The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Preamble
1 December 2012 1337 comments
Mark Mark
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This is a troublesome morning. It’s one of those mornings for Fantasy managers when you know you’re on the edge of making a decision that could make or break the day – one that, if it falls badly, will curse the weekend and hand you the task of picking yourself up off the floor for the next Gameweek.

Leighton Baines is a doubt and it’s a situation that causing me no end of consternation. With two transfers tucked under my arm, this Gameweek should have been in hand. However, hesitancy on Wednesday night (see the ScoutCast) deprived me of my decided transfers and meant that, with Baines a doubt, I’ve now dug myself into a scouser-shaped hole.

This morning’s press fail to provide answers. If anything, they confirm the worst. Only the Guardian finds a tentative spot for Baines in their Everton lineup at City, with the The Sun and The Independent drafting in Bryan Oviedo at left-back, while the rest opt for Sylvain Distin against his former club. In short then, the press have little hope that Baines will turn up at City.

There’s an obvious replacement and, in many ways, it’s a decision that requires little consideration. Jose Enrique is set to play another game pushed up in the final third to support Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling and he faces Southampton – a fixture that offers goals for Brendan Rodgers’ side and maybe even a clean sheet. When you look at Liverpool’s fixtures compared to Everton’s there’s even a case to extend Enrique’s stay over Baines for the coming weeks. Liverpool have three home games in four and, if Enrique can maintain his advanced starting role, he should rival even Baines for attacking threat.

The trouble, of course, is that Baines is a favourite player of mine – a designated season keeper who may have disappointed in recent weeks but who has shown potential almost every match to deliver strong attacking returns. Losing him now is a tough decision when, in the back of my mind, I just know that there will likely be obstacles to getting him back in a hurry.

At least there seems to be little concern over Enrique’s credentials. All the press lineups name him safely nestled next to Suarez in the Liverpool attacking trio; Andre Wisdom makes his return in The Sun, The Guardian and The Telegraph, with Stewart Downing making way. In our other three papers, it’s “as you were” for Liverpool, with Downing retaining his start at left-back at Wisdom’s expense on the bench.

Today’s other decisions are also calmed by the press lineups – Tevez is included in all but the Daily Mail’s prediction, Theo Walcott is listed in every one of our morning papers for Arsenal.

It’s left to Baines to cast a cloud over my morning, then. To leave me facing the prospect of losing one of my darlings and approach the Gameweek with three Liverpool attackers. How did it possibly come to this?

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

  1. Pinoche
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Suarez(c) FTW

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    1. reekster
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Yup.

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    2. LeBron - King of Argentina
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      I am with you on that one

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  2. the Chaser
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Enrique (c)

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  3. paraman
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    WIll Giroud be rested?

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    1. IamIronMike
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      would like an answer to this too as he's currently my (c)... might have to change it because of the uncertainty 🙁

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      1. paraman
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        I also have Aguero, so both rotation risk for strikers sucks

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        1. IamIronMike
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          yea that sucks I did Tevez > Giroud last night too, Giroud was my slightly differential captain choice may now have to revert to the genetic RVP (c) Suarez (vc)

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          1. IamIronMike
            • 16 Years
            13 years, 1 month ago

            generic*

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      2. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        someone said they had a source saying he was going to be rested on the last page but he was probably full of it.

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      3. Le Limpar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        My (c) too. Hm. Looks like a risk now. He has looked knackered.

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  4. massive
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Who to play - Gera (STO) ot Michu (ars)?

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    1. Hakuho FPL
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      michu

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  5. HappyAnkit
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Will Walcott start?

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    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      if you read the article it sounds like he will

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  6. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Lucas will be starting. Still awaiting the lineup.

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    1. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Sauce?

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  7. Captain Shirokov
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Good read.

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    1. HappyAnkit
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      +7

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    2. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Summed up my issues with Baines out exactly. Now I'm scared he'll start and will remain scared every time he plays. Regretting the decision already.

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      1. Captain Shirokov
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Don't look back and move on.

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        1. reply fail
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          +1 he is out.

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  8. SirStevieG
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Baines to Nastasic, Garrido, Mertesacker, Gibbs or Riise?

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    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Gibbs or Nastasic in my books. Can't decide myself

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  9. OPTA FPL
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    OK, form over fixtures, I will try to ignore fixtures
    So Liv and Man Utd, Suarez and RVP, which & who is in better form?

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    1. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Did you see CF's stats earlier?

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      1. OPTA FPL
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        nope. But I want to hear your idea when you're watching real football, not the stats

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        1. Billy Gilmore
          • 13 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          Well Suarez has still been getting plenty of shots as usual, but has gone off the boil a bit in the last 2. They were away though and his home form is banging.

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    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      According to FPL site. Suarez is on 6.6
      RVP is on 5.2

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      1. OPTA FPL
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        home and away?

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  10. Mindless Freak
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Jordi Gomez against Wigan, over Johnson?

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    1. Mindless Freak
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      I mean against Newcastle.

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      1. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Would say yes cuz newcastle are not in good form right now

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  11. The One That Got Away
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    If u r leader in ur ML, then who wud u captain Van, Berba, Caz ?

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Caz shouldn't be there.

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  12. Killitzer
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Morning all

    Other than the Fellaini vs Michu vs sterling debate which keeper would you play:

    Bego
    Jussi

    I have obrien so now leaning towards bego so I don't double up. Mind you stoke away from is not great and west Brom are doing well at home other than against Swansea.

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    1. ScrivoDXB
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      I'd be inclined to double up. Chelsea haven't been good going forward recently and West Ham are very strong at the back and at home. I don't fancy Stoke to keep a clean sheet either especially not at The Hawthorns.

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  13. Pilko's Pump Pants
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    My team for the week…

    Bego
    Gibbs/Caulker/Nelson
    Santi/Fellaini/Bale/Silva(VC)
    RVP(C)/Tevez/Berba

    Tremmel/Sterling/Cuellar/Gorkks

    0 in the bank & 1FT – am i good to go?

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    1. Killitzer
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      What made you decide to bench sterling rather than Michu/Fellaini? Liverpool have been dire at home though sterling has done ok on a couple of occasions.

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  14. El Zurdo
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Morning guys!
    Van Persie, Cazorla, Giroud, Enrique for (c)?

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    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Van Persie is probably the safest option of the four then giroud then caz and enrique if you want to throw away your season.

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    2. abk
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      v. persie

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    3. Pilko's Pump Pants
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      From that lot RVP - and Giroud is the only other one i would even consider...

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    4. Zinedine
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Van persie to be safe, enrique for an exiting gamble

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  15. JayBomb
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Pick one to bench???

    A Sess

    Or

    B Fletcher

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    1. HappyAnkit
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Sess

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    2. Hakuho FPL
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      A

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  16. Pinoche
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Baines is fit and will start.

    Demi source : https://twitter.com/scotty1878efc?p=s

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    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      bench baines in my team?

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    2. The EJJ
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Just some random guy on Twitter?

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  17. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    my favorite one, can't wait to read it

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    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Nothing on Chelsea? Hmmm... Damn, I was expecting some words on Hazard and Mata. Too bad.
      Good luck all

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  18. In Like Flynn.
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Only been away half an hour and missed the last post altogether.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlYtlyFSTlU

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  19. bantamdave
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Mark: This is a troublesome morning. It’s one of those mornings for Fantasy managers when you know you’re on the edge of making a decision that could make or break the day – one that, if it falls badly, will curse the weekend and hand you the task of picking yourself up off the floor for the next Gameweek.

    Myself: Walcott (c). must hide behind coffee machine at work this afternoon!

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  20. Evs
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Final choice, I am play Enrique and Suarez.

    Final mf spot too...

    Sterling

    Or

    AJ (also have Fletcher)

    Thx
    Evs 😎

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    1. HappyAnkit
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Play Sterling

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

        So, 3 LFC ?

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        1. GREENDREAMS11
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          Fwiw I've got Wisdom, Enrique and Suarez. Fancy liverpool for a couple of cleanies with their upcoming fixtures and hopefully enrique will continue to play OOP

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        2. GREENDREAMS11
          • 16 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          P.s. sunderland double looming evs but you already know that.

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

            😉

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

      Sterling

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

      Sterling.

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    4. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Thx guys, a LFC trip it is then.... 😯

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  21. Doctor X
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Can people quit saying, X will start, Y will not start around here on Matchday at least, without citing a source please. It's quite irritating to be honest.

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Downing isn't starting. 😉

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    2. Gnubuntu
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      There is def talk about Arsenal rotation in Arsense's last few interviews. Arsenal Player has all the info if you have membership. Some interviews are free though 🙂

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  22. HappyAnkit
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    4 point hit taken again. 🙁

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    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      what transfers did you make ?

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      1. HappyAnkit
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Rooney>Berba
        Maloney>Walcott

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        1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 1 month ago

          They are very good transfers Rooney is very deep and very off form I'm only keeping him because I too stubborn to admit defeat and walcott is a far better option than maloney. You are being too hard on yourself.

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

    Top preamble, as always.

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

      Yep, the pre-amble without doubt is the best article of the week 🙂

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  24. HappyAnkit
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Bench 1-
    Garrido, McAuley, Rafael, Enrique

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    1. Doctor X
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Garrido.

      All the other 3 are in for clean sheets IMO.

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    2. Fantasy-er
      • 13 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Shit, that's a TOUGH one!! REALLY TOUGH!!!

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  25. Hiphopopotamus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Please can someone try and disuade me from captaining Enrique? I also have RVP and Suarez and my mini-league leader, who also has both, will probably captain Suarez.

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    1. Pilko's Pump Pants
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      It would be a mistake... don't do it mate...

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

      1 Career goal ...

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      1. Billy Gilmore
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        ...He has 3... 😕

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    3. faulksp
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Tempted to do the same but sticking with Suarez .......

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    4. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      just don't, not even sure he will play left wing

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    5. Hiphopopotamus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Cheers lads - i have been successfully disuaded! Suarez gets the armband.

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  26. faulksp
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Mata Tevez both to score well ....RVP rested......Baines out.........Suarez goes ape

    ....that is all

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  27. Fantasy-er
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    I feel liberated by selling Baines.

    Anyone else?

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    1. reply fail
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      I feel like a reborn Enriquian.

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    2. Just_Ty
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Scared is more appropriate 🙂

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      1. Hiphopopotamus
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        +1

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  28. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Who to bench
    A: fellaini
    B: michu
    C: fletcher

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    1. Hiphopopotamus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Fletch

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  29. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    Happy days. My punt is to have no Liverpool players.

    Begovic
    Mertesacker, Gallas, Cuellar
    Michu, Santi Cazorla, Bale(vc), Fellaini
    Van Persie(c), Berbatov, Giroud

    Subs: Foster; Sessegnon, Shorey, Gorkss

    I shall buy Tremmel this evening/tomorrow. Good luck, all! 😀

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    1. Hakuho FPL
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      +100000

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Get a grav of Tony Hancock. A better class of comedian. 😉

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

      Class, quality and calibre 😉

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Why, thank you, kind sir! 😀

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

          You knows I loves youse Doos x

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          1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 16 Years
            13 years, 1 month ago

            Reciprocated! 🙂

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    3. In Like Flynn.
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 1 month ago

      Spurs and Fulham players should cover the points Doosra.

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        I do hope so. Also that your luck turns this week. Go kill it, I L F!!! 😀

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

          Can't do right for doing wrong this year.

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

      No Liverpool players, classic Doos 🙂

      Good luck

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      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers, guys! 😀

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  30. Optimus.
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 1 month ago

    i know its rumours at the minute but with talk of gerv coming in for giroud im actually fearing that it could be walcott stuck up top if this happens :??:

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