The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 13

Maybe it’s just me, but Pep is starting to wear a little thin.

I get all the bits about revolutionary, expansive football. The off-kilter formations and high pressing. At times, watching Manchester City play football it seems that Pep Guardiola has somehow changed the rules. I get it. It’s a good thing.

But for us Fantasy Football managers, Pep’s visionary methods are problematic.

I’d quite like to back City’s exciting and modern take on attacking football with a few of their players. Certainly Sergio Aguero, maybe even Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne or even John Stones.

But Pep is not our friend.

When Yaya Toure stroked home his brace at Crystal Palace, it would have been nice to have looked upon the Ivorian’s return as a gift: another legitimate midfield target to consider.

Instead, Pep immediately moved to douse those possibilities, rolling out the “R” word minutes after the final whistle to make it abundantly clear where we all stand.

This very morning a report hammers home the latest chilling chapter from Guardiola, featuring a quote that no Fantasy Football manager want’s to read…

“Everyone is droppable”

This is all kinds of bad.

With doubts currently swimming around our heads on Sergio Aguero’s minutes at Burnley, we do not need Pep reminding us of his ruthless approach to rotation.

I found yesterday’s comments on Aguero’s “foot problem” troubling.

Pep avoided stating that Aguero was injured, and yet went on to build a scenario which created doubt surrounding the availability of a key player.

Foolishly, I have been lured into trying to second guess his intentions.

I fail to see anything to be gained from this latest move.

Perhaps it’s just honesty – a policy of truth. Or perhaps, like Arsene Wenger and Theo Walcott’s toe, Pep is creating a scenario which legitimises limiting Aguero’s pitch time.

Sergio needs to play and score today, but with the Chelsea fixture beckoning and Pep sewing seeds, I wonder if he’ll be given the opportunity.

That would be the latest chapter in my turbulent affair with Pep.

Already betrayed on Stones and Sterling, should Guardiola curtail Aguero’s Turf Moor appearance, he’s in danger of forcing me into a bold and brave decision.

I don’t want that. I want an easy ride. I want Aguero to get his goal and provide me with a reason to keep him forever locked in my squad, sitting there as my captaincy comfort blanket.

Pep’s own dicey decision making with his rotating teamsheet could yet force us to follow suit – to take undesirable risks.

We don’t want everyone to be “droppable”. Certainly, we want and need Aguero to be untouched.

I was already toying with the idea of shunning the Argentine in a week’s time, now, thanks to Pep’s latest intervention, I’m teetering on the edge a week early.

This modern football, with its high energy pressing and data analysts warning of players in the red zone is rubbish.

Where’s the 4-4-2 and the “untouchables” when you need them?