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Preamble December 21

The Pre-match Preamble – Gameweek 17

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This is a time for family and feasting. A time to indulge those you love and the treats and temptations around us. For Fantasy managers, however, Christmas offers us a tortuous programme that clashes with such merriment and has us break etiquette and risk the wrath of loved ones. We embrace the fixture frenzy that Christmas brings – it’s all that family and friends nonsense that gets in the way.

Every year I’m amazed by the numbers. While I’m reliably informed that, by January, the typical Fantasy Football player base has dropped off by 50%, on our pages we see no such trend. The Christmas spell is a boom period.

It leads me to ponder that, if Fantasy Football is a drug for the enthusiastic “hardcore” player, then the Christmas period is a pure and relentless hit that renders us giddy with the possibilities and often exhausts us with its outcomes. This is no time to shelve our lineups and pursue the expected Christmas agenda – our time is dictated by deadlines, kick-off times and the live television schedule. We need our fix and it’s never been so plentiful.

And yet, I know full well I will have to make concessions. I know that, come Boxing Day, my excited expectations for my teams will have to be hushed amongst company, limited to a smuggled mobile phone under the dinner table and improbably frequent toilet breaks that will have loved ones concerned about the condition of my bladder.

It’s a painful experience (not the bladder) to maintain the threads of conversation over dinner when the mind is drifting to the chances of Marko Arnautovic notching for Stoke. It’s unnatural, unnecessary and against all that Christmas stands for. And yet, for myself and doubtless other Fantasy managers, it’s become the norm.

Hands up, then. The normal service will be interrupted. Pulls and responsibilities, the magic of seeing my near two-year-old experience all that Christmas brings will distract me and those who help me to fuel your own obsession at this time. But I’ll sneak and cajole, win brownie points and trade them for time to be amongst you. Enjoy the festivities.

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

1,617 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Raddy
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Suarez is my captain yet the Liverpool game is irrelevant to me, whatever happens everyone in top 100k will get the same.

    Crazy season.

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    1. Courtois in the Rye
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Liverpool conceding would be nice!

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      1. Peggi
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Whittingham brace 😎

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        1. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I hope not as I've benched him... which means it will almost certainly happen.

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          1. Peggi
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            i have him first sub with rooney on.

            Rooney to come on for a minute to get a 1 pointer

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            1. Courtois in the Rye
              • 11 Years
              10 years, 10 months ago

              There was some bloke on here earlier this week who'd benched Walcott and Flanagan last week and watched while every single one of his starting XI played.

              I've got Terry first sub, Whittingham second.

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    2. Funkyav
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      what about the other 14 in everyone's squad?

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      1. Raddy
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Obviously I meant points gained from the captaincy of Suarez in the pool game.

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    3. Namtab Nomolos
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Playing in the Beach Soccer World Cup most weeks all the captians (strikers) would cancel each other out. The Semi-FInal and Final were blanket Suarez (c) so made no impact for anyone

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  2. odannyboys
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    williams or dawson?

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    1. HurriKane
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      dawson

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  3. Smudger’s Dirty Dozen
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    Bench Lallana or Cabaye??

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    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Neither......must have a duff def?

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      1. Smudger’s Dirty Dozen
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Chico McAuley Coleman Merte

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        1. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Bench Mert?

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  4. MJ6987
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    So, Rooney owners...keeping or selling for a hit?

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    1. Scottys Army
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      keeping

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    2. Raddy
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      100% keeping.

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    3. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Keeping.

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    4. HurriKane
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      keeping

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    5. Chris_White
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Don't know. All my ML rivals have Negredo now. FML.

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    6. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Keeping definitely. News not concrete enough to get rid and even less concrete about next GW where I'd want him anyway.

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      1. mookie
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        well said

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    7. Konig Luther
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      keeping

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    8. Declan
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Keeping, Im struggling to find any other striker worth taking a punt on.

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    9. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Sold now.

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    10. Derailed Bandwagon
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      sold for adebayor 😯

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  5. megatronaldinho
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 10 months ago

    how can rooney be in the squad when he's in your mother's bed? generic response

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    1. TheSteady ¤ Wines th…
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      How can he be inn all of our beds at the same time. Seems unlikely to me.

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    2. megatronaldinho
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 10 months ago

      so much untapped antipathy. i'll find the font

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  6. Mak_Gold
      10 years, 10 months ago

      Am I good to go?:

      Mignolet,
      Coleman, Clyne, Chico,
      Hazard, Silva, Ramsey, RMorrison,
      Suarez(C), Rooney, Lukaku.

      Chester, Koscielny (inj.), Brady (inj.)

      Or do I need to take a hit if these rumors surrounding Rooney are true?

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      1. Courtois in the Rye
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        I think you're ok, not much room for manoeuvre - if you brought Rooney in this week I'd consider Negredo for a hit but if you're sitting on huge profit and inability to buy back then I wouldn't.

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      2. JasonV
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Mignolet is good shout even though clean sheet ain't gunna happen. Many saves though.... insane midfield but you need to sell your dead weight even if they are benched. That's lost money right there.

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        1. Mak_Gold
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Cheers guys. 🙂

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      3. Evans
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Really tempted to do Romney to lukaku for a hit

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        1. DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Is that mitt romney:-)

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          1. In Like Flynn.
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Romney Marsh

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      4. Valar(Keith)
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        I loved my SAR strikeforce.. no one could afford it in my ML and i happily climbed.. They brought in Negredo and Lukaku weeks back to counter but they could not hold a candle to my SAR. Now i'm taking hits to get their strikeforce! :grrrr:

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        1. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          We rode the wave brother...

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        2. Evans
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Yeah.... It's cr@p ain't it

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        3. Raddy
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          SAR is dead mate.

          Time to move onto greener pastures

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      5. JasonV
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        REPOST

        Myhill
        Evra Fonte Jagielka
        Whittingham YayaToure Oscar Ramsey
        Remy Suarez Lukaku

        Bench: Sessegnon McAuley Davies

        I made a transfer already for Evra... do I need to make a point hit for more changes?!

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      6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        jelavic to start this week and mess everyone up even more

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        1. Evans
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Source ?

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          1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            daniel

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        2. Jimmers
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Lukaku then comes on after 60 ineffective minutes from Jelavic and scores twice

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      7. Piggs Boson
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        This injury is well staged by Moyes. He's even convinced you cynics 😉

        I wonder if Wayne will pass the late fitness test... 🙂

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        1. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I think it's quite an amateur one trying to ape the old Fergie surprises.

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      8. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Martinez

        "I think it is quite easy nowadays to know when to bring players in or to give players a rest. We get inundated with data and it is about using that data in the right way and knowing the players. When you have so much information, it is easier to call when a player may be getting fatigued or towards a risk of injury.

        "In that respect, sports science and all the data we receive does play a big part."

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        1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          lukaku? 😯

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          1. Woy of the Wovers
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Always was a risk.

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        2. FPL Daniel
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Jelavic starting will be hilarious 🙂

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          1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            I think jelavic starts the home game next week

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        3. Raddy
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Natural conclusion from that is Lukaku, Coleman, Howard and Jags rested.

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      9. GreennRed
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Howard ir Mignolet?

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        1. SW6
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Howard

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      10. Wild Rover
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Hits to bring in Rooney and Rafael.. Worrying times 🙁

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        1. Voodoo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Late fitness test for Rooney, he'll probably score from the bench

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        2. Namtab Nomolos
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I've always enjoyed owning Rafael. Hope he's ready to go on an assist spreee for the Jan WC

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        3. FPL Daniel
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Mate I worry about u.

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        4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          where is rafael?

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        5. roscola
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Rafael is in the squad at least:

          http://redmancunian.com/2013/12/21/manchester-united-without-rooney-van-persie-fellaini-vidic-ferdinand-weekend/

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          1. Wild Rover
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Cool, I just saw a link to the squad that didn't have him 🙂

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            1. roscola
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 12 Years
              10 years, 10 months ago

              Yeah, me too. I'm choosing to believe this one. Have had a weird felling all week that he's going to monster West Ham 🙂

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          2. In Like Flynn.
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            On the upside, at least Ferdinand is out.

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      11. RafaMC
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Play one of the following. Both are at home

        Gabbidon Home to Newcastle

        or

        Shaw Home to Spurs

        Other defenders are Mert and Coleman

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      12. Optimus.
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Hits for everyone

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        1. Wild Rover
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Get your hits our for the lads...

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          1. Jafooli
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            😛

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        2. Piggs Boson
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I was forced to do Michu -> Wally (-4) this week 🙁

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        3. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          😎

          the more the merrier, have a mince pie

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        4. Peggi
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          not me 😎

          😉

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      13. Heydudes13
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Lukaku to be rested Daniel?

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        1. FPL Daniel
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I think not this week, but one of the next ones surely. The games are every 2 days

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          1. Heydudes13
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            True enough.

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        2. Ryan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Midweek most likely

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      14. Voodoo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Anyone not captaining Suarez?

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        1. Epic Fail
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Yeah.

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          1. FPL Daniel
            • 15 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Rooney was the alternative. Now? Yeah everybody

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        2. toxik
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Lukaku (c)

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        3. Mr Smith
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Wally(c) FTW 😀

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      15. SpinyNorman [*_*]
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Why was my post removed??

        Guiness poo is a very important FPL problem.

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      16. El Zurdo
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Is Redmond still good option? He is nailed for upcoming ~5 games?

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        1. FPL Daniel
          • 15 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          I was burnt by him in the past. I think Mark has him. Check that. But if Mark has him don't go there 😉 😆

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      17. Wild Rover
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        What happened to deleting all the scaremongering posts with no links? 😕

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        1. Heydudes13
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Daniel's DOES though. 🙁

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          1. FPL Daniel
            • 15 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            I posted a reliable quotes? What I have done ?

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            1. Heydudes13
              • 13 Years
              10 years, 10 months ago

              Nothing, that's what I was saying, yours has a reliable link. 🙂

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        2. Epic Fail
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Seconded.

          I want to see the Guinness poo.

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          1. Jafooli
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            😆

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          2. SpinyNorman [*_*]
            • 12 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            It was enormous and had a layer of white foam on top, that filled up the can touching my bottom.

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        3. Ryan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Flag it up yourself if you think it breaches the T/C's

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      18. Valar(Keith)
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        in 13 games this season Terry has got 5 bps and above.. that run includes just 4 CS's and 2 goals.. He's always in the mix for bonuses isn't he.. prob still be a bargain soon

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        1. Mr Smith
          • 14 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          You have seen how many games they've conceded in, right? 😕

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        2. The3rdTurd
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Generally it's 7 minimum needed for baps. 6 has been enough on a very small number of occasions, but never 5.

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      19. Lovzat
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Bench collocini (cpa) or Whits (liv) ? Cheers guys

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        1. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Bench Whittingham.

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          1. Big_Andy_GAWA
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Yeah.

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      20. Breadbin
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Good old Bemba, always around when there's scaremongering required.

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        1. Scottys Army
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          legend

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        2. Optimus.
          • 13 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          😀

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      21. Scottys Army
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/13/aston-villa-manchester-united-squad-sheets

        evra out for villa

        he started the game

        same with wazza

        prays

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        1. SpinyNorman [*_*]
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          What???

          I just brought in Evra for a hit to replace Zab 🙁

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          1. Denis Tueart on the wing
            • 14 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            That was last year - !!!!!!!!

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          2. Tomlette Greggs
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            they played Villa last week, remember?

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      22. MattysFantasyFooty
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Terry -> Evans

        YES OR NO?

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        1. Evans
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Yes

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        2. Raddy
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Do it for free

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      23. Evans
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Fook it Rooney is staying

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        1. toxik
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Same here

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      24. Optimus.
        • 13 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        To hit or not to hit,that is the question...

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        1. Evans
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          For who ?

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          1. Optimus.
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            JWP > Sterling?

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          2. Piggs Boson
            • 13 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            He's talking about his wife.

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      25. Voodoo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Get yer hits out. I'll start. I've took -8. total this season = -12

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        1. Raddy
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          -4 this week.

          -12 season total.

          Only take hits when my hand is forced as it was this week.

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        2. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Still just can't get my head round hits. I've taken -12 this season, all in a single gameweek and it prompted a massive rise up the rankings.

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      26. Ludo
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 10 months ago

        Just can't bring myself to sell Rooney and go to a -12, even though he doesn't look like starting. Learnt my lesson on Saturday night transfers though - last time I did it, Michu then Silva got injured, this time it was Aguero then Rooney!

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        1. toxik
          • 12 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          -8 here too and still might struggle to field 11!

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        2. Courtois in the Rye
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 10 months ago

          Why Saturday night? No danger of price drops was there?

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          1. Ludo
            • 11 Years
            10 years, 10 months ago

            Was to beat a rise, not a good move!

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