The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Preamble
17 March 2012 1555 comments
Mark Mark
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While the fixture list lies ravaged by FA Cup distraction, our morning stroll is no less urgent and worry-strewn – and it’s all centred on the United camp.

What’s all this talk of a Wayne Rooney knock? What’s going on with Antonio Valencia and Nani? Is Sir Alex really going to contemplating resting Ashley Young at Wolves?

We won’t get all the answers until tomorrow’s kick-off but, for now, we can turn to those most likely to be in the know. Those most likely to have the inside track on Ferguson’s thinking.

Walk with me while I sift through the press boy’s morning lineups…

The Guardian start us off with Wayne Rooney safely snuggled in the lineup but marked as a doubt. Ashley Young is given the left-flank role, with Nani seemingly fit and recalled to the right flank. There’s no place for Phil Jones, as Rafael takes on the right-back role.

The Telegraph also have Rooney up front, playing in a 4-3-3 with both Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez starting. Ashley Young is included, with Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes in the midfield. There’s no place for either Antonio Valencia or Nani here. We’re in agreement with this. We reckon it will be Hernandez and Rooney up front with Welbeck on the right and Young given the left-flank again.

The Times have Rooney up front of course, partnered by Welbeck and, interestingly, they have both Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young on the flanks. There’s no place for Nani here then. The Times are the only paper this morning going with a Valencia start.

The Mail have Rooney and Javier Hernandez paired up front, with Welbeck out of the picture. Nani and Young take up the flank role with Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick in central midfield. They go with Chris Smalling at right-back for United with no place for flu-victim Phil Jones.

The Sun are the only paper to take note of Ferguson’s substitutions and actually consider Ryan Giggs for a start. He gets the left-flank with Ashley Young switched to the right – unlikely in our view. Rooney is up front of course, with Javier Hernandez his partner. Carrick and Scholes are again in the middle and Phil Jones has the right-back spot.

Finally, the Independent have Rooney partnered with Welbeck with Young on the left and Nani operating on the right-flank. There’s no place for Hernandez here then, while Jones recovers to take on the right-back role.

Us Fantasy managers can feel quietly confident about all this. It’s a unanimous vote for a Wayne Rooney will start and all the papers also go with Ashley Young in the United lineup. As for Nani and Valencia – there’s a chance they’ll be involved, but it’s looking unlikely based on talk around the press. That’s our thinking too. Rooney’s knock will surely fail to halt his flourishing goalscoring spell, whilst Young is Ferguson’s chief creator right now – crucial to Rooney’s blossoming form.

Before we leave you with those comforting thoughts, there’s still time to tackle our “Do they know something we don’t” award – a section which came through for us last week when Joleon Lescott missed out for City.

This time around, it’s more bad news for Fantasy managers. If the press are to be believed, Fulham’s Stephen Kelly is set to frustrate us for the second Gameweek running. Having returned early from injury at Villa last week, despite Martin Jol claiming he was unavailable, this time around the press feel that fit-again Aaron Hughes will replace him. Of our papers this morning, only the Telegraph have Kelly in their predicted lineup – Hughes gets the right-back start in The Times, The Mail, The Sun, The Independent and the The Guardian. We’re not so sure – but then, having been caught out by Lescott’s knock, perhaps we have to consider this little lead too.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

  1. jfr
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Fellaini and Distin have been superb

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    1. Declan
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Osman?

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      1. Sim Simma
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        is a mason

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  2. jayzico
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Predictions for Fulham Swans game guys?

    I'll go fulham 2 swans 2

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    1. McDog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      2-1 to Fulham

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      1. COMH
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        2-0 Fulham

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    2. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Fulham 5 (Dempsey 3, Hangeland 2), Swansea 4 (Siggy 4, all after Hangeland has been substituted).

      I'm pretty confident...

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      1. 1966 was a great year for E…
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        *Hangeland has been substitiuted along with Schwartzer, who was exhausted after 30 saves and 4 pens saves.

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    3. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      2-0 Fulham

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    4. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      1-0 Fulham

      Schwarzer to save a Sinclair pen

      realistically 1-1

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    5. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      2-0 Fulham.

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      1. jayzico
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        i got those scores documented guys. personally i'll take locarno's 😀

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  3. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Kelly

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    1. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      McGillis?

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    2. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Faster than Demi 😛

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  4. Demí
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Hughes on the bench. Kelly and Senderos start.

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    1. Huckleberry
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Boom!

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    2. McDog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Good.

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    3. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      phew, was on the brink of a transfer there this morning

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    4. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Win.

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    5. Tommytour
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Lovely Jubbly!

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    6. @ImpressiveTackl
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Good news, made the right choice shipping Senderos before Kelly.

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  5. Jafooli
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Scotland getting beat by Italy in the rugby....oh dear me...

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    1. COMH
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Scotland needs to give up playing Rugby. We are going backwards. Complete and utter shite.

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      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Agreed, I remember the old days. David Sole walking the team out to win the Grand Slam. Was there.....

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  6. Le Bluff
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Gameweek 30's Captain ideas - RVP will only have less than 3 days rest before taking on Villa at home. Rooney and Utd will get a whole week...

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    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Fair point....

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    1. Phillips
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Wow that's attacking.

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      1. @ImpressiveTackl
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Was thinking the same thing. Dempsey, Ruiz, Dembele, Johnson and the Pog. Wowsers.

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        1. Phillips
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Not too sure about my Kelly cleanie now ha.
          Look like this?
          Diarra
          Dembele
          Ruiz Dempsey
          Pog AJ

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          1. Phillips
            • 15 Years
            13 years, 9 months ago

            Spacing fail

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      2. bmb100
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Good news for me, rival doubled on Swans defence 🙂

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    2. little_wizard123
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      She typed it this week then.

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    3. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      I can't hear a Klaxon going off.

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      1. Demí
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        On the bench. Dempsey on pens?

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        1. little_wizard123
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Don't have Vorm in my XI. Didn't he save a Dempsey penalty earlier in the season...?

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          1. Demí
            • 14 Years
            13 years, 9 months ago

            Yep

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        2. Bad Pen
          • 13 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Don't know, does Pog do pens?

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        3. JK - Cønt ⭐
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          him or maybe Pog.

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        4. 1966 was a great year for E…
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          As a Dempesy owner and vc-er, I hate that line-up, too much competition for the goals.

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    4. Le Bluff
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Pog, Johnson, Ruiz, Dempsey, Dembele = a very attacking line up.

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  7. rohan
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Schwarzer Kelly Riise Hangeland POG A.johnson Ruiz Senderos Diarra Dempsey Dembele

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    1. Reedy
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Is that...4 strikers?!

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      1. ★FC Borecelona★
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        5

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        1. Reedy
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          thank god I didn't go run with Vorm and Caulker this week 😀

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  8. blue cheese
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Pog, Johnson, Dembele, Ruiz, Dempsey all attacking players. 5-0 !!

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    1. little_wizard123
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Probably means they will concede.

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      1. Le Bluff
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Good. I started Williamson over Senderos. Still have Pog and Demps though, so give me GOALS!

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  9. rohan
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    FFC starting XI: Schwarzer; Kelly, Hangelamd, Senderos, JA Riise; Diarra, Ruiz, Dembele, Dempsey; Johnson, Pogrebnyak

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  10. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    just to annoy you all 😛 Who will be on top GW30?

    Me - Schwarzer, Skrtel, Samton, Young, McLean, Ba +10

    Him - Vorm, BAE, Enrique, Henderson, Yaya, Yak

    We both have Rooney (c) I have Ba (vc) him RvP

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  11. RONH
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Any one got any good bets for the 3pm kick offs?

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  12. ★FC Borecelona★
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Wigan actually have a 50/50 chance of being first on MOTD 😆

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    1. @ImpressiveTackl
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Norwich v Wigan on MOTD2 last week was excellent IMO.

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    2. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      I'd say more like 30-70, think there might be a rule about it.

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    3. disparate dan - a reasonabl…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      are they even gonna bother with motd?!

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  13. Locarno
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    The worst game of rugby I have ever seen. Every coach and player involved - except Parisse - should retire.

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  14. Carl@streetkids.com.au
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Those Dr Dre Detox headphones are still pricey. I know the audiophiles will say that there are better for the money etc, but I just like them cos they boom.

    So many counterfeits around too.

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    1. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      You really don't need to be an audiophile to know that...

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      1. 1966 was a great year for E…
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        They're aimed at the type of person who buys David Beckham aftershave 😉

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        1. Carl@streetkids.com.au
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Got some Sennheisers at the moment which need replacing but I've been recommended about 50 other pairs of replacements and don't have the time to fully research and spend an afternoon down the shop trying them all out.

          What's great?

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          1. 1966 was a great year for E…
            • 15 Years
            13 years, 9 months ago

            Depends how much you want to spend, but pound for pound Senneiser piss all over Dr Dre headphones.

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            1. 1966 was a great year for E…
              • 15 Years
              13 years, 9 months ago

              *Sennheiser

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              1. Carl@streetkids.com.au
                • 16 Years
                13 years, 9 months ago

                No worries

                The hd 25s still the best.

                I don't care if they're pricey as I'll only be buying once.

                3, 4, 500 Aus $ is ok. About 350 quid max I guess.

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                1. Carl@streetkids.com.au
                  • 16 Years
                  13 years, 9 months ago

                  The hd 25s still the best was supposed to come with a question mark.

                  I see the mark IIs have good reviews but not to get the hd 25i mark IIs due to a shorter cable and different jack.

                  Or is there better than the hd25s?

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  15. Leaf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    What wing / position does this Greg Wilde play Bolton have signed ?

    Will he impact Ryo's game time ?

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    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Right Wing, I hope not

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  16. rohan
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    It could well be a 5-2 to Fulham without Dempsey getting in on the act... Although unlikely

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  17. halnone
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    yay Kelly

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  18. COMH
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Sarah Brookes is on the ball with the lineup tweets.

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    1. COMH
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Not as good as Demi though.

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  19. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    this happens every week these days. dembele plays centre mid now (not even attacking centre mid), ruiz and dempsey wide midfielders. nothing mental, simply diarra in for murphy

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    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      I thought this. Crazy ffs readers

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    2. afcblegend
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      yeah i've found that quite odd, he's never in the box. he's the anti-luiz, the further he plays from goal the better he is

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    3. @ImpressiveTackl
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      I love Dembele wherever he plays. I think he'll get a move to a bigger club this summer.

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      1. COMH
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Brilliant footballer. He would shine even more at a bigger club.

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  20. Gr3g
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Is Larsson playing tody? If so, anygood?
    Thx

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  21. afcblegend
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    top, top, top day for sport today 😀

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  22. shirtless
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Pog 2 Sinclair 2 Come On!!!! 🙂

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  23. Davido989
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    I sense a Dempsey hatrick.

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      did you vc him?

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      1. Davido989
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Yep

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  24. Jafooli
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    How's McClean played? Anything special?

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    1. afcblegend
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Drenthe and Neville have him in their pocket, oddly enough.

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    2. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      couple of decent crosses in but doesn't look like, away from home anyway, he's going to do anything special. An occasional assist at best.

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  25. afcblegend
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    ha, that's why Moyes is against Drenthe.

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  26. Demí
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    As someone who's benched Caulker again, quite happy to see that Monk starts.

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      I've also benched Caulker. I've started Schwarzer and benched Siggy this week.

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      1. rohan
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        ^^ doing the same

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      2. Paul Psychic Octopus
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        I've also benched Siggy as have Schwarzer/Kelly, but watching McClean, am thinking this was not the right decision

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        1. JK - Cønt ⭐
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Blackburn not as good as Everton at the back, and Rovers have Bradley Orr at RB

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    2. McDog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Is Ashley Williams injured?

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      1. Demí
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Out with a virus, ending his run of 170 consecutive league starts apparently.

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        1. McDog
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Very good news for Fulham attacking players that.

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    3. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      +1

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    4. @ImpressiveTackl
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      have we already had the Swansea XI dearest Demi?

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      1. Demí
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Indeed I.T. my lovely. On the last page

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        1. @ImpressiveTackl
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Oh cheers. Just seen it. Basically the first choice XI bar Williams. I'm with you on the Caulker shout. The centre of that defence has softened to my liking also.

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  27. Locarno
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Took the captaincy off Dempsey at the last minute, so I want him to do well, just not TOO well...

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    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      Why risk it without Rooney when u have the cash?

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      1. Locarno
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 9 months ago

        Why not? Don't want Rooney, and don't know of any rule that says I have to have him.

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        1. Stat virgin
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 9 months ago

          Your rank has quadrupled since Rooney started scoring well, in Daniel's defence

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          1. Locarno
            • 15 Years
            13 years, 9 months ago

            As long as I'm ahead of you, Sammy, that's all that matters. 🙂

            Point taken.

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            1. FPL Daniel
              • 16 Years
              13 years, 9 months ago

              Zing 🙂

              I like your style Locarno, but hoping for Rooney brace 2morrow, repaying the armband

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  28. @FuzzyWarbles
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Mignolet

    Evans, Senderos, BAE, Simpson

    Dempsey (C), Bale, Yaya

    RVP, Suarez, Aguero

    (McClean, Ox, Kompany)

    vs

    Al Habsi

    Evans, Senderos, Carragher

    Dempsey, Bale (C), Young, Silva

    RVP, Suarez, Ba

    (Verm, Santon, Dyer) -4 points

    who wins???

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    1. udit
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 9 months ago

      The latter Imo

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  29. jjesus
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 9 months ago

    Didier drogba will be scared when he sees his Facebook page... Lol

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