Three periods overs, seventeen matchweeks finished and only five more to go before the finals of the Pundits Playoff competition kick off. For those stumbling upon this tournament for the first time, we have twelve teams each with a squad comprised of fifteen Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, who pool their scores as teams go head to head with each other every matchweek. To spice things up, each team can pick three of their squad to enter into individual H2H battles which can earn their teams bonus points for their team.
Matchweek 17 results
Period four started with some close results, and I am happy to see every team get some points.
WhenTheOWENgetsTough vs Unbelievable Jeff FC was a fantastic battle, as both teams wielded the highest two scores of the week. WTOGT managed to pull off the tightest of wins by just a single point, 794-793. UJFC may rue their benching decisions, leaving 135 points unused.
Hollys Hamsters finally managed a win, ending a five matchweek losing run, their victims were the unfortunate Slaven’s Ball-itch who are now six games without a win, and are really up against it if they wish to make it into the PP Champions League Finals.
Blame It On Rio took 13 out of fifteen points in their win against A Whole Lawro B*llocks, which puts them just 19.5 points away from breaking into the top eight. AWLB drop out of the Champions League spots into ninth place.
Brazil Nuts win against Back to Square Owen sees them sitting comfortably in fourth position in the cumulative H2H table, and BTSO just manage to hang on to 10th place but will need to get some wins if they want to make the finals.
BSC Small Boys (in the park) FC won their match with aplomb, 784 – 722, against the “15” Musketeers. It was crucial win for the Small Boys, pushing them into sixth place cumulatively, but they cannot consider themselves safe just yet.
In fact even the relentless The Keane Fifteen are not quite yet guaranteed a spot in the top eight, despite their close win against Nirvana Scott Talent (733 – 720), who also look comfortable in 5th place…for the moment!
Finals Scoring Format
On the subject of the Pundits Playoff Finals, a decision has been made on the scoring format for all final matches in the Knockout stages, which will be held on matchweeks 23, 24 and 25 (those are gameweeks 33, 34 and 35 in FPL). A quick reminder that the top eight teams in the cumulative H2H league come the end of Period 4 will progress to the PP Champions League knockout stages (quarters, semis and final), and the bottom four will progress to the PP You’re Ropey League of Shame knockout stages (semis and final).
The H2H battles, that in the league stages have yielded as many as six bonus points to be added to the team’s league score, will stay in the knockout stages. However as the matches result in a team being knocked out of the competition, the winners of the H2H battles will gain extra points added to their team’s matchweek score, instead of bonus points added to the league table. The bonus scores available are as follows:
H2H A : an extra 30 points added
H2H B : an extra 20 points added
H2H C : an extra 10 points added
This makes the choosing of each team’s H2H battle champions a key part of attaining victory as there will be an extra 60 points available in each match, so team managers will need to be at the top of their game. Remember that players using either of the Triple Captain or Bench Boost chips will have their scores adjusted down so that no unfair advantage can be used. However players using either their Wildcard and Free Hit chips will not have their scores adjusted.
Best Manager of Period 3 interview
Boris Bodega caught up with KIRAFPL, the winner of the Best Manager title for Period 3. Here are his thoughts on his team’s performance, winning this award and how he manages his squad:
Boris Bodega: Congratulations on winning Best Manager of the Period. You managed your team, “15” Musketeers, into third place in both the H2H and Classic leagues, had the second highest team value and the fourth lowest bench scores. On the cumulative league tables your team sit in third (H2H) and first (Classic). What’s the secret to you and your teams’ success?
KIRAFPL: Thank you Boris for your focused brief of my team’s behaviour through that last period, well it is not a secret or something just it’s a bit of dealing always in detail with my mates teams, always doing my homework and using performance statistical sheets to find who is fit to be on the field, whom to be our front spears and of course whom to warm up on the bench ready for our next battle. Besides, the lads are simply wonderful, cooperative and devoted to each other’s benefit applying our slogan as it is written on our army flag.
BB: Heart-warming stuff! You narrowly beat Jarvish to this award, but then his team, Nirvana Scott Talent were the winners of the Period 3 H2H league. Would you swap awards with him if you could?
K: On the contrary, as much as it simply shows but it is the opposite – having this award isn’t a personal achievement, to have so many achievements in more than one area means that a lot of teamwork, extra effort and the tight bond between my Musketeers was built under that wall. As for being on top of Period 3’s H2H table clarifies how much professional the team manager was using his tools ; and would never trade an award given to my whole team with one given to me , that concept is buried inside each of my musketeer’s heart & sword.
BB: Only 21 points off the leaders of the H2H league, The Keane Fifteen, who beat you in Matchweek 16. Have you blown your chance to overtake them or can it still be done?
K: The Keane Fifteen only beat my team that time to have their revenge for their defeat at the 1st round, they are simply powerful, fantastic and well organised; I really admired their performance and wish to settle our battle with them by having both of us in the final come GW35, before that any team could be on top of the table at the end of group stage regardless how the points difference could be. The key asset of FPL is to know that it is a marathon and not a sprint.
BB: Wise words indeed. How is your season going thus far, what have you gotten wrong and what have you gotten right?
K: Well this season has been disastrous to me so far, after climbing to my highest OR of 7k I started a journey down the hill and I’m trying to save it through the next fatty GW’s! What I think I did right maybe was that I was more calm and patient towards my player transfers, which is exactly what I did wrong [last season] by exaggerating it turning into some sort of stubborn behaviour that I’m trying to change somehow into the following weeks.
BB: Finally, this is your first time managing a team in a Community Tournament. Do you find it helps or hinders your own FPL team’s progress?
K: I find it so amusing and helpful. Sure it takes most of my FPL time to be devoted for my tournament team against my own FPL team but as we know all the purpose of this tournament is to add more fun time to the game which I really enjoyed differently this season by having my wonderful supporting team to lead and cooperate so that our team benefits over our own. Literally this happens every GW with each of my musketeers wishing to have our team score well even if it is against their own OR / PL opponents, really they are wonderful teammates to have, always sharpen their swords as together we stand, together we fall, all for one and one for all!
Thanks very much to KIRAFPL for taking the time to talk to us, and good luck to the “15” Musketeers for the rest of the tournament.
Matchweek 18 fixtures are below, as the fight to win Period 4, and avoid ending up in the You’re Ropey League of shame finals continues…
- Slaven’s Ball-itch vs WhenTheOWENgetsTough
- Blame it on Rio vs Unbelievable Jeff FC
- Brazil Nuts vs Holly’s Hamsters
- “15” Musketeers vs A Whole Lawro B*llocks
- The Keane Fifteen vs Back to Square Owen
- Nirvana Scott Talent vs BSC Small Boys (in the park) FC
Deadline for team line up submissions is 6pm Friday 28th February.
Good luck folks, except of course those salty Brazil Nuts…tasty treats for hungry Hamsters!
Link to Live Scores here.
Link to Main Pundits Playoff tables here.
