

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      1. Hibbo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Baines hasn't touched leather in weeks.

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      2. Volley127
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Think I'm gonna swap to lovren. Can't be bothered waiting again just to see him not started.

        Especially with Amat and Mcauley on my bench next gw.

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        1. Total Foot 5
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          yep. he might be slowly bak 9into gw with a 45 min cameo.

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    19. thep025
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Considering the high ownership of utd def among casuals, a united decimation is always good for rank

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    20. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Utd do realise Chelsea centerbacks where Cahill and Luiz. Arsenal and Liverpool already torn them apart this season.

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      1. Licky
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Get it wide get it in.

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        1. Fred54
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          This United team is starting to remind me of Chelsea last year.

          I wonder why.

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          1. devils advocate
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            Hard to argue with that. 🙁

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      2. El-Kloppico
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Because ARS and LIV attack..
        ManU came to park the bus but CHE explosed it within 30 sec.

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      3. Dr Van Nostrand
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        that was before the switch to 3-5-2 that has worked a charm

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    21. Ruth_NZ
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      OK, looking at it rationally... 13m is too much for someone you won't be captaining.

      Pep's City aren't being built around Aguero and Kun's confidence looks like it has taken a hit after being told to change his game by his manager, missing 2 penalties in a week, criticism in Argentina for poor performances and 2 successive benchings by Guardiola which clearly indicate that he is not considered to be essential and won't have helped his state of mind.

      GW10 City have WBA (h) but I identified that a month ago as a potential rotation game for Aguero with Barça (h) the following Tuesday. Of course that depends whether Pep actually intends to start Aguero against Barça. Sanchez/Walcott @ Sunderland and Lukaku v West Ham (h) look viable alternative captains.

      GW11 City have Boro (h), that's an old-time Aguero (c) banker. But can we trust an old-time Aguero performance? Liverpool at home to Watford offer viable alternatives this week.

      GW12 Palace (a) looks a traditional good (c) fixture for Aguero too. Costa @ Boro and Lukaku v Swansea (h) seem decent alternatives.

      GW13 City @ Burnley - well you probably wouldn't captain Aguero for that even if there was no selection/form doubt, not when Arsenal and Liverpool have home games against Bournemouth and Sunderland.

      Aguero was started by 58% of the top 10k this week and his effective ownership was 75%. Those aren't numbers that will kill you if you get it wrong. Hurt, yes. Kill, no. And they will start to edge down.

      I think I am beginning to think the unthinkable. 😕

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      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Could we get a tl;dr?

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        1. COYS Down Under
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Sell Aguero, he's replaceable at least in the short term.

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      2. Hibbo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        You had me at rationally.

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      3. Over Midwicket
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Great stuff as usual.

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      4. Ziro
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Hopefully most sell him.

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      5. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        There's no real alternative tbf

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        1. Numb
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          No direct alternative but a cheaper player allows upgrades else where

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        2. Ruth_NZ
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          I know. Not as a 1-1 replacement anyway.

          Question is whether you are willing to re-shape your squad.

          In a sense, I'm not even at the "what shall I do?" stage. I'm only beginning to realise that I need to consider non-Aguero options.

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      6. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Keep him until international break. Brings plenty of scope for upgrades after that and time to identify a replacement for him.

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      7. Numb
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        I think people are still in denial that he is no longer as essential as he was, say, last season. It will take a few more weeks to convince people.

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      8. JÆKS ⭐
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        The only problem is that Kane isn't fit yet and Costa is still on 4 yc, think I will be keeping until one of those 2 are good to bring in

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      9. devils advocate
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Can someone send me the short hand version of this post after they read it thanks? 🙂

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        1. Ruth_NZ
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          A) Keep Aguero?
          B) Sell Aguero?

          No reasoning required, first to 5 votes wins.

          That suit you better?

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          1. devils advocate
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            I refuse to respond to you if you don't finish your comments to me with your customary patronizing 'sad face' or 'perplexed face' emojis.

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            1. Ruth_NZ
              • 10 Years
              9 years, 2 months ago

              😕

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              1. devils advocate
                • 11 Years
                9 years, 2 months ago

                That's the one! 🙂

                In response to your question, I choose to plead the 5th. 😉

                Just my opinion of course, but I find your posts to be unnecessarily long winded considering all you really do is state the bleeding obvious in an articulate manner that has most simpletons fooled. 🙂

                No offense, but I'm yet to see a post from you that isn't basically common knowledge communicated in 2,000 words or more. 😉

                Fair play to you though, some people love it!

                (Good win today by your lads. Too good in every area. Hats off 😉 )

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      10. Valencia's Left Foot
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Interesting, Ruth. Worth pondering.

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