Probably time to put this stuff on its own thread, rather than continue to use the Lamps v Fabs one...

So - who in Tuesday Morning's Top 20 didn't have Bent? Nice and easy to identify, courtesy of his 13 point haul against Bolton and every likelihood of 2 extra MotM points. Wonder if anyone has Jerome - who knows after some of the surprises over the past couple of months?

At 4m, Bent has been fantastic VFM and well-played to those who have, for one reason or another, held on to him during his recent lean spell.

Not such great news for those with cheap Birmingham defenders (and/or Hart as their Cech replacement) - out of the FA Cup and no clean sheets in two games against Pompey.

With fewer than 50 points covering the Top 20, and the lead changing hands every week, it still looks like anyone's to win and I wouldn't rule out any team within 100 points of the lead (and that more than covers the leading 100) if it has sufficient transfers and/or good luck.

surprising number without him, which suggests either a) terry savings spent on a more expensive striker, b) red hot rod as a cheapo or zamora/saha or c) a mid range agadoo or crouch potato as a no.3 striker.

i wonder how many are stuck with a brum defender or citeh ones.

there may also be some vanilla flavoured defences up there.

andy

These boards should be given to 1st Plymouth Beavers...they may as well get some use.

Looks as if only 7 of the current top 20 teams still have Bent. Hard to guess how Zoran managed to score 10 points - unless he has Jerome. Zamora could be an alternative S3 - or Saha, although he never stays injury-free for long. Of course, it's possible to have Drogba, Rooney and Defoe/Tevez/Agbonlahor - plus Lamps & Fab - if the defenders, keeper and 3rd midfielder average only 3 million a pop.

There were some significant T20 scores on the night of the Spurs v Bolton and Villa v Palace Cup replays - so I'm guessing that Bale and Agbonlahor are in a few of those teams.

Lots of FISO'er teams in the T100 - as one would expect - any idea who Dean Burdin is? His numerous teams are all in the FISO SL, so he must be a member.

His username is djburdini. He's doing extremely well in the Star (half a dozen in the top 20) and got a couple high up in the Telegraph. Not sure about other comps.

jerome would be a typical zoran selection.

dean front ran tff last year before having a lot of bad luck at the end.

i expected him to do well this year, but has done better than that

i think you are right ak quite a lot of spurs defenders in the top 20, likely bale most popular then gomes and dawson defensively. maybe a few stuck with crouch, now finding pav eating into his minutes and likely to need defoes hammy to go to look good.

i'm guessing fab will be out at the weekend despite comments to the contrary, if defoe and rooney still look risky re injuries it could make for some tricky decisions, although i'd wager decent money that some top 20 teams have 0-1 tranny left.

andy

I'll also be surprised if Wenger risks Fabregas' hamstring at Hull on Saturday; Arsenal should cruise to victory without him. On the other hand, if Rooney comes through the AC Milan game ok, I'd expect him to play against Fulham on Sunday.

Not sure if anyone in the T20 would have sufficient transfers left to swap key players in and out to deal with short-term injuries. Most probably have enough left to cover longer-term absences and take advantage of a new form horse (Arteta anyone) or inbalances in the fixture list.

All the same, there will still be plenty hoping that the Premiership and 4th place battles go to the wire so that the rotation of key players is kept to a minimum. Andy is probably banking on the reverse!

YTM does like to be a bit different when it comes to MotM awards - so perhaps it's not too suprising that Cana got the extra 2 (along with his 10th booking of the season, which won't help Bent any as Sunderland appear to be a way better side when Cana and Cattermole are both playing in central midfield). No extras for Zoran either, as Benitez - rather than Jerome - got the nod in the Pompey v Brum game.

Zoran enters 3,4 or 500 teams, gets one in the top 10 and is still the main topic of conversation

I agree, t.gridley.

with 320 teams I entered this season, and just 3 in Top 100 at the moment, I'm surely not deserve to be main topic here.

Until now, for me is the real hero Dean Burdin, I think he wrote here that he entered 43 teams, and he has 12 teams in Top 100 at the moment.

Of course, I will do my best to improve my positions until end of the season

Good luck to all!

Zoran

rui must have a decent chance.

the main talk was really how well dean has done, although he sufferred a bit with bent's hat trick, at least ytm didnt punish the small entrant or zoran by giving bent MOM for his hat trick.

how much better this game would be without the dodgy MOM's

rui may gain from his experience last year and terry has form, could be an interesting and bunched finish.

plenty of other experienced names on the leaderboard too from ireland and elsewhere.

i stand by my comment that i reckon quite a few of the top 20 have 0-1 transfers left and i'd wager less than half the leaderboard have more than 2.

i'm expecting fab to be ruled out saturday and it will be interesting to see how those with transfers left react to this.

one thing is for certain though the winner will need luck on their side.

andy

Hope all is well at the Luckhurst stable Andy
Yeah the Bentmeister general didn't help me last night
Least there was no MOM award

I think there could be a few cottage pie defenders up there too.



Crikey thanks Zoran.......Bring back Zoran FM

btw it was 29 teams

Good luck everyone

Surely you've still got a chance as well Andy

Gonna be a very interesting end to the season and like you say luck will play a huge part (unless you have 15 transfers left).

agreed as i did with ak still possible top come from quite a way off the pace. a lot of us in with chances of some sorts as you know

i think it will be hard to win from outside the top 100 regardless of trannies left, and probably outside the top 150 for sure (too many bodies to climb over, see the chat with andye sometime around this time last year).

as zoran intimated he will play to win and like me doesn't mind looking a fool if something leftfield fails. although i suspect jerome was not just a leftfield attempt but also a free up cash to upgrade elsewhere

things may become a little clearer come easter but i'm expecting more of a bunch finish this year than last.

andy

Will be listening out for Too-Shy (hush-hush) and Ted Nugent at the next Leaderboard Update.

Fab currently rated 50:50 for the weekend (IMHO - will only come off the bench if needed); OTOH - Rooney likely to play against Fulham until no longer required.

Pleased that we finally have a thread where many of the contenders are posting - it would also be nice to hear from Rui. After his experiences last season, I would be very surprised if he is nearly out of (20) transfers in mid-March.

Update...looks as if Zoran (2 points) was the only T20 scorer in the Burnley v Stoke game. Will leave Andy to speculate what "typical" selection(s) gave that score.

dunno put me down for etherington and not too many transfers left

if hes got jerome and not got terry he must have 2 expensive strikers, drogs & rooney, ffl & fab, so given the result a stoke player (were in cup longer) must be a midfielder and only etherington makes sense.

btw i've not been following zorans scores so those are wild guesses

can we talk about dean, or mincer (didnt know there were any gay fantasy footy players ) instead now

andy


ps what i was intending posting was that the fab corridor of uncertainty now arises. out this week almost for sure, next week?

Wouldnt be so sure re Fabregas. They all like the energising effect of miracle cure (just like Rooney v AC Milan)..it peps the team up. Wenger wants this title, MU and Chelsea have lost several games and he sees his chance. I expect Fab to make this and West Ham.

are we talking even money wagers

andy

Makes a change for a decent chat about YTM. The whispering and silent( but best game) forum.

If thats the case Andy why isnt Wenger ruling Fab out now..whats all this 2% nonsense

show me the money

andy

Interesting to see that Dempsey came on for the last 30 minutes against Juve - obviously, his injury wasn't quite as bad as first thought - but I doubt if many, or any, T100 managers held on to him.

FWIW, my guess is that Zoran may have got his 2 (Burnley v Stoke) points from Alexander and Huth as they're both defenders who score the odd goal; I seem to remember that Alexander was in his team that won a monthly earlier this season and, as a penalty-taker, is a pretty solid and cheap seasonal choice.

If Zoran has Etherington (still) Huth or Alexander, I do not fancy his chances.

yep alexander and elliott a possibility, as terry says that team doesnt look good, maybe elena or one of his other teams will end up doing better!

who is mincer by the way? anyone prepared to admit to that method of perambulation

surely not bruce in disguise

andy

Not gulity - been a shocking season for me!

very quiet today, everyone too busy working out whether to stick or twist fab, at least pretty much everyone has the same prob

andy

Thought you were adam ant that Fab does not make it andy

yep i still am, you still up for a bet then

it doesn't mean you transfer a player out just because they are missing one game though surely randal

andy

No for sure though many will at this stage despite Fabs unbelievable scoring rate. Depends on trannies in the bank. My assertion is still that Fab will play today at some stage and or v West Ham cos Wenger can smell this title, the door's been left open and he's going to march right through it. Carvalho is out injured full stop so why did Wenger throw out the 2% biscuit. Rooney was very doubtful for CL and scores twice. Not done and dusted IMHO. And its not a hammy just some fluid.

Leaderboard as of Saturday night tighter than a knats watsit. Have so many teams ever been this close before at this stage of the season?