Opinion

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 37

The Triple Captain chip is a curse.

When I actually fire it off at 11.45 I’ll do so with such trepidation, knowing that if it fails as miserably as I fear, it could catapult me into a spiral of frustration.

It’s all very well for the gloaters who slapped it down on Sergio Aguero or Alexis Sanchez back in Gameweek 34 but, for the rest of us poor souls, we now face a tortuous and fearful week ahead.

Taking a risk with the captaincy is bad enough in any given Gameweek. When that gamble is ramped up a notch by the potential of triple points this becomes a nightmare scenario.

A bad captain has wrecked my weekend in the past. That ill-advised faith in Harry Kane at the Lane, that missed opportunity as Sanchez or Aguero run riot. Damaging stuff.

Now the potential misery could be escalated to a new level: the Triple Captain is threatening to drag a big black cloud over the weekend sunshine and render me a charmless, monosyllabic monster.

My ability to operate as a basic human being over the next three of four days hangs on the performances of Jermain Defoe, or Andy Carroll or maybe even Eden Hazard.

I almost feel I should offer an advance warning.

Perhaps I should just sit my life partner down, Google some West Ham images and explain that the big guy with the ridiculous ponytail is about to cause me a great deal of irrational pain and misery over the next few days.

I’d expect her to frown. To ponder and ask searching questions.

One of those questions might even be – “but you could have put it on Aguero or Sanchez in Gameweek 34, why did you play your Bench Boost instead?”.

At which point, I’d stand, kiss my children and go and pack my bags. It would be the only answer I have left.

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

1,862 Comments Post a Comment
  1. siweltrebor87
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Landed on Payet, which was always the plan, so very close to going with Carroll, but i've had a knack of picking the wrong captains over this season and benching the wrong people, so to swing away to Payet may actually save my tinkering ass.

  2. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Changed from Carroll (C) to Payet (C) in the end

    I have enough of differentials to try make up a few points without risking (c) choice

    1. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Struggled to find that right captain . Been on Carroll most of the week but had a big wobble and nearly went Hazard

      But Carroll it is

  3. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    @Jonty. I listened to you and went Willian at the end. Thanks man

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Hope your goal imminent table proves right this gw

    2. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Willian will soon be Villian 😉

  4. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    My Blind TC isn't off to a good start 😉

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      hope your vc is not Rashford

  5. 1966 was a great year for E…
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Rojo plays 🙂

    Martial up top 😕

  6. Jøssy ⭐
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Andy Carroll could repay this Liverpool fan some of that 35M transfer fee this week!!!

    (TC)

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      He could he could

  7. StoneMountain
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Took an 8 point hit to play this team:

    DDG
    Bellerin, Moreno, Cresswell
    Lanzini, Payet (tc), Hazard, Sanchez
    Deeney, Aguero, Defoe

    8 DGWs. Holding thumbs!

  8. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Anyone take a -4 to get rid of Coutinho then?

    1. KOLASINA(C)
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Yep. Out for Hazard.

      1. Perthite
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Ditto

    2. Oh Dear
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      I did -4 on Firmino > Haz... Having a big wobble on it now

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

    Rashford vs Norwich legs 😎

    1. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Do Norwich have legs?

      1. Hurricane Gilbert
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Not even on the bench?

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Ermmmmmmm

  10. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    0-0 incoming

    1. GoonerByron
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      De Gea, Ruddy and Smalling so I hope so!

  11. andy85wsm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Actually triple captained Andy bloody Carroll.

    What has gone wrong this season? 🙁

    1. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Good luck Andy, I chickened out and went back to Payet

    2. Halftime
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Could work out

    3. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Me too... Insane or what

    4. 1966 was a great year for E…
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Mental, isn't it!

      A few weeks ago I was worried I'd end up TCing Sturridge, now I've gone for the only player more injury prone than Studge 🙂

    5. vectorman
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      It was probably the toughest decision some of us will have ever made Carroll or Payet for TC lol.. Don't worry you ain't alone I went crazy too, will just have to live to regret it later.. Come on Andy C 😀

    6. Shultan
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      same here, need a TC carroll to save my season!

    7. Ryan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Just hope Rojo is still at CB when United play them

      1. Ryan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Or not as a fellow United fan

    8. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Same here.

      Also SOLD Sturridge and Firminho.

  12. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Comeee oooooon Chelseaaaaaaa!!!! Save our season. For the club and mine!

  13. GoonerByron
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    14 DGWers with no Liverpool looks lovely on paper.. Hoping for a good week!

  14. Hypnos
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    little faith in Defoe(TC) but it had to be done!

  15. Captain Vantastic™
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Rojo gonna ruin united cs

  16. KingNidge
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Utd XI: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Darmian; Carrick, Rooney; Mata, Lingard, Memphis; Martial.

  17. Leaf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    It's crazy

    First ever triple captain and I entrust it on Andy Carroll !!!

    1. Giovanni Giorgio
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Love it. Good luck mate

    2. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Dont ruin your second

  18. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Can we please ban Daniel til this dgw is over. I can't take all his mourning 😉

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      I will deliver. Don't worry, all gloating you'll see 😉

  19. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Trailing in my MLs and made a crazy 20 points hit last effort to catch up. I put the armband on Carroll and vc-ed Hazard - confirms. Only to realize seconds after the deadline I forgot to move Migs, Lovren and Firmino from the bench. King, Bellerin and Robles playing instead. -8 out the window and more...

    Ruined my day and weekend... the season was already in shambles.

    1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      And now I realize I forgot TC. Omg, such bad craftsmanship.

    2. Bielsa's Blue Bucket
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      The pool lads might only play one game each so don't despair too much just yet. That is a pain in the tats though

  20. Eden Hazardous
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    As a Valencia + Smalling owner , I am cheering for an United CS today! 🙂

    1. Giovanni Giorgio
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Ur a Valencia owner? Wow..... He's a mid on the game too?
      Thats a first

      1. waldo666
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        I've got him too, he's a defender in the game

        1. Giovanni Giorgio
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          Oh then it suddenly makes much more sense. Good luck guys!

      2. Ryan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        I have Valencia too. Great pick as he's actually classified as a defender

        1. Giovanni Giorgio
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          Yeah I had him mixed up with Blind. Good pick

      3. Eden Hazardous
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        He is a defender on the game....

    2. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      I hope they get stuffed

      *DDG / Smalling owner

  21. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Good look Payet TCers!!!

  22. TheBusDriver
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 2 days ago

    Captain Payet or Carroll?? Fast please!!

    1. KOLASINA(C)
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      LOL

    2. Worzel Gummidge
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Deadline is past so doesn't matter.

      • Cpt Crunch Scott talent
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Bus meet cliff.....

      • vectorman
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Might be time to replace the bus with the Delorean. 😀

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 2 days ago

      Anyone else go with no Chelsea players at all?

      1. Shultan
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        i've got no chelsea players, with a midfield of payet, lanzini, firminho, mahrez
        & front 3 of defoe, aguero & carroll. there was no one i wanted from chelsea

      2. El-Kloppico
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        here I am.
        No CHE, EVE, NOR, LIV

        1. KeepCalm
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          already on a holiday huh. good4u

    4. Worzel Gummidge
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Notices Daniel posting rubbish as per. *logs off*

        1. Syd.
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          I think he is brilliant

          Completely bonkers

      • DLL18
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Rashford not even on the bench, off to an amazing start. /s

        1. Hurricane Gilbert
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          Same here. Wasn't predictable though.

        2. Rich_20
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          Not happy. Brought in Martial last double gameweek, and now he does this when I bring in Rashford.

      • FrankieTheGent
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        DeGea, Smaling, Lingard ..... nice

      • KingNidge
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Ruddy, Pinto, Martin, Bassong, Olsson, Redmond, Howson, O'Neil, Brady, Hoolahan, Jerome.

        1. Leaf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          United clean sheet points nailed

        2. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          Fry up?

      • Shifty
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Somehow ended up with Ivanovic Costa Hazard(c) and Kouyate

      • Bubz
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        As soon as Norwich take Smallings clean sheet away I can turn off

        1. El-Kloppico
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          As long as its Smalling I dont care.. but dont take DDG and Rojo's CS plz

        2. FAITHNOMORENO
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 2 days ago

          shouldn't even watch that game when midlesborough and albion are fighting for a promotion 😉

      • siweltrebor87
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 2 days ago

        Hoping all my transfers pay off handsomely today.

        Seeming as they mostly play each other in the week, facepalm!