[sbu_large_image] Opinion
7 April 2018 1845 comments
Mark Mark
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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. HNI
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    ALL HAIL ANFIELD EXPRESS.
    correct leaked lineup for 35th time running this season 🙂

    1. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      I actually think it's Klopp himself

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        that wouldnt surprise me

      2. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Or maybe Klopp looks at the Anfield Express tweet to decide his line up

        1. John Nerdelbaum
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          🙂

        2. John Nerdelbaum
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          have an upvote

          1. tiger
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            7 years, 11 months ago

    2. KingOllie
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Can u put bets on with bookies on who starts? Ings for example woukd have got an ok price

      1. Waltomade
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Wish we had something like ManCity Express

    3. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Thank goodness. Been sweating into a puddle! 😀

    4. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      not too late to make a transfer ??

  2. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Mounie in for Salah. 13 pointer incoming

  3. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Barnes and Kenedy in for Salah and Robbo for me

    1. Fpl Richie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Nice

  4. Jairzinho
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Pickford, Baines, Keane, Jagielka, Coleman, Schneiderlin, Rooney, Davies, Bolasie, Walcott, Tosun

  5. MallettMan
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    haha accidentally captained Vertonghen

    1. Jairzinho
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      lol

    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      No you didn't. Stick to lurking

    3. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      How?

  6. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Firmino on the bench!

    1. Zladan
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      1 minute cameo hopefully.

  7. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    why is everyone surprised salah not in squad....

    1. Homer21
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      No idea..... casuals??

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Absolutely no idea. All this laugh out loud at Salah owner juvenile crap, I wouldn't have thought there was a single intelligent person on this site that would have thought he'd play.

  8. Valar(Keith)
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Settled for this in the end
    Ryan DDG
    Christensen Mustafi Chilwell (Morgan Lowton)
    Alli Son Ibe Willian (Lingard)
    Kane(c) Lukaku Vardy
    Can bench boost either next week or in GW 37 now so kept my options open. No Aubemayang gives me a bad feeling but I'd rather save the transfer and punt on Lukaku this week itself. Good luck all

    1. Jigger & Pony
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      When will Firmino come on?

    2. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Thanks!

    3. Jayv807
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Big thanks from me mate.

    4. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Lucky guess

      BF

    5. Sedemuda
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Thanks BF

    6. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Spot on Berbs. Salah fit for champs league?

    7. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      DM next time you knob.
      Kept Firmino.

    8. Ghost Gooner
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Thank you 😀

  9. GHB
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    No Ben Mee today for anyone that has him

    1. La Roja
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Dafuq

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Dammn

    3. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Feel slightly better having played VDH over Lowton then.

    4. Salarrivederci
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Just need him for the 2 next week.

    5. Mini Mane Mo
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Expected..Dyche said it as much

  10. red devil 7
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    SALAH(C) FTW

  11. KingOllie
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Lol @ salah owners
    Lol @ people who kept firmino on WC
    Lol @ people not making logicial decisions due to fear of ownership

    1. red devil 7
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Lol city

    2. SkipperTG
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      No need for mocking other people.

    3. La Roja
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Lol at KingoLoLie

    4. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Lol at you when Salah bags 4 v Bournemouth next week

      1. KingOllie
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Or lol when he gets reduced minutes while i have Alli playing 3 games.

        Noone will captain salah next week either

        1. Desperately Seeking Dusan
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          You must have some kind of pointless life that you look for validation of yourself in a game.

          1. KingOllie
            • 10 Years
            7 years, 11 months ago

            Nice insult
            Right in the feels

    5. Sedemuda
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Grow up.

    6. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      What are you, a 12 year old in the school playground?

    7. Homer21
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      This

    8. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      why bother so much about the others doing? i´m glad i took Vardy in for Firmino but that felt like a hard choice at them time being. Kept Salah which means Barnes instead of Alli, but it also enables me to more freedom next week if i decide to go Salah-less. To not ship Salah now have nothing to do with fear of ownership imo, i knew he wasn´t going to play but in all likelyhood he will tuesday and then one have to re-think in front of dgw, where i have already lined up some possible transfer plans. Barnes is a good shout too imo, vs a Watford that are not that good at defending.

  12. Stimps
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    Did Salah to Alli last minute.. Don't know how to feel

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      If Alli was always part of your plan for the run-in, feel very good. If not, it could be good, or could be bad. Alli does look like he’s about to go on a scoring run though

    2. FPLEL
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      I did it and I feel pretty good about it. Just got to hope that Alli can outscore Salah over 3 games vs 1.

      1. Desperately Seeking Dusan
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        So long as Alli isn’t rested to play against United in the cup.

      2. bench boost for every gamew…
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        if he plays all three that is-)

      1. Homer21
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        THIS

  13. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    VVD to score two today, he loves scoring against Everton

  14. Dacra
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    All you Salah sellers are going to regret it next week.. I HOPE.

  15. Ghost Gooner
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    That Anfield Express leak might have won me my ML. Rival has Firm and Salah 😀

  16. Sandy Ravage
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 11 months ago

    This game is tailor-made for a Van Dijk goal

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      This

    2. red devil 7
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      own goal?

    3. MTPockets
        7 years, 11 months ago

        For VVD conceding.

    4. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Crikey. Last minute switch from Maguire + Tarkowski + Alli + Barnes > Simpson + Kiko + Eriksen + Wood.

      Not sure if I did the right thing, but the panicked hungover decision-making hell will teach me for prioritising my social life over FPL on a Friday night.

      1. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        At least, I think that's what the transfers were. It all happened so quickly 😆

      2. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        So you done Leicester spurs Burnley > Leicester spurs Burnley lol

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          Yep

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

        FPL is your social life 😀

    5. Shultan
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Surely this liverpool team sheet is a sign of things to come with liv proritising the CL?
      Even if salah recovers in time for man city klopp wont risk him in rhe CL

      1. Shultan
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        *risk in PL

      2. Jigger & Pony
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        What if City win the reverse leg 4-0?

        1. @FPL_liverbird (liverpoolfa…
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          As a liverpool fan I can see city winning 3-0 but not 4-0. We will have chances with them going for it so much. one liverpool goal and its over. I think the only other week that there will be rotation is the game between the UCL semi.

        2. Shultan
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          City can score 4 goals but cant see them keeping a CS

      3. KingOllie
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Exactly.
        The correct move was removing him this gw. FH to get him back in 35. Get him back for gw38 (c)

      4. Mini Mane Mo
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Wait till u see rumored City’s line up

        1. tm370
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 11 months ago

          Salah was always going to be rested today. I expect him to play the next 3 league games. Many are repeating the mistakes always made at this time of year - swapping in form players out (with great fixtures in this case) in search of an extra game or two from lesser players who are also rotation risks in most cases. But in this case people are possibly transferring out the best FPL player in history who is in search of the Premier league scoring record

    6. LIARS POKER
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Just like everyone predicted last week, Liverpool assets are rotation nightmare while they're still in the CL

      Really don't understand why some people were campaigning so hard to keep them in their WC teams.. DGW players now have at least 3 more games on Firmino/Robertson and likely even more

      1. Jigger & Pony
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        This is assuming no bench

      2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        -12 hopes that you are right!!! 😉 😀

    7. DAZZ
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Took Robertson out for VVD on wildcard this morning. Would love a goal

    8. Fpl Richie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Who's everyone got coming in for Mo?

      1. My Name Is Pepu
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Dunk

      2. Jairzinho
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Mahrez

      3. My Name Is Prince
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Barnes

      4. XabiAlonso
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Willian

    9. Peace-o
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Salah to Willian last min, thanks whoever posted leak lineup

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        it was pretty clear salah was likely not going to feature
        the surprise is firmino on the bench

      2. XabiAlonso
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        He's called Klopp

    10. #FPLBhuna
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      So Michael Keane plays over Roberson for me

      #exciting

    11. Dele
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Chasing in my ML can’t finish any lower than 3rd not too bothered about overall rank.

      I think selling Salah for Alli was the right choice. 2 DGWs for Alli plus form and a nice run of fixtures.

      Could be a blessing.

      COYS

    12. Shultan
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Anyone else do auba to kane?
      I was on a WC

    13. Earn your Spurs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Anyone got anyone playing in Everton v Liverpool?

      1. Point-one short
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        Yes sirree, I have Salah 😎

    14. Point-one short
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Barnes hattrick in a 3-0 masterclass please.

      1. n-doggg
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 11 months ago

        This

    15. My Name Is Pepu
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      Dunk in for Mo Mo. Yikes!

    16. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 11 months ago

      is it not too late to make a transfer ???