Preamble

The Pre-match Preamble – Gameweek 31

There’s nothing like the exhilaration of a double Gameweek to wake us from the slumber of an international break.

Sadly, Gameweek 31 looks far from exhilarating.

For the second time in the matter of weeks, we’re destined to root through Chris Ramsey’s QPR squad like grappling grannies at a jumble sale, desperately trying to find something of value other than the chipped china teapot that is Charlie Austin.

Seeking cheap thrills, we’re even eyeing up Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor like tickets in the tom-bola. If we’re lucky, our numbers might come up and we’ll get to claim some lavender bath salts. Such is the scale of the double Gameweek prize that awaits us.

We all know that the potential is limited, particularly with a blank looming but we’re internationally broken: craving Fantasy Football excitement from any possible source, however unlikely.

We don’t want to return to our squads and save our transfers. We don’t want to bring in Kyle Naughton. We’re looking for something that can relight the fire and, if we’re not careful, we can make careless errors trying to find it.

I’m fighting the urge and pondering the most subdued and ineffectual of all transfers – swapping my goalkeeper, albeit for Brad Guzan, a double Gameweek asset.

I’d love to gamble on Benteke and slap the armband on his bicep, but I know all too well that this compulsion is fuelled by a fortnight of inactivity. I know that international football can be just as damaging to my Fantasy thinking as it is the weary legs of my players.

On that note, an article this week revealed that Arsene Wenger’s Gunners haven’t won a single match following internationals this season. Interestingly, the same article highlighted that QPR have suffered most from such breaks. They’ve been consigned to three straight defeats, scoring just two goals in the process.

Suddenly I’m reconsidering that china teapot.

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

1,305 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Zep
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Omg that post int break stat is a killer...

    Makes me wanna do Gru > Tekkers now... 😕

    Argh!

    1. Reedy
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Stay strong. You've come this far!

    2. Fitzy.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      You don't need Arsenal to win - you just need Giroud to score.

  2. CelticBhoy1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Sinclair or Phillips?

  3. Malcolm Tucker for England …
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Quick, toast, muffin or crumpet????
    Can't decide and time running out

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Crumpet. Treat yourself

  4. Razmataz
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Who to bench... CAROL or SANCHEZ?

    1. Jax
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      neither

  5. FootballFanatic365
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    fellaini silva haza ozil santi

    agbonl austin kane

    help me pick the ODD ONE OUT?

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil

      1. FootballFanatic365
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        (Y)

    2. Moin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Santi

      1. FootballFanatic365
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        santi on pens man?

  6. Concrete
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Kun or Austin captain?

    1. Takedog1
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Kane .

      1. Concrete
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Stop making it more difficult 😀

    2. jackluhg
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      just stuck it on Kun from Kane 🙁 fancy that monday night game too

  7. Moin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Janmaat should sign for some decent club next season

  8. Razmataz
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Who to bench... CAZORLA or SANCHEZ?

    1. Jax
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      stop asking

      1. Razmataz
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Have to bench one of them

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

          Bench someone else

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

      Neither

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

      Neither

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

      Wow

    5. Konig Luther
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Sanchez

  9. shady4revr
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    guys please tell me

    Guzan
    Coleman taylor Ivanovic
    Sanchez Hazard Eriksen Mata
    Austin(C) Benteke Kane

    Ospina Boyd Bertrand Cresswell

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

    Choose 2 between Downing/Ozil & Cazorla?

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil Caz

  11. lfcindo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Any suggestion for my team?

    Pant - Hamer
    Rose - PVA - Bertrand - Schlupp - Baird
    Silva - Hazard - Sanchez - Eriksen - Walters
    Aguero - Giroud - Kane

    2 FT 0.3 atb

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

    Mane -> Siggy for 1ft - Yes or No?

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

      No

    2. Sponge-worthy
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      I would.

  13. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Has anyone got the Aguero ownership stats of the top 21,755?

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      after today it can only be about 1% for sure

  14. Ten Season Wonder
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    I've just given the armband to Kun!!!! I do need this to pay off.

    Fingers crossed and good luck all 🙂

  15. WWW.
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Play Hutton and Yun over the likes of Clyne and Bellerin?

    Seems like this is the week to play them if I'm going to use them at all...

    1. WWW.
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Because of DGWs...

    2. adammc
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      No

  16. In Like Flynn.
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Damn these house competitions where you have to consider other people as well.

    Bloody team games!! 😡

    1. Reedy
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      This is why I have Defoe. Guaranteed a spot on the bench. Silva(c)here - because I can 🙂

    2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      democracy doesnt work!!

      1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Yes it does. One man, one vote.

        As long as I'm the man and it's my vote

        1. In Like Flynn.
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Plus you can be bought by the man with most money or holding your family hostage. 😉

      2. In Like Flynn.
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        It's never really been tried anywhere Colonel.

  17. adammc
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Downing to Siggy ? Thanks

  18. Sponge-worthy
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Play hutton or fonte??

    1. Reedy
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Hutton

  19. 2 goals 1 cup
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Austin scored 2 against villa and 3 against west brom last time out, I know they were home games but that seals the captain decision for me.

    1. Takedog1
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Over Kane ?

      1. 2 goals 1 cup
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        Yep

  20. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Team for this gw.

    Myhill
    terry - Vertonghen - Alderweireld
    Hazard - Silva - Mata - Mane
    Aguero(c) - Giroud - Kane

    Foster - Ameobi - PVA - Cawson

    Good luck all. 🙂

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Looking solid captain

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

      Good luck mate !

  21. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Kun(c) Kane(bench)

    1. Reedy
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Kane(bench)... does not compute

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        It's done 4 for all those on (c) n xtra player for me

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

      😯

  22. BennyDizzle
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    last minutes, wondering who to play?

    A) taylor
    B) janmaat
    C) bertrand

    good luck guys 🙂

    1. cjw176
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Bertrand

  23. Tmel
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Kane or Haz captain?

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

      Azzar

  24. Dempsey
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Austin captain for me....really need to see those greens arrows this week! been a while

  25. DIegoCosta19
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    How is my team looking??

    Panti
    Hutton Terry Bertrand
    Hazard Fellaini Erikson Silva
    Rooney (C) Giroud Kane

  26. Every Dog Has Its Day
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Captaincy check please

    1. Lyonnais
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Austin

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

      Stone cold Steve Austin

      1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        What?

        1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 2 months ago

          Captain

          1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 2 months ago

            What?

            1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              9 years, 2 months ago

              For this week

              1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                9 years, 2 months ago

                What?

                1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  9 years, 2 months ago

                  Ahead of Hazard

                  1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 13 Years
                    9 years, 2 months ago

                    What?

                    1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 13 Years
                      9 years, 2 months ago

                      Better than Rooney

                      1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 13 Years
                        9 years, 2 months ago

                        What?

                      2. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 13 Years
                        9 years, 2 months ago

                        Who offered to fight stone cold

                      3. Malcolm Tucker for England …
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 13 Years
                        9 years, 2 months ago

                        What? What? What?

                        (I'll stop now)

    3. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Hazard

    4. For Fuchs Sake
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      Austin

  27. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    No DGW in First XI, Phillips first sub.

    Giroud as captain.

    Plot official status: Lost. 😀

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

      What;s the point in having Phillips so? 2 GAMES??

      1. Fred54
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 months ago

        I've had Phillips well before this DGW.

  28. Zep
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    LOL

    After all this I'm gonna end up doing

    Pva > Bertrand and benching him... 😀

  29. Lizard Lips
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 2 months ago

    Panti (Krul)
    Terry Ivanovic PVA (Clyne Dawson)
    Hazzy Cazorla Silva Eriksen (Cork)
    Kun Kane Austin (c)

    Bear in mind I have a WC still should I:

    (A) Bank the transfer?
    (B) PVA to Naughton
    (C) Other

    What would you do??

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 months ago

      A

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

    Tick tock..