[sbu_large_image] Opinion
10 September 2016 1920 comments
Mark Mark
Share:

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
    10 years, 11 days 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
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Same scenario here mate

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    wow mikhy and lingard start

    1. Bootsy: Snoddy's Reven…
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Who is milky

      1. Christina.
        • 16 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        albino angel

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Playing counter at home. Only Mourinho would do that

      1. Lawrø
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        It was always going to happen

        Ibra --> Lukaku

  3. hixen
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    quick one:

    a. Costa/Barkley
    b. Lukaku/Mane?

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB.

      1. hixen
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        thanks, i'll made it 😀

  4. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Costa or Haz captain?

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Haz.

    2. Swanny18
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Haz

  5. EmreCan Hustle
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    People shouting out random player names 😀

  6. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Panic People Panic..!

  7. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    DINGO

    1. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      doggystyle

    2. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      too early..

  8. Arteta
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

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

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Luk

      1. Arteta
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        Glitched 🙁

  9. Red Devil Swede
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Word around OT is that Zlatan's injured

    1. Jasoooooooo
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Please no

  10. Bushido
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Times us

    1. Bushido
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Up

      1. glufs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        over, blaugh

    2. Woy of the Wovers
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      What are we being timed against?

  11. Davidinho
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

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

    1. Raheem's perm
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      I kept Zaza, wish me luck!

  12. Lone Wolf FPL
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    sanchez C?

  13. Scotch Jock
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Bingo?

  14. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Should I WC?

    1. flipthebuzzard
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Haa!

  15. Ziro
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    BINGO!!!!

  16. tambourineman
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    bango

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Winner

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

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Ban!

      1. Hurrikane
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 11 days ago

        was just a prank bro

    2. Hurrikane
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

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

  18. Red Devil Swede
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Mkhitaryan and Lingard to start for United

  19. Ziro
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    BINGO

  20. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Pants down

  21. Syd.
    • 17 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Bravoooooooooooooooooooooooo

    Iheanachoooooooooooooooooooo

    Fernandooooooooooooooooooooo

  22. Whazza
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

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

  23. Dark_Mata
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Tis done

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    ihenacchoooooooooo

  25. Whazza
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

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

    1. Lawrø
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

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

  26. Bushido
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    I command Captain VARDY to score a hat trick.

  27. Christina.
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    boner

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      Wrong website

  28. Red Devil Swede
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days 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
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 11 days 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
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 11 days ago

    Kelechi starts

    1. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 11 days ago

      wagon steaming into station...