Matchday Open Thread
Sat Mar 29 05:39AM
From Super Sunday to Strugglers Saturday. All eyes will be on Pride Park as Fulham visit Derby - two teams who if you combined their point total would still be in the bottom half of the table! It's one of those matches that will most likely end scoreless, but if someone gets an early goal the floodgates could open.
It's the last set of matches before the Champions League resumes and the top four Engllish teams are all still involved. Arsenal have already hinted that they're going to rest K2 and we'll see what the other clubs do. I'm developing a theory that if Liverpool can beat Everton that they're best strategy will be to tank the league match with Arsenal and concentrate on the Champions League matches against the Gunners. If they can open a five point lead over Everton they'll have the breathing room to not sweat a loss at Emirates. And if Arsenal can stay in the race for the league title than not only will their attentions be divided but Chelsea and ManU won't be able to focus on the Champions League alone either, should Liverpool meet them in the next round.
But I could be wrong.
Continuing our look ahead - our barn(es) door report, if you will - Everton get their home match against Derby. So by hook or by crook you have to get the Yak and Arteta on your team. AJ, Osman and any defender in your budget should also be considered and corralled. A lot of the other bottom teams match up with each other and I'm not sure any are worth backing. Villa get Bolton at Villa Park and could use the chance to break out of their slump -assuming it continues this week at Old Trattford. Chelsea visit Citeh and ManU visit Boro but too much depends on who gets rotated because of the Champions League matches.
So basically, get Everton. And Jummy home to Sunderland. But mostly Everton.
But let's not look too far ahead, we have a lot of matches this weekend. Who you got, who you watching, and how are they doing for you? This is your matchday open thread.
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From brown_seeds on Sat Mar 29 05:48AMArteta. I got him when he faced Derby in their first fixture and he scored. Pienaar is also a good bargain.
From zzzeclipse on Sat Mar 29 10:15AMI told myself I wouldn't spend too much time on my team for once! Several hours later, I have only kept Torres, CRon and Robbo, welcoming Benchdtner, Walcott, Utaka, Reid, Bullard, Carvalho, Stalteri and Hutton to the squad. It was very hard to drop K2 after 11 weeks and embarrassing to realise I needed so much of your help to come up with the team. Well, thanks!
From blessedatheist on Sat Mar 29 11:21AMHad some kind of panic attack at 11.58 and just couldn't quite drop Santa Cruz (+4) for McCarthy, am sure I will regret this!!
From alex.ayre on Sat Mar 29 12:04PMYes you will.
From zzzeclipse on Sat Mar 29 12:12PMWent w/Pienaar, thinking Pudge Reid may have a big day and i'll regret it, though I poached KRich and dropped Edwards for another day. Here's hoping Pienaar becomes Ashley Young for a day! (GO CELTIC!!)
From donegal08 on Sat Mar 29 01:07PMthe game says that portsmouth dont have a game next week, but on bbc the game has just been rescheduled for tuesday, not cancelled. any thoughts anyone
From joshtottenham on Sat Mar 29 01:07PM(7) Only one... I still sold Defoe for Osman!
From donegal08 on Sat Mar 29 01:22PMAnyone else jump on the R.(don't even know his first name or care) O'Donovan bandwagon this week? Let's hope he pulls a Shane Long.
From gentrykirby on Sat Mar 29 01:35PMSeriously, I mean, seriously... Everton? Mostly? Surely Newcastle players are tempting against Reading. PLUS, they are wayyy cheaper than Everton players. Owen, anyone?
From piscesian2000 on Sat Mar 29 01:50PMWhen will AJ be back? I'm thinking of Anichebe, who got around 15 pts last week. Still affordable at 6+ bucks (if I'm not mistaken). CRon might be rested at Boro next week, another CRon headache. Drop him for Arteta?
From zzzeclipse on Sat Mar 29 01:53PMEven if Ronaldo doesn't start, he has played in every game. He came off the bench twice. And we know what he can even in limited time.
From gentrykirby on Sat Mar 29 01:59PMalex.ayre, good call on santa - always have faith in the cruz.
From wsuliman88 on Sat Mar 29 02:50PMalso, Jeremy you're a ledge - adebayor is on the bench - and thanks to you, i got rid. AS IF you worked that out just from the preliminary team sheet's order.. impressive
From wsuliman88 on Sat Mar 29 02:52PMWonder why M.Petrov didn't start for ManCity
From amyteoh on Sat Mar 29 02:55PMYes, Portsmouth plays West Ham on Tuesday, April 8. That said, don't dump Defoe based on the Yahoo sheet. Hope they adjust it soon.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 02:59PMMPet not even on the bench?!?!?! WTF!?!?! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! YOu're kidding me!
From jspitzberg on Sat Mar 29 03:04PMarrghhhhhhhh. mcEvely (DER)and volz(FUL) not even in the bench. earnshaw (DER) and long (BIR) not in starting line up. this is may be my worst week.....
From atrofu on Sat Mar 29 03:37PMMust've missed the headline...Gardner hurt for Bolton.
From roberts_dustin on Sat Mar 29 03:41PMRSC in the line-up...
Just trade him (+5) with Berb.
From sunaryohadi on Sat Mar 29 03:47PMi love defoe...
From zaizai1950 on Sat Mar 29 03:51PMWhat's that old rule about Bolton, Jeremy? Ah, yes, never bet on or against. Oh, Arsenal, you heart-breaking lot of young 'uns.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 03:54PMBoys are boys.. don't expect to much!! they just can't handle the pressure.. Arsenal you're pity!!
Long live Defoe
From pupusadiwaluyo on Sat Mar 29 04:02PMI don't know that anyone who dropped RSC this week should beat themselves up too badly (cue hat in second). He's not 100%, Blackburn have been inconsistent this calendar year, and Reading's no pushover at home.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 04:02PMDoesn't look like the clampdown of the last week or so has done anything to increase discipline amongst players. Lots of unnecessary nastiness and stupidity and resulting cards.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 04:13PMLots to think about here. Barndoor Zarate at under 7? At Wigan next, but BIR inconsistent and not the best on the road.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 04:27PMCrazy game at Pride Park. Keller keeping Fulham in it. There were actually points in this game, if anyone could have predicted it. Jummy not doing much of anything, which is unfortunate.
From gentrykirby on Sat Mar 29 04:43PMboy o boy, now Arsenal are up 3-2 thanks to a deflection
From goeasy27 on Sat Mar 29 04:54PMUnbelievable stuff at the Reebok.
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 04:57PMBFAR!
From the_burning_pen on Sat Mar 29 04:59PM
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