The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 1

Here we go again. This Fantasy Football thing is back and, it appears, it’s bigger than ever.

At kick-off last season, the Fantasy Premier League had just over 3.1 million players. With still an hour to go, we’re seeing over 3.75 million in the game. The growth, it seems, is relentless.

Without a summer tournament, the weeks have flown by and Gameweek 1 appears to be all over me like an N’Golo Kante challenge.

To be honest, I don’t really feel ready for it.

I’d quite like to bask in the achievements of last season if it’s all the same to you. The thought of putting my neck on the line over another 38 Gameweeks is daunting and has come too soon.

The task seems even taller this time around.

I can’t remember toiling over an initial squad quite so much. Without ramping up the pressure on this final hour, I honestly believe that this is the toughest it has been.

Despite the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Philippe Coutinho conveniently taking themselves out of the early equation, we’re still faced with agonising choices.

For all the comfort that the early Wildcard presents, I can’t help thinking that my decisions now will be crucial.

I know how difficult I find it to admit errors; how painful it can be turn to the Wildcard rather than back my failed judgement. My worst season ever was born from an ill-fated initial selection, followed by a failed early rebuilding programme. I made errors, ignored them and ended up clinging to respectability.

But that was a one off and I should be more optimistic.

It’s not like I’m taking risks. I’ve chosen a pragmatic – almost dullard approach.

The two heavyweights will be up front, with Romelu Lukaku wearing the armband.

The luxury items for United and Southampton are in my defence and Kevin De Bruyne will tick away in my midfield.

There are one or two risks – Ryan Fraser, perhaps even Danilo – but they are the exception and exit plans have been hatched to perform an urgent rescue act.

I know that I’ll probably be okay once I’m over the line. Once three or four Gameweeks are in and I can start mining data. At that point I can repair matters and making up ground.

Gameweeks 1-3 are all about damage limitation for me. Get a foothold and build from there.

If I’m inside the top one million after four Gameweeks, I’ll be delighted. I can reel it in from there by spending countless hours trawling statistics and drifting off to deliberate transfers in my head while other human beings fruitlessly attempt to hold a conversation with me.

It will all come back to me, I’m sure. It’s going to have to. We’re here now, it’s happening again.