Allsvenskan Fantasy

Fantasy Allsvenskan GW14 Pre-match Preamble

Three Gameweeks away from a more normal schedule (well, potentially not for the clubs qualifying for Europe), I find myself getting more and more invested in the game, as a stark contrast to the feelings of tiredness and borderline boredom that accompanied the first nine Gameweeks of the season. After a nice boost from a Park The Bus chip deployed in Gameweek 10, I’ve taken a number of punts with varied success, for every Jo Inge Berget, there’s been a Nabil Bahoui. What I think I’ve accidentally stumbled upon lately though is the xFun factor, where playing to your own strengths and not being too caught up in the metagame around it all leads to a much more enjoyable experience, regardless of the actual outcome.

For some like myself, that includes taking frequent hits and chasing upside players, something generally frowned upon in the community. For others, it’s sticking with a carefully laid out strategic plan, avoiding hits and seeing that patience eventually pay off. There are managers who get their kicks from going in heavy on the club they support, avoiding rival clubs’ players despite their fantasy prospects. There are those who avoid players that they’ve been burned by in the past, and those who keep returning to underperforming players based on nostalgia and a vague hope of them rediscovering their form of yesteryear… And that’s just scratching the surface of different kinds of fantasy managers, but I think it’s important to remember why we’re in it in the end – to have fun. Fantasy football is a distraction from a life and a world that’s increasingly complex and tough, and we sometimes need to take a step back and try to enjoy both the roughs and the smooths, the incredible Gameweeks where everything goes your way, and the bad ones, where rotation hits and you struggle to field 11 players.

Fantasy football is, for all of us here in this small community, a big part of life and for some, it’s a way of living and a very time-consuming devotion. For others, it’s just a cherry on the cake, the additional spice in an already superbly tasting cocktail, and the inevitable backhand to the face when it proverbially hits the fan. It’s a game about a game and we’re all rolling the dice each week, taking our best stab at being on the right side of luck and probability – which is part of the attraction. Beating the odds, proving to ourselves and others that we “know what we’re doing”, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. I think the problem stems from not realising that we can make the best calls possible with the information at hand, and still be on the wrong side of it though.

That’s why it’s so nice to have a group of likeminded people to discuss with and both gather and contribute information to about players and teams, about transfer thoughts, captains and chip-plans. As long as you play your own game and try to remember what brought you to fantasy football in the first place, what makes you happy and content with a Gameweek or a season – plenty of points is a perfectly acceptable answer to that, though it’s not really in your hands even if you can make it more or less likely.

Taking all of this into account, I intend to let the xFun factor dictate a lot more this season and see how it pans out. Maybe it leads to a good rank, maybe it doesn’t. Regardless, I expect I’ll be a lot more relaxed, happy, and able to enjoy the game for what it is – rather than what I want it to be.

As always, if you want to chat about fantasy football either comment here below – or hit me up @FF_Meltens on Twitter!

170 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Dropped 20% in ranking with that Sugita/Vecchia goal. Only own Vecchia and didn’t Cap him so there you go..

    1. MTPockets
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Sugia/Vecchia goals are the best goals

        1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          🙂

      • Stats Don\'t Lie
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        It's still really tight high up the rankings! I rose about 30% in rank with Vecchia (C) and Sugita in my team

        1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Nice one! I need Bergmann or Söderlund to go nuts in the 2nd to climb.
          Been trying to close down the 60 point gap nr1 has for a while but it’s a constant it seems

          1. Stats Don\'t Lie
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Yeah. My only solace is that the number 1 has used 2 Caps AND PTB. Can't seem to close that 80 point gap though. Wouldn't mind a Soderlund madness before selling next gw!

    2. Bob Sacamano
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      So, looks like GW20 will be a DGW! Not the most exciting teams - Elfsborg, Mjällby, Falkenberg and Varberg - but could be worth using a chip on. "Attack" with Selmani and Karlsson, or "Two captains" with Karlsson and Larsson could be an idea.

      1. Meltens
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Very interesting! When will they have their respective blanks then?

        1. Bob Sacamano
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Blank GW19 and DGW20 in that case, so it will be difficult to maximize it. I'm already on 3 x Elfsborg, and to be honest, I'm not very tempted to load up on players from Mjällby, Varberg and Falkenberg just because of a DGW.

          I'm currently on 3xElfsborg (one being GK), 1xVarberg and 1xMjällby, so that would mean I could only field 10 players in GW19 if all fit. Not ideal, but I want all of them long term and especially in GW20. I could potentially ship one player for GW19 to field XI, and then bring him straight back in for GW20 with just a small loss of value, but that would cost me 2FT, so I'm not sure it's worth it.

          1. Meltens
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Hmm that's a very annoying set up then, what's the reason behind the proposed DGW? None of the teams are involved in any European qualifiers?

            I'd like to get Ogbu in and just got Selmani in, so an upcoming blank would be quite annoying even if followed by a DGW.

            1. Stats Don\'t Lie
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Particularly frustrating as I was looking to replace Sugita with ogbu in gw 19

      2. Stats Don\'t Lie
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Oooh, this came out of nowhere! Could change my chip plans for this gw...

    3. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      DGW 21 confirmed. Gonna be effing EPIC!!!

      1. Stats Don\'t Lie
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        It's gw21 now? Is it still a gw19 blank?

        1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Oh yeah.

          1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            And I’ve got a cunning plan...
            As nr 1 has blown 2 chips we now get a decent opportunity to close the gap. Question is if he will use his wc for 21, he’s decently set up now but nowhere near optimal. Many possibilities to think about now for us.

            1. Stats Don\'t Lie
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              It's a real shame about the teams in the dgw as it makes the PTB chip unappealing. I was planning to play my Attack! chip this gw, but maybe I should save it now? Could play PTB this gw instead...

              1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Yeah this opportunity for a dgw swayed me to hold off this week but again early doors

      2. Stats Don\'t Lie
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Hmmmm, gw20 or gw22 WC looks good.

        1. Bob Sacamano
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          The absolutely worst thing that could happen to my season. Weeks of planning going to waste because of some completely bizarre schedule change, with 4 teams who's got no reason what so ever to move any games at all.

          Have cooked it down to three different plans:
          A) Playing max 10 men in GW19, and 6 with DGW in 21.
          B) Play (in best case) 11 men in GW19, and 5 with DGW in 21
          C) Play wildcard in GW20 to set up for GDW21.

          All plans looks equally s**t, and I hate them all, so I really don't know what to do now?

          It's even more difficult when 3 of the teams in DGW21 are absolutely terrible. It's not very tempting to load up on players from Mjällby, Varberg and Falkenberg just because it's a DGW, especially if it takes a wildcard to do so, because then I'll sit in GW22 with a whole lot of dead wood.

          As it looks now, I might settle with 10 players in GW19, hoping for the best. Having one player out could still be just a 2p loss, which I can live with. Then I'll still have 6 DGW players in GW21, and can play my wildcard in GW23.

          1. Stats Don\'t Lie
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            I must say, I feel like the majority of active and high up managers will have at least 5 in that dgw:

            3 from IFE (Karlsson, Frick, Larsson, Vaisanen, Ronning)
            Ogbu
            Seljmani

            Personally I reckon there could be an option or two in the falkenberg lines, or maybe Tranberg becomes a starter at Varberg?

          2. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            As I see it.
            Elfsborg: Karlsson, Larsson and Frick.
            Mjällby: Ogbu, Löfqvist.
            Falkenberg; Söderström and Carlsson.
            Varberg: Selmani.

            These are the only viable picks in my mind.

            I’ll be sure to have the 3 Elfsborg.
            Already got Selmani and that’s it from Varberg.
            Mjällby: I ‘ll sure own Ogbu, perhaps Löfqvist*
            FFF: one of the 2 suggested at most.

            Conclusion 6 dgw:ers for me.
            Highly likely to play attack on dgw.
            But still early doors.

            1. Bob Sacamano
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Completely agree with you!

              People tend to get carried away during DGW's, loading up on DGW-players, not thinking about the fact that the team or the player can be rubbish.

              After working on my team last night, I came to the conclusion that I'll defenitly not play my wildcard in GW20. The options left would then be to play 10 players in GW19 and 6 DGW in 21, or to play 11 in GW19 and 5 DGW in 21. After making all kinds of comparation, playing 10 in GW19 actually looks best for my team. I'll try to compensate for it by bringing in a premium striker in GW19-20 as a short term punt.

              I made a mistake this week which I'll pay for. I made an early substitution to bring in Ogbu, which means I can only get 10 starting players (at best) in GW19. Not ideal, but I will have to think that it could be just a 2-3p difference from having another midpriced midfielder. Will then hopefully be able to play 6 or even 7 DGW-players in 21, rolling out the "Attack"-chip.