Opinion

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 13

Maybe it’s just me, but Pep is starting to wear a little thin.

I get all the bits about revolutionary, expansive football. The off-kilter formations and high pressing. At times, watching Manchester City play football it seems that Pep Guardiola has somehow changed the rules. I get it. It’s a good thing.

But for us Fantasy Football managers, Pep’s visionary methods are problematic.

I’d quite like to back City’s exciting and modern take on attacking football with a few of their players. Certainly Sergio Aguero, maybe even Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne or even John Stones.

But Pep is not our friend.

When Yaya Toure stroked home his brace at Crystal Palace, it would have been nice to have looked upon the Ivorian’s return as a gift: another legitimate midfield target to consider.

Instead, Pep immediately moved to douse those possibilities, rolling out the “R” word minutes after the final whistle to make it abundantly clear where we all stand.

This very morning a report hammers home the latest chilling chapter from Guardiola, featuring a quote that no Fantasy Football manager want’s to read…

“Everyone is droppable”

This is all kinds of bad.

With doubts currently swimming around our heads on Sergio Aguero’s minutes at Burnley, we do not need Pep reminding us of his ruthless approach to rotation.

I found yesterday’s comments on Aguero’s “foot problem” troubling.

Pep avoided stating that Aguero was injured, and yet went on to build a scenario which created doubt surrounding the availability of a key player.

Foolishly, I have been lured into trying to second guess his intentions.

I fail to see anything to be gained from this latest move.

Perhaps it’s just honesty – a policy of truth. Or perhaps, like Arsene Wenger and Theo Walcott’s toe, Pep is creating a scenario which legitimises limiting Aguero’s pitch time.

Sergio needs to play and score today, but with the Chelsea fixture beckoning and Pep sewing seeds, I wonder if he’ll be given the opportunity.

That would be the latest chapter in my turbulent affair with Pep.

Already betrayed on Stones and Sterling, should Guardiola curtail Aguero’s Turf Moor appearance, he’s in danger of forcing me into a bold and brave decision.

I don’t want that. I want an easy ride. I want Aguero to get his goal and provide me with a reason to keep him forever locked in my squad, sitting there as my captaincy comfort blanket.

Pep’s own dicey decision making with his rotating teamsheet could yet force us to follow suit – to take undesirable risks.

We don’t want everyone to be “droppable”. Certainly, we want and need Aguero to be untouched.

I was already toying with the idea of shunning the Argentine in a week’s time, now, thanks to Pep’s latest intervention, I’m teetering on the edge a week early.

This modern football, with its high energy pressing and data analysts warning of players in the red zone is rubbish.

Where’s the 4-4-2 and the “untouchables” when you need them?

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

1,339 Comments Post a Comment
  1. fusen
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    I'm flipping through all my leagues using https://anewpla.net/fpl/league/live.php and I'm noticing I'm the only person who seems to have captained Firmino...

    As a Sunderland fan this makes me feel very uneasy :/

    1. fusen
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      "uneasy" as in confused as to what I should be wanting, apart from the obvious Defoe and Anichebe hattrick each.

    2. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      You're the only one aware of how bad Sunderland are 😉

    3. Bleach †
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      What are you on mate, 21% of top 10k captained Firm

    4. Bleach †
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Even Ville captained Firm, so relax 😎

    5. Bolivian Seaman
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      You're going to lose anyway so you may as well cheer on firmino. harsh but true

    6. MTPockets
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers for the link - didn't know about that.

      • Gargamel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Hey Fusen

        Great little thing you've created there.

      • WinEmAll
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Yes! Be grateful. You were one of the few who did captain Firmino. The rest of us captained Coutinho!!! 🙁

    7. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      I see lots of English clubs including the PL official account changed their avatars to rainbow backgrounds on social media. Nothing wrong with their message of support and acceptance for all of their fans, but seems very hypocritical from clubs such as Arsenal to be parading a rainbow flag on social media, while having their stadium named after the Emirates. They're sponsored by a company from a country that imprisones and castrates LGBT members, that's the definition of a mob wife.

      1. fusen
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        But money...

        1. Pariße
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 4 months ago

          Of course 🙁

      2. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        There is a LGBT banner in the emirates. One of the bigfest banners in the stadium. Arsenal have been very supportive regardless of corpraye owners belief.

        Not good for business also going against supporting it. Even if the emirates owners are completely against gays (which they shouldnt be), theyre not stupid.

        1. Pariße
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 4 months ago

          I'm an Arsenal supporter myself, but in this case the right thing to do would be to just keep their mouths shut and stop pretending you're actually supporting the community, when you're receiving money from UAE. The banner on the stadium is completely fine as long as it's from the fans.

    8. TheTinman
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Aguero captainers let me here ya???

      1. Canadian Football
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        0/
        o/
        O/

      2. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Didn't Captain but want at least a brace nonetheless

      3. Canadian Football
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        my first ballsy move of the season....hope it works

    9. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Well done to all aguero captainers.

      No Heaton = i feel a aguero & toure show today.

      Aguero 2 goals minimum i think.

    10. Canadian Football
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Aguero Captains?

      0/

      1. The Man Pastore
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        o/

    11. TheBusDriver
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      What an awful start to the week.

      1. Pochecinno
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Quit?

      2. Bleach †
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        0 points myself also..

      3. b✪mber
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        You were the head of the "Kun Haters committee", right?

    12. Neto
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Let me remind you this famous quote:

      "Comrades! Never captain a player in the early kick off" - Fidel Castro

      1. b✪mber
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        lol

    13. twoplustwo
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Redmond's fixtures look pretty tasty after today!

    14. StoichkovFPL
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      NEW POST

    15. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Kept calm and managed to save FT amidst all the madness this week.

      Lets see what this gw has in store for us.

      1. GREENDREAMS11
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Same here and I'm happy I did.

    16. FPL Maldini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Hopefully the early game kick off curse will save us all

    17. JabbaWookiee
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      @Jonty - furnace getting closer!!

    18. AC Tomasso
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Mcauley goal!!!!

    19. Duffo
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Well Mustafi has been a complete fail
      Welcome to the team Toby