Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 7

I’m so worried about my Wildcard flopping, I decided to leave the country.

These words are typed from a balcony on Spain, on the coast of Andalucia. Such surrounds really should provide ample distraction from any Fantasy Football concerns: I should be relaxed and fully engaged in holiday mode on my own “international break”. My concerns should be limited to the layers of factor-40 on my two-year-old red-headed son and the fact that the resort have given us a faulty coffee machine. You know, real first world stuff.

Instead, I’m contemplating Nacer Chadli’s consistency and whether it’s a week too early to be calling on the luxury item that is Leighton Baines. While I’m working to convince my family otherwise, deep down I know that my Wilcard will ensure that, mentally, the weekend is a write-off.

As soon as a ball is kicked back home, my mind will be wandering off: at lunchtime, while I’ll be sat in the sun watching leathery German tourists wrestle with the locally crafted Paella, my head will be under grey clouds at the Walkers Stadium, where pasty Midlanders chomp on Balti Pies. This weekend I’ll be dividing my time between these two very different worlds – I won’t really be joining my family until Monday, at the earliest. Even then, my Wildcard probably dictates just what kind of a mood I’ll be in for the week that remains: there’s a lot at stake in the next two days.

My ability to enjoy this sunny haven will probably rely on Messr’s Chadli and Baines, among others. They’ll decide if I can park my Fantasy line-up until wheels hit the Gatwick tarmac on Friday, or if the frustrations of a wasted Wildcard will have me turning to “what might have been” and points hits strategies to repair the damage.

I can’t help but beat myself up about this ridiculous scenario: I should be capable of taking a holiday. I have to wonder what would take the place of this “nonsense” in my head if Fantasy Football wasn’t part of my “life”. Then I realise that it would probably be that broken coffee machine. That makes me feel better.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

3,070 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Tommytour
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Pelle go up last night?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      oui

    2. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Yea had too much coffee

    3. Kirby
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah.

    4. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Yep.

    5. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      I benched him this week

  2. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Costa will assist surely tomorrow IMO. I remember the preseason game when he assisted 3 in one game. He has decent stats for a striker for potential assists IMO. He will assist surely. He is due an assist.
    Goal supplementing the assist will be a bug bonus. He is my captain. Hi 5 Costa captainers 🙂 😛

    1. Djerbil
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      juhuuuuuuuuu juhuuuuuuuuuuuu

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Yoooohooooooooo 😛

    2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      So Jose is not going to play defensive at all? haha

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        3:1 Chelsea IMO. 4:0 or 4:2. Arsenal will be psyched after that CL performance

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Open game

          1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Will see you might even get another 6-0 ? 🙂

  3. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    No 12:45 game really sucks.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      And International break after ::( 🙁 🙁

      1. Gregor
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah, early Saturday, late Saturday and two on Sunday, that's my favourite live game line up. Screw Monday Night Football, just keep it as an analysis of the weekend programme.

      2. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Life sucks. I'm going into hiding

  4. Mohit20
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    almost captained balo.........but then something struck me and the armband went to costa and balo went out of the team and downing in...HOPE THIS DOESN'T GOES AGAINST ME!!!

    1. Kostja
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      I would have too, but all the news about him being dropped kept me away

      1. Mohit20
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        SAME STORY BRO!!

  5. nevins84
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Went ADM (c)

  6. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    That's it. Crunch time! Best of Luck everyone!

    Adrian
    Baines, Naylor, Moore
    Fabregas, Sterling, Tadic, Sigurdsson
    Ulloa, Aguerooooo(C), Costa

    Clyne, Boyd, Chambers

    1. Ginola14
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Identical team except I have flappy and bert instead of Adrian and naylor, best of luck to us!

  7. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Still no updated

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Will be done in 10

  8. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Agueroooooooooooooooooooooooo' .................................................................................................................................. benched!

  9. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Am I in the first 11 for Malasya?

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      I'm not sure. We had really good teams for this week though

    2. Solenya
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Should be close, but I'd say yes considering all the other 14 are in Malaysia

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        It is about the Hockey tournament

  10. Gigging Order
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    I went out so didn't have an opportunity to bottle Aguero ( C )

    Terrified now though...

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Don't be. Awesome pick.

    2. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      If you aren't prepared to (c) vs Villa then you may as well just play the fixtures with a cheaper striker.

      1. Gooner Kebab
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        this

    3. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      I was never changing

    4. Gigging Order
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      OK, these comments reassure me, thanks all! 🙂

  11. Dr Dream
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Not a single team with Crouch in....surprised...

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      I remember he was 2 on your list. Did you go with him at the end..?

      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        No...just surprised nobody picked him up at all....21 pts in his last two and up there with Costa and Pelle for touches in the box....(amazingly)...and still a few nice fixtures to come.

    2. Mull
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      No room. Maybe if we had 4 forward slots I'd consider him.

    3. iCon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      He's my captain in Sky for today 😯

      1. Granville
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Treat the Sky game like a scribble pad.

        1. iCon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          This exactly; had Berahino(c) followed by Crouch(c) last week! Sometimes scribbles can look like a work of art 😀

          1. Dr Dream
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Very, very nice...absolute class.

  12. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    Hamstring.

    1. @ocprodigy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Ping.

    2. Prime
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      That word always gets my heartrate up. It's tough being an Aguero owner.

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        I know 😉

  13. Beautiful Game
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 8 months ago

    If you had to drop one of Sterling, Sigurdsson, Fabregas, Dimaria who would it be?

    1. Fitzy.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Why do you need to drop one? Who's your 5th?

      1. Beautiful Game
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Boyd... Want to get Baines in place of Moreno so need .6 off someone.

        1. Fitzy.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Falcao -> Welbeck, Moreno -> Baines with a wad of cash left over.

    2. Sleep Talk
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Sigurdsson

    3. Mohit20
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      BALO

    4. Jay_
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Fab

      • Tommytour
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        ADM after WBA

      • Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        I'll watch the games first.

      • Qubit
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        ADM followed by Sterling.

    5. Tommytour
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Think I'm going Welbeck captain over Costa next week too 😎

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        I could go that way too

        1. Tommytour
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Wouldn't mind a Sanchez double up also

        1. Randy_Marsh
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          🙂 Easy!

      2. Randy_Marsh
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Going Wellbeck cap GW8

    6. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 8 months ago

      Still no update 🙁

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        I admire your relentlessness enthusiasm for the game 😆

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          unrelentless*

          1. Bubz
            • 10 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            unrelenting*

        2. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          = Enthusiast always 😉 Cheers

      2. iCon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        At least 5 mins...

        Who's hitting the big red button once it does?

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Big red button> Someone here has been fingered 😆 😆 😆

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            > should be ?

          2. Demí
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Wtf

          3. Pepin - RIP Absinthe
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Lol?

          4. Mull
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            😆

          5. Valar(Keith)
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            WtF?

          6. iCon
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            😕

          7. Piggs Boson
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            😆

          8. Bubz
            • 10 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            😆 wut?

          9. Mílanista
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Special One 😆

          10. Gigging Order
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            AMAZING COMMENT.

            Sticky it? 😉

    7. Jay_
        9 years, 8 months ago

        How long till the game updates , im dying to see my pals wildcard team ?

      • FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        The game is being updated.

        The game is currently being updated. Please try again later when the updated scores / teams will be available.

        🙁 🙁 🙁

        1. Fitzy.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Thanks for the update.

      • Big Bad Barry
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Nervous now Dzeko (c) oh well he who dares!

        1. Tommytour
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Probably best captaincy choice this week imo

        2. iCon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          ...does not usually win!

      • BantamPhil
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Would you have benched Terry to play Moore, PvA and Naylor?

        1. Bootsy: Snoddy's Reven…
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          No you play Terry, probably over Moore

      • Sleep Talk
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Figure I'll put a few quid on Ulloa scoring so that I won't be too devastated once he scores. Makes the decision of going Welbeck over him on my wildcard a tad better.

        1. Bolivian Seaman
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Nice Grav 🙂

          1. Sleep Talk
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Thanks man 😉

            For some random reason I decided to google 'Seaman' to see what else came up apart from David Seaman and the occasional sailor. This was the first result: http://www.destructoid.com/elephant//ul/8430-550x-seaman.jpg 😯

            1. Bolivian Seaman
              • 13 Years
              9 years, 8 months ago

              lol

      • Screaming Midget
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Chadli, Baines, Welbeck.

        3 players to be considered for GW8 onwards.

        1. Screaming Midget
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          (Chadli GW9)

          1. Tommytour
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Maybe for Siggy

          2. Screaming Midget
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Ye maybe although Siggy will have LEIC

        2. Mull
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Nice fixture for Chadli next GW 😉

          1. Mohit20
            • 9 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            WELL HE IS GOING TO SCORE THIS WEEK AS WELL!!

        3. Malkmus
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          True enough, can't find room for chadli tho

        4. Dr. Rog
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Id like to see an article on Chadli vs Siggy.

          There isnt room in the team for both

      • Pepin - RIP Absinthe
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Nooooooooo Caulker dropped last night 🙁

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          dial up?

        2. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          So close. Unlucky Pep

          1. Pepin - RIP Absinthe
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Usually when he drops in price he scores a goal 😎

            But I benched him 🙁

        3. Bubz
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Further adding to my fpl woes 🙁

      • FootballFanatic365
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        PVA BERTrand or Dawson...???

        1. Lord Flashheart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Two more weeks to decide.

          1. FootballFanatic365
            • 9 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            (this week + next)

      • Malkmus
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Was planning to get kun and baines in gw 8 but price rises killed me. How does this look if Naylor to baines and falcao to pelle for free?

        Bego Elliot

        Ivan baines clyne (Moore pva)

        Sterling siggy adm fabs

        Costa pelle welbs

        .4 itb

        Cheers !

        1. AIRMILES
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          that is, more or less, my team.

          1. Malkmus
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            I take it u approve then ! Not worried about lack of kun ?

      • lifeofTy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        (C) Silva

        Madness?

        1. Lord Flashheart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Yes

        2. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah, I think so.

        3. RabMac
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          It is high risk but as you know anything can happen in football.

        4. KnightSlayer
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          I Captained him as well

      • AIRMILES
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Super early, yeah, but... have you decided on your transfer(s) for next week?

        I have two, and want Baines in for Moreno, and a goalkeeper to replace Krul who rotates well with Mannone. Thinking Forster.

        1. Malkmus
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Forster or bego?

          1. AIRMILES
            • 12 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Yeah, Bego. I need to see how he rotates with Mannone. I have a stoke defender already though, but not a Soton defender. Not sure i want to double up in that dept.

        2. FantaCity
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          whichever of the SOTON front 3 impresses most this week

        3. Tommytour
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Do they rotate though?

        4. Tommytour
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Welbeck for sure

        5. Your Mum Zohore
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Thinking of doing Ulloa => Welbeck next week as I don't have any Arsenal cover atm.

      • FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Comeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee oooooooooooooonnnnnn

        1. Lord Flashheart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Oh take a chill pill will ya??

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            Just messing with you lads. trying to lighten the mood while waiting 😉

            1. Lord Flashheart
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              9 years, 8 months ago

              Wow, you are a real entertainer!!

              Not.

        2. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          🙂

        3. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Shh, go to bed.

      • Randy_Marsh
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Can people stop asking what to do until the first 90 is played, thank you

        1. Sleep Talk
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          What should I eat?

          1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 8 months ago

            A pork pie, with pickle.

            1. Piggs Boson
              • 12 Years
              9 years, 8 months ago

              *drool*

      • Fantasy Gold
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        Looking forward to this gameweek. I can smell a big score 🙂

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          I smell a fryup rasher always gets space on the sides of the pitch. Good captaincy choice.

      • FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 8 months ago

        12:49 CET

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          12:50 CET

          UPDATEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDD

        2. FantaCity
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          there ya go Daniel

        3. iCon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Lies; the timestamp says 12:50:01!

        4. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 8 months ago

          Have you ever thought of applying to the fpl for a job?