Week 8 - My Team
Robinson
Vermaelen Heitinga O'Shea Gibbs
Billly Fabregas Dunn
Drogba Saha Van Persie
So this is the team I settled on in the end. The doubts over Walcott, Owen, Giggs & Berbatov were just too tough to call, and after dropping Torres & Rooney at discount I wasn't prepared to have 1, maybe 2 player who didn't start. I feel this was the sensible choice - whether it's a successful choice we'll have to wait & see.
I very rarely go 4-3-3 but it was the only was I could complete a team with 11 players who would start for teams who should win. It's also something I don't many other people will do so it may separate me slightly from the pack.
Despite my doubts about Robbo I still feel Blackburn should win & for £3million he's good value.
My defence typically contains Vermaelen & Heitinga...I also decided to stick with O'Shea who's been serving me well & has a good chance of a clean sheet. My final decision was how to use £6m and I went for Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs. He'll replace Clichy, attack down the left flank & wanting to impress Wenger & he also has a chance of a clean sheet. My other option was to downgrade O'Shea to Sonko and switch Gibbs to a midfielder around £8.5m but I couldn't settle on anyone.
Midfield-wise I have Billy, Fabregas & Dunn. I think Billy should start, I fancy Fabs to perform well again (though it's unlikely he'll get close to Week 7) & Dunn's recent performances have been excellent playing just behind the striker, although there is a big yellow card risk being a fiery derby.
All change upfront with the Torres & Rooney news, so it's RvP & Louis Saha. I toyed with the idea of Owen instead of Saha but in the end I picked the inform striker playing at home to Wolves.
So that's it. 4 Arsenal, 3 Everton, 2 Blackburn, 1 Chelsea, 1 Man Utd - too many eggs in five baskets?!
It's been another difficult week and I can't help but feel some of the people I avoided (Walcott in particular) could come back to haunt me. But I've gone with my gut & gone with players I'm sure will play to avoid any zeros.
I'd just like to mention I very nearly picked Ryan Babel instead of Gibbs but I would've had to downgrade O'Shea to Bassong & I wasn't as confident of a Spurs clean sheet. Babel is also capable of disappointing, but he may have a point to prove, so if he scores I'll be very annoyed!
What do you think? What's your team? Do you feel happy with your final XI? Who's on your barndoor radar?
Good luck!
Cheers,
AM
45 comments:
Good to be back!
Could go anywhere though this week...
I made lots of changes and well let's hope we didnt pick around the points too much.
Gordon
Verm/Mears/Oshea
Bily/Fab/Walnutt/BFAR
Drog/Saha/Goldielocks
Quite pleased with my final 11. Settled on
Robinson
Verm Sonko Gibbs
Fabregas Babel Boateng Rosicky
RVP Drogba Saha
Made a last minute Saturday change taking Kranjcar and Owen out so hope this doesnt come back to haunt me!
No-one on the barn door radar just yet, im going to see how the afternoon matches go.
Good luck everyone.
Mine is
Given
Verm - Richards - Gibbs
Fabregas - Yossi - Arshavin - Bily - Krancjar
Drogba - Diamanti
Its almost the same as last time, i didnt lose any players through injury at all. I dropped Baines for Gibbs, and Lennon for Krancjar. I got Richards in due to Man City injuries and he's quite cheap for a good attacking full back.
I feel Arshavin and Benayoun could have great games, with both playing just off the strikers. I can see Arshavin supporting RVP and Yossi supporting Kuyt.
So i ended up with 4 gunners, but spread the rest around.
I also bought in Given with some of the Baines money, he may not score too well now, but i see his price rocketting, and i wanted to get out of that trap i was in of picking either Myhill, Robbo or Gordon every damn week.
My weekends have a purpose again hahaha, it's quite sad really, my woman think's i've gone mad with my sudden obsession of following every game in the premiership, when i support none of them lol.
Good luck everyone!!!
Robinson
Vermaelen - Paintsil - O'Shea
Bilyaletdnov - Dunn - Fabregas - Kightly
Saha - Van Persie - Owen
Given
Vermalen Sonko Hertinga
Arshavn Millner Fab Muckena Billy
Drogs RVP
A lot of da gunners in one basket ,but i think they must put in another big performance
Millner has been wit me for quiet a few weeks and doing well for me
AM - Looks like we're in the minority with Gibbs with 0.5% of teams picking him up. Could be an astute buy in the absense of Clichy.
Howard
Verm-O'shea-Gibbs
Fab4-Dunn-Billy-KPB
Drog-Saha-Diamanti
same like yesterday
hope that Everton(Howard) will get CS, for other things I really don't care
Given on barndoor for sure
Next week is shity, just Chelsea
I gambled on Kuyt up front, hoping for SOTs and a goal, since he will be the main striking threat.
So far, I plopped Ade in there for the barndoor.
no one has adebayor. i might go up some places this week. since i picked him up this week, i don't need to barndoor him.
I'm looking at Geovanni on the BD - home to Pompey, decent average score, taking set pieces, may be worth a punt...
Robbo
Verm Heit Evra
Cesc Billy Walcott Song Giggs
Drogs Saha
Sentiments alike AM! hope the eggs in these few baskets wont break.
Good luck to everyone!
Where is this world going to, when a clear Spur like AM picks 4 Arsenal player, while I, a clear Gunner, picked only 3?
Given
Vermaelen Richards Heitinga
Bily Fabregas Walcott Geovanni
Drogba Saha Berbatov
I've taken huge risks this week, thanks to the immense uncertainty concerning injuries, injuries of other and one particular birth. My confidence has dropped as long as the deadline came closer, but I evantually destracted myself with homework in Physics so I wouldn't make any hasty changes.
I'm not very happy with my team, but I'm very hopefull. Should I be?
SF
my side looks like...
Given
Verm/Heit/Bass
Cesc/Bily/Lennon/D. Dunn
Drogba/Bent/Defoe
A round of goals for everyone! Friedel's buying!
Went with
Given
Verm, Heitinga, Givet
Fabs, Bily, Boateng, Geovanni
Drogs, Saha, Adebayor
I don't like using more than one player from the same team if they're in the same position and since I BDed Fabs last gameweek, I didn't want Arshavin so onlyu other Arsenal player I was considering was RVP but I didn't like the choices I was left with for other positions.
Plus I had a dream last nigth that Arsenal won 9-2 and no big named players had goals or assists, just a bunch of nobodies, and only one person had a brace (so 7 goal scorers). That's my fear with Arsenal, sad that I dreamt that, lol.
my oh my.....
my line up
Given
Vermaelen, Heitinga,Turner
Benayoun,Dunn,Geovanni,N'Zogbia
Drogba,Keane,Kitson
awful decision i think...
I'm not entirely happy with my line-up, but at this point, I guess that goes without saying:
Robinson
Vermaelen/Heitinga/O'Shea
Dunn/Fabregas/Blini/KPBoateng
Drogba/Saha/Adebayor
So why did I replace Rooney with Adebayor instead of -- say -- RvP, Berbatov, or Owen? You got me. I'd like to pretend I have some grand scheme, but it's just a whim really.
I fried my neurons getting this far. I'm not sure yet who I want to BD.
Very happy with the early results and hopefully my team!
Ended up going with:
Given
Vermelean/Gibbs/Sonko
Bily/Arshavin/Kranjcar/Dunn
Drogs/Diamanti/RVP
Loved the mad scramble for all of the Torres holders. I had Rooney but didn't have much of an issue dropping him for Baby Daddy Van Persie...
Barn door... Bullard possibly? Villa could be frisky at the Wolves door next week...
O'Shea on the bench! I am furious :(
Arshavin also benched grrrr! I so nearly went with Rosicky too.
Good news for the Walcott owners though. Which isn't me.
LOL.
Arshavin also on the bench.
Walcott make the start.
Its 6:53 in the states and I am still really drunk. Went out with my friends last night after my long week of homework and tests. Boy I am glad Giggs and Berbs are starting, I cotemplated dropping for Kranjcar/Defoe which wouldn't be a bad choice but I like players playing at home. SO glad Villa beat Chelsea with Drogba again proving his worth, seriously, if Liverpool win today without Torres/Gerrard were back in the title race. I have a feeling the title could be lifted by a team with 3+ losses this season since the Premier League is so competeitve.
My Team:
Given, Verm, O'Shea, Bassong
Giggs, Lennon, Dunn, Billy
Drogba, Berbs, Saha
I dropped Berbs but replaced him with Bent :) one goal already
However I chose Nani over Walcott :(
Another reason to hate Fergie
@ Kellz, you are really drunk if you think the Pool have any chance at the title, this coming from a Liverpool supporter
Defoe scores and is sent off lol
Yea I lost faith in Pool, I just hope the oil money comes in now so I can see a better squad then Gerrard + Torres one.
Walcott got 3 points, so you dont miss much.
Ouch, not much of a supporter then, 4 losses leaves Liverpool in a very bad position, and yet it is still a long title race with Chelsea now dropping another loss, wins can always make up for losses, however at the moment it is not looking good.
If you don't have Billy jump on him now before his value goes up even more.
Rafa first manager to go? Carragher looks old, time to start again. Keep Johnson, Stevie G and Torres.
Just wanna say I am so pissed at Pool that I mistyped "than" as "then", a rare mistake for me.
Well, first off I lied to everyone aboutmy starting 11 in a previous post. Sorry. My actual line up was this
Given
Verm, Baines, Turner
Billy, Boateng, Jarvis, Dunn
Drogba, Defoe, Bent
What a week. Billy Boa Drogba Defoe and Bent all scored and Bent should've had 3 but still had SOT. I would be very surprised not to break an easy 120 this week and seeing as not alot of people had my middies, Im hoping to finally make some ground this week. Cheers :D
Well I am talking about overall pespective, not just from one game. I have been watching all Pool's games this season bar this sunderland one due to technical difficulty, but their play is lacking creativity and most of the time they just struggle using their superior possesion. Of course one loss wont keep me being their fan,but I would rather be a bit more realistic
Ruki, you missed the one Pool game you shouldn't have. 100 miles per hour for the first 20 minutes. Some of the most exciting football and it was ALL SUNDERLAND. I must say, without Gerrard and Torres, Pool look like a mid table team at the very best. I can honestly see them not even qualifying for europe next season unless they win the Champions league, which they won't.
RvP+Nugent or Bellamy+Bent
I'm leaning towards the former, but I'm really not sure!
SF
Rafa has Liverpool siting too far back, he needs the mentality to run at teams. But to be honest, we couldn't produce any clear chance today. Its going to be a long weekend for me. A loss to Utd and we might aswell rest all of our team for the CL, FA, and League cup.
What A night!Chelsea & Liverpool lost......
Rgds.
Ajani
It may be worth grabbing DIAMANTI pre-update, he's dropped a little to 8.78. Decent stats, selfish set piece taker, but mainly to get in early ahead of the Hammers double game week in 2 weeks. Just a barndoor thought...
Eh, I started following EPL in 2007 and picked Tottenham as my team. I sucked it up last year and just hoped for them not to get relegated. It's part of the fun with sports, so to all 'Pool supporters just suck it up and better times should be on the horizon. Plus being a lifelong Cubs fan, I am used to teams sucking and/or choking when it counts.
Ouch stlram01, you are brave sir ;D
Dear Ed/ Adim,
Just a quick one to say thanks and good effort with the blog.
Wow. What a day.
Alas Poor AM you must be drowning your sorrows with O'Shea and Gibbs, in all due deference, wtf were you thinking.
And, last week, I speculated that Arsenal might start both Rosicky and Walcott and was greeted with hoots of derision. I've gone back and tried to find out from whom but it eludes me. Please confess so I can gloat.
In the last thread I was debating whether to pick Rosicky or Walcott and as AM said, and I agreed, it was just too risky and confusing so I went with neither.
I had
Robinson
Vern Heitinga Bassong
Bily/Blini Lennon Kranjcar Dunn
RVP Saha Drogs
This yielded 80.5 pts with Dunn and Robinson still to come. Funny, how the 80.5 moved me up alot to 1863 in the overall board but in 2 spots in AM's league 2. Maybe they get 10 each and I get 100.
Ok. Looking ahead to next week.
Biggest questions will be whether Torres, Gerrard and Rooney return and then for everyone who gave them up, wtf to do about the discounts we all lost.
Second biggest question is what Moyes will do with Bily Blini, most of us had him today. he yielded 17.5 pts, will he/can he play Pienaar and Blini at the same time of doe Bily sit.
Third biggest question is how dinged Walcott is. Not to be cruel, but I will, I hope he's done for awhile, then picking Rosicky who I immensely like will be less fraught with anxiety.
Last point @ Toffee Dave, Ruki and the comments on Liverpool above.
Sunderland shoud have won at least 4-0. Bent missed an open goal twice. In the Stadium of Light, Sunderland was going at light speed. This goes to show, as I've said all along, that Liverpool has no replacement for Torres, and to a lesser extent Gerrard. I fear that Torres may be Owenish, injury wise. Groins are very tricky, I've done mine twice, and can keep you out for weeks. They are like hamstrings. Nasty injuries. Without Torres, Liverpool is in a world of hurt.
All that said, nothing is settled. The race I think is still wide open. Chelsea didn't threaten Villa at all. And they are lost with Drogba who is so clearly the best player on the team. How many games do they lose him for the ANC? ManU stunned by winning without Rooney and a dazed Berbatov and an over the hill Owen. Right now, who the hell knows. Let's see how City does, with a much injured defense. I don't think anything is clear yet, within the top 6 or even 8. I can even see Spurs making a run.
@Kellz-where do you drink?
So here's hoping that Robinson gets a clean sheet. Dunn has a goal and an assist. And I begin to regain some ground on SteveBob FC and get back up the table.
chrism
velvet underground allstars.
Chris - As always I appreciate your effort with an excellent overall post, but no offence, "wtf was I thinking"? I finished with 77 points, 3.5 points less than you also with Dunn & Robbo still to play.
Gibbs returns 5 points, with a clean sheet it would've been 11 & I was severely unlucky with O'Shea. 9 times out of 10 he plays, how could I predict he'd randomly be dropped?
I still hope Robbo & Dunn do well. :)
Cheers,
AM
What a day indeed. It started poorly but redeemed itself by the end. Somehow I have 82.5 points with Robbo, Dunn, and Adebayor yet to go. Thank goodness I replaced Walcott with KPB (perhaps the first late Friday night change that actually worked out for me).
I swapped in O'Shea for SeaBass thinking ManUtd were more likely to get a clean sheet than Spurs. Once again, I was burned by the whims of SAF (not to be confused with the times I was burned by the whims of Benitez, Wenger, or Ancelotti). It cost me only 2.5 though. I've made far more disastrous decisions this season.
C'mon Rovers (well, at least two of them anyway)!!!
I'm excited!!What a day it was! And plus i'm kinda heavy on booze.,So dont pay heed to my typos!
I got 62 points from just 5 playas!!
Billy,Verma,Saha,Bent & Giggs made my day!
Also i'm really looking forward to Sunday's games,Jus coz i have the Blackburn trio - PRoblem/Givet/Dunn and the Hull duo - Sonko/Geovanni and Mr.BADebayor still to play!
So I'm pretty much excited , what with 4 of the bove mentioned guys having a chance to net me some goal(s) !!
Also,
Onto the Barndoor -
My early team -
Given
Verma/Sonko/Richards/Dunne
Billy/KPB/O'Hara
Adebayor/Bent/Drogs@15 :'(
I'm considering dropping Heiti for next week as Bolton would look to put 2-3 past Everton.
And might pick up Richards?
Godd or Bad change??
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