The Pre-Match Preamble - Gameweek 38 Opinion
10 March 2018 1237 comments
Mark Mark
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This season will go down as one of my most unremarkable of an 11-campaign Fantasy Premier League career.

Ironically, it has been my own ambition and arrogance that has inflicted the damage and prompted frustration.

Slow and steady could have given me the opportunity to creep into the top 10,000 several Gameweeks ago. Instead, once I’d hit the top 20,000 off the back of a triumphant run of green arrows, I tried to ride the momentum.

I reached for the stars and overstretched.

A couple of transfer errors along with a captain policy that has seen me overlook Salah during his dominant spell (Gameweeks 25-29), have ensured a gradual decline.

But it’s not too late to rescue a credible achievement from the Gameweeks that remain. This, after all, is a period where planning and study can translate to a real advantage.

The revelation that 40% of those managers above me are without the Free Hit chip is also sobering. Clearly, there is the opportunity for me to close ground, aim for the top 10,000 and see what can be achieved.

But perhaps I should learn my lesson and forgo such a target.

I believe the real problem with my season lies with the fact that I’ve forgotten how my best ranks have been achieved.

Having threatened the top 100 twice in three seasons, an unhealthy self-belief and arrogance has crept in.

I’ve convinced myself that I can find the decisions to inspire another similar campaign when actually, I should have just revisited the methods that achieved those finishes.

Granville’s rise up the ranks to go 15 points above me is perhaps the biggest wake-up call. It’s a reminder that, back in the day, my season was built around our duel.

I was never pre-occupied with rank, the top 10,000 and certainly not the top 100. Those targets seemed unachievable and, as a result, ambition to hit them never influenced my decisions.

A high-rank was a by-product of our mini-league tussle. I’d achieve it almost by accident by simply pursuing the prize that really mattered – beating Granville.

Somewhere along the line I lost sight of that, and perhaps a desire and pressure to try a live up to increased expectations took over.

Over the remaining Gameweeks, I will relax that ambition. Granville will become my new target, and in attempting to close that gap, I’ll hopefully be content with how my season ends.

Then come 2018/19, I’ll make efforts to remain humble and, in doing so, perhaps end up touching those stars without trying.

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

  1. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Really can’t decide.
    Fancy capping Hazard, but the fact that Kane plays Sunday makes all the difference. It shouldn’t, but it does.

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

      I fancied Hazard all week but I'm leading so I'm gunna play it safe with Kane

    2. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      I was swayed by the fact that he has six in four vs Bournemouth

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Wowzers. Ok then.

      2. jia you
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Hazard loves scoring v Bou also, they are the team most likely to ship goals imo! I'm swaying Hazard in favour of a Sunday captain but since I don't own Kane, it's Auba(C) for me!

    3. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      I just think Chelsea are in a weird place. I don’t know why Conte played Haz as a false nine against City when it seemed obvious in that type of game to play Giroud so who knows what type of Chelsea are going to show up.

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

    Bench 1.

    A. Wilson
    B. Ogbonna
    C. Lowton
    D. VVD

    1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Wilson

    2. mcrayeps
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Lowton

    3. jia you
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Ogbonna, WHU defence was bad enough before the lost of Winston Reid!

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

        I know but surely he has a better chance of a clean sheet than Wilson scoring?

        1. jia you
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Fair enough but I sold Wilson this morning so he'll prob get a brace 😉

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

            Haha. Happens all the time to me.

    4. Kai
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Wilson

  3. Fantasyfootballer
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Need to play 1
    A-Quaner
    B-Wilson
    C-Kiko
    D-Choupo

  4. CRO KLOPP
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    DDG
    Alonso VVD Ogbonna
    Salah Mahrez Son Shaqiri Lingard
    Kane Firmino
    Elliot Wilson Duffy Kenny
    2 ft 1.0 itb

    A) DDG and Lingard to Loosl and Wally
    B) Wilson and Lingard to Mounie and Wally

  5. TheBabyfacedAssassin
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Play VVD or La Parra? Cheers

    1. Konig Luther
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      La Parra

  6. FPL Mentor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Play VVD or Mee?

  7. Hardly Athletic
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Sterling > Siggy for free. Yes or no?

    1. Nascimento
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Yes

    2. Mike-Kovic
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      yes

    3. Fergus1107
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Just done that very transfer myself.

    4. Baz
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Yes

  8. Konig Luther
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Keep De Gea, or buy Lossl for free (to prepare gw31 too)?

    1. Baz
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Keep

  9. FPL Mentor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Lossl
    Coleman Davies Mee
    Salah Eriksen Arnautovic Shaqiri
    Kane(C) Firmino Vardy (vc)

    (Elliot, Van Dijk, Mili, Mbemba)

    Good to go? Right to play Mee over VVD?

  10. Ghost86
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Play Ogbonna over Mee right move?

    1. enrico.palazzo
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      I would

    2. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Play both and hope to get Atleast 8 Points from both as i cant decide

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

    Start 3
    Duffy
    Ogbonna
    Maguire
    VVD

    1. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      maguire maybe

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

        Bench Maguire?

        1. Scholes Balls
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          actually ogbonna as he might not even start again

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

      BCD

  12. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    Whom do I bench between:
    Shaq
    Chambo
    Wilson
    J. ayew

    1. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      wilson

    2. mcrayeps
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Chambo

  13. Baz
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 9 months ago

    A) keep niasse
    B) niasse --> Wilson
    C) niasse --> Mounie

    1. Tombory
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      A and hope he starts

    2. JohnnyMagrinho
        7 years, 9 months ago

        FT?

        Out of those C.

        1. Baz
          • 16 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Ft. Thanks

    3. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Sterling + Martial to:

      A) D Silva + Mahrez
      B) La Parra + Hazard
      C) Keep Sterling + D Silva

      1. Pukki Party
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Sane over Silva possible?

        1. Scholes Balls
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          not enough $, I can do Sane + siggy, but already have Walcott

          1. Pukki Party
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 9 months ago

            B and captain Haz then imo

    4. Shultan
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Have most sterling owners this week sold him?

      1. Scholes Balls
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        I am still mulling it over cause I kept him until now and if he starts it has been such a waste

    5. Xulgar
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Bench one out of Duffy, Shaqiri, Wilson

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

      Bench 1
      Duffy
      Ogbonna
      Maguire
      VVD

      1. Smurf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Ogbonna now that Hart is confirmed to start.

      2. reeceon
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        duffy

    7. mcrayeps
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Should i Keep or Kick Jordon Ibe? Will he play at GW 31?

    8. Tombory
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Will niasse play??

      1. Tombory
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Play niasse or ogbonna?

    9. Scotty B
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 9 months ago

      Who to captain? (Not Kane)

      Foster Elliot
      Schindler Otamendi Alonso Duffy TAA
      Walcott Shaqiri Eriksen Salah Van La Parra
      Deeney Kane Firmino

      1. JohnnyMagrinho
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Kane.

      2. Big Ronnie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Bench 1?
        Wilson
        Mee
        Ogbonna

      3. dhamphiir
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        DDG
        Maguire, Davies, Mee, Duffy
        Salah, Sterling, Ramsey, Shaqiri
        Kane, Firmino
        Sub: Elliot, Ogbonna, Wilson, Surman
        Have 2 FT and 3.0 ITB

        A. Elliot —> Lossl
        B. Ogbonna / Duffy —> Schindler / Robertson / Coleman
        C. Elliot + Ogbonna / Duffy —> Schindler / Robertson / Coleman

      4. CRO KLOPP
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Siggy or Wally? Money no object

        1. Pukki Party
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Siggy

        2. Tombory
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Wallcot

      5. Buck The Trent
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Schindler or Zanka ?

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

          Schindler

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

        Play Mawson this week or take a hit for Coleman this week as he also plays in 31 ?

        Also, anyone keeping Kenny in case he gets subbed on for a valuable point?

        1. Rash
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          I'm keeping Kenny until wildcard gw32

      7. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Is firmino not playing. Hearing rumours on Twitter?

        1. Get up ya bum
          • 16 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Context and link pkease

        2. Strangelove
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          Rumour on Twitter is a knock possibly thigh... but being called our as trolling as there are "leaked" line ups showing him starting... nothing from any reputable sources as yet.

          1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 9 months ago

            Yup

      8. Shack
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Morning all, got a real menu of options this week, a few votes would be appreciated!
        A: Sterling to Wally for a FT
        B: JWP to Van La Parra for a FT
        C: Save and play Wilson and Sterling (will bench Wilson in A/B)
        D: Sterling and JWP to Wally and Shaqiri for a hit
        Cheers!!

        1. The Hoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          MaybeB, not D

      9. The_FF_King
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Play Robertson or Mee???

        1. chrisiboy
          • 7 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          MEE

      10. The Hoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 9 months ago

        Carroll->Van le Parra?

        2ft, 2.7m in bank

        Team is:

        Pope/Adrian
        Alonso/Ota/Holgate/Jones/Fernandez
        Wally/Sterling/Shaqiri/Salah/Carrol
        Kane/Firmino/Ayew

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

        I have a question can someone help me please.

        Is it better to play the wildcard now or after gameweek 31?Ps:I already used my free hit chip

        1. Fred54
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 9 months ago

          After the blank GW.

          1. chrisiboy
            • 7 Years
            7 years, 9 months ago

            thanks