The Homeless SZS fantasy league thread

[cyrille]

English pundits really tend to resist criticising English captains actually. Seem to remember it being the same regarding Terry and Beckham. It often takes Welsh, Irish, or Scottish players, pundits, and journos to say what's not being said like Bellamy's 'We all know what John Terry's like' comment in a presser regarding the Wayne Bridge debacle.

Yes I think there's some sort of very odd almost churchillian associations made with england captains.

They're always 'not that sort of player' when it comes to faking injury, laughing at 9/11 etc.

And we wonder why they laugh at our failures...

[Jofrey]

three hits

2 hits so far.

one 2 weeks ago for Lukaku and Sanchez....which proved quite profitable.


the latest a triple change on 2 free transfers. taking a little punt.

[cyrille]

Is it just me or is the phrase 'underlying stats' often a bit of a joke?

I've just been reading on FFS somebody saying Redmond is currently a better bet than Capoue because of 'underlying stats'.

It seems to me that this means Redmond gets lots of chances, mostly laid on by Tadic, takes plenty of touches...then taps the ball lamely into the keepers arms. Lots of touches...lots of shots 'on target'. Great 'underlying stats'. Capoue ventures into the box far more rarely and wellies the ball into the net...lots of points. Poorer underlying stats.

OK so Capoue's underlying stats suggest he is no Mahrez just as Watford are no Leicester 15/16, but isn't this overthinking things somewhat? Twatting the ball into the net once a game is better than piddling it towards the keeper twice.

I think I might set up a website. Triggerciz?

I'll make it a condition for contributors to call their players 'assets'.

[Jimmy McNulty]

The assumption always is that those with no underlying stats will stop getting lucky and those with the underlying stats will come good. I think it often serves as something for people to say that have paid up for access to Opta stats and we often listen because we want to believe it's true. Believing that about Redmond would make it a lot easier in biting the bullet on spending bigger elsewhere, for example.

Joffers taking regular hits and defending them. The sky is falling.

[Jimmy McNulty]

Thoughts on Chadli as a cheap fourth midfielder, Cyrille? He still plays for a Pulis side is of course at the forefront of one's mind.

[Dillinger]

I'm thinking there's some good second strings out there,

ie Antonio instead of Payet and Walcott instead of Sanchez?

What about Son for Spurs? he can play up front cant he? now that Kane is out for a while

[Jimmy McNulty]

Walcott going to be a starter? Haven't even considered Payet. Form and team don't look right and Antonio is already banging them in despite the team falling apart.

I'd assume that Janssen guy will get the forward starts in place of Kane. He looks a bit messy early on though.

[cyrille]

Early days for Chadli isn't it...and West Ham were shocking. Son has also only brought it once. He was pretty ordinary last weekend.

My concern with Antonio is that everyone was wondering why West Ham were using such a great goal threat as a defender, and over the last few weeks we've seen why. The WHU brains trust only wanted attacking players last summer in order to keep all the fans entertained and onside with the new stadium. Will he be moved back to defence?

I think Wally might be worth a punt.

Good price.

[Jimmy McNulty]

Regarding Antonio:

Michail Antonio will be a winger for West Ham, David Sullivan has confirmed, despite starting the season at right-back.

Hammers' manager Slaven Bilic had been deploying Antonio at full-back in their opening Premier League fixtures, with the 26-year-old earning a debut call up to the England squad in Sam Allardyce's first England squad.

Bilic suggested Antonio could develop into a right-back similar to that of Manchester United's Antonio Valencia after he scored the winner in West Ham's 1-0 win over Bournemouth in August, but the club moved to bring in former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa on Transfer Deadline Day.

And after the Spaniard's arrival, the club's owner Sullivan has announced a decision has been taken to play Antonio only as a winger from now on.

"Before the Deadline Day on Wednesday we had an unbalanced squad and we needed to change a few things around," Sullivan told the club's official website.

"The decision has now been made that Michail Antonio will play as a winger after originally starting the season as a right-back.

Bit of a dog's breakfast in Stratford.

Mirrors what's been happening in the stands too https://www.theguardian.com/football...P=share_btn_fb

[cyrille]

Yeah, I'm aware of what the plan was re antoio previously. Just wondering if it's still the plan after the recent defensive shambles.

Byram looks way too raw atm and Collins is, well, Collins.

[Jimmy McNulty]

I had no idea about this. I haven't watched West Ham once yet this season.

[Jofrey]

West Ham are total poo at the back this season. Antonio a very popular pick on the current wildcards though..

[cyrille]

Given that Rooney played last night (and was shit again apparently) Rashford at 6.8 looks of interest...

See the only riser last night was Rondon, jof.

[Jofrey]

See the only riser last night was Rondon, jof.

the mighty Solomon...

[Dillinger]

Was gonna take a hit to bring Kun back. That would have involved swapping Sanchez to Downing as well though.

So i just changed Iheanacho for Bony.

[cyrille]

i just changed Iheanacho for Bony.

Hmm.

Interesting.

Wilfried Bony’s attitude is being questioned by his Stoke team-mates - just three weeks after arriving at the club.

Boss Mark Hughes hoped striker Bony would be the proven Premier League goal-getter his Potters have lacked when he landed him on loan from Manchester City on Deadline Day last month.

But it is understood he and his staff are already unhappy with the 27-year-old for failing to show the appetite and work-rate they expect of their players.

Bony is Stoke’s highest-paid player because they have taken on most of his £120,000-a-week man City salary, and team-mates believe he is not providing the Midlands club with value for money.

The Ivory Coast international is yet to score in his three appearances and looks a shadow of the player who terrorised Premier League defences with 25 goals in a season and a half with Swansea before his move to Man City in January last year.

There were also question marks about Bony when he was at the Blues, and Swansea were put off re-signing him in the summer because of a perceived poor attitude.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...ausing-8894202

[Jofrey]

Bony warming the golden bench soon?

[Jofrey]

swapping Sanchez to Downing

might as well just smash your laptop now.

[cyrille]

We've been doing well against Stoke lately.

That lunkhead Charlie Adam getting sent off last season was entertaining.

[Jofrey]

been doing well against Stoke lately.

handing out goals aplenty lately.

what do you think about Chadli ciz? very fine player....hope he continues to feed Rondon.

[cyrille]

Yeah I think he's just what we needed.

Well, one of the two main things we needed, the other being a saido replacement.

I remember him being an ff beast a couple of years ago.

[Jofrey]

an ff beast

yes, he had a great season with Spurs a while back...scoring goals for fun. i doubt they are too impressed watching him prosper now under the free-scoring Pulis

[Dillinger]

Arnautovic looks a good differential.

Do you reckon it's overkill having him and Wilfried in the same team?

[Jimmy McNulty]

Wouldn't go near either at the moment.

[Jofrey]

it's overkill having him and Wilfried

yup...too much Stoke. in very poor form now.

get some Liverpool.