Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 22

Sergio Aguero has made Fantasy Football exciting again.

I’ve chosen a path that guarantees I’m going to run the Gameweek gauntlet with every passing deadline.

I feel like a kid again, hiding behind the sofa in every Man City live game, like an eight-year-old cowing at the sight of the shambling Cybermen.

Aguero will punish me. It could be this week, it could be next. A spanking is coming but, equally, there’s just a chance that my masterplan could reap rewards and help me keep pace, at the very least.

I’m backing Harry Kane and the likes of Romelu Lukaku and even Mesut Ozil and Kevin De Bruyne to sport the armband and match Aguero’s week-to-week output.

Alongside that I’ve adopted Dimiti Payet early and hope that he can help me make up some ground before his bandwagon gets too crowded.

Crucially, I’m going to keep cash in my defence, using transfers to ship in worthy differentials with clean sheet potential and the prospect of attacking points and bonus.

Christian Fuchs is being recruited this week. The Austrian’s crafty left-foot is being trusted with earning me an advantage over those hamstrung by sinking all their funds into City’s barrel-chested goal-getter.

If Fuchs fails, I’ll have him for next week’s King Power meeting with Stoke and then he’ll be shipped out following that for the next candidate to help mitigate my Aguero gamble.

And so it goes on.

More than likely, I’ll be found out and in less than a month I’ll have to deal my Wildcard and tuck into humble pie, shelling out a million more for Aguero.

However, there’s just a chance that Aguero’s re-introduction has created a split in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) population and that I can exploit it in an unexpected way.

I’m hoping that Kane delivers, and that Lukaku will follow suit in his two Goodison meetings after that. Even if Aguero also comes good, I have to hope that the funds invested in my weekly differential will earn me profit and a slight advantage.

I almost want Aguero to score but score modestly, just to divide things further.

I’ll be banking on Palace to frustrate him somewhat – for Alan Pardew, like a silver-haired Timelord, to concoct a plan to foil Aguero’s plot to take over the FPL rankings and help me to emerge from my hiding place.

Back when I was eight, Doctor Who gave me Saturday nightmares. I’m now 44 and, instead, I’m now dreading the night terror that is the aftermath of an Aguero hat-trick.

I’m telling myself that this is all part of growing up.

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

2,006 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ian Davis
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    A) Play Bellerin

    B) Play Smith

    C) J Evans > Huth

  2. RubeRx
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Guess Kane cappers will find out real quick if they made the right decision or not

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I'll take anything more than 2pts at the moment 😛

    2. Oz lotto
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I;m feeling a hat trick

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

    Need to bench either Ozil or lukaku...

    Any advice...or just pick one and pray?

    1. Vedas
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Pick one and pray

    2. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Özil as Arsenal seems to struggle vs Potters away

  4. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Ozil made the scout picks and he's on my bench 😕

  5. bantamdave
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    A brilliant pre-amble and an interesting strategy Mark. Certainly not a road I considered for direction, nor one I will do but good luck.....

    The Cybermen (c) for me today.

  6. megatronaldinho
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    This was a nice read, even tho i've never seen doctor who and wud prefer to pierce both eyesockets with a sonic screwdriver than ever allow otherwise

  7. Dconcept
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Morning everyone, not been on in a while due to various factors,
    Hope everyone is good and doing well in their MLs.

    Quick question, Is it madness to ship out Lukaku and kos for Kane and possibly huth or VVD for an 8 point hit?

    Need to gain ground in a ML and everyone has the same front 8 more or less. I got payet in last week and no one else did and that paid off. 60 point gap to the top I'm chasing

    1. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Madness as Lukaku has good fixtures coming up.

    2. Taffer
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Any -8 is madness IMO

    3. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Crazy IMO

      1. Dconcept
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Thanks all, I will just pray Kane does nothing this week.

  8. Canelo
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Hate having all 3 chips left still. Never sure when is the right time to pull the trigger or save for a DGW!

    1. The Raging Bull
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Barry

      1. The Raging Bull
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Barry
        Howard

        1. Akeem
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 3 months ago

          DING DING DING DING DING ....#41 Howard is correct!

          Barry is not 🙂

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      40 - Fletcher
      41 -

      1. Akeem
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        not Fletcher

    3. 1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      40 Gabriel?

      1. 1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Ahhh no is it Pantilimon?

        1. Akeem
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 3 months ago

          DING DING DING DING DING....#40 Pantilimon is correct!

          http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/67/590x/Costel-605155.jpg

  9. Greek Flair
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Cant decide. Inconsistent defence and attack on both sides...

    Who to bench?

    Dawson VS SOU (A)
    Huth VS AVL (A)
    Smith VS NOR (H
    Nyom VS SWA (A)

    1. bvb
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Dawson or Nyom

  10. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Bench arnautovic, ighalo, Ozil, kdb?!

    1. megatronaldinho
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Arnautovic seems reasonable

    2. Taffer
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Arnie

    3. Latchmere Wave Machine
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      None or arnie

    4. Artorias
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Arnie scores against big teams

    5. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Aoa?!

  11. Latchmere Wave Machine
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Pls RMT 0-5?
    B
    KWk
    KAmpo
    Ki

    p=C

    1. Slartibartfast
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      ?/5

  12. Jay10
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    I know it is pretty confusing and help will never be clear.
    Is benching Ozil over Vardy a right decision?

    1. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Yes

    2. Latchmere Wave Machine
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Never confusing, best player this season
      I don't mean laughing boy

      1. megatronaldinho
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        This post is just totally confusing. Liar

        1. Latchmere Wave Machine
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 3 months ago

          If you don't know who the best player of the season is you're beyond any help I could give you. Stoopid

  13. internal error
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Who is going to score more points, alli or lukaku this weekend?

  14. Ayew Serious
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Just you watch this KDB thing get out of hand

    "KDB to Payet -8 done"
    "benching KDB for Barry'
    "Who will I replace KDB with?"

    1. Taffer
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      its a piss take - he got rested last weekend - Sterling more likely IMO

    2. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      KDB to get double figures

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

      😆

  15. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Kane (c) o/

    Aguero (c) o/

    1. Champione
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Aguero, looked very lively last match, just couldn't score

    2. Slartibartfast
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Aguero at the moment...

  16. Taffer
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Repost from last page - any thoughts:

    Play Moreno, Dawson or Rangel?

  17. DarsBars94
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    AOA a good call this week?

    Gomes
    Alderweireld, Simpson,
    Ozil, KDB, Mahrez, Alli, Payet
    Ighalo, Kane, Lukaku

    (Butland, Moreno, Bellerin, Dann

    1. Oz lotto
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Horrible call for me. Play Moreno or Bellerin. Save it for a gameweek more dire than this. bench iggy

  18. Oz lotto
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Good read. I've gone Myhill to Kasper...

    Benching Kaks and Kaptaining Kane.

    Good luck everyone 😀

  19. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    The Cybernen were the only thing that scared me as a kid. That and the theme tune 😀

    1. Oz lotto
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Goosebumps for me. the one were the mask like takes over peoples faces

  20. KeepCalm
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    who ya'all captaining

    im going KDB

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Kane

      Maybe Kun ahhhh

      1. DarsBars94
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Kane

  21. Nespinha
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Need Advice please!

    GKs: Henny / Ruddy

    - Ruddy replacement over the next gameweeks (under 5.0£)?

  22. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    How can anyone really know if someone is going to be rested? Pellegrini I imagine announces his team on the day of the game, who would he actually tell aside from his coaches, surely there is a difference between this and fans just hoping he is rested. I'm hungover give me a break lol

  23. Gooner97
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Bench Barkley or Lukaku?

    1. MaRooney 5
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      barks

  24. Lucky_Z
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Elliott (Hennessey)
    Zouma / Cedric / Koscielny (Wolly / Hangeland)
    Ozil / Mahrez / Payet / Stanislas (Arnie)
    Kun(c) / Kane (vc) / Lukaku

    1FT, 2.3m ITB

    GTG?

  25. MaRooney 5
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Myhill
    Bell, Kola, Simpson
    Alli, KDB, Mahrez, Ozil, Payet
    Iggy, Kun©

    Fabianski, kaku, Moreno, Ward
    1.4ITB

    Any changes? Any worth a hit?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Gooner97
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Maybe sell Kompany

      1. MaRooney 5
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        I don't have Kompany

  26. Qubit
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Hmm, who to play - ozil or lukaku? Thinking Lukaku, will want to score vs Chelsea

  27. Demí
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    KDB has just uploaded an instagram of him chopping an onion. #theplotthickens

    1. DeadStarComing
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I don't understand...

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Is he crying?

    3. Gooner97
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Panic

    4. Pap Le Cissier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Don't you mean #thegravythickens

    5. Diva
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Or #thesoupthickens...

  28. flippetyflop
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    What are the odds of kdb being benched today?

  29. El Patron
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Transfer in Ighalo or Afobe?