The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 22

I’m on the attack and seizing the initiative. Either that or I’m making hasty and foolish transfers, as a slave to the rapidly fluctuating player prices.

The jury is still out; you can decide.

On the back of a couple of strong Gameweeks and a healthy rise in rank, my solution to maintain such momentum is to throw away four points and bin my most valuable squad asset. Jermain Defoe has departed, gently shaking his head and muttering something about being involved in 70% of Sunderland’s goals.

I look away, put my hands over my ears, and soak up some Romelu Lukaku goals on YouTube.

The erratic Belgian arrives back in the fold to no doubt bring joy and frustration in equal measure.

Costing me just 7.1 back in Gameweek 4, Defoe’s prolific scoring was always a pleasant bonus. At 9.5 and with a four point hit bundled in, there’s rather more pressure on Lukaku to perform: I’ve got big expectations.

Come 4.50 this afternoon, the sheer folly of this latest trade may reveal itself, but at least I can be content that Defoe’s departure sits well with my policy this season. When the opportunity arises, when my head and gut align to reveal a potentially profitable move, I will go with it.

“Faint heart never won fair lady”, which in my world equates to “the timid will struggle to earn green arrows.”

If I had a notch on my bedpost for every green arrow won so far this season, my bedpost would be decidedly scruffy, and any fair lady foolish enough to see it would wonder why I keep a chisel under the mattress.

There’s also extra motivation to show such courage: my mini-leagues have become a factor.

It’s just like the old days when Granville’s Fantasy Football habit wasn’t distracted by the real world and making decisions that actually matter.

In recent seasons I’ve either been too far behind or ahead to concern myself with rivals, but this campaign has been very different.

I’m currently chasing Torres Magic up one ladder, and some upstart called Owen Hargreaves in another.

That’s brought a new determination and an opportunity to monitor and act on an opponent’s decisions. There’s new interest in every Gameweek and pressure on each decision. This is what brought me to Fantasy Football all those years ago; it feels good to have those feelings revived.

Those knowing glances with Granville in the office are currently replaced with throwaway exchanges in the comments at 1am. It’s a rivalry that spans timezones – not the same but welcome nonetheless.

Overall, it feels like I’m in touching distance of a memorable season. I’ve probably already made enough “correct” decisions to have banked a credible rank if I now play to the percentages. It might be wise to give in to “dullard” tendencies but I’m trying to resist.

For now, I’ll stick to the plan. Take a few hits and a few risks and see where it gets me.

At least if it all goes awry, I can just log off before Torres Magic wakes up. He can’t hunt me down in the office kitchen like Granville used to.