Pro Pundits - Lateriser

How I am coping with football fatigue in a tough FPL season

We are into Gameweek 32 of this brutal season and being frank, a lot of Fantasy Premier League managers are just about managing to scrape through to the finish line. 

Huffing and puffing through this condensed season, a lot of FPL managers are approaching burn-out levels and it might be a good idea to tackle this issue with this article (thanks for the suggestion @FPL_Beard), especially with the amount of people deciding to quit this game recently. 

This week, I was listening to the latest episode of the brilliant FPL Surgery Podcast where the FPL General’s ‘how to deal with bad Gameweeks and bad seasons’ made for a very interesting listen.

We are at the back end of a gruelling season. There are many reasons for managers to feel FPL fatigue at the moment. I’m not even sure if its just fatigue about FPL, considering the sheer number of hours we have football on in long and dragged-out Gameweeks. As FPL managers, we are used to maybe watching two or three matches during a weekend and now there are some days where we have ten hours of football in a single day. 

The best Neto replacements and whether FPL managers should stick with Fernandes

I am convinced these long drawn-out Gameweeks are the primary reason for football fatigue and so many managers I speak to now just find watching the sport to be a little bit of a chore and I completely empathise with that. What makes it even more drawn out is that we are still very much in the middle of a pandemic and our social lives are not as active as they used to be. 

Even the break we had before the season started was a lot shorter than what we’re used to. It was barely a break if you ask me. And now we have a lot more matches condensed in a much shorter time period. Until recently, this has even affected the quality of the football that we’ve been watching. Nowadays, I find myself tuning out of games and avoiding watching football a lot more than I used to. The international break has definitely changed things though and the quality in the last two Gameweeks in the Premier League has been a lot better. A welcome change.

But yes, if you’re finding your love for football and FPL to dwindle this season, know that you’re not the only one. These are uncertain times. They are the anomaly, not the norm. Still, many will be wondering how one tackles football and FPL burnout. Well,  here are a few suggestions.

PICK YOUR GAMES

You don’t have to watch all the Premier League games to do well in FPL. We never saw all the matches in normal seasons when there were five or six games kicking off at the same time anyway. If you ask me, watching Match of the Day and absorbing some statistics is enough to do well in FPL. Give yourself some time off from football and that should definitely help dealing with FPL burnout.

WHEN YOU’RE SWITCHED OFF, STAY SWITCHED OFF

Does early FPL team news really provide an advantage?

Often when I’ve decided to not watch a game during a Gameweek, I find myself distracted while ‘doing that other activity’ I had planned to do because I’ll constantly be looking at Twitter, my FPL Whatsapp groups and there will be constant notifications from your football apps. 

And considering that we have 15 to 20 hours of football to get through every Gameweek, and you’re not able to switch off when you switch off, burnout will naturally happen. 

What I’ve started doing in the second half of the season is just have a little bit of a digital detox. I switch off notifications (highly recommend this for most of your applications so that you’re deciding when to check your phone instead of letting your phone decide that for you) on all my apps on weekends and try staying off my Whatsapp groups and Twitter. 

Social Media around FPL has grown tremendously during the last few years and if you’re an active part of the forums and Twitter, on matchdays it’ll seem like every goal that is scored by someone is highly owned by everyone else but you. This isn’t actually the case and can be unnecessarily damaging for you to believe it.

MAKE YOURSELF MISS FOOTBALL AND FPL

Do other things. I find that if I have managed to successfully switch off for a day or two, I really enjoy catching up on things on the third day because I’ve truly switched off when I’ve needed to (probably not as often as I should but that’s my choice as a content creator). 

I am hopelessly addicted to FPL and when I give myself genuine time off doing other things for a couple of days, the love for the game comes gushing back on the third day where I truly enjoy my interaction, writing and consuming football and FPL content. 

Trying to box your time during FPL and other things will really really help. You can cheat a little with how you box things and its perfectly okay to have your score update applications on during Gameweeks but I would highly recommend switching off social media during matchdays, although it all comes down to your preference and how you can handle things. 

FIND SOMETHING TO PLAY FOR

If, like me, you are having a poor season, you need to indulge in little mini-games and find something to play for. I am currently ranked outside the one-million mark and I raised the white flag a few weeks ago when it comes to overall rank. 

So all I’m doing is getting players and differentials I like and trying to catch some differential hauls. I know managers that are taking multiple hits every week trying to achieve Manager of the week (because the hits don’t count) and I admire that because they are doing what they are doing to keep their interest alive in the game. 

On a personal note, I will admit it is a little bit of a relief to give up on the season and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me when I’m watching the matches owning players that I like. Yes, you can throw the ‘points are fun’ argument in my face but I’ll argue that it is entirely subjective. I’ve concluded that I am not going to achieve my Overall Rank goal this year and a Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) goal when he’s in my team will give me a lot more joy than a 200k green arrow at this stage. My advice on FPL will definitely be more rational than the moves I make and I’m completely okay with that. 

A little bit of a sidetrack, but I’ve done some reflection on my poor decision making in 2020/21 and I’m chomping at the bit to start next season. That’s one thing you will always have when you’re having a poor season. The lessons learned during a poor campaign are usually more helpful than if you’ve had a good one and, of course, my motivation to make up for it in 2021/22 is very high. Not to mention the fact that I have the privilege to write and create podcasts definitely keeps the fire burning.

CONCLUSION

I hope you find some of my ideas helpful. I believe it is entirely feasible to play FPL, enjoy and do well in the game even by putting healthy thought-processes in place to protect our mental state.

These are only my suggestions, so please treat them as such. I am curious to know what you are doing to combat football and FPL fatigue, so feel free to let me know in the comments section. 

Here is hoping we do not have staggered kick-offs next season. Never forget. FPL itself is not a sport. It’s a game. 

If you want more detailed thoughts on the best FPL players to own for the run-in, Zophar and I discussed the fixture-swings, differentials and teams to target for the home-stretch in our latest episode of The FPL Wire which you can view below.

1,329 Comments Post a Comment
  1. xHaTr
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Start two:

    A: Coufal (new away)
    B: Dias (avl away)
    C: Holding (ful home)
    D: Rudiger (bri home)

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      CD

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      BD

    3. NoThomasNoPartey18
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      what about this...
      start two:
      a) dias
      b) shaw
      c) rudiger
      d) holding

      1. xHaTr
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        ab

  2. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Holds breath... Bruno >> Son here then? Yay or nay?

    Mendy
    TAA. Shaw. Coady
    Salah. Bruno. Lingard. Jota. Gundog
    Kane. Iheanacho
    (Forster, Holding, Rudiger, DCL**)

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Salah to son?

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        You fancy Bruno to outscore Salah?

        1. Holmes
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          This week, yes. Can switch back next week.

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

      Neigh

  3. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bench 1:

    A) Bamford
    B) Raphina
    C) Watkins

  4. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Guys should I play tc on Kane this week? Is there any other better gw? My ml rival is 40 points behind me he has wc tc bb left, probably he will wc this week. So as a defensive move should I hold? I move aggressively last week by taking the wc and extended my tiny 10 point lead to 40.

    Your thoughts on this guys?

    1. Kloppcorn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I’d go TC on Kane great form and that Southampton game looks tasty

      1. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        How big are the chances that he’ll be rested one of the matches?

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

      TC Kane.

    3. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      TC Kane and don't think twice about it.

  5. Kloppcorn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Struggling on which duo to go for, any help would be much appreciated:
    A) Vardy, Mount (free)
    B) Lacazette, Son (-4)
    C) Cavani, Son (-4)

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B for me but A could pay off nicely. Not sure whether to hold Vardy or not myself

      1. Kloppcorn
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Vardy could turn it on instantly that’s what I’m thinking could easy score 3 out of nowhere

  6. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Good luck to all. This is how I am rolling.

    Hope for a Lloris pen save and Kane brace tonight.

    Lloris
    Rudiger Shaw Dias
    Bruno Jota Lingard Son Salah
    Kane(TC) Nacho

    Martinez Watkins Phillips Mitchell

    1. WhatWouldYourZlatanSay
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I am upset by how much I prefer your team to mine.

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Your team could outdo mine. How does she look?

        1. WhatWouldYourZlatanSay
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Martinez

          TAA Azpi Dias Mee
          Salah Jota Son Lingard
          Kane Nacho

          So just focusing on the differences...still think I'm going to outdo you 🙂

          Consolation is it's WC time next week.

  7. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Need to replace Neto, possible Vardy as well.

    A) Bowen and Vardy
    B) Lingard and Nacho (-4)
    C) Lingard and Laca (-4)

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B or C

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B

    3. Kloppcorn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I’d deffo bring in lingard unsure, but hold vardy due to good fixtures

  8. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    My back 3.

    Phillips (leeds a) Dias (villa a) Shaw (BURN H)

    Keane and Burn on the bench. It's silly doing a -4 to bring in an Arsenal/Chelsea defender right.

    Also.

    Play Mane (leeds a) or Smith Rowe (Fulham H)

    Not joking, Mane in poor form and a terrible punt last week. Smith Rowe was great in Europe and came off at 60 mins.

  9. jimbobmij
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Is Rodon going to play both?

  10. Evasivo
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Help with bench order:

    A) Maupay
    B) Coufal
    C) Dallas

  11. Tom
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Am I mad to part ways with Bruno? It means I could do;

    Bruno --> Son
    Gundo --> Lingard
    Dias --> Pereira

  12. Gabhini Gupini
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Forster, Sanchez, Coufal, Jorginhno
    good enough bench for BB?

    1. WhatWouldYourZlatanSay
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Personally, I'd say no. A real possibility of 2 not playing.

      1. Gabhini Gupini
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I know. Really wasted my BB chip this season by not playing early

  13. WhatWouldYourZlatanSay
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bottomed...

    Lost a little ground in ML but can still overhaul leader, who used his WC last week. I'll do mine for GW33 just through lack of time this week.

    Question is - should I TC this week (Kane or Son)? He also has TC left.

    Thanks guys!

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Kane is a decent option.
      Will you get a better chance for TC?

      1. WhatWouldYourZlatanSay
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Can only think of a Grealish or DCL type when other DGWs are announced. I would have full confidence in such players starting both in a DGW (not quite the case with kane before a final) and they are both fighting for Europe and for a Euro place. But I'm still leaning towards doing it today.

  14. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Would u stick with Maddison or swap to Lingard??

    (only got Madd in last wk)

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

      Is it just a 1 week punishment?
      But regardless, I don’t see a reason for anyone not having Lingard.

  15. noob101
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Any chance of Bale playing in either of the games this DGW..?

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      from the bench, don't see him starting

    2. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Personally think he’ll play one, but who knows with Jose?

      1. noob101
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I have him but think I'll transfer out for Son, probably a safer bet. But I'll be gutted if comes out and scores now!

  16. Jässi
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Who is the most likely Spurs defender to start both DGW matches? Lloris not an option.

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Reguilon?

    2. Silecro
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      hm...maybe Reguilon

  17. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Hi all, would you take a hit for any of the below?

    Martinez
    Shaw Stones Digne
    Salah Bruno Jota Lingard Gundogan
    Kane(c) Iheanacho

    Areola Dallas Watkins Burn
    1.3m 0ft

    A) Digne to Trent
    B) Burn to Reguilon
    C) Gundogan to Lucas Moura

    1. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B I think is a decent option.

      1. No Professionals
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        it helps that i have bench boost still, so gives me full playing squad (barring city rotation). only issue is the blank and giving myself 4 spurs and city.

  18. janlu0
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    0.4 itb. Saving WC for DGW.
    How do I bring in Son? Any other suggestions most welcome.

    Martinez McCarthy
    Digne Maguire Stones Dallas Dunk
    Salah Bruno Lingard Gundo Raphina
    Kane DCL Nacho

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Without major surgery, you need to move Salah or Bruno.

      DCL to fodder, and Dunk to fodder could maybe make Gundo/Lingard - Son possible?

  19. kysersosa
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bowen to outscore Jesse this week.

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Bowen is in form .- could happen.

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Bowen Is a really neat call

      Great points per minute anyway and clearly in form and starting up top is unlikely to hurt either. Matching Lingard returns must be plausible - he's not far behind in the last 3 despite fewer minutes

      1. kysersosa
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        With Cresswell out I expect his set piece involvement to be higher too.

        Im not actually planning to won him! Quite happy withy team and keeping my FT to reduce spurs assets next week. Juts think he has a good opportunity to do well this week.

  20. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Reguilon worth a -4 as a one week punt? would WC next week

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      2 games mean surely so. especially with WC in tact.

  21. nolard
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    GTG?

    Mendy
    Rudi, TAA, Dias
    Saka, Bruno, Lingard, Jota, Havertz
    Vardy, Kane (c)

    Subs: Vydra, Keane, Phillips, Forster

    No FT.

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      My only worry would be Vardy playing in the cup and Iheanacho vs West Brom. Not sure Vardy can play two games in a week right now.

      1. nolard
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Hmm. Hadn't thought about that.
        Thought Vardy was nailed on.

        Thanks!

      2. Silecro
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Iheanacho also surely starts in the cup, no way he is rested with current form

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          My point is that Tomas has Vardy and I’m not sure he’ll be fit to play both matches.

          1. Silecro
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I may be wrong, but Sunday-Thursday is plenty of rest, I can see him starting both easily. And Leicester is far from having secured champions league spots so they need all of their best players to play every game, unless they get injured. Simply put, there is no non-important game for them until end of the season

            1. Twisted Saltergater
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Yeah possibly, mate. Fingers crossed for Vardy owners.

              1. Silecro
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                It's my last week of having him before WC, so only care about WBA game to be honest xD

                1. nolard
                  • 9 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Thanks for the input here, both of you!

  22. humar816
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Is it worth using my TC on Kane this week? Or will there be better opportunities towards the ends of the season..

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      if i had mine, i would use it.

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I would.

    3. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Think I’m going to splash it this week. We put so much into planning for the chips, then we see Dallas score a brace against Man City, so a DGW and Kane is as good as any for the TC.

  23. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    “How I am coping with football fatigue...”. Seriously?!

    Choose which games you want to watch. Don’t blame the PL or broadcasters for giving us more content. Frankly, the fans of smaller PL clubs must be loving getting to see their team on TV most weeks.

    Any causation between having a bad season and football fatigue, maybe?

    I have a mate who’s having his best ever season. He’s in the top 200 overall, chooses the usual Scout Picks favs and doesn’t go off piste. It’s been working a charm this season.

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

      How many games are you watching a week?

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I’ve just moved house so not many, although I know that’s relative. I’d say 3 at the weekend and the odd CL game.

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

          You shouldn’t be too fatigued from 3 games.

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            precisely.

  24. b91jh
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Start 2:

    A) Alonso
    B) Holding
    C) Coady
    D) Cresswell

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      A, C.

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        this

    2. Gearoid
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      BC

  25. Gearoid
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    GTG? 1FT, 1.3ITB

    Lloris
    Shaw Azpi Stones
    Lingard Son(VC) Bruno Jota
    Iheanacho Lacazette Kane(C)

    McCarthy Soucek Dallas Mitchell

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Looks good!

      Roll transfer.

  26. NoThomasNoPartey18
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    start two:
    a) dias
    b) shaw
    c) rudiger
    d) holding

  27. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Start:

    A) Dias (Dallas first on bench)
    B) Dallas

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      A

  28. humar816
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Areola (Martinez)
    Coufal Dias Phillips (White, Elmo)
    Salah Bruno Jota Lingard Raphinha
    Kane (TC) Iheanacho (Watkins)

    Considering a 4 point hit for either -
    White -> Reguilon (Drop Phillips)
    Raphinha -> Son

    Thoughts ?

  29. pjomara
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Would you WC this team?
    Martinez
    Shaw, Azpi, Alonso
    Bruno, kdb, Mount, Jota,
    Kane, Richarlison, Bamford
    subs: 4.0GK, Philips, Cresswell, Raphinha

    Have BB left so tempted to wait until DGW fixtures are announced.
    But only scored 27 pts last week, so feel like I could be out of the my minileague contention if I don't change things radically immediately.

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Wait for DGW, like you say.

  30. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Locking this in (Antonio and Gundogan to Ihenacho and Greenwood -4), GTG? Bench order OK?

    Martinez
    TAA Alonso Dallas
    Salah Son Greenwood Lingard
    Kane(c) Ihenacho Bamford

    Pope Raphinha* Coufal Konsa

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Is Greenwood worth the -4? Think I’d start Gundo.

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Not confident Gundogan starts to be honest

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Didn’t he sit out last weekend? He’ll be fine for this week.