[sbu_large_image] Opinion
10 September 2016 1920 comments
Mark Mark
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Spiderman (or was it Spiderm4tt?) once said – “with great power comes great responsibility”.

That definitely chimes for any Fantasy Premier League manager with a Wildcard active.

The seemingly endless possibilities in front of us is dazzling and confusing but the burden is almost too much.

The gut wrenching feeling when a Wildcard is played and is perceived as “wasted” is an emotion that lingers in memory.

When it hits, we look for anything, any crumb of comfort that will help us justify decisions in order to ensure we leap a pit of despair.

Initially, the excitement and the sheer relief granted by the opportunity to refresh our squad mask these doubts.

It’s only now, hours before committing our decisions, that the doubts creep towards us. That we remember, with dread, how it feels when a Wildcard backfires.

In previous seasons I have likened it to a supermarket dash. That analogy still rings true.

You speed through, giggling at the choice and freedom you have been granted. Only to look back when the opportunity is gone and immediately begin to wonder what has been missed, what opening has been passed up.

For me, the pressure has been intensified. I’ll be sharing the fallout from my Wildcard with a bigger audience than ever. Revealing my errors and forcing myself to justify decisions and back-peddling.

Already that’s having an impact. I’m perhaps putting too much stock in bandwagons like Raheem Sterling – afraid that I’m missing the obvious, I’m backing these players for fear I’ll be exposed.

I’ve seen posts this morning questioning those still debating Wildcard decisions.

But I’m firmly in that camp.

Such is the power of the Wildcard, no decision can ever be finalised, even at this late stage.

We give ourselves the chance to deliberate every position right to the end. It stands to reason that we will keep doing that – we will keep replaying and rebalancing player vs player scenarios until the bell tolls.

It’s a tortuous process that absorbs us but one of the key pleasures of playing this game, particularly when we can share the agony on these pages.

I’ve enjoyed reading through the deliberation over the international break. I’m still reading now, adding your opinions to my own in order to finish this process once and for all.

There’s an expectation from myself and others that I’ll overcome my mediocre start to the season and a successful Wildcard is likely key to that.

My spider senses are tingling – I’m not sure I’m up to bearing all this responsibility.

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

1,920 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Thiga
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Ramirez - minutes could be limited after only coming back on Friday.

    Redmond - playing an Arsenal side who'll probably pick up the clean sheet.

    Who should I bench? Currently on Redmond.

    1. william prunier
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Same scenario here mate

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    10 years, 1 month ago

    wow mikhy and lingard start

    1. Bootsy: Snoddy's Reven…
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Who is milky

      1. Christina.
        10 years, 1 month ago

        albino angel

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Playing counter at home. Only Mourinho would do that

      1. Lawrø
        10 years, 1 month ago

        It was always going to happen

        Ibra --> Lukaku

  3. hixen
    10 years, 1 month ago

    quick one:

    a. Costa/Barkley
    b. Lukaku/Mane?

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      10 years, 1 month ago

      BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB.

      1. hixen
        10 years, 1 month ago

        thanks, i'll made it 😀

  4. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Costa or Haz captain?

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Haz.

    2. Swanny18
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Haz

  5. EmreCan Hustle
    10 years, 1 month ago

    People shouting out random player names 😀

  6. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Panic People Panic..!

  7. Jafooli
    10 years, 1 month ago

    DINGO

    1. Christina.
      10 years, 1 month ago

      doggystyle

    2. Ziro
      10 years, 1 month ago

      too early..

  8. Arteta
    10 years, 1 month ago

    I'm about to take a hit. Lukaku or Perez?

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Luk

      1. Arteta
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Glitched 🙁

  9. Red Devil Swede
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Word around OT is that Zlatan's injured

    1. Jasoooooooo
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Please no

  10. Bushido
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Times us

    1. Bushido
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Up

      1. glufs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 years, 1 month ago

        over, blaugh

    2. Woy of the Wovers
      10 years, 1 month ago

      What are we being timed against?

  11. Davidinho
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Changed captain from Zaza to Hazard last minute. Feel safer now 😛

    1. Raheem's perm
      10 years, 1 month ago

      I kept Zaza, wish me luck!

  12. Lone Wolf FPL
    10 years, 1 month ago

    sanchez C?

  13. Scotch Jock
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Bingo?

  14. Defcons are for Kinnear
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Should I WC?

    1. flipthebuzzard
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Haa!

  15. Ziro
    10 years, 1 month ago

    BINGO!!!!

  16. tambourineman
    10 years, 1 month ago

    bango

    1. Jafooli
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Winner

  17. Comment removed. Please refer to our terms and conditions on posting comments.

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Ban!

      1. Hurrikane
        10 years, 1 month ago

        was just a prank bro

    2. Hurrikane
      10 years, 1 month ago

      in all seriousness this would really spice captaincy anxieties leading into the games

  18. Red Devil Swede
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Mkhitaryan and Lingard to start for United

  19. Ziro
    10 years, 1 month ago

    BINGO

  20. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Pants down

  21. Syd.
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Bravoooooooooooooooooooooooo

    Iheanachoooooooooooooooooooo

    Fernandooooooooooooooooooooo

  22. Whazza
    10 years, 1 month ago

    De Gea Valencia Bailly Blind Shaw Fellaini Pogba Mhki Rooney Lingard Ibra

  23. Dark_Mata
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Tis done

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    10 years, 1 month ago

    ihenacchoooooooooo

  25. Whazza
    10 years, 1 month ago

    CITY XI | Bravo, Sagna, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva (C), Sterling, Nolito, Iheanacho #utdvcity #mcfc

    1. Lawrø
      10 years, 1 month ago

      I sort of wish I took that Iheancho punt. Best of luck to those that did!

  26. Bushido
    10 years, 1 month ago

    I command Captain VARDY to score a hat trick.

  27. Christina.
    10 years, 1 month ago

    boner

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Wrong website

  28. Red Devil Swede
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Lineups!

    MUFC: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw; Fellaini, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Rooney, Lingard; Ibrahimovic
    MCFC: Bravo, Sagna, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva (C), Sterling, Nolito, Iheanacho

  29. Your Mum's Athletic
    10 years, 1 month ago

    #mufc XI vs Man City: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw; Fellaini, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Rooney, Lingard; Ibrahimovic

    City XI vs. United: Bravo, Sagna, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva (c), Sterling, Nolito, Iheanacho

  30. Defcons are for Kinnear
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Kelechi starts

    1. Christina.
      10 years, 1 month ago

      wagon steaming into station...