Fantasy Football 2018/19

[Mantle Retractor]

Reassuringly back to bottom spot today after a dizzying climb to 53rd...

New page it's a results business, Clive

[Ferris]

Wilson's 14 points on the bench doing NOTHING.

[phes]

Frustrating lesson that about benching strikers. That said, bench option Docherty is making himself more playable than a 3rd striker and an FPL legend this season, with 47 points in 5 games. Such fine lines in this game, having chosen him over Bennet (25 in 4) four games back. And opting to field Mendy every week has seen him come off the bench each time.

I'm - temporarily - up to a global rank of 272. I've no idea what to do at this point. I've never been in the top 1000 before. Everything I touch is turning to gold.

I think perhaps the thing to do now is to take ownership and captaincy seriously. I predicted the Kane disappointment but didn't have the nerve to captain someone else, knowing that I'd take a beating if I got it wrong. I think that's probably the way forward to secure my first top 10K finish. It just feels so wrong to be deferring decisions to the top 10K managers

I think Liverpool striking options are going to be a bit of a disappointment in coming weeks. I'd like to just double up on defence and ignore mane and Salah, but I may have to go with the pack

[bgmnts]

I only just realised i've never been dead last. Well disappointed.

Going to need a barnstorming performance from messrs Salah, Firmino and Shaqiri today. God be with them.

[Crabwalk]

Frustrating lesson that about benching strikers. That said, bench option Docherty is making himself more playable than a 3rd striker and an FPL legend this season, with 47 points in 5 games. Such fine lines in this game, having chosen him over Bennet (25 in 4) four games back. And opting to field Mendy every week has seen him come off the bench each time.

I'm - temporarily - up to a global rank of 272. I've no idea what to do at this point. I've never been in the top 1000 before. Everything I touch is turning to gold.

I think perhaps the thing to do now is to take ownership and captaincy seriously. I predicted the Kane disappointment but didn't have the nerve to captain someone else, knowing that I'd take a beating if I got it wrong. I think that's probably the way forward to secure my first top 10K finish. It just feels so wrong to be deferring decisions to the top 10K managers

I think Liverpool striking options are going to be a bit of a disappointment in coming weeks. I'd like to just double up on defence and ignore mane and Salah, but I may have to go with the pack

Astounding season you're having! Doubt any of us have been that high before. The common thinking is that you're better off playing defensively and covering the highly owned options to protect your rank when that high up, but just keep doing what you're doing!

[phes]

I honestly think a lot of it is luck. The 50/50 decisions that go badly one season and see you top 50K are almost all going my way this season.

The only change I've made is that I promised myself I would not go silly with hits (which I always do) and to always roll transfers unless it's crucial to use them. That has made me an enormous amount of points because of Doherty's heroics coming in for Mendy and because the transfer I would have used for Mendy was used to bring in Kane for his haul last week. Thinking 2-3 weeks in advance about the potential value of FT'S has been a good thing. I'm now in a position to go into the break with a lame Kane but 2FT'S

[gabrielconroy]

Congrats! That's a very impressive return. Doherty's 15 points on the bench are certainly painful to see for me. Hopefully one of Alonso or Robertson will graze a knee before today's game, letting him come on.

[phes]

Agonising decisions to be made all over the shop for managers this week. Huge fixture swing for Liverpool but issues with form and fitness, Fraser and King flagged as doubts, Sterling coming off the back of 180 international minutes etc

I'm going to use my two transfers to set my team tonight, turn off all my alerts and then not check anything until Sunday night.

Bon chance everyone

[holyzombiejesus]

Agonising decisions to be made all over the shop for managers this week. Huge fixture swing for Liverpool but issues with form and fitness, Fraser and King flagged as doubts, Sterling coming off the back of 180 international minutes etc

I'm going to use my two transfers to set my team tonight, turn off all my alerts and then not check anything until Sunday night.

Bon chance everyone

Yeah, I kept Mane and Salah in anticipation of the next few Liverpool games and now both are doubtful, the fuckers.

[phes]

Sounds like Salah is fit but they're being cagey on Mane. Press conferences today might give a hint but wouldn't be surprised if we're none the wiser tonight

[EOLAN]

Agonising decisions to be made all over the shop for managers this week. Huge fixture swing for Liverpool but issues with form and fitness, Fraser and King flagged as doubts, Sterling coming off the back of 180 international minutes etc

I'm going to use my two transfers to set my team tonight, turn off all my alerts and then not check anything until Sunday night.

Bon chance everyone

Well once you don't have any Arsenal or Leicester players this should work ok - as they play on Monday.

[phes]

Ha!

They do indeed. Though I was thinking more about the agony of my transfer decisions horribly backfiring and interfering with what otherwise should be an enjoyable weekend. And that will be played out by Sunday

[Ferris]

Bit of a wobble - played the wildcard.

I was chatting to some of the lads in my work league from Pakistan - their best anecdote was about the guy who won without making any changes because "he was kidnapped for 5 years hahaha"

Apparently he's fine now, but what a story.

[holyzombiejesus]

Knockaert appears to be racking up the points of late and I think Brighton are a team with a big fixture turn in a few weeks!

Points earned subsequent to me taking your advice and transferring him in: 3
Dickhead who sold Alexander-Arnold for Gomez on Sunday: me

[Poisson Du Jour]

Well done everyone who got rid of Salah. Repaying the faithful today. I never doubted.

[bgmnts]

My persistence with Salah and Shaqiri FINALLY showing returns.

40 points with 4 players played.

[Ferris]

47 points with 4 played. Good week at Mid Table FC.

[phes]

65 from 7 (-4). Wasn't prepared to risk hazard being absent as he was my cap choice. Brought in Mane and Salah for Hazard and Sterling for a - 4. Promising start but remains to be seen if it'll be a profit

[Ferris]

47 points with 4 played. Good week at Mid Table FC.

Bonus points are in: 56 points with 4 players gone. Best ever week, in danger of slipping away from mid table. Board of directors will have a word and manager will be back to mediocrity in no time.

[The Culture Bunker]

Felt smug by benching Hazard and bringing in Pedro. The daft twat then goes and gets crocked after twenty minutes. Bah. Need Shaw to keep a clean sheet and grab an assist to salvage something from a weekend in which the only pluses has been that Murray grabbed a goal and Fraser had another stormer.

[holyzombiejesus]

Was worried that my selling of Lacazette would backfire as much as my selling of Aubameyang did a few weeks ago but seeing as I replaced him with Morata, am quite pleased. Surprised that the Chelsea man has only got about 2% TSB, particulalry as he seems to be finding some kind of form and Chelsea have a grat run coming up. Pissed off that I thought getting decent but 2nd best defenders would be a good idea as I've missed the boat on the likes of Robinson and Aolonso and lost a few quid on buying Mendy back. Just sold Wolves' Bennett and brought in Rudiger but wish I'd used my savings to get Martial in. He's scored a phenomenal amount of points in the last few weeks.

[EOLAN]

Hazard coming off the bench cost me having Aguero as (vice) captain while Never was ready to come off the bench with his seven points as well. All my forwards getting a goal, a yellow card and the full set of bonus points between them.

[phes]

I must be the only person in the top 1k going into tonight with Lossl. The ultimate differential. I hedged my bets alongside owning Mitro. Holding onto my hat, it's going to be a Rollercoaster (0-1, Lossl OG)

[Ferris]

@phes

Your score is so good, you would be 4th overall in Canada, and 11 points off first. Astonishing season so far!

[phes]

Wowser! Yes it's definitely my best season to date, in part down to not mucking about with hits all over the place and taking it seriously, but definitely a huge slice of fortune in that I've picked right in all those decisions that could go either way.

Difficult times now though. The Mendy injury is a definite advantage to all those holding wildcards. The template team looks to be shifting a little, possibly towards a budget 3rd defender rotation and stacking the MF with 3 premium players and Martial/Richarlison. And Sane may become a credible option. Really tough to know what to do right now as  I own both Mendy and Madison, who could end up dropping

Bit stumped here with how to proceed. Every single transfer decision seems massive when you're in such a concentrated part of the rank where a few points here or there is huge

[Ferris]

David Silva as captain - thinking man's choice. None of yer flashy Agueros/Salahs here.

Assuming Kun doesn't get a hat trick in the next 20 mins and watford v pool finishes 0-0 I could make up some ground this week.

Edit: just realized I've jinxed it now, so you can all enjoy throwing it back in my stupid face.

[phes]

Currently disastrous for me but early days!

[phes]

How was everyone's week then?

54(-4) for me. Not bad but not what I need to keep up with the top 1K.

Given I played my WC very early, my team is beginning to creak and as we are entering into a densely packed month and into a time when WC holders will play I've decided to play a mini hits WC. So I've just taken a -12 to get my team in order. Will thump my rank initially but I figure building for the long term is more important, especially given any collection of 4 desirable players could easily rise best part of £1m in the next fortnight

WHU incredible fixtures, Kun's stagnation and Sterling's emergence as a genuinely essential asset have kind of forced my hand.

Patricio ---> Fabianski
Martial ---> Filipe Anderson
Hazard ---> Sterling
Kun ---> Aubameyang

Anyone else considering any drastic moves?

[Ferris]

How was everyone's week then?

...

Anyone else considering any drastic moves?

Aguero -> Aubameyang
Richarlison -> Felipe

I'm relying on my glittering defence to bring the points in. I'm playing 5 at the back every game. Walker didn't play, but my back 4 plus keeper got me 38 points today (7+6+6+9+10) which is a great foundation. The less said about the rest of my XI, the better.

I'm counting on Sterling to go off the boil because I can't really afford him without a major restructure. Otherwise I'm staying fairly static, though I think it is worth taking the -4 on the 2nd transfer to stay competitive in the longer run.

Richarlison has also been shown the door - he's a nearly-man, for me Clive. Not a big-game player and today was the end of my patience with him, especially with Everton's next few games. Not reliable enough to justify the investment (though I'm sure I've reverse-jinxed him now).

[phes]

I'd have loved Sterling to go off the boil, but unfortunately he looks like the real deal.

He'll probably get benched in the week though. I've already steeled myself for that!