[sbu_large_image] Opinion
17 September 2016 1329 comments
Mark Mark
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This season just won’t allow us to settle.

From one Gameweek to another, our priorities are shifting with our plans forced back to the drawing board by new doubts and concerns.

The last campaign was testing but for a whole different reason.

It delivered the unexpected and some, including myself, took time to adjust to that being the norm.

We were found out by Leicester’s ascent, and it punished those who were slow to seize on the value offered by Dele Alli and Harry Kane.

Equally, when Eden Hazard flopped, and Mesut Ozil engaged his long grind of assists, some like myself, were taken by surprise.

But once you latched on to those trends, you could almost rest easy.

It felt like there were five, maybe six or seven slots in our team safely designated, leaving us to concentrate on managing the peripheral players around them according to form and fixture.

So far, this season is very different.

It feels like the stabilisers are off and, wobbling along from Gameweek to Gameweeek, we have to re-learn the real skill involved in Fantasy Football.

I don’t think we can yet bank on a set of consistent points scorers. Sergio Aguero aside, all bets are off elsewhere in our squad.

Eden Hazard has swung from near essential to disposable in a fortnight; even Zlatan Ibrahimovic will come under pressure should he blank on Sunday.

There is no comfort zone.

Each 0.1 feels precious, each transfer a significant opportunity to swap one midfield heavy hitter for another.

Loyalty and faith in players can pay off but the temptation to be fickle and act swiftly feels greater than ever.

In this week’s ScoutCast I discussed this very subject – the fact that I believe there’s a viable tactic in swapping heavy-hitters week to week, rather than settle them in and trade mid-price and budget assets.

Phillipe Coutinho, Riyad Mahrez, and Eden Hazard have already shown that we can expect runs of blanks and, usually, we’re quite happy to absorb them.

But with so much of our funds tied up in attack, can we afford to accept it? Can we expect to make up the shortfall for their failings by trading with sub 7.5 assets?

I suspect this season demands unparalleled flexibility, pushing us to explore the idea of trading big name midfielders in and out on a weekly basis, absorbing the price losses but attempting to exploit short-term form and fixtures.

It feels like we’ve been able to trundle for the last few seasons, relying heavily on a solid spine and making transfer decisions that influence our Gameweek tally, without threatening to make or break it.

But this feels different – this feels like there are constant risks and rewards to consider.

There’s a thrill to it – there is more excitement and expectation, but it also feels precarious and dangerous.

Like the day the stabilisers came off, I’m taking things steady but aware that, if I move too slowly, I may just come a cropper.

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

1,329 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Royal5
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Stones has been a terrible pick from the start of the season

    1. zizoo10
      10 years, 1 month ago

      false sense of security that man..

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

      Stones just found his way out of my team for the foreseeable future!

      1. Royal5
        10 years, 1 month ago

        Ditching on WC

    3. Donnie Brasco´s
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Stones OUT, PvA IN!

  2. Jimmy Boy
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Which of these is the wiser option:

    A) Two heavy-hitting strikers (£9m+) and a cheap midfielder
    B) One heavy-hitter up front with a striker roughly £7m with a quality midfielder

  3. the dom 1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 1 month ago

    5.0m def to transfer Morgan out for?

    Already have - Shaw, Evans, Walker, Kingsley

    Cheers

    1. Gravless wonder
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Williams or Jageilka

  4. zizoo10
    10 years, 1 month ago

    AOA with this beast next gw

    Foster
    Valencia • Baines
    Sanchez • Antonio • Firmino • Coutinho • Capoue
    Kun • Kaku • Deeney

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

      Go for +24 points I say. Good luck.

  5. the dom 1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Kun definitely playing against the Swans right?

  6. bici
    10 years, 1 month ago

    I'm watching WH, Nordtveit right back, Antonio upfront.

  7. SKENG
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Potential double risers this week?

    1. Tatty Bojangles
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Ask again in 90 minutes 🙂

  8. dogtanion
    10 years, 1 month ago

    sanchez goal! iwobi assist

  9. dogtanion
    10 years, 1 month ago

    definite sanchez goal. iwobi assist. official. case dismissed.

  10. Jamie_GAWA
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Sanchezzzzzzzzzz

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

    I will use my WC before GW6. Does it matter if I do it now or later next week?

  12. TheTinman
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Scores on the doors?

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

    The -12 that could work for at least +4 swing?

    nacho-> kun
    mah-> antonio
    sanchez->sterling
    hazard->coutinho/firmino