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 Scrambling around like a desperate Harry Redknapp, searching for his outdated little black book on Transfer deadline day.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. RohanVaswani
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    whats the latest on lukaku?

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

      he'll either play be benched or miss out

  2. James LeBron
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Ruddy (Rudd)

    Azpilicueta - Mertesaker - Cedric - (O'Shea - Richards)

    Hazard - Walcott - Mane - Ritchie (Bentelab)

    Rooney - Kane - Sakho

    With 0.5 Left

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

      Good to go

  3. EddieRooo / David Brent FPL
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Well said Mark. Thought the rmt scout cast was excellent, in fact I was even slightly surprised how much the guys were happy to give away about their teams. As for me I'm pretty happy in my differentials being a couple of lads called Kane and Aguero. Good luck everyone!

  4. Sepp Blattered
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Lukaku or Pelle for 1 week?

    I've got Mane already..

    1. Del Griffith
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Lukaku then

  5. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    don't forgot to colour co-ordinate your teams. want to look smart on your first day

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

      THIS 🙂

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

      Done 😎 and in the correct positions...

    3. Trilogist
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Mine is a sean of red which a touch of blue!

      1. Rhys85
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        This

      2. Wet Knee Houston
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Read bale and panicked for a second.

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

      😀 I won't have my Man City power stripe until GW4

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

    Not seen much mention of Payet and Ayew on here. Really think they're solid options in the 7-7.5 range. Any caveats in owning them that I'm probably missing out on ?

    1. applebonkers
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      just gw1 fixtures i guess. think that possibly plays too big a part. can see double figure goals for ayew and double figure assists for payet

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

        Cheers AB, good to know you're backing them to do well. I guess it's also the presence of Sakho as the cheaper option and the general lack of attacking impetus at Swansea which may be keeping people away from those two.

  7. alfast1c
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    A) Schmaichel and Coates
    or
    B) Ruddy and Huth

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

    anyone on right now going with bellerin?

    1. Dont give a fuchs
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      ME!

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

      Mertsaker

    3. Samwise the Brave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      I've gone mert ,think he safer long term

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

      o/

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

      Thinking about it. On Kosc atm but might use the 0.5m elsewhere

  9. Venom Snake
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Please guys I'm stuck on this.

    Play Cedric or Francis?

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

      I've played with Francis myself.

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

    Anybody dare captain Caz or Ozil. I have both and am tempted over Haz

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

      No stick with Haz

    2. Jinkys Oars
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Tempted by Ozil...

  11. LMNO
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    romero??????

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

      Too much uncertainty over Utd's gk situation, you'll have enough transfer worries to deal anyway no need to add one more.

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

    Great Preamble, Mark. Good luck to all, will be enjoying this all day with my mates and some beers!
    Perfect.

  13. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    I don't like my team anymore but I'm not going to even open FPL page

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

    A or B will score more this week?

    A) Kane + Henderson

    Or

    B) Benteke + Ox

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

      No idea but I'm gonna say A

  15. Del Griffith
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Finally... LOCKED AND LOADED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. jayzico
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    BOOM!

  17. Stats Don\'t Lie
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Captain:

    A)Rooney
    B)Walcott
    C)mane

    1. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Walcott. Punty

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

        Too punty

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

    Any one playing any chips??

  19. QPR expects... glory!
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 9 months ago

    Score predictions?

    Man UTD 2 Spurs 2
    Bournemouth 1 Villa 2
    Everton 2 Watford 0
    Leicester 1 Sunderland 0
    Norwich 1 Crystal Palace 0
    Chelsea 2 Swansea 1
    Arsenal 3 West Ham 0
    Newcastle 0 Southampton 2
    Stoke 1 Liverpool 2
    WBA 1 Citeh 3

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

      Man UTD 2 Spurs 1
      Bournemouth 1 Villa 0
      Everton 2 Watford 0
      Leicester 1 Sunderland 0
      Norwich 1 Crystal Palace 1
      Chelsea 3 Swansea 1
      Arsenal 3 West Ham 1
      Newcastle 1 Southampton 2
      Stoke 2 Liverpool 1
      WBA 1 Citeh 1

    2. Jay_
        8 years, 9 months ago

        Good luck getting replies on this, by the time I've replied will be 3 pages back I reckon lol

      • Jax
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        man u 2-1
        b'mouth 2-2
        everton 3-1
        leicester 1-0
        norwich 1-1
        chelsea 2-0
        arsenal 3-1
        n'castle 1-1
        stoke 1-2
        west brom 1-2

      • Stats Don\'t Lie
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        3-2
        2-1
        2-0
        1-0
        1-2
        3-0
        0-2
        2-2
        1-0

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

      Best 6.5 Mid's?

      Hendo + Targett?

      or

      Bolasie + Gomez?

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

      After a whole preseason of logical thinkin the changes i made today were..
      Chadli and Ritchie in cause the former is part of the first game of the season and They are showing Bournemouth on the tele. Basically i've missed the thrill of FPL too much!
      😆

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

        Bournemouth is on the telly?

        1. Gaffa914
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 9 months ago

          American

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

          Yup 😆 .. Its not like it's competing for airtime with a lot of enthralling fixtures though 🙂

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

          setanta sports 1

    5. tim
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Bellerin or Mert?

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

        Merte imo

    6. Evasivo
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Morgan or Huth in the team lads?

      1. applebonkers
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 9 months ago

        went for huth due to having a proper pre-season and old links to ranieiri

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

          Cheers AB, i went Morgan to Huth to Morgan but now thinking Huth again

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

      r2

      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

    8. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Captain poll.
      Hazzard
      Walcott

      Thanks guys and gals

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

        Haz, just

    9. Viper F
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Carzola or Sterling???

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

        Sterling

    10. che
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      Any comments please:
      http://imgur.com/hNU8JXW

    11. cjw176
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      A Pelle + Ritchie
      B sakho + hendo
      C sakho + payet

      Cheers guys and good luck!!

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

      Is Chadli nailed?

    13. Sooda
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 9 months ago

      MANE OR BENTEKE ?!