Opinion

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 34

I’ve rarely been so downbeat about a double Gameweek.

Each season we seek them out. Like searching for the local derby in the fixture list, we anticipate them and look to relish every minute of exctitement they can deliver. These are the times we cherish as Fantasy Football managers; friends and family just don’t understand.

But this Gameweek 34 has never really convinced me.

Even before Thursday’s events, the allure of uncertain Manchester United assets, backed the unmagnificent Middlesbrough and Palace candidates, always struggled to appeal.

In midweek our one protagonist bowed out – the single asset who seemed most likely to break the double-digit barrier was cruelly removed from the equation.

It’s almost as if Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s knee buckled under the weight of our double Gameweek expectation.

Without our leading man, it’s now left to uncovincing understudies Christian Benteke and Alvaro Negredo to keep our show on the road. Confidence has taken a knock, but it seems we simply must pin our hopes somwehere.

We’ve seen it all before: previously, 70,000 of us based our double Gameweek prospects on a certain Stephane Sessegnon, such is our willingness to seek out that one big return.

Splintered over six days, the agony and anxiety of Gameweek 34 is set to be strung out and prolonged. We could easily end up heading into Wednesday praying for a Middlesbrough clean sheet and cheering every Ben Gibson clearance. If ever you needed to build a case on how Fantasy Football can warp your view of the beautiful game, there it is right there.

But this is perhaps part of the appeal of double Gameweeks. We spend the season steadily building around in-form assets, working towards any template that arises, then these end of season events arrive to shake things up and promote unlikely heroes.

The words Negredo and Triple Captain were never meant to sit within the same sentence. Just as Carroll and Triple Captain jarred twelve months ago.

But no matter how much we attempt to anticipate and strategise, somehow it seems these double Gameweeks creep up on us, forcing us down the most unexpected avenues.

Benteke and Negredo now have the opportunity to carve their names in Fantasy Football folklore over the course of the next seven days.

Clearly, Zlatan, for all his bravado, titles and winners medals, just couldn’t handle that kind of pressure. Sessegnon set the bar too high.

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

2,083 Comments Post a Comment
  1. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Lets go Alvaro boy. Dont know how it came to this...

    1. Atimis
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      This 😀

    2. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Come onnnnn

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      So much this.

  2. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    DGW here we come

  3. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Gibson in for -4 and play him over Walker ? Good idea ? 😉

  4. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Get Negredo Mark!

  5. JAC THE CAT
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Benteke (C) 🙂

    1. Razmataz
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      I'm thinking this too! Worries about it tho as my rivals don't have him so will captain someone else..

      1. JAC THE CAT
        • 10 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        Even more points for us 😉

    2. matiakez
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      I'm on this.

  6. df34
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Excellent article Mark

    1. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      He knows 😉

  7. BraxterStockman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Hi Guys!

    I'm going to get rid of Amat. Who to choose?

    1. Bailly. You would think he plays 180min... but he might not play vs Burnley due to the Anderlecht game..
    2. Blind. Would be nice, but Mourinho hates him. Worth a gamble?
    3. Gibson. Play it safe.

    Thanks in advance!

    1. BraxterStockman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Though one. Just flip the coin I would say.

  8. Lizard Lips
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Pickford (mid)
    Friend (bou SUN) Valencia (bur mci) Alonso (SOU) Bavies (cry)
    Sanchez (LEI) Alli (cry) Eriksen (cry) Siggy (STK)
    Aguero (MUN) Lukaku (whu)
    Subs: Heaton (MUN) Barnes (MUN) Yoshida (che) Fletcher

    Is Barnes Kun ➡ Negredo (c) Benteke my best moves before WC in 35 for 36? (Ideally I'd get Kane but would have to use both FTs for that.)

  9. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Let's go Pogba (TC). A single goal would do.

    1. Jimmy Boy
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Risky

    2. ChelseaGuy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      You've been branding him all week. Sure the RMT can be trusted?

      1. Team Cruel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        Haven't bothered with RMT if I'm honest.

        1. ChelseaGuy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 11 months ago

          GL to you then

    3. Mark
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 17 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Well he will you get you two starts at the very least.

  10. Lizard Lips
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Pick two to play:

    (a) Bavies
    (b) Friend
    (c) Alonso

  11. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    My team is;
    Jaku (Pickford)
    Mawson, Baines, Valencia (Smith, Amat)
    Sanchez, King, Zaha, Eriksen (Fletcher)
    Negrado, Kane, Lukaku

    Do Fletcher to Firmino for -4 and play AOA? Bench Baines

  12. claretdownunder
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    will Walker play vs CPL?

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Doubt it. Game is sandwiched between two more important games.

    2. GS456
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Tripps

  13. Phreak4piano
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Heaton > DDG for free? WC already used, other keeper is Pickford.

  14. Stupendous
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Lukaku to Negredo surely isn't worth it is it? -4 becomes -8 and I would lose the highest owned player in the whole game yea?

    Other forwards are Kane and Benteke

    1. Phreak4piano
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Doubtful whether Negredo will score more than Lukaku anyway, definitely not worth a hit imo

    2. The Mighty One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      No. I'm big on Negredo this week for the armband, but not at the expense of Lukaku. He will definitely score against WH.

  15. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Blind in for a -8? My defence is
    Cahill Gibson Mawson Pieters Rojo

    1. Backup Dancer
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Think he'll play both. Yes if so

      1. Athletic Nasherbo
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        Okay cheers

  16. Here's Tom with the We…
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Valdes to Hennessy-4 or just play Jaku (wat)?

  17. Barnsley FC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Following that Sessegnon link reminded me of Granville - haven't seen him around at all, does anyone know whether he's still a part of this site?

    1. Mark
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 17 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      He's been struggling with his health of late - been off work. Plus he's all the politics stuff to keep him busy.

      1. The Mighty One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        Sorry to hear that!

  18. applebonkers
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    let's be honest, hennessey is a bit of a pants choice this gw, actually worried pickford will beat him.
    still, nice gw35 though

    1. HashAttack
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      was meant to have a cs last week .. committed to him now

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Had him for months so not ditching now.

  19. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    What do you reckon TC on negredo? Or is there a better option comingredients up? Got all three left

  20. ReginaldVarley
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Heaton
    Valencia | Daniels | Alonso
    Sànchez | King | Zaha | Townsend (VC)
    Kane | Lukaku | Negredo (C)

    Pickford; Alli, Baines, Mawson
    -4 0FT £0.6m itb

    I have my wildcard and benchboost left, do you think I should play benchboost now or hold off until GW37?

  21. John wick
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Will chambers start

  22. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on GW34 winners and losers? Mine:

    Winner = Zaha
    Loser = Sanchez

  23. matiakez
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    PVA likely to start tomorrow do we think??

  24. drughi
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    No way negredo can fail now, I didnt bring him in and triggerlips, jonty, andy and many other veterans did. Congrats negredo owners

  25. Egyptian Giza
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    I captained Gibson ..

    1. ThunderDownUnder
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      I TC Gibson

  26. RoysCallerAnne
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Excellent 😀

  27. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Gtg here folks?

    Pickford
    Alonso, PVA, Valencia
    Hazard, Alli, Son, De Doon, King
    Kane, Lukaku

    Valdes*, Ibra*, Maguire, Amat

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Might as well start Valdes

  28. bel24
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Hi folks, play Walcott or Sane. Cheers

  29. KeepCalm
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Im thinking of saving my TC for GW 35 or 38. Really disappointed with the options in this DGW

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Why not 36?

      1. KeepCalm
        • 10 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        WCing

        1. Here's Tom with the We…
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 11 months ago

          Why not wildcard in 35 then TC 36?

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Mark's transfer = McAuley to Gibson?

    1. Lets Talk About 19 Baby
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Looks like it.

    2. Mark
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 17 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Yes. Definition of unsexy.

      1. Lets Talk About 19 Baby
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        Mark, I still have have Ibra, Ive talked myself out taking -8 to bring Negredo, do u agree ?