The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Opinion
10 September 2016 1920 comments
Mark Mark
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Spiderman (or was it Spiderm4tt?) once said – “with great power comes great responsibility”.

That definitely chimes for any Fantasy Premier League manager with a Wildcard active.

The seemingly endless possibilities in front of us is dazzling and confusing but the burden is almost too much.

The gut wrenching feeling when a Wildcard is played and is perceived as “wasted” is an emotion that lingers in memory.

When it hits, we look for anything, any crumb of comfort that will help us justify decisions in order to ensure we leap a pit of despair.

Initially, the excitement and the sheer relief granted by the opportunity to refresh our squad mask these doubts.

It’s only now, hours before committing our decisions, that the doubts creep towards us. That we remember, with dread, how it feels when a Wildcard backfires.

In previous seasons I have likened it to a supermarket dash. That analogy still rings true.

You speed through, giggling at the choice and freedom you have been granted. Only to look back when the opportunity is gone and immediately begin to wonder what has been missed, what opening has been passed up.

For me, the pressure has been intensified. I’ll be sharing the fallout from my Wildcard with a bigger audience than ever. Revealing my errors and forcing myself to justify decisions and back-peddling.

Already that’s having an impact. I’m perhaps putting too much stock in bandwagons like Raheem Sterling – afraid that I’m missing the obvious, I’m backing these players for fear I’ll be exposed.

I’ve seen posts this morning questioning those still debating Wildcard decisions.

But I’m firmly in that camp.

Such is the power of the Wildcard, no decision can ever be finalised, even at this late stage.

We give ourselves the chance to deliberate every position right to the end. It stands to reason that we will keep doing that – we will keep replaying and rebalancing player vs player scenarios until the bell tolls.

It’s a tortuous process that absorbs us but one of the key pleasures of playing this game, particularly when we can share the agony on these pages.

I’ve enjoyed reading through the deliberation over the international break. I’m still reading now, adding your opinions to my own in order to finish this process once and for all.

There’s an expectation from myself and others that I’ll overcome my mediocre start to the season and a successful Wildcard is likely key to that.

My spider senses are tingling – I’m not sure I’m up to bearing all this responsibility.

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

  1. SweeSwee
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Firminho captain anyone?

    Now that Sanchez is out and Haz is away and all...

  2. Raheem's perm
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Sod it, Zaza captain!

  3. klopp4kop
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    derby team news anyone?

    1. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Darren Bent should start.

      1. Defcons are for Kinnear
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        He's become a horse?

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Give me 6 mins

    3. Bushido
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Van Persi is up front with Ibra

  4. Simon Says...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Collins or Pieters long term?

    1. Cantonas Demons
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      B but he is falling in price soon. Holebas

  5. For Fuchs Sake
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Start Souare or Kone??

    1. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Kone

    2. Rhodes your boat
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Souare

  6. Zombie
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Pineapple on Pizza is awesome!!!

    1. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Ban

      1. Zombie
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        Kolarov on pizza?

        1. Mílanista
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 5 months ago

          Cannabilse the great man? Perma-ban

          1. Zombie
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 5 months ago

            I meant *Koleslaw 🙁

            1. Mílanista
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              9 years, 5 months ago

              😀

    2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      darn tootin

    3. George Sillett
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Criminal.

  7. Swanny18
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Collins to start? Any truth in this?
    https://twitter.com/WHUFC_News/status/774553041534066688

    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Very likely

    2. internal error
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Yea

  8. TheBusDriver
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Benching Sanchez for Capoue.

    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      😀

    2. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I dare you 🙂

  9. Footballfriend
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Armband time, lukaku or Haz?

    1. flipthebuzzard
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I've gambled on Luk... Haz away is a different beast to home

  10. The Red Devil
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    negredo/defoe/bony? which 1?

    1. internal error
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Defoe

    2. Lawrø
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Bony

    3. Bushido
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Bony

  11. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    is gray likely to play today?

    1. threeputt
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      yes

    2. Clump
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

    3. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      ta

    4. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I don't see why he wouldn't.

    5. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      depends on his hearing

    6. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Definitely

  12. Sponge-worthy
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone captaining lukaku?

    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Why?

    2. Lawrø
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Tempted, good week for a risk with all the split captaincy choices

    3. flipthebuzzard
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Yep

  13. Porkchops Johnson
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Start 1:
    A) Redmond
    B) Capoue
    C) Kone

    1. Prison Mike
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Redmond

      1. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        +1

  14. Ghost86
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Captain?

    A) ozil
    B) firmino
    C) gray

  15. Bushido
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    7 minutes left

  16. Christina.
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    When must we put pe nis down?

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      never

    2. TheBusDriver
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      It's already down.

      1. TheBusDriver
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        Not anymore.

    3. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      "We"?

  17. Trentminator
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Bolasie or Redmond?

    1. Le _ Professeur
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Bolasie short term ... Redmond long

      1. Trentminator
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        thanks, who to play today? got lukaku

  18. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Nothing is making Zlatan miss this derby

  19. khalnayak
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Whom to Play. please suggest asap 🙂

    Redmond Capoue

    Stones Friend

    1. Le _ Professeur
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Red. - Stones

    2. Andriy Shevchenko is Back
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Redmond Friend

  20. white lightning
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Play Lamela or Valencia. Thanks.

    1. threeputt
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      lamela

    2. flipthebuzzard
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Lamela

  21. flipthebuzzard
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku captain gamble made...!?

    1. Krul Runnings
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Same.

      GL US.

      1. flipthebuzzard
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        Agreed!

  22. Red Star Toro
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Captain:
    A) Hazard
    B) Sanchez

    1. flipthebuzzard
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Sanchez benched. Haz.

    2. EmreCan Hustle
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      A

    3. thep025
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Hazard

    4. Cantonas Demons
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Wish you could change captains like euros. Its also wreciing my head !

  23. Weeb Kakashi
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Please help

    Cech Pickford
    Valencia Williams Evans Collins Amat

    G2G?

  24. Rolls-Royce
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Now Zlatan? people on WC must be having a torrid time.

  25. Dr. Rog
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Antonio (c)

    With ball this big, it hurts to sit down

    1. Raheem's perm
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I can't decide between him and Zaza for captain this week!

  26. The Royal Robin
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Last chance, on my WC... Antonio or Lamela?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      A

      1. The Royal Robin
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers!

  27. The Left Duke #3
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Haha the posts are so fast and furious no one has time to respond 🙂
    No one will even read this post so Sausages!!!

    1. threeputt
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      & bacon

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I read it

    3. Bushido
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      I read it

    4. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      Bacon + Eggs with my sausages please 😉

      1. The Left Duke #3
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 5 months ago

        Cooking up a storm here lads. Fry up ready in 5.

  28. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Bingo in 5....

    1. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 5 months ago

      4...

  29. Le _ Professeur
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Pages fill with comments in like 30 sec 🙂

  30. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 5 months ago

    Gibson nailed for Middlesborough?