The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Preamble
10 November 2012 2198 comments
Mark Mark
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Sometimes this little past-time hobby obsession of ours can seem simple. The path to success this week looks wide open and lined with beckoning super models dishing out free doughnuts: you’d be crazy not to follow it.

Thousands already have. Over 200,000 Fantasy Premier League managers have invested in bigger mirrors in their Fantasy dressing rooms to accommodate Marouane Fellaini’s expansive afro. Similarly, there’s another 35,000 who have joined the Michu party late, welcoming the Spaniard into their ranks with a sheepish and apologetic smile. What took you so long?

As for Luis Suarez, it’s perhaps understandable why we’ve been so reluctant to deal with the tattered baggage he brings. Seven goals this season, however, and suddenly almost 50,000 of us have forgotten all that and are flirting with frustration by opening our doors to the volatile Uruguayan.

That’s almost 300,000 transfers this week – perhaps 10% of active FPL managers, who have taken this route to success; it’s hard to deny that such acquisitions make sense.

Fellaini blew up at the Cottage and will now be thrust up top against a Sunderland side that has shown frailty in the air and conceded more goal attempts than any other side from set-plays. There’s no stronger attacking force than Everton in the league right now – Fellaini looks primed to deal damage.

Michu goes to Southampton and is likely to be leading the Swansea attack against a defence yet to keep a shut-out and who have conceded more opportunities in the box than any other team. The Spaniard earns his crust in the penalty area and the odds on Michu emerging from the weekend with further profits look strong to say the least.

As for Suarez, while he faces a stern test at Stamford Bridge, a cauldron awaits him which seems tailor made for him to come to the fore. Suarez will likely line up in opposition to John Terry, a scenario that surely cannot pass without incident. Will that bring Suarez further returns? Let’s just say I’m not expecting a quiet game.

While this all sounds signed and sealed, we know all too well that the Fantasy football Gods can conspire to deal us cruel fates. All three of the aforementioned players, whilst proving hugely tempting targets, are just one booking away from a suspension. How many of the trio will topple from the tightrope and leave the 300,000 with a Gameweek 12 juggling act? How punishing can this game be? We’ll find out in 48-hours.

Thankfully there’s little to concern us amongst this morning’s press. In the main, the predicted lineups all put a comforting matey arm around us. Demba Ba turns up in every one of the Newcastle lineups, the United team-sheet passes without real incident and there’s even some positive signs, with Guy Demel returning to the Hammers defence in the lineups submitted by the Independent, Daily Mail and the Guardian.

Tottenham’s trip to City on Sunday draws some conjecture from the press boys, with Emmanuel Adebayor retaining his starting role in a 4-4-2 in the Guardian, the Times and the Mail, while another three of the morning papers – the Sun, the Independent and the Times, all recall David Silva to the City teamsheet.

Silva’s return, along with the possibility that Theo Walcott will catch fire against Fulham, could be key events this weekend. These are potential heavy-hitters who could yet disrupt the establishment and force a rethink. That would open up new diversions and have us veering off from what already seems a well-trodden path.

For now though, I’ve grabbed my free doughnut. I just hope a few fluttering yellows don’t force me to choke on it.

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

  1. 1LHerne
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Man Utd:s fixtures are really good, but that also means Ferguson is going to start with his rotation. He's talked on so much about his "4 quality strikers" and all that shit... same with the midfield and right back area with Smalling back.. Hard to choose the right players

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    1. OPTA FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      nope. RVP was rested and Chico, Welbeck played this midweek, that is a example. SAF isnt idiot Mancini

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      1. OPTA FPL
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        and rafael too.

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    2. Hello. Yes, This is Dog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      no, they have such a lead in the CL that the crap strikers willl play those matches and Rooney/RVp the league. Same for defence.

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  2. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Fellaini is already due another rise. He's got close to 30k Transfers In since 2.30 last night! Insane lust for the afro going on here!

    Oh and Mata due another rise along with the mighty Gorkss

    Get 'em while they're hot!

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    1. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      I refuse to get him when he's one YC away from a ban

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      1. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        +1.

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      2. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        My hand was forced as I couldn't afford him without jumping on the wagon when he was 7.0...the other thing is if he does well today he could be 7.6m in no time...

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    2. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Got him last Saturday. Will make 0.4m on him by tomorrow. 🙂

      4 Yellows blah. Too much made of it. Bench him that week and live the dream the week after.

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    3. Somalion
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      I so very hope he's played defensively today 😛

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      1. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Hey Birthday boy, less of that!!

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        1. Somalion
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          😛 I honestly do hope so 😀

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  3. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    I just can't wait to see those two juicy FTs as soon as the game updates. 😀

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    1. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      ... And me 🙂

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    2. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Yep, with my 2 frees I've got a really exciting McAuley to Nelsen transfer planned.

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      1. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Flair.

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      2. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        McAulay on 90+ for a rise so keep an eye on that next week before pulling the trigger.

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        1. Mílanista
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          Yeah, I'm aware of that and obviously no need to do it until Saturday morning . Thanks anyway.

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  4. In Like Flynn.
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Metro deadline 15mins people.

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    1. Parm
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Only the old folks play that game! 😉

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      1. In Like Flynn.
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        The smart folk you mean Parmtree? 🙂

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      2. CravenA
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Those that understand the game and not just who's gonna score / get a clean sheet.

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  5. Mindless Freak
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Looks like FPL are improving bonus points quickly added last week and fpl update doesn't take long either nowadays.

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    1. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      about time considering the debacle of last season

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      1. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        it's back btw

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  6. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Kightly:

    Target NTI - 27,798
    NTI - 27,798

    What are the chances of that on Fiso's 11.30 update on a Saturday.

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    1. Optimus.
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      cant believe anyone is getting a stoke attacker

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      1. Mílanista
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        He's in my team. Sterling/Kightly rotation is good for err.. 2 points every week.

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

        Crouch will also rise tonight. Amazing. Stoke have scored 8 goals in PL this season!

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  7. Gobigorgohome
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Game is Updated!

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    1. OPTA FPL
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      time to laugh at rivals' teams

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  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    RVP most capt
    Tevez most vice

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

    Can anyone recommend a good league table site? You know, one where home & away results can be divided and the likes of goals for/against can be sorted by clicking the header? I used to use a good one but I lost the link!

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

    Updated.

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    1. In Like Flynn.
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      I daren't look.

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  11. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    RVP and Tevez most c'ed and vc'ed.

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    1. Hello. Yes, This is Dog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      think this is it for the rest of the season, haha. hopefully next season they show the top 10 most captained instead, with percentages. that way you can see how influential a players score will be each week.

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    2. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      😯 😉

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    3. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      As usual

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    4. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Never would've guessed that...

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  12. Dr. Rog
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Begovic/Jussi
    Baines Rafa Saylor/Cuellar (Demel)
    Mata Bale Santi Fellani Sterling
    RVP Berb (Pog)
    Got 2.5 to spend

    A) Pog --> Crouch (who rotates with Sterling) and Crouch --> Long in a 4 weeks time
    B) Berb --> Tevez for Citeh coverage
    C) Something else

    Would also like to get Silva but will use him as a replacement for my one of my 3 muskateers if they are injured

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  13. El Berbossa - \\\"El b…
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Who is this Gaston Ramierez character and why is everyone sud bringing him in?

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  14. Joga Bonito®
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    My girlfriend just asked me if I was going to blow up the air bed with the hoover. :S

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    1. Warbling Wendy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      The one, she is not.

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      1. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        HAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA 😀

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      2. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        😆

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      3. Arselona
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        😆

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    2. Somalion
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Don't love her for her brains I assume? 😉

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

        Trying to think of a way he can teach her the difference between blowing and sucking...

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        1. Somalion
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          A balloon? Surely you wouldn't think of anything vulgar 😉

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    3. Joga Bonito®
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      An intellect with no common sense basically. ha

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    4. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      She sounds a keeper. Tell her I have some lovely sea front property in the MIdlands going cheap! 😉

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  15. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Now, time to creep on ML rivals teams'.

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  16. Jafooli
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    No green arrows......balls!

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  17. Mindless Freak
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    So, i need to stop taking hits. Taken a lot in last few weeks.

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  18. r0nh
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    OMG!!!

    Game updated!

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    1. Jax
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      well done

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    2. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers new Bemba!

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  19. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    1.7M transfers made.
    Care to guess how many active player left in light of this data?
    I say 1.2m

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    1. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      What about the active players that just didn't bother doing a transfer?

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Many active players will not have made a transfer

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      1. Jimmers
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Not very active then, are they?
        Presumably they will have made formation/bench changes

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        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          What are you talking about?

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        2. Captain Shirokov
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          I'm active. I saved a TF.

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    3. Hello. Yes, This is Dog
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      some people take 5 hits a week, so i'd say probably 500k or so.

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  20. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    0 with 11 to go.is that good?

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    1. Mindless Freak
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Oh not not this irony again.

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

      Better than the current average.

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  21. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Wait a minute....no early k/o? 👿

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    1. Pinoche
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      No 😐

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    2. Somalion
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Narp, not today I'm afraid!

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  22. Shaps
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    And now the awkward 3 hour wait.

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

    RRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCKKKKIIIEEE!!!!!!!

    Just warming up...

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    1. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Nice captain.

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    2. Syd.
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Bianca

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    3. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      All end in tears. . . 😉

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  24. Optimus.
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    im 3rd in my ML with rvp(c)

    3 out of the top 4(without rvp) have baines(c)....wee bit scared

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    1. Mindless Freak
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Baines won't do much beside cleansheet, sunderland good defensively with no attack

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  25. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Every week there are always new band-wagons for the knee-jerkers. I think Silva might be this weeks...

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

      Adebayor.

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    2. Dr. Rog
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Peter Crouch

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    3. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Buying Silva is never a knee-jerk my friend. Neither is admiring him from afar. I jerk something else in that case. 😯

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Yep, Silva is a band-wagon i will probably be getting on.

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      2. Billy Gilmore
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        😯

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      3. Dr. Rog
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Getting Silva in a team is problematic.

        Does one ditch Cazorla (great fixtures), Bale (can score against anyone) or Mata (the form player).

        Im afraid there is no room in the inn

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        1. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
          • 13 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          Well he'll be filling Bale's imaginary spot in my team if I get him...as I don't intend on owning Bale just now.

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    4. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Giroud

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        Good shout. He's on my watchlist.

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        1. Billy Gilmore
          • 13 Years
          13 years, 2 months ago

          He's still in my team 😯

          I just hope he does something already... 😐

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    5. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Kightly

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    6. lfcserg
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Ye i'll have my bale to silva transfer on standby awaiting his performance against tottenham.

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    7. Doolittle
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      I got him in the a few weeks ago and was convinced it would be a stroke of genius. Then the next day he got injured...

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  26. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    well time to pick next weeks disappointing team

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    1. Dr. Rog
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      next week is tricky, arsenal vs spuds

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      1. Evs
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 2 months ago

        = Bale 🙂

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  27. Coldplay
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Ah, shit. Missed the deadline and now Noble and Demel are playing ahead of Ruiz and Dempsey. Shit

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

      hate when that happens... they are so sneaky the way the keep changing the deadline time without telling anyone 😉

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  28. COMH
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    Picking my team for next week already 🙂

    Sunderland @ Fulham + Stoke @ West Ham

    Who would you play from these 4?

    Mignolet, Begovic, Cuellar, Cameron

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    1. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      Spread the risk or double on Stoke

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  29. SirStevieG
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    On 14 from 2 players so far. Good start 😉

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  30. Bio Hazard
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 2 months ago

    which set of players will get more points this week? these are the only differences between me and my league leader:

    Him) Suarez, Rooney(c), Snodgrass, Fellaini

    Me) Berba, RVP(c), Michu, Bale

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    1. Optimus.
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 2 months ago

      him easy

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