Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 38

Ten fixtures, 20 teams, no doubles, no blanks, no postponements (touch wood), and everyone’s pretty much used all their chips.

Gameweek 38 is Fantasy Premier League (FPL) stripped back to its basics, how we used to play it way back when.

I’ve seen plenty of commenters within our own weird little corner of the internet saying how much they’re ready for the summer now, how the endless procession of last-minute cancellations and short-notice rearrangements and blanks and doubles and catastrophic points swings has taken its toll. Thinking back to my journalism studies days, it’s felt akin to one of those live newsroom exercises where you’re repeatedly being fed absurd new nuggets of information and having to constantly rewrite your intro.

I share the jaded feeling to some extent but I do wonder whether we’ll look back with more fondness on a rollercoaster 2021/22 in years to come.

It goes without saying that the circumstances of how the week-to-week bedlam came about aren’t to be celebrated in the slightest, with Covid’s impact on our daft wee game small fry compared to the death and disruption it has caused in real life.

But chaos is part of the reason why we love football in the first place, so why shouldn’t our pre-conceived chip strategies and transfer plans be challenged once in a while?

We’ll likely soon be back to how things were, with maybe two or three Blank Gameweeks a season and as many Double Gameweeks following in their wake. They’ll be relatively easy to plan for in advance, as they’ll be around FA Cup/EFL Cup weekends, and we’ll not have nearly as much reactionary, short-term firefighting that has been a feature of 2021/22. It’ll all be very familiar, the cream will rise to the top again barring the usual luck/variance and we’ll be back to the ‘snooker player’ approach to FPL of thinking four to six shots/weeks/moves ahead.

How comforting, how rewarding, how… boring?

How many times in the past have we bemoaned medium-term templates forming and seasons stagnating? And with the rise of algorithms, points projections and automated team recommendations, you could easily get away without any manual ‘thinking’ in a routine campaign and still rank highly.

This season has been exhilarating, frustrating and agonising in equal measure, with beautifully-laid plans obliterated by a lateral flow test or three and so, so many 50/50 decisions rewarded handsomely or punished unimaginably.

Commanding mini-league leads have been overturned in the space of a Gameweek or two, entire seasons’ works have been undone with one red arrow. It’s been more snakes and ladders than Risk, with a big fat serpent catching many on square 99.

But it has seldom been dull and I think, over time, the short-term scars will heal and we’ll be left with some more positive memories of Double Gameweek hauls for the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, Kai Havertz, Philippe Coutinho, Marcos Alonso, Kevin De Bruyne and James Maddison.

FPL anecdotes are made from such points bonanzas and we’ve had about a decade’s worth in one year.


Just as a post-script, longer-term readers of the site will remember the Pre-Match Preamble being very much Mark Sutherns’ baby.

When David Munday and I joined the team four years ago, we made a concerted decision not to continue with these articles as they were so utterly associated with Mark and, quite frankly, who would give a toss about what we thought? Reading this, you’re probably wishing I’d stuck to my guns…

But the Pre-Match Preamble continues to be fondly remembered even now, so a final-day reflection seemed like a good excuse to resurrect it. Do let us know in the comments below if it’s a series you’d like to see revived in future, perhaps with a ‘Have I Got News For You’-style rotating writer.

Good luck with your Gameweeks, thanks for reading, and the very best for the summer.

2,367 Comments Post a Comment
  1. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Alonso or James?

    Who will do better?

    1. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      James

    2. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Alonso (hopes)

    3. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      James. They'll probably both be on the bench, but James may start

      1. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Also considering the safer start of Matip...can't decide!

    4. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Alonso

  2. meerlight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    I almost read my first article in four years!

    1. Walter White (WW)
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Lol.. You’ve been behind bars? 🙂

  3. TheBigDogg
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Sorry if been talked loads, Kane or KDB Captain?

    1. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Kane

    2. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Kane

    3. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Kane

    4. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Kane safer

  4. Mambino
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Coutinho and Watkins to Mount and Toney for -4 or just bring in mount for no hit?

    1. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Just Mount

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Ta - probably safest

    2. Mozumbus
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      No hit

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Ta

    3. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      If you have to play watkins then take the hit

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I would have to. He scored in the last game against City though

    4. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Just Mount

  5. Mozumbus
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Anyone else with triple up Brentford: Toney, Eriksen, Jansson

    1. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      No

    2. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Why not, if that's where your squad is. Personally, I hope Leeds win.

      1. Mozumbus
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Starters: Tripled up Spurs and Brentford. Double up Newcastle.
        One each from big ones: KDB, Mane, and Rudiger assuming they are nailed giving protection from rotation. On WC. OR 142k hoping for first-time 5 digits finish.

  6. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Someone in the know with Rodgers? 😛

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Astaire

  7. TheTrickyTrees
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    I've got Salah. I'm so torn. Nobody around me seems to have Salah anymore so could be differential but risky. What do people think about these options:

    A). Keep Salah, risk it. Coutinho to Maddison
    B). Salah & Coutinho to Mane & Jota
    C). Salah & Coutinho to KDB & Maddison
    D). Something else?

    1. Starskyb
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      B is your chasing. C if playing safe IMO.

      1. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        This

    2. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      If we get wind that salah starts then he's a definite hold, so A in that case, otherwise C, but probably someone other than KDB (son, mount)

      1. TheTrickyTrees
        • 4 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Thanks. I should have said I have Son and Mount already. Bowen's an option....

        Everyone around me seems to have Maddison so I'm playing it safe there

  8. fantasist
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Everyone consider Bowen for your midfield. 12 goals 17 assists.

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Confused between him and Maddison

    2. fantasist
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      If you have Vardy then Bowen otherwise go for Maddison

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Don't have Vardy

    3. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      On form yes, fixtures not so much

  9. lifes a pitch
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Sanchez or Ramsdale?

    1. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Close - probably Ramsdale just

    2. fantasist
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Yeah Ramsdale

  10. andre_c
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Any ideas here?

    Ramsdale
    Robbo, TAA, Cancelo, Laporte
    Salah, KDB, Saka, Mount, Gordon
    Pukki

    Foster, Schar, Gelhardt, Dobbin

    Salah > Son likely transfer. Could then do Pukki > Toney for -4.
    Only issue is having to play Gordon against Arsenal, could get rested as Everton now secure.

    Thanks

    1. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Wouldnt take an unnecessary hit at this stage unless chasing

    2. fantasist
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Salah Gordon amd Pukki might not get many pts

    3. Starskyb
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Take the -4. If Gordon doesn't play, no worries Gelhardt and Shar could also do just fine.

  11. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Rival:
    Martinez
    TAA Cancelo Digne
    Salah* Maddison Zaha Saka
    Kane Richarlison Toney
    // Foster / Tavares KDH Holgate

    Me:
    Schmeichel
    Robertson Cancelo James Sessengon
    Son Maddison Zaha KDB
    Richarlison* Nketiah
    // Foster / Tavares Gordon Dennis*

    Planned Richarlison > Kane for free this week, but rival annoyingly opened up a bigger gap (33 points) due to my captaincy flunk.

    Need to differentiate my team from his. Expect he probably does Salah > Son (C) & perhaps upgrades a defender over Digne but that's as much as I can guess.

    A) Richarlison > Kane
    B) Dennis > Vardy

    Also, sell Zaha (-4).yew United but he's been a poor pick & doesn't help me against rival.

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Gotta go Vardy (C) to differentiate, think Zaha is a sell too to differentiate further - what’s price can you afford?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Bowen if you can afford?

        1. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          If Dennis > Vardy, leaves 7.5m.
          Not sure on Bowen.
          Could be Barnes for LEIx3

          If Rich > Vardy, leaves 9.2m.
          Opens up Diaz, Mount, Havertz, Mahrez, Foden, etc.

          1. nolard
            • 9 Years
            1 year, 10 months ago

            Mount could be good then, or even Foden.
            I think you need to move Zaha too to have a chance

            1. Hazz
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 6 Years
              1 year, 10 months ago

              Thanks mate. Agree on Zaha. It's a risk, but for good reason.

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      You need the diff. and to captain him . so here, get Vardy and captain him or KDB.

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Cheers. Still may go Son (C)... but Vardy in seems good.

    3. M2.0
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Bringing in Kane seems counterintuitive given the gap you need to close. I would go b with Vardy (C) and hope that he hauls and Kane blanks.

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I'm not sure if I can do it over Son, but Vardy has revived my season once with a 20-point (C) before.
        ... and it was against Southampton.
        ... surely not again! 😮

  12. tokara
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    JANSSON or HENRY?

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      TH14, always

  13. ran
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Already did Salah to Son. Which of these seems better for a -4?

    1. Coleman to Sessegnon/other def 6.8m and below
    2. Watkins to Toney

    1. fantasist
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Toney

  14. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Any suggestions here? Considering

    A) Zaha to Bowen/Mount
    B) Cash to Sessegnon
    C) Cash and Zaha to Sessegnon and James -4

    Ederson
    Robertson, Cancelo, Matip
    Salah, Son, Maddison, Kulusevski, Zaha
    Nkietah, Rodrigo

    Sanchez, Mateta, Cash, Jonny 1ft .8 itb

    TIA

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Open to any other suggestions

    2. S6 Owl
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      A

  15. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    FH team, -0.4 whom out to fix it

    kepa (3.9)
    sess robbo james (tsi kelly)
    mount son madds jota kdb
    toney kane (richardson)

    a) james to azpi/alonso
    b) madds to barnes
    c) mount to ziyech
    d) james madds to rudi barnes
    e) james jota to rudi diaz
    f) 2 of a b c

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      A

    2. meerlight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      A is for Azpi

  16. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Is this worth a hit?

    Nketiah & Ramsey to Gelhardt & Eriksen/Bruno G

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Waste of transfers on final day.

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Do you think? Leeds need goals and Brentford may profit other end as a result so can see it being high scoring

        1. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          But it's a hit. Everton are now on the beach and useless at defending too.

          1. Big boy Bowen
            • 7 Years
            1 year, 10 months ago

            Don’t think Nketiah will start after the woeful Newcastle performance, can see some rotation

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      No

  17. Sun God Nika
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Start Dubravka or Ramsdale?

    1. Hawk Eye
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Same dilemma here... I think I'll go Rams as fat Frank has said he will be making changes to the team

  18. Hawk Eye
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    For a hit do I get:
    A. Vardy
    B. Kane

    1. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      B

    2. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      B

  19. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Who's having a final day FPL Zoom Party?

    1. Walter White (WW)
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Got a party at King Power to attend to

      1. Walter White (WW)
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        *too. Should be a big one today

  20. jay01
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Is this worth it if they all are in my starting 11:

    Salah, Coutinho, Dennis to

    Kane, Bowen, Barnes (-8)

    1. jay01
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      In my xi it would be a likely gordon 1 pointer instead of dennis

    2. S6 Owl
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Yeah go for it I’d say

  21. NestorC
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Hi lads, would you do Saka to Maddison, Foden or Diaz?
    Already have Nketiah if that means anything so I am not sure should I have double ARS.

    1. S6 Owl
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      I’d do them for free

      1. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Yes, it's for free.
        Any preference between them, I am leaning to Maddison.
        Cheers

    2. Noob
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      For free potentially but could easily backfire (especially against a tired Everton). Saka guaranteed 90 if nothing else

      Arsenal did look fatigued against Newcastle though

      1. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Feels weird to not spend last free transfer from this season haha
        Just not sure who has the highest ceiling of them

    3. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      I think Saka scores this week

      1. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Cheers, could maybe do Laporte to Cancelo in that case, just to spend this ft haha

  22. Noob
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Which one:

    A - Matip
    B - Sessegnon
    C - Zinchenko

    Cheers!

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      A

  23. Heisenberg W. W.
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Pick one:
    1. Diaz
    2. Madisson
    3. Bowen

    1. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      3.

    2. Dammit_182
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Do like the Bowen pick….

    3. Noob
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      2 if we get early team news from Leicester ITK

    4. nolard
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      1

  24. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Start one:

    A. Matip ( have Robbo)
    B. Odegaard
    C. Nketiah

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      C

  25. Dryriser
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Bowen or Barnes?

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Bowen

    2. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Bowen

    3. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Bowen

    4. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Would go for Barnes for once here. Brighton decent.

  26. FPL Emu
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Cheapo forward punt (max 5.8) in order to catch up on rival:

    A) Nketiah for a deflated Arsenal
    B) Gelhardt for a Leeds needing to win
    C) Barnes for Burnley fighting for their lives

    1. Starskyb
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Barnes is a great differential shout and angry about how Burnley have been treated by refs so will be working very hard to keep them up.

  27. nolard
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Pick a forward and midfielder combo out of:

    a) Kane
    b) Vardy
    -
    c) Maddison
    d) Kulu

    No Son.

    Thank you!

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      A and c

      1. nolard
        • 9 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        thanks

  28. George James
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Best move

    A) James >> Robertson

    B) Zaha >> Mount

    C) Jota >> Mount

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      B

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      b

  29. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Does Rodrigo even start for Leeds with Bamford looking on track to play? Somehow still have him

  30. Maddamotha
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Which one, if any? I have Nketiah too btw.

    1) Saka > Maddison
    2) Ings > Toney

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      2