Full house.

Bale, Ade, BAE, Howard, Hibbert & Drenthe.

No points hits taken to get there (FWIW).

Going with VDV (c), Bale (vc), Adebayor, Jagielka, Hibbert, Drenthe, no hits.

Final answer.

I have:

Bale (c)
Adebayor (vc)
Ass-Ek
Osman
Hibbert

No hits taken.

No hits taken either for Bale (c), Walker, and Adebayor while having Baines and Drenthe representing Everton.

Confirmed BAE, VDV, Ade, Drenthe.

Debating a hit on Formica Rodwell

With Sturridge and Walters doubts, I'm looking to cover my squad in case of further drop-outs... I've got Ryan Taylor, who doesn't look like he'll play much against Man Utd after having a mare against Liverpool, so i'm considering a 4 point hit to get rid of Taylor for Distin?

Already got 3 Spurs, and this would be my only Everton inclusion, but does anyone think this is at all worth it? Can't see Everton getting a clean sheet against Spurs, but good chance against Bolton?

Bale / Adebayor / Walker + Osman / Jagielka / Howard for me.

According to the poll, it seems that only a few people went for Howard so I guess that makes us either genius' or a flaming great galah's. I expect it's the latter

Go for it, I'm not so sure Spurs will batter Everton like most expect, Spurs are in good form but Everton ain't far behind, outside of the top 4 Everton are in that next pack trying to break in, like Spurs.

They could easily go there and put up a fight, they've won at the lane in recent years and are tightening up at the back, it could go either way, Spurs look good now because they are playing all the weak teams, Everton are a little bit more resolute and almost got a credible 0-0 at Arsenal the other week.

Cheers, just the persuading I needed, I've now got Distin in. Distin could be long term as well I suppose.

Now just got to decide whether to start fitness doubts Walters and Sturridge, over guaranteed starters Neil Taylor and Enrique... and oh yes, the old captain choice still.

I had Ade/Bale from before. I brought in Drenthe for the DGW only because I could swap him with Etherington.
I'm not gonna take any hits to bring in additional Everton players. I would have taken a hit to swap VDV with Nani/Silva if I could reverse this later. I cant though, because of the price rises since I got them.

I went with 2 - Bale and Ade (whcih was planned anyway with Ba on ACON. Not sure this DGW is going to be all its cracked up to be, Spurs Vs Everton could be tight - if i was to call it i would say a 1-1., so just an additional 2 points in the offing to cover 1 hit - before rotation and yellows are taken into the equation.

Enough coverage in two and Bale as Captain if high scores happen, also means i dont have to use my wildcard early do revamp the whole squad after squeezeing DGW players in.

But you realise the reason most are doing these moves is because you can only use the 2nd wildcard in January, there's no saving it.

More or less happy with my squad overall mate, i am seeing squads full of Osmans, Drenthes, Hibberts - in addition to three Spurs players who to be fair are prob part of peoples long term plans.

I'm an Everton fan and i wouldn't bring in one Everton player into my team to be honest, so inconsistent we cant not concede and we certainly cant score - if we do you cant predict who it will be or assists - bar Drenthe and Moyes doesn't fancy him - he wont play both games - defo not the away game with Spurs. The dynamic of the squad has changed as well, Big Vic and Donovan coming back into the fray limits the potential of Ossie, Drenthe, while Donovan could eat up some of Baines potential to get forward as Pienaar used to.

I think fitting in six DGW players is a bit short sighted, sure there may be a few points gained this week, but six causes to much carnage long term, if playing the wildcard early is the idea to dump DGW players, then for me its not worth it. I think i will make up whatever if any lost ground in using the WC later in the Jan window then i would in revamping after the DGW. I think if those with six DGW players don't use the WC they could loose out in the coming weeks.

Other thing i have noticed in my Mini leagues is that players have taken a hit in team value by shoe horning in DGW players especially Everton ones, not what you want heading in to WC month.

Friedal, Bale, Vdv, Ade - are the only ones i can see who could achieve big scores and i have two out of four - thats enough coverage for me - with Bale as captain.

Not worth it for me, overall.

I see your point, I guess I don't feel I've had to shoe-horn the players in, been slowly accumulating then as fixtures were favourable anyway, and are hardly burdensome immediately after the double GW either with Spurs facing Wolves, and Everton facing Villa and Blackburn. And there's no damage longer-term, simply use the wildcard in the week or two afterwards to set your perfect team. I think it's a huge opportunity.

Just noticed I've left Hibbert last on the bench. Stupid, stupid arse

Exactly. The availabilty of the wildcard provides an opportunity to bring in dw players and then ship them out although i dont see the sense in taking hits to get them. My policy under normal circumstances is not to bring in double weekers if you dont want them long term but not the case this time with wildcard a available straight away. It couldnt be better timed really, its a shame there are only the 2 teams playing twice.

The wildcard is also only available for a few gameweeks so there isnt much lost in using it straight away.

Agreed, its not something to be precious over, it is available for what, 3 gws? I could understand if it was for 10 but 3 is nothing.

I didn't take hits, steadily brought my 6 in but now my squad is changed and more balanced for the second half, didn't want 3 Everton players and a weak bench any longer then I had to.

Dude... hoping Gomez won't play now huh (though I don't see that happening)

Looks like I forgot to save when I swapped Enrique for him

This game has enough challenges without stupid self-inflicted f**k-ups like this