[sbu_large_image] Opinion
28 November 2017 1923 comments
Mark Mark
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There are such fine margins between success and failure, and often, while we fret over Wildcards and captaincies, it is the seemingly inconsequential decisions that cost us.

My Gameweek 13, while more than satisfactory, could well have been bordering on epic had I just considered two decisions more carefully.

Both seemed totally justified at the time.

Firstly, the swap of Kyle Naughton to welcome back Nicolas Otamendi to my dressing room seemed sound enough.

I didn’t write off Swansea’s chances of a clean sheet against Bournemouth, but having previously witnessed the Cherries win 4-0 over Huddersfield; I expected Callum Wilson and company to breach the struggling Swans. More to the point, I banked on more from Otamendi who chested the ball into the Man City net to create an unexpected nine-point swing in Naughton’s favour.

Then there was that decision to start Tammy Abraham.

I thought I’d read this situation perfectly. If the striker had any chance of figuring against the Cherries, he’d start. It made perfect sense. Why, when Abraham could not play against Chelsea in Gameweek 14, would Paul Clement use him from the bench? These were desperate times, after all.

Only Clement knows the full story. All I know is that Abraham saw six minutes of action, almost won a penalty but robbed me of a belated goal from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

I could have been 15 points better off, in a Gameweek where my score was already considered more than a little bit handy.

These “trivial†little decisions soon add up and, eventually, I believe they can do far more damage than a badly timed Wildcard or a misplaced armband. We fret over the big dilemmas and yet it’s these frivolous little choices that undo us. Bit by bit, they unravel the careful stitches of our painstaking Gameweek research.

I’ve started writing all these “mishaps†down. I jot them on pieces of paper, fold them up and then put them in a jar. A jar of regret and agony, something to pore over when the season is done, and I’m considering what might have been.

I fear that one day my partner will find this jar.

“It’s my jar of regretâ€, I will explain.

She will peer inside expecting to see scribbles on how I should have taken that gap year or learned to play the guitar.

Instead, she’ll find mentions of Kyle Naughton and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

I’ll sit her down take her through the stats, but I don’t think it will help.

Thanks to Fantasy Football, she probably has her own jar with my name in it.

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

  1. Gobigorgohome
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    2 mins din din

  2. jimmy.floyd
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Ward or Duffy

    1. Stimps
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Kane

  3. Somnus84
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Last call

    A) RLC (Zaha already starting)
    B) Mee (no other Burnley)

    1. Podge
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      B

    2. GAMBIT
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Mee

    3. Red Dagger ✪
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      B.

  4. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Wow .

  5. Prison Mike
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Last try. Bench one:

    A) Vardy (TOT)

    B) Richarlison (MUN)

    C) Ward (bou)

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      C

    2. the snazzy viking
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      A 😉

    3. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      B).

    4. Runaway
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      C

    5. Stats Don\'t Lie
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      C

  6. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Pages are flyyyyyyying

    1. marquinhos
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      LOL!

  7. Tshelby
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Last minute Sane (c) but went back on Kane the risk is too big I guess

  8. Arctic monkeys
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    COME ON 'ARRY

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Winks

  9. Manani
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    gomez or Mee

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      High five

  10. Firma
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Is it too soon to play the bench boost?
    Current bench: Speroni (bha), Richarlison (MUN), Moreno (stk), Mee (bou)

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Not play

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Speroni won't play don't do it

    3. b✪mber
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      too soon

    4. Firma
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Thx!

    5. Manani
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      did silva> hazard + vardy>wilson

      hopw it doesn't back fire

  11. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Here we go people... Let the mid-week games begin

  12. JustPark
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    I'm on Morata(c), Kane(vc). Swapping these two now and again. Which one to go?

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Kane c

    2. FPL Nut
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I changed 5 minutes ago. From morata to Kane. Come on harry

      1. JustPark
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Wish I made the right decision then. Come one, Arry!

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Ini..Mini..Miny...Mo(rata)

  13. mrwinner
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    last orders gents. 2 minutes

  14. Stats Don\'t Lie
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone! Please?

    Play 2:

    Dcl
    Rlc
    Mee
    Duffy
    Richarlison

    1. More Tragic
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      dcl
      rlc

    2. WE GO FOR IT
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      DCL Mee

    3. WoodsyOwl
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I'd play DCL and Richarlison of those 5. RLC, Duffy then Mee.

  15. The Big Fella
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    If Allardici gets the Everton gig, I will be getting some of their players in for definite

  16. Magic Bean
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    That's no where near as bad as my Sterling Aguero > Sane Morata -4. Roughly a 25 point negative swing for me!

    1. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I did Jesus, Sterling and Aguero to Morata, Wilson and Sane on a WC. FML.

      1. Magic Bean
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Roughest transfers Iv'e done since starting the game a few years back

    2. Volley127
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Did exactly the same for -8. Got sterling back this week..

  17. mrwinner
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    I FEEL LIKE A 9 YEAR OLD ON CHRISTMAS EVE!

    1. Podge
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Dirty beggar

  18. andymck
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Mid-week GWs always go badly for me, I'm already preparing to be disappointed.

    1. Jafalad
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      If you believe this, then this will be your reality.

  19. the snazzy viking
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    I say Harry you say

    1. yakirh
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      KANE!

    2. Akeem
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Winks

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      I'm not a facking wheela deela, I'm a facking football manager

    4. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Meghan Markle

    5. SuperMane Returns
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Arter!

  20. yakirh
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Kane (C)
    Lets go

  21. Patch
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Pencils down, go Moratatatatata

  22. We Will Klopp you
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    (H)azard

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      This

    2. More Tragic
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      bonkers

  23. Gobigorgohome
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Time is up

  24. mrwinner
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    LET'S GO AZPI!

  25. Moose™
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Kane to Morata. Will regret it I know. Just need to match my ML opponent

  26. Scotch Jock
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Bingo

  27. CloudSky
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    PENS DOWN!

  28. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Owned Lukaku all season. Sold him for a hit.

    Watch him score a Hatty tonight ðŸ™

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      This

    2. Waylander
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      Sold him for a hit vs Watford? Brave or foolish. Only time will tell.

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 16 Years
        8 years, 3 months ago

        Certainly feels foolish at the minute... Bricking it

  29. The Yorkshire Pirlo
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Repost, G2G?

    Pope
    Azpilicueta/Otamendi/Daniels
    Hazard/Richarlison/Sane/Salah
    Kane/Morata/Calvert-Lewin

    Elliot/Ward/Loftus-Cheek/Hunemeier

    Captain - Hazard
    Vice - Sane

    1. Iceball
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 3 months ago

      You have to 🙂

  30. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 3 months ago

    Updating