Baganboy’s 38-week FPL journal

[blahblah]

Rashford + bench fodder (Guendouzi)

Fernandes + bench fodder (Nketiah?)

Looks a tight call to me. I can see Bruno being MU's KdB, and he is really high on my WC wishlist for GW31. Would love Rashford too and might do that.

Partially agree. The only problem is Pogba. Pogba is still the best player Man United has, and he would do a bit of creative stuff too...

Nah, he is just a selfish cnut.

[baganboy]

I do like your GW31+ team. I'm looking at that forward line this week (I'm not planning to WC out of GW30+), although I am still having the Rashford v Fernandes discussion - Sterling & Rashford or Aguero/Aubameyang & Fernandes.

In terms of the choice raoul offers, I think I marginally prefer the Fernandes option although that assumes Nketiah will get decent gametime.

Me too, even though I feel that Pogba will take up some of the creativity responsibility from Bruno. Either of Auba/Kun over Sterling, any day. I love Sterling as a person and a player, but he is totally out of form this season, and Auba and Kun are both in good form.

I don't know if the Maths adds up but is Henderson, Targett, Saka preferable to Leno, Baldock, David Luiz?

Henderson over Leno sure! Better fixtures. Better defence.
But I would take Baldock alone, over Targett and Saka. Targett gets worse than one return (CS/G/A) every 4 GWs. Baldock is better than 1 in 2. And Saka (I love Saka. I predicted that he could become nearly as good as Gareth Bale in 3-4 years' time), is not a first-teamer. Defeats the purpose to have him in the team for a double. Anything that Bellerin gets is a bonus.

[baganboy]

Rashford + bench fodder (Guendouzi)

Fernandes + bench fodder (Nketiah?)

Looks a tight call to me. I can see Bruno being MU's KdB, and he is really high on my WC wishlist for GW31. Would love Rashford too and might do that.

Partially agree. The only problem is Pogba. Pogba is still the best player Man United has, and he would do a bit of creative stuff too...

Nah, he is just a selfish cnut.

He is totally a selfish so and so. But he is still ManU's best player, and arguably one of the best 3-4 attacking midfielders in the world. Only KDB in the PL compares.

[blahblah]

Rashford + bench fodder (Guendouzi)

Fernandes + bench fodder (Nketiah?)

Looks a tight call to me. I can see Bruno being MU's KdB, and he is really high on my WC wishlist for GW31. Would love Rashford too and might do that.

Partially agree. The only problem is Pogba. Pogba is still the best player Man United has, and he would do a bit of creative stuff too...

Nah, he is just a selfish cnut.

He is totally a selfish so and so. But he is still ManU's best player, and arguably one of the best 3-4 attacking midfielders in the world. Only KDB in the PL compares.

I think he is more of a holding Mid, and if Ole I would sell the selfish cnut. I liked how he played for France in WC, but he needs those "names" to sit more? The question is will he let Bruno run the attacking show as per Greissmann (sp), which is why I would take the stupid money being offered (allegedly). Play 4231 with Rashford wide left, Bruno in middel and ??? wide right (but I rate Garner) with Tomthing and 1 holding if Pog won't.

[baganboy]

Pogba is perhaps the best player in the world not named Toni or Kevin in carrying the ball out of midfield - it is a rare skillset. He is ideally used with a tackler in the middle. Griezemann is a brilliant no 10, and combined excellently with Pogba. Bruno plays more from the midfield, I though? Perhaps the Man City 4-3-3 is the best structure for ManU, with Pogba playing the KDB role, Bruno the Silva role, and Mctom the Fernandinho role?

[thebillfella]

Honestly BB, I don't think Pogba is any higher than third best United player right now; I would rank him 4th tbh. If I was choosing between Bruno, Rashford and Pogba he would be the first out of the door for me.

Great ability, but the truly great players need more about them than just technical ability. I think he is weaker mentally / character-wise than the other 2.

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see him start on the bench on Thursday, but the problem with first game of the season (as this sort of is again) is that you have no idea how anyone has been performing up to this point.

If he did start, one of Fred or McTominay (even Matic who was back in form in the 11 game unbeaten run prior to lockdown) would have some right to feel a little hard done by.

Question for you, how much game time do you think Nketiah will get this DGW? May help swing my thinking.

[blahblah]

I'm not sure his box to box type stuff is the point nowadays. Back when FFL and MeMe(Gerrard) were playing I'd agree. But nowadays a player has to be very good at something and if defending capable of passing ie Kante\Makele type. Pog is no Messi\Greiss\Bruno as his touch etc isn't good enough and he is greedier than 2 of them?

I'm not saying he is pants, but is he good enough to build an XI around? £150-200m Imagine him and Ballotelli in the same Club

[thebillfella]

His touch is good enough to be fair; it's his character that is questionable. When we are up he is great; when our backs are against the wall I wouldn't expect him to put in a Keane vs. Juventus type performance pulling the rest of the team up with him, especially if he knew he'd be out of the final.

He would more likely just shrug his shoulders a lot and jog around with that inane grin expecting someone else to take responsibility. Fernandes or Rashford on the other hand...

[blahblah]

Yep

[Blue Fire]

https://talksport.com/football/717285/m ... fernandes/

[blahblah]

blah nose

[baganboy]

Question for you, how much game time do you think Nketiah will get this DGW? May help swing my thinking.

Not much. Arteta would like to start with a bang.
Nketiah is good, potentially a solid PL striker for a long while. But Martinelli can be one of the best of a generation. And he will get more game time.
Neither are first-team yet, nor Saka (that's Tierney, Auba, Laca). If I have to make a guess, it would be between 30- 90 minutes in the 2 matches combined for Nketiah, and about the same or slightly more, for the other two.

[thebillfella]

blah nose

Given that I essentially called it above, surely thebillfella knows, no?!!!

[thebillfella]

Question for you, how much game time do you think Nketiah will get this DGW? May help swing my thinking.

Not much. Arteta would like to start with a bang.
Nketiah is good, potentially a solid PL striker for a long while. But Martinelli can be one of the best of a generation. And he will get more game time.
Neither are first-team yet, nor Saka (that's Tierney, Auba, Laca). If I have to make a guess, it would be between 30- 90 minutes in the 2 matches combined for Nketiah, and about the same or slightly more, for the other two.

Ta that may help sway my thinking.

[hancockjr]

Question for you, how much game time do you think Nketiah will get this DGW? May help swing my thinking.

Not much. Arteta would like to start with a bang.
Nketiah is good, potentially a solid PL striker for a long while. But Martinelli can be one of the best of a generation. And he will get more game time.
Neither are first-team yet, nor Saka (that's Tierney, Auba, Laca). If I have to make a guess, it would be between 30- 90 minutes in the 2 matches combined for Nketiah, and about the same or slightly more, for the other two.

Not sure I'd class 30-90 as "not much", but thanks.

[blahblah]

blah nose

Given that I essentially called it above, surely thebillfella knows, no?!!!

Nose

[Aldershot Rejects]

Interestingly FFS have Nketiah down to start today (maybe save Laca for the 'easier' fixture?)

[blahblah]

Interestingly FFS have Nketiah down to start today (maybe save Laca for the 'easier' fixture?)

Bstrd

[baganboy]

Question: What does one do when things are crumbling, a little bit?

Answer: One keeps faith in the system.
It has got me here, it will get me further.
It's not nearly as bad as I think.

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[raoul]

It looks fine to me.

No need for that knee to jerk.

[Aldershot Rejects]

I'm not sure things are crumbling, the only thing that has really let you down this week is your captain choice and that is always going to be hit-and-miss? Mind you I didn't even consider Vardy even though he was in my team

You have a solid team, just keep doing what you are doing.

[baganboy]

Thanks for the assurance, Raoul and Aldershot Rejects.
I am very uncomfortable with there one-or-two-gameweek punts. Will stay the course... 9 gameweeks should be enough time.

[Pirlo's Beard]

9 gameweeks should be enough time.

...for things to go horribly wrong?

[baganboy]

Of course. That too, haha
But well, I was discussing this with Neath Boy -- how bad can it be now? 10K? 20K? I would have been delighted with 10K at the start of the season, no reason why I should not be now.

[Pirlo's Beard]

In my experience it's never usually taken more than a week or two for things to go horribly wrong.

Anyway I just checked your rank: 559. So what's this nonsense talk of potential 10k or 20k finishes?

Look in the mirror and repeat after me: "I am a winner."

[Smurphy Paw]

To 1k average is 79
You have 80 if bps remain the same
Think you’re going to have to wait until next game week for the rot to set in

[RuudTheDudeVanTheMan]

Look in the mirror and repeat after me: "I am a winner."

[Pirlo's Beard]

Yes, and then admire your penis.

[RuudTheDudeVanTheMan]

Yes, and then admire your penis.

[baganboy]

This is hilarious.


I am glad for that this world has FISO !