Feature

How the Fantasy Premier League Cup was won

Singapore-based manager Ricky Mansukh was the winner of the 2018/19 Fantasy Premier League Cup.

The competition is a curious sideshow to the main event in FPL and arguably trickier to win, in that it relies a lot on the luck of the draw (as well as consistent performances) and less on medium-to-long-term strategies – one poor Gameweek or freakishly high score from an opponent and that’s that.

With the tournament starting in Gameweek 17 and initially comprising of
4,194,304 Fantasy managers, many of us will depart the FPL Cup long before we reach the final weeks of the season and greet the exit with a shrug of the shoulders.

Very few (if any) of us set out the season to win the thing, instead concentrating on our mini-leagues or overall ranks.

Even last year’s winner, Nick Smith, said he didn’t particularly pay attention to the cup “until the last 64 or 32”.

To reach the latter stages of the tournament and get that close to winning the FPL Cup must be a tantalising prospect, though, and a distraction from the bread-and-butter of the Fantasy Premier League game – perhaps a conflicting one if mini-leagues or a top 100k/10k/1k finish are also objectives.

This year’s finalists had some pedigree, with each finishing not far off the top 1,000.

Ricky, indeed, had previously registered an excellent overall rank of 911th in 2012/13.

His team, FC Rickochet, saw off Mithun Majithia’s Meefs Majic 78-60 in this year’s showdown.

The two finalists shared several players for their end-of-season clash.

Both players captained Sergio Aguero and banked 15-point returns fromTrent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane.

The two managers also brought in Jamie Vardy ahead of the stalemate at the King Power.

Ricky’s victory owed a debt to ten-point hauls from both Nathan Redmond and Wilfried Zaha.

The two managers each had to defeat 21 managers to get to the Gameweek 38 final, with Ricky progressing on seven occasions with a winning margin of fewer than five points.

Mithun had fewer close shaves but did qualify in Gameweek 34 by virtue of goals scored, having drawn his round-of-16 tie.

A very well done to both managers.

292 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    tumbleweed.png

    1. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Enjoy it 😉

    2. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Shows us how much of every page is RMTs and which transfer should I make, a, b or c

  2. Meef89
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Great cup run and gutted to lose at the last hurdle. Well done to Ricky! On to next year!

    1. McEwan
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Unfortunate that someone has to end in that position after a run that’s required to get there. Congrats and commiserations at the same time. Hope the site is incorrect and you receive something as both finalists defo deserve something.

    2. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      It was you? Congrats 🙂

      Great job getting as far as you did!

    3. Saint Steve-O (@EliteFPL)
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Yea, fair play, well done getting to final

    4. ricky317
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Hey Mithun, thank you! You had a fantastic season as well, well played! You deserve some prizes too and I hope you get it.

      Onto next year. Cheers!

      1. Kentfang7
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Congrats Ricky Mansur and Mithun.

        Well played

  3. Amey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Is there a chance of this happening guys ??
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/what-man-city-champions-league-15741074

    1. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      City are soo dodgy. I don't reckon it'll happen though.

    2. PaperTroopers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Sure there's a chance it might happen. The original article from New York Times says that the investigation committee met with Man city in April and were not convinced....

      https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2019/05/13/fantasy-football-scout-league-round-up/?hc_page=2&hc_sort_by=comment_date#hc_comment_20374156

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Great !

    3. Indpush
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Read if they are found guilty and a ban was a punishment used it wouldn't be in time to ban them for 2019-20.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        F......
        Thank you for the information. I thought i was going to support those gunners for UEL final 😀

        1. Indpush
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Still could but could be a bit lonely.

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Ha ha

        2. Mysterion
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Why support them? United wouldn't get CL even then 😛 (if City were banned and Arsenal won EL)

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            They should get it mate ? 😮
            That's what i read at few places/articles

            1. Majestic Chanka
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              If City were DQ’d then Arsenal effectively 4th and already qualified. EL final becomes irrelevant for CL qualification as both teams already in for next season.

              1. Amey
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Thank you
                So I don't care about UEL final anymore 😀

  4. Man United: what's needed for next season?
    diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Man Utd need to go back to being defensive IMO. The deterioration in their defence is a cause for their under performance IMO. Signing a new RB and a speedy, mobile forward-looking replacement for Herrera, selling Pogba are critical:

    DDG
    ????? Lindelof Smalling Shaw
    Fred ????? McTominay
    Lingard Rashford Martial

    I would be looking at AWB and Tielemens

    1. mikess
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Still mediocre at best. That side has similar ability to an Everton/Leicester side imo

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      How much would you value AWB at? I can see United being in for him but having to pay something astronomical - well beyond market price. Consider

      Palace don’t need to sell at all - just had their best yet PL finish
      Wing backs come with a premium nowadays
      He’s already among the top 3/4 right backs in the land
      He’s just starting out - his value will only increase. Palace know that
      He’s an icon at Selhurst and the chairman is often a fan first and chairman second

    3. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Fred? My 5 yr old lab with arthritis is quicker than him.

      1. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I'm not convinced at all. The number of times this season DDG passed it from a goal kick to Fred, who then turned, lost the ball, and the other team went in and scored seemed so high.

        Decent bench option and maybe he grows into it but not from what I've seen so far

    4. shirtless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      DDG will go. Triggered his one year extension, if he wont resign he will have to be sold. Smalling and Jones should never have been given new deals. They've gone backwards massively. Smaling looked a player under LVG.

      Valencia, Herrara gone. Mata appears to be off. Martial has fallen out with OGS so will be leaving. Sanchez is on £500k/week so they have to buy him out of his contract to get rid. Lukaku has told Juve to come and get him. If you sell Pogba too and you've suddenly freed up a ton of wages. In the region of £1.5m/week.

      A keeper if required, Pickford? Oblak? RB, RCB, CAM, CF. Where do you start first?

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Back to cost.

        I can’t see their getting any replacements from PL clubs for less than 50 mill a pop. Abroad is cheaper but that’s massive outlay if they’re looking for first team starters as opposed to improving the squad overall - even for them.

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          The cost point is why OGS and Utd need to look at how they can get the best out of their existing players.

          They have enough young players to improve together. DDG is still young for a GK (28). Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Martial and Rashford are all under 25. Lingard and Fred are not past it at 26. Add in Smalling (29) for some experience and that gives them their core.

          Fred needs to improve, but perhaps a year settling in will do that.

          Their issues are, for me, Ashley Young (old, not a defender) and a Pogba replacement (doesn't defend, loses motivation easily, negatively impacts on team).

      2. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Don't think De Gea will leave this summer, but even if he did Romero is probably better than any other keeper they'd be looking to sign.

        Smalling/Jones were never good enough to be Man Utd players.

        Herrera is a massive lose, as one of the only players who would consistently give 100%, and actually seems to care about playing for the club, even without starting regularly.

        Mata doesn't really fit into the system, he's not a pacey wide man, so when starting in a front three he doesn't really work, and he's not really a central midfield player either, and at 30+ probably best for both player and club that he moves on.

        Pogba, well what's left to be said.

      3. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        CB, easily CB. I think Oblak would be great but who knows what happens there.

        Valencia, Herrera, Mata, Sanchez, Pogba*, DDG*, Rojo, Young, Jones, it's a pretty big list.

      4. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Lingard, Rashford and Martial have potential to be a destructive front three IMO. But they need games together and OGS to show confidence in them (i.e. don't drop them after one rubbish game).

        The defensive problems are due the the midfield. Pogba doesn't defend. Matic is too slow. Herrera is injured (and gone now). I thought McTominay played well and would give him a run in the team as a more defensive minded midfielder.

        McTominay needs a defensive minded partner who is mobile. Fred could play that role in a midfield three, but he does need to improve.

    5. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      None of that Front 5 would get into any teams in the Top 6, United have such a bang average side for all the money they've spent

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Agree. But that doesn't mean they could not be a good team. The art of fashioning a good team has gone out of football at the top level IMO. It is all about buying players to suit a philosophy.

        I think Utd have two types of player - ones who have mobility and pace (Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Shaw etc.) and ones who are slow and strong or technical (Lukaku, Mata, Matic, Jones etc.). They do not mix.

        Utd need to decide on their style or show style adaptability (e.g. if players are injured you change the style).

        1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Yeah fair enough, Liverpool certainly have players that suit there philosophy, just feel that Front 5 is no better than West Ham’s, don’t know if United fans realise just how deep their problems are, won’t be near the title for at least another 5 years, so much deadwood to clear out

          1. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I think Utd's front 5 have more potential than West Ham. They are all young players who don't really get loads of game time . They need games together and to be given confidence.

            1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Lingard is nearly 27!!! If he wasn’t English & a United academy product, he’d be battling it out with Ryan Babel at Fulham for a starting spot, shocking player imo! Rashford escapes criticism due to being English, he’s just not very good, Danny Welbeck Mark II in the making, Martial is the only one I feel has potential to be ‘world class’ & lots of United fans want him sold

              1. diesel001
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Felipe Anderson is 26. Yarmolenko is 29. Arnautovic is 30. Antonio is 29. Chicharito is 30. Lanzini is 27. Snodgrass is 31. Lucas Perez is 31.

                West Ham's attacking players are not spring chickens themselves. I would rather have the Utd players.

                Lingard has shown ability IMO, but doesn't get enough game time. Rashford - it is too early to say - give him another season playing at least 60 mins each in over 35 games.

              2. Brosstan
                • 9 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Ryan Babel is unironically twice the player Lingard will ever be. The man is absolute trash. Sickens me that he gets off scot free from the fans after this season.

    6. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I'm happy to do a Hot Topic on different clubs like this through the off-season. This is a good one to start with 🙂

      I don't agree they need to go back to being defensive really but I do think a new CB is most important, more important than a RB.
      I think Dalot could be a good option down the line so that's not the most pressing spot for me, though AWB would be good. Dalot is young but crucially he's not Young 😉

      I'm not convinced Fred McTominay and anyone is good enough. I think two midfielders are needed and that's without selling Pogba.

      Then there's the extensive list of players who need to leave..

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Thanks for the HT!

        Thing is, I don't think Man Utd can compete with Man City, Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid etc. for the players they want. You can be a 'philosophy' manager like Guardiola when a club gives you a blank chequebook. But most clubs don't have that blank chequebook and so have to get the best out of the players they have.

        Utd still lack a style of football. If you want to play fast football you cannot have Mata, Matic, Jones, Young, Lukaku and Sanchez in the team. They are more suited to slow football where you defend deep and play a longer ball style. There is nothing wrong with long ball football if it gets results.

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I completely agree with the lack of style of football point which has been topical all season. In my opinion it all comes down to bringing in new managers but not fully backing them. We are then left with a mixture of half baked implementations with players who don’t fit in and quite evidently do not gel.

          Classic example was allowing Mourinho. We allowed him to come in and start implementing his philosophy. Progress was made, we won a Mickey Mouse treble, but then the backing stopped. He wasn’t allowed to buy a CB - what happens next? United concede more goals in a PL campaign than they’d ever done before. Was Mou to blame? Absolutely not, it was the board above. Now all of a sudden we’re told to revert to United’s traditional style...

          But how long will that last before we sack Ole and put this ideology aside in favour of a marketable manager with his philosophy and the cycle starts over?

          MCFC and LFC have backed their managers and allowed them to implement their philosophy. That’s the difference.

          In my opinion Poch was the man for the United job. Let him come in, let him implement his philosophy which has been working for him and do not stop backing him until his contract is out.

          Don’t force a manager to stick to the “United philosophy” because nobody will be able to replicate Sir Alex. After all, this “United Philosophy” was the Sir Alex Philosophy.

    7. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Mata, Lukaku, Pogba, Fred, Sanchez all should be sold imo.
      DDG is a curios case as he's underperforming massively.
      Awb, Tielemans etc young players should be purchased.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Missed matic too.
        Maybe Pogba can wait for one season.

      2. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Utd have loads of young players who have potential IMO. But they need games and to be fashioned into a team. What happened to managers taking a group of players and making them a team? That is what managers used to do.

        Shaw (23), Lindelof (24), McTominay (22), Fred (26), Lingard (26), Martial (23), Rashford (21).

        DDG is not past it (28). With Smalling (29) the core of the team is there.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Yep.
          I agree. But, the drive to succeed isn't there anymore. Sanchez is the worst thing that could have happened to United imo. Completely negative environment after his wage saga.
          I think 3/4 major signings can help us improve though. Tielemans looks like real deal. I really hope United should at least contend for him

          1. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Pogba is sucking the motivation out of the team. He needs to go. And Lukaku, Sanchez, Mata, Matic and Young need to leave or be happy sitting on the bench.

            The players I named will get their hunger back if they are shown faith. But OGS needs to give some of the old guys a smack and tell them to either stay and fight for their place or get out of Manchester.

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Yep.
              But the problem is you cant swap more than 3/4 players in a window, with current mad market.
              Fast dynamic play style should be adopted & slow/fat players should be sold 😀

              It's very frustrating time as a United supporter 🙁

              1. pingissimus
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Quite

                I’d say 3 first teamers is absolute max - especially if shopping in the PL market

                There’s still a huge amount of young talent there. The run under ogs wasn’t a complete mirage after all. Get a good DM to allow Pogba play 10, be a little patient with a young side then all could be ok.

                1. Amey
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Yep
                  Agreed.

    8. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Imo quite many problems will be solved if they sell Pogba. It seems that Pogba's attitude affect negatively for his team mates especially Martial and Lukaku. They need some more leadership. Rashford seems to the one who's taking care and he could be good longterm C option for ManU.

      1. Flaming Flamingo
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I don't think selling their best player will solve a lot. It's all good and well selling players that have a supposedly negative attitude, but quality players are a lot more valuable than hard-working ones.

        Reading over the comments, it can be argued the players people are wanting/expecting to leave are better than the ones they'd be keeping. If they continue to recruit as badly as they have been, I can't see them getting top 6 let alone top 4.

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          The best teams are not usually the ones with the best players. None of Liverpool's midfield three (combo of Milner, Keita, Henderson, Ox, Fabinho, Wijnaldum) would get into a world XI. But Klopp has fashioned a midfield that suit the style of the front three AND the defence.

          This is where Utd are going wrong IMO. Utd want to play with a fast mobile front three (Rashford, Lingard, Martial), but then have a slow defence (Jones, Young) and slow midfielders (Matic, Matic) or unmotivated midfielders (Pogba).

          The midfield do not connect the attack and the defence.

          1. Flaming Flamingo
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I'm not sure I agree with you on the first sentence, I'd argue the best teams are usually the ones with the best players. That said, I do agree with everything you say thereon. United lack identity, cohesion and quality.

            I think Pogba is their most important player and Ole himself said he would build the team around him. For some reason though, he has decided to persist with playing Pogba in a deeper role in spite of his performances waning. Maybe he is unmotivated, but Solskjaer is at least in part to blame just as Mourinho was imo.

            1. pingissimus
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              This

              Looking in from the outside of course but the handling of Pogba seems mystifying.

    9. RoysCallerAnne
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      United definitely need a RB.
      They should go for Trent Alexander Arnold. He's young, talented and surely could be tempted away from the lesser club to the bright lights of Old Trafford.
      May have to pay an extra premium as he's Welsh or Scottish I think.
      Meatpiesausagroll agrees with me so that's two of us that are correct.

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        lol, your opinion carries no weight around these parts now that you finished below me.

        1. RoysCallerAnne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Very true

      2. Sethball
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Is this a wind-up? Trent is a die-hard Liverpool fan, born minutes from the training ground and is about to go and play in a champions league final and only narrowly missed out on a premier league title. Why would he leave to join a club he hates and play in the Europa league!? He's also English having played internationally a few times, either you are taking the piss or you know nothing about football.

        1. Mysterion
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Meatpie knows.

        2. Annie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          yes

        3. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          3 years you've been on here, really?
          Did the grav not at least give you a hint.
          Sheesh, the state of young folk today.

      3. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Yep
        Straight swap between Young and salah should be done too 😀

      4. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Alexandery-Arnoldy?

      5. Poseidon.
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I very much doubt Liverpool would let him come unless he REALLY digs his heels in. Just asking to speak to us will not be enough

        1. RoysCallerAnne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          *nods sagely in agreement

        2. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Send him some of that Texas jerky, Meatpie

    10. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Not aboard this selling Pogba business. He’s the top scoring CM in world football last season. Our beat player by far. Criticised beyond belief because he dances and has a flashy hairstyle, but most importantly because he isn’t English.

      Of those you mentioned, Martial has to go. Laziest play I’ve ever seen pull on a United jersey. No desire, no hunger, not fit for the badge.

      Fred has a lot to prove still so would need cover there.

      Lingard also not enough. Love him, but he isn’t good enough imo.

      1. Treadstone
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        The way you describe Martial is pretty much the way I'd describe Pogba.Take the blinkers off and see him for the show pony he is who plays when he feels like it.

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Average distance covered per 90mins:

          Pogba 11.15km
          Martial 9.48km

          People have ridiculous expectations on Pogba. He’s not lazy by any means.

          1. Treadstone
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Nice stats but in real life Martial is a forward so not a relevant comparison.

      2. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Biggest problem is Sanchez & his wages.
        Completely turned players heads imo. I hope we get rid of him ASAP.

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Lost hope in Sanchez. It’s a shame. Everyone in the PL knows what he is capable of, he just hasn’t been able to reproduce it. The signs were there in the final season at Arsenal but people, like myself, dismissed it for him wanting to leave.

          Time to move him on if it’s possible.

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            It's possible after paying out his remaining contract 😀
            I don't care about ££ as it goes into those greedy pockets anyway. So, Sanchez going out can be a good start to clean up followed by Matic,Martial, Smalling etc

            1. AuFeld
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Add Ashley Young, Darmian, Lukaku, and Rojo to that list.

              1. Amey
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                I HATE ASHLEY YOUNG. Thank you for reminding 😀
                Whatever I've read in last few days, Rojo & Sanchez are definitely going out.

    11. Mysterion
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A sporting director who knows how to recruit & a manager who knows how to manage... as long as they don't get those two in place, they'll keep under performing regardless of the players they keep/sell/buy

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Fletcher is touted to get the Sporting Director job atm alongside Rio.

    12. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Just need a new signing to unlock Pogba, surely.

      1. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Wasn't that what Matic was supposed to do?

        1. GreenWindmill
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Amongst others. Pogba has a lot of locks it seems.

    13. Gringo Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      United are pushing for Pepe, 45 million deal

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk0PvCvHDKw

      1. Tsssst
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        His peak is over. They should be going for young talent if they're trying to rebuild

    14. McEwan
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Duno if they need to go defensive in their approach play as such but the defence as a group need a big upgrade. They’ve made it a lot harder than is should be with the people they have renewed contracts. The team looks pretty poor currently but 3 or 4 decent additions the picture looks a bit different. On the face of it, looks a mess atm

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        2016/17 PL: GA 29 (2nd best in the league), GF: 54 (7th best in the league)
        2017/18 PL: GA 28 (2nd best in the league), GF: 68 (5th best in the league)
        2018/19 PL: GA 54 (11th best in the league), GF: 65 (6th best in the league)

        I get that defensive football is 'boring'. But it takes years to develop style unless you have an open chequebook and top players want to join the club (do Man Utd have that now, especially with being in the EL next season?)

        Their defensive approach was working IMO and they were slowly improving from an attacking perspective.

    15. Tsssst
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      They get that young keeper they loaned to Sheffield United last season back don't they, he's a decent prospect and could share games with Romero successfully

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Nope
        He's going on loan again to blades.
        2 years of contract remaining so United are in control & player also loved the team on loan.

        1. Tsssst
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Oh didn't know that, fair play

    16. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      The main thing I’m looking for are players with desire. Players who will not stop for 90+ minutes. Players who will close down every shot. Players who will fight for every second ball. Basically would love a team of Bernardo Silvas.

      I’m seeing reports of links with Dybala. Don’t get me wrong, he is a world class player. But at this moment in time we have deeper issues.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Letting go one that kind of player in Ander herrera is a mistake too.

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          100%

      2. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        And this too, players who are happy to earn opportunity to play for such a club like MunU, to respect the club and shirt they are wearing...

    17. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      For sure CB and RB who are good enough to compete with other starters at that position in top 6, Pogba replacement for sure, and not sure they should start Lingard on the right, they need better right wing. Any other improvement is a bonus (someone better than Fred)...

    18. radawson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      That is a poor team. Not a single one of those would get near Liverpool or Man City sides

    19. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      united need to try to develop the players they have. de gea aside, who was the last player to realise their potential at the club?

      1. makaveli123
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Donald Love and McNair

    20. makaveli123
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Miles behind the best. Need to get a DOF and decide what type of football they want to play. They also have to accept that they wont challenge for a title for at least 3 years.

      1. juho
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        It remains to be seen but my fear is that OGS may not have the tactical/strategic know-how to close the gap with the rest of the top 6

        1. makaveli123
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I guess time will show (even though I share your concern regarding his abilities), but Klopp and Pep would not be able to win titles with the current squad either. So many average players and deadwood. When I look at the current squad, DDG, Shaw, Lindelof and Rashford are the only players I could see in a team challenging for the title. Pogba is a quality player, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over him leaving the team in the summer. The same goes for Lukaku, Sanchez and Martial.

          They team need a new CB (Varane?), RB (Cancelo/ WanB?), CM (Saul N.?), RW (Sancho?) and a FW. And that is the bare minimum...

    21. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Its no longer true that a great team is built on a good defense. Its a lot better to do what City and Liverpool have done; make a cracking attack and then work to fill in the missing links at the back. A team that has an attacking mentality which then adds a great defensive stem in form of good CBs and defensive mids will fare a lot better than a team with a defensive mentality that tries to add attacking players.

      I think United should focus on trying to play attacking football and accept that some games will be lost 3-2 through defensive naivety, then add some stalwart defenders afterwards.

      Liverpool looked unstable for a long time but were great offensively most of the time. They are reaping the rewards from that attacking mentality now that VVD has come in to stabilize the back.

    22. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      SO much work to be done at United. Will take a long time to rebuild. The best *feasible* XI for the United side by the beginning of the PL season would be

      DDG
      WanBissaka Lindelof Maguire Shaw
      Tielemans Gueye Rabiot
      M.Dembele Rashford Felix

      Romero(maybe Henderson?) Dalot Bailly Pereira McTominay Martial Lukaku

      And even this is STRETCHING it. And even if they got the team above, no guarantees they get the top 4.

      Sell: Pogba-Sanchez-Young-Herrera-P.Jones-Valencia-Matic

      Squad Rotation- Fred Smalling Darmian Chong Greenwood A.Gomes TFM

      Undestand that Pogba is the best player currently a United, but with him playing like he has these past 12 games or so, its not worth keeping on a World-Class player when he doesn't put in World-Class performances week in week out.

      Massive investment reuqired. Sancho would've been in I think if it werent for United missing out on the CL. Nicolas Pepe almost certainly going to bigger clubs.

    23. Poseidon.
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Here’s what id be looking at:

      Romero

      AWB Maguire Lindelof Shaw

      PogBOOM Fernandes

      Rashford Dybala JLingz

      Felix

      While clearing out the riff-raff. Should give net spend of about £40m after player sales. Easily doable for the richest club in the world (and we made our money ourselves by the way unlike oil clubs City and Liverpool).

      This wont see us challenge for the title straight away but it’s strong enough to be confident of top 4 and its young so will only get better and its attacking.

      1. Mysterion
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Shawy*

    24. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Where to begin, Not Young, Moody Martial, Pathetic (attitude) Pogba, Fred Flintstone, Lacklustre Lingard, Rash Rojo, Sacks (of cash) Sanchez...and many many more
      Our club is a laughing stock atm, lets face facts. Even if 3-4 quality players are drafted in, and we get rid of some deadwood, 4th place will still be a tough ask next season. Having a good go at Europa again might be the best and most realistic target.
      Whereas I dont necessarily believe that we need to go back to being uber defensive, Diesel001 does have a fair point. Ole certainly cant go out gung ho every game, that worked for a while with the new Manager bounce but eventually those players reverted to type and couldnt (wouldnt) put in the level of performance needed after that good run. I could go on for hours about the deeper rooted problems at the club currently but whats the point. Good luck to Ole this Summer and next season as he's going to need it big time!

    25. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      All I will add is I will be very surprised if Ole is still at the wheel come the end of next season. People will point the finger of blame at Woodward but Ole’s appointment has SAFs finger prints all over it.

    26. Coldplay
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I think first and foremost United needs a Technical Director who can bridge the gap between manager and the board. Woodward is amazing as a business director but doesn't know much about the game itself. Having said that I think United needs to rebuild from the start and not try to buy big stars and fail yet again (Sanchez, ADM, Falcao etc.). Not that I think any of the big stars would come to play Europa at United. Here's what I think should happen in the window:

      Out:
      Mata, Sanchez, Matic, Young

      In:
      Max Aarons (RB)
      Sandro Tonali (CDM)
      Bentancur (Herrera replacement)
      Chukwueze (from Villareal)
      Vinicius Junior (this is hardest but if Hazard goes to Madrid he'll struggle for gametime there)

      This would mean United's team would be:

      DDG
      Dalot/Aarons Smalling/Bailly Lindelof Shaw
      Mctominay/Tonali Bentancur Pogba
      Chukwueze/Lingard Rashy/Lukaku Martial/Vinicius

      It's an average team on paper for now, but has huge potential, which is exactly what United needs imo. A change in approach and build a team for the future.

  5. Christina.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    FFS should consider getting an interview with Mark in the off season.

    Most will be wondering...

    -How is he doing now that he has taken a step back from FFS? Missing anything?
    -How does he feel about dropping out of top 1k in week 38?
    -What's he doing these days?

    No one is interested in how some unknown character won some or other league vs a pimple faced 13 yr old from the Christmas Islands who captained Son because he didn't realize he was suspended.

    1. shirtless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Yes I agree. I was hoping he may have reappeared in Joe's absence. He seems to have sold all interest in FFS and knocked the PL show appearances on the head. Is he well? Had a breakdown? No one knows.

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I dunno, rumors were doing the round, but I don't want to speculate.

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Well it's not a rumour that he has resigned as a director, it's a fact. Maybe he's just chilling and cashed in

          1. McEwan
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Been a power struggle at FFS and someone is threatening to expose he has a second team under the alias of Ville Ronka if he didn’t walk away.

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              If they were one and the same it would mean they don't have to compete for Daniels attention

              1. McEwan
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Wouldn’t want to see Daniel end up like Fran so Mark better keep a lid on it!

                1. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  What happened to Fran? Did anyone actually care what his/her team had scored?

                  1. McEwan
                    • 14 Years
                    4 years, 10 months ago

                    Not sure, never seen for ages then Im sure I seen one comment about 4 or 5 years ago maybe. There could have been other sightings but the way the pages tick by, got no chance now.

                    Don’t think many did, but the Franpicks were always a hit!

                2. The Mighty One
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Wow. I had totally forgotten about Fran. That’s a flashback.

          2. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I'm referring to the rumour as to WHY he resigned.

            Chill pops.
            😉

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Not heard it, PM me 🙂

              1. Christina.
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                ..ok, see you in Nirvana...
                x

          3. Geoff
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            He's still very much involved behind the scenes, as I've said a few times before on here. I speak with him every week and he's still involved in all big site decisions 🙂

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              I think that what most people want to know (other than that he is well) is whether he still owns the site and if not who does?

              1. Geoff
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Ownership hasn't changed

                1. Christina.
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Nothing like still holding the shares but others need to do the work.

                  😎

                  1. Geoff
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • Has Moderation Rights
                    • 11 Years
                    4 years, 10 months ago

                    At least I get free membership 😉

                2. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Thanks, hope he is well 🙂

    2. Evil Genius
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Who's Mark?

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Thats the spirit!

    3. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah, great shout. I'll see if I can set that in motion

    4. Jeremy Corbyn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I miss Mark

    5. The Mighty One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Hulk this! Great point.

  6. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Withdrawal syndrome?

    This ones a good one:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnsrKedN4xA

  7. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Is the new season nearly here? 😀

    I keep looking on...

    Still don’t even know all the teams in the division.

  8. pjomara
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Damn, if only I'd gotten to the Cup Final I'd have won with my 80 points in GW38.
    Pity I didn't win the semi-final.....
    ...or the 1/4 final...
    ...or the 1/8 final...
    ..
    ..
    ...or the 1/262,144 final.

  9. boc610
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    City assets even more essential now. Less rotation next season with no CL.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      😉
      I hope Arsenal wins UEL too.

    2. pjomara
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      No CL = no Guardiola either though

  10. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Wow, 5 hours and not a page has passed. I wish I could switch off from FPL as easily as everyone else!

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Just one more week. One more fix

    2. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      much nicer being able to read about football rather than constant RMT posts

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Just wait until people start posting rmt’s with players who haven’t even been signed yet, let alone got prices 🙄

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Neymar Bale Griezmann Dybala etc will be floating about in the RMTs in no time.

          Modestly priced at 9m each of course.

    3. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Another few weeks of this 🙂

      For the last time this week I'll promote the Sort By Ranking feature.. it keeps the same conversations top and makes sustained conversations easier. Not as useful now as in the middle of the season to be fair, but worth changing to that as default.

      Equally, talking in Hot Topics is a good way to get consistent talk about specific topics. It's threads essentially, and people should feel free to write their own comments that we can make Hot Topics.

      And finally, Members Only comments and Members Only articles can really grow next year. This isn't a full Members Area but it can be pretty close if people want it to be and embrace it. A member can write an article with data in it and it'll be a Community Article for Members Only - that allows us to talk about data, in a sustained and concentrated way. It would be great if people wrote more comments with data in them about interesting topics, which we can make Members Only.

      There are ways to have these directed conversations without a whole lot of real tweaks made to the site!

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        What is the point of members only comments? You think members don’t post crap and every non member does?

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          The point of Members Only comments are for Members to discuss stats without the stats and data being visible to people who cant access the Members Area

          1. Wild Rover
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            That’s fair enough but I’d be surprised if that’s all it’s used for

            1. Geoff
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Only one way to find out 😉

              But to be fair, it hasn't been used as a 'let's be elitist' area to this point, though of course there's potential for that. That potential is one of the reasons I haven't pushed for a full Members Only chat area

              1. Wild Rover
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                This is my first year as a non member. I supported it for many years when imo the quality was higher and the income lower. No offence, I have nothing against you personally 🙂

                1. Geoff
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Yeah, I know you have been in the past 🙂

                  Hopefully the quality goes up as some of the tweaks I've put in start to make a difference. High quality posters mean high quality posts, so I'll keep trying to get things through that help users find the conversations they want more easily

                  1. Wild Rover
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 10 months ago

                    Tbh apart from the season ticker and sometimes rmt tool I never got any benefit from members area as I’m not into stats. It was mainly to give financial support but I feel it has grown to the extent they don’t need my £12.50 ‘gift’ anymore 🙂

      2. Make Arrows Green Again
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Hi Geoff,

        A few month ago I suggested, and you confirmed you were considering, a kind of sandbox transfer/planning system where you could put your team in and plan several gameweeks in advance with the fixtures showing. I see it as a bit like the 'my team' screen in FPL but with the ability to skip ahead more than one week in the future - and also to be able to put in hypothetical transfer plans so users can see how they are set up for future weeks.

        I wonder if this is still part of your plans and if you have made any progress? I would be very happy to help share ideas, test etc.

        Cheers.

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I'm meeting with tech to discuss plans and things I have prioritized this week, so hopefully I'll have a bit of an update next Monday. Then next week I'll ask for more user suggestions and go through those, although I already have a big list of them.

          The way I see this working is increased functionality for RMT - the ability to save drafts, remove GWs, add in more complex transfer plans.

          1. Make Arrows Green Again
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Thanks Geoff, yes I suppose it makes most sense for it to be part of RMT. The minimum viable product, the way I see it, is to load a team against the fixtures to be able to skip, say, 5 GWs in the future and see exactly who each player in your team is due to face.

            Then a very much 'nice to have' would be "how could my team look in the future if I made x number of transfers?". I know this wouldn't be perfect as price changes might price out certain future moves, but it would still be helpful.

            1. Geoff
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Yeah, totally agree that would be useful

        2. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          That’s one of the most annoying things about FPL, when I click next week I want to see my players showing who they play that week, not the current week

          1. Make Arrows Green Again
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I agree and the more obsessed you get the more limiting you find the shortage of forward-planning tools. I was amazed by the number of people who said, at the time, "I don't need that - I can do that with spreadsheets"!

            I mean, great, but how many of us have the time? 🙂

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              I’m no expert but I’d imagine ifs not a difficult thing to introduce for FPL

              1. Make Arrows Green Again
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                I would imagine it would be a basic extension of the code which produces the next (single) set of fixtures. But I am a coding ignoramus, soooo

      3. Darth_Krid
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        This season I think I counted five Members-only Hot Topics. I think they're a good idea but were very infrequently used...is this something you're going to target next season? Or was the fact there were few of them because of lack of responses?

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          A bit of both.

          I'm going to try to write more of them, and get mods to write more for next season, and hopefully get a few users to write some as well. But hopefully the response rate is higher too.

          With a bit more attention they'll be more detailed and interesting, which will help response rate

          1. Rotation's Alter Ego
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Is there any way for members to post comments intended to be members only, other than contacting you and pre-arranging?

            I'll always happily make people's comments members only if it's what they want, but it doesn't feel a very easy procedure.

            It is a great tool though. I plan on hopefully trying to get some regular ones out next year.

            1. Geoff
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              No, it's not easy right now - people either have to pre-arrange or submit and flag, but then it's up as fully accessible for a bit.

              Hopefully there will be a 'submit members only comment' option in the future, which would be reviewed by a mod and then go onto the latest article as the newest comment and members only

          2. Darth_Krid
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I'm always interested in discussing stats etc as I'm not a great interpreter of data or navigating around the Members area (I subscribe mainly for the articles), so that would help in that regard.

            I don't think just a standard Members-only chat would separate that much wheat from the chaff - any lurker or gravless can fork out for membership and spam RMTs everywhere but on specific topics you'd get good discussion.

        2. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          They are infrequently used because very few people write them. Personally I wasnt even a member this season but I dont really see why I should write a good, data driven post when theres so many posters on here who contribute nothing. I contributed quite a lot in pre-season before this season but it felt very thankless when you are being swarmed out by people who just post a RMT and move along without answering any questions back or participate in any meaningful discussions.

          Its a bit egoistic train of thought for sure but it just feels bad to contribute and share analysis knowing people who are ultimately competitors will read your stuff and you get nothing back. The ratio of leeches to good posters seems very unbalanced to me. But there are also some cracking posters here.

  11. Which relegated players will be in the Premier League next season?
    pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Who do we expect back from the relegated teams? Liverpool have picked up Robbo Wijnaldum and Shaq recently - some bargains must be around.

    Babel and Mitro spring to mind. Could Sessegnon move? Mooy? And the great Karlan of course

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Babel off to Turkey...pity. Mitro to China?

    2. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Camarasa could come back in the PL, Etheridge maybe?

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        He was just on loan no? Seem to remember a kerfuffle with medics when he was injured. Wouldn’t mind seeing him back

        1. HamezMace
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I think the kerfuffle was due to him having his own private medical team, separate from the club.

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      most likely none

    4. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Camarasa, Mooy were on loan.

      Babel, Mitrovic, Sessengon, Etheridge, Llossl all could find PL buyers imo

      1. EMBOLOFAN
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        you have to be joking about lossl

      2. EMBOLOFAN
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        and sessegnon quite frankly

      3. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Hadn’t realised Mooy was a loan too. I guess Sessegnon will be the prime target.

        There isn’t - which always surprises - much of a record of teams bouncing back up and Fulham don’t really fit the mould of those that have - Burnley, WH Newcastle (probably missing one there)

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          did sessegnon impress you this season?

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            No.

            But then again Fulham were so dysfunctional that it’d be hard for anyone to shine. It’s not just they were bad but so confused.

            He’s still a babe really and has the potential. His flip this season might mean he’d be priced more rationally than this time last year.

            All that said I wouldn’t really fancy him at Palace so you might be right!!!

            1. EMBOLOFAN
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              i would be shocked if he got a move to a big club. think he’s been found out massively this season.

              1. pingissimus
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                I think you’re right to this extent - he won’t be close to being a starter for a big club. But I can still see someone coming in for him to groom him for the future.

                Way back in the day Liverpool were famous for not playing new signings (bar Keegan) for about a season. Much the same has happened this year with Keita. And then there’s the recent Chelsea model of signing for loans. That sort of move could happen perhaps.

                1. EMBOLOFAN
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  always wary of these players who look the part age 17/18. always end up tailing off in their development

                2. RedLightning
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  That was when there were no substitutions and little rotation and Liverpool Reserves were the second best team on Merseyside (according to Liverpool supporters anyway - Everton supporters thought that Everton Reserves were the second best team) and were perma-champions of the Central League.

                  Top clubs don't have proper reserve teams these days (apart from their Under 23 teams), so new signings (apart from young players signed for the future) can go straight into the first team squad instead.

                  1. pingissimus
                    • 5 Years
                    4 years, 10 months ago

                    I guess.

                    But I’m fascinated to see what moves Liverpool make in this window. A playable left back is obvious and Milner can’t go in filling gaps forever but it’s already a great squad with no obvious holes with Ox and Lallana presumably back in contention.

                    Is it possible Klopp will look to sign prospects? Or is a permanent partner for VVD what’s going to happen

                    1. RedLightning
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • Has Moderation Rights
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 10 months ago

                      We know one thing - he won't settle for second best.

                      When he couldn't persuade Southampton to let him have VVD as soon as he would have liked, he didn't go away and sign a second-rate alternative.
                      Instead he waited until VVD did become available and was prepared to pay what appeared at the time to be an exorbitant fee for him - but time has proved that his judgement was excellent, and the acquisition of VVD and Alisson together with the emergence of Robertson and Alexander-Arnold has transformed Liverpool from a team with a strong attack but suspect defence into one of outstanding all-round excellence.

                    2. Dr Van Nostrand
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 8 Years
                      4 years, 10 months ago

                      Lallana is perma crocked and past it anyways. Ox could be a real bargain esp with the front 3 off at tourneys this summer.

                      Seems Kloppo won't be spending big wants young hungry players now so maybe just another somewhat expensive forward

    5. Andy'81
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Can see Niasse going out on loan again to a bottom level Prem team, maybe Norwich as back up to Pukki as I don't see much depth there for them.

      I like Mooy from Huddersfield but he looked a lot better back in the Championship.

      Most of the big names are at Fulham but their owners still have plenty of cash and might take the risk of keeping that squad together to get straight back into the Prem again. You'd fancy Fulham to bounce straight back with that squad as they've massively under achieved this season.

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        As per Stoke?

        My problem with Fulham is twofold. They’ve ditched just about every player that took them up last time and they’ve lost their playing identity through constant managerial change.

        Lots of quality in the championship. Bottom half would be my guess.

    6. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Cardiff
      Victor Camarasa will be of interest as a bench player for a top club.
      Neil Etheridge will be of interest to a mid-table club if they want a GK (Watford, Bournemouth?)
      Josh Murphy will be of interest to a lower level club (Newcastle, Burnley, Norwich?)

      Fulham
      Sessegnon will be of interest as a bench player for a top club (Man Utd, Liverpool)
      Chambers will get a go at Arsenal after the calamity of Mustafi and Koscielny's injury problems
      Mitrovic will be of interest to a lot of mid-table and lower level clubs (Everton, Southampton, Burnley, Palace etc.)

      Huddersfield
      Can't really see much interest in their players tbh. Perhaps Zanka and Kongolo will move overseas to mid-table clubs in weaker leagues.

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Why does everyone slag off Mustafi but not Sokratis? He’s always looked worse whenever I’ve seen them

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Sokratis isn't great, but beggars can't be choosers and Mustafi definitely makes more mistakes than Sokratis. Mustafi sometimes appears afraid to head the ball and he loves going to ground way too much.

    7. avfc82
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I'd like to see someone move for Philip Billing. He's still only 22 and David Wagner spoke very highly of him.

      Aaron Mooy too, Saints have been linked recently.

      Also, Tom Cairney at Fulham. Has struggled this year, as have most at Fulham, but he was a key part of their promotion team and I was impressed with him the season they went up.

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Big game for Villa today. But I do worry that you are too dependent on loan signings + Jack Grealish.

        1. avfc82
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          It's huge isn't it! We were the better side on Saturday and won, but you never know in these types of game. Grealish is class, deserves to be playing in the top tier, with or without us. If he goes, Tom Cairney is actually the type of player I'd like to see us move for.

    8. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Cardiff - Etheridge SHOULD be back in the League. Top class player. Mendez Laing, maybe? Many have had great moments from Cardiff, but Etheridge probably the only one to show it consistently.

      Fulham - Mitrovic definitely back in, as well as Sessegnon. Cairney would be an interesting punt for a PL side, has shown glimpses of quality. Rico probably will get back to Spain, me thinks.

      Huddersfield - Karlan Grant would be a HUGE punt for a PL club to take. Talent is definitely there, but probably a risk too far to grab him. Kongolo I think might have an outside chance of a move, but perhaps not in the PL. Lossl already rumoured to return to the Bundesliga.

    9. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Mooy had a decent first season in the PL at Huddersfield, he was basically their talisman. Not looked so good this year but Huddersfield have been hopeless as a unite. I think he could do a squad job for many lower table clubs.

      Babel is easily good enough to play in the PL (he is better than players like Lingard), should be picked up by a mid or low table side.

      Mendez-Laing looked decent in the last matches, granted I cant say Ive watched much of Cardiff.

      Schurrle will surely move from Fulham, he could be good in the right team. Very good counterattacking player still.

      I dont like Mitro. The PL has almost entirely moved away from the big centre forward player. Is there a single team who plays a forward like that with Fulham going down?

      1. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Babel, completely overlooked him here haha, just like I have all season lol. Yeah, can see him going midtable, like Southampton/Palace etc.
        Schurlle nah, I personally don't rate him.
        Mitro, Saints could do with a big centre forward imo. Pelle-esque.
        Mooy was a gift to the PL in that first season, agree can see him as a rotation option for a team like Palace or Brighton

    10. asquishypotato
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Cardiff had the feel of a championship team that bought championship players. Camarasa will be off. Ether idle did a good job and I can see a team with an ageing goalkeeper grabbing him. Josh amurphy off to a Bournemouth or a Southampton maybe? But I think a lot will be retained.

      Huddersfield will lose bits and pieces here and there. Billing looks like he has potential, a bit similar to a Dembele for spurs in some ways. Lossl off to Germany but he’s not been great. Kongolo has got potential for a club however. Grant to stay to try and bring them back up. Mooy will stick around I think, tidy enough player.

      Fulham to get torn apart however, Mitro off, he still has potential. Babel gone, Chambers loan return. Rico gone. Think Cairny will stay as captain. Sess might just want game time which he is guarenteed at a level he knows, so not convinced he will leave.

    11. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Joe Bryan would do a decent job for any mid to lower table side. Fantastic left footed delivery but could not of been easy in your first season with three managers. Best as a wing back

    12. Speédy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Can't see any of Seri,Chambers,Mitro,Sessegnon,Schurrle,Anguissa stay at Fulham. Where they go is another matter.
      Not much talent at other 2 clubs though.

  12. captainjilflex
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Well end of another season. My first as a FFS member. Season didn’t go as I would have hoped but will be back next season. Thanks to all the FFS team for all the great content and to everyone who I interacted with on the site. See you in preseason.

    1. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers, have a good summer off 🙂

      1. captainjilflex
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        And you

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      This IS preseason 😉

      1. captainjilflex
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Not for me. I need a break from this stress

    3. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Enjoy the beak and see you next year firing om all cylinders! 🙂

  13. FPL price manipulators are …
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    I come here when I need a few minutes of peace

  14. Geoff
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Not all posts promoting other sites for discussion will be removed, but some will.

    Coming on FFS just to post about some other place people should be going to post isn't encouraged 😀

    1. #FPLBhuna
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Wasn't instead of, it was in addition to but each to their own.

    2. Richd
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      There’s other sites ?

      1. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Have an upvote 😉

    3. Ziro
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      http://www.twitter.com and http://www.fantasy.premierleague.com to be banned then? 😛

      1. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Insubordination, have yourself a ban 😉

    4. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Geoff, with all respect do you really think I will become a member on here and pay to promote another site? We at the other site(Don't worry I wont mention them) do not need members thank you.

      Do yourself a favor and look at my history lately. I've posted enough football related posts.

      Besides, no reason why one can't post on here and be part of another site. Or is that forbidden. Posts like yours are one of the reasons people became p-offed with FFS.

      Not everyone on here is 13 yrs old and needs their asses wiped. And no, I wont be emailing you.

      1. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I don't think I quite understand the first bit of that, but I don't have a problem with you or your posting style! I haven't had any problems with you or Nirvana since I started, and I don't now.

        It's not forbidden, and this post wasn't targeted at you; there were three posts by three different users in about 20 on this page that were telling people to go to other places to post.

        And I was in a big Whatsapp group this season as well as on here, I don't mind crossover.

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I think the difference here is that Spud was inviting one person to join an invite only site, the others were just openly advertising other sites to all.

          1. Geoff
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Yeah, I think the best way to do invites is the 'hey [username], mind sending me an email?' format, I don't mind those at all and what people do off here is all fine.

            It's the open advertising like you say that's a problem. I removed all three, and didn't mean to target anyone

            1. FFSbet.com
              • 8 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Hey, teachers, leave them kids alone

            2. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              So for clarity, are we not allowed to say how good another FPL-discussion site is, as that is all Christina was doing "wrong" as far as I can see?

              I also had a post removed the other day that said (in response to someone suggesting that all the best posters from her from the old days have moved to Twitter) that all the best posters from the old days on here were posting on the named other site - is that against the T&Cs as well?

              1. Geoff
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                I don't know, I can look into that post from before if you'd like.

                On the clarity question, you guys have been around long enough to generally know what's allowed and what isn't. Of course you're allowed to say another site is good. Sometimes the promotion is too much and it isn't allowed.

                1. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  I think we knew a couple of years ago what was and wasn't allowed - seems nowadays it is more around which mod happens to be around and how much they dislike you!

        2. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          ''Coming on FFS just to post about some other place people should be going to post isn't encouraged " - ...my first bit is in response to this...

          I don't just come on FFS to tell people to leave. I'm a paid member. I post on here. About fantasy football.

          If I happen to see someone on here that I recognize from wonks ago(Eg Mcewan) then I tell them about an alternative. It's usually folk that have left FFS. I honestly can't see why they can't be made aware of the other site. Most of them seems to be paying members anyway that use all the bells and whistles that FFS provide(the best in the business btw) but they avoid the forum.

          It's difficult to convince people to send you an email if you aren't allowed to tell them what's it about.

          1. Geoff
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Ah I see Christina, yeah that wasn't talking about you. I know you're a paid member, I know you post on here, and I know it's about fantasy football.

            The minute I saw your suggestion about a Mark interview I put it in the editorial queue.

          2. Wild Rover
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            I can think of more than one recently who thought they were being groomed 😆

            1. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              They were being groomed tbf 😉

    5. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      all this bickering is somehow worse than RMT posts

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Don't worry, you won't be invited.

        😆

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          to what? lol

          1. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            ...to the place I'm not allowed to mention on here...keep up at the back please.

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              🙂

            2. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              15 k is the new 4k

      2. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Nothing is worse than continuous RMTs.

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          believed that until today

          1. Debauchy
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Nah, a bit of bickering all good , as long as banter prevails

          2. Gnu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Lordy, what you on about now Willis?

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              😆 this place needs a Willis

              1. Gnu
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Howdy, haven't seen you over by?

                1. Debauchy
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Hi Gnu, been in. Be back soon, still celebrating hitting the money in EFs ml

  15. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    18-19 FINAL INDIVIDUAL POINT TOTALS

    https://images2.imgbox.com/23/d1/u1WReBDS_o.png

    1. The 5% Team
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      midfielders points aren't correct

    2. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Bit of a cockup on the midfielders front
      18-19 FINAL INDIVIDUAL POINT TOTALS
      https://images2.imgbox.com/19/5d/LYWj4w1B_o.png

  16. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Here's Man City players singing about a player getting injured and a fan nearly being beaten to death.

    https://twitter.com/YourMCFC/status/1128273265603039232

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Is this you hosting the pilot episode for a show to replace Jeremy Kyle?

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Up next, the lie detector tests. City players up first.

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Or their accountants

    2. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      club with no history trying to create a rivalry where it doesnt exist. nobody cares about city

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        No history ... care to explain?

  17. keotes
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Does anyone know when HOF will be updated? Would love to see my updated rank now that the season has ended.....

    1. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah, I'm thinking we'll do it later this week. No promises, but that shouldn't be a problem

      1. keotes
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Awesome! Thanks

  18. To Mee To You
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Thank you, goodbye and good luck!

  19. EMBOLOFAN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    hope leicester get tielemans. think they can challenge united and a hazardless chelsea if they do.

    1. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Meatpiesaugeroll around ?

    2. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      That trio midfield of Tielemans, Madisson and Ndidi compliment each other so much. If Leicester get Tielemans and keep Maguire as well as the rest of their XI, can see them cracking top six.

    3. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Yea really hope they keep him. Would be great for the league. They could very well push for top 4. Spurs, United and Arsenal should worry. I think Chelsea will do ok because Sarri is quality.

      1. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        If Emery is not backed in the summer, they will lose out on top 4 again. No point having a Top Class forward line when the defence is kack. What's the point of a layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?

        Spurs, I wouldn't worry, Poch always finds a way to reach his minimum objectives. He could find a way to traverse the Pacific with only a shoestring.

        Chelsea is the dark horse here with Hazard gone. Will be interesing to see how they setup. Will they spend big bucks? Will they integrate the kids? Will Sarriball finally stick? Difficult to say. Will watch very closely.

        United are at LEAST 2 seasons from seriously challenging for fourth. Yep, can see Wolves/Leicester and even Everton overtaking them if they continue this downward spiral to mediocrity.

        1. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          This re Arsenal. And unless the club is sold he will NOT be backed. Harped on about this for many a year when all and sundry were blaming Wenger. Kroenke is in it for the business only, no love and passion for the game.

          1. Differential C (Mark)
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Sad to see teams like yours and Newcastle taken advantaged of. Hope you get the owner that you want and need.
            An Arsenal fan friend of mine was of the opinion of WengerOut back then, not because he was doing a bad job, but the mere mention of his name breeded toxicity among Arsenal supporters during his final year or two at AFC. A new manager was needed to clean the slate and start over. A new, positive atmosphere was needed to allow the club to rebuild, and no way was that happening when many if not most fans opinions were already made up about Wenger.
            Winning the Europa League is crucial, this is a season breaker for the window. No UCL could very much mean no top class signings, and no top class signings mean very little chance of getting top 4. And repeat.

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              Yeah agree was time for Wenger to go .But was pissed at those fans pointing the finger at him whilst Kroenke sat in his lounge sipping his cognac. Wenger's problem was that he became a company man and dont think he challenged the directors . Wenger turned Arsenal around when he came in and gave fans many years of entertaining football. I will always remember him for that.

              1. Wild Rover
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                Didn’t it start going wrong when Dein left?

                1. Debauchy
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Not sure WR, but felt that Arsene was given a free rein to do it all with little support. He loved the club so much he never questioned the board, my opinion. Old gits (I'm one) do become fn stubborn though and that was a weakness

  20. Lateriser 12
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Evening ladies.

    1. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Hey Later , how did you end up. Tough old season for most but enjoyable nonetheless

      1. Lateriser 12
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Ended at 12k. I'm going to have a banger next season mind.

        1. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Pretty good rank this season , so different to past ones.I got 11 of 12 green arrows from 26 to 38 and only got to 25k. Few mistakes but hey ho

    2. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      x

      1. Lateriser 12
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Spud, i want glory again next season.

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          lets do it!

  21. New Post
  22. PEP_TALK
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    What I would like to see added to FPL in order to make for a much more interesting Cup Competition (rather than playing and losing early doors to some random manager you don't even know) is the ability to set up your own cup competitions in FPL as part of a mini league season.

    Surely this would be doable as it's not too far different from a head-to-head league.

    Or you could set up a Champions League style competition ... whereby the mini league teams are split into groups with head-to-head matches to decide the group winner (and maybe runners up) who then progress to knockout rounds. Running alongside a classic mini league.

    What do you all think of these ideas?

  23. Sharky’s Machine
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    long time lurker, what do I need to do to find out where I stand in the Hall of fame if at all ?
    I’ve never joined any scout leagues nor been a member, I’m looking for that to change next season, I’ve done ok over the last few seasons with overall ranks of 421, 6322, 2102, 72013 and this season 1083, thank you.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Need to join the FFS League next season. That's where they get the info from.

      1. Sharky’s Machine
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Thank you

      2. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers TM

    2. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Not sure but think you need to join the Scout league. Then go yo HOF and enter team I'd.

      1. Sharky’s Machine
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        I had a feeling that was the case, thank you

  24. FPL Maldini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    What league position did you need to get on the FFS league to qualify for the H2H next year?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      With so many leagues, it shouldn't matter.
      Which division and demand are the things to work out.