Opinion

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 34

I’ve rarely been so downbeat about a double Gameweek.

Each season we seek them out. Like searching for the local derby in the fixture list, we anticipate them and look to relish every minute of exctitement they can deliver. These are the times we cherish as Fantasy Football managers; friends and family just don’t understand.

But this Gameweek 34 has never really convinced me.

Even before Thursday’s events, the allure of uncertain Manchester United assets, backed the unmagnificent Middlesbrough and Palace candidates, always struggled to appeal.

In midweek our one protagonist bowed out – the single asset who seemed most likely to break the double-digit barrier was cruelly removed from the equation.

It’s almost as if Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s knee buckled under the weight of our double Gameweek expectation.

Without our leading man, it’s now left to uncovincing understudies Christian Benteke and Alvaro Negredo to keep our show on the road. Confidence has taken a knock, but it seems we simply must pin our hopes somwehere.

We’ve seen it all before: previously, 70,000 of us based our double Gameweek prospects on a certain Stephane Sessegnon, such is our willingness to seek out that one big return.

Splintered over six days, the agony and anxiety of Gameweek 34 is set to be strung out and prolonged. We could easily end up heading into Wednesday praying for a Middlesbrough clean sheet and cheering every Ben Gibson clearance. If ever you needed to build a case on how Fantasy Football can warp your view of the beautiful game, there it is right there.

But this is perhaps part of the appeal of double Gameweeks. We spend the season steadily building around in-form assets, working towards any template that arises, then these end of season events arrive to shake things up and promote unlikely heroes.

The words Negredo and Triple Captain were never meant to sit within the same sentence. Just as Carroll and Triple Captain jarred twelve months ago.

But no matter how much we attempt to anticipate and strategise, somehow it seems these double Gameweeks creep up on us, forcing us down the most unexpected avenues.

Benteke and Negredo now have the opportunity to carve their names in Fantasy Football folklore over the course of the next seven days.

Clearly, Zlatan, for all his bravado, titles and winners medals, just couldn’t handle that kind of pressure. Sessegnon set the bar too high.

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

2,083 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Matip injured?

    1. Holmes
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah :@

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      πŸ˜†

      Was meant to be below the comment, bottom of the last page πŸ˜›

    3. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      You broke it again πŸ™„

    4. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      lol

  2. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Is Bilić a vampire?

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Fang only knows......

  3. invertebrate
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Best player in my ML triple captains Ibra before going on holiday. VC? Ben Gibson.

    I have such a bad feeling about this.

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Surely that's a good thing.

      1. Kuqi Monster
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Could end up with 24pts...

      2. invertebrate
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        You don't know this guy.

    2. Moose™
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      My ML rival captained Rashford, and I went Negredo. With only 8 points lead, I am shaking.

      1. invertebrate
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        I went Negredo as well. Bricking it.

    3. Holmes
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      15pts for Gibson incoming

      1. invertebrate
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        ... in the first game.

    4. Perthite
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Does the Triple Capt chip move to the VC or does it evaporate?

      1. Holmes
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Moves

    5. DJ1000
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Boro were so shit today. Really worried now about negredo captaincy for wed

      1. invertebrate
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        You and me both pal. What in all the hells were we thinking?

  4. Eddie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Thank god that's over with. Have a nice weekend guys.

  5. Coaly
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Costa and Hazard both not starting later

    1. Holmes
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Banned

      1. Coaly
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        You'll see

        Haz on bench, Costa out

      2. Coaly
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Thank you

  6. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Kane only owned by 7% more in the Top 10k than Rashford, that is moronic.

  7. HazardAGuess
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Can't believe I avtually want to match the Bournemouth vs. Boro match. Is it even televised? Not much luck finding streams πŸ™

    1. HazardAGuess
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      No bother. All good now.

    2. Yank Revolution
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Streaming in US (for free, if you have cable/satellite)....

    3. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah it's televised. Found a stream. Unfortunately can't tell you where, but keep looking.

      1. Eddie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        If you live outside of the UK you can get all the games. Makes perfect sense.

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          I shouldn't immigrate to U.K. then. That's one benefit and job seeker allowance saved

  8. Perthite
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Many take a risk with a SGW capt when they had DGW capt options?
    Got Lukaku(c) myself & a bit worried...

  9. potatoace
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    What the hells the matter with me.
    my heart is pounding, counting down the clock for a Bou v Mid kick off.

  10. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Kinginho

  11. the snazzy viking
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    KING

  12. Eddie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    1:45 King goal

  13. Waynoo
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    kinvgggggg

  14. Clucas
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Look at the bright side, it could have been Negredo with a red card πŸ˜›

  15. Clucas
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Any chance for Middlesbrough to score 1 goal at least?

  16. HashAttack
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    I had Traore for the last few weeks expecting to play him as punt this week ...
    Glad he didn't get much game time recently - made me change my mind and bring in King