[sbu_large_image] Opinion
7 April 2018 1845 comments
Mark Mark
Share:

Keep it to low tones, but a late-season surge might be on.

This time last year I was all about consolidation to grind a route into the top 100 (and ultimately failing), but risks are still on the agenda now.

It’s akin to my 2014/115 campaign which, famously featured the “Waitrose hat-trick” from Sadio Mane, powering me to a dramatic final sprint to accompany my pots of organic hummus.

It’s impossible to reach those heights, but I can claw back some places in a few mini-leagues and perhaps still reclaim my top five status in the Hall of Fame. I’d file that under “a successful season”.

My differentials have to go on delivering. They need to take inspiration from Marko Arnautovic. In fact, Arnautovic needs to repeat last weekend’s heroics and I need to conjure a soft Southampton penalty or a Harry Maguire deflection off his sizeable backside.

I’ve already enough in place to keep the momentum going, but I need to resist any rash moves in an attempt to force it.

There’s certainly been plenty of temptation.

The combination of Harry Kane’s return and Mohamed Salah’s likely absence from today’s teamsheet is a seductive mix.

Believe me, I’ve all explored the options, checked all possible routes to welcoming Kane back a week ahead of schedule.

If I had the extra 0.1 required to do Salah to Son Heung-min and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Kane, then I would have committed.

As it is, I’m putting faith in Charlie Austin to replace the Egyptian, and in Aubameyang to keep pace with the Kane captains.

Belatedly Son arrives today, offering some cover of Spurs’ potential at Stoke as the Henrikh Mkhitaryan experiment is officially classified as a failure. His injury is unfortunate, but I can hardly bleat when Arnautovic has covered over the cracks so effectively.

Funds permitting, I might have opted for Dele Alli.

I have some concerns that Son will miss starts, but he should still get minutes in each of the seven matches, and with Spurs likely to emphasise attack to help Kane’s passage to the Golden Boot, Son is capable of confirming his status as the most explosive and consistent Spurs midfielder.

Salah’s a far bigger dilemma, and by holding him for now, I’m giving myself much-needed thinking time.

If I could move him without a hit, again it’s likely I would have reached for the button. But I want to see how Tuesday evening unfolds and how that impacts the landscape.

Salah dodging is a dangerous past-time, but one which dangles some intriguing possibilities.

Many high-rank managers will likely be mirroring my low-risk policy of last season; they won’t welcome the option for the chasing pack to roll the dice.

But in my end of season dash, the Salah exit is the equivalent the final kick – it’s going to empty the tank so it’s all about timing.

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

1,845 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. OldBenKenobi
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    LAST MINUTE DOUBT

    Otamendi > Vertongen -4

    Already on -4

    1. FPL_DON
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      yes

    2. MFC86
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Save

    3. AA33
      8 years, 4 months ago

      No

    4. Phil's Stamps
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      no

  2. AdamJ91
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Play 1 from;;

    A) Gross
    B) Simpson
    C) Dummett

    1. Urchin
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A

    2. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A surely?

    3. Krafty Werks
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A easy.

    4. SheBangsTheDrums
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      9 times out of 10 start the attacking player

  3. Nightf0x
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Start loris or ryan

    1. Jonny HOW SON?
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Ryan

    2. Bubbles1985
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Lloris as I have Dunk

  4. Dilzy
    • 17 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    WCT good to go?

    DDG
    Mustafi Christensen Morgan
    Son Willian Gross Mahrez
    Barnes Auba Kane (c)

    2.9 ITB
    Dubravka Tarkowski Kennedy Lowton

  5. United10
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    captain Mahrez or Son?

    1. Phil's Stamps
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Mahrez

  6. Dirty Harry
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Who to start:
    1. DDG
    2. Karnezis

    A. Lowton
    B. Zanka
    C. Mariappa

    1. Jonny HOW SON?
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      1
      c

      1. Dirty Harry
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 4 months ago

        Thanks

  7. Greenbackbøøg…
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Salah not starting right?

  8. invertebrate
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Should I start Lingard, Austin or Kenedy?

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

    Not enough people posting. I'll add one in.

    1. Evasivo
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      I'm happy to help

  10. Gilles
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Salah starting ?

    1. United10
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      no

    2. Bubbles1985
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

  11. SheBangsTheDrums
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    G2G?

    Ryan
    Alonso Mustafi Robertson
    Salah Mahrez Hazard Ibe
    Auba (c) Lukaku Murray

    DDG Morgan Lowton AKing

    1. Torres76
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Robbo not playing.

  12. Torres76
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    WC team all set

    Ryan DDG
    Christiansen Morgan Mustafi Chilwell Lowton
    Mahrez Willian Son Alli Lingard
    Kane Auba Barnes

    2.4m leftover

  13. Ed
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    De gea or ryan to start?

    1. Torres76
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Ryan

  14. Sailboats
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Attack of the graveless

  15. SkipperTG
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Auba rested for Europe?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Ineligible

      1. SkipperTG
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 4 months ago

        Amazing. Should have know.

        Thank you.

    2. FPLEL
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      4-1 innit?

    3. Evasivo
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Lol

    4. ZakAFC_
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      He's cup tied

  16. FPLEL
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Lingard or Mili this week?

  17. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Scenes if Salah starts or even on the bench

    1. Torres76
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Didn’t even travel

    2. Dirty Harry
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      I will swallow my transfers with way too many beers

    3. FDMS All Starz
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Scenes when this scene doesn't happen

  18. Jimmy Boy
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Captain Son (sto), Auba (SOU), or Alonso (WHU)?

    1. Ha.
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Auba

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Auba

  19. Ha.
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    YOLO

  20. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    The 'sell Salah?' question kind off boils down to whether Lowton is likely to outscore Alli this week.

    Better to save so have 2FTs and more information for DGW34, with (slim) chance Salah plays and you don't lose 0.8m (yet) on selling him

  21. Chucky
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    CAPTAIN VARDY???

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Aubamavagine

  22. FDMS All Starz
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Guyssss please

    A) Ibe & Christensen

    Or

    B) Cork & Smalling/monreal

    (Already got Alonso)

    1. Homer21
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A

    2. Kane-harry Island
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A

    3. Kasparov
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      I went with A

  23. Homer21
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    3 mins left peeps

  24. Champions united
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Any Sugestions

    Salah to alli(-8)
    For How many weeks salah is out
    Or play kennedy

  25. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Play Lowton or Morgan ?

    1. Ha.
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Mort

  26. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    3 mins to detonation

  27. KingOllie
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Listen.
    People here are sheep. So afraid to make their own decisions. Many kept firmino on WC and are now wasting a FT to remove him.
    Do not make the same mistake with salah.
    Be greedy when others are fearful. Klopp will prioritise champs league, salah will remain an injury/rotation concern for weeks, playing less games than other good options. If you have free hit for 35 think now about your actions. In 5 mins itl be too late

    1. Evasivo
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Wrong

    2. SkipperTG
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Every chance Salah is fit to destroy Bournemouth.

      Selling now is crazy imo.

      Wait a week and use the squad you should have built on WC.

      1. Torres76
        • 16 Years
        8 years, 4 months ago

        If they get to the champs final he will be rested and wrapped up in cotton wool. I guess he gets 30mins here and there

        1. SkipperTG
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 4 months ago

          A chance but unlikely.

          Close timing of games and slight injury is what has caused this.

  28. Kane-harry Island
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    What is the chance Ramsay starts?

  29. Total Foot 5
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    aubeyang or kane for capotain?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Toss A coin

      1. Total Foot 5
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 4 months ago

        went with the pimp

  30. Chucky
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    That tweet about Auba....