Remy - is the time right?

[Detroit City FC]

Might do Colback Cambiasso now for a hit and bench Remy. Meh,

[White Tiger]

Benching Remy seems a mad idea. Imagine if he plays & scores, wouldn't that be the ultimate kick in the nutsack?

[Mav3rick]

Benching Remy seems a mad idea. Imagine if he plays & scores, wouldn't that be the ultimate kick in the nutsack?

I agree, I think play him and hope is the way to go. Costa might have a set back who knows and Remy could do some damage in 30 mins against Leicester. Also, he's not ruled out of the Arsenal game yet so he could play.

[Carlos Kickaball]

I was going to play Rémy thinking he could even get 120+ minutes, and actually I put that I was considering playing him due to that outside chance in my original post...

However I read on getwestlondon and the Independent that Rémy will not feature against Arsenal.

Drogba is fit to lead the line if Costa remains sidelined while Loic Remy has ‘no chance’ of featuring against the Gunners

Mourinho said that he will be without the injured Loic Remy again for the game. There will be a late decision made on the fitness of Diego Costa who has made a quicker return from his hamstring problems than was first predicted. Didier Drogba is available and Dominic Solanke, the 17-year-old breakthrough star of the academy, was withdrawn from an Under-21s game yesterday in order that he might potentially be on the bench.

Does anyone have anything that says otherwise, or full quotes. As either the journalists have misinterpreted Mourinho or Rémy will not play against Arsenal.

[Stemania]

Well, I was about to post this:

I wouldn't be too optimistic on Remy tbh. In his sky sports interview Mourinho suggested that his available strikers will be 'Drogba & Solanke', or 'Drogba & Costa' if Diego is fit.

Doesn't suggest he thinks Remy has too much of a chance of the Arsenal game, and by the Leicester game Costa seems fully back into consideration.

[gizmondo]

What a disaster

[Mav3rick]

Well, I was about to post this:

I wouldn't be too optimistic on Remy tbh. In his sky sports interview Mourinho suggested that his available strikers will be 'Drogba & Solanke', or 'Drogba & Costa' if Diego is fit.

Doesn't suggest he thinks Remy has too much of a chance of the Arsenal game, and by the Leicester game Costa seems fully back into consideration.

In which case Remy is now dead to me

[ekoku]

how can he be 50/50 last week and then not in contention at all!

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[swadd1er]

My plans were to do Remy Giroud next weekend. Would it be worth doing that this weekend for a -4? By the sound of things, it's a no, as Remy could feature against Leicester.

[Mav3rick]

I've been thinking about that myself, and I can't really see it paying off. If he had a good fixture then it would be ok, but with Chelsea at home it just feels wrong.

The updates posted by Stemania just don't look positive although if you're thinking of taking a -4 for Giroud this week, then you could apply the same -4 next week for a more favourable fixture, or potentially do it for free if nothing pressing pops up.

It would be a bad situation made worse if you force a -4 though a week early and then Giroud gets injured or sent off for the games you actually wanted him in.

[Carlos Kickaball]

Would you bench him Mav, given the news Stemania and I have posted?

It's a hard one, because he could still get 60+ minutes against Leicester, which would be a great result for a Chelsea striker, but the chance of big minutes and points has really diminished, and I think there is quite a high risk of him coming on for just 30 minutes against Leicester if he makes it at all. I'm still in two minds, but I think I would rather play Sigurðsson (new) and Kane (sou), above a player who looks almost likely to get a 30 minute runout against Leicester if anything at all, as they are both reasonable options. I currently have Rémy behind Duff (LEI) on my bench.

[swadd1er]

I immediately thought of doing Remy to Vardy as the -4pts will be cancelled out by Vardy playing 60+ minutes both games. Any goals/assists would be extra points but I then realised I'd have Sanchez first sub, so if Remy doesn't play Sanchez will sub in with a minimum of 2 points (You would have thought so). So tecnhically Vardy would need to play 60+ mins in both games and atleast assist in one to get a 1pt advantage over Sanchez coming in as sub. Thats if Sanchez doesnt score or assist himself. I think i'll stick with Remy with a possibility of him grabbing some minutes against Leicester and go ahead with the Remy to Giroud transfer next week.

[Stemania]

It might be worth taking a -4 somewhere else in the team rather than Remy to Giroud for a hit. It could help set up for the rest of the season, maybe a cheeky Leicester player in for an otherwise benched man, and add an extra doubler?

[Mav3rick]

It might be worth taking a -4 somewhere else in the team rather than Remy to Giroud for a hit. It could help set up for the rest of the season, maybe a cheeky Leicester player in for an otherwise benched man, and add an extra doubler?

This is the direction I'm going in I think, it's just awkward because I don't really think that a Leicester defender is worth a hit. Cambiasso in the midfield is just about achievable, but I'd have to go with Moreno over Skrtel.

Really wish I had a wildcard right now

[Mav3rick]

Would you bench him Mav

I don't think I'll bench him. It's either play him (possibly with some upgraded bench cover) or sell him. I can't find a good sell him option, so I'm looking for bench cover in a sensible way that helps me out in the remainder of the season.

It sounds like I have worse bench cover than most though.

[swadd1er]

I've already took a -4 to get in Sterling, Moreno and Henderson however, I presume a large number will be doing -4s and -8s. Cambiasso would've been nice but a current midfield of Hazard, Sterling, Sanchez, Henderson and Bolasie, has me thinking elsewhere. Kane, Aguero and Remy also has me thinking away from Leicester forwards so we're left with the defence. Schmeichel, Morgan or Schlupp being the 3 main candidates. Fixtures of bur,CHE,NEW,SOU,sun,QPR look pretty good, so I could do Foster (Terrible fixtures) Schmeichel or Rose/Bellerin Morgan/Schlupp.

Decisions decisions. I'll see if I can spot some news on the Debuchy/Bellerin/Chambers situation.

[MPTree]

In light of the news posted earlier in this thread, benching him is a real option for me. Sounds like he won't feature vs Arsenal and MIGHT get 20-30 mins vs Leicester.

The alternative is playing Boyd, home vs Leicester, in a 3-5-2, which I actually don't mind.

Or taking a -4 for someone like Vardy, though I'm not convinced it's worth a hit.

[ctibbits]

So too crazy to go ahead and run with Costa using my WC for the rest of the season. Would be a front three of Aguero, Giroud and Costa

[Stemania]

So too crazy to go ahead and run with Costa using my WC for the rest of the season. Would be a front three of Aguero, Giroud and Costa

That's my current plan, but it's far from a safe and not a route I'd necessarily be advising with any great confidence.

If your main aim is to beat gunner then avoiding Henderson and Fabregas might be a natural way to distinguish your teams whilst not losing too much points potential. If you can fit in Sterling, Coutinho and Costa you may be cooking, as he will own none of the three.

[ctibbits]

In all my excessive planning I never made a contingency for Costa returning. And now trying to build a team with that front three is making for a lot of issues later down the road. I don't think I will tamper with what I think will be a successful plan for him. Gunner still doesn't have Benteke (whom I am 90% sure I will be utilizing from this week forward) and wont likely get Giroud until week 36 or 37 which gives me a huge edge over him in the striker position. Our defenses should cancel each other out as will the MF.

[ruudy]

This is a right old pain in the ass. Do we reckon Costa may well achieve more game time than Remy over the next 2 games then? If Costa were to get a full game against leicester i would be quite happy to go Remy to Costa right now. Changing Sanchez to Coutinho/Hendo in the process. Nothing like what i had planned but it's all going to pot anyway.

[Notned]

Genuinely can't decide whether to hold and hope for the best, or bring in Giroud a week early. The latter would cost an additional hit, but save me a transfer in the long run, and make it easier to get back up to a full contingent of Arsenal players, with as many as two for Hull away...

I actually feel Arsenal could get something against Chelsea, so the Giroud option doesn't worry me too much in that respect, but I just don't trust Mourinho and his team news; how galling would it be to see Remy get some minutes and bag a couple?

Please someone advise!

[stripes1973]

Genuinely can't decide whether to hold and hope for the best, or bring in Giroud a week early. The latter would cost an additional hit, but save me a transfer in the long run, and make it easier to get back up to a full contingent of Arsenal players, with as many as two for Hull away...

I actually feel Arsenal could get something against Chelsea, so the Giroud option doesn't worry me too much in that respect, but I just don't trust Mourinho and his team news; how galling would it be to see Remy get some minutes and bag a couple?

Please someone advise!

Oh don't think that about remy, I've just decided to bench him thinking he's not going to play, don't know what to do now.

[Notned]

Genuinely can't decide whether to hold and hope for the best, or bring in Giroud a week early. The latter would cost an additional hit, but save me a transfer in the long run, and make it easier to get back up to a full contingent of Arsenal players, with as many as two for Hull away...

I actually feel Arsenal could get something against Chelsea, so the Giroud option doesn't worry me too much in that respect, but I just don't trust Mourinho and his team news; how galling would it be to see Remy get some minutes and bag a couple?

Please someone advise!

Oh don't think that about remy, I've just decided to bench him thinking he's not going to play, don't know what to do now.

Giving me some headaches that's for sure! Currently 70/30 in favour of just bringing in Giroud a week early, could be a nice differential, in the unlikely event he gets any change out of the Chelsea defence..

[Stemania]

Do we reckon Costa may well achieve more game time than Remy over the next 2 games then?

That looks very likely now (unless Costa's injury recurs). But, even Costa might do very well to get anything over a combined 90 mins over the two games.

[stripes1973]

Genuinely can't decide whether to hold and hope for the best, or bring in Giroud a week early. The latter would cost an additional hit, but save me a transfer in the long run, and make it easier to get back up to a full contingent of Arsenal players, with as many as two for Hull away...

I actually feel Arsenal could get something against Chelsea, so the Giroud option doesn't worry me too much in that respect, but I just don't trust Mourinho and his team news; how galling would it be to see Remy get some minutes and bag a couple?

Please someone advise!

Oh don't think that about remy, I've just decided to bench him thinking he's not going to play, don't know what to do now.

Giving me some headaches that's for sure! Currently 70/30 in favour of just bringing in Giroud a week early, could be a nice differential, in the unlikely event he gets any change out of the Chelsea defence..

This whole seasons giving me a headache haha, going to stick with the decisions I've made & hope for the best.

[Notned]

The more I think about it, the more I am tempted to bring in Giroud now. The spare transfer and quicker route into three Arsenal players is key I think. Although probably unlikely to make up the hit this week, I think being able to field two Arsenal players away at Hull next week (as opposed to just the one) whilst also retaining my full Liverpool contingent at home to QPR should more than cover it, and put me in good stead looking at it as a two week period.

With so many benching or holding off him this week, he could also be a tidy (if unlikely) differential... I've said all week that I have a gut feeling Arsenal could upset the apple cart a bit on Sunday, so who knows...

[snakzz]

how can he be 50/50 last week and then not in contention at all!

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

eff Jose really eff me hard this time...

[Notned]

I've gone ahead and moved the Giroud switch forward a week. I am going to be fuming is this is just more smoke and mirrors mind games from Mourinho...

[Fergi222]

Taking him out for Vardy for a hit as part of a -12. Don't want to be stuck with him getting a 1 or 2 pointer and Costa will probably be back sometime over the next week leaving me stuck with a non-starter. Also, Leicester are home to Newcastle next Saturday. Am 2 points off my ML leader who will have 5 dgws to my 7 but these hits will provide me an opportunity to more than compensate for the -12 whilst also strengthening my team considerably for the run in and freeing up funds to get in the Gooners I want for their double.