The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Opinion
1 April 2017 1657 comments
Mark Mark
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For all the noise surrounding double Gameweeks and chips, perhaps it’s weekends like this that really decide our season.

There’s no question that Gameweek 30 is a problem child. The usual methods just don’t apply. We have injuries and fatigue, the uncertainty of rotation ahead of a midweek programme and, on top of that, the fixtures conspire to reveal no obvious candidate for the captaincy.

It seems likely that we will see a sizeable split among the Fantasy Premier League managers – the armband is set to be thrown far and wide and, should one potential target break out with a haul, Gameweek 30 could be seismic.

I’m finding this troubling. While my decision making has been sound of late, it’s been founded on a wild, almost scatter gun approach to transfers – bring in 3-4 players and one has delivered big. For all its success, it’s not a particularly clever tactic and, to be honest, I’ve been riding my luck.

My natural instinct for Gameweek 30 is to regress back into the shell, hunker down and let it pass overhead. While some can say that this is a time to take risks, I see it from another perspective.

The β€œgamble” appears to be tied up in the armband – spending points on transfers alongside it seems somewhat unsound. I have to hope that, even if I get the captaincy wrong, I have the big scorers covered and can cushion the impact should one of them explode.

Maybe that helps make the key decision.

Those assets most capable of delivering double figure hauls are surely the most likely to create a sea change in Gameweek 30. Diego Costa, for all his consistency, has not demonstrated the output to wound his non-owners with a 20-point haul. Alexis Sanchez seems a more likely executioner.

Currently, that’s guiding my thoughts. I have Sanchez and, while I recognise City as a more than capable opponent, I also see a player with an insatiable hunger to impress – a talent that can override Arsenal’s current misery.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is my other contender. A different animal entirely; while he’s not as combustible as Sanchez, he has provided three double-digit returns at home and against β€œweaker” opponents. Middlesbrough fit that profile nicely.

Swansea City have to target three points and the visitors, under their new regime, have to start to show some ambition rather than revert to Aitor Karanka’s turgid tactics of the past. It will be edgy, but an early goal might open it up for Sigurdsson.

I’m pretty sure that he takes the corners, penalties free-kicks, announces the line-ups over the PA system and takes the nets down at the end of the day. Sigurdsson is Swansea – if there’s goals for Clement’s men, I surely have to get points from it.

Both Sanchez and Sigurdsson have delivered in seven of their last eight Gameweeks, which tells me that rewards are on the cards, regardless of where my dart lands at 11.29.

Owning both, along with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Sergio Aguero, could just be vital to the damage limitation process.

It’s perhaps not one decision that will see my through Gameweek 30 intact; it’s all those previous moves that have helped me acquire a cast of heavy-hitters than can hopefully cover the weekend’s big scorer.

But if Liverpool go mad, I’m done for. The problem child will have thrown a vicious tantrum to wreck my weekend within the first few hours.

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

  1. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Bingo

  2. Scotch Jock
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Bingo!

    1. Scotch Jock
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Ha!

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        Winner....chicken dinner in the post

    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      😑

  3. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Pens down

  4. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Pens down

  5. The Overthinker
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Lukaku starts

    1. Numb
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Wow!!!

      1. The Overthinker
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        Ikr
        Surprising πŸ˜€

  6. ZimZalabim
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    HAZARD captain locked in

    1. ZimZalabim
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      hope he starts now lol

  7. Phil Dagger ⭐
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Bingooooo

  8. Chris_White
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Holgate starts

    1. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Never in doubt

  9. FISSH
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Oh dear left it on Siggy!

    1. FPLtfs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      same here.

  10. Chris_White
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    5-3-2 for Everton

  11. Dont give a fuchs
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Vardy captain!

  12. WE GO FOR IT
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Heaton
    Walker Valencia Holebas
    Siggy(c) Coutinho Mane Tadic
    Kun Llorente Lukaku

    Let's do this!

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Siggy (c)

      Nice

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks!

  13. The King
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Changed my captain from mane to lukaku last minute!

    Inform, main striker and Liverpool defence

    1. FPL Pillars
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Don't fancy kaku to score high but best of luck to you!

      1. The King
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers

  14. Pinky Blinders
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    good, let's get on with it now.

  15. Chucky
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Bingo

  16. The Overthinker
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Good​luck everyone

  17. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    The usual front 3, Origi on the bench

  18. Moose™
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone (C)outinho?

  19. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Holgate bargain

  20. mattzkn
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Never made a change in the last 30 mins before unless it was team news related...

    Just changed my (C) from Mane to Sanchez.....not sure how i feel about this.

  21. Grounderz
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Good luck, all. Hope no April Fools in your captain pick this GW.

  22. KUNingas
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    OMG Alonso (C), Siggy (VC).. Good luck mates!

    1. ILOVEBAPS
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Hope it pays off!!

    2. Moose™
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Same. For the first time in my life put (c) on a def.

  23. ILOVEBAPS
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Fingers crossed for Sergio.

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Went siggy in the end
      Gulp

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      King Kun πŸ˜€ He will have a good Sunday

  24. Giovanni Giorgio
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    PL is back woho let's go

    1. FPLtfs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Love it

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Good call Diesel....

  25. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Oh no not Lucas!!!!! Where the hell is Lucas playing?

    1. red devil 7
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Anfield?

    2. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Central midfield.

    3. FPL Pillars
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Lucas (c), get in son

  26. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Tadic ©

  27. Numb
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    1-0

    Wijnaldum

    1. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      That was quick

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        πŸ˜€

    2. Fred54
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      Your new avatar.

      I don't like change. πŸ™

  28. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Wait wait. I got a phone call.
    Bingo!

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 8 months ago

      She looks OK to me

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 8 months ago

        reply fail to Numb

  29. how now brown cow
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 8 months ago

    Who was it touting calvert-lewin on here?

    Fair play