The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 21

A wise Fantasy manager (or was it Jonty?) once proclaimed that “hits are moreish”.

They were right.

The mini-transformations are like Botox injections. Little nips and tucks that help the squad worry lines vanish, until you suddenly realise that you’ve gone too far and can no longer crack a smile.

After three successive hits, I’m running that risk.

For now, I can justify the work carried out. The first prompted the move to a five-man midfield, the second brought about by Charlie Austin’s spectacular injury/suspension capitulation.

My latest touch-up arrives in response to today’s teamsheets.

We’re all presuming that we’re about to take one or two casualties. So a four-point hit – if fortunate enough to minimise that damage – can be repaid, at least in part.

Jesse Lingard and Alvaro Morata have come in. The Chelsea striker making a dramatic return, forcing me to down a portion of humble pie as I revert back to twin big-hitters up front.

The 3-5-2 remains but, with Sam Allardyce scouring the market, it appeared that Dominic Calvert-Lewin had run his race. He may even miss out today and he’s surely set to be reduced to cameos once Everton have recruited.

As for Hazard, he’d started to replicate the frustrating form of last season. This time I’m not willing to accept it.

Lingard will doubtless regress, but then I’m banking on other mid-price midfield options to step forward. I’m effectively applying the Kanexit principle, but to a more workable area of the squad.

In my view, we can readily find value in midfield that enables us to lock big funds in attack and defence.

When we analyse the season so far, we can see that we’ve been blessed on several occasions.

Pascal Gross, Shaqiri and Richarlison have all enjoyed consistent spells. Lingard, together with Marko Arnautovic and Wilfried Zaha are currently doing their bit and easily outscoring Hazard.

Other candidates could yet come forward and we may even see a long-term Josh King figure emerge.

Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne are both elite assets, but there are value options that can outscore them for periods of the season.

Timing the move for value in midfield seems far more achievable than hunting down a cut replacement for Kane, Morata or Roberto Firmino. At least until another Austin crops up.

And when Hazard and De Bruyne do punish me, unlike Kane, they are unlikely to be backed by a million captaincies.

So the 3-5-2 or 4-4-2, with three or even just two heavy-hitting midfielders will be my strategy from here on.

I’ll stay agile and move for the value in midfield, while I may even consider shuffling the second big striker to fixtures and form.

And if that fails, I’ll be back for more injections.