[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. Big Sum
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    be right back

    1. Jimmy Boy
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Like Antonio?

      1. FPL Mentor
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        LoL, unfortunately 🙁

  2. zizoo10
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    praying for sterling hatty *fingers crossed*

  3. Fowler23
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Pep confirms Stones rested not dropped

    1. Worzel Gummidge
      9 years, 10 months ago

      This was obvious. I will be keeping.

    2. Dacra
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Indefinitely rested.

  4. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    All I want is a load of goals

  5. Alton E.
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Came up with this WC team. Any thoughts?

    Pickford
    Williams Shaw Evans
    Firmino Hazard Bolasie Antonio
    Zlatan Kun Defoe

    Heaton Holebas Amat Capoue

    1. Yankee Toffee
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Defoe good for today, see how he does

  6. TheBusDriver
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    So happy Ziro bought Stones for a hit.

    1. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      +1

      1. Epic Fail
        • 16 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        This

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

      Your happiness depends on someone elses shortcomings. I think thats a sign of being a complete lunatic.

      1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 17 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        This site is full of them. The people who lol at xxxx owners probably enjoy people missing out more than scoring points. But ff does bring players off all ages even the kiddies I guess

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

        At least 8 people agree with me. So 8 complete lunatics?

  7. Eden Azzzar
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Acordion to my sources, 99.99999987% sure Antonio will play right wing. 95.5678 wouldn't of realised I started the sentence with a musical instrument.

    1. Eden Azzzar
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      95.5678 percent of people*

      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        So close.

    2. zizoo10
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      i thought i that read wrong. you read that wrong..

  8. FPL Mentor
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    My current team

    Heaton Pickford
    Shaw Baines PvA McAuley Amat
    Sanchez Hazard Antonio Bolasie Capoue
    Ibrahimovic Costa Benteke

    2FTs

    Looking to do:
    Costa 》 Aguero
    Hazard 》 Firmino
    Sanchez 》 Ozil
    for -4pts

    Hows that look for next week?

    Leaves me with this.

    Heaton
    Shaw Baines PvA
    Ozil Firminho Antonion Bolasie
    Ibrahimovic Aguero Benteke

    (Pickford, Capoue, McAuley, Amat)

    Shall i do it?

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      yep looks worth a -4

    2. Yankee Toffee
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Can you do Benteke > Kun instead?

    3. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      I don't know why people would drop Costa. He has scored attacking points in every game he's started.

    4. Birds of Prey
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      def, but i'm gonna go coutinho instead.

  9. Birds of Prey
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    I went Soare > Hernandez does Simpson now have me hosed?

  10. PvA
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    *insert hope for silly situation where a bad player scores massively here*

    1. VS10_
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Capoue? 😉

      1. Jimmy Boy
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        I've started Capoue for the first time today so he will most likely blank. Had him on my bench for every single GW so far.

        1. Tangerine
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 10 months ago

          Same!

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

        Hope Capoue gets a red card to be honest

    2. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Insert it yourself you lazy git.

      1. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        That's what she said

        1. PvA
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 10 months ago

          Zing

    3. Jay_
      9 years, 10 months ago

      *Ravel Morrisson gets high of 2 oz of Crack. High as a kite, on top of the world

      1. PvA
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        Hahahaha

  11. Jimmy Boy
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    How does this look for a -4 hit.

    Zlatan > Aguero
    Hazard > Snodgrass
    Stuani > Lukaku

    Two upgrades for one downgrade.

    1. Birds of Prey
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      man yur killin 2 capts for one, if u have Sanchez, yes.

      1. Jimmy Boy
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        Got Sanchez, is that a yes then?

        1. Birds of Prey
          • 12 Years
          9 years, 10 months ago

          yep still got 2 options good luck.

  12. PvA
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Here you go everyone, template for you to use:

    Hope *insert player name here* gets a triple hat-trick today!11!1!!

    1. AK ⭐
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      When you try to be funny but actually come out as lame.

  13. FPL Mentor
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Is Costa likely to rise this week?

    Need just 0.1m to do

    Sanchez》 Ozil
    Hazard》 Firmino
    Costa 》 Aguero

  14. Make United Great Again
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Antonio is playing RW? What's all the fuss about

  15. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Imagine hull v ars ending 0 - 0

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      1-1 Cazorla (pen), Snodgrass (pen). Sanchez RC

      1. Yankee Toffee
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        he's never got a RC in the poem

        1. TheSteel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 10 months ago

          Well due 😛

    2. Grand Thibauto
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      4-4 would be great

  16. devils advocate
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Antonio is playing...........

    That is all.

  17. Net Gains
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Nearly there now... good luck all!!!

    1. devils advocate
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Good luck!

      1. thepoet85
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 10 months ago

        Good luck all 🙂

  18. Belsunz
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    we must talk about Antonio's position...

    1. Greenbackbøøg…
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Should he be promoted?

    2. Sánchez
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Before kickoff? Why?

  19. PvA
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Surprised to see so many people doing transfers when there are 9 games in the week to be played

  20. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Both Bournemount and Burnley going for the Xmas tree formation today

    1. Yankee Toffee
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      maybe they'll get pressies?

  21. Worzel Gummidge
    9 years, 10 months ago

    A) Snodgrass/Zaha + Sanchez
    B) Lallana + Ozil

    Will have Firmino but I think Pool double up could pay off. Waiting to see how Ozil v Sanchez looks. Pools next 2 fixtures scream goals.

    1. Birds of Prey
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      B LIV on a good fixture.

  22. devils advocate
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Snoddy just winked at me through the tv and said watch this.

    I knew I should have got him this gw.

  23. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Who is getting rid of Hazard?

    1. Worzel Gummidge
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Probably me and Costa. Will reassess after their cr@p run of fixtures and to see if they regain some form.

    2. Karan_G14
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Don't feel like. But have to get rid of either Sanchez or Hazard.

    3. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      o/

    4. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Worzel Gummidge.

    5. devils advocate
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Depends if Antonio is playing RB.

  24. Karan_G14
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Choose one :

    A) Sanchez & 7.8m mid

    B) Hazrad & Firmino

    Appreciate your thoughts!

    1. Birds of Prey
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      B w/Coutinho. imo gl

  25. Smurf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Sanchez up front and Antonio RB.

    Two players I have playing not playing in their best position 🙁

    1. Yankee Toffee
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      Anton on the wing

    2. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 10 months ago

      The theory of Sanchez not being as good up front is why I transferred him out pre gw3 haul!

  26. FPL Mentor
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Costa likely to rise this week?

    1. Worzel Gummidge
      9 years, 10 months ago

      I would say so. I am keeping for it and then dropping for Aguero.

  27. devils advocate
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Anyone remember ex player Michael Bridges?

    Fun fact:

    He now lives in Australia and is one of our match day premier league presenters, lol.

  28. Camp No No
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 10 months ago

    Is Dembelé back already? Kane's stats are disgraceful. Janssen's got more shots inside the box, ffs.