The Knee Jerk

The Knee Jerk – Sinful Saint

Last weekend it was Dimitar Berbatov, this evening it’s Rickie Lambert that will be wandering into our minds mid-conversation, over the Saturday evening tipple. Prompting nagging doubt, questioning our best-laid plans.

Lambert is the latest to cause cracks in our established Fantasy thinking. Like the Bulgarian, he arrives in a Gameweek where, once again, the likes of Eden Hazard and Michu – assets who were cemented in our squads – returned blanks. The foundations of the template team again come in question then, with Lambert joining the queue to find a place in our forward lines that looked so settled just a fortnight ago.

There’s little doubt that, as we suggested in the midweek Watchlist article, Lambert has emerged as the budget striker of choice. However, we also spent some time in said article pondering if he could be more than that. If he could displace the array of mid-price assets fighting for our attentions – Dimitar Berbatov, Steven Fletcher, Jermain Defoe. Tonight, I’m even wondering if he can threaten to break up the heavy-hitter pairings.

I’ll be watching Carlos Tevez carefully against Arsenal. While he’s flourished in the opening matches, Sergio Aguero’s return to fitness and Roberto Mancini’s “nine lives” approach to Mario Baltoelli raises a cause for concern. That’s before we consider that Eden Dzeko has, as he’s done so often, found the net when he’s given pitch time.

A Tevez blank or, worse still, an early withdrawal against Arsenal, could trigger a rethink. There’s little doubt that City have the fixtures to find goals in the coming weeks, but growing concerns about their defence and Mancini’s insistence that it must approve, has raised alarm bells for me.

I remember when City battened down the hatches, when they fought for 1-0 wins away from home. Should Mancini take that route again, we could see 4-5-1 with Yaya Toure behind Aguero away from home, something that would hurt Tevez’ scoring potential immeasurably. While Sir Alex appears to be going all out for goals, will Mancini dare to tweak his tactics to tighten up?

Such thoughts crop up before I even consider the merits of sticking with the ultra-expensive Robin Van Persie, under the threat of rotation and rest. I’m trying to fight those doubts off, however.

There is clearly a very attractive plan B forming. Lambert, like Berbatov, offers assured starts. He offers the “big fish in a small pond” scenario. He offers spot-kicks, assists and he faces a long line of fixtures that could bring further returns. The temptation to go with this option, even over the proven class of Tevez, does begin to mount when you consider that Mancini’s whims can waver and throw us the unexpected.

This kind of talk is almost sinful, “Knee Jerk” material of the highest order. We’re talking about supreme Fantasy assets here, while Lambert is perhaps just a noisy new arrival at the party. Four goals in five games is a decent entrance, however, and certainly Tevez will need to offer a reminder of his class on Sunday if tonight’s bout of puzzle-head isn’t to transform into a fully-fledged plan of action.

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

3,040 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Gamoriola of the Galaxy (Eu…
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    You don't know the true meaning of RVP until you're sitting on 20 pts with 5 left to play--including RVP--and you took a punt on HBA(c). I might not sleep tonight . . .

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    1. In Tommy We Trust
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      I have the feeling the lack of a (c) next to that name in my squad is going to sting

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    2. BONZ
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      or took a punt on Ya Ya after two days deliberating on bringing in Pinnear or Fellaini 🙁

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        http://tinyurl.com/8t6cg6c 😀

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        1. Gamoriola of the Galaxy (Eu…
          • 12 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          This really captures what everyone with RVP(c) is doing right now. 🙂

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  2. Moontaka
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Will Fellaini continue in that advanced role?

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    1. ★FC Borecelona★
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      I think he will

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    2. MJ6987
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Not sure when Jelly is back. Will also want to fit Miralles (or whatever) in, and Anichebe is scoring, you've also got Naismith.

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  3. Lateriser 12
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    To do

    Lescott>Baines
    OR
    Rafael>Baines

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    1. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Lescott.

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    2. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Is what i thought. Thanks lads.
      United's fixtures worry me though.

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    3. Kevin Twine
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Lescott

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  4. Demelbrush
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Also, anyone think It's ludicrous to go Tevez and Aguero on a WC? They have very tasty fixtures...

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    1. busteddocket
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      see if Aguero starts tomorrow.

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      1. Demelbrush
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        if so, it it not madness?

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        1. busteddocket
          • 12 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          nothing wrong with it and could be a great differential.

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  5. Bedknobs and Boomsticks
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Mignolet, Begovich
    Baines, Gibbs, Olsson, Demel, Gunter
    Carzola, Oscar, Pienaar, Michu, Sterling
    Aguero, Berbatov, Lambert

    5.8 m in the bank

    5.8 million and a side i am entirely happy with! WTF?

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    1. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Money isn't everything 😉

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    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Yes ... 😕

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    3. Bedknobs and Boomsticks
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Corrigan: Yep, Hazard out for me.

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    4. Corrigan
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      That kitty will be very useful. Interesting team. May include Sagna on my WC.

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  6. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Zabaleta & McClean >>> Baines & Puncheon

    Worth a 4 pt hit?

    Help appreciated

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    1. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Just the Zab>Baines move mate.

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      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        Need to do the mcclean tranny to accomodate baines though, worth it?

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        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 13 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          if just zab to someone who would you do?

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          1. Lateriser 12
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            12 years, 1 month ago

            Arsenal defence.

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    2. The EJJ
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Just do Zab - Baines

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    3. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Not Puncheon imo. You already have Britton and Puncheon in will give you a headache.

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      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        yeah true, mcclean is the one givin me a headache at the moment though, well annoying, he was gold last season.

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  7. BT31 - WE ARE ALL TINKERMEN…
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Dyer and Kagawa out for:

    A) Fellaini and Pienaar + 0.7
    B) Michu and Pienaar + 0.2

    Both -4 points
    ???

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    1. busteddocket
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      do you have Baines?

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  8. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Jenkinson vs Hazard. Who will win?

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    1. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      When you put it like that, keep Hazard 😀

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  9. GoonerByron
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Does this look okay for the next GW, going on holiday so need to get it in place. Hoping Cuellar is going to be fit and start...

    Begovic (Foster)
    Baines Cole Cuellar (Demel) (Hughes)
    Bale Michu Pienaar Nolan (Guthrie)
    RVP (c) Tevez Podolski

    Cheers for any replies!!

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    1. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Cuellar probably won't play. MON said that he'd very very doubtful for 2 weeks.
      Looks good.

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  10. Smakies
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Right now, it's 0-0 between Barça vs granada
    We are playing very poorly, hopefully we will come better in the second half !
    Song is CB to due pique and puyol being injured

    VISCA EL BARÇA

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  11. Demelbrush
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Will Garica play regularly for city?

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    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Possibly but too deep to be of interest

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  12. Indalo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    People still planning to wildcard next international break or are people tempted to pull the trigger sooner? 🙂

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    1. Bendy Busdriver
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      pulled

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  13. Moontaka
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    13 with RVP, Tevez, Ba, Bale, Barfa and Cazorla to play.

    Disgusting.

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    1. GoonerByron
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Could definitely turn that score around with the players you've got left to play!

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      1. Smakies
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        +500000

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      2. Moontaka
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        Hope so.

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    2. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Some exciting players left.

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  14. In Tommy We Trust
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    quick question. Is Hazard still essential for Chelsea cover?

    Members compare him to Fellaini.......

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  15. Smakies
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Right now, it's 0-0 between Barça vs granada
    We are playing very poorly, hopefully we will come better in the second half !
    Song is CB to due pique and puyol being injured

    VISCA EL BARÇA!!!

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    1. The EJJ
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      you spanish?

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      1. Smakies
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        No I live in Montreal ,Canada !!!!

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  16. The EJJ
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Fed, Foster
    Lescott, A.Cole, R Bennett, Hangeland, Demel
    Hazard, Pienaar, Noble, Maloney,Kagawa
    RVP, Tevez, Graham

    1ft 1.4m in bank

    What to do, what to do?

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    1. Smakies
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      get lambert and get baines

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    2. Indalo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Graham out

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      1. The EJJ
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        He's got such gun fixtures in GW 7 and 8 though.

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        1. AK ⭐
          • 12 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          Just look at what he's done in 5 weeks with those fixtures. Pretty much nothing.

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    3. Podge
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Les to Baines

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    4. In Tommy We Trust
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Baines in for anyone and go from there

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  17. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Hey guys, I'm in one of those horrible positions where I don't know whether to WC or take an 8 point hit and hope for the best.

    Team at the moment:

    Jussi al Habsi
    
Collins Boyce Lescott Terry Fabio
    
Kagawa pienaar HBA Pienaar
 McClean
    Tevez Pog Ba

    A ROUGH WC DRAFT: (players in caps to be brought in)

    jussi FOSTER
    BAINES OLSSON GIBBS SKRTEL (CHEAPO 4m defender)
    kagawa pienaar hba hazard STERLING
    tevez FLETCHER ba

    I could do this type of WC team.

    Or I could do:

    Terry > Baines
    McClean > Sterling
    Pog > Fletcher

    8 point hit

    What is the best idea? Is it really worth Wildcarding to change my defence and saving a 8/12point hit?

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    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      I'd get Kagawa out too

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    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      No. As I said earlier. Take the hit, mate.

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      1. AK ⭐
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        ^This.

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    3. bmb100
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      If you only want two changes in the front 8 I wouldn't rush into it. Saying that I was in a similar position last week and I'm going to wildcard this week and only keeping 4 players in my squad.

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    4. funny money
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      i wildcarded. but i feel bad about it

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    5. Gamoriola of the Galaxy (Eu…
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      I'd do the hit.

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  18. MJ6987
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Dyer / Cashley to Cazorla / Gorkks for a hit?

    Got exactly the right money.

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  19. Deicide
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    27 (31-4 because transfers) with Robin, Tevez, Yay yay and lescott to play. I really really hope that Lescott doesn't play because I have Clyne as first sub 🙁

    So tell me

    Ridgwell, Gibbs, Cashley or someone else instead Lescott?

    I'll use the free transfer.

    Thanks in advance.

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  20. isacki: full casual
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Baines 2 BPs.
    Foster 1 BP

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    1. Bielsa’s bucket
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Am glad to see Foster get one seeing as he was a save short of a +1

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    2. McDog
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Nice 😀

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  21. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Berba 3 baps despite not scoring is interesting.

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    1. isacki: full casual
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Was at the game and he got lots of shots on target. He was good, even I as an owner would definitely not say man of the match good. That would be Kone or Duff.

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    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Suits the bonus system perfectly with no wasted effort

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        Minimal shots off target. "Missing is for try-hards"... *smokes cigar*

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    3. MJ6987
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Seems to be no consistency with it this year

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    4. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Milan! How did your team do today?

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      1. Mílanista
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        48 now the baps are out. Santi, Tevez and RVP to go. Morrsion(c), Lambert(vc) though.

        Another good week for you, nice one.

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        1. AK ⭐
          • 12 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah man, getting lucky, thanks.

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  22. MJ6987
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Dyer 3 BPS!!!

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    1. MJ6987
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      I wish.

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  23. isacki: full casual
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Berbatov got 3 BPs!!!

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    1. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Noice! Makes me feel better about ignoring my original plan to get Lambert in this week...

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      1. isacki: full casual
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        They should both be in the goals. We'll see if Southampton keep up all out attack. Just wonder how sustainable Lambert's returns are.

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    2. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      Certainly worth the hit I took to get Graham in. 😀

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      1. AK ⭐
        • 12 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        Graham out*

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        1. isacki: full casual
          • 13 Years
          12 years, 1 month ago

          Ditto!

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          1. AK ⭐
            • 12 Years
            12 years, 1 month ago

            You did Graham to Berb? I thought you were going to hold onto Graham, Isacki.

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            1. isacki: full casual
              • 13 Years
              12 years, 1 month ago

              When I discovered how many swansea regulars were injury doubts, I sold Graham and benched Rangel. So far so good, the only risk is Kags > Pienaar.

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              1. AK ⭐
                • 12 Years
                12 years, 1 month ago

                I think Kags to Pienaar will work out well in the next 3 gws.

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  24. bialk
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Bone's up ...

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    1. bialk
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      8 for me. Still not Pienaar's asist 🙁

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  25. Lateriser 12
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Alright off now. Disappointing day but sure things will turn.

    We fall, only to rise again.
    Good luck lads! 🙂

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    1. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      And Berb gets 3 BPs 🙂

      There you go!

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  26. @Bryan
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    As a non RVP owner, every game he plays makes me a little uncomfortable! Still, I suppose someone on the other side of the fence may say the same about Ba tomo who I own.

    A missfire for RVP tomo will put a spanner in the template team with Michu and Hazard having a 2nd poor week on the trot. Though disclaimer, long term they will be okay.

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  27. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    I have an important H2H this week that i MUST win so i need to gather opinions. With that in mind, what transfers would you do in this situation.

    Foster (avl)
    Baines(SOT) Kolarov?(ful) Boyce(sun)
    Hazard(ars) Cazorla(CHE) Michu(stk) Morrison(avl)
    RVP(TOT) Berba(MCI) Tevez(ful)

    +2FTs, +0.1m

    I plan to get Sagna in for Kolarov in the near future so it seems silly to transfer out Kolarov now. What transfers would you do, if any?

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      *next week

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 1 month ago

        Subs: Begovic, Guthrie, Demel(qpr), Davies

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  28. Podge
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Berbabaps

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      😀

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    2. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      High Five!

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    3. AK ⭐
      • 12 Years
      12 years, 1 month ago

      😀

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  29. Indalo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    My team next weeks reads:

    avl
    ars qpr MCI
    ars sun ful CHLS
    TOT stk ful

    Not great looking fixtures there :/

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  30. Demel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 1 month ago

    Guithre -> Silva
    Graham -> Lambert

    (worth a 4 point hit?)

    Front 8 would be...

    Michu Silva Cazorla Hazard Nolan
    Tevez Suarez Lambert

    (Lambert/Nolan to rotate home games).

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