The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 35

Ultimate is a big word and, I have to admit, having tinkered with the Premier League’s new Fantasy game offering I was more than a little skeptical.

Initially I missed the interaction of weekly transfers. I seemed able to absorb injuries and loss of form with some ease, very rarely having to consider thinking outside of my 25-man squad. Equally, I was able to put out a strong XI, leading to me to think that the formula for success was simply to concentrate on the familiar big hitters and pad the squad out with cheap fodder. Most of all, I feared that the robust player template that has somewhat hindered variety in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this season, would be an even greater obstacle in the Ultimate scenario.

As the season has progressed, however, mounting injuries and suspensions have gradually unlocked new experiences that I’ve rarely seen in other Fantasy games, with new subtle strategies revealing themselves.

I never really thought I’d be watching out for Kenwyne Jones’ points and yet, today, I’m hoping he gets a run-out against his former club in hope he can deliver for my Ultimate lineup. Equally, I’m left pondering just how many defenders to include on my bench to cover myself over the Gameweek and whether Jake Livermore’s combative qualities against Arsenal will see him outscore the cavalier Raheem Sterling at Carrow Road. Suddenly players that have long been redundant in FPL, are real factors in my thinking for the weekend.

It’s Ultimate’s loan system that could just be the killer mechanic. While we’re robbed of free weekly transfers, the ability to loan in players for varied point costs offers the option to freshen things up and replace injured squad members. As mentioned, at first this seems redundant – a few Gameweeks in and it seems you rarely need to look beyond your existing setup. Two months into the season, this view will change dramatically.

In both my Ultimate seasons so far, my injury list has mounted up by seven or eight Gameweeks in, forcing me to consider emergency loans. While at first this seems restrictive – with point costs a considerable barrier – eventually the appeal of dipping into the loan market reveals itself.

While any number of players can be shipped in as part of a loan agreement, you can only have one agreement in place at once. In addition, the longer you loan in a player, the cheaper he costs and the more value you can potentially extract from them. Both elements are crucial to the strategy of playing the loan market. Both seem skillfully designed and may just be the key to making Ultimate a major pull to the dedicated Fantasy manager.

I’m sitting here this morning with Eden Hazard and Yaya Toure both laid low – the need to bring in some loan replacements is obvious. The trick, however, is not so much to identify the targets but to consider just how much I pay for their services before I recall both Hazard and Toure. I have to consider when they will be back to fitness and when their services will be preferred to the players I’m loaning in. I also have to be sure that, if I agree a long-term agreement today, I’m not going to regret that a week from now and be boxed in. I can only have one agreement in place, so settle on a four-Gameweek term for players today and I’m forced to cancel this agreement and lose those points should I need further loans during that spell. These are avenues I’ve never been asked to explore in other Fantasy games, not least FPL. It’s demanding but it feels good to be applying new areas of the grey matter to my Saturday Fantasy thinking.

Equally, the fears over the template squad are somewhat dispelled by the loan system. The players I can bring in can be effective differentials – Christian Eriksen was selected by under 4% of Ultimate players in their initial squads, which is no surprise given his form at the time. Those who loan him now are certain to get an edge, knowing that those who wish to cover this will have to pay points – up to ten, if they are to benefit from his close season form.

Eriksen has scored 49 points over his last four Gameweeks – if I spend ten points on loaning him in until Gameweek 38, will he pay that back with dividends and outscore the player he replaces? This is a far easier decision when he’s replacing the injured Toure, but I ask myself whether I’d be brave enough to start using loans to replace active but out-of-form members of my squad.

That strategy offers a route for a whole new “maverick” Fantasy manager. They will have the option to back their talent to hit form players as a method of closing in on those who perhaps were able to construct strong squads with their initial selections. The mini-league leaders will be there to be shot at, reluctant to spend points to replace active players, while those chasing can play the loan system to find differentials and hope to close in.

My failing FPL season has undoubtedly allowed me to focus on Ultimate in the past month. I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be should they compete for my attention in equal measure. I do know that Ultimate brings something new to the table – I’m making new decisions, toying with new strategies and looking out for Kenwyne Jones. Believe it or not, that feels good.