As we approach Phase 5 of the game, what would you do if you were the owner of the top team?

That honour currently goes to our very own The Bear. His current team:

Vorm
Kompany
Enrique
Walker
Hangeland
Silva
Dempsey
Mata
Aguero
Rooney
van Persie


A mile in another mans shoes - Llama 1st / Original 18th
a-mile-in-another-mans-shoes-t89744.html

Silencing Sleuth - Nedved 9th / Sleuth 292nd
silencing-sleuth-t90553.html

Educating Edmo - Chrismar 10th / Edmo 58th
educating-edmo-t92303.html

Suzykins
Sorenson
Kompany
Baines
Walker
Enrique
Silva
Dempsey
Mata
Van Persie
Suarez
Aguero

Outgoing
Vorm 14

Hangeland 11
Walker 4
Kompany 2
Enrique 1

Silva 5
Dempsey 4
Mata 1

Rooney 7
Aguero 3
Van Persie 1

Incoming
Hart 6
Krul 4
Reina 1
Schwarzer 1
Sorenson 1
Szczesny 1

Agger 4
T Vermaelen 4
F Coloccini 2
B Assou-Ekotto 1
B Ivanovic 1
G Cahill 1
J Evans 1
L Baines 1
L Koscielny 1
M Wilson 1
P Jones 1

Bale 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 4
Sessegnon 3
Gerrard 1

Suarez 8
Ba 1

Not a good start for Bruce here although there's still plenty of games to go.

The arsenal semi block + Wilson seems risky to me...I know both arsenal & Stoke have loads more games but that means nothing if they can't keep clean sheets.

to be fair arsenal should have had a clean sheet today, they only conceded because mertesacker went down injured when about to make a pass back to Sczesny letting the sunderland player one on one.

Chrismar 1566
the doc 1564
Llama 1562
Postman 1554
em9999 1550
Zimmerman 1545
Edmondson 1544
Chrisharry 1541
jpk 1541
Suzykins 1540
Bruce 1538 still in top spot
Striker 1538
bigsheff 1537 1st
Stoneybatter 1535 joint 1st
Takeshi Kovacs 1533 3rd
lfc71 1528 3rd
Curry Head 1527 3rd
Juckster 1527 3rd
WNP 1527 3rd

In line with this thread's title, I wonder if later in the season Bruce will not only be worrying about others on the leaderboard but also whether or not everyone's favourite Australian Yank will pull the plug on the Sun as part of his detoxification strategy to improve N.I.'s image in his USA money making heartland?

P.S. I really hope that Bruce gets a deserved win in this comp and gets £200,000 in his bank account but wouldn't be averse to him having a few such worries along the way.

I am baffled by Bruce's transfers.....lets see if they work. Good luck.

The game tonight could be the making of the Arsenal gamble. Mertesacker injury is a real blessing, Vermaelen back in the centre with Koscielny, could be two starman contenders if Arsenal keep a clean tonight.

Not fancied for the clean, but certainly not impossible and would put Bruce in a fantastic position.

i think Arsenal get stuffed...

Whilst AC are probably favourites, I wouldnt be surprised to see a 0-0 or 0-1 score line tonight.

i wouldn't be suprised i would be



GOBSMACKED

Really? This isn't 1990's AC Milan.
Aside from a little foray, Italian teams have been pretty disappointing in recent years.
Throw in Spurs nicking a 1-0 win last season and it's not beyond realms of possibility that Arsenal 'could' hold them.

Arsenal are and have been SHITE this season with a CL choking record of second to none.


I think anyone sticking in Arsenal defenders with their upcoming fixtures SERIOUSLY needs to be CARTED AWAY TO THE NUTHOUSE (no offence Bruce)

Milan are also currently top of their domestic league

With a CL pedigree second to nobody in England

and are one of 3 Italian teams that are still in the CL ..

Milan home and away
Sunderland away in cup
Spurs at home and then Liverpool(unbeaten at home) away

Yeah can see lots of clean sheets for the gooners.

1 - Arsenal have kept just 1 clean sheet in their last 19 CL away matches since keeping AC Milan at bay in 2008. Leaky.

Get in there your beauty.

Even better seeing as it's ex SPURS.



YEP THAT'LL BE 2 SAYS ROBINHOHOHO!

very subtle Dot

Robinho sticks his tongue out at Arseshaving...

Tku and goodnight!

Only fitting the number 1 player of the night scores.

Make an effort Dot, none of the players have had the right kit on yet

I've always rated these Italian teams.

massive game for arsenal at sunderland now after that.. minus 2 crocked defenders and henry saying au revoir tonite

sunderland wont be knackered like last week either after the boro marathon

Are you reading this Groomyd?

not forgetting the full backs that have been out for a long time.

gibbs was never a viable replacement for cole was he nev ?

I heard he was Englands left back
The tiredness might not be as bad as the mental stuff ?
Will have hurt the team & Wenger hard..............hard to pick themselves up, think about the cup & next weeks game

He wasnt nor Clichy
But thats what they've got - he's their first choice.

gibbs was the long term big thing after cole jumped ship but doesnt seem up to it but hes always injured anyway

Another 2 maybe 3 games less for Arsenal this window now .

Question now is when will Arsenal score again??

Llama 1599
Chrismar 1598
Postman 1588
the doc 1586
em9999 1582
Suzykins 1582
Chrisharry 1577
Zimmerman 1577 1st
Striker 1569 joint 2nd
Edmondson 1568 3rd
jpk 1564 4th
bigsheff 1563 4th
Takeshi Kovacs 1561 4th
WNP 1558 joint 4th
Curry Head 1556 joint 5th
Stoneybatter 1555 6th
Bruce 1549 6th
Juckster 1546
lfc71 1542