So it’s September 1st and we’ve already had our first month (August, for all you calendar enthusiasts) of Premier League action fly by faster than Usain Bolt on skates. The transfer deadline is closing in around us and, while there’ll be plenty of time to react on all the movers and shakers, right now we want to know about the even more important movers and shakers – those in our Scout Leagues. Let’s get down to business…
Fantasy Football Scout League (Fantasy Premier League)
Following the unsurprising early season pattern, we have another new face at the top of our league here – will this be our first person to hold the position? Only time will tell. Short-term congratulations go out to Alan Brady this week though, it looks like you’ve certainly noticed your position with a team named Scout Leader – or are you just that confident? Alan had reasonable returns up front, but it looks like his defence propelled him up the table this week – three goals from your backline in one week is certainly no mean feat. As for the league itself, we are holding steady in 4th place – tracking the pacemakers in what is certainly marathon rather than a sprint. Keep up the good work guys.
Fantasy Football Scout League (Can You Kick It)
We’ve made an even more stellar start over in the CYKI game though; the Scout League is ruling the roost in number one position. Over in the league itself, after our posters had started out being league champion we have a new face. All the way from down under, Joanne Spirit-Jones has nabbed top spot in this league with a solid team selection and the right captain choice – it might seem understated, but it’s worked a treat so far.
At the forefront of our first Head to Head table we now have an out and out leader in BP FC. A hard fought victory against chief scout Mark was enough to provide that bit of breathing space. Ashley Cole was undoubtedly the ace up Brian’s sleeve in that tie. In a site contributor face-off, Granville earned his first 3 points of the season in his matchup against Greek Fan, inflicting his first defeat of the season. Seal is the member deserving of the arm around the shoulder this week, with a praiseworthy score of 67 (which would have beaten 15 of his league rivals) Seal was still unable to collect his first 3 points because Jimi pulled his wildcard out the bag. As an ex-Leicester City player, I too admire Richard Stearman but still would have to question his fantasy selection. Against the odds, Jimi didn’t and Stearman’s 11 point haul won the day for him.
A new man is sitting pretty as current leader in this league, and that man is one of our resident Spurs fans – JWF. In a battle of the unbeaten, JWF ran out victor over dadoune30, again, in no short part thanks to Ashley Cole and the backing of his own teams current hot prospect Aaron Lennon. A match against Monstery looms large for him, and with a score of 77 this week, his team will certainly be on a high. Not to be undone, Scout statistician Superior Being was the big man on campus this week racking up a rather mammoth 79 points; subsequently walloping last weeks league leader Dick Fran Dyke by 32 points, that Geovanni pick isn’t looking so bad is it now SB?
At the top of Head to Head 3, despite facing each other, the two leading men (Hammer Time and adz) remained undefeated thanks to a 58 points draw, with only 1 point still separating these two guys in the overall rankings, they look neck and neck as the benchmark for quality in this league. djman102 has continued to fight back from his gameweek 2 defeat with a second victory in a row and pushes on up the table, with a mere 1 point this week being the deciding factor; you can’t get much closer than that. Both Dan B and “Just One More Thing” managed to chalk up their first victories of the season too, I welcome you to the 3 point brigade gentlemen.
Equalling Superior Beings aforementioned 79 point haul, The Rock has stormed to the top of this Head to Head league with an emphatic victory over falling leader Sasquatch. A 68 point return from Sasquatch provided strong opposition, but you guessed it, Ashley Cole proved to be the deciding factor in this matchup. The Rock’s 79 points wasn’t the top score in this here league though. Samoa Joe managed to bring in a massive 81 point haul – Dave Kitson playing his part here and proving to a very profitable differential in this gameweek. Of the five limited entry Head to Head leagues, our fourth has the bar set highest so far too. With a world ranking of 126, these 20 fellows are leagues above the rest, and even higher than Frans self proclaimed “toughest out there” Frantastic League. There’s nothing like hyperbole is there?
Five fine folks are sharing a 9 point total at the top of our fifth and final Head to Head league, so it only comes to total points scored – and that leaves none other than rez-rez lording it above everyone else with an impressive score of 257. No ‘left-field’ captain picks this week, but the somewhat questionable transfer in of Nicky Shorey has so far proven to be successful (his possible transfer to Portsmouth will not make the move any less murky). Jonty is closest on the tail of our leader here, and he too will be thanking Mr Cheryl Cole for his work on the pitch this week.
Only 37 unbeaten managers in the Reserve League? Is that all? I expected so much more from you all! Oh, how I jest. As can be seen, this league is certainly no joke. One man who is certainly taking it very seriously is our current leader, Joe Cleary. Not content with a fourth place spot in the official Scout League, Joe has gone a few better and banked his fourth victory thanks to Ashley Cole (almost a given…) and his expensive strike force of Wayne Rooney and ‘Nando Torres. Good on you Joe, may the fruits of your managerial tactics continue to succeed for you (and by proxy, for us too).
That’s it then. Let’s all savour our current positions or look back on them with disdain (I’m in the second camp there myself), chalk it off as ring rust or praise ourselves for coming out of the traps like a true thoroughbred. I’m off to dissect all of the deadline day transfers, and see if there’s anything in there that I feel I can use to advantage in my next Head to Head match – I’ve got my eye on you I’m Not Marshal Foch. See you all in two weeks time.