Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 22

The obvious thing to do was to swoop for Sergio Aguero immediately. That would have ensured that there was little chance of a couple of price rises working as factors to persuade me to ignore Aguero come today’s 11.30 gong.

Predictably, that was far too straightforward for me. Readers of these words on a regular basis will know that, when presented with a crossroads, the path signposted the “Blatantly Obvious Avenue” never quite looks as welcoming as the heady sights offered by “Too Clever By Half Street”, even though I suspect the latter is a cul-de-sac.

This morning, having watched Aguero rise in price twice this week, my Fantasy Sat Nav is again suggesting I take an unexpected turn. Instead of trading Diego Costa at Swansea with his questionable away form for the undoubted and essential talents of Aguero at home to Arsenal, I’m exploring unwise alternatives.

Aaron Cresswell’s clean sheet for West Ham at home to Hull looks fairly assured and that’s tempted me to consider bringing him into my back three. The method to my madness suggests that Cresswell’s clean sheet would allow me to retain Costa at Swansea: Aguero would have to outscore Cresswell’s return against Hull, while I suspect Costa has a good chance of bettering Alan Hutton’s tally against Liverpool: the Villa man is my only defensive option should I make the Costa to Aguero trade.

If that sounds convoluted, it’s probably because it is. I’m overthinking a situation which, in reality, is a simple case of trading like for like. Get Costa out and get the superior Aguero in my frontline. More significantly, that would allow me to put the armband on the Argentine. Job done. Let’s watch the points roll in.

Instead, I’m about to rely on Costa’s ropey away form, allow a budget striker to wear my armband and, once again, risk my sanity on one of Big Sam’s charges.

As always, I’ve found a way to justify it. Aguero couldn’t inflict any damage on a tired and obliging Everton defence in 24 minutes – why would he blitz Arsenal with a two-goal salvo a week later? Wenger surely won’t allow his side to ship six goals this time?

Cresswell is up against a wounded Hull outfit who are likely to rely on the deadly pair of Gaston Ramirez and Sone Aluko for goals. Only this week, Big Sam was talking up the Hammers’ quest for clean sheets: a shut-out is brewing down in East London.

Then there’s Harry Kane – he will surely produce at home to a Sunderland side who appear to be bereft of a midfield enforcer. The Black Cats’ back four could be largely unprotected and Kane has the form and ability to punish that. The armband is safe with Harry.

Finally, there’s Costa. My dear old Diego. He’s served me well – scoring just frequently enough for me to ward off those claims that my investment has been wasted, my faith misplaced. He could do a job at Swansea, coupled with Cresswell’s returns, to outperform Aguero and Hutton.

I’ve talked myself into this. I’ve watched Aguero’s price rise to 12.5, almost to help justify taking this route. If I get it right, the rewards will likely be a handful of points and the smug satisfaction that I’d avoided doing the obvious. Get it wrong and the punishment could potentially be catastrophic – a severe spanking that even my Wildcard will struggle to salve.

I seem to openly invite “Mr Disappointment” into my weekends through the medium of my Fantasy Football team. I leave the door ajar, make his bed and put the kettle on. Let’s see if he comes knocking this time.

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

3,489 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Kane fail

    1. LMFAO
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Whoooo

    2. The ghost of a Pug's g…
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Talking rubbish...again.

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        reverse oop

        1. The ghost of a Pug's g…
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 9 months ago

          1. No proof this is the case.

          2. Hasn't stopped Rooney from getting a few bulgy points weeks.

          3. Probably the in form player in the league. Running from deep, may be more difficult to track.

          1. Carrick Doesn't Deserv…
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 9 months ago

            dont talk context with Bemba

            1. The ghost of a Pug's g…
              • 13 Years
              9 years, 9 months ago

              My apologies.

          2. BeachBadger
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 9 months ago

            4. When did 2nd striker become reverse OOP?

        2. PGR
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 9 months ago

          The technical term is POO 😛

    3. Randy_Marsh
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      You have that tendency of a big brain fart now and again

  2. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Stoke City FC ‏@stokecity 21s21 seconds ago

    #scfc Starting XI vs Leicester City: Begovic; Bardsley, Wilson, Wollscheid, Muniesa; Whelan (c), Nzonzi; Arnautovic, Bojan, Moses; Walters

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      no cameron 😯

      1. LMFAO
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Whoop

      2. Coaly
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        😀 traded him to Wasi a couple of days ago

      3. BeachBadger
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        tahnk God I didnt get him in on a WC

    2. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Cameronphail

  3. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    #MUFC subs bench: Manchester United Valdes, Evans, McNair, Januzaj, Herrera, Fellaini, Wilson.

  4. Demí
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Begovic; Bardsley, Wilson, Wollscheid, Muniesa; Whelan (c), Nzonzi; Arnautovic, Bojan, Moses; Walters

    1. Wouter
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Bought Cameron, great.

      1. threeputt
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        ditto

    2. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Shawcross?

    3. davies
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Feck.

    4. Dr Dream
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Where the hell is Shawcross ?

      1. Demí
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Injured apparently

        1. Dr Dream
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 9 months ago

          On the bench?

    5. The Handsome Hunk
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      shawcross injured

  5. beric
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    no albrighton, guess ill stick with boyd then

  6. Demí
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Hamer, Simpson, Morgan, Wasilewski, Konchesky, Knockaert, Drinkwater, King, Schlupp, Nugent, Vardy

    1. In Like Flynn.
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Schlupp back, there's a WC option.

      1. In Like Flynn.
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Or maybe GW29

  7. Beavis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    How on earth isn't Herrera starting?

    1. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      He never seems to. He should instead of mata.

      Wasnt a LVG signing.

      1. Beavis
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Infuriating as a fan, always looks like our best player when he does play.

        1. Somalion
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 9 months ago

          Agreed.

          1. Evs
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 15 Years
            9 years, 9 months ago

            I agree too.

    2. The ghost of a Pug's g…
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      LVG does what he wants

      1. Cilly Bonnolly
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Well he is the manager so...

  8. Overlordleo
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Good day everybody! I could need some help from you all 🙂 What is the best way to catch up to my rival which is 40 points ahead of me and played his WC this week?

    Would using my wildcard now and trade during the long break before the next gameweek be optimal, or should I wait as long as possible and wait for all transfers and for Yaya to possibly come back.

    This is my team for this week:
    DDG
    Jagielka-Clyne-Janmaat
    Hazard-Fab-Eriksen-Downing
    Aguero (C)-Costa-Kane (V)
    Subs: McCarthy-Wisdom-King-Cissokho

    This is my rivals team WC team for this week:
    Foster
    Gardos-Baines-Terry
    SIlva-Sanchez(V)-ADM(C)-Hazard
    Berainho-Kane-Costa

    So what would be the best way? WC this week and try to make as much money as possibly and get a team along the lines of this:

    Pantilimon-Heaton
    Terry-Wisdom-Hutton-Janmaat-Clyne
    Sanchez-Chadli-Silva/ADM-Hazard-Boyd
    Aguero-Austin-Kane

    Or wait even longer and hope that my current team is better than my rivals WC team, and that me waiting will allow me to do better transfer later on.

    Sorry for the long post, but i appreciate your help!

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Come back later.

      1. Overlordleo
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        True, posting now is probably a bad time, thanks tho! 🙂

    2. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Lol

      1. Overlordleo
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Nothing to lol about, the loser has to do 1000 push-ups 🙁

    3. Kerz
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      lol

  9. tm245
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Picked up Sanogo for Fantrax. Sweet.

    1. The Shadow
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      He did so well when playing for Arsenal, think of the points he'll rack up with CP's service!

      1. tm245
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Considering my bench is Bony Kolarov Clark Diouf, every point counts!

  10. Riyomorii
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Nooooo Geoff Cameron's not playing

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      not nailed

  11. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    scfc Substitutes vs Leicester City: Butland, Huth, Ireland, Adam, Cameron, Sidwell, Crouch (Shawcross injured). Come on Stoke!

  12. Demí
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Pantilimon, Jones, van Aanholt, Brown, O'Shea (c), Vergini, Larsson, Rodwell, Johnson, Fletcher, Defoe

    1. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      5 at the back?

    2. Granville
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      That was my lineup. Giaccherini and Wickham drop out.

      1. Demí
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        Good call

  13. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Cameron OUT on wc

    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Wow Wildcard fail this early . This is impressive even by my standards . Stupid Cameron

  14. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    No Shawcross 😯

    1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Bollox

      1. Whazza
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        bench

        1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 9 months ago

          Only brought him in for a 2 week punt

  15. davies
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    ADM up top.

    1. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Fingers crossed.

    2. nosejob
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Maybe rotate, but not up top,all game.

    3. tm245
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Please let this be so.

  16. The Machine
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    What formation are united playing?

    1. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Same as last week.

      All over the shop 🙂

    2. The Chosen One...
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      3-5-2 again

    3. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Could be anything but likelihood is 352

      Jones Smalling Rojo
      Valencia Carrick Rooney blind
      Mata
      Falcao adm

      Would love it if it were
      Valencia Jones Smalling Rojo
      Carrick
      Blind ADM
      Mata
      Rooney Falcao.

    4. Malcolm Tucker for England …
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      run around and hope for the best

  17. nosejob
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    All players selected in my team start. Good start.

    Come on guys, let's go. Let's do this.

  18. Pasqualinho
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    So Rooney is definitely up front!

    Or maybe in the hole, CM or on the wing.

    1. 4vets
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Definitely

    2. Mull
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Sweeper.

    3. Zombie
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      I hope he is upfront, my captain after all

  19. Wouter
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    2-1 Forrest

  20. Les Bleus
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Courtois is the worst buy of the season for me

    1. Evs
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      I was very close to bringing him in on my wc.

      Dodged a bullet there.

      1. Les Bleus
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        You definitely did

  21. Somalion
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Balls Falcao starts. Wish I hadn't ditched now...

    1. Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Lo Lo Lo Lo

  22. Licky
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    #Licky - DDG, Trippier, Bertrand, Wisdom, Fer, Sanchez, Hazard, Fiberglass, COsta, Rooney, Austin all start for me, with Hazard (C).

    1. Licky
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Though I may ditch CO-sta for Kun after.

  23. davies
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Post WC:

    Cameron > who? 😥

    1. nosejob
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      PVA

      1. BeachBadger
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 9 months ago

        this

  24. Davros
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Wow, In the stats for the top 10k...
    Hutton and Wisdom are in both the top 5 most played defenders AND the top 5 most benched players.

    Someone's got to be right. Both benched for me 🙂

    1. Prime
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Played Hutton benched Wisdom.

      No Gerrard is a good start.

    2. Whazza
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Own neither and in the top 5k :S

    3. Overlordleo
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Benched both Wisdom and Cisskho, Hope that starting Jagielka and Clyne was the right choice.

  25. Tmel
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Regretting my last gasp switch from Haz to Kane for (C)

    1. Whazza
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      I did the opposite

  26. The Machine
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Rooney in the middle adm up top

    Lvgenius

  27. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    not worth it

    1. Randy_Marsh
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      You're

  28. MisterMaster
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    ffs i got shawcross 🙂

  29. Ed
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    Anyone else see Sunderland beating spurs? Spurs always build up a bit of form, then have an awful home result

    1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Losing last week isn't exactly in form

    2. Randy_Marsh
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 9 months ago

      Always a chance

  30. Evs
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 9 months ago

    I got a good feeling about my Dai Maria (c) differential. 🙂

    I bet it will end in tears though 😥