The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 14

Today is my birthday and, just like any other Saturday, all I can think about is Fantasy Football.

For all the love, attention and gifts that can be bestowed upon me from my family, my mind keeps wandering to 12.30, the first kick-off and, in particular, Harry Kane to follow a few hours later.

Fittingly, I’m feeling positive.

My chosen XI actually looks in good nick and the prospects presented by Kane as captain, with Gylfi Sigurdsson proving a plucky opponent at the Lane is genuinely exciting.

I’ve been drawn to Jonty’s new quest for memories as a reaction to his current plight – something to rescue from a campaign that appears to have spiraled from his control through bad luck and a few errant decisions.

I’ve also seen numerous posts in the community that feed off this, remarking how, when you begin to edge towards the top 1% of Fantasy Premier League managers, suddenly the perspective changes. How transfers can become routine as your squad becomes achingly similar to those around you.

This can certainly be the case, although I feel that this season there is opportunity, even when amongst the top echelons, to break free with a degree of comfort.

We can have Kane and Sigurdsson with just 10% and 7% ownership respectively, confident that they are not maverick gambles but assured assets. And yet, with such a variety of strong performers available, they aren’t immediately go-to options for the leading managers.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back in the game, the choice between Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott has divided us; there is a split between Jermain Defoe and Charlie Austin. This is before we analyse spend in defence or consider how the variety on offer can also influence the captaincy decision.

I’m always watching for the template to appear and, while I can often adhere to it, I remain mindful on how it can suck the joy from playing this game: how quickly you become cornered and fearful of breaking out.

But this season continues to give us choices.

Even the very top managers could, this morning, be weighing up a points hit for Kane, aware that should he deliver against Swansea, he will be a new variable week to week. If Zlatan delivers at Goodison Park on Sunday, he could also be a big factor again.

A template has formed but, with Sergio Aguero’s suspension and now the injury to Philippe Coutinho, we’ve had two events that have provided timely shake-ups.

Crucially, when they’ve arrived, there have been multiple routes to follow, and that has already contributed to making this a memorable season.

But then I’m feeling optimistic. I’ve a cake downstairs and I’ve pretty much got control of the remote for the day, plus I get to choose what’s on the menu for dinner. Those are major victories in my world and at my age.

All I need now is for Kane to deliver and the day can be crowned.

Perhaps I should be parking my Fantasy Football team on my birthday but, the fact that it remains such a source of excitement and hope, tells me that this season is a good one and that it can still can harbour plenty of memories for us all.