Pro Pundits - Lateriser

How I am coping with football fatigue in a tough FPL season

We are into Gameweek 32 of this brutal season and being frank, a lot of Fantasy Premier League managers are just about managing to scrape through to the finish line. 

Huffing and puffing through this condensed season, a lot of FPL managers are approaching burn-out levels and it might be a good idea to tackle this issue with this article (thanks for the suggestion @FPL_Beard), especially with the amount of people deciding to quit this game recently. 

This week, I was listening to the latest episode of the brilliant FPL Surgery Podcast where the FPL General’s ‘how to deal with bad Gameweeks and bad seasons’ made for a very interesting listen.

We are at the back end of a gruelling season. There are many reasons for managers to feel FPL fatigue at the moment. I’m not even sure if its just fatigue about FPL, considering the sheer number of hours we have football on in long and dragged-out Gameweeks. As FPL managers, we are used to maybe watching two or three matches during a weekend and now there are some days where we have ten hours of football in a single day. 

The best Neto replacements and whether FPL managers should stick with Fernandes

I am convinced these long drawn-out Gameweeks are the primary reason for football fatigue and so many managers I speak to now just find watching the sport to be a little bit of a chore and I completely empathise with that. What makes it even more drawn out is that we are still very much in the middle of a pandemic and our social lives are not as active as they used to be. 

Even the break we had before the season started was a lot shorter than what we’re used to. It was barely a break if you ask me. And now we have a lot more matches condensed in a much shorter time period. Until recently, this has even affected the quality of the football that we’ve been watching. Nowadays, I find myself tuning out of games and avoiding watching football a lot more than I used to. The international break has definitely changed things though and the quality in the last two Gameweeks in the Premier League has been a lot better. A welcome change.

But yes, if you’re finding your love for football and FPL to dwindle this season, know that you’re not the only one. These are uncertain times. They are the anomaly, not the norm. Still, many will be wondering how one tackles football and FPL burnout. Well,  here are a few suggestions.

PICK YOUR GAMES

You don’t have to watch all the Premier League games to do well in FPL. We never saw all the matches in normal seasons when there were five or six games kicking off at the same time anyway. If you ask me, watching Match of the Day and absorbing some statistics is enough to do well in FPL. Give yourself some time off from football and that should definitely help dealing with FPL burnout.

WHEN YOU’RE SWITCHED OFF, STAY SWITCHED OFF

Does early FPL team news really provide an advantage?

Often when I’ve decided to not watch a game during a Gameweek, I find myself distracted while ‘doing that other activity’ I had planned to do because I’ll constantly be looking at Twitter, my FPL Whatsapp groups and there will be constant notifications from your football apps. 

And considering that we have 15 to 20 hours of football to get through every Gameweek, and you’re not able to switch off when you switch off, burnout will naturally happen. 

What I’ve started doing in the second half of the season is just have a little bit of a digital detox. I switch off notifications (highly recommend this for most of your applications so that you’re deciding when to check your phone instead of letting your phone decide that for you) on all my apps on weekends and try staying off my Whatsapp groups and Twitter. 

Social Media around FPL has grown tremendously during the last few years and if you’re an active part of the forums and Twitter, on matchdays it’ll seem like every goal that is scored by someone is highly owned by everyone else but you. This isn’t actually the case and can be unnecessarily damaging for you to believe it.

MAKE YOURSELF MISS FOOTBALL AND FPL

Do other things. I find that if I have managed to successfully switch off for a day or two, I really enjoy catching up on things on the third day because I’ve truly switched off when I’ve needed to (probably not as often as I should but that’s my choice as a content creator). 

I am hopelessly addicted to FPL and when I give myself genuine time off doing other things for a couple of days, the love for the game comes gushing back on the third day where I truly enjoy my interaction, writing and consuming football and FPL content. 

Trying to box your time during FPL and other things will really really help. You can cheat a little with how you box things and its perfectly okay to have your score update applications on during Gameweeks but I would highly recommend switching off social media during matchdays, although it all comes down to your preference and how you can handle things. 

FIND SOMETHING TO PLAY FOR

If, like me, you are having a poor season, you need to indulge in little mini-games and find something to play for. I am currently ranked outside the one-million mark and I raised the white flag a few weeks ago when it comes to overall rank. 

So all I’m doing is getting players and differentials I like and trying to catch some differential hauls. I know managers that are taking multiple hits every week trying to achieve Manager of the week (because the hits don’t count) and I admire that because they are doing what they are doing to keep their interest alive in the game. 

On a personal note, I will admit it is a little bit of a relief to give up on the season and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me when I’m watching the matches owning players that I like. Yes, you can throw the ‘points are fun’ argument in my face but I’ll argue that it is entirely subjective. I’ve concluded that I am not going to achieve my Overall Rank goal this year and a Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) goal when he’s in my team will give me a lot more joy than a 200k green arrow at this stage. My advice on FPL will definitely be more rational than the moves I make and I’m completely okay with that. 

A little bit of a sidetrack, but I’ve done some reflection on my poor decision making in 2020/21 and I’m chomping at the bit to start next season. That’s one thing you will always have when you’re having a poor season. The lessons learned during a poor campaign are usually more helpful than if you’ve had a good one and, of course, my motivation to make up for it in 2021/22 is very high. Not to mention the fact that I have the privilege to write and create podcasts definitely keeps the fire burning.

CONCLUSION

I hope you find some of my ideas helpful. I believe it is entirely feasible to play FPL, enjoy and do well in the game even by putting healthy thought-processes in place to protect our mental state.

These are only my suggestions, so please treat them as such. I am curious to know what you are doing to combat football and FPL fatigue, so feel free to let me know in the comments section. 

Here is hoping we do not have staggered kick-offs next season. Never forget. FPL itself is not a sport. It’s a game. 

If you want more detailed thoughts on the best FPL players to own for the run-in, Zophar and I discussed the fixture-swings, differentials and teams to target for the home-stretch in our latest episode of The FPL Wire which you can view below.

1,329 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Riders of Yohan
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Would you do fernandes to Son and then switch back next week...

    1FT £1.0ITB

    Mendy,
    TAA, Swiss, Shaw,
    Salah, Bruno, Maddison, Jota, lingard
    Nacho, Kane

    Forster. Rudiger, Holding, Davis

    Appreciate the help!

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Considering the same. Is it for free?

  2. Kellz86
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Hello all, chasing in my mini league but considering TC Son knowing my rival has no chips left and will probably go Kane (c)

    Weird season and go for it?

    1. Karan14
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You know the risks go for it if your gut feeling says so.

      1. Kellz86
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Sometimes you just need to say it out loud first haha

    2. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Same situation exactly

  3. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Put these 3 defenders in order of preference this week:

    a. Rudiger
    b. Coady
    c. Holding

    (Mendy is my goalkeeper)

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B, then a bit of a tie between A/C. Chelsea supporter so always a bit sceptical. Watched Fulham vs. Wolves and whilst they had a few chances, my god their finishing was horrific.

    2. Akeem
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      bca

  4. Ian Davis
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I really hope that the author of this article is ok, suffering from FPL/Football Fatigue can’t be easy.

    1. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      ‘FPL fatigue’ 😀 oh boy

  5. Plagued by indecision
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Questions:

    1) Save the FT?
    2) Play Rudiger/Mendy or bring in Holding?
    3) TC Kane?

    Mendy
    Rudiger / TAA / Coady
    Son / Bruno / Jota / Lingard / Salah
    Kane (TC?) / Iheanacho

    Subs: Forster / Holding / Lowton / Davis

    1. Lostrich
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1) yeah looks good to go
      2) Very close, guess it depends on how a Chelsea / Arsenal CS would affect your mini-leagues?
      3) Don't see a better opportunity. Go for it.

      1. Plagued by indecision
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks! I'm fairly comfortable in my main minileague. Trying to push up the rankings overall now, so I'll mull over question 2 a bit more.

  6. Akeem
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    TC'ers who are you VC'ing?

    1. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Vardy

  7. Sid07
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Who would you have on wc
    1) jota
    2) mount

    1. Akeem
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1

    2. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Jota - maybe it’s hopeful thinking but you have to hope Liverpool will snap into full gear against atleast one more opponent this season, their schedule is pretty good moving forward too

    3. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      !

  8. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Any WC drafts around?

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Mendy Forster
      Trent Shaw Coady Holding Veltman
      Son Salah Bruno Jota Lingard
      Nacho Kane Vydra

      That's what I'm going with this week.

  9. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I am chasing 50 points in the Mini League. Should I triple captain Son instead of Kane??

    1. Booked4Dissent
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Nah, captain who you think will get more points!

  10. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Glad the deadline is Friday again. Hoping that my casual mini league rival forgets the deadline again like he did last time it was Friday!

    1. Booked4Dissent
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Muahahahaa

  11. Mweene
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Hoping for 100+ points from this bench boost to get me into the top 500...

    Think it's possible? Currently 832nd

    Lloris, Mendy

    TAA, Coady, Semedo, Shaw, Coufal

    Lingard, Bowen, Bruno, Jota, Son

    Cavani, Kane (c), Iheanacho

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Of course it is. Anything is possible.

      1. Mweene
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I know ... this is comfortably the best position I've ever been in so just getting a little excited...

        1. DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          It's a great season for sure . Top 1k is the promised land .

    2. Free Hat
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Overall team looks very good. So in for a good rank jump hopefully!

      1. Mweene
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Salah and Kane not hauling will be helpful too.

  12. jimbobmij
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Is Rodon nailed?

    1. Comment removed. Please refer to our terms and conditions on posting comments.

  13. Dr. Rog
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Probably going to work towards this over the next few weeks.

    Feel like the Lingard boat has been missed, whilst the Pulisic one is just leaving the station.

    Martinez 4
    TAA Azpi Rudi (Dallas* Struijk)
    Salah Bruno Pulisic* Jota (ESR)
    Kane Cavani* Nacho

    *Targetted players

  14. Booked4Dissent
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    On wildcard, thinking of having Lloris for DGW then switch back to Martinez GW 33. Would lose 0.4m of Martinez value but need to squeeze the points out (6 points ahead in cash mini-league). Foolish move?

    1. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      points > money now.

  15. DavvaMC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Morning All

    I have already made my free transfer.

    My midfield is below

    Son | Jota | Salah | Lingard | Neto*

    Is it worth taking a -4 to bring in

    A. Maddison
    B. Bowen
    C. Saka
    D. Anyone one to recommend?

    Also if I did this who would I bench from my defence below?

    A. Dias
    B. Shaw
    C. TAA (won't be benching)
    D. Rudiger
    E. Holding

    Really appreciate your comments, not sure why I am panicking this week!!

    Many thanks

  16. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Nice article. Can relate to it very much.
    Danger this season is being able to watch almost all the games&when you have a bad gameweek it can be very frustrating. Like spending an entire weekend on football games and thinking what am I doing or getting 'angry' with results.
    I know its just a game, but its easy to get 'addicted'.

    My goal is to learn from past mistakes and try to do better each time. Oh, and somewhere having fun too 😀

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      It's only fun when it goes well.

      1. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Exactly - people can dress it up however they want but it’s ultimately only fun if your players do well / you are doing well in your Leagues.

        Getting points is fun

        1. @persecuted_by_mods
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I'm around 400 OR and this has been the least fun and most boring season of fpl I've been involved in since I started playing in like 2010

            1. TheDragon
              • 5 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Would it be more fun if you were ranked 2m+

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  No, but nobody made the argument that its more fun doing badly, yours and da minions argument seemed to be it is only not fun because of doing badly, my example proves that's not the case

                  Obviously if I have the choice I'd prefer to do well but you can do well and still not be enjoying it and you can be doing poorly and enjoy it, e.g a time where I didn't know or care about OR at all was really fun

          • Free Hat
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            You have to have bad weeks to really enjoy the good ones imo.

            1. DA Minnion (Former great)
              • 11 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              No I think I could enjoy good weeks every week.in fact I'm sure of it.lol.

        2. Mr. O'Connell
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Timing of this article couldn't be any better as there is premier league football on for the next 11 days in a row. Hoping I can at least enjoy a couple of them.

          1. Free Hat
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            If I can enjoy 2x Kane this gw I will be less fatigued for sure!

          2. DA Minnion (Former great)
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed watching a game of football. As a Leeds fan Fantasy football has taken a bit of the joy out of seeing them do well which of course shouldn't be the case.
            Ie. Dallas benched last week.

            1. Qaiss
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              You should have watched PSG - Bayern on Tuesday

              1. DA Minnion (Former great)
                • 11 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Premier league I was alluding to but I get your point. Champions league semis should be good.

      2. FPLtfs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        DCL ->
        A) Iheanacho
        B) Cavani

      3. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Guys plz help needed

        A) Gundogan and digne -----> Reguilon and son (-8)

        B) Gundogan -----> Moura (-4)

        C) Start Gundogan and Digne (free)

      4. The Tinkerman
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Anybody else unable to see the sidebar menu on mobile now? (iOS) was working fine for me a day or so ago

        1. Oggle22
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Yer well annoying just shows an advert can't see forum or twitter

          1. The Tinkerman
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I have a mobile ad blocker, but I just get a blank white menu bar and none of the tabs are clickable, no content

        2. The Tinkerman
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Currently when I click it the menu appears but is a blank white rectangle with the usual tabs at the top; Twitter, watchlist, fixture ticker are not clickable however.

          1. DavvaMC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 3 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Same for me tried Chrome and Samsung Internet I cannot see it 🙁

      5. Oggle22
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Leno
        TAA Holding Coady
        Salah Son Bruno Jota Neto
        Kane Nacho

        Forster Fabio Silva Amartey Mitchell

        5.8m in the bank probably need a hit to get a decent Neto replacement would you go Bowen or lingz

        Cheers

      6. The Mighty Whites
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Play one of Castagne or Coufal or play Rudiger (have Mendy in net)?

        1. DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Coufal playing very well at the minute but west ham can't defend.

      7. JenkoJunko
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Morning all! Thoughts on the below..

        Squad: 2FTs 1.5ITB
        Johnstone Martinez
        Cresswell Stones Shaw AMN Veltman
        KDB Bruno Lingz Jota Raph
        Welbeck Kane Richy

        Richy / Cresswell / Stones to Wilson / TAA / Coady -4

      8. footballcandy
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Any presser today?

        1. DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Tweets

      9. Daghe Munegu
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Play 2

        A Rudiger
        B Fofana
        C Holding (have Leno)
        D ESR

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

        Chasing in 3 MLS:
        45 pts /87 pts/ 94 pts.

        Should I:

        A) Retire
        B) Cap Son for one last epic attempt
        C) Play safe with Kane

        Cheers.

        1. DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          B

          1. MIGHTY JOE
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Lets go!

      11. Fernandito
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        which one to bench?

        A Rudiger (have Mendy)
        B Fofana (vs WBA)
        C Holding (vs Fulham)

      12. McGinn
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Free Transfer:

        A - KDB > Son
        B - Gundo > Moura

        Straight swap?

        1. MIGHTY JOE
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Why not. Moura naughty punt

          1. McGinn
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            My maaaaan. That's what I'm thinking

      13. BOATIES FC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Would you sell Dias for Reguillion for free (Dias 1st on bench) then play Reguillion for one of Shaw TAA Coady or just roll the transfer?

        Cheers

        1. Lostrich
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I'd roll that.

      14. Lostrich
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Salah Son Sterling Jota Lingard
        Kane (C) Iheanacho (Vydra)

        I have a FT and £1.6 in bank. Happy with my defence for the forseeable.Who's the best midfielder to replace Sterling?

        Leaning towards Maddison. Though I could get KDB or Bruno if I wanted.

      15. duststorm
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Gk is Mendy.
        To bench which 2 defenders?
        TAA, Shaw, Holding, Dias, Rudiger