Preamble December 21

The Pre-match Preamble – Gameweek 17

This is a time for family and feasting. A time to indulge those you love and the treats and temptations around us. For Fantasy managers, however, Christmas offers us a tortuous programme that clashes with such merriment and has us break etiquette and risk the wrath of loved ones. We embrace the fixture frenzy that Christmas brings – it’s all that family and friends nonsense that gets in the way.

Every year I’m amazed by the numbers. While I’m reliably informed that, by January, the typical Fantasy Football player base has dropped off by 50%, on our pages we see no such trend. The Christmas spell is a boom period.

It leads me to ponder that, if Fantasy Football is a drug for the enthusiastic “hardcore” player, then the Christmas period is a pure and relentless hit that renders us giddy with the possibilities and often exhausts us with its outcomes. This is no time to shelve our lineups and pursue the expected Christmas agenda – our time is dictated by deadlines, kick-off times and the live television schedule. We need our fix and it’s never been so plentiful.

And yet, I know full well I will have to make concessions. I know that, come Boxing Day, my excited expectations for my teams will have to be hushed amongst company, limited to a smuggled mobile phone under the dinner table and improbably frequent toilet breaks that will have loved ones concerned about the condition of my bladder.

It’s a painful experience (not the bladder) to maintain the threads of conversation over dinner when the mind is drifting to the chances of Marko Arnautovic notching for Stoke. It’s unnatural, unnecessary and against all that Christmas stands for. And yet, for myself and doubtless other Fantasy managers, it’s become the norm.

Hands up, then. The normal service will be interrupted. Pulls and responsibilities, the magic of seeing my near two-year-old experience all that Christmas brings will distract me and those who help me to fuel your own obsession at this time. But I’ll sneak and cajole, win brownie points and trade them for time to be amongst you. Enjoy the festivities.

1,617 Comments Post a Comment

FPL Daniel
10 years, 5 months ago
Any news by Demi for Rooney?
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1. Big_Andy_GAWA
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Yup. Not in squad, apparently :'(
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  1. FPL Daniel
    10 years, 5 months ago
    Demi is good enough for me. Will sell it.
    
    Thanks mate
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    1. Demí
      10 years, 5 months ago
      😯
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Big_Andy_GAWA
10 years, 5 months ago
Great article, Mark - really, really well summed up piece 🙂
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flynner25
10 years, 5 months ago
Looking at Clyne to Whittaker and Brady to Walcott for 8 point hit.....Will Whittaker get a run of games over xmas?? possibly could get Chester but Norwich have better fixtures. Want Whittaker today if possible. Need to make these to field a team. Have been carrying Clyne and Brady for weeks but injuries and price changes etc have made me bench them instead of transferring them out earlier.
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1. Big_Andy_GAWA
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Is Whittaker back starting again??
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  1. flynner25
    10 years, 5 months ago
    yes. Started the last 2 games
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Aurora
10 years, 5 months ago
Please start Rooney!
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Whitman2013
10 years, 5 months ago
Please reply to this guys

Hi guys please reply.
Rooney out negredo in for a hit? Very worried about a lack of city coverage.

Krul
Coleman Whittaker ridgewell
Fer shelvey hazard Ramsey
Rooney Suarez (c) lukaku
Bench: marshall Morrison terry zab
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1. JasonV
  10 years, 5 months ago
  It's best to bring in a midfielder for guaranteed points. I would bring in Yaya Toure or Silva (probably the latter which is cheaper) as you can rake in assists at the very least.
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Scottys Army
10 years, 5 months ago
rooney to berb yes or no

?
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1. Heydudes13
  10 years, 5 months ago
  God no. Better options, Berbatov's just had two penalties recently, his form honestly isn't that great atm.
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The Wizard of Ozil
10 years, 5 months ago
Cheater or ward to start lads?
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1. Messiah Hazard
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Chester (I hope you meant him)
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  1. The Wizard of Ozil
    10 years, 5 months ago
    I might still be drunk lol
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Bubz
10 years, 5 months ago
Going to be incredible scenes on here if Rooney's name is on that team sheet.
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Your Mum's Athletic
10 years, 5 months ago
Late-fitness test for Rooney, likely to miss out I'm hearing
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EL TANO
10 years, 5 months ago
play
1.Baker at stoke
OR
2.Chester at wbrom?
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1. sneif4
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Chester
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  1. EL TANO
    10 years, 5 months ago
    crouch and walters out?
    and huth
    and maybe shawcross
    that's a lot of stokes attacking crew out
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sneif4
10 years, 5 months ago
Koscielny to Evra worth a hit?
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1. RamaJama
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Yes
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2. EL TANO
  10 years, 5 months ago
  yep
  i'd go evans tho
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Fuddled FC
10 years, 5 months ago
Hmm start Merte or Chester?
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1. Messiah Hazard
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Chester
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RamaJama
10 years, 5 months ago
Play Chester or Ward-Prowse?
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1. Fuddled FC
  10 years, 5 months ago
  ward prowse
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2. sneif4
  10 years, 5 months ago
  JWP
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toxik
10 years, 5 months ago
Really fancy Liverpool fail today, given the Rooney risk I'm going Lukaku (c) scored v Swans h+a last year
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Ings on the up
10 years, 5 months ago
Defender for 5.7 or less
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Ryan
10 years, 5 months ago
For the second season running I'm risking having Rooney in the squad over Xmas/NY. I really don't want him to fail me during this crucial period again.
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1. SW6
  10 years, 5 months ago
  If Moyes says he's a doubt again midweek I'm selling
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  1. Ryan
    10 years, 5 months ago
    It will be the same all over again though. But perhaps with greater optimism he will play but of course with no certainty.
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    1. SW6
      10 years, 5 months ago
      But I have this feeling Moyes is playing down the injury to avoid mass panic. If it comes out there wasn't even a late fitness test today, it must be a longer term injury.
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bobbyg
10 years, 5 months ago
Brady to Cabaye for free?

Start Cech or Gazza?
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1. sneif4
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Yes
  
  Gazza
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2. megatronaldinho
  10 years, 5 months ago
  i vote totally yes. but cabaye? he be like second tier. but in the vanguard. i think silva, walcott and probably mirallas ahead of cabaye. and on the second, sure, i guess. i've already forgotten and care not to check. but you thougt of it so it's likely not that bad an idea
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megatronaldinho
10 years, 5 months ago
i don't think i posted anything to any ill effect. or purpose. but there's this nagging feeling. most men have a mother in law for this crotch-smash. ugh. i wish
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1. SW6
  10 years, 5 months ago
  😆
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Your Mum's Athletic
10 years, 5 months ago
So the early kick-off myth will be really put to the test today
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Whitman2013
10 years, 5 months ago
Is Rooney out today everyone on here seems to think so
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Louis
10 years, 5 months ago
Does this defence need a hit??
Howard 4,0
Terry Kos Williams Ward Burner
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Raddy
10 years, 5 months ago
First sub: chester(wba) or JWP(TOT)?

This player will more than likely come in for Rooney.
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1. Gravless wonder
  10 years, 5 months ago
  chester
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Richd
10 years, 5 months ago
Wow, if Rooney is out, with the basic captain choice this week could have large disparity. Especially if Negredo goes wild.
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Heydudes13
10 years, 5 months ago
Didn't know I logged into FantasyRooneyScout.co.uk.
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FPL Daniel
10 years, 5 months ago
Transfers done, going on a coffee with some chicks. I have a bank now. 5.5m in the bank. Just wow 😉 🙂
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1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
  10 years, 5 months ago
  what transfer?
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  1. Your Mum's Athletic
    10 years, 5 months ago
    Rooney > Lukaku?
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  2. Mílanista
    10 years, 5 months ago
    Forget the transfer, let's hear about the chicks.
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2. Jimmers
  10 years, 5 months ago
  They don't pay any interest in that bank!
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Tom Player
10 years, 5 months ago
Please could someone decide this for me

Drop one of:
Ramsey, Hooper, Hazard, Oscar, Januzaj
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1. uzbeque
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Oscar
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2. Raddy
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Tough, between Hooper and Jan, but jan as least guaranteed the game time.
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3. sneif4
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Oscar (I don't think many would agree with that)
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uzbeque
10 years, 5 months ago
Terry-->Evra for point hit yay or nay?
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1. JasonV
  10 years, 5 months ago
  Yay. Very yay.
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FACUPARSE
10 years, 5 months ago
Rooney/Moyes is going to troll everyone and score a couple today
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Scottys Army
10 years, 5 months ago
i think i will do bannan to sterling , then at least i have a better sub if rooney is out.

good move ?
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⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
10 years, 5 months ago
rooney is not in the squad? Why are we waiting for news then?

Any link to rooney not in squad?
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1. Scottys Army
  10 years, 5 months ago
  hes having a late test
  
  evra wasnt in the squad v villa
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2. GreennRed
  10 years, 5 months ago
  redmancunian.com/2013/12/21/manchester-united-without-rooney-van-persie-fellaini-vidic-ferdinand-weekend/?
  
  Wasn't on the team bus yesterday. But possibly stayed in Manchester for more physio. Unlikely to be but possibly a sub today.
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