Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 1

I sometimes wonder if this is a young man’s game.

If, at my stage in life, my wits and abilities are dulled to the extent that I’ll be found out. Scrambling around like a desperate Harry Redknapp, searching for his outdated little black book on Transfer deadline day.

I’ve only got myself to blame. I’ve turned Fantasy Football into something far more than a hobby or a mild distraction.

I eat, sleep and breathe Fantasy Football at times and yet, as I grow older and my responsibilities weigh down on me, I wonder if I can continue to carry the “burden” and hold my own.

A fiancé. Two children. A day job. A dog. Two cats and a Columbo habit.

It’s a lot to take on and, at times, I’m limited to tinkering in my head whilst emptying the dishwasher, contemplating the merits of Branislav Ivanovic whilst taking the bins out. Something has got to give.

I thought long and hard on this whilst watching Columbo and tweaking my FPL lineup at 1am.

As my family lay restless upstairs – my four-week-old daughter clamped to my sleep-starved partner for a ninth feed, I sat in my own discomfort in the lounge, wondering if I’d done the right thing overlooking Eden Hazard.

At some point I’ll have to reassess my priorities. Some Saturday mornings I may not be about to deliver on my pre-amble promise.

However, the fact is, Fantasy Football has become a big part of my life and my family and the crumpled detective have had to learn to live with it.

Two hundred thousand Fantasy managers visited these pages in the last 24 hours. Last night Simon March, the current FPL champion, gave advice to Alan Shearer on his Fantasy line-up live on the radio.

Something’s happening.

Fantasy Football isn’t going anywhere. In fact, with every passing season it seems destined to keep a new army of people up beyond 1am contemplating their budget midfielder.

After enjoying my best ever campaign, I doubt I’ll hit those heights again. I may make mistakes, I may even miss a trick whilst out gallivanting with my toddler. I will have to make sacrifices.

But I’m not going anywhere. As new blood get gripped by this Fantasy Football thing, I need to stick around and be part of it.

We’re all part of it. Whatever commitment we can afford to spend, let’s have a good time doing it.

Enjoy the season.

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

3,470 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Kirwan24
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    First off all, best of luck everyone! As Mark said enjoy the season ahead.
    Second of all,
    A) Ritchie
    B) Hendo.

    I thought I'd settle on Hendo, but I can't seem to let Ritchie go

    1. Arsenal@Gunners
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      b

    2. Alpine3000
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      b

    3. The Banter Panther
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      hendo, ritchie unproven in pl

    4. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      A

      1. Kirwan24
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Cheers lads, Thanks for the responses.

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

    Last part of the jigsaw: Mata or Depay?

    1. Arsenal@Gunners
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      depay

    2. Tshelby
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Mata

    3. O Fenomeno
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Mata, but if you don't have too many other unknowns, Depay could be explosive. Hope that helps!

  3. Arsenal@Gunners
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Huth(sun)
    Martin(cry)
    Cedric(new)
    Coates(lei)

    Just one not to play
    thanks

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

      Coates

    2. Shanty Toon
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Martin for me.

  4. O Fenomeno
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Costa, Costa, Costa... Anyone else going with him? I'm pretty confident he'll play!

    1. Arsenal@Gunners
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      no no no

    2. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      If he was starting he'd be my captain but don't think he'll start.

      1. O Fenomeno
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        I'm going (C)osta and Roo VC, hoping if he doesn't start then won't play at all. And I want Costa in there're long term so happy to take the chance!

    3. Astro Stew
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      No, but pictured in training yesterday:

      https://twitter.com/chelseafc/status/629952174685077504

      Probably troll us all.

      1. O Fenomeno
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        🙂 Now I'm even more hopeful!

  5. Elwood
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Just signed up as a member again - where is the member league code?

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

      Members area on the right

  6. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Not been on today morning.

    Has there been any early team news?

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

      De Gea not playing

  7. Viper
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    A. Ozil & Sigurdsson

    OR

    B. Walcott & Chadli?

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

      A. Play it safe.

    2. Alpine3000
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      b

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

    So much Coates love because he might be nailed. Pva 0.5 more but greater attacking threat... But is that enough? Gulp.

  9. Alpine3000
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Is Koscielny worth the 0.5 over Mertesacker.........Defense set at Kos/Aspi/Cedric

    thinking of upgrading a 4.0 defender to Francis or keeping .5 for inevitable changes

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

      What is your fourth Def?

      1. Alpine3000
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        coates~(SUN)

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

          Upgrade meet or keep 5

  10. Ronhaar2693
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Final 3 things to decide

    A - Mane/Grabban(4.5m)
    B - Tadic and Deeney

    Dont have Pelle so my only Soton coverage and have Ritchie so cant have Wilson

  11. Jay_
      8 years, 9 months ago

      You know sh1ts about to go down when see you see the pre match ramble 😀

      1. Jay_
          8 years, 9 months ago

          5 pages refreshed since scanning article lol

      2. Fernando Torres
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Who would you play...

        Huth or Francis???

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

          Huth obviously

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

          Both.

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

        Silva and Sterling ftw.

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

        *Casually watches the panic and mass hysteria*

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

          😆

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

        a) Ruddy Rudd Targett Chadli Hazard (c)
        b) Fabianski Hennessey Francis Depay Fabregas - Roo (c )

      6. Santi sensei
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Great preamble , great start to a season.

      7. rdpx
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        About all the non-replied to RMTs today....

        Today RMT is not going to happen, BUT it is very useful to show your team to everyone, so they can see who is being picked by everyone else.

        So I am not going to RYT, but thanks for letting me see that you also have picked Bolasie, or Ritchie or whoever.

        So in that spirit, here's what I have at the moment, purely for you to look at...

        KRUL Fabianski

        FRANCIS AZPI MERTE ward Alderwelde

        HAZ(c) DEPAY RITCHIE STERLING bolasie

        BENTEKE DEENEY KANE

        good luck

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

          Bolasie is a great long term pick....but with crystal palaces fixtures, not for me just yet...good luck though

      8. Jimbo123
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Punt on Gomez or Coates......?

      9. The Machine
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        A) Rooney walcott mane ritchie azpil

        B) Kane Ramsey Sterling chadli kos

        1. Jimbo123
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          A

        2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          a

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

          B

      10. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Template - if you can have rotating def why not rotating mid/fwd... why pick the expensive lot?

      11. stephenl15
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Good read. I don't understand how you may not have time though, considering Fantasy Football IS your job??

      12. foreverton
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        How many minutes do you think Aguero will get?

        1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          20

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

          70

        3. Jimbo123
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          30 as it will 0-0 after an hour

        4. Jax
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          25-30

      13. Arsenal@Gunners
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        silva or sterling

        1. Birdman77
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Silva

      14. DaveVak
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Budget 5.5 midfielder? Already got Sinclair, so would like a nice punt

        1. Iago Aspas
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Mahrez

        2. Bob.
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Mahrez

          1. Arsenal@Gunners
            • 9 Years
            8 years, 9 months ago

            mahrez

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

          I'm going for ki sung yeung.... Quite like Jordon Ibe too thiugh

      15. Tshelby
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Chadli / Hendo / other 7.0 mid?

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

          i got chadli and tadic

        2. Iago Aspas
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Extra 1 mil to mane

      16. Hamstergod
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Wonderful Pre-amble!

        I wish everyone the best of luck and a great season!

        Time to step away from the computer and hope for the best

        1. Dogba
          • 11 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Agreed, great pre-amble, thanks!

          Best of luck to all.

      17. Jebiga
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        r

        myhill
        azpili, morgan, coates
        fabregas, chadli, tadic, walcott vc
        aguero, rooney c, benteke

        sub: hennessey, saylor, baker, wanayama

        1. Azpi and Baker
        or
        2. Mertesacker and Francis/4.5

      18. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Any sign of snow?

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

          We know nothing.

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

          Blizzard heading towards London. Chelsea and Arsenal games at risk 😮

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

            😮

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

          A harry-kane is on its way to old Trafford with devastating consequences

      19. KING KOUNDER
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Collins nailed on ?

        Need someone who rotates with Huth for 4.5

      20. youzef
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Best 7.0 mid?

        Henderson? Chadli? Tadic? Milner?

        1. KING KOUNDER
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          Milner