Lets take a bit of a journey down memory lane to month ago, to the end of Gameweek 3. If like me you can’t remember what you did yesterday let alone a month ago, allow me to remind you – this was the last international break. Like them or loath them this period saw a large majority of Fantasy Football Scout managers (attempting to) improve their teams using the incredibly useful but oft wasted perk of the game – the Wildcard.
The benefit of utilising the Wildcard during an international break is the amount of time it allows you to make the most of price increases, as well as giving you added time to weigh up the pro’s and cons of bringing certain players in. The gap between Gameweek 3 and 4 saw a number of managers do just that as well as providing the opportunity to remove the dead wood which they’d spent the summer collecting. The end of Gameweek 7 sees another international break and an opportunity for those who thought better of utilising it back then to have a little fiddle with their teams and hopefully create the much sought after “perfect team” (that is until they hate their team again).
Not only does the international break seem like an ideal opportunity to improve Fantasy Football teams but it comes off the back of an incredibly average week for a lot of managers. Under performance of key players and the form of others have seen heads turn and in the cutthroat world of Fantasy Football that means changes. For others who’ve used up this fantasy perk, this week has given food for thought about the transfers they need to make to sort out their teams. Changes need to be made and for many these changes will involve players wearing the red of Liverpool.
Fantasy football fans need to be re-educated and retrained and this writer is no exception. With all due respect to Blackpool, before the season started, the proposition of a home tie for any team against the Tangerines, on paper, looked a banker. But Blackpool bar a couple of games against Arsenal and Chelsea have excelled. Call it the “Hull” factor, scoff at the thought of them staying up, but the fact remains for now it would appear dangerous to back a team against them. On the flip side for sorry Liverpool it looks difficult to back them against anyone.
Many people brought in Liverpool players this week, namely the big guns Gerrard and Torres, for the game against the t’other pool in the league. Many more will be getting rid of them over the next couple of weeks. Coming second and fourth in the Captain Poll this week a number of people would have expected a big return from the two lads in red. Certainly those with Gerrard will ultimately be relieved that they managed to get anything out of the game at all and for those with Torres nothing much can be said to console those who captained him. 1 point doubled to 2 makes you feel a bit sick.
Many will look to dump Gerrard for Fabregas to coincide with the Spaniards expected return from injury, others will look to the Dutch master Rafael Van der Vaart who has made a blistering start to his career in a Spurs shirt. For those with Torres the question seems to be – “who on earth do I get?” Certainly for the minority that don’t have Drogba, this would be the obvious choice. Otherwise the obvious would suggest the dependable Tevez or the consistent Mr Bent.
There’s always a temptation to retain “expensive” players as they make you feel safe. Form, however, is far more important than reputations in Fantasy Football and players like Torres unfortunately are lacking in the former. Why not take a look at lower priced options who have been performing well and who are sitting atop the FPL form guide at the moment. The resurgent Johan Elmander at Bolton has been in impressive form of late with 4 goals and 2 assists already this season. With three home games in the next four for the Swede, now may be the time to downgrade from a bit hitter and free up some cash to move around the team. An alternative is the incredible cheap Luke Varney. With 2 goals and 3 assists in his last 5 games its hard to ignore the ex-Championship journeyman. Remember this is Knee Jerk so take it with a pinch of salt but at 4.5m and like Elmander with three home games in the next four, it may well be worth a look.
Fantasy Football can often be won and lost on punts and whilst, in previous years, it would have been hard to imagine calling bringing Torres in for a home game against Blackpool as a “punt”, it may be better to move away from so called “big” players to the smaller, but seemingly more fruitful bargain buys, if gains are to be made in this most inconsistent of seasons.
