DGW34 - Captain Poll

[Mav3rick]

This isn't a week to gamble with the armband IMO. Hazard has a double, is as nailed on to start as any player at a top 4 club, has penalty duties, is currently the best player in the game on the PPG metric and is owned by everyone in the game.

If you go against Hazard this week I think you're either very, very brave, in possession of a crystal ball or chasing a big lead and crossing your fingers knowing that you've made the wrong decision but just hoping to get lucky.

Of course you´re right mate. It was kinda tongue in cheek. It just gets so boring when everyone picks the same captain.

There's still a fair few differences to play for. I find it more relaxing when everyone has the same captain to be honest as a fair chunk of the random chance is removed.

I'm assuming that the wildcarders will be out in front this gameweek, so there's the game within the game against the other 80-90% who aren't wildcarding for instance.

[Notned]

Would love to have the balls to captain Remy, or to a lesser extent Terry, just for the massive differential. But I don't. So I won't. Probably looking at the popular, safe call of;

Hazard (C)
Sterling (VC)

[icefish]

Boy am I fickle. Flirting with Iva or Terry having recently told Pirlo´s Beard to forget about captaining Sterling instead of Hazard

[BobMem]

Ivanovic has previous in double gameweeks, but I'm not taking that gamble, for the reasons Mav3rick clearly explained!

[helmethead]

I do agree that Hazard, on paper, looks the best captain and that he is the safe pick - not sure I agree that not captaining Hazard is the wrong decision though. I am just slightly worried that Chelsea will be negative in the Arsenal game and if they win that (presumably 1-0), they have pretty much sewn up the league so there is a possibility that Hazard gets reduced minutes or even is benched for Leicester. I appreciate the chances of this are small but given Hazard and Mourinho's comments about Hazard being tired and the fact he has played a huge number of games this season. I think these are factors worth considering against the points that Mav raised above.

I will probably go with Hazard for captain but it is really a default captaincy as I am not so certain he is the best pick this week. I just wish there were another decent option, as it is a certain Leicester attacker is slightly tempting me but I definitely do not have the courage to do this.

[First Sub Podcast]

I'll stand corrected if wrong but don't Chelsea need 2 wins for the title? So if they win at Arsenal they can win the league at Leicester. Mourinho will want it sewn up ASAP, no way would he rest Hazard in a game for the title clincher. Can you imagine the media coverage setting Chelsea up to win the league on that Wednesday only for them to bench their best player? Can't see it myself.

[helmethead]

I see your point but I don't think Mourinho would have the slightest consideration of what the media thinks. He will play the team that he wants to pick; whether this involves playing his best team to try to win the league as early as possible or playing a team he thinks can win whilst giving some key players a rest, no-one except him will know.

I'm not saying I think a rest for Hazard is likely, I am just saying it is a stronger possibility than in a normal game and might be something to factor into any captaincy decision.

[First Sub Podcast]

Fair point; Mourinho tells the media what he wants not the other way round. I'm confident in going with Hazard (c), though, he's played all 32 league games so far even through the Christmas period and busy Champions league schedule he didn't get a rest in a league game - so why should he after a week training/recovering? Have faith!

[helmethead]

I do agree and maybe I am overthinking here. There is just something telling me not to go with Hazard against all the good evidence to go for him, but I cannot put my finger on it.

[gallus]

I don't know why, but I'm tempted by Terry.

[snakzz]

I don't know why, but I'm tempted by Terry.

Same, I always are

Or even Skrtl.....

[stripes1973]

For once this is an absolute no brainer for me, hazard all the way for captain, go hazard go hazard, then reality sinks in & he gets very little points & someone else in my team gets a zillion points, but hey never mind story of my season so far, will it change for the last few games, we'll see.

[penguin17]

I'm chasing people so am going for Henderson, I've been let down by Hazard and just aren't as confident as some of you guys that he'll produce.

[Maradona_Is_God]

Sterling (c), Hazard (v). I just fancy Liverpool to score more goals than Chelsea in the DGW, and hopefully Sterling will be amongst them.

[Notned]

Started to get tempted by a late switch to Sterling. I too think there's a decent chance Liverpool could outscore Chelsea, but can't shake the worry that he may get rested in one of the games. He shouldn't do, but it wouldn't be the first time. Hazard won't be and is, well, Hazard.

I am not chasing, so the question is do I just play safe and consolidate, or mix it up a bit...

[chris2k_11]

going for hazard for me, don't want to take risk lol

[Gambit]

also Hazard, I have looked at a Liverpool option but although Chelsea could set up to play safe (certainly against Arsenal) Hazard is still their best (only) attacking outlet. I can't imagine he will be rested for the Leicester game and he would be a great choice just for that game alone.

Had there been a guaranteed striker for the DGW (sturridge, remy) then I would have gone with one of them but in the absence of a solid striker option it really is playing with fire not to captain Hazard.

I'm all for taking a gamble, especially at this late stage, but can't see past Hazard this week, Sterling or Couthino could do well and their fixtures do look slightly better but it's still Hazard for me.

[d_manager]

Hazard looks the best option for me but i'm chasing and sitting in 2nd place 130 pts behind. my rival will most definitely be captaining hazard. so guess my only hope is to take a chance on a liverpool man. i brought in henderson and coutinho this week. i've got it on coutinho but anyone has any better knowledge with regards to their game time? would you expect coutinho to start both matches? as otherwise i'm pretty sure henderson should start both

[thekitkatshuffler]

This isn't a week to gamble with the armband IMO. Hazard has a double, is as nailed on to start as any player at a top 4 club, has penalty duties, is currently the best player in the game on the PPG metric and is owned by everyone in the game.

If you go against Hazard this week I think you're either very, very brave, in possession of a crystal ball or chasing a big lead and crossing your fingers knowing that you've made the wrong decision but just hoping to get lucky.

I'm chasing a big lead but still going with Hazard, knowing that my rival will do the same. Last thing I need is to help him make that lead even bigger.

Now I just need to decide whether to bench Ramsey in favour of Mané.

[thekitkatshuffler]

Hazard looks the best option for me but i'm chasing and sitting in 2nd place 130 pts behind. my rival will most definitely be captaining hazard. so guess my only hope is to take a chance on a liverpool man. i brought in henderson and coutinho this week. i've got it on coutinho but anyone has any better knowledge with regards to their game time? would you expect coutinho to start both matches? as otherwise i'm pretty sure henderson should start both

They'll both start both matches.

Rumours that they'll be feeding Mario up front, if that helps with your decision.

[d_manager]

Hazard looks the best option for me but i'm chasing and sitting in 2nd place 130 pts behind. my rival will most definitely be captaining hazard. so guess my only hope is to take a chance on a liverpool man. i brought in henderson and coutinho this week. i've got it on coutinho but anyone has any better knowledge with regards to their game time? would you expect coutinho to start both matches? as otherwise i'm pretty sure henderson should start both

They'll both start both matches.

Rumours that they'll be feeding Mario up front, if that helps with your decision.

Thanks for that I'm really undecided. Hazards form and playing without Costa seems to make him an even better pick with the DGW :/ Coutinho seems to be quite a gamble but how on earth am i going to make up 130 pts without such risks? mehh i hate chasing as i end up going against what i think is the best option and hope to get lucky

[Oatfedgoat]

Had the armband on Sterling all week. Switched to Hazard with 5 minutes to go to play the safe game as I'm leading my cash league.

[thekitkatshuffler]

An even split between me and my 4 rivals. 2 for Sterling and 2 for Hazard, with the rogue outlier going for Aguero.

[d_manager]

damn my league rival didn't go for hazard after all so i wish i did myself now :/ went with henderson. go go coutinho!

[Notned]

Ended up playing it safe and going with Hazard, for all the reasons listed above.

[Mav3rick]

League leader (25 points in front of me) went with Sterling. It will be the right decision because he's managed to fluke every captaincy decision so far this season.

Well done if you gave Sterling the armband.