Happy new year to you all! The unpredictability but massive points potential of the FA Cup makes a return to TFFO this weekend! It also comes at a time when many managers will be looking to make changes in their squads after the departures of Drogba, Adebayor and co, and the potential long-term injury to Glen Johnson.

Saturday 15:00
Aston Villa v Blackburn
Bolton v Lincoln
Everton v Carlisle
Fulham v Swindon
MK Dons v Burnley
Middlesbrough v Man City
Notts Forest v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Coventry
Stoke v York
Sunderland v Barrow
Tottenham v Peterborough
Wigan v Hull

The first flange involves 14 Premiership clubs but the big question is how many of them will field their normal teams?

The standout ties look to be Spurs at home to Peterborough and Sunderland hosting conference Barrow. Lennon is out injured and Defoe could be rested for Tottenham, but conversely it looks like Darren Bent will get to play against the non-leaguers, and he therefore could present a good star-man choice for those that have him. Another strong option could be Tevez if he starts away at Boro, with in-form Man City surely heavy favourites against Gordan Strachan's struggling Teesiders despite having one eye on the league cup semi.

Amongst the other 3pm fixtures are nice-looking home games against lower league sides for Bolton, Everton and Fulham and Stoke. The latter two might rest some of their regulars as they have their catch-up Premiership match against each other just 3 days later, while Bolton also have a league game in midweek and have rarely fielded 'proper' teams in the cups in recent seasons - although their new caretaker manager might think differently. Everton could field a relatively strong side but Saha is injured and Cahill doubtful so popular TFFO picks could be at a minimum there too.

Pompey have a good chance for a morale-boosting win as they host Coventry, though I think I read that popular cheapie KPB may be a doubt. Birmingham and Burnley could each make a few changes, and both have tricky away ties and are probably the two favourites to be victims of a third round 'cupset'.

Finally onto the two all-Prem games, Wigan v Hull will probably see two completely changed XIs and be complete waste of time TFFO-wise, and Villa v Blackburn could also see some squad rotation as the managers look to keep their cards to their chests ahead of their Carling Cup semi in midweek.

To summarise - I think the best option is to be at a computer from 2:30 onwards to check the teams!

Saturday 17:15
Reading v Liverpool

I think Rafa will field a reasonably strong side for this, with no league game for another 8 days. They'll want a third win in a row, but Reading may well give them a good game. Johnson is out as mentioned above, and you have to question whether Torres might be sat on the bench wrapped up in cotton wool as well. Reina might be rested too (I think he sometimes sits out FA Cup?), but I expect Gerrard will probably play.

Sunday 13:00
Man United v Leeds

It's hard to tell what kind of team Fergie will play, especially with the Carling Cup match against City just 3 days later. I expect most people will be hoping for Rooney to continue his recent run of form, although if he's rested it will hardly matter as just about every TFFO team must have him! Those with Valencia may profit if he plays and Rooney doesn't, though.

Sunday 15:00
Chelsea v Watford
West Ham v Arsenal (16:15)

Drogba-less Chelsea should have Anelka back I think, paving the way for a potential straight swap for managers wanting rid of the Ivorian. I expect Chelsea to play quite a normal team so any Lampards or Anelkas in TFFO squads may well have a profitable afternoon. You won't get to see the Arsenal team before picking your starman for this flange, and with Fab out and good chances of being rested for some of Wenger's weary-legged players, I'd say it will be a risk to star a Gunner here.

Sunday 18:15
Tranmere v Wolves

Final game of the weekend, Mick McCarthy says he'll field a strong team so any Doyles or Milijases could profit here.


Good luck everybody for a points-filled start to 2010!

Thanks for the preview
(I didn't know Lennon was injured... Lets just all hope that Bent definately plays than)

I'm a bit nervous about the early stages of the FA Cup, as I fear there could be some wild variations in the scoring this weekend due to the RL squad rotations that the big teams will likely make.

Adding to that is the now open transfer window!
I would ideally like to get as close to, or beyond the transfer window cut off before making any more transfers.
But I, like many of you , will likely be teased into transfers this weekend because of the missing ANC players, some recent injuries and the possible unmanned FA Cup flanges that may offer possible transfer targets that cheeky extra game...

Whatever you choose, good luck for the weekend

Went with Bent in 3 of 4 teams on star, so far let down as he has done nothing...

Edit - Did nothing!!!! Did have N'zogbia, Schwarzer & a Gerrard goal on star in that team though.

So far my worst team has got around 60 points from today - Strange how it works out!

Three lovely words

Defoe on Star

Make that another lovely word and to think I was going to drop him:

Cahill

Does he get an assist as he set the goal up as well - LOL

Well that finishes that off, then. Our last chance of a massive Cupset has gone as Tim Cahill's mis-hit shot smacks against a defender and falls back for the Australian to slam home. I almost feel like I should apologise.

That flange could have gone a lot worse for my one and only team.

Then again it could have been better

I have got away with:

Given / Bassong Clean Sheets = 6 points each
Warnock = 1 point
Cahill Goal = 7 points
Defoe Goal & assist * = 20 points
Rodallega = 2 points
Barry Booked = -1 point

Total - 43 points

Shame Hangeland was injured

Now have Kuyt, Insuna and Reina in the Liverpool match.

No assist for Defoe, I'm afraid. The assists came from Modric, Bale x 2 and the final goal was a penalty. Defoe went off with a suspected hamstring injury as well.

Woeful day for my top team. Starred Bent, can't believe he didn't do anything against a non-league team. Defoe was a disappointment too. Mustered a quite tragic 14 points from the 3PM matches, I'm in for a big drop come the update!

Are you sure no assist for Defoe - BBC says:

The hosts took the lead when Jermain Defoe's flick allowed Kranjcar to fire past England Under-21 keeper Joe Lewis.

Poor Liverpool - 3 Players - 4 points I think

Fraid so, I got the assist info direct from the TFF Match Centre.

35' Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 1, Peterborough United 0. Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luka Modric.

57' Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 2, Peterborough United 0. Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross.

http://telegraph.jumpmediagroup.com/MatchCenter.aspx

Sat scores (not including any man of the match awards)

Lowest 18 pts, average 49 pts and highest 70 pts

What did your 1st place team get?

Poor day for me in the end - Think I will be lucky to get 40

i believe my top team scored 69 pts.

That's good going MV, you could have a nice little cushion back after this weekend. My best score today was 51 which I thought was pretty good, until I see your 69 and 70!

Sunday 13:00
Man United v Leeds

It's hard to tell what kind of team Fergie will play, especially with the Carling Cup match against City just 3 days later. I expect most people will be hoping for Rooney to continue his recent run of form, although if he's rested it will hardly matter as just about every TFFO team must have him! Those with Valencia may profit if he plays and Rooney doesn't, though.

Who did you star today?

I have Valencia * and Evra (Great) - Valenica

Not really sure how i scored yesterday but seem to have done ok, all teams rising a wee bit by the looks of it. Became a dad for 2nd time yesterday morning so footy wasn't really on the radar! A gorgeous little baby girl so chuffed to bits, now got one of each .

Lampard on * in this flange.

Just need Eduardo to score - Doubt that will happen.

Congratulation Northern

Many congrats NM! That's on the new arrival, not the teams

And Ashers - I've been 'needing' Eduardo to score for several months now. It's a lonely and frustrating situation for a man to be in

I am thinking of taking him out, but he is my one and only Arsenal player. Would need to make 2 changes to get another Arsenal player.

Than again I am also thinking of dumping Carvalho the sub and 2 points Barry.

Cheers Ashers and Mike. Hopefully picking mum & baby up in morning so just catching up on cup weekend, all looked pretty bog standard yesterday but Man U out will upset a few teams. If Arsenal also go out that's a lot of extra games they'll miss out on, a big day in the tffo season!

Edit: best stick Arse back in the mix!

Reverse psychology

He still needs at least another dozen to make up for his general shiteness since I transferred him into my ISO squad in Week 5

Dropped 25 places to 48th overnight. Scored OK today, but who'd have thought that Bent, Defoe and Rooney would score 1 goal between them given the opposition?

My scores for today ranged between 4 and 30 pts (average of 20 pts). My top team scored 18 pts.

Northernmonkey... a warm congrats on your great news

43 points mustered from one of my squads today , unfortunately it was the one down around 300th. Neither of my better squads reached 20


Congratulations Northernmonkey!

Think I had 23 today.

Cheers MV and Reds . MV - also congrats to you on your side in 1st, I've no idea how you've kept up such strong scores as that team's been right up there all season hasn't it? I thought it was just a monthly attempt but I guess it's not! A well impressive little lead and a mighy 100 points clear of the team in just 7th. Also amassed a 136 point lead over Oddsman's nearest animal which was top only a few weeks ago

My best effort today was my top side ISO which picked up 26 I think, a timely assist for Milijas in there but a booking to go with it. Hope Milijas plays a bit more during the run in as it's paid off sticking with him and not tinkering, but McCarthy still likes to leave him out randomly and whenever he does Wolves do crap. A bit of a luxury player but he's involved in all their goals so get with it Mick!

Congrats NM Even more reasons now to keep your hide at home to keep an eye on your flanges

My season keeps its roller coaster ride on full blast with my ISO team taking another back seat to my other decent performing team with ISO being 1 point off from entering the top 100 as we headed into the Saturday games Well that exciting proposition has been given the "lemon & sass" as ISO moved back to 150th odd & probably even further back after only another 18 points yesterday

My other team will now officially overtake ISO with a handy 33 points & 75 for the weekend to become my new contender for my elusive 1st top 100 attempt this season

Other teams scored 26 & 33 yesterday.

I dear say the main sticking point that I am confronted with (as would a few other managers judging by the most picked stats at the moment) is the Carvalho/Alex issue That may well compound to become the Ivanovic/Bosingwa issue by February & some tough decisions required to either cut clean away from these players or stick fat with what I have

The other decisive contibutor to scores on the weekend was the performance of N'Zogbia which I personally did not benefit from in any of my teams I felt the pinch in ISO the most, but I reckon other non ISO teams would of been licking their lips at that return off the bench

Come to think of it, I think I brought in Dunn for Charlie just before Dunn got injured on the back of those goals he was scoring at the time Finally he returned......& yes, misses a penalty to further highlight just how much of a bad transfer that one has turned out to be thus far (Couldn't Sam see he needed another week off )

Congratulations NM - a wonderful event to kick off the New Year!

Thanks for the congrats NM. Mindvampire6 hit the top spot (for a week) in September and has been in the running ever since. Of course the first half of the season was the less important half to be competitive in (LOL)… but still, the season has a long way to go and I'm having fun up at the summit whilst it lasts

As for the final scores in week 21... I am glad to see they have added all of the man of the match scores from Saturday as well as Sunday to the tallies. As a result Mindvampire6 ended week 21 with 161 pts whilst Mindvampire2 scored 170 pts.

The only disappointment for me so far this season is my ISO team, which is now a massive 250 pts behind my top team and 100 pts behind the ISO leader! Add to that, it only has 5 transfers left whilst carrying 4 injured players... I really can't quite work out where it all went wrong LOL

On a more cheery note though… what a great battle in the super-league league this year… talk about full of FISOers Regarding this, my Vampires super league is in 7th position and has an average score of 1565.8 pts. My teams have an average of 8 transfers remaining…

PS. know what you mean about Chelsea defenders Worm... Lets all hold hands and pray that Alex has a few shockers and that Bosingwa demands a move in Jan

Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl NM - great news . Didn't manage a girl till our 4th!

My most hearty congratulations Jonny - I must admit I've been checking on this thread every few days to see if your good news had been posted. Bet you must be as pleased as punch

Have you picked out a name yet?