Football Index

Football Index: Fixture congestion means more In-Play Dividend possibilities


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The final international break of the year is almost done and normality can return – or what passes for ‘normality’ in this unpredictable 2020/21 campaign, anyway.

There’s certainly going to be no let-up in the madness of it all over the next month and a bit, with many clubs in action twice a week right the way through until the New Year.

But how will that affect your Football Index chances? Potentially rather well, as it happens.

For those that don’t know, Football Index (FI) is a kind of stock market where people use real money to bet on football.

You buy shares in individual players whose value can rise or fall depending on their performance both on and off the field.

I’m actively using FI this season with more than a nod to Fantasy Premier League (FPL), seeing which aspects of each game marry up, and which don’t.

Whatever type of football game you might currently be playing, this time of the year is always a busy one. But in keeping with the, let’s just say, different nature of this season, you’d need an ‘insanely’ in front of that ‘busy’ to adequately describe things from now until the start of 2021.

This could be a good time to place a bet in Football Index, then, with In-Play Dividends (IPDs) awarded for goals, assists and clean sheets for the first 30 days that you own a share in a player.

Unlike FPL, Football Index managers can earn performance dividends from European competitions, meaning the three rounds of UEFA Champions League and Europa League fixtures still to be played between now and early December could bring in extra earnings while also boosting share price values.

So there’s plenty of opportunity to find some good earners from the seven Premier League clubs who are playing on the continent over the next few weeks: these sides will, depending on the TV schedule, face up to nine fixtures in the 30 days from Gameweek 9 inclusive.

Domestically, the Manchester teams have decent schedules over the next few weeks, although they do face each other in Gameweek 12.

City’s home matches look particularly inviting, with Burnley, Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle to come before the year’s end.

Ferran Torres (£1.56) has been used sparingly by Pep Guardiola since his summer move, but he announced himself to many with a hat-trick for Spain against Germany this week.

Someone with even fewer Premier League minutes (109 v Torres’ 239) is Sergio Aguero (£1.38).

The striker seems to be recovering well from a hamstring injury picked up at West Ham last month and although Guardiola will have to manage his pitch-time when he returns, his proven pedigree and relative freshness could mean he has a big role to play over the festive fixture pile-up.

Over at United, their winless start to the league season at home will take some of the shine off an otherwise solid schedule.

If you’ve got the money, the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes (£6.63) is expensive, but he’s started every league match (and two of three Champions League games) this campaign and has five goals and three assists to his name domestically.

And if you want fresher blood, Alex Telles (£1.71) seems to have put his COVID-19 issues behind him and could finally get a good run in the side with Luke Shaw currently out with a hamstring injury.

Another under-used player has been Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech (£3.00).

He’s now fit and firing, with a goal and three assists from his first two league starts for the Blues, and looks under-priced.

As for the final member of the Champions League contingent, Liverpool, their defensive crisis might tempt a trade for centre-half Nathaniel Phillips (£0.52), although the Reds have managed just one clean sheet in the league all season.

Instead, it could be a case of turning misfortune – the positive COVID test involving Mohamed Salah (£3.11) – into success.

The Egyptian is currently in self-isolation, meaning he won’t be available for the Reds in the short-term.

He is, however, not showing any symptoms, which suggests he’ll be fit and ready to play once he’s clear of the virus.

Salah is having an excellent season, with eight goals in the league already. An enforced lay-off could well mean he’ll be fresh and in-form just when opponents are in desperate need of a rest.

Keep an eye on Jurgen Klopp’s virtual media gatherings, then, for word on the Egyptian’s return – Salah has been a prolific performer over the festive period in the last few years and he could rack up plenty of goals and assists in a multi-game, 30-day IPD window.

He’s also bound to get plenty of coverage in the press as his recovery is monitored, which could lead to some Media Dividends.


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408 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Nespinha
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Fill in the two spots (only 3 play):

    Bellerin / KWP / ____ / ____ / Mitchel

    A) Cancelo + Coufal
    B) Cresswell + Lamptey

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A for City’s upcoming fixtures

    2. LegendMoon
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Why Bellerín ?
      A out of the options but if on WC lose Bellerín

      1. Nespinha
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        not on WC, bellerin is already in unfortunately

    3. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Get rid of Bellerin and bring in Cancelo and Cresswell.

  2. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Vardy(C)

    1. King of Kings.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I'm with you.

  3. iL PiStOlErO
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Lost in this crazy situation. WC or just use 2ft?

    Mendy Steer
    TAA Justin Mitchell KWP Taylor
    Salah Sterling Son Romeu Bissouma
    Kane DCL Watkins

    0itb, 2ft

    1. No Salah
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      2FT

      TAA to Cresswell
      Salah to Bruno

  4. dando89
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Which 2 to play?

    Semedo
    Reguilon
    KWP

    Or sell one for Creswell (-4)?

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Sell Reguilon for Cresswell

    2. Brehmeren
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Don't take hits for defenders. Bench Reguilon.

  5. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Salah to Bruno here? Concern is not being able to get salah back (bought for 12.0), 0.0itb 1FT.

    Martinez
    Chilwell lamptey balbuena
    Salah sterling son soucek
    Vardy Werner dcl

    Forster Mitchell Burke dunne

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Thinking about or done already?
      I got rid for Bruno so got the rise.
      The way Salah is dropping could be getting him back for 12.1 or even 12 if positive next week.

  6. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Salah at -77% on FPL Stats. If he goes down tonight again, could there be a chance of a triple drop this week on Friday?

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Probably not

    2. Phlajo
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I'm 99% sure he wont drop tonight, and cant see him dropping 0.3 this GW.

      But then again, anything goes this year

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I would suggest 90% chance of dropping tonight and 50% again tomorrow.

      2. FPL Theorist
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah, players who are flagged never drop very fast. Then when people's expectations are not met, they all come on here and whine about how the system is rigged.

  7. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    West Brom have players dropping out because of Covid, Bruno captaincy could be very fruitful.

    1. Cto
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Who?

    2. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Who is West Brom losing?

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Bilic quoted in Wolverhampton Express and Star.

        "We have a few other players who were positive. so they haven’t trained for a few days and we are waiting for their results. I can't say their names. Hopefully, they will be back for training tomorrow (Friday), maybe today (Thursday)."

  8. Drogba Legend
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I'm sure many are in this situation, what to do? 1FT:

    Mendy
    Chill* - Robbo * - Dallas
    Salah** - Son - Grealish - Ziyech
    Kane - DCL - Bamford

    Steer - Saiss - Stephens - Douglas*

    A) Take a hit for Salah/Chill/Robbo/Saiss
    B) Just one FT with one of the players above.

    Any help appreciated mates

    1. StayoutheSpiceZone
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Chilwell is fit

    2. LegendMoon
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Robbie to Telles

  9. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    tayor should be ok to start right?

  10. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Taylor ok to start? from pressers dyche seems to believe he would be ok

    1. Joey Tribbiani
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      oh no 4th flag

    2. StayoutheSpiceZone
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I didn't see the comments apart from him nursing a hamstring?

      1. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Sean Dyche says that Charlie Taylor (Achilles) has a "niggle" but "should be OK", while Erik Pieters (calf) is back in training and Phil Bardsley is fit

  11. Bennyboy1907
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Current team : 2FT’s 1.1ITB

    Martinez (Forster)
    Robbo Chillwell Lamptey (Saiss, Mitchell)
    Salah Son Zaha Grealish (Bisouma)
    Kane Bamford DCL

    Salah and son to Bruno and KDB

    1. LegendMoon
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Just Salah to Bruno this week

  12. Dexters Laboratory
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Start two of (Min 1 Def)
    A) Foden (Tot A)
    B) Semedo (Sou H)
    C) Lamptey (Avl A)
    D) Brewster (Whu H)

    1. LegendMoon
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A and C

    2. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A B

  13. GE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Salah and Son -> KDB and Bruno?

    1. McSauce
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Salah to Bruno.

      No need to do the Son move he could easily outscore KDB this week

  14. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Football Index is not good 🙁 gambling bad

  15. dshv
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Mccarthy
    Chilwell lamptey justin taylor mitchell
    Salah son sterling soucek bruno
    Watkins dcl davis

    1.8 itb 1ft

    WC or use the transfer

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Just transfer.

  16. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Just seeing that Martial missed 4 big chances against Portugal last week and came away with nothing... the guy is well and truly goal deprived

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

      Means he will steal Bruno's penalty against WBA 😉

  17. dshv
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Taylor to coufal or targett ?

    Worth to use my transfer for that ?

  18. JURGENAUT
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    McCarthy
    Chilwell, Justin, Lamptey
    Bruno, Son, Grealish, Zaha
    Kane, Werner, DCL

    Forster, Saiss, Mitchell, Stephens

    1.9itb.

    GW10: Son & Saiss > KDB & Coufal/Targett

    Thoughts? Thanks

    1. JURGENAUT
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      For -4.

  19. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Right so a few flags leaving the team helps but I think have the issue of TAA and no sub that will start.

    0FT did salah to Bruno

    Martinez
    TAA Chilwell Coufal
    Podence Foden Bruno (c) Son
    Werner DCL Kane

    A) Do nothing and hope mitchell plays
    B) TAA --> Cancelo/Dias for -4
    C) TAA & Podence --> Cancelo/Dias + Grealish (-8)
    D) Foden --> Grealish (-4)

  20. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Am tempted by Salah to auba and captain. Great fixture

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Arsenal are pants

    2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Arsenal have been very poor attacking recently, they'll get chances but that's a big risk to take. I think Leeds will smother them for most of the game

  21. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    GtG?

    Martinez
    PvA Lamptey Taylor
    KdB Bruno Grealish Soucek
    Vardy Werner(c) Richarlison
    Fodder Berge Justin Lewis

    2.0 ITB

  22. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Should I do Salah to Mane tonight?

    One is falling and other seems to be rising

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Surely Salah won't drop again tonigh?

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No but Mane will rise

    2. King of Kings.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I think i'm going to do this too.

      Bringing in Mane means we have decent Liverpool cover and don't need to rush to bring Salah back in again when fit. Mainly for GW12.

  23. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Planning to transfer Salah to KDB. Can I then get away with this team/bench or would you take - 4 on TAA to Cancelo and play over Saïss? Yes or No?

    Martinez
    Lamptey Saïss Chilwell
    KDB Son Ziyech (c) Grealish Podence
    Kane DCL

    Forster Mitchell Brewster TAA*

  24. iL PiStOlErO
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Have 2 ft but not sure if I should wait with wc. Is this worth WC?

    CURRENT TEAM:
    Mendy Steer
    TAA* Justin MITCHELL* KWP Taylor*
    SALAH* STERLING* SON BISSOUMA Romeu
    Kane DCL Watkins

    0itb, 2ft

    WC TEAM:
    Mendy Steer
    WALKER KLIMAN Justin Kwp Taylor
    BRUNO KDB ZIYECH ZAHA Romeu
    Kane DCL Watkins

    0.6itb if needed

    Basically I would change complete mid and most of defence. In attack idealy I would love to have Vardy but cant have them all and those 3 have great fixtures and form. Cheers for any help.

  25. Malinwa
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Kinda stuck here... Any suggestions? Got 1 free transfer...

    Martinez
    Saiss - KWP - Chilwel
    Klich-Barnes-Son-Salah*
    Kane-Wilson*-Jimenez

    Steer-Mitchell*-Justin-Anguissa
    3.2 itb

    Apperciated!

    1. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      salah and klich to Bruno and Ziyech

  26. InvertedWinger
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Any Wolves fans about? Would you say Kilman is nailed or might Saiss reclaim his spot?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I think he has played his way into the team over Saiss but may be afforded compassionate leave this GW

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Nailed but may get compassionate leave after his father passed away.

  27. Indio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hi all - do I have too many other transfers ahead to do Salah > KDB this week, given I'd want to bring back Salah when fit? Or is it my best move?

    (Was all set for Drossard > Soucek before the Salah news, then Saiss, Son, and Kane > Cancelo, KDB and Vardy over following 2 GWs. Plus Mitchell isn't nailed; Brewster flagged).

    Any advice much appreciated.

    Martinez (Forster)
    Chilwell, KWP, Coufal, Saiss*, Mitchell*
    Bruno, Salah*, Grealish, Son, Trossard*
    Kane, DCL, Brewster*
    1 FT; £0.8M ITB.

    1. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      do you have a WC available?

      1. Indio
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No - is that bad? 😉

        1. Indio
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          I meant, is it *that* bad?!

  28. Corona is not good 4 U
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Kane -> Vardy for - 4 is probably too risky?

    Vardy has a good record against Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk will not play. Vardys next fixtures are also tasty (Fulham, Sheffield, Brighton).

    Kane has difficult fixtures (City and Chelsea).

    Thank you!

    1. Indio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah, feels like that's not the best -4 this week.

    2. Pompel
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Surely wait until next GW

    3. King of Kings.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      If you've got a transfer planned next GW for City player which i do then i'd go for it and take the -4. You'd be in the same situation next week anyway and I like your reasoning for Vardy this GW.

      I've got Vardy and have him captained.

  29. Pacer.
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    A few general and mid/long-term thoughts to provoke for anyone building a frontline of budget strikers, in particular with reference to Bamford, Watkins, DCL, Wilson

    The highest goals per season for a team outside the top 6 has ranged from 55-65 in the last decade. Typically the higher end of that is when a team like United or a strong and attacking team like Everton or Leicester has dropped out from the 6 or was realistically challlenging up to the top 6 on the basis of a very strong squad

    Projected goals based on form:

    Villa: 97
    Everton: 76
    Leeds: 66
    Newcastle: 47

    It's fairly obvious what this tells us. Goalscoring form is completely unsustainable for Villa, unlikely to be sustained by Leeds, iffy for Everton, and totally predictable and sustainable (maybe even improvable) for Newcastle. How could this effect the strikers?

    Goal involvement

    Wilson: 80% (of 10)
    BamBam: 65% (of 14)
    DCL: 53% (of 16)
    Watkins: 38% (of 18)

    You have all done deep dives into individual player stats and looked into upcoming fixtures, no doubt. All I want to suggest is that if you are building a line based on 2-3 budget strikers (and reducing your pool for direct replacements moreorless as small as it's possible to do so) that you consider the probability of that structure being based on unsustainable numbers and letting you down. Watkins team is vastly overperforming and he has a low goal involvement - team regression would hit him hard. Bamford's team will likely regress but it wont hit him quite as hard. DCL is harder to call and has an average involvement. Wilson's score is built on a rock solid and predictable output for a team such as Newcastle.

    A front line of Watkins, Bamford, DCL (and i'm seeing this a LOT) is a risky venture. Team regression is certain, very likely and quite possible in those three cases. It's just a case of when (and i accept that could be in 3 games once Watkins has racked up more points!)
    Consider the level of risk, the lack of direct replacements, the value of transfers, the need to firefight elsewhere in the team. Also, recognise that Callum Wilson (flagged, I know) has not really been en vogue all season but it operating at such a talismanic level that if Newcastle step up a little then he would likely surge ahead of his contemporaries, who he is keeping up with at a canter

    blagh

    1. Pompel
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      To conclude, any two oof Wilson/DCL/Bamford + one of Kane/Vardy

      1. Pacer.
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I think there is a very strong case for one premium and one or two budgets being much more servicable and much lower risk. When people move to a trio of budgets they always say 'well it's just two transfers to upgrade to a premium' but ime it is often not at all that straightforward and you get lumbered with something rotten for longer or at greater cost

        1. Pompel
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Yeah, change of team structure always carries a risk , and should be for the long term

    2. DAZZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ok let's go Kane, Vardy, and all the 9M+ players on our wildcards

    3. teneighty
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I've settled on one of Kane/Vardy, one of your budget alternatives and Brewster on the bench. Will play a 3-5-2.

    4. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Well put, but you are not supposed to hang onto to them for the while season, and there are other options in that bracket.

      1. bench boost for every gamew…
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Whole

      2. Pacer.
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Indeed. two things though, your broader choices such as team structure and mid-longer term planning impact how able you are to respond to short term trends with transfers, free-hits and chips. Big decisions that go bad stymie your ability to do so, whereas well thought out structures and strategy enhance your ability to do so. secondly, the pool is not at all impressive in that bracket. for instance, if you own Watkins and Bamford your options for direct replacement amount to Antonio and Adams, really. And little else. At any one point one or both of these - as is the case with budgets - may be injured, out of form or playing for an out of form team or team with appalling fixtures. nobody should be owning a front line in a very unbalanced team strategy where they have next to zero choice of replacements. granted DCL has a couple more options at or below his pricing, though of those three he is the players who appears least likely to suffer at the hands of his team form

  30. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who would you captain from:

    A) Werner (new)
    B) Rashford (WBA)

    1. Cojones of Destiny
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A

    2. Bob.
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      B