Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 27

From this point on there’s likely to be a new set of dilemmas rattling around Saturday morning’s fuzzy head. The Premier League’s Ultimate game is with us from today until the end of the season – albeit in “Beta” form.

A new, sophisticated and complex mistress, it’s yet another pull on my time – a Fantasy Football distraction that will occupy my Saturday, only to rouse me on Sundays to demand that I lavish it with further attention. It’s even promising to pop round on a Monday night. This one’s high maintenance.

Am I the only one wondering if I can cope? Maybe it’s the timing – we’re at the tail end of my indifferent season and I’ve just resigned myself to slipping on the comfortable slippers of mediocrity. Ultimate is asking me for some renewed energy and inspiration and, more to the point, I have to find room for it all.

There’s no doubting the attraction. The 25-man squad, the new emphasis on statistics, the downplaying of price changes that have had a love/hate relationship with the game we all know and love. We should welcome these new twists, although I doubt I’m the only one questioning how the new demands will find a place in the routine.

My squad selected, there’s the inevitable tinkering which is pulling on my time this morning. While that task can be abandoned from today onwards, I’m well aware that I will now have to reserve part of my Sunday morning ritual to allow for me to shift players in and out and to contemplate switching the armband.

While Fantasy Football rarely drops below first, second or, heaven forbid, third on my agenda of thoughts, I already know that there’s a real danger there’ll be a Sunday that will see it slip off the radar. I can’t let that happen: that will just give me a reason to abandon the game when I find myself lost in the void of mini-league obscurity.

I will simply have to be ruthless and disciplined. Something will have to give. The Sunday morning trip to the recycle bins. The preliminary small talk with the missus. When I’m forced to venture out and forage for new milk supplies, the journey to the corner shop will have to be fully occupied with thoughts of ditching Charlie Adam in favour of a punt on Jonjo Shelvey.

In addition, I will have to ensure I’m equipped with the ability to “plug in” from all locations – particularly the café up the road – our current favoured breakfast spot. Suddenly, mapping my Sunday morning movements to 3G availability becomes a must. My holy grail will be 4G and wireless passwords – the opportunity to react to Ultimate’s requirements whilst barely breaking eye contact with my girlfriend. With practice, I’m pretty sure I can perfect that.

Forget whether you should gamble on Wayne Rooney. If you’re playing Ultimate, these are the real issues you should be pondering. By all means deliberate your squad but, from this morning onwards, prepare to start shifting your life and preparing partners as the latest tentacle of our Fantasy Football obsession wraps around us.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

1,095 Comments Post a Comment
  1. maff
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    lacina traore injured in warmup

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  2. andres
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    First time I have two FTs this season 🙂 good timing it seems!

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  3. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    My UFPL attempt..Never mind the Cech on the bench bit 😉

    http://ultimate.premierleague.com/a/team/318/event/1

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    1. Captain Shirokov
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Can't make heads nor tails of that.

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    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Can only see your squad.

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  4. Captain Shirokov
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Team for next week isn't too bad actually.

    http://gyazo.com/e454efb06be43f2f1212d3c3c26b2ec7.png

    12 players and 1 ft. Should be grannnnnnd.

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  5. Gaz Downright
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    hoping for an extremely entertaining 1-1 with Terry goal and Iva og

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  6. Just A Hat
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Would you choose to start the season with the Ultra Captain option, which means for the entire rest of the season, whenever you captain a player who scores 15+ points you QUADRUPLE his score?

    If he gets 14 or less though you don't get anything (no double captain points) just whatever he scores

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    1. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      Random.

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    2. A.
      • 12 Years
      10 years, 1 month ago

      I think if i'd gone with it, I would probably be ahead on points overall thanks to some huge Suarez and Aguero captain hauls.

      But would probably have lost more H2H matches due to a lack of a captain some weeks..

      Tis quite a random question, i think id play it safe though, go for consistency

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  7. getfunky
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    seeing as people have been saving transfers for the next two gws, I was wondering what players you had in mind to bring in, particularly gw 29, there aren't too many jumping out at me atm

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  8. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    New Post

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  9. Chris_Fàbregas #DOOS…
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Haha the ref looking at his watch and into the camera.. Wonder what he was hinting to the camera man..

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  10. Herman Toothrot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 1 month ago

    Azpi getting up the pitch. Tinker

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