# Fantasy Football League 2017-18



## Lazy Llama (Jul 12, 2017)

This thread is a continuation of the thread "Fantasy Football League 2016-17" originally posted by Lazy Llama.

Please remember to watch this thread if you were watching the previous one.


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## Lazy Llama (Jul 12, 2017)

copliker said:


> H2H set up. Code: 68221-20061


U75 league - 7516-2643


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## sealion (Jul 12, 2017)

Season ticket dropped through my letterbox this morning and now this


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## Steel Icarus (Jul 12, 2017)

I'm in. Not had the standard 19 hours deciding on a team yet though.


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## butchersapron (Jul 12, 2017)

Jeez:



> While the two wildcards, Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips remain intact, All Out Attack has belatedly been given the elbow, replaced by a brand new “Free Hit” chip.
> 
> Essentially, the Free Hit can be used once in a season and allows you to make unlimited changes to your entire 15-man squad for a single Gameweek.
> 
> Once the deadline for that Gameweek has passed, though, you squad immediately reverts to the previous line-up.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 12, 2017)

Figure that'll be kept in the pocket until double gameweeks come into play. Could be handy, and almost certainly more use than All Out Attack.


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## sealion (Jul 12, 2017)

S☼I said:


> I'm in. Not had the standard 19 hours deciding on a team yet though.


This season i have used the auto select and will chop and change it once i know who is playing for who. It's been quiet on the transfer market up to now.


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## chilango (Jul 12, 2017)

I'm in. With a squad of entirely eastern bloc players (I think?) augmented by two bolivarian forwards.

It's not a strong looking team.


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## juice_terry (Jul 12, 2017)

I'm in for another season of propping up the league 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## marty21 (Jul 12, 2017)

I'm in


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## passenger (Jul 13, 2017)

Great news Jungle Town FC is in


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 14, 2017)

The Draft model goes live next week. Who's in? Think we have me, butchersapron and elbows so far. Suggestion is that 8 is a good number.



> *Q: What is FPL Draft?*
> 
> A brand new twist on Fantasy Premier League, FPL Draft is free to play and will complement the regular game.
> 
> ...


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## chilango (Jul 14, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The Draft model goes live next week. Who's in? Think we have me, butchersapron and elbows so far. Suggestion is that 8 is a good number.



How do I join?


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## chilango (Jul 14, 2017)

chilango said:


> I'm in. With a squad of entirely eastern bloc players (I think?) augmented by two bolivarian forwards.
> 
> It's not a strong looking team.



Looks like I'm losing a forward already. Hmmm. Might pick a "proper" team instead....


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 14, 2017)

chilango said:


> How do I join?


Doesn't start until next week so currently nothing to join, but can keep you updated once there is?


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## rekil (Jul 17, 2017)

8 places left in H2H league.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)




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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

It has arrived.

FPL Draft


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)




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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

I assume you are going to setup the league for that one @lordcamomile ?

I guess we need to find a mutually acceptable date & time for the first draft to take place in our league? Looking at the league setup screen for the draft that needs to be decided when its setup I think.

I am relatively easy. Any day, any time before midnight is good for me.


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

I might setup an experimental league of my own to see what options can be altered later and whether there are any other details we need to watch for. Will report back shortly.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)

Ha, I was going to leave it to you as I think you first suggested it?


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

OK it is possible to edit time & date of first draft after creating a league.

An additional option that can be changed when editing team later, that I did not notice when setting up a league, is the time limit: choices are 30,60,90,120 seconds.


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Ha, I was going to leave it to you as I think you first suggested it?



Yeah that was me, because I read about the new game and commented on it before anyone else got a chance!

I certainly dont mind doing it. Classic or head 2 head? Dont think I can be bothered doing both given this is an untested format for us and it might be stretching things too far to have to deal with both!


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)

I prefer classic, as I can just focus on my own team and not worry about someone else's, but I think H2H is traditional, and I'd be up for that.

butchersapron? What do you think?

So far there's only 3 of us who have expressed an interest


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

Well it looks like I can change that settings later too so I have gone ahead and created a draft league.

league code 6507-2521


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)

elbows said:


> Well it looks like I can change that settings later too so I have gone ahead and created a draft league.
> 
> league code 6507-2521




In terms of when to do the draft, maybe close to the start of the season? That way we have a better idea of who's fit/playing/still in the league and gives us time make plans?


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)

Oh my god, there's a countdown!


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> In terms of when to do the draft, maybe close to the start of the season? That way we have a better idea of who's fit/playing/still in the league and gives us time make plans?



Yeah. I had to set it to something initially so I chose 4pm on Sunday 6th August but I expect to change this when it is clear who is joining the fun and what date and time is best. But I certainly had in mind that that weekend is the earliest we should do it, and I dont mind doing it one evening in the week that follows if thats what people want (the first game of the season is on Friday the 11th)


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

The chat feature for the draft league seems reasonable so will I try to use that to arrange details such as draft times between those that join so we dont fill up this thread too much with such detail.


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

If anyone is curious about what the draft mode is like, and what the process of doing the first draft will be like, I'm quite happy to setup another draft league and set a time & date thats not far away at all (eg sometime this weekend) so we can have a go. And then I will just delete that league as its just a test run to prepare us for the real thing.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 21, 2017)

Just worked out how to get Sanchez in my team, now it looks like PSG are going to nab him


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## elbows (Jul 21, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Just worked out how to get Sanchez in my team, now it looks like PSG are going to nab him



So far I've been planning on the basis that he and Costa are more likely than not toast as far as fantasy football is concerned this coming season.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 23, 2017)

elbows said:


> So far I've been planning on the basis that he and Costa are more likely than not toast as far as fantasy football is concerned this coming season.


I do have back-up plans should he sod off to France, and would probably make for a more balanced team, was just the timing.

Also, I'd managed to get Lukaku, Kane, Alli and Sanchez all into the same team! My defence is... workmanlike


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## rekil (Jul 23, 2017)

I think I'll give Everton players a miss until they get this somewhat ropey fixture list out of the way.


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## elbows (Jul 26, 2017)

So there are only two of us in the draft league so far. I think it can still be a fun experiment if we manage to get at least 4 people in total.

I remain completely flexible as to when we hold the first draft, but the clock is ticking and if anyone out there is up for it please join the league sooner rather than later, cheers


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## butchersapron (Jul 27, 2017)

Decided i haven't the time to be able to do this draft one i'm afraid.


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## rekil (Jul 31, 2017)

One place left in H2H. Some regulars missing.


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## elbows (Aug 5, 2017)

Last call for the draft league. Due to lack of u75 interest Lord Camomile had to bring in a bunch of his football friends, but as of now there are still 3 places available.

I also joined a public draft league that had its draft yesterday. The draft was great fun, better than I was expecting, and it didnt drag on too long. And this game wont take as much time/effort to play each week because there is no team captain to choose and there is a much smaller pool of remaining players to transfer in later.


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## Puddy_Tat (Aug 6, 2017)

Less than a week of pre-season to go...


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## elbows (Aug 8, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The Draft model goes live next week. Who's in? Think we have me, butchersapron and elbows so far. Suggestion is that 8 is a good number.



Thanks for finding enough people in the end for us to be able to try this draft league despite lack of interest from u75'ers.

And so we have reached the moment where our draft is just under an hour away. Good luck!


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 8, 2017)

The draft is fucking brutal


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## elbows (Aug 9, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The draft is fucking brutal



At least you arent the guy in our league who has Costa and Coleman, as well as several other players who are suspended or injured!


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## elbows (Aug 9, 2017)

It also offers the opportunity to say things I'd never say in the other fantasy game, in my case 'I've got Wayne Rooney!'


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## sealion (Aug 9, 2017)

*Remember managers must submit their final selections by 6.45pm BST on Friday 11 August.
*


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## Puddy_Tat (Aug 9, 2017)

sealion said:


> *Remember managers must submit their final selections by 6.45pm BST on Friday 11 August.*


and then at 6.46, half of my squad will get injured or transferred out of the english league...


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 11, 2017)

Do your final tinkering folks, because tonight the whole fucking merry-go-round starts again!


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## butchersapron (Aug 11, 2017)

Already wasted half the day on this.


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 11, 2017)

I need £0.5m. _£0.5m_!!!!


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 11, 2017)

I now need £3.0m


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## butchersapron (Aug 11, 2017)

What's the point?


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 11, 2017)

Why is Ozil starting?! I left him on my draft bench! I didn't want him coming on as a sub and getting a measly one point 

I already hate this game again.


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## sealion (Aug 11, 2017)

Tracksuit dusted off and chewing gum at hand. Lets do it.


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## big eejit (Aug 14, 2017)

Some good scores in the Urban league. 

Bit worried I have no Liverpool for this week's game vs Palace, but want to roll over my FT. 

Everyone else happy? Sad? No Kane captainers please.


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## starfish (Aug 14, 2017)

Well happy so far. With one exception. I let heart rule head when i should have played Danilo instead of Knocky. Would have got 81 points


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## rekil (Aug 14, 2017)

I thought Bournemouth could've done better but WBA will be tough to beat at home again. I swapped out Lacazette for Firmino, then Firmino for Kane, costing me the H2H .


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## Corax (Aug 19, 2017)

I'm trying to join the league but all the codes I've found on here are either coming up as invalid or "closed to new entries" 

I was in last year but re-registered with a new email address for this season.


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## poului (Aug 19, 2017)

I played four defenders this week, all of whom failed along with my goalie and the one defender I bench scores 15 points.

Fuck this game up the wrong'un.


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## Fez909 (Aug 19, 2017)

Holy shit, I'm at 62k in the overall 

Got two players left to play, but most around me on the urbans league have 4/5, so I'm sure to fall...and fall big, after the next games. But still, enjoying this nosebleed position


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## Corax (Aug 20, 2017)

Corax said:


> I'm trying to join the league but all the codes I've found on here are either coming up as invalid or "closed to new entries"
> 
> I was in last year but re-registered with a new email address for this season.


Help, anyone?


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## sealion (Aug 20, 2017)

Corax said:


> Help, anyone?


Have you contacted them ? Hope this helps,,Fantasy Premier League, Official Fantasy Football Game of the Premier League


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## rekil (Aug 20, 2017)

Corax said:


> Help, anyone?


H2H is full, max 20 places. Dunno about the main league. Why leave it so late?


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## butchersapron (Aug 20, 2017)

I'm admining the u75 one - a few years ago lots of people were able to hop into leagues carrying their individual points across and so winning the leagues. The freak who used to post here as flimsier did this. So, in that league at GW#1 or not.


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## Corax (Aug 20, 2017)

copliker said:


> H2H is full, max 20 places. Dunno about the main league. Why leave it so late?


Because I'm a disorganised arse?


butchersapron said:


> I'm admining the u75 one - a few years ago lots of people were able to hop into leagues carrying their individual points across and so winning the leagues. The freak who used to post here as flimsier did this. So, in that league at GW#1 or not.


Okay. Fair reason.


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## Lazy Llama (Aug 20, 2017)

Corax said:


> Help, anyone?


Did you try  7516-2643 ?


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## Corax (Aug 20, 2017)

Lazy Llama said:


> Did you try  7516-2643 ?


Nope.  That one's worked - thanks 

I's scoured the threads and tried about 5 others.


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## Lazy Llama (Aug 20, 2017)

Corax said:


> Nope.  That one's worked - thanks
> 
> I's scoured the threads and tried about 5 others.


Yeah, it was at the end of last year's thread, I should have reposted that as well as the H2H code.


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## big eejit (Aug 21, 2017)

Corax said:


> Help, anyone?



The head to head will be closed as you can't join once the game has started but you should be able to join the normal league. Is the code not in this thread somewhere?

Eta - just saw it's sorted now! 

Capt Kane for GW3? Or has everyone sold him?


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## sealion (Aug 21, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Capt Kane for GW3? Or has everyone sold him?


I havn't bought him in yet. He never seems to score in august and i wasn't sure if playing at wembley will hinder them or not.


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## elbows (Aug 21, 2017)

sealion said:


> I havn't bought him in yet. He never seems to score in august and i wasn't sure if playing at wembley will hinder them or not.



From my couple of years previously playing fantasy I thought I had noticed that he performed badly at the start of seasons, thinking I had stumbled on some useful hidden gem of info. Only for the tv commentators of the last spurs game to point out that he really has never scored in the premier league in August. Thats quite an incredible achievement given his general scoring prowess, and more fool me for thinking I had noticed a pattern that nobody else had


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## sealion (Aug 21, 2017)

elbows said:


> more fool me for thinking I had noticed a pattern that nobody else had


Keep it to yourself


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## elbows (Aug 21, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The draft is fucking brutal



How are you finding it now?

I'm enjoying how much less headspace it takes up by not needing to worry about who to captain each week. Or spending points on transfers, or fretting about whether some great player should be brought in because in draft the chances are someone else has him already so not available. Having said that I've done quite well with the couple of transfers (via waivers) that I've done so far.

As for how I'm doing so far, I am in two draft leagues so have 2 different draft teams, and they both did hideously on week 1. But in week 2 one of them has done really well (57 points so far with rooney and jesus left to play, with 57 points being a pretty good score for a week in the draft leagues from what I can tell so far - its too early to tell really but compared to a lot of week 1 scores 57 points feels more like getting 70+ points in the normal fantasy game - I will update this impression if it changes over time).

So far I really love the draft for several reasons - I enjoyed the draft itself, it doesnt take much time or thought after that, it often gives me something else to cheer if my main fantasy team did shit that week, it cuts down my envy of various players that do well on a particular week that I dont have in my main fantasy team and makes it less likely I will waste so many points transfering them in because I will already have a bunch of them in my draft teams to console me.


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## Fez909 (Aug 21, 2017)

elbows said:


> Only for the tv commentators of the last spurs game to point out that he really has never scored in the premier league in August


He's only scored in one competitive game in August, never mind just the PL.

Signed his first pro contract in 2010 - didn't play in August
2011 he started for Spurs in the UEFA cup and won a penalty, which he missed. He didn't score til December.
2012 he started a few games for Spurs, then joined Norwich on loan. He didn't score in his first appearance, then broke his foot in the 2nd. Didn't come back til December.
2013 he didn't score til October when he came on as a sub in a cup match and took the 5th penalty in a shootout. He scored.
2014 he scored in August!! It was against AEL Limmasol in the UEFA qualifiers. He also missed a penalty this match  - came second in the PL golden boot race
2015 he didn't score til the 26th of September. Then followed it up with an own goal in the next match  - Won his 1st golden boot
2016 he didn't score until the 10th of September, then got injured quickly after and missed a few games. Yet still won the golden boot again!

The boy's a beast, but fucking hell if his luck isn't shit in August.

I'm not supersticious so I wouldn't avoid him in August for that alone, but it's not a good record, is it?


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## elbows (Aug 21, 2017)

No tale of the draft so far would be complete without mentioning the comedy of errors that was apparent once the first gameweek actually began. It took quite some time for a page to even exist to show a player how many points their team had so far. And then the scores didnt really update in a timely fashion. Could not see how any other teams were doing till Monday. League tables didnt get updated till Wednesday. It might even have been worse than that and couldnt see any other teams scores till last wednesday, cant quite remember.

At least some of these teething problems had a little comedy value at times because it was initially possible to imagine that they forgot to actually write those crucial parts of the draft game at all. Problems with the normal fantasy site have no such added fun because its just the same old story of slow updates at gameweek deadline and the site falling over completely during various busy moments. I was expecting it to be a bit flakey for week one but gameweek 2 seemed just as bad if not worse at times, hope it's stability improves in coming weeks (like it usually does?)


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## rekil (Aug 21, 2017)

I transferred Alonso.


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## Fez909 (Aug 21, 2017)

Me too. Bye KDB.

I'll possibly regret that, but he played so deep tonight, and he's so expensive, that I can't afford to have £10m sat blanking in successive weeks.

Got £2.5m in the bank now, so I already know my next transfer...barring injuries.


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## Fez909 (Aug 21, 2017)

Or did you mean out?


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## rekil (Aug 22, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Or did you mean out?


Yes I ignored all the 'Spursy' stuff and thought they'd be ok, so I transferred him (for Dawson) instead of a crocked Bournemouth defender.


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## big eejit (Aug 22, 2017)

I've done KDB to Pogba. So KDB will probably score big in the next game. But long term it looks like Pogba is going to at least match him and he's 2 million cheaper. Or he was.


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## Fez909 (Aug 22, 2017)

Looks like my plan has backfired. Downgraded KDB to bring Alonso in, but the Miki rise put me 0.1 short. I expected Mooy to rise (and he did), so brought him in with the aim to swap out next week for Miki. but Miki went up again 

Fuck this game.


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## starfish (Aug 22, 2017)

I left Chicarito & Matic on the bench as i hoped Brighton might sneak something against Leicester. I wont be doing that again.


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## butchersapron (Aug 26, 2017)

Phew - jesus playing - aguero dropped.


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## big eejit (Aug 27, 2017)

Lukaku captain fail. Hope Kane doesn't get a hatful.


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 27, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Lukaku captain fail. Hope Kane doesn't get a hatful.


I hope he does - need him to make up the Lukaku shortfall!

The guy I don't want getting a decent return is Firmino - swapped him out, along with an injured Zaha, for Pogba and Hernandez, which produced the grand total of dick all


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## sealion (Aug 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The guy I don't want getting a decent return is Firmino - swapped him out, along with an injured Zaha, for Pogba and Hernandez, which produced the grand total of dick all


Did the same here


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## sealion (Aug 27, 2017)

I think i'll swap Lukaku out for kane after the international break.


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## big eejit (Aug 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> I hope he does - need him to make up the Lukaku shortfall!
> 
> The guy I don't want getting a decent return is Firmino - swapped him out, along with an injured Zaha, for Pogba and Hernandez, which produced the grand total of dick all



Well yeah I do have Kane so it's probably better for me if he does score well. I think there's a point when it's better for a player you own to do badly - if loads of people have captained and you haven't. But I don't think Kane is at that level this week.


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## big eejit (Aug 27, 2017)

I swapped KDB out for Pogba. From what I saw of the match Pogba was unlucky not to get a goal or two and I hear KDB did sod all again so happy that will work out OK long term.


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## sealion (Aug 27, 2017)

I think Silva is a better and cheaper option than KDB at the moment.


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## butchersapron (Aug 27, 2017)

sealion said:


> I think Silva is a better and cheaper option than KDB at the moment.


I was just about to write that - i swapped out KDB for him. He's crazy cheap for near guaranteed starter playmaker in a top team with so much attacking potential they they will start scoring before too long. 8.0 vs 10. Or was when i did it. just looked and KDB gone down one and DS up one.


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## Fez909 (Aug 27, 2017)

Yeah, KDB seems to be playing much deeper this season. If he keeps playing there, he's not worth the 10m. He's still going to be great for City, but not FPL.

I shipped him out last week to afford Alonso. Seems like it was a good decision...so far!


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## elbows (Aug 27, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> I was just about to write that - i swapped out KDB for him. He's crazy cheap for near guaranteed starter playmaker in a top team with so much attacking potential they they will start scoring before too long. 8.0 vs 10. Or was when i did it. just looked and KDB gone down one and DS up one.



Yeah KDB just went down in price last night. I forget which day Silva went up but it was earlier this week.

This was a swap I was unsure whether to do so I didnt do it before this gameweek, but when I saw De Bruyne about to go down in price it forced my hand last night.

As for this weeks results so far, its always so 'exciting' when I have the chance to break my all time low score record by getting less than 26 points. Well I suppose I should probably scrape past that score today unless another red card fest is in store.

So far I have stuck to my plan not to go spend quite so many points on transfers this season, except I cant really congratulate myself too much as this strategy already saw me playing my wildcard on week 2 lol.


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## butchersapron (Aug 27, 2017)

12 point hit they still couldn't take me down!


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## Corax (Aug 27, 2017)

FFS, that was a striker catastrophe.  Lukaku, Kane and Rooney all firing blanks.


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## elbows (Aug 28, 2017)

Corax said:


> FFS, that was a striker catastrophe.  Lukaku, Kane and Rooney all firing blanks.



And Lacazette, Vardy and the cheaper options people may go for like Mounie, Chicharito, Gabbiadini, King, Defoe.

Makes me wonder what I am playing at with my constant tweaking of Liverpool players in my team - I probably should not have sold Firmino! Morata also starting to look like an interesting option.


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## Corax (Aug 28, 2017)

elbows said:


> And Lacazette, Vardy and the cheaper options people may go for like Mounie, Chicharito, Gabbiadini, King, Defoe.
> 
> Makes me wonder what I am playing at with my constant tweaking of Liverpool players in my team - I probably should not have sold Firmino! Morata also starting to look like an interesting option.


Fantasy football aside, he looks an excellent player - as long as he's fed right.


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 31, 2017)

I was never as interested in deadline day before i started playing FF  

Who's everyone keeping an eye on? To be honest, I think all my targets are staying put, although Ox to Liverpool is mildly interesting.


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## AverageJoe (Aug 31, 2017)

Mahrez could be interesting depending on where he ends up


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 31, 2017)

Ah, yes, forgot about him. Where did I get the impression Spurs are after him?

Speaking of, Llorente to Spurs - another Soldado/Jansesn, or the foil/support for Kane they've been looking for? He has the PL experience.


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## Lord Camomile (Aug 31, 2017)

Renato Sanches at Swansea could be interesting. I mean, it might be more interesting if he were somewhere else, but makes him an option for FF. And if Bony goes back and rediscovers his form...


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## big eejit (Aug 31, 2017)

Ox to Liverpool means more rotation for their mids.


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## starfish (Sep 8, 2017)

Not sure whether to tinker or not.


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## poului (Sep 9, 2017)

Some serious trolling by DeBruyne today.


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## AverageJoe (Sep 10, 2017)

I accidentally captained him ::


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## butchersapron (Sep 12, 2017)

Not a great week. Was saved by Jesus.


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## Fez909 (Sep 12, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Not a great week. Was saved by Jesus.


You moved top of H2H! Not too shabby, that.

I got one less than average. Meh.

Chiquarito next on the chopping block I think. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with my team, despite a poor week.


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## butchersapron (Sep 12, 2017)

I suppose so, but it's clearly a false position. Not going to stay there with that tally. Been very lucky.


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## Fez909 (Sep 12, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> I suppose so, but it's clearly a false position. Not going to stay there with that tally. Been very lucky.


Your team looks mostly good to me. Xhaka and Hegazi tho 

Obviously Mane will be the big headache for the next transfer?

Why you in a Watford fan league? Thought you were Leeds...


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## butchersapron (Sep 12, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Your team looks mostly good to me. Xhaka and Hegazi tho
> 
> Obviously Mane will be the big headache for the next transfer?
> 
> Why you in a Watford fan league? Thought you were Leeds...


Mane gone now - changed for KDB. Will bring him  back when suspension over. Too good value to ignore. Xhaka is in because i wanted a low price guaranteed starter who can get the odd assist - Wenger is in love with him so he'll get time. Maybe should havce gone with carrol at swansea or barry to free up some money. He stays for now. Hegazi - we all need a lanky bloke who can knock in corners. Plus i think he's made me about 0.2 in transfer stuff.

Watford league as we're not up _yet_.


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## Fez909 (Sep 12, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Mane gone now - changed for KDB. Will bring him  back when suspension over. Too good value to ignore. Xhaka is in because i wanted a low price guaranteed starter who can get the odd assist - Wenger is in love with him so he'll get time. Maybe should havce gone with carrol at swansea or barry to free up some money. He stays for now. Hegazi - we all need a lanky bloke who can knock in corners. Plus i think he's made me about 0.2 in transfer stuff.
> 
> Watford league as we're not up _yet_.


Fair play on Hegazi and the money. I brought in Mooy for the same reason - bit of freeing up fund along with a +1 transfer value because of the bandwagon.

Not convinced on Xhaka though. He's had as many assists this season as he got all last season. He can't/won't keep it up. Plus Arsenal seem worse this season - for now.

KDB is a weird one. I had him from the start and planned to just never transfer him out because I know how good he is, and how many assists he produces. But he's playing as a defensive midfielder this season. Annoying that I took him out before his point haul last week, but that's surely just a fluke considering Liverpool were down to 10?

If he's back to CDM next week, then I reckon he goes back to being pointless/too expensive in Fantasy terms.

Everyhing's just about right for me at the minute...not too many players I don't have but desperately want. Might have a headache if Coutinho/Hazard/Sanchez come back in and start banging them in. Not the mention Kane


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 12, 2017)

Feels crazy to say it, but KDB is a just a stop-gap if they're not going to play him in an attacking position. Hazard is going to be the headache due to that extra price. Which probably means xhaka isn't safe at all.


----------



## Fez909 (Sep 13, 2017)

Pogba out for a few weeks, so Chiquarito survives another week.

Was wondering whether it's worth hanging onto him. I'll definitely be getting him back after the injury, so I'll save two transfers by holding him. My backups are a bit shit tho (Mooy and Carroll).

Could do a straight swap for Mkhi, but I have a feeling he's not going to be as prolific as he was...or might even get dropped if there's a new formation to cater around lack of Pogba?

Ahh, decisions, decisions.


----------



## elbows (Sep 15, 2017)

As I've said before, my plan, after spending lots on transfers in my first season and really silly amounts on transfers last season, is to spend a lot less on transfers this year. It's worked out quite well for me so far, although I did blow my first wildcard very early to achieve what I wanted. For example I nearly got rid of Kolasinac last week, and would have in previous seasons, but this year I resisted to save transfer points, and then he got loads of points that week  Hanging on to Mounie and Chicharito last week was not rewarding though, and since I already had to ditch Mane this week I haven ended up having to keep Mounie for yet another week to avoid spending more than 4 points (I got rid of Chicharito and got Kane).

I wonder if friday night football caught anyone out with this weeks deadline.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 15, 2017)

elbows said:


> I wonder if friday night football caught anyone out with this weeks deadline.


Because of Brighton v Bournemouth I've got still got Pogba in my squad and two free transfers sitting idle.

BRIGHTON AND FUCKING BOURNEMOUTH?!?!?


----------



## starfish (Sep 17, 2017)

Bollox a rash substitution on friday night cost me there in H2H.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 17, 2017)

Took a triple cpt to take me down this week - well judged one.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 17, 2017)

Lukaku and Valencia (finally came good!) proper saved my arse this week. Got to sort things out before next week though.


----------



## marty21 (Sep 18, 2017)

finally a half decent week, 66 points takes me up to just outside the top 50  and a second win on the trot in the h2h


----------



## juice_terry (Sep 18, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Took a triple cpt to take me down this week - well judged one.



I needed a stroke of luck after having victory snatched away the previous week .. i thought Lukaku may have scored more against Everton and was disappointed he let Martial take the penalty.. sorry to ruin your 100% record [emoji6]


----------



## elbows (Sep 19, 2017)

juice_terry said:


> I needed a stroke of luck after having victory snatched away the previous week .. i thought Lukaku may have scored more against Everton and was disappointed he let Martial take the penalty.. sorry to ruin your 100% record [emoji6]



After the week Lukaku missed a penalty and ended up wth 0 points, I was only too happy for someone else take it


----------



## chilango (Sep 19, 2017)

Played my wildcard already


----------



## marty21 (Sep 19, 2017)

chilango said:


> Played my wildcard already


Played mine the 2nd week


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 19, 2017)

Four point hit to ring in the changes. Let's see how it goes...

(Just couldn't justify the paucity in midfield necessary to have a front line of Lukaku, Aguero and Kane  )


----------



## sealion (Sep 19, 2017)

marty21 said:


> Played mine the 2nd week


Same here and no better off for it.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 23, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Four point hit to ring in the changes. Let's see how it goes...
> 
> (Just couldn't justify the paucity in midfield necessary to have a front line of Lukaku, Aguero and Kane  )


Just about made the right decision about the front line, though missed out on a few extra points captaining Aguero rather than Kane.

Four Chelsea goals but not a jot for Willian is disappointing, though.

And if Lukaku had put that away first time Valencia would have had an assist too


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 25, 2017)

Although they're listed at the same price, I can't switch out Aguero for Lukaku because I can only sell the former for £0.1 less than the latter.

Buuuuuuuuuuuullshiiiiiiiiiit


----------



## big eejit (Sep 28, 2017)

Here's what you could've won - if it wasn't for all your meddling!

Type on your team id to find out what score you'd be on if you'd kept your GW1 team with no transfers... 

Fantasy Football What-if Machine


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 28, 2017)

17 less than where i am now. Which is a surprise because that first team was shit and i'm doing ok now.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 28, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> 17 less than where i am now. Which is a surprise because that first team was shit and i'm doing ok now.


Me too. Does it just tell you you're 17 points better off no matter what the truth?


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 28, 2017)

Could someone else try it please?


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 28, 2017)

I just did it for someone else's team in my work league, and it said he'd be on exactly the same score as I would  _But_, he's ahead of me in the league, so the difference is greater than 17.

<edit: and just did it for the team directly beneath me; she'd be 33 points better off and top of the league if she'd made no changes  >


----------



## Fez909 (Sep 29, 2017)

The way the What If machine works is it ignores captaincy choice, and subs, I believe. So it's not 100% accurate. For some reason I can't get it to work, so if some kind soul wouldn't mind, could you do mine? Team ID is 1178210 

Looks like a bit of a bloodbath for injuries this week. Quite literally in some cases. Aguero has had a serious car crash and will likely be out for weeks/months, with a broken rib. 

Vardy's a doubt again. But he did train, so fingers crossed.

Jones is 'injured'. But I reckon that's just Mourinho not wanting him to do England duties.

Eriksson was injured, but looks like he might make the weekend.

Glad I didn't transfer early, but my plan to roll this transfer and do two after international break looks doubtful now.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 29, 2017)

Great, so it looks like i'm going jesus for aguero then aguero for jesus in the same week.

Can't get your ID to work either.


----------



## Fez909 (Sep 29, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Great, so it looks like i'm going jesus for aguero then aguero for jesus in the same week.
> 
> Can't get your ID to work either.


Thanks for trying.

You transferred out Jesus this week? Man, that's unlucky. At least now you know he's nailed on and not subject to Pep's rotation bollocks.


----------



## Fez909 (Sep 29, 2017)

btw, I found a site that might be useful for checking past performances when thinking about transfers and benching etc. Like how do Burnley usually do against Everton, or whatever. 

International Football History and Statistics - 11v11


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 29, 2017)

I got away with it a bit with the Aguero thing; swapped him out for Lukaku earlier in the week, so had it in my plans anyway.


----------



## big eejit (Sep 29, 2017)

Planning to play my free hit chip. God help me.


----------



## Fez909 (Sep 29, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Planning to play my free hit chip. God help me.


Just a bit of advice on that...

I've read conflicting reports but some people _claim _that the free hit thing is a bit of a con if you've already made a transfer before using the chip. Scenario:

* Make 1+ normal transfers
* Play free hit

Next GW, your team will revert to last week's team, _which doesn't include _the transfers you made pre-chip. And if those transfers cost you any points, the points deductions remain, even though the transfers are reverted.

However, another account I saw said this is bollocks and the chip undoes any pre-chip hits from that GW.

I don't know which is right, but if you are planning to use it, do it _before _any normal transfers.

Also, be aware you can't carry over free transfers if you use the free hit. So whether you have 1 or 2 FT banked now, using the chip resets you'll only have one next GW.

Let us know how you get on


----------



## chilango (Sep 29, 2017)

i've just spent 4pts swapping in De Gea for Courtois....


----------



## big eejit (Sep 29, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Just a bit of advice on that...
> 
> I've read conflicting reports but some people _claim _that the free hit thing is a bit of a con if you've already made a transfer before using the chip. Scenario:
> 
> ...



Cheers, I've seen a lot of confusing and conflicting opinions about how it works. 

I think I've kept it simple, ie I hadn't made any transfers before I played it and I only had one free transfer. So I'm just expecting to revert to my previous team next GW with no fuss.

It might be a bit of a waste but basically I want the moaning Belgian in this week. The other changes are just to make that happen.


----------



## starfish (Sep 30, 2017)

Probably going to leave things as they are for this week. Last minute tinkering cost me in H2H so far, except for last week. But even that went to the last minute.


----------



## elbows (Sep 30, 2017)

Looks like I am doing battle with butchers this week. I wasnt going to spend any points but the Aguero thing caused me to spend 8, while the '0 transfers this week' stat presently showing for butchers makes me think he has played his wildcard.

This is my third season and so far my plan to spend far less points on transfers is just about intact. I think its been my most consistent start so far - previously I've got a great rank in week 1 and then tended to sink, not forming a sustained recovery till the latter parts of the season. And that recovery has been largely based on doing brilliantly in double game weeks, which I cannot rely on happening every year. Still a tad too early to confidently claim I've had a solid start though, need a few more good weeks yet.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 30, 2017)

I have played my wildcard yes! I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to show you how many transfers i did this week rather than last week though - it should change to current week after deadline is passed. I had no intention of playing WC but the Aguero thing after already doing my transfers messed up my plans big-time - that with the Jones injury. Which itself, is looking like it may be turn out to not be true. Mess all round.


----------



## elbows (Sep 30, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> I have played my wildcard yes! I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to show you how many transfers i did this week rather than last week though - it should change to current week after deadline is passed.



Can see the current number of transfers in a different section before the deadline (not who you have transferred though):


----------



## elbows (Sep 30, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Could someone else try it please?



Says I've got 45 points more than I would have if I'd done no transfers, which sounds about right for me.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> Can see the current number of transfers in a different section before the deadline (not who you have transferred though):
> 
> View attachment 116751


Isn't that for gameweek transfers - and it's not gw 7 yet. It's still gw 6.


----------



## elbows (Sep 30, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Isn't that for gameweek transfers - and it's not gw 7 yet. It's still gw 6.



I've been looking at that number for years, it is for the current week that hasnt officially started yet! eg mine says 3 which is how many I did this week, last week I did 2. Yours says 0 because of your wildcard, but I cant use that as proof because you did 0 last week too.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> I've been looking at that number for years, it is for the current week that hasnt officially started yet! eg mine says 3 which is how many I did this week, last week I did 2. Yours says 0 because of your wildcard, but I cant use that as proof because you did 0 last week too.


We've caught them out, glitch in the matrix.


----------



## elbows (Sep 30, 2017)

Anyway, good luck for our battle! I'm not feeling too confident this week I have to say.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> Anyway, good luck for our battle! I'm not feeling too confident this week I have to say.


Ta, me neither, and I'm out most of day so not able to follow too closely.


----------



## butchersapron (Sep 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> Anyway, good luck for our battle! I'm not feeling too confident this week I have to say.


Bet you're feeling a wee bit better now.


----------



## elbows (Oct 1, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Bet you're feeling a wee bit better now.



Yeah, although that initial joy soon turned to 'oh shit, its one of those weeks where Davies saves me from doom' rather than fun imagining of how many gazillion points I may end up with in total this week. 

And now at the time of writing your Arsenal defensive gamble looks to have paid off and you have me beat, though I should hold that thought till the game is actually over!


----------



## butchersapron (Oct 1, 2017)

elbows said:


> Yeah, although that initial joy soon turned to 'oh shit, its one of those weeks where Davies saves me from doom' rather than fun imagining of how many gazillion points I may end up with in total this week.
> 
> And now at the time of writing your Arsenal defensive gamble looks to have paid off and you have me beat, though I should hold that thought till the game is actually over!


Just couldn't see any way that brighton - without any strikers - were going to score. Looks like it will be a comfy win with the arsenal bonus but one goal would have turned it upside down.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 2, 2017)

Well, that was a bad tactic. Rolled two free transfers, even after a terrible week last GW, thinking my team was essentially OK. Turns out it's terrible and I had another shocker, so I've activated my WC. Two free transfers wasted and lots of points lost. D'oh


----------



## sealion (Oct 2, 2017)

Im going to get rid of lukaku. Tough fixtures coming up for united and he's not worth the money imo for what he returns.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 2, 2017)

sealion said:


> Im going to get rid of lukaku. Tough fixtures coming up for united and he's not worth the money imo for what he returns.


He's the highest scoring player, except Aguero...who's injured.


----------



## sealion (Oct 2, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> He's the highest scoring player, except Aguero...who's injured.


He is hindering the rest of my selections because of his price. He has one point more than Morata but costs £1.4 m more. Taking uniteds next four fixtures into account i think it's worth the gamble.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 2, 2017)

sealion said:


> He is hindering the rest of my selections because of his price. He has one point more than Morata but costs £1.4 m more. Taking uniteds next four fixtures into account i think it's worth the gamble.


Morata is also injured!


----------



## sealion (Oct 2, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Morata is also injured!


He's doubtful but that's not my point. There are defenders half the price and only a few points off Lukakus total, Midfielders scoring close to what he's got and 3 mill cheaper. I also think united have had easier games than most and thats all he has mustered.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 2, 2017)

sealion said:


> He's doubtful but that's not my point. There are defenders half the price and only a few points off Lukakus total, Midfielders scoring close to what he's got and 3 mill cheaper. I also think united have had easier games than most and thats all he has mustered.


Fair enough, but I'm keeping him.

Who ya going for instead then?


----------



## sealion (Oct 2, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Fair enough, but I'm keeping him.
> 
> Who ya going for instead then?


Maybe Vardy and then bolster my midfield witn Hazard.


----------



## elbows (Oct 2, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Just couldn't see any way that brighton - without any strikers - were going to score. Looks like it will be a comfy win with the arsenal bonus but one goal would have turned it upside down.



Congrats! Now I am tempted to free up a small quantity of cash by replacing Kolasinac with Monreal but I should resist such impulses for now.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 3, 2017)

First Aguero, now Morata - it's Fantasy carnage! 

I've lucked out so far in that I've gambled on Lukaku and Kane; just hoping the international break doesn't break them...


----------



## rekil (Oct 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Well, that was a bad tactic. Rolled two free transfers, even after a terrible week last GW, thinking my team was essentially OK. Turns out it's terrible and I had another shocker, so I've activated my WC. Two free transfers wasted and lots of points lost. D'oh


I bashed you good. Wildcard before internationals are over?


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 3, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> First Aguero, now Morata - it's Fantasy carnage!
> 
> I've lucked out so far in that I've gambled on Lukaku and Kane; just hoping the international break doesn't break them...


Lukaku has a slight knock already. Out of the Belgium match and they've already qualified, so _should _be OK. 


copliker said:


> I bashed you good. Wildcard before internationals are over?


You did. Well done 

Already wildcarded to take advntage of any price rises/avoid drops. Made 0.2 yesterday and saved a couple of .1s on drops. Need another 0.1 rise tho or my rises are meaningless when I transfer the players out (need 0.2 per player to make profit...)


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 3, 2017)

copliker said:


> I bashed you good. Wildcard before internationals are over?


Oh, I think you were asking why wildcard now, rather than wait?

When you're ona wildcard, you can transfer as many times as you like up to the deadline without a cost. So doing it early, if you're gonna do it, is the best way. Then you can tinker for two weeks and react to price changes/injuries etc.

Careful with selling players you've bought cheap, though, as when you sell you only get half profit, so you might not be able to afford to buy them back.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 3, 2017)

I'm getting my arse handed to me in the market. I think I've only got £98.5m to play with at the moment


----------



## rekil (Oct 3, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Oh, I think you were asking why wildcard now, rather than wait?
> 
> When you're ona wildcard, you can transfer as many times as you like up to the deadline without a cost. So doing it early, if you're gonna do it, is the best way. Then you can tinker for two weeks and react to price changes/injuries etc.
> 
> Careful with selling players you've bought cheap, though, as when you sell you only get half profit, so you might not be able to afford to buy them back.


Ah ok. I just don't want to faff about now and then have to do it all over again if there are injuries or car crashes during the break. I've done alright but need to do something with midfield so a clear out is on the way.


----------



## elbows (Oct 3, 2017)

I'm not completely happy with my midfield at the moment but this is the wrong time to tinker - this week just gone didnt feature good points for very many midfielders who had performed well on many prior weeks. The Watford lads are the exception along with signs that Coutinho, De Bruyne & Sanchez might be worth having after all. But since I've got some memory (which could be false) of quite a few players form changing after international breaks, let alone potential injuries, in previous seasons, I must resist reading much into these signs yet.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 3, 2017)

So I cracked. I broke. I panicked.
I played my wild card.
Dispensing almost completely with a goalscoring midfield (apart from Salah) I also cut back a little in defence so I could afford...Morata. 
Who is out for at least a month


----------



## elbows (Oct 12, 2017)

The number of injuries and teams not on form is leaving me a bit limited for choice and bored at this stage of the season  Oh please lets see some different teams and players start to look like options in the next couple of gameweeks!


----------



## butchersapron (Oct 12, 2017)

elbows said:


> The number of injuries and teams not on form is leaving me a bit limited for choice and bored at this stage of the season  Oh please lets see some different teams and players start to look like options in the next couple of gameweeks!


Load of the big names playing each other over the next 4 weeks - ideal for a bargain hunter like you i would have thought.


----------



## elbows (Oct 13, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Load of the big names playing each other over the next 4 weeks - ideal for a bargain hunter like you i would have thought.



Only if some midfielders and forwards from smaller teams other than Watford start performing! Earlier in the season it looked like there were loads of useful bargains to be had but most of them have been one week wonders only so far.


----------



## sealion (Oct 13, 2017)

Can't decide who should be my captain this week. Kane isn't scoring many at home , Hazard im tempted by as he may play further forward or jesus if he plays now Aguerro is apparently fit. Games sandwiched between internationals and champions league are not ideal for picking a team.


----------



## starfish (Oct 13, 2017)

Finally got rid of Snodgrass. Shame, hes a good wee player when he puts his mind to it.


----------



## butchersapron (Oct 14, 2017)

marty - why the frig have you siggy on the bench? Not just on the bench but last placed on the bench.


----------



## marty21 (Oct 14, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> marty - why the frig have you siggy on the bench? Not just on the bench but last placed on the bench.


Eek ! He hasn't been scoring a lot of points lately but I'm unwilling to get rid as he did well for me last season.


----------



## rekil (Oct 14, 2017)

Well this week is a write off. I didn't have time to do a wildcard and then left Lukaku as captain by mistake. He hardly got a touch today. It reminded me of my forlorn existence as rare starter centre forward for the school team.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Oct 14, 2017)

Lukaku was lucky not to be sent off.

Anyway, why isnt De Bruyne being credited with two assists?


----------



## Reiabuzz (Oct 14, 2017)

Oops, sorry he has been


----------



## elbows (Oct 14, 2017)

A couple of players saved me from complete doom again this week (this time Abraham and Sterling) but getting hardly any defensive points prevents me from capitalising on this much. 

I wonder if the retroactive dive punishment committee will roast Richarlison.


----------



## big eejit (Oct 16, 2017)

elbows said:


> A couple of players saved me from complete doom again this week (this time Abraham and Sterling) but getting hardly any defensive points prevents me from capitalising on this much.
> 
> I wonder if the retroactive dive punishment committee will roast Richarlison.



Nope. Would've been a can of worms if they'd banned Richarlison for that.


----------



## big eejit (Oct 20, 2017)

Wow, I won my H2H last week against the only person who scored less than I did. Lucky.

Deadline in one hour.


----------



## starfish (Oct 20, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Wow, I won my H2H last week against the only person who scored less than I did. Lucky.


----------



## butchersapron (Oct 21, 2017)

Pro tip: if you're out and using the mobile app to change your team, don't forget to click save.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 21, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Deadline in one hour.


FUCK'S SAKE.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 21, 2017)

Pascal Gross is proving a nice little bargain


----------



## elbows (Oct 21, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Pascal Gross is proving a nice little bargain



Yeah my complaint a few weeks back that there was a lack of cheap options is pretty much null and void now, providing a couple more players do something today.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Oct 21, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Deadline in one hour.



oh bugger

i haven't got used to this friday nonsense...


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 21, 2017)

Puddy_Tat said:


> oh bugger
> 
> i haven't got used to this friday nonsense...


The secret, I've found, is to be totally addicted to the game. By being obsessed and reading all the blogs etc, you'll forever be going to check out your team and weigh up the options/switch captains and suchlike. You'll never miss a deadline again if you're always on the site 

Be warned, though: Addiction to FF is contraindicated with interpersonal relationships, homelife and workplace motivation. You may experience anxiety, agression, depression and iritability.

If you experience any side effects, please lower your dose of Fantasy Football and go outside for a bit.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 21, 2017)

I love that feeling when you see a certain player has scored and you _think _you transferred him in last night but can't quite remember and so you check and you did.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 21, 2017)

Shittt...after all that I just posted, I accidentally captained the wrong player. Meant to go Lukaku and did Kane. Not the worst mistake in the world, but annoying


----------



## elbows (Oct 21, 2017)

Saved from complete doom yet again, this time by Sane who I only just brought in. Doesn't look like I can salvage this week in the H2H but given how few points I was looking at until Sane did his thing and Lukaku got an assist, I'm not complaining, phew.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 21, 2017)

Good week. 44 points already and Kane and Salah yet to play this game week. And no defenders still to play! Good decision to leave Mee out, and Otamendi even scored.


----------



## butchersapron (Oct 21, 2017)

I've been annihilated and embarrassed. 

Click save!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 21, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> I've been annihilated and embarrassed.
> 
> Click save!


Oh - you didn't?!


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 21, 2017)

Shocking so far...18pts.

Kane (c), Coutinho, Davies and Monreal to save me...

Could be a huge haul. Could be 4 + 2 + 0 + 2

Fuck this game


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 22, 2017)

Despite playing against what was by all accounts a woeful Everton, Kolasinac still conceded two goals and had nothing to do with any of the five that his team scored. So...


Fez909 said:


> Fuck this game


that, essentially


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 22, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Despite playing against what was by all accounts a woeful Everton, Kolasinac still conceded two goals and had nothing to do with any of the five that his team scored. So...
> that, essentially


Switched him to Monreal a few weeks ago...cheaper and more returns, but still not convinced by him...or Arsenal defence.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 22, 2017)

Don't think I've had an Arsenal defender in a FF team since Gallas


----------



## sealion (Oct 22, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> I accidentally captained the wrong player. Meant to go Lukaku and did Kane.


I sold him because he wasn't gettting points from home games  He has a goal and an assist  v Liverpool and it's only half time.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 22, 2017)

sealion said:


> I sold him because he wasn't gettting points from home games  He has a goal and an assist  v Liverpool and it's only half time.


Yep. Nice mistake this is turning out to be


----------



## sealion (Oct 22, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Pascal Gross is proving a nice little bargain


I've had him for a while now, he's doing okay. I was considering Richarlison of Watford although he only seems to get points away from home.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 22, 2017)

Gawd bless Sir 'arry of Kane!

Pulled my weekend into something approaching respectable.


Fez909 said:


> Yep. Nice mistake this is turning out to be


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 22, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Gawd bless Sir 'arry of Kane!
> 
> Pulled my weekend into something approaching respectable.


57% of my points this weekend came from Kane


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 22, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> 57% of my points this weekend came from Kane


50% here


----------



## big eejit (Oct 27, 2017)

Kane out injured this weekend.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> First Aguero, now Morata - it's Fantasy carnage!
> 
> I've lucked out so far in that I've gambled on Lukaku and Kane; just hoping the international break doesn't break them...





big eejit said:


> Kane out injured this weekend.


Bullet just took longer to hit.

Lukaku next? 

Big decisions ahoy...


----------



## marty21 (Oct 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> FUCK'S SAKE.


This ! Just managed to buy the useless lump


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Oct 27, 2017)

forgot to do anything with the team last week because it was a friday start.

84 points


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 28, 2017)

Puddy_Tat said:


> forgot to do anything with the team last week because it was a friday start.
> 
> 84 points


It's like that 80s film, "Football Games"


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Oct 28, 2017)

but if i made a considered decision not to do anything, it would be a crap week...


----------



## marty21 (Oct 28, 2017)

3 injured strikers  so I'm relying on my midfielders to all go goal crazy


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 28, 2017)

And you're up against me in the head to head marty21 with a 4 point head start cos I made an extra sub.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 28, 2017)

Coutinho injured, too 

RIP for me, and the GW hasn't even started yet.


----------



## marty21 (Oct 28, 2017)

S☼I said:


> And you're up against me in the head to head marty21 with a 4 point head start cos I made an extra sub.


Probably need a 40 point start tbf


----------



## elbows (Oct 28, 2017)

I felt the need to 'treat' myself to spending 12 points this week. I'm not allowing myself to do this often this season, but needs must when injuries come a calling.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 28, 2017)

I've taken a gamble by swapping a premium striker (Jesus) for a budget one (Abrahams) in order to get in Sane cos he looks like he might be the best value player in the whole game.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 28, 2017)

I might not even field 11 players this week. Kane injured, Cout _probably _injured, Sterling on the bench.

I've got Mbemba on mine, who hasn't started in weeks.

Meh.


----------



## elbows (Oct 28, 2017)

S☼I said:


> I've taken a gamble by swapping a premium striker (Jesus) for a budget one (Abrahams) in order to get in Sane cos he looks like he might be the best value player in the whole game.



Your gamble worked 

Meanwhile I am gloating because Sane is my captain


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 28, 2017)

elbows said:


> Your gamble worked
> 
> Meanwhile I am gloating because Sane is my captain


Mine, too.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 28, 2017)

Sold Sterling and Hernandez - both scored. Brought in Saleh and Aguero - former missed a penalty and the latter didn't even get on the pitch.

This bloody game...

<edit:>AND FUCKING KOLASNIAC GOT A GOAL AND AN ASSIST!


Fez909 said:


> Switched him to Monreal a few weeks ago...cheaper and more returns, but still not convinced by him...or Arsenal defence.


I trusted you! You damned saboteur!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 29, 2017)

And now Sterling's price has gone up £0.2m I can't buy the fucker back.

I hate this game so much.


----------



## elbows (Oct 29, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> And now Sterling's price has gone up £0.2m I can't buy the fucker back.
> 
> I hate this game so much.



He hasn't gone up in price recently, he costs more than you sold him for due to price rises earlier in the season.

edit - well he went up not long ago, but not this game week, where he was heading in the other direction until he performed yesterday. Quite a bit of Man City player price fluctuation for obvious reasons.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 29, 2017)

elbows said:


> He hasn't gone up in price recently, he costs more than you sold him for due to price rises earlier in the season.
> 
> edit - well he went up not long ago, but not this game week, where he was heading in the other direction until he performed yesterday. Quite a bit of Man City player price fluctuation for obvious reasons.


Sorry, I meant from what I sold him for. Sold him last week for £8.0m, he's now £8.2m


----------



## elbows (Oct 29, 2017)

Yeah, I should have realised, I posted too soon after getting out of bed!

My 12 points of transfers for this week were a waste - I just about got away with it not totally ruining my overall rank, and it hasn't messed up my budget, but it was a waste of points.

I too sold Kolasinac for Monreal a while ago so this week stung a little, but I have to remember that it was only the previous game week that Monreal got a goal and Kolasinac got 1 point, and Kolasinac is showing as mildly injured now, so not all bad.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 29, 2017)

League's well tight at the upper mid table. 4 points separating 7th and 12th!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 29, 2017)

In my work league, 3 points separate 2nd-5th.

1st, last year's winner, is 23 points ahead though


----------



## big eejit (Oct 29, 2017)

elbows said:


> Yeah, I should have realised, I posted too soon after getting out of bed!
> 
> My 12 points of transfers for this week were a waste - I just about got away with it not totally ruining my overall rank, and it hasn't messed up my budget, but it was a waste of points.
> 
> I too sold Kolasinac for Monreal a while ago so this week stung a little, but I have to remember that it was only the previous game week that Monreal got a goal and Kolasinac got 1 point, and Kolasinac is showing as mildly injured now, so not all bad.



Mildly injured?


----------



## rekil (Oct 29, 2017)

Worst wildcard ever.

 

Bah.


----------



## elbows (Oct 29, 2017)

big eejit said:


> Mildly injured?



I hadn't looked into what the yellow triangle of not doom meant at the time. Apparently a pre-existing tight hip muscle injury that needs managing.


----------



## marty21 (Oct 29, 2017)

Right , Free Hit played


----------



## elbows (Oct 30, 2017)

S☼I said:


> League's well tight at the upper mid table. 4 points separating 7th and 12th!



Found myself watching Burnley Newcastle because of how tight it remains. Still looks pretty tight after that, especially around the 555 points overall total where I am now lurking.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 30, 2017)

Man, I needed that Burnley result badly this week. Semi respectable score now.

My H2H opponent has played a blinder though


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 30, 2017)

Fuck's sake, Elliot couldn't keep a clean sheet at Burnley, could he? Still, if I've got my sums right then when Aguero gets auto-subbed I'll get an extra 10 points, which puts me 6 points behind first in the work league.

I'll be honest, I keep forgetting to check the urban H2H


----------



## elbows (Oct 30, 2017)

Any time I can beat my H2H opponent despite spending 12 points on transfers and making poor benching decisions that left me with 16 points less than I could have had has to be considered a great week and a very lucky escape.


----------



## Fez909 (Oct 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> Any time I can beat my H2H opponent despite spending 12 points on transfers and making poor benching decisions that left me with 16 points less than I could have had has to be considered a great week and a very lucky escape.


Ah, you can avoid poor bench decisions by picking 3 non playing first teamers like I did.

Then have a non playing bench player as well


----------



## Steel Icarus (Oct 30, 2017)

I'm having a decent season so far tbh. 2nd in H2H and steadily moving up the Urban table.


----------



## elbows (Oct 30, 2017)

S☼I said:


> I'm having a decent season so far tbh. 2nd in H2H and steadily moving up the Urban table.



Yeah, well done!

Its the first season I have ever managed a sustained decent start to the season. Normally I start off ok on week one, then slide for ages, then make a prolonged steady comeback and top things off with great scores in double ganeweeks. I never get near the top and I don't expect to this season either, but it is nice not to be chasing glory from so far away as I usually am at this stage of the season.


----------



## elbows (Nov 3, 2017)

Someone left the non-h2h league? I've not been paying attention to who occupied the slot, but there is nobody in 2nd place anymore!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 3, 2017)

elbows said:


> Someone left the non-h2h league? I've not been paying attention to who occupied the slot, but there is nobody in 2nd place anymore!


Eh? Who's gone?


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 3, 2017)

I've got 2.4m in the bank but I can't see for the life of me where to try to improve this week. Some very big head to heads in the Prem. Think I'll leave it til next week.


----------



## elbows (Nov 3, 2017)

S☼I said:


> I've got 2.4m in the bank but I can't see for the life of me where to try to improve this week. Some very big head to heads in the Prem. Think I'll leave it til next week.



International break (ie Gameweek 12 isn't till Nov 18th) so a good time to take the foot off the transfer pedal in case of injuries during international duty or changes in form after the break.


----------



## elbows (Nov 3, 2017)

Although its easy for me to say that because I already had most of the players that people have been transferring in in large numbers for this week.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 3, 2017)

elbows said:


> Although its easy for me to say that because I already had most of the players that people have been transferring in in large numbers for this week.


Same


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2017)

Over half a million piled onto Kane since the real madrid match.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

He didn't even bloody score


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Over half a million piled onto Kane since the real madrid match.


In which he didn't score!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

Well, that does it. I've been bothering all week whether to stick with Aguero and Salah or take a 4-point hit to bring in Kane and Sterling, but now Kane's price has gone up I'm £0.1m sort, so decision made for me


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2017)

Been unable to get to the transfer page for a full hour now. Running out of time.

edit: or my team page. Great.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

Huge top of the table H2H clash this weekend. Astonishingly I'm top and I'm playing 2nd place. Think it might be time for a triple captain card.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

You on your phone butchersapron ?


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2017)

S☼I said:


> You on your phone butchersapron ?


Nope, seems to be chrome problem - working on edge now.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

Ah, good.
Was thinking about the bench boost option but having read up it makes far more sense to play this in a double fixtures week, like w/c Friday 24th Nov.


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2017)

Well, now i don't know if my changes went through because at 11-25 i had to help a lost amazon courier and only got back at 11-29 clicked save just as clock went to 11-30.


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2017)

Bah!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

I've taken to doing stuff on a Thursday night cos of this weird thing they do now with Friday night games


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Ah, good.
> Was thinking about the bench boost option but having read up it makes far more sense to play this in a double fixtures week, like w/c Friday 24th Nov.



Thats not the sort of double game week that such advice relates to.

ie it doesn't mean a calendar week where there happen to be 2 game weeks due to everyone playing midweek as well as the weekend.

It means the double game weeks that occur later in the season, after various fixtures have been postponed and need to be re-added to the schedule. These games still fall within the same game week in the fantasy system, so a whole bunch of players get to play twice in a single game week.

Anyway yes, for the previous 2 seasons that I have played this game, I've used both bench boost and triple captain in weeks like that to great effect. And this year there is the prospect of using the 'free hit' to either get rid of players for a week where their games are postponed, or bring the best ones in for a double-gameweek without being stuck with them after that week ends.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

elbows said:


> Thats not the sort of double game week that such advice relates to.
> 
> ie it doesn't mean a calendar week where there happen to be 2 game weeks due to everyone playing midweek as well as the weekend.
> 
> ...


Ah, right. So the games w/c Nov 24th - that's *two* "gameweeks" in the space of 9 days or whatever, yes?


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

I basically conned my way into 2nd in the work league off the back of a fortunately-deployed triple-captain in a late season double gameweek.


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Ah, right. So the games w/c Nov 24th - that's *two* "gameweeks" in the space of 9 days or whatever, yes?



Three game weeks in 9 days:

gw 13 commencing 24th nov.
gw 14 commencing 28th nov.
gw 15 commencing 2nd dec.

Sometimes trying to explain this stuff adds further confusion so I find it easier to forget about calendar weeks altogether and just go by gameweeks. None of the game weeks I mention above are 'special' because every team is still only playing once in each of those gameweeks. The special double gameweeks don't tend to occur till quite late in the season, into the week 30-somethings, and we have to deal with the shit weeks where some teams don't play at all first.


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

I suppose I should also point out that the quality of the special double-gameweeks is bound to vary depending on what postponements actually happen - I don't remember any weather-related postponements last season and a lot of them were due to things like cup game replays and which teams get to the latter stages of the FA cup, for example. I've not been paying proper attention but if the league cup used to result in postponements due to replays, there is less of that this year because they changed the rules to use extra time & penalties instead of replays?


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

It's just not the same without butchers telling me off for 'helping' people


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

Slim pickings so far. All the action tomorrow?


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Slim pickings so far. All the action tomorrow?



Always looked that way based on the fixtures, with the possible exception of the late West Ham Liverpool game where Mane is in the starting lineup!


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

I'm not having much luck benching the right goalkeeper this season.


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

No spark in this game yet either, yawn.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

Finally some points on the board. Thanks, Salah!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Well, that does it. I've been bothering all week whether to stick with Aguero and Salah or take a 4-point hit to bring in Kane and Sterling, but now Kane's price has gone up I'm £0.1m sort, so decision made for me


So far, so good...


----------



## poului (Nov 4, 2017)

Cheers, Burnley. Cheers.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

23 points already. And most of my big hitters yet to play


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

18. Stupid Newcastle conceding in the last minute, cost me 4 points


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

29 so far (including the 3 bonus that Salah will get) but I had a few duds today and so many people have Salah that I can't get too excited yet. I will move up quite a few places in the non-h2h league tonight but whether it will last remains to be seen.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Well, that does it. I've been bothering all week whether to stick with Aguero and Salah or take a 4-point hit to bring in Kane and Sterling, but now Kane's price has gone up I'm £0.1m sort, so decision made for me





Lord Camomile said:


> So far, so good...


Ooh, the plot thickens. The guy in above me in the work league has both Kane and Sterling, with the former captained, so now it's not just personal pride at stake on the performance of those two.

Could this GW decide the title? Probably not.


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

I'm bored so I will play a silly game. Look back at the team you picked for the start of the season, which of those players have done well so far/would be welcome in your team today?

I had Kolasinac, Salah, Mane and Lukaku. 

Am I just saying this to show off that I scouted Salah before the season began? Maybe


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

Not that I should gloat, having sold and bought him back twice already so far


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 4, 2017)

I started with Kane, Lukaku, Salah, Jones. All still there, all still getting points.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 4, 2017)

Kane, Lukaku, Valencia, Kolasinac. Should have arguably held onto Firmino, but budgets.

Tom Davies, Zaha and Willian didn't prove to be the bargains I'd hoped they'd be


----------



## elbows (Nov 4, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Zaha



Zaha injury was most unfortunate but there is still hope for his season, I think I had him in week one and hope it makes sense to buy him back at some point.


----------



## elbows (Nov 5, 2017)

Alli out with a minor hamstring injury! Good thing I didn't bring him in after he looked so impressive against Real Madrid.


----------



## sealion (Nov 5, 2017)

elbows said:


> Alli out with a minor hamstring injury! Good thing I didn't bring him in after he looked so impressive against Real Madrid.


I bought him in last week


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 5, 2017)

So much for Kane as a triple Captain. My week now rests on a Man Utd clean sheet and another big haul from Sane


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 5, 2017)

Bollocks, that Morata goal has taken the shine of the weekend, but given how things could have gone I'll take this so far.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 5, 2017)

If Rashford could assist a Valencia double, though...


----------



## elbows (Nov 17, 2017)

This game makes me hate international breaks, I've missed geeking out on this stuff but now it returns. And I have to say I'm rather intrigued by the weeks ahead. So many questions on my mind, such as...

Will I continue to be punished for having a benched Doucoure instead of a played Richarlison?

Will Zaha continue to show points potential and will he start performing away from home?

Will Lukaku start getting more points again now that Pogba is back and Lukaku scored for his country in both of their games? And how will Ibrahimovic slot into things?

And how much swearing will we all do when teams rotate to cope with the rather large number of games in the next 6 weeks or whatever it is?


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 18, 2017)

My 'keepers were facing Man Utd and Chelsea today. After seeing Man Utd score 4 on MotD I thought "well, at least I got that right..."  

Should have gambled a bit further and brought in Jesus rather than Kane for Aguero, and losing Rashford to afford Kane has cost me too. Ah, well...


----------



## chilango (Nov 18, 2017)

Oops. Forgot to sub Pogba back in. He was on my bench


----------



## marty21 (Nov 19, 2017)

Mighty 4-way battle at the bottom of the H2H league


----------



## elbows (Nov 20, 2017)

A fascinating week. Time to splurge 8 or 12 points on transfers I think


----------



## sealion (Nov 20, 2017)

elbows said:


> A fascinating week. Time to splurge 8 or 12 points on transfers I think


I notice there's midweek games coming up after Saturdays games. Does this team you pick for saturday stay in place for the Tues/Weds games ?


----------



## big eejit (Nov 20, 2017)

sealion said:


> I notice there's midweek games coming up after Saturdays games. Does this team you pick for saturday stay in place for the Tues/Weds games ?



They'll be separate game weeks. So you'll need to remember to re-pick team etc.


----------



## sealion (Nov 20, 2017)

big eejit said:


> They'll be separate game weeks. So you'll need to remember to re-pick team etc.


Thanks. No point in using my free hit option then.


----------



## starfish (Nov 21, 2017)

Well done my Seagulls, well done.


----------



## elbows (Nov 21, 2017)

I end up feeling bad for people in weeks where even getting 80 points isn't enough to guarantee victory in the H2H.

Meanwhile my cunning transfer plan for the coming week, which involves pumping tons more money into my midfield, is already under threat because of Niasse being charged with diving. But never mind, I am pressing ahead with it anyway.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 21, 2017)

elbows said:


> A fascinating week. Time to splurge 8 or 12 points on transfers I think


I did a 'dry-run wildcard' last night to plan my transfers over the next few weeks. I don't have a wildcard, so it would cost me 20pts if I did it now. Would be a pretty formidable team tho


----------



## elbows (Nov 21, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> I did a 'dry-run wildcard' last night to plan my transfers over the next few weeks. I don't have a wildcard, so it would cost me 20pts if I did it now. Would be a pretty formidable team tho



My instinct is to speak too freely about my plans so I am trying hard to keep relatively tight-lipped at the moment. But yeah, some tantalising line-ups are possible. Mind you, I'm sure when I got excited about this in previous seasons my thinking was flawed, too wowed by the headline-grabbing expensive players when it would actually make more sense to keep some of the budget midfielders that have been performing well. Oh well, Im sure I will make the same mistake again!


----------



## sealion (Nov 23, 2017)

Deadline for transfers this week is 7 pm on Friday.


----------



## big eejit (Nov 23, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> I did a 'dry-run wildcard' last night to plan my transfers over the next few weeks. I don't have a wildcard, so it would cost me 20pts if I did it now. Would be a pretty formidable team tho



This week's formidable wildcard team is next week's pile of crap. Otherwise it would be easy!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 24, 2017)

elbows said:


> I end up feeling bad for people in weeks where even getting 80 points isn't enough to guarantee victory in the H2H.


That was me pipping purves grundy by a single point, 81 to 80. Just pleased I was on the lucky end of a close call.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 24, 2017)

This week I'm not sure. Have played three strikers every week but Abraham is out of form and fitness so I think I'll leave him out. But whether to go 3-5-2 or 4-4-2. Hmmm.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 24, 2017)

Oh and a HUGE reminder to get your team done *before 7 tonight* as West Ham and Leicester meet this evening.


----------



## marty21 (Nov 24, 2017)

Bottom of the league


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Spent 16 points on transfers, ouch. At least if this ruins the game week for me I don't have long to wait till the next one!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 24, 2017)

Just noticed I'm top in three leagues, 18th in the urban one  Methinks the other leagues are bit shit  

As ever, no fucking clue what to do this week, too many quandaries. I'm not good with quandaries.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 24, 2017)

Man City's top strikers are arguably in better form than Lukaku or Kane, but there's no fucking guarantee which one of them will play 

<edit>: oh, and of course then there's Morata. Chelsea seem to have remembered how to score and they're up against notoriously leaky Liverpool.

I need more money and more spaces!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 24, 2017)

Kane's playing against West Brom though. (I've brought in Morata recently though as after Liverpool Chelsea have some on-paper easy fixtures).


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 24, 2017)

S☼I said:


> after Liverpool Chelsea have some on-paper easy fixtures.


Yeah, I noticed that too.

I can't afford/fit in Kane, Aguero, Lukaku, Jesus and Morata. It's not fair


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Chelsea seem to have remembered how to score and they're up against notoriously leaky Liverpool.



Liverpool have kept a surprising number of clean sheets at home so far this season. That doesn't mean I'm betting against Chelsea scoring though.

I executed my mad midfield plan and don't mind admitting that my midfield is now:

Sane, Silva, Salah, Pogba, Hazard.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 24, 2017)

Bold strategy! Certainly a potential point party. Did you have anything left over for other positions?!

Yeah, in the back of my mind is Mourhino's comment after their game with 'pool, something along the lines of he'd expected Klopp to roll the dice at some point and create holes in the defence, but he never did. Whether that has any bearing on the Chelsea game is beyond me though.


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Well it was probably stupid of me to execute the plan this week because I had to sell Kane to free up the cash for Pogba and Hazard (already had the other 3). I still have Lukaku. I didn't have to weaken my defence though, although Jones continued injury meant I ended up spending 16 points instead of the planned 12. Niasse being banned is another flaw in my plans timing but I did know that was likely to happen before I bought him in and did it anyway.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 24, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> notoriously leaky Liverpool





elbows said:


> Liverpool have kept a surprising number of clean sheets at home so far this season. That doesn't mean I'm betting against Chelsea scoring though.


Yep, they've conceeded _one _goal at home this season. Good shout to bet on 'pool at home, though Chelsea's a tougher beast than anyone they've faced so far?


> I executed my mad midfield plan and don't mind admitting that my midfield is now:
> 
> Sane, Silva, Salah, Pogba, Hazard.


This is very similar to the plan I had! In the end I decided to leave it as Vardy and Kane had tasty fixtures and Niasse was also part of the plan.

Was considering Silva, Salah, Pogba, KDB, Hazard.

I fucked up my captain this week. Was torn between Kane and Sterling, and even fancied a cheeky punt on Vardy (who's had a nice start). Didn't press save and so now I've capped Salah, who I think is gonna blank.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 24, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> I fucked up my captain this week. Was torn between Kane and Sterling, and even fancied a cheeky punt on Vardy (who's had a nice start). Didn't press save and so now I've capped Salah, who I think is gonna blank.


After all my back and forth I once again forgot to do _anything _

Ah well, two transfers for the mid-week game


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Yep, they've conceeded _one _goal at home this season. Good shout to bet on 'pool at home, though Chelsea's a tougher beast than anyone they've faced so far?





> Was considering Silva, Salah, Pogba, KDB, Hazard.



Once I'd already swapped Abraham for Callum Wilson and Kane for Niasse, I spent days wondering whether to pick my eventual midfield targets of Pogba and Hazard this week, or whether to forgo Hazard for a week and get some Spurs midfielder in for this week instead. Especially given the Liverpool fixture, Spurs facing West Brom and Conte moaning about the 5000 mile round trip Chelsea just did to play their midweek game. However I just could not make up my mind which Spurs midfielder would be the best bet, so I went back to plan A.


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Throw in the other players I considered for that slot, and the player I replaced (Gross), and I've left myself with quite a large array of players that I will gripe about if they score more than Hazard:

Son, Eriksen, Alli, Zaha, De Bruyne, Gross

However I will happily take a failure of Hazard compared to those players this week if the rest of my team can do well enough that the 16 points I've spent is only moderately painful to take, especially if getting rid of Kane doesn't prove too painful and either one of Pogba or Callum Wilson gets a nice points tally.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 24, 2017)

elbows said:


> Throw in the other players I considered for that slot, and the player I replaced (Gross), and I've left myself with quite a large array of players that I will gripe about if they score more than Hazard:
> 
> Son, Eriksen, Alli, Zaha, De Bruyne, Gross
> 
> However I will happily take a failure of Hazard compared to those players this week if the rest of my team can do well enough that the 16 points I've spent is only moderately painful to take, especially if getting rid of Kane doesn't prove too painful and either one of Pogba or Callum Wilson gets a nice points tally.


Mou said Pogba unlikely to play for more than an hour, so might be a 1 pointer!


----------



## elbows (Nov 24, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Mou said Pogba unlikely to play for more than an hour, so might be a 1 pointer!



I believe he said 65 - 70 mins so I can still dream of 2 or 3 points


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 25, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> After all my back and forth I once again forgot to do _anything _
> 
> Ah well, two transfers for the mid-week game


Transfers aside, I'd also meant to sub Loftus-Cheek in for Abraham. Lost out on 6 points for that one


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 26, 2017)

Decent score in what looks like a low scoring week so far. Citeh to keep a clean sheet with a Walker goal and assist for Sane, please


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 26, 2017)

Seems like I got away with the Salah captain mistake. Looks like it might be close in our h2h battle butchersapron, too! 

Did you captain Salah on purpose? Risky move if so! Nice midfield you have there as well...


----------



## butchersapron (Nov 26, 2017)

I thought I'd switched it to kane tbh. I think I must have forgot to click save. So that's yeah points lost. Could have been worse I suppose.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 26, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> I thought I'd switched it to kane tbh. I think I must have forgot to click save. So that's yeah points lost. Could have been worse I suppose.


Did exactly the same. Only 2pts down, though, so not the end of the world.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 26, 2017)

91st minute penalty @ Burnley wiped out 12pts for me there.

Fuck this game


----------



## sealion (Nov 26, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Fuck this game


Yep and player rotation


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 26, 2017)

Gambled on the wrong City players 

That's closed the gap I'd opened up at the top of my work league - where I had Sane, my closest rivals had Sterling


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 27, 2017)

Waiting a day to make my transfers cost me £0.2m


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Waiting a day to make my transfers cost me £0.2m


I have started to ignore transfer costs. I made a bit of cash by transfering early a few times, but it's also cost me points/free transfers when they've since turned out to be injured or whatever and I've had to reverse it.

When you consider it's points that win the game, not team value, I think it's worth waiting


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 27, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> When you consider it's points that win the game, not team value, I think it's worth waiting



Aye, but you can miss out on the right transfers due to lack of funds (as happened to me earlier this season). If I can't bring in the players I want for lack of that £0.2m, I'm losing out on those points.


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 27, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Aye, but you can miss out on the right transfers due to lack of funds (as happened to me earlier this season). If I can't bring in the players I want for lack of that £0.2m, I'm losing out on those points.


And if your hot shot new player gets injured between you transferring them in and the next game? 

Guess it's whether the risks are worth it to you! 

This game is a minefield


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 27, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> And if your hot shot new player gets injured between you transferring them in and the next game?


Yeah, that has traditionally been my approach - wait until the last minute - but I've already lost out on a couple of players this season as their price has gone out of my budget in the meantime. I guess if you can only afford them at their current price you take the risk, if you have money to play with you wait it out. This time I figured with the games so close together there's less risk, plus _both_ players had gone up in price and I needed to cash in Lukaku in case he gets this ban from the Brighton game and his stock plummets.


Fez909 said:


> This game is a minefield


And fucking how.


----------



## elbows (Nov 27, 2017)

Buying players earlier than I'd like due to their value being about to change usually works out for me ok, so long as I don't get addicted to it and spend way too many points on transfers every week. So far this year I am having some weeks where I spend a lot of points, but not as many as last year so I'm happy enough. Having said that I'm finding it much harder to get my overall team value to increase as much as I managed in previous seasons, I've been stuck around 104 million for what feels like an age.

My 16 points transfer spend didn't produce great results this week but at least it wasn't a massive points scoring week for anyone else either. In the end Hazard was my only flagship purchase that performed, so I would have been better off not doing it, but I will give it a couple more game weeks before deciding whether it was worthwhile overall (depends on Callum Wilson and Pogba performing real soon). Swapping Jones for Daniels worked out ok so far too.

I suppose I have to prepare myself for some players missing out on matches midweek or next weekend but will not try to transfer my way out of this possibility as it could so easily backfire and cost me even more points than just leaving it alone. So unless I get news of someone definitely being rested midweek, just the one transfer for me this time.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 27, 2017)

Lukaku facing no action. Ah well, was probably going to ditch him anyway.


----------



## elbows (Nov 27, 2017)

Yeah I don't mind admitting I already ditched him, so now watch him get a hat trick!


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 27, 2017)

Regarding team value...I hate the way it is presented. It should take into account selling price not current price.

I have a TV of 102.something but if I sold everyone, it only leaves me 101 to play with. 

Misleading, and dangerous - if I sold everyone this week, and they didn't rise in value, I can't buy them back next week as I wouldn't have enough due to the half profit rule.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 28, 2017)

Left Clark and Doucoure out tonight. Who both scored!


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 28, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Left Clark and Doucoure out tonight. Who both scored!


Got Vardy on the bench


----------



## Fez909 (Nov 28, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Left Clark and Doucoure out tonight. Who both scored!


Ah, I'm playing you this week. Hope to fuck the rest of your team starts


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 29, 2017)

Should have captained Salah


----------



## sealion (Nov 29, 2017)

Neither my captain or vice captain started plus 2 more not even on the bench. I will put this week behind me as they say.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 29, 2017)

And I should have rolled the dice on Sterling a long time ago 


sealion said:


> I will put this week behind me as they say.


Ditto.


----------



## elbows (Nov 29, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Should have captained Salah



I was so doomed this week until he came on and scored twice. He was my captain, the one thing I got right this week, phew!


----------



## sealion (Nov 29, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> And I should have rolled the dice on Sterling a long time ago


It's a tough call with the city players. I had Sterling earlier on and he didn't do much. I've now got Sane who's been doing well but was dropped tonight. I could rush out now and buy Sterling with no guarantee he will play the next game, Same for jesus and Sergio, which one do you gamble on ? As for Chelsea players tonight ,,,,,,,,,,


----------



## Steel Icarus (Nov 29, 2017)

Captained Azpilequeta. Who didn't play. A week to forget. Salah captain this weekend. Guaranteed to not score


----------



## rekil (Nov 30, 2017)

marty21 said:


> Bottom of the league


Happy xmas marty. I made a few changes with upcoming fixtures in mind but I would've lost anyway.


----------



## marty21 (Nov 30, 2017)

copliker said:


> Happy xmas marty. I made a few changes with upcoming fixtures in mind but I would've lost anyway.


cheers, I have now climbed off the bottom, upwards!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 30, 2017)

How the fuck did I make it to 3rd in the H2H?! I'd already pretty much already given up on that league  

Got lucky this week, up against a lot of other scores in the league I would have lost.

Lost a lot of ground in the work league, mind.


----------



## marty21 (Nov 30, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Should have captained Salah


I remembered to captain him, but not to triple captain


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 30, 2017)

marty21 said:


> I remembered to captain him, but not to triple captain


Well, y'can rarely guarantee just how good a particular week is gonna be. Triple captain is generally best for double gameweeks, get two chances for a big score.


----------



## sealion (Nov 30, 2017)

I managed to win my H2H by scoring a massive 39 points. Phew!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 2, 2017)

Of course THIS is the week I make Salah captain  rather than Sterling who will no doubt get a brace tomorrow


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 2, 2017)

S☼I said:


> Of course THIS is the week I make Salah captain  rather than Sterling who will no doubt get a brace tomorrow


Five goals for 'pool and not one for Salah - that is ouch.

I'm counting on Pep rotating Sterling for Sane, but apparently Sane was/is ill so we'll probably both be punished for that one.


----------



## poului (Dec 2, 2017)

Firmino finally gets a brace as soon as I sell him, because Fantasy League.

And you just _know_ what will happen once I sell Kane.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 2, 2017)

For both H2H and work league reasons, I need Sane and Otamendi to grab sackloads of points each but the rest of the City team to get nothing


----------



## elbows (Dec 3, 2017)

At least Pogba racked up some points before getting the red card, and it removed any dilemma I had about who to get rid of for next week.

I was very close to captaining Hazard instead of Salah but never mind, I've just about gotten away with this week again and that will just have to do - these three game weeks have not been great for me at all but it was very close to being oh so much worse that I still feel relieved.

Even with Spurs performing badly it still feels like such a risk not having Kane every week, but thats the strategy I settled on when I spent 16 points and it makes little sense for me to reverse it already so I will just have to bite my nails for some weeks to come.

As for Sane, Pep said he has recovered from illness and ready for the game but we will see.


----------



## elbows (Dec 3, 2017)

OK Callum Wilson is on the bench - please stay there and don't get subbed on, because I have 6 points from Glen Murray on my bench that I will get if Wilson doesn't play.

Alternatively, if either Sane or Sterling doesn't play at all today, I want Wilson to come on. So its going to be a bit odd watching the Bournemouth game before finding out who is in the Man City team.


----------



## starfish (Dec 3, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Five goals for 'pool and not one for Salah - that is ouch.



I was at the game. Ouch in more ways than one.


----------



## elbows (Dec 3, 2017)

Well Wilson came on and Daniels didn't get clean sheet points. Now its about time to find out the Man City squad.


----------



## elbows (Dec 3, 2017)

So, Kompany, Jesus, Bernado and Fernandinho on the bench, everyone else you'd expect starts.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 3, 2017)

Knew I shouldn't have swapped out Otamendi for Walker a couple of weeks ago. Man's a goal machine


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 3, 2017)

It had to be fucking Silva that scored the winner  Lost me the H2H, that


----------



## marty21 (Dec 3, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> It had to be fucking Silva that scored the winner  Lost me the H2H, that


Of course I sold him


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 4, 2017)

It's taken me this long to notice, but with 83 points de Gea has more points than any defender, more than all but the top three midfielders and the same as the top forward.

I normally don't spend much budget with 'keepers, but with those stats...


----------



## elbows (Dec 5, 2017)

Yeah its hard to escape those numbers. If I stick with my '2 very cheap forwards' squad then I can afford to beef up my defence further, but it will have to wait as I've already spent 4 points again for the coming week.

A possible consolation prize for those who recently sold David Silva and then regretted it last Sunday (me included):



> Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City (Wednesday, 19:45 GMT)
> 
> Injury news from the Manchester City camp now and Pep Guardiola reveals that playmaker David Silva had a problem "in the last minutes" of Sunday's win against West Ham and could be doubtful for the big Manchester derby this weekend, but despite repeated questioning from the press, Guardiola does not expatiate on the nature of Silva's injury.
> 
> However, the Spaniard does disclose that Portuguese midfielder Bernado Silva will start in Ukraine on Wednesday.



from Champions League news conferences


----------



## elbows (Dec 8, 2017)

Weather related 'what if?' transfer panic in regards to Sundays northern games happening to me this evening.

No Mo if it snows! No Sterling if its swirling! 

Looks like I might end up spending 8 points instead of the planned 4, to partially cover myself against one of them not playing. Not going to go completely crazy and remove all risk from my team though but I can imagine ditching Sterling.


----------



## butchersapron (Dec 8, 2017)

Xmas is for cover and not loading up on people that will prob be dropped at least one game and play 30 mins next - or not, who knows. Oh well. And have a keeper who plays.


----------



## elbows (Dec 8, 2017)

butchersapron said:


> Xmas is for cover and not loading up on people that will prob be dropped at least one game and play 30 mins next - or not, who knows. Oh well. And have a keeper who plays.



As I'm sure you are only too aware thats been easier said than done so far, what with Chelsea being fairly keen on rotations during these packed weeks but having some players with great form and promising fixtures. And the much less rotatable squad of Spurs demonstrating poor form from the safe players and an unwelcome degree of defender rotation. I nearly had kittens a few game weeks ago when it looked like 4 of my big-name midfielders weren't going to play at all, though in the end some came on to give me single points and if I remember properly Salah saved me by coming on late and still delivering.

That was rotten luck what happened to you with Hennesseys back spasms in warmup the other week - my brother did well out of it as he wasn't going to have either of his goalies play until that happened and then Speroni got him 11 points!

Oh well, I've taken a step towards a hopefully somewhat more sustainable and Sunday snow-proof squad, Sterling out and Richarlison in.


----------



## butchersapron (Dec 8, 2017)

elbows said:


> As I'm sure you are only too aware thats been easier said than done so far, what with Chelsea being fairly keen on rotations during these packed weeks but having some players with great form and promising fixtures. And the much less rotatable squad of Spurs demonstrating poor form from the safe players and an unwelcome degree of defender rotation. I nearly had kittens a few game weeks ago when it looked like 4 of my big-name midfielders weren't going to play at all, though in the end some came on to give me single points and if I remember properly Salah saved me by coming on late and still delivering.
> 
> That was rotten luck what happened to you with Hennesseys back spasms in warmup the other week - my brother did well out of it as he wasn't going to have either of his goalies play until that happened and then Speroni got him 11 points!
> 
> Oh well, I've taken a step towards a hopefully somewhat more sustainable and Sunday snow-proof squad, Sterling out and Richarlison in.


The palace keeper was so typical - i can resolve it with bringing in speroni for near free. I want at least two liverpool attacking but i loaded up on their defence. So min-4, lose kane.


----------



## butchersapron (Dec 8, 2017)

But the rule is ...never drop kane...13 points coming.


----------



## elbows (Dec 9, 2017)

I always drop Kane multiple times every season, always regret it at some point but a hard habit to give up!

Snow forecast now isn't as bad for Liverpool and Manchester as it was when I panicked last night, so I won't be surprised if this turns out to be another cunning plan that backfires on me. Especially as Chelsea are currently getting nowhere with West Ham.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 9, 2017)

elbows said:


> Especially as Chelsea are currently getting nowhere with West Ham.


Forgot to switch captains from Morata to Kane or Salah. Doesn't look too promising


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 9, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Forgot to switch captains from Morata to Kane


DAMMIIIIIIIIIIIT!


----------



## elbows (Dec 11, 2017)

I fully expect to get screwed by Chelsea team rotation again this midweek. But there is nothing I can do about it now, having spent 8 points elsewhere yet again, and not being able to bring myself to sell a Chelsea player because they are against Huddersfield.


----------



## elbows (Dec 11, 2017)

My season has gone to crap since I took the risk of going for the '2 cheap strikers, expensive midfield' strategy quite a lot of game weeks ago. The strategy itself might not have been a disaster, except I spent too many points on transfers, the correct cheap forwards were not yet apparent, and I sold Kane. And I've spent a lot of points since trying to correct the mistakes. I aim to be back on track by the end of the current '3 games in just over a week' period, in terms of being happy with my team, but whether I will ever recover my overall standing this season is questionable. I would like to settle down and not have to spend many points on transfers over the Christmas-new year games.


----------



## elbows (Dec 11, 2017)

Curses, I am now out of sync with the possible price rises of cheap forwards and various defenders that are part of plans I cannot fully press ahead with until I see what happens in the next game week or two. I'm presently back to having 2 expensive forwards and a more mixed midfield (that still has no Man City players in it, oh dear). But I'm waiting to see whether I stick with that and get a City Midfielder back by cheapening my defence, or get one by selling an expensive midfielder, or sell the expensive forward that isn't Kane, or some blend. And the potential price rises look likely to make two of my favoured possibilities unaffordable by then, doh.

The big lesson for me during my initial good run this season was that yes, as I suspected I can do better when not being the tinkerman to excess (but still a bit more than many favour). The evidence was there, but at some point I chose to ignore it and spend points on various excessive transfer schemes. The obvious problem with this is that even when I bring in the right players, the extra points haul is easily eroded by points spent on transfers, and the more players I sell the greater the chance of selling one that goes on to have a great week. So if I calm down over Christmas then at least even if it all goes wrong again I won't be giving myself a hard time about this transfer madness anymore!


----------



## elbows (Dec 12, 2017)

Ah now Conte has been kind enough to tell us that Morata is out of the game tomorrow. Since I've already spent 8 points before this news, I may as well just spend 16 in total now instead of leaving my team in the current erroneous shape. First week of the cup too, I don't think I will see a 2nd week of the cup!


----------



## Fez909 (Dec 12, 2017)

Ward 

Not a bad start to the gameweek - usually I'm behind on day one then do well on day 2. I've had 2 mediocre weeks in a row, though, so I'm _due a good'un.
_
Right? 

Note to self: never captain Hazard again


----------



## sealion (Dec 13, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Not a bad start to the gameweek - usually I'm behind on day one then do well on day 2. I've had 2 mediocre weeks in a row, though, so I'm _due a good'un.
> _
> Right?


Looks like you beat me in the h2h, well done!


Fez909 said:


> Note to self: never captain Hazard again


I had hopes he would score a few with Morata not starting, i captained Salah  Changes will be made !


----------



## Fez909 (Dec 13, 2017)

sealion said:


> Looks like you beat me in the h2h, well done!
> 
> I had hopes he would score a few with Morata not starting, i captained Salah  Changes will be made !


Yep, I was worried when Hazard blanked, but I've had a great GW all round 

Kane not doing anything was music to my ears


----------



## sealion (Dec 13, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Kane not doing anything was music to my ears


I binned him a while back and wasted the extra money elsewhere


----------



## starfish (Dec 14, 2017)

Regretting my 3 transfers now. The 4 point loss cost me my Cup game & 2 of the players i sold scored 12 points while the 3 i brought in scored me 5. 1 didnt play, 1 was captain & 1 got injured in the first half.


----------



## elbows (Dec 14, 2017)

I can tell I've spent too many points on transfers when I'm relieved to have only dropped a million places overall in the last 5 weeks lol 

I have activated my plan to end the transfer madness, with 8 points spent this week leading to a team that I hope to sustain till mid Jan 2018 without spending more than 0 or 4 points a week.


----------



## marty21 (Dec 14, 2017)

Out of the cup  I don't think I've ever got beyond the 2nd round  at least I can concentrate on the league now


----------



## marty21 (Dec 14, 2017)

elbows said:


> I can tell I've spent too many points on transfers when I'm relieved to have only dropped a million places overall in the last 5 weeks lol
> 
> I have activated my plan to end the transfer madness, with 8 points spent this week leading to a team that I hope to sustain till mid Jan 2018 without spending more than 0 or 4 points a week.


If I lost points on transfers I'd be doing even worse I reckon.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Dec 16, 2017)

i was thinking leicester were fairly sure to get a goal or two today


----------



## Fez909 (Dec 16, 2017)

elbows said:


> I can tell I've spent too many points on transfers when I'm relieved to have only dropped a million places overall in the last 5 weeks lol
> 
> I have activated my plan to end the transfer madness, with 8 points spent this week leading to a team that I hope to sustain till mid Jan 2018 without spending more than 0 or 4 points a week.


Jesus. I've just had a look at your history...transfer madness is the right term!


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 16, 2017)

Thank heavens for Sterling and his late goals. Need same from Salah and a clean sheet for Man Utd to save this poor week.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 16, 2017)

At about 11:15 this morning I remembered to swap Sterling and Morata for David Silva and Jesus.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 16, 2017)

Oh, and of course the goal that ruins Otamendi's clean sheet bonus isn't even scored by fucking Kane.

This one game has been a horror-show for me


----------



## sealion (Dec 16, 2017)

I left Sterling on the bench


----------



## Fez909 (Dec 16, 2017)

sealion said:


> I left Sterling on the bench


wtf, why?


----------



## sealion (Dec 16, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> wtf, why?


I convinced myself that city wouldn't batter them after narrowly beating west ham and southampton at home. It's also a bit of a lottery with city players. Sane, Silva and Sterling all blow hot and cold. I wonder how many bought Silva this week  I opted for Richarlison thinking Watford would put a few past Huddersfield who had conceded 14 in the last 4 away games .


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 16, 2017)

sealion said:


> I wonder how many bought Silva this week


----------



## elbows (Dec 17, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Jesus. I've just had a look at your history...transfer madness is the right term!



If you think thats madness you should have seen last season - I've spent 48 points less up to this point this season than I did up to this point last season!


----------



## elbows (Dec 21, 2017)

There sure are a lot of bans and injuries mounting before we even reach the peak of the busy period.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 22, 2017)

Fucking Friday fucking fixtures


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 22, 2017)

And now I realise why I walked past the Liverpool team bus near Holborn earlier this evening


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 23, 2017)

I'm getting my Man City choices all wrong  The guy ahead of me in the work league somehow has Sterling, Silva and Aguero, alongside Salah and Morata.


----------



## elbows (Dec 23, 2017)

Nice of the team I spent so many weeks & points to arrange to finally start performing well for me just before Christmas  Expensive big team defenders paid off, picked a suitable captain.

Not that the adjusting ever seems to stop for me, as things like Austins dodgy boot to Lossls face & later injury, and Rooney getting ill may force some changes on me for boxing day.


----------



## marty21 (Dec 23, 2017)

elbows said:


> Nice of the team I spent so many weeks & points to arrange to finally start performing well for me just before Christmas  Expensive big team defenders paid off, picked a suitable captain.
> 
> Not that the adjusting ever seems to stop for me, as things like Austins dodgy boot to Lossls face & later injury, and Rooney getting ill may force some changes on me for boxing day.


4 out injured at the moment  transferred out one , I'll delay the bench boost


----------



## elbows (Dec 23, 2017)

Working out what the bonuses will be and it looks like I'm going to end up with over 90 points this week, yay happy christmas to me.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Dec 23, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Fucking Friday fucking fixtures



I forgot about it again.

71 points so far this week


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 23, 2017)

I'm doing OK but unfailingly picking the wrong captain each game week.


----------



## rekil (Dec 24, 2017)

I'm a little bit Burnley.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 26, 2017)

No YOU forgot to put Kane as captain even though it was OBVIOUS what he was going to do today.


----------



## elbows (Dec 26, 2017)

It was about time Kane did something when my captain - I picked him 3 times previously this season when he only got 1 or 2 points, so this is my first big success with him this season.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 26, 2017)

I'm in the weird position of hoping Salah doesn't have a great game even though he's in my team, because the two teams worker side of me have him captained.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 26, 2017)

The two Chelsea players I thought of buying have scored, the one I did buy has only got an assist.

My hatred of Chelsea remains fully justified.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 26, 2017)

Firmino did that just because I didn't buy him. Cunt.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Dec 26, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Firmino did that just because I didn't buy him. Cunt.


I did


----------



## elbows (Dec 26, 2017)

Points coming out of my arse 2 gameweeks in a row, such joy, made even better by memories of not having very fun fantasy football christmases the 2 previous seasons that I've played this game. No matter how brief this run turns out to be, its cheered me up since I had not long previously been on my longest ever sustained 'less than 50 points each week' run, and just days ago could still be found routinely crying here about all the points I'd spent on transfers to no avail. I have not yet recovered the same sort of position I had before my bad run & points wasting began, but am now very well on the way to reaching that recovery point in the next few weeks if my luck holds.


----------



## marty21 (Dec 26, 2017)

When do we get another wild card?


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Dec 26, 2017)

marty21 said:


> When do we get another wild card?





> The first wilcard will be available from the start of the season until 30 Dec 14:00. The second wildcard will be available after this date in readiness for the January transfer window opening and remain available until the end of the season. The Wildcard chip is played when confirming transfers that cost points and can't be cancelled once played.



from here


----------



## AverageJoe (Dec 26, 2017)

Next week Spurs play twice. Time for a Harry Kane triple captain (fail)


----------



## marty21 (Dec 27, 2017)

Puddy_Tat said:


> from here


have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry
have to buy 'arry


----------



## butchersapron (Dec 27, 2017)

I think you may want to check the fix list marty.


----------



## AverageJoe (Dec 27, 2017)

Lol! Brick Wall is my 7 year old son's team!!

(soz Marty, I thought that link was to him as he triple captained Kane this week. He's totally smashing me points wise)


----------



## rekil (Dec 28, 2017)

Only two of my defenders played. Do I get my bench midfielder's points?


----------



## elbows (Dec 28, 2017)

copliker said:


> Only two of my defenders played. Do I get my bench midfielder's points?



No I'm afraid it wont let that happen.


----------



## elbows (Dec 28, 2017)

92 points last gameweek and 102 this week! I didnt realise I must have played my ultra-smugness card!


----------



## rekil (Dec 29, 2017)

elbows said:


> No I'm afraid it wont let that happen.


Curses. Out of the cup. 



Spoiler


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 30, 2017)

Just noticed this:

 

Could scupper a few plans, depending on how long it lasts...


----------



## sealion (Dec 30, 2017)

elbows said:


> 92 points last gameweek and 102 this week!


The highest score this week was 98 when i looked.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 30, 2017)

Took a 4-point hit to bring in Sterling, Firmino and Lingard. So far, all I've got from it is a Lingard yellow card


----------



## elbows (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> The highest score this week was 98 when i looked.



If you were looking in the h2h then it would have taken the 4 points I spent on transfers off my score.


----------



## sealion (Dec 31, 2017)

elbows said:


> If you were looking in the h2h then it would have taken the 4 points I spent on transfers off my score.


What was your final score then ?


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 31, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> Took a 4-point hit to bring in Sterling, Firmino and Lingard. So far, all I've got from it is a Lingard yellow card


STERLING ISN'T EVEN STARTING!! 

But you know who is? Jesus, who I got rid of for Firmino 

Fuck. This. Game.


----------



## elbows (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> What was your final score then ?



98, but I spend far too many points on transfer all the time to be using these diminished scores, I prefer to gloat about the total without considering points spent on transfers!


----------



## elbows (Dec 31, 2017)

I can live without Sterling and Loftus-Cheek on this occasion, surprised I havent suffered more from squad rotations yet so I consider this to be getting off lightly.

Dont know what to do about Kane, suppose I shall probably buy him back now even if he doesnt play straight away. Oh dear I am too greedy regarding double-gameweeks so shall probably end up spending 12 points on transfers in order to have 2 spurs and 2 west ham players.


----------



## sealion (Dec 31, 2017)

elbows said:


> 98, but I spend far too many points on transfer all the time to be using these diminished scores, I prefer to gloat about the total without considering points spent on transfers!


The before tax approach


----------



## elbows (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> The before tax approach



I do keep track of my taxes eventually though  180 points spent on transfers in my first season, 320 last season (wtf!), 116 so far this season including the 12 that I have just spent for next gameweek.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Dec 31, 2017)

at man city


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 31, 2017)

Puddy_Tat said:


> at man city


All things considered, given the City players other teams around me had and I didn't, that probably worked out ok for me  

Was a bit worried at the end that Otamendi's clean sheet was going to be fucked with that last minute penno  Not more than my mate who captained him, though


----------



## elbows (Dec 31, 2017)

I managed to find another 4 or 5 transfers I could do on top of the 12 points I already spent in preparation for tomorrows gameweek so I played my wildcard and saved the points.


----------



## sealion (Dec 31, 2017)

A question , I have a west ham player that i want to bench v west brom but play against spurs.. So Will he stay on the bench for the spurs game or is he included automatically ?


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> A question , I have a west ham player that i want to bench v west brom but play against spurs.. So Will he stay on the bench for the spurs game or is he included automatically ?


The two matches are both part of the same gameweek, so you can't change things between matches - basically, he's either on your bench for both matches or plays both matches.


----------



## sealion (Dec 31, 2017)

Lord Camomile said:


> The two matches are both part of the same gameweek, so you can't change things between matches - basically, he's either on your bench for both matches or plays both matches.


Thanks.


----------



## Fez909 (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> A question , I have a west ham player that i want to bench v west brom but play against spurs.. So Will he stay on the bench for the spurs game or is he included automatically ?


Why would you want to bench someone against WBA but play them against Spurs?


----------



## sealion (Dec 31, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Why would you want to bench someone against WBA but play them against Spurs?


Because i wanted to risk a man city midfielder v watford, who may score more than the west ham player's total for both games. Spurs let in goals at home too.


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## Fez909 (Dec 31, 2017)

sealion said:


> Because i wanted to risk a man city midfielder v watford, who may score more than the west ham player's total for both games. Spurs let in goals at home too.


Why not just leave Ogbonna as first sub then if KDB doesn't play, he comes in for both matches? If KDB is fit, he'll start. There's no way he's coming off the bench for a few measly points, IMO.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 1, 2018)

I forgot to attend to my team. Kane is on my bench.

FFFFFFFUUUUUUUCK


----------



## butchersapron (Jan 1, 2018)

You'll have him playing no worries. In fact, you already have.


----------



## sealion (Jan 1, 2018)

No Salah, Coutiniho or Firmiho toady for Liverpool .


----------



## Steel Icarus (Jan 1, 2018)

sealion said:


> No Salah, Coutiniho or Firmiho toady for Liverpool .


----------



## sealion (Jan 1, 2018)

S☼I said:


>


I dropped them


----------



## elbows (Jan 1, 2018)

I got rid of Salah and Firmino but I got in Vardy and he isnt playing either.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 1, 2018)

Looking like a shitshow of a week so far. Three non-starters and an injury doubt - Pope currently my highest scorer on 2.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 1, 2018)

I've managed to luck out a bit - Lingard and Wilson both scored, picking up valuable points with big hitters out. Whether I'm still happy about those Lingard points will depend how well Arnautovic does in his two matches this week, as that's the swap I was going to make.

Kane will come in thanks to Salah's no-show, but pretty sure I'll still wish I captained him  Just how pissed off I'll be depends how well VC Sterling does. Didn't start the last match...


----------



## butchersapron (Jan 2, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I've managed to luck out a bit - Lingard and Wilson both scored, picking up valuable points with big hitters out. Whether I'm still happy about those Lingard points will depend how well Arnautovic does in his two matches this week, as that's the swap I was going to make.
> 
> Kane will come in thanks to Salah's no-show, but pretty sure I'll still wish I captained him  Just how pissed off I'll be depends how well VC Sterling does. Didn't start the last match...


This may well be true of your work h2H but unless sterling starts and scores about 10 goals you're surely going to lose the U75 one.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 2, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> This may well be true of your work h2H but unless sterling starts and scores about 10 goals you're surely going to lose the U75 one.


Work is a traditional league, not H2H. I don't pay so much attention to the u75 H2H these days, already a lost cause


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

Good luck to those who have hopes pinned on some kind of something special for this week, yesterdays football was somewhat inconclusive about how this week is unfolding so far. The lineups starting to come out in just over 10 minutes will probably have an impact on how confident people feel about this. 

I got off to a good start with Mahrez yesterday but I just aint sure about this one, the potential is there but the potential is also there for quite the dud.


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

Teases.


----------



## sealion (Jan 2, 2018)

elbows said:


> the potential is there but the potential is also there for quite the dud.


I was thinking that earlier. To many games in a short period has made for poor quality and tired football.


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

sealion said:


> I was thinking that earlier. To many games in a short period has made for poor quality and tired football.



Well thats what I ended up thinking at this sort of point of the season in the previous two years I played this fantasy thing. But this year I got way too many points over the festive season to be seeing that same crushing disappointment myself this year. It helped that I've been lucky with injuries & bans and correctly predicting just about enough of the missing players (eg liverpool yesterday) but there has also been some real nice quality play from a bunch of different players in different teams. Yes its been getting worse in very recent days but I dont know as that will be repeated tonight, the trepidation felt right now might be felt at the best of times for those of us who have put rather an lot of spurs and west ham eggs in our baskets for this week. Personally I am always greedy & attempt to max out every double gameweek opportunity that comes my way. In my few short years of playing its just about always worked out great for me every time, so I'm just waiting for something to happen to buck that trend eventually!


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

Kane is on the bench.


----------



## sealion (Jan 2, 2018)

I reckon Kane won't start


----------



## sealion (Jan 2, 2018)

Tottenham Hotspur 	 *✔* 	 	@SpursOfficial 

#THFC: Lloris (C), Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Lamela, Eriksen, Dele, Son, Llorente. #COYS


 18:45 - 2 Jan 2018


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 2, 2018)

Brilliant. Eriksson hat-trick please to save Kane having to come on


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

Weather could influence things too. This is from the BBC sports updating page thingy.



> It’s a bleak night at the Liberty Stadium, high winds and lashing rain. Lovely. There’s no Harry Kane in the Tottenham starting eleven after his illness, he’s one of the subs - nice evening to warm the bench. Fernando Llorente makes his first Premier League start. For Swansea Tammy Abraham is out with a hip injury and they’ll play a back three. The conditions could make it an interesting night.


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

So De Bruyne is fine and starting, Silva has reappeared again, other city players that lots of people have are also starting.


----------



## tommers (Jan 2, 2018)

elbows said:


> So De Bruyne is fine and starting, Silva has reappeared again, other city players that lots of people have are also starting.


Strange isn't it? It's almost like they don't get tired. *looks to camera*


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 2, 2018)

tommers said:


> Strange isn't it? It's almost like they don't get tired. *looks to camera*


PEP = Performance enhancing...err, people


----------



## sealion (Jan 2, 2018)

Silva missed two games for personal reasons.


----------



## elbows (Jan 2, 2018)

I am imagining various fantasy participants shouting at the puddles emerging on the Swansea pitch. I looked at the rain radar and am not quite as nervous as I was.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 2, 2018)

Kane on. Own goal + red card pls


----------



## marty21 (Jan 2, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Kane on. Own goal + red card pls


Another hatrick please


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 2, 2018)

Fuck your consolation, you clean-sheet-ruining prick


----------



## rekil (Jan 3, 2018)

There should be a 'petulant tunnel fracas' chip.


----------



## elbows (Jan 4, 2018)

To quote someone else on twitter....


----------



## elbows (Jan 4, 2018)

Half an hour left for this week to not be something of a dud, or a massive dud in comparison to wildest double gameweek hopes.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 4, 2018)

Oh, god. I love it when Kane blanks


----------



## sealion (Jan 4, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Oh, god. I love it when Kane blanks


Anytime i buy him he has a stinker  I sell him and he gets a hat trick


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 4, 2018)

sealion said:


> Anytime i buy him he has a stinker  I sell him and he gets a hat trick


get rid of him, seriously.

he's a high scoring player but he's so expensive and streaky that he fucks your game up and sucks the enjoyment out of the game.

It's better to have a boss team and root for him to blank than it is to have your hopes pinned on him doing something and have a disaster of a team


----------



## elbows (Jan 4, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> get rid of him, seriously.
> 
> he's a high scoring player but he's so expensive and streaky that he fucks your game up and sucks the enjoyment out of the game.
> 
> It's better to have a boss team and root for him to blank than it is to have your hopes pinned on him doing something and have a disaster of a team



I opt for another way. I buy and sell him quite a bit, and dont trust him as 'default captain if in doubt'. One advantage of me spending too many points on transfers is that its rare for an individual player to suck the fun out of the game for me.

I do know what its like to have built up a fantasy football memory of a player that suggests you personally are better off without them though. For example for myself, although I'm sure I've gotten points out of him on rare occasion, my memory tells me that I have no luck when deciding when to buy and sell Coutinho. So I'm more likely to avoid him.

I'd like to pay tribute to Mahrez for having some reasonable fantasy points consistency in recent months, especially for him.


----------



## sealion (Jan 4, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> get rid of him, seriously.
> 
> he's a high scoring player but he's so expensive and streaky that he fucks your game up and sucks the enjoyment out of the game.
> 
> It's better to have a boss team and root for him to blank than it is to have your hopes pinned on him doing something and have a disaster of a team


I said the same about Lukaku on this thread. I only got Kane in for this week because apart from recent his hat trick, i havn't done badly without him. I like finding gems and not just using the big hitters ,i don't see the fun and challenge in that, so i tinker, keep an eye on upcoming fixtures and players that have hit form.


----------



## elbows (Jan 4, 2018)

sealion said:


> I only got Kane in for this week because apart from recent his hat trick, i havn't done badly without him



I got him back a few weeks before that because things went badly for me without him. I'm glad I did because it was two hat-tricks in a row.

So for now I am not prepared to risk not having him at all. Risking not captaining him some weeks when others will is as far as I'm prepared to go.

This decision is helped by a real lack of performing forwards this season. There are only just enough performing each individual week, no great chance of people getting sustained points out of more than one forward a week it almost seems these days.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jan 4, 2018)

kinda sums up my festive campaign

winter break, plz


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 4, 2018)

sealion said:


> i havn't done badly without him





elbows said:


> things went badly for me without him


----------



## elbows (Jan 5, 2018)

Well even though that week wasnt amazing as double gameweeks go, it only added to my successful run. 

Excluding the first week of each season where a good result can give a high overall rank, only to quickly fall off a cliff in subsequent weeks, my overall rank right now is the highest I've ever managed.


----------



## starfish (Jan 5, 2018)

sealion said:


> Anytime i buy him he has a stinker  I sell him and he gets a hat trick


I didnt captan him when he scored his 2 hat-tricks recently but did triple captain him for the double game week


----------



## rekil (Jan 5, 2018)

That round (for me).


----------



## elbows (Jan 6, 2018)

Ah if only my less-than-half baked dream of there being a managerial controversy version of fantasy football were real, imagine how many points we could be raking in right now with the Mourinho-Conte stuff.

If I were a football journalist I might be tempted to go rogue with strategically placed copies of this book


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 7, 2018)

Gets dick all in the double game week, but bags a brace in the Cup.

Kane's trolling FF managers


----------



## elbows (Jan 7, 2018)

I have no objections to him finding form again before the next gameweek


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 7, 2018)

Kane's season so far:

blank
blank
blank
big score
blank 
big score
big score
blank
big score
blank
blank
blank
decent
decent
blank
big score
blank 
blank
big score
big score
blank 
blank

So with my amazing powers of spotting patterns, I predict a score no bigger than 6 for his next outing


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 7, 2018)

He's still the highest scoring forward in the game, with only three midfielders with a higher tally.

Not the be-all and end-all, but counts for summat.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 7, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> He's still the highest scoring forward in the game, with only three midfielders with a higher tally.
> 
> Not the be-all and end-all, but counts for summat.


Sure, it's not to be sniffed at, and I'm not trying to talk anyone out of having him...I think it's great that everyone else thinks they need the most expensive player in the game. It might come back to haunt me, but I reckon not having him will make a big difference for me - as long as I get the rest of my team right with the extra cash!


----------



## big eejit (Jan 7, 2018)

It's easier, and probably more guaranteed, to spend the extra money on Kane. Yes you probably could get more points by using the extra money elsewhere. But it relies on you choosing the right players, ie more than one, and switching them at the right time.

The chances of doing this are quite low. It's much simpler, and therefore less of a gamble / more rewarding to stick with one player who will score a lot over the season, ie 'Arry.


----------



## elbows (Jan 8, 2018)

I'm waiting to see if a few relatively mild (hopefully) injuries clear up. Under some possible scenarios I will need to replace a forward, and even with plenty of money I'm not finding the options too exciting.


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

I wonder how much of an impact Coutinho's depature will have on Salah and co. I'm reluctant to go 'gun ho' with the transfers until the window closes.


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

Another thing, Doe's anyone follow the Scouts tips on players to get in ? I don't because they come across as very bad gamblers with little or no evidence that a player will do the bizz. It's all if' ,buts and maybe's based on previous stats. 
Here's an example...

*Goal threat*
Dunk can also be a factor in the opposition penalty area.

Together with central defensive partner Shane Duffy (£4.6m), the pair have recorded 30 attempts from corner kicks.

And yet Chris Hughton’s side are one of only two teams, along with Burnley, not to have scored direct from a corner.

But with two big chances (defined as an opportunity that the receiving player is expected to score) from his last four appearances, Dunk’s first Premier League goal appears imminent.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

sealion said:


> Another thing, Doe's anyone follow the Scouts tips on players to get in ? I don't because they come across as very bad gamblers with little or no evidence that a player will do the bizz. It's all if' ,buts and maybe's based on previous stats.
> Here's an example...
> 
> *Goal threat*
> ...


Depends if you take xG to be a meaningful stat. 

I'm unsure, tbh. 

Top players outperform xG as it's an average rating - as in the average player would score a goal from that position. So when Kane was shit in August but he was (and still is) having more shots than anyone else and hitting the post etc, I saw loads of people reference his xG as the reason why they were keeping him. "He has to revert to mean" was a common phrase. No one would entertain the fact that he was shit...he was just "unlucky". I didn't watch any of Tottenham's games in August so I don't know either way. Just saying, that people seemingly believe in xG now, over all else.

And I know I've criticised Kane a bit recently, so please don't take this as another one of those posts, it's just an example. You could say the same about a team. Maybe Southampton have an xG of 40 for the reason but only have 25 goals (made up figures here). You could say they're under-performing and will revert to mean soon. But I don't know why you can't just say they're shit? If an average player would've put away 40 goals and a player/team/whatever didn't match them, then they're shit, not unlucky. They're below average by the definition of xG.

xG/xA etc, should bee seen for what they are, I reckon - a measure of performance in the previous game(s), not an objective measure of a player's worth or quality that can be used to make predictions.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

Also, Salah will be fine without Coutinho. It's Firminho I'm worried about.

Cout was out in:

GW1-4. Salah got 11, 1, 11, 1.
GW10-11. Salah got 4, 15.
GW14. Salah got 13.

Conclusion: Salah scores when he wants.

Looking at Firminho:

GW1-4: 12, 2, 12, 2
GW10-11: 8, 2
GW14: 2

So, not too shabby the first bout of absence, but definitely lacking the others. Especially when Liverpool won 2-0 and 3-0 and he was playing up front and only scored one goal out of 5.

The other was a 0-0


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

I was wondering if Mane will start firing again. I am also aware of Firminho but will stick with him due to there upcoming fixtures. He seems to score heavy against the weaker teams away from Anfield. Also as stated the strikers are hardly pulling up trees, so not much to choose from. That's my theory anyway


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

I'm keeping him for now, too. Have a few more important transfers to make over the next few weeks, and he's in form, fit and cheap - no reason to get rid yet. But I'm keeping an eye on him...


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

Another example of the scout plucking at straws in tipping Jordan Ibe ( Bournemouth) to produce. They have Arsenal . West ham and Chelsea upcoming. He has only scored 5 or more once this season and has a poor return against teams down the bottom.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

sealion said:


> Another example of the scout plucking at straws in tipping Jordan Ibe ( Bournemouth) to produce. They have Arsenal . West ham and Chelsea upcoming. He has only scored 5 or more once this season and has a poor return against teams down the bottom.


They're just randoms, not experts. It's like fucking 'Lawro' on the BBC - haven't got a fucking clue. Get whooped every week in the predictions competition by rappers and room makeover TV presenters.

Just ignore them


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> It's like fucking 'Lawro' on the BBC - haven't got a fucking clue.


I pay little attention to his predictions, but I have enjoyed them tracking his cumulative success against the celebs and the general public. Hard data that the man has no fucking clue in predicting scores


----------



## elbows (Jan 11, 2018)

sealion said:


> Another thing, Doe's anyone follow the Scouts tips on players to get in ? I don't because they come across as very bad gamblers with little or no evidence that a player will do the bizz. It's all if' ,buts and maybe's based on previous stats.
> Here's an example...



I read a lot of them, mostly to see some of what might be influencing some other peoples choices, and to make sure I havent missed anything tasty, and on odd occasion they have interesting stats.

However, I ignore them rather a lot. Especially when they have set themselves a mission that is hard to achieve, such as recently recommending a whole bunch of forwards for people to use their wildcard on. I also suspect they have to liven things up a little bit at times - most of the players who are performing at the moment are obvious, which doesnt make for interesting articles so they feel the need to venture out on a limb. In too many of their recent articles they've had to overlook recent form to find some recommendations and I dont buy those tips. Form usually trumps all else for me, including fixtures most of the time but I do find it hard to resist doing just a bit too much fixture-based tinkering.

Take this week - I've got Vardy as well as Mahrez, and they are against Chelsea. Vardy isnt showing as injured anymore, but I still dont really feel like having two Leicester players this week. But I am really still not inspired by my choice of forwards, especially as Salah is temporarily out of my team and really expensive options like Aguero will leave me a bit short of cash to bring Salah back in when I deem the moment is right. If I go for Firmino then I have enough money left for Salah when required, most other options involve me bringing in a forward for possibly one week only. And as I already used my free transfer this is going to cost me 4 points, increasing the chance that it will be a waste if I go for a 'one week only' choice of forward. But I dont really want Firmino right now either. Bah, I usually enjoy my transfers quite a lot but this week I'm not enjoying the dilemma at all. Most of what I saw from cup games this week just put me off a bunch of other options, only certain news tomorrow is left that could possibly help my dilemma.


----------



## elbows (Jan 11, 2018)

I'm even more clueless than usual as to who to captain this week as well. Kane isnt supposed to be my 'if in doubt, choose him' option at the moment but I'm lacking Salah and imagination so might just have to go that way by default.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

elbows said:


> Form usually trumps all else for me, including fixtures most of the time


I saw a pretty in depth study on whether form (or any other metric) could be used to predict success in FF. The conclusion was that form _and _fixtures were the only thing that had anything like a correlation. So an inform player against a shit team, is a very good bet. No shit sherlock. But even against an average team, it counts for nothing. And neither did anything else they tested for.


elbows said:


> bring Salah back in


You took Salah out?!


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> They're just randoms, not experts. It's like fucking 'Lawro' on the BBC - haven't got a fucking clue. Get whooped every week in the predictions competition by rappers and room makeover TV presenters.
> 
> Just ignore them


I have never followed there advice. As i said they are gamblers, the same sort of fuckers that work for bookies giving out shit tips.


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Get whooped every week in the predictions competition by rappers and room makeover TV presenters.


----------



## sealion (Jan 11, 2018)

elbows said:


> I usually enjoy my transfers quite a lot but this week I'm not enjoying the dilemma at all.


Likewise.


----------



## elbows (Jan 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> You took Salah out?!



Only because he was injured and I was confident that I was accurately predicting he would not play at all that week, and most people would try to play him anyway, and it was the mini double gameweek and I was using my wildcard. It was actually quite a cunning plan that worked, but it was partially undermined by the fact that as part of the same plan I got rid of Firmino but replaced him with Vardy who ended up not playing either. And so far Salah failed to drop even 0.1 in price so I lost out to the max on the financial side of things too. But since I already went through this, I decided to let the implications of this plan play out for one more week by not getting Salah back straight away.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 11, 2018)

elbows said:


> Only because he was injured and I was confident that I was accurately predicting he would not play at all that week, and most people would try to play him anyway, and it was the mini double gameweek and I was using my wildcard. It was actually quite a cunning plan that worked, but it was partially undermined by the fact that as part of the same plan I got rid of Firmino but replaced him with Vardy who ended up not playing either. And so far Salah failed to drop even 0.1 in price so I lost out to the max on the financial side of things too. But since I already went through this, I decided to let the implications of this plan play out for one more week by not getting Salah back straight away.


Yeah, taking him out because he was injured - fair enough. But the financial side is what shocked me. I imagine you got him in at a _much _lower price than what he is now, so even taking him out for one week isn't worth it when you take into account the cost hit. I'd have stuck with him for another week or two I reckon! Would be difficult to justify more than that, though, as he'd probably drop a few 0.1s.


----------



## elbows (Jan 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Yeah, taking him out because he was injured - fair enough. But the financial side is what shocked me. I imagine you got him in at a _much _lower price than what he is now, so even taking him out for one week isn't worth it when you take into account the cost hit. I'd have stuck with him for another week or two I reckon! Would be difficult to justify more than that, though, as he'd probably drop a few 0.1s.



A big part of why I did it was that I was greedy for Tottenham midfielders that week, and in general midfield slots are coveted so far this season. And I'm also playing in a small league where there were limited differentials with the 3 people I was fighting with, I wanted to do something different. 

Yes I lost lots of money. I bought and sold Salah a number of times earlier in the season, and the last time I bought him he was worth 9.1, I sold him for 9.6 and he was, and still is, worth 10.1. Because I was making a bunch of other moves that week with my wildcard, I think I lost 1 or 1.1 million off my overall team value in total, but I have already recovered to where I was. And this isnt too devastating for me because I'm usually at the somewhat higher end of team values by virtue of keeping an eye on that side of things and being quite transfer-happy. I've actually got notably far less money at this point in the season than I had the previous two years, but this is partly because some of the price change rules seem to have evolved this year, partly the luck of how players turned out, partly me restraining my transfers at some points this season. Anyway my team+bank is still worth about 106 million right now so I'm not complaining.


----------



## elbows (Jan 12, 2018)

I'd like to report back on the fantasy 'draft' mode that they tried offering this year.

I really quite liked the concept and most of the implementation. It's not possible to really judge how fun it is because there were problems getting enough people to play with. Got there in the end in ways I wont bore on about but then come draft day a fair proportion of people didnt turn up to make their picks and had teams that were picked for them based on a list of preferences they may or may not have put any effort into creating before draft day. And then, to top it off, I've seen very little evidence that hardly anyone who did turn up and paid attention in the early weeks actually stuck with it. And this makes a big difference to how I play the season in the 2 leagues I am in, because players compete to transfer in available players throughout the season and with nobody else bothering there is nobody to challenge my transfer requests. So I can keep shifting around fairly large chunks of my teams to include players that have shown recent form but werent chosen by many at the start of the season.

My own personal conclusion: I would love to play it again next year but its hard to get the intended experience out of it when so many others didnt play it properly for very long. I can understand the various reasons why people didnt though, plus time is a resource I have in ample supply at this moment in my life for a start.


----------



## Fez909 (Jan 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> I'd like to report back on the fantasy 'draft' mode that they tried offering this year.
> 
> I really quite liked the concept and most of the implementation. It's not possible to really judge how fun it is because there were problems getting enough people to play with. Got there in the end in ways I wont bore on about but then come draft day a fair proportion of people didnt turn up to make their picks and had teams that were picked for them based on a list of preferences they may or may not have put any effort into creating before draft day. And then, to top it off, I've seen very little evidence that hardly anyone who did turn up and paid attention in the early weeks actually stuck with it. And this makes a big difference to how I play the season in the 2 leagues I am in, because players compete to transfer in available players throughout the season and with nobody else bothering there is nobody to challenge my transfer requests. So I can keep shifting around fairly large chunks of my teams to include players that have shown recent form but werent chosen by many at the start of the season.
> 
> My own personal conclusion: I would love to play it again next year but its hard to get the intended experience out of it when so many others didnt play it properly for very long. I can understand the various reasons why people didnt though, plus time is a resource I have in ample supply at this moment in my life for a start.


I love the idea of a draft league, but I think it's one or the other. It's hard enough sorting your 'main' team out without draft taking up time as well.

If it went draft only, I'd be all for it. Of course they can't do that because how would you judge the overall winner.

Sadly, I feel this mode might not last long.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Jan 13, 2018)

Taken a real punt/waste of a transfer by swapping Rooney out for Everton new boy Cenk Tosun, simply because I like his attitude* in the two videos I've just watched of him 

So basically Rooney is guaranteed to score today!

*He looks to be an excellent finisher, dodgy passer, hard worker, falls over easier than he should for quite a big lad, deceptively quick - very much a Poundland Kane, or that's what I'm hoping anyway


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

S☼I said:


> Taken a real punt/waste of a transfer by swapping Rooney out for Everton new boy Cenk Tosun, simply because I like his attitude* in the two videos I've just watched of him
> 
> So basically Rooney is guaranteed to score today!
> 
> *He looks to be an excellent finisher, dodgy passer, hard worker, falls over easier than he should for quite a big lad, deceptively quick - very much a Poundland Kane, or that's what I'm hoping anyway



Thats one of my few remaining uses for my 'draft' teams - if there is a player I'm tempted to gamble on, I can stick them in one of my draft teams to see how they get on there, without having to waste points etc in the main fantasy games. One of my draft teams is so iffy because I didnt manage to pick any of the real quality forwards in the initial draft, that I present have both Rooney and Tosun in that team! I've got so little choice of forwards for that team that I even tried sticking Ibrahimovic in there for a month or so but that obviously failed to yield results.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

Since I had no sensible clue what to do with my forward transfer, I ended up doing a 'for one week only, fixture based' transfer. Lukaku.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Since I had no sensible clue what to do with my forward transfer, I ended up doing a 'for one week only, fixture based' transfer. Lukaku.


Doing the shopping in town, I started to regret not making a clear decision on captain; probably should have gone for Lingard because Stoke, rather than giving up and just leaving it on Salah.

Hell, Sterling is probably a better bet than Salah, especially given City are at home. I just thought maybe Klopp might play the same defensive game he did against Utd. Ah well, die is cast...


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Hell, Sterling is probably a better bet than Salah, especially given City are at home. I just thought maybe Klopp might play the same defensive game he did against Utd. Ah well, die is cast...



Man City are not at home!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Man City are not at home!


Oh yeah, remembered that the wrong way round 

I was doing all this about 5 hours ago, you can't expect me to remember every tiny detail...


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

Plan Arnautovic is working so far  Not that I had the guts to make him captain or anything like that, but at least I've got him


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

S☼I said:


> Taken a real punt/waste of a transfer by swapping Rooney out for Everton new boy Cenk Tosun, simply because I like his attitude* in the two videos I've just watched of him
> 
> So basically Rooney is guaranteed to score today!
> 
> *He looks to be an excellent finisher, dodgy passer, hard worker, falls over easier than he should for quite a big lad, deceptively quick - very much a Poundland Kane, or that's what I'm hoping anyway



At least Tosun has passed the first test by being in the starting lineup. Which I believe was the expectation but you never know for sure till the teamsheet arrives eh.


----------



## tommers (Jan 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Plan Arnautovic is working so far  Not that I had the guts to make him captain or anything like that, but at least I've got him


58 points so far with aguero, sterling, de gea and lingard to come.

Captained Arnautovic and also got Lanzini.

The one time it pays off.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

If one of those £7.5 million Everton forwards performs well now, I could conceivably end up with a team where all 15 players actually play and almost everyone has some good form.

I'm not actually planning to spend 12 points now to end up with the team below straight away, I'm just marvelling at how rammed I can get my team right now, with 0.0 left in the bank.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

tommers said:


> 58 points so far with aguero, sterling, de gea and lingard to come.
> 
> Captained Arnautovic and also got Lanzini.
> 
> The one time it pays off.



Looks like Arnautovic will have managed to wrestle the 3 bonus points off Lanzini, who will get 2.


----------



## tommers (Jan 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Looks like Arnautovic will have managed to wrestle the 3 bonus points off Lanzini, who will get 2.


68. 

Now we just need Kane and salah to not score. Red cards.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

tommers said:


> 68.
> 
> Now we just need Kane and salah to not score. Red cards.



I need Salah to do badly but Kane is my captain so our hopes diverge at that point  I've got Son too, who recently scored, yay.


----------



## tommers (Jan 13, 2018)

Sigh, fat-tongued wotsit.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

Blimey I think I'm in line for about 12 bonus points. I really didnt dare think I might go into tomorrow without caring that I havent got Salah or Firmino. But I should end up with somewhere in the region of 67 points today (but I did spend 4 so 63 up really), and I've still got Lukaku, Sterling, Lingard, Otamendi and Jones so I can probably relax.

Next weeks got me scratching my head though. Its a nice problem to have, but I'm having trouble finding a player to get rid of to make room for Salah in my team. If Mahrez moves in Jan then I could use that as an excuse to get rid of him I suppose.


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

Sorry for so many posts in recent weeks on this thread, I'm having my best ever run and I always enjoy talking about this fantasy football stuff anyway so its hard for me not to babble at the moment.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Jan 13, 2018)

40 points so far, with six players still to go this week. Hope to get as many again.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Jan 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Sorry for so many posts in recent weeks on this thread, I'm having my best ever run and I always enjoy talking about this fantasy football stuff anyway so its hard for me not to babble at the moment.


What position are you in in the league?


----------



## elbows (Jan 13, 2018)

S☼I said:


> What position are you in in the league?



In the non-H2H league I just went up to 7th tonight.

Overall I've gone from 1,348,685 to 150,175 in 5 or 6 gameweeks which is why a lot of celebrations have been had by me in this thread over the christmas period and beyond. Obviously the 150,175 isnt my final position for this week though and I dont have Salah or Firmino.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 13, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Doing the shopping in town, I started to regret not making a clear decision on captain; probably should have gone for Lingard because Stoke, rather than giving up and just leaving it on Salah.
> 
> Hell, Sterling is probably a better bet than Salah, especially given City are at home. I just thought maybe Klopp might play the same defensive game he did against Utd. Ah well, die is cast...


Should have captained Kane


----------



## big eejit (Jan 14, 2018)

I'm on Lingard. I need a big day from him tomorrow.


----------



## elbows (Jan 15, 2018)

It took the rest of my team doing brilliantly to offset me not having Salah and Firmino (and the Sterling Otamendi combo getting 0 points). I wont be taking that no Liverpool players risk again, only just got away with it!

If Lukaku does something tonight then it might even look like I know what I'm doing. In several ways I cant afford to keep him for next week though, whatever happens tonight.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 15, 2018)

elbows said:


> I'd like to report back on the fantasy 'draft' mode that they tried offering this year.
> 
> I really quite liked the concept and most of the implementation. It's not possible to really judge how fun it is because there were problems getting enough people to play with. Got there in the end in ways I wont bore on about but then come draft day a fair proportion of people didnt turn up to make their picks and had teams that were picked for them based on a list of preferences they may or may not have put any effort into creating before draft day. And then, to top it off, I've seen very little evidence that hardly anyone who did turn up and paid attention in the early weeks actually stuck with it. And this makes a big difference to how I play the season in the 2 leagues I am in, because players compete to transfer in available players throughout the season and with nobody else bothering there is nobody to challenge my transfer requests. So I can keep shifting around fairly large chunks of my teams to include players that have shown recent form but werent chosen by many at the start of the season.
> 
> My own personal conclusion: I would love to play it again next year but its hard to get the intended experience out of it when so many others didnt play it properly for very long. I can understand the various reasons why people didnt though, plus time is a resource I have in ample supply at this moment in my life for a start.


Meant to pick up on this earlier.

I've tried to engage with it, but I think the fact you can't do trades has really dampened my enthusiasm.

As you say, you can transfer in players who have shown recent form, but (understandably) everyone's holding on to the really big hitters and generally I just can't be bothered to sift through the rest to try and build a team that's still unlikely to compete with those who lucked upon a decent squad during the initial draft.

As you say, pretty sure most haven't changed a thing since the draft, if they've even looked at it at all. Which makes it all the more frustrating when they're miles ahead of me


----------



## elbows (Jan 15, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I've tried to engage with it, but I think the fact you can't do trades has really dampened my enthusiasm.



What sort of trades? The complete freedom (apart from finances and team limits) of the normal fantasy game, or trading directly with other players or something else?

I really dont mind the format, but its no good me enjoying it if not enough other people play, and the format makes 'zombie teams' where the manager stopped playing even more annoying.



> As you say, you can transfer in players who have shown recent form, but (understandably) everyone's holding on to the really big hitters and generally I just can't be bothered to sift through the rest to try and build a team that's still unlikely to compete with those who lucked upon a decent squad during the initial draft.
> 
> As you say, pretty sure most haven't changed a thing since the draft, if they've even looked at it at all. Which makes it all the more frustrating when they're miles ahead of me



I liked having to try to plan a squad for the whole season, and it was interesting just how few big hitters there really were to go around in leagues with 8 teams. Especially this season as it turns out with the dismal choice when it comes to consistent forwards. Unfortunately this makes the element of luck in the initial draft, the order of the draft, way too much of a factor. The league I stand a good chance of winning is down to a combo of this luck and an accurate pre-season prediction: I had my first pick very early in the draft so was able to grab Kane, and I scouted Salah pre-season so prioritised getting him in. Whereas the league I am in with you is the one where I ended up with almost no big names and despite having a lot of freedom to pick the lesser named players who are on form right now, its a continual struggle to stay even middle of the table in that league.

At the start of the season there was evidence that exactly half of the teams in the 2 draft leagues I'm in were actually paying attention, making some transfers etc. This waned quite quickly.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 15, 2018)

Goddammit, no-one told me Valencia is back


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 15, 2018)

Fucking _Lukaku _is scoring?! This game is bullshit.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Jan 16, 2018)

Ended up with 80. Not bad still 100 off the lead in my work league. Sold Kane the week before he scored two hat tricks


----------



## elbows (Jan 16, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Fucking _Lukaku _is scoring?! This game is bullshit.



Well they were at home and playing Stoke, and Lukaku had very recently scored in a cup game (I think). 

Never mind, I'm about the only person I knew who got Lukaku for this last week and it wasnt really worth it - he only got 5 points in the end and I'd have been much better off not buying him and playing J Ayew instead of leaving him on the bench, since he got 8 points.

Well I guess that was one of those high-scoring weeks where getting 50,60, even 70 points wasnt enough to feel like a victory. I got 80 in the end (minus 4 for a transfer) so I'm certainly not complaining, but I dont think I'll be risking not having Salah again in a hurry! I got away with plenty of mistakes in recent weeks, expect my luck to run out soon, and it looks like I'm spending 8 points this week


----------



## tommers (Jan 19, 2018)

Triple Captained Arnautovic.

Oh yeah.


----------



## starfish (Jan 19, 2018)

This to keep or sell Kane conundrum is proper doing my head in.


----------



## Numbers (Jan 19, 2018)

starfish said:


> This to keep or sell Kane conundrum is proper doing my head in.


He's joint 2nd in points, 50 in his last 5.  Why would you sell him?


----------



## starfish (Jan 19, 2018)

Numbers said:


> He's joint 2nd in points, 50 in his last 5.  Why would you sell him?


Partly because im thinking of playing my wildcard, too many low scoring defenders & midfielders & to replace them i would need the few extra millions he is worth.


----------



## starfish (Jan 19, 2018)

Off topic. Ive noticed that a lot of the weekly Highest Points scorers have only been around for that week. Last weeks was 131 & their total score is only 131. WTF is that all about??


----------



## elbows (Jan 19, 2018)

starfish said:


> Off topic. Ive noticed that a lot of the weekly Highest Points scorers have only been around for that week. Last weeks was 131 & their total score is only 131. WTF is that all about?



I get the impression some people setup a new account/team every week in order to pick a complete set of players from scratch for that week without transfer costs.

I dont know if there is anything else going on, eg automated bot-based systems, or sites/communities that encourage this sort of play or something else I havent thought of.

I only stumble on this behaviour sometimes, there are still plenty of 'genuine' players out there too when Ive clicked on various high scores on various weeks.


----------



## elbows (Jan 19, 2018)

As for motivation, well there are weekly prizes.

*Weekly Prizes*
*Manager of the Week*

Copy of FIFA18
Nike Ordem V match ball
FPL rucksack
FPL mug
Top 20 Managers each week (incl Manager of the Week) will receive:

FPL T-shirt, stress ball, pen, pad and key ring


----------



## starfish (Jan 19, 2018)

elbows said:


> I get the impression some people setup a new account/team every week in order to pick a complete set of players from scratch for that week without transfer costs.
> 
> I dont know if there is anything else going on, eg automated bot-based systems, or sites/communities that encourage this sort of play or something else I havent thought of.
> 
> I only stumble on this behaviour sometimes, there are still plenty of 'genuine' players out there too when Ive clicked on various high scores on various weeks.



I agree its not every week but without checking, i might do later, i reckon its about 50%.

My first thought was bots as they are usually not from the UK & some of their selections have been spawny beyond belief & so out there to be impossible for a human but then they would need to make multiple selections under multiple user names trying out multiple permutations. That would create a lot of accounts. How many of the 5mill+ players are actually human? So probably not likely. As for your initial impression i can believe that but yould have to be a bit obsessed with the game. And a bit sad.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 20, 2018)

13 minutes into the match and Monreal has 13 points to his name 

I fleetingly thought about bringing him in for Jones, but thankfully no-one in my immediate vicinity in the work league has him so the damage is minimsed.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 20, 2018)

And now he's off injured after 33 minutes  

Still, would have taken 13 points at the start of the game..!


----------



## sealion (Jan 21, 2018)

Not much damage done by Kane today, phew  I might get him in after the Arsenal and Liverpol games.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Jan 21, 2018)

I had Kane captain today, so all is not lost, especially if Bobby and Mo get something (assuming they play) against Swansea...


----------



## big eejit (Jan 21, 2018)

I did a classic cowardly Kane captain after daring not to last week. Was gonna go Salah. Not unhappy with Kane points but I'd probably gamble them on Salah now if I could.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jan 22, 2018)

i was expecting better from liverpool this evening.

bugger.


----------



## elbows (Jan 23, 2018)

Puddy_Tat said:


> i was expecting better from liverpool this evening.
> 
> bugger.



If Firminos header had gone in at the end I would have had a last minute H2H victory. Never mind, my run for weeks before this one was too good for me to start moaning this soon.


----------



## big eejit (Jan 23, 2018)

In the H2H league the top 5 teams all lost. Which must be unprecedented. Or rare as a Morata goal. 

And the team that was 6th drew, which meant I moved up to 6th.

Also means the top of the league is now very tight.


----------



## elbows (Jan 25, 2018)

Oh we've reached that moment in the season where my injury luck runs out.

I kinda suspected Arnautovic would not survive through the entire run of good-looking fixtures, and so it has come to pass. And of course I got rid of him too quickly and his replacement is now (hopefully only mildly) injured.


----------



## tommers (Jan 26, 2018)

elbows said:


> Oh we've reached that moment in the season where my injury luck runs out.
> 
> I kinda suspected Arnautovic would not survive through the entire run of good-looking fixtures, and so it has come to pass. And of course I got rid of him too quickly and his replacement is now (hopefully only mildly) injured.


Death, taxes, West ham new year injury crisis.


----------



## big eejit (Jan 30, 2018)

An hour to Gameweek deadline.


----------



## big eejit (Jan 30, 2018)

Unless you're playing me in the H2H, in which case it's two hours to the deadline. Relax, make a cup of tea.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Jan 30, 2018)

Fuck it, I've no idea what to change so I'm letting it ride, as before.

Can't buy myself a clue


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

Had my first ever FPL dream last night, very few details remain but it seemed like every one of my players was only getting 1 or 2 points and for some reason this disaster was making me genuinely horrified. No idea why the stakes were so high in my dream, it doesnt really matter if this happens, it has no material impact on my life 

If this week is not a disaster for me then I will be extra grateful because I really botched my transfers this week. Spent 4 points fiddling with my defence for little reason, and then another 4 replacing Arnautovic with Willian who then got injured straight away. Mind you if Jordan Ayew scores against Arsenal then this failure may actually be a plus!

I dunno if its that dream making me pessimistic about this week or the inconsistent form some teams have shown of late, but I'm just not feeling it right now.


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

Or maybe its not having Aguero. Bah.


----------



## big eejit (Jan 30, 2018)

I think a lot of people did Arnie to Willian or even Mahrez. Both not playing.


----------



## tommers (Jan 30, 2018)

Lanzini to Oxlaide - Chamberlain 

Arnautovic can come out next week.


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

big eejit said:


> I think a lot of people did Arnie to Willian or even Mahrez. Both not playing.



I totally missed the Mahrez news - I've had him in my squad for ages so this is annoying, but at least I didnt spend points this week bringing him in. And my main competitors this week have him too.


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

Jordan Ayew scored, yay


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

Almost every Liverpool game I have to listen to commentators going on about how unusual it is for Salah to miss golden opportunities. No! It happens almost every game, and usually multiple times per game. Its just a shame that the opportunities he doesnt miss have been a bit thinner on the ground of late.


----------



## elbows (Jan 30, 2018)

And thank feck he didnt miss that penalty.


----------



## elbows (Jan 31, 2018)

I could be very, very wrong but it seems to me that activity in the January transfer window this year is likely to have greater fantasy implications than in the previous two years that I've played.


----------



## elbows (Feb 3, 2018)

I miss Mahrez already. He got me 62 points in 9 weeks (well ok 10 weeks including the previous game where he was also AWOL), and I was very sad to be left with little choice but to sell him for now.

I didnt really have enough players today to get a real sense of how my week will turn out. More a story of how badly everyone else is doing so far, although I cant gloat too much because the players I did have today all got very few points.


----------



## elbows (Feb 3, 2018)

Actually that sounded too positive. I've only got 8 points from 4 players! Tomorrow could see me blast past my competitors, or it could yet lead me to challenge for my lowest weekly score ever.

But most people I know have reasons to moan about the week so far, so I wont cry onto my keyboard just yet.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Feb 3, 2018)

Gross scored for the first time in ages today, and I got a De Gea clean sheet, but I still have my main points scorers (Sterling aside) to come. Swapped Mahrez for Son this morning but will probably be able to afford to buy him back once he returns for Leicester.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Feb 4, 2018)

If Kane had won the penalty he scored and not the one he missed, he would have got an assist too 

(Unless you don't get the assist if you score the penalty?  )


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 5, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> If Kane had won the penalty he scored and not the one he missed, he would have got an assist too
> 
> (Unless you don't get the assist if you score the penalty?  )


Don't get the assist if you take and score penalty no.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Feb 5, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> Don't get the assist if you take and score penalty no.


Fair enough, one less thing for me to be bitter about.


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

My week was saved singlehandedly by having Salah as captain.

Willian and Azpilicueta left to play tonight, vs butchers in the H2H who has Hazard and Alonso left but is 7 points behind me (inc 3 points to come on from their bench)

edit - make that 8 points behind, forgot that I have 1 glorious point to come from the bench too.


----------



## Fez909 (Feb 5, 2018)

Last week: 100k in the world
This week: 3.5m in the world

No transfers. This game is fucked.


----------



## Fez909 (Feb 5, 2018)

Mind you, I got 2 more points than #1 in the OR, so at least I'm in good company...


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Mind you, I got 2 more points than #1 in the OR, so at least I'm in good company...



At this rate you might be a midseason peaker rather than dipper!


----------



## Fez909 (Feb 5, 2018)

elbows said:


> At this rate you might be a midseason peaker rather than dipper!


I'm doing better than I expected, for sure


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I'm doing better than I expected, for sure



It's nice to see someone such as your good self exploring well into the top 100,000 for a sustained period of time  

I'm doing better than expected as well, and am happy to be doing similar exploration within the top 300,000


----------



## starfish (Feb 5, 2018)

Danilo still keeping 3rd spot on my bench warm. And maybe some week i will captain Salah. He was the first player i picked but i dont think ive ever captained him.


----------



## rekil (Feb 5, 2018)

Alonso missing.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Feb 5, 2018)

copliker said:


> Alonso missing.


Dodged a bullet there. I almost swapped him in for Azpilicueta just because I had a bit of extra cash and no better idea what to do with it.


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

Many teams have been disappointing this season from various fantasy perspectives, but I think Chelsea deserve special mention now. Probably in great part because in late November it was possible to salivate over their fixtures on paper for the months that were to come. Now they've mostly been, and,well pah. I'm not moaning all that much about having a Chelsea defender, but the other points from these fixtures didnt often live up to the potential, whether it be down to Chelsea having played a few too many of these games badly or just problems finding people in their team who could get fantasy points somewhat consistently.

I only bought WIllian in because I was short of ideas & cash when Arnautovic got injured, and already sold him for next week before tonights game even started, but it was still 'interesting' to see these feelings of mine rather underlined by what has happened so far this evening.


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

And that was just what I thought after the first half. 

Watford have tried their hardest to stop Hazard getting the bonus point he needs for butchers to beat me in the h2h this week. It might have been enough and will mean we draw instead, though it is too early for me to be confident about this.


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 5, 2018)

They've just updated the live bonus to give hazard 2...that could change again though.  I'd written off this week to be honest.


----------



## Lazy Llama (Feb 5, 2018)

Well that sucked a big load of goat balls. Frickin' Azpilicueta - I'm sure he's a great Scrabble score but he bollocksed my H2H match


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

edit - I was too slow with this & butchers beat me to it....

Or maybe not, now looks more likely that Hazard will get 2 bonus points and so butchers will have beaten me. A nice close race, well done!


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

Lazy Llama said:


> Well that sucked a big load of goat balls. Frickin' Azpilicueta - I'm sure he's a great Scrabble score but he bollocksed by H2H match



Likewise. I was going to sell him after next week anyway. I might accelerate the process.


----------



## elbows (Feb 5, 2018)

Mind you no amount of fantasy doom will stop me laughing when giant clubs are slaughtered. Wahey Watford


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 5, 2018)

Changed bonus again this time leaving hazard with one...


----------



## marty21 (Feb 5, 2018)

Lazy Llama said:


> Well that sucked a big load of goat balls. Frickin' Azpilicueta - I'm sure he's a great Scrabble score but he bollocksed my H2H match


----------



## sealion (Feb 5, 2018)

elbows said:


> Mind you no amount of fantasy doom will stop me laughing when giant clubs are slaughtered. Wahey Watford


I have a smile on my face right now


----------



## sealion (Feb 5, 2018)

Last week i was cursing Chelsea because i had Bournemouth to win 3-1 & 3-2 and they couldn't score. I sold Hazzard but am happy he scored tonight.


----------



## marty21 (Feb 5, 2018)

sealion said:


> I have a smile on my face right now
> View attachment 126806


Sweet!


----------



## big eejit (Feb 5, 2018)

Started off annoyed that Alonso wasn't playing, ended up glad he didn't. Great performance by Watford. Took full advantage of Chelsea's woefulness.


----------



## Fez909 (Feb 5, 2018)

I doubt anyone was planning to, but don't get Lallana. He might not be playing for a while. This is from an u23 game  :


----------



## sealion (Feb 10, 2018)

I have finally captained the right man after changing my initial choice from De bruyne. 70 odd points so far for me with 5 players still to play. I need to get back on track after a lousy month or so and a slide down the tables.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Feb 10, 2018)

I started today 11 points ahead in the work league.

Of course the guy behind me has Aguero


----------



## sealion (Feb 10, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I started today 11 points ahead in the work league.
> 
> Of course the guy behind me has Aguero


I was going to dump him and get Kane, only todays fixture list stopped me doing so. It's the first bit of luck i've have with Aguero and will probably swap and get Kane in for the next 3 or so games.


----------



## big eejit (Feb 10, 2018)

Captain Aguero one week, does fuck all. Don't captain him the next week, scores 4. Arse.


----------



## elbows (Feb 11, 2018)

I shall press on without Aguero regardless, wonder if it will mess up the final stretch of my season.


----------



## marty21 (Feb 11, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I started today 11 points ahead in the work league.
> 
> Of course the guy behind me has Aguero


Butchers has captained Aguero


----------



## tommers (Feb 11, 2018)

marty21 said:


> Butchers has captained Aguero


So did I.


----------



## elbows (Feb 12, 2018)

When I first started playing fantasy football, I started to pay attention to jokes and chatter about players that had injury-prone reputations. 

I think Sturridge just cemented his rep, not that it needed any


----------



## sealion (Feb 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> When I first started playing fantasy football, I started to pay attention to jokes and chatter about players that had injury-prone reputations.
> 
> I think Sturridge just cemented his rep, not that it needed any


I have Rodriguez so good news for me.


----------



## starfish (Feb 16, 2018)

Finally sold Matic & Tammy. Hit autopick & got Niasse & Clucas & half a million in the bank.


----------



## starfish (Feb 17, 2018)

Why do i always forget that its FA cup week!


----------



## elbows (Feb 20, 2018)

Week 31 has a hilarious lack of teams to choose from now, thank god for the free hit card!


----------



## elbows (Feb 26, 2018)

Well that was a pretty dull week as far as most fantasy teams went. Just the chance of the Thursday game being a big differential. Which makes me nervous as I have no man city players this week, but I do have Mkhitaryan, err, maybe he can make a difference to the Arsenal performance compared to yesterdays, hmmmm dont think I will bet money on that!


----------



## rekil (Feb 26, 2018)

Did a load of teams vanish from the league?


----------



## elbows (Feb 26, 2018)

copliker said:


> Did a load of teams vanish from the league?



Not that I know of, and I'm not seeing tell-tell signs of that. What you seen that makes you think that?

Certainly going into this week there were a lot of places just a little shy of the top slots and down to around 14th place that were separated by not many points at all. So there has been a fair amount of shifting round in those positions so far this week despite not all that much large variation in points this week. And it wont take all that many man city points to send me tumbling back down to at least where I was before this week began, if not lower.


----------



## rekil (Feb 27, 2018)

elbows said:


> Not that I know of, and I'm not seeing tell-tell signs of that. What you seen that makes you think that?
> 
> Certainly going into this week there were a lot of places just a little shy of the top slots and down to around 14th place that were separated by not many points at all. So there has been a fair amount of shifting round in those positions so far this week despite not all that much large variation in points this week. And it wont take all that many man city points to send me tumbling back down to at least where I was before this week began, if not lower.


I was somewhere outside the top 10 in the main league and thought the leaders were miles ahead, now I'm 4th and only 30 points off the top.


----------



## elbows (Feb 27, 2018)

copliker said:


> I was somewhere outside the top 10 in the main league and thought the leaders were miles ahead, now I'm 4th and only 30 points off the top.



Apologies if I am looking at the wrong team, but I think you probably soared last gameweek with 103 points?

I was in 14th before this week started, and I had 1523 points at the time, and a large number of the places above me didnt have scores very much higher than that. So I dont think you started the week outside the top 10. But maybe I am looking at the wrong team!

Either way, I'm reasonably familiar with the overall state of the top 15 and whatever the explanation for your unexpected position, I can say with some confidence that its not due to a lot of teams dropping out of the league.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 1, 2018)

I forgot that if Spurs won last night then they wouldn't play in GW31 either. I added two of their players this GW in anticipation of them playing that GW


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 1, 2018)

In the general market Salah is at £10.5m, but I can only get £9.8m for him!


----------



## rekil (Mar 1, 2018)

elbows said:


> Apologies if I am looking at the wrong team, but I think you probably soared last gameweek with 103 points?
> 
> I was in 14th before this week started, and I had 1523 points at the time, and a large number of the places above me didnt have scores very much higher than that. So I dont think you started the week outside the top 10. But maybe I am looking at the wrong team!
> 
> Either way, I'm reasonably familiar with the overall state of the top 15 and whatever the explanation for your unexpected position, I can say with some confidence that its not due to a lot of teams dropping out of the league.


That's me yes. I dunno. I'd given up on the main league but back in contention now for whatever reason.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 1, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> In the general market Salah is at £10.5m, but I can only get £9.8m for him!


Why, oh why, would you ever want to sell him anyway?!


----------



## elbows (Mar 1, 2018)

Anyone who knows about these things care to hazard a guess as to how much weather-related disruption there will be this weekend?

I know there was lots of talk about tonights game being at risk and they've since said its still on but subject to review if things worsen.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 1, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Why, oh why, would you ever want to sell him anyway?!


I don't particularly, was just looking at relative market value and that stung!


----------



## elbows (Mar 1, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I don't particularly, was just looking at relative market value and that stung!



I usually take it as a great sign that I bought a player before their meteoric rise in value and managed not to sell him ever since. I had Salah in week 1 but sold and bought him back on 2 or 3 occasions so more fool me.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 1, 2018)

Salah's up £1.1m from my purchase price, which makes it unlikely I'll sell him. Barring injury, of course.

Same with Sterling (+£0.9m) and Firminho (+£0.8m)


----------



## elbows (Mar 1, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Salah's up £1.1m from my purchase price, which makes it unlikely I'll sell him. Barring injury, of course.
> 
> Same with Sterling (+£0.9m) and Firminho (+£0.8m)



I didnt hesitate to sell Sterling before this week started because I only sold at 0.3 less than his current purchase price at the time, and he has fallen 0.2 since then. Dunno yet if I will buy him back or a different man city player.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 1, 2018)

elbows said:


> I didnt hesitate to sell Sterling before this week started because I only sold at 0.3 less than his current purchase price at the time, and he has fallen 0.2 since then. Dunno yet if I will buy him back or a different man city player.


Looking like he won't play tonight, either.

But if tonight gets called off, the match will be replayed in GW31, which is the shite one with no one playing. Could be a good buy (back)


----------



## elbows (Mar 1, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Looking like he won't play tonight, either.
> 
> But if tonight gets called off, the match will be replayed in GW31, which is the shite one with no one playing. Could be a good buy (back)



I will probably use my free hit for week 31, even though it looks like a crap week whatever is done and so seems like a waste of that card. But from what you've just said, if that scenario were to happen then I could probably get away with week 31 using normal transfers instead.


----------



## elbows (Mar 3, 2018)

I kept Son for twice as long as I normally keep players who arent getting good fantasy points, in part because of todays fixture. And he has rewarded my rare patience with a goal, nice one Son.


----------



## rekil (Mar 3, 2018)

elbows said:


> I kept Son for twice as long as I normally keep players who arent getting good fantasy points, in part because of todays fixture. And he has rewarded my rare patience with a goal, nice one Son.


I transferred him out for D.Silva cos I was worried he wouldn't start. 

2 ffs.


----------



## starfish (Mar 4, 2018)

Dropped Dunk & he only goes & scores at the right bloody end


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 4, 2018)

I had two options this week:

1) Doucoure for Gross
2) Son for Eriksen

Went for option 1). It was the wrong option


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 10, 2018)

I fucked up. Got pissed last night and forgot to sort my team. Transfer lost. Captain not changed (though Salah's a good fallback in case of forgetfulness usually). Fuck.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 10, 2018)

Complete dud of a game, FF-wise. My GK and DF concede one goal to ruin their clean sheet, and neither of my two Liverpool players have anything to do with it  

Glad I moved captaincy from Salah to Kane; at least there's still a chance of getting something.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Mar 10, 2018)

I also moved captaincy from Salah to Kane. Was wracking my brain to think of a substitution I could make before I hit upon changing Dr Gea for Ederson. But happy with my team (provided Mounie gets a goal between now and the end of the season).


----------



## butchersapron (Mar 10, 2018)

kenedy ffs. He can't even spell his own name right but he's fucked me in the h2h already.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 10, 2018)

Anyone fancy a bit of Norwegian FF action? Week 1 deadline's tomorrow, 4pm. I know fuck all about Norwegian football. Could be fun 

fantasy.eliteserien.no


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 10, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Anyone fancy a bit of Norwegian FF action? Week 1 deadline's tomorrow, 4pm. I know fuck all about Norwegian football. Could be fun
> 
> fantasy.eliteserien.no


I've just got back from Norway, where I swapped EPL FF tactics with a Norwegian Spurs fan 

If I'd known this existed I would have got some tips about the Norwegian league too!


----------



## elbows (Mar 11, 2018)

So far I have played my cards just right this week, thanks to Mahrez, Mkhitaryan and Pope. Now I have to see if I survive the sheer number of people who have Kane as captain (I got in Aguero for this captaincy task, having correctly predicted that Firmino would do nout and that Davies would not play and that I could afford Aguero by selling those two)


----------



## elbows (Mar 11, 2018)

Worst thing about playing free hit for week 31 is that I am powerless to respond to any looming price changes in my normal team for a week.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Mar 11, 2018)

my hopes for this week rest on tottenham winning about 6-0


----------



## elbows (Mar 11, 2018)

I likely more than survived because Kane didnt, oh dear!


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 11, 2018)

elbows said:


> I got in Aguero


Aguero's out for a few weeks. Won't play the Stoke match.


----------



## tommers (Mar 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Aguero's out for a few weeks. Won't play the Stoke match.


Excuse me. What??!


----------



## rekil (Mar 11, 2018)

I think Aguero was going to get rotated and saved for CL anyway since Jesus is back.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 11, 2018)

tommers said:


> Excuse me. What??!


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 11, 2018)

Rough translation (my spanish is shit)

During training yesterday I suffered an injury in the left something. The medical team have confirmed it'll be a few weeks for recovery. etc


----------



## tommers (Mar 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Rough translation (my spanish is shit)
> 
> During training yesterday I suffered an injury in the left something. The medical team have confirmed it'll be a few weeks for recovery. etc



Puta madre.

Not you Fez.

You're my captain Sergio. I've had a shit week, no clean sheets for any defender, no goals or assists for any midfielder or striker, and Jordan fucking Ayew got sent off - and this is how you repay me? Wanker.

You're dead to me Kun.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 11, 2018)

tommers said:


> Puta madre.
> 
> Not you Fez.
> 
> ...


Spare a thought for elbows - he's got Ayew coming off the bench for Aguero and if Sterling doesn't play, also Kelly for another -1 

Still a nice score, despite that!


----------



## tommers (Mar 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Spare a thought for elbows - he's got Ayew coming off the bench for Aguero and if Sterling doesn't play, also Kelly for another -1
> 
> Still a nice score, despite that!


Ha. Yeah I've got oxlade chamberlain replacing aguero. So that's one point.

And Salah is my vice captain. There's another 2.

They all count.


----------



## elbows (Mar 11, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Spare a thought for elbows - he's got Ayew coming off the bench for Aguero and if Sterling doesn't play, also Kelly for another -1
> 
> Still a nice score, despite that!



Yeah I wont cry because my score was good anyway, despite the comedy negative points waiting on my bench this week has been a success. And it's Sane I've still got left, not Sterling.

What I might cry about is my aforementioned point about free hit and not being able to make any permanent transfers for a whole week. So I cant truly get rid of Ayew, Kane or Aguero, not to mention various defenders I have that are crap and could fall in value.


----------



## elbows (Mar 12, 2018)

I'm not expecting to retain my lofty position in the non-h2h league by the end of tonight, although it could yet happen if Sane does well relative to the players others have left. Its a weird fantasy football feeling for me, on what has so far been a great fantasy week for me relative to what most have scored so far. I suppose thats what happens when I had the 'shock' of losing Aguero and having what may as well be the bournemouth ball boys from yesterdays match on my bench!

Yesterdays events caused me not to rave as much about Son as I should have, oh what a star who again joins my merry band of midfield differentials who have made my season so far.

Anyway the weird feeling is compounded by the strangeness that week 31 may offer with its limited fixtures. As I already harped on about, I've played my free hit now to cope with these fixtures, but have also had a nose at what cards people in the top 10-15 places of the non-h2h league have left. One person has nothing left, another has no wildcard or free hit left, one only has free hit left, another free hit and bench boost, two only have a wildcard left. The rest have mostly everything left. So there should be an interesting mix of people who might use a wildcard or freehit to deal with the coming week, and those trying to cope with only normal transfers, many of whom will have to make do with less than 11 players.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 12, 2018)

Yep this is defo the most interesting part of the season so far. The 'templates' that have formed are going to be blown apart this week and I think we'll see a lot of movement (in the league positions) in the next 5 weeks or so.

Good stuff


----------



## rekil (Mar 12, 2018)

Someone beat Fez909 please. I'm trying to defend my title but he still has all his chips ffs. 



Spoiler


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 12, 2018)

copliker said:


> Someone beat Fez909 please. I'm trying to defend my title but he still has all his chips ffs.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler



Are you the Maggyars then? I've been wondering who that was! Nice score


----------



## rekil (Mar 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Are you the Maggyars then? I've been wondering who that was! Nice score


Nope, Milan.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 12, 2018)

copliker said:


> Nope, Milan.


Ahh, OK. I saw the Liverpool crest and stupidly thought "kop"-liker.


----------



## starfish (Mar 13, 2018)

H2H  At least ive closed the gap between the bottom 2 

No offense to the bottom 2 intended.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 15, 2018)

elbows said:


> I've played my free hit now


How much money have you got in the bank now? I can't imagine it's possible to build a £100m+ team out of this week's shit show of fixtures


----------



## rekil (Mar 15, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Ahh, OK. I saw the Liverpool crest and stupidly thought "kop"-liker.





Spoiler


----------



## marty21 (Mar 15, 2018)

starfish said:


> H2H  At least ive closed the gap between the bottom 2
> 
> No offense to the bottom 2 intended.


Been a disaster of a season tbh - last year I was about 6th in the H2H


----------



## elbows (Mar 15, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> How much money have you got in the bank now? I can't imagine it's possible to build a £100m+ team out of this week's shit show of fixtures



Indeed 

Presently the squad is valued at 96.1 with 9.5 left in the bank 

Come Saturday I'm sure you will see me crying about how much my real team has declined in value over the week. I think I am down 0.4 and up 0.1 so far, but thats not considering the players I will want to buy next week that have gone up in price this week, and I would have bought them before they went up if I were not trapped in the free hit zone due to this shitty week 31.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 15, 2018)

elbows said:


> Indeed
> 
> Presently the squad is valued at 96.1 with 9.5 left in the bank
> 
> Come Saturday I'm sure you will see me crying about how much my real team has declined in value over the week. I think I am down 0.4 and up 0.1 so far, but thats not considering the players I will want to buy next week that have gone up in price this week, and I would have bought them before they went up if I were not trapped in the free hit zone due to this shitty week 31.


I attempted to get the most expensive team I could, just to see if it (£100m) could be done. Got close. ~£98m, but I had too many players from one team and got bored of trying out permutations.


----------



## elbows (Mar 15, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I attempted to get the most expensive team I could, just to see if it (£100m) could be done. Got close. ~£98m, but I had too many players from one team and got bored of trying out permutations.



I had a quick go and I think it would be fairly easy to achieve if Sigurdsson wasnt injured and actually looked like a player worth owning this season.


----------



## sealion (Mar 15, 2018)

Im down to a five a side team for this week. I might use the triple captain option and cross my fingers.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Trying to find out if there's any chance of any of the four matches getting called off 

No suggestion, so far...


----------



## tommers (Mar 17, 2018)

I got an error cos I had too many Everton players. Never thought that would happen.


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Trying to find out if there's any chance of any of the four matches getting called off
> 
> No suggestion, so far...



Based on weather radar showing accumulations of last 12 hours, Bournemouth and Huddersfield would be the ones to keep the closest eye on.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

At least we've got until 2pm today, which means we'll likely have a good idea of whether matches are on and who's playing in them.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Oh, of _course_ Eriksen scores in the FA Cup


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Some impressive flakes but doesnt look like any settled.


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Huddersfield under 18's game got called off earlier, during the game, due to combination of snow and wind. No suggestion on their twitter of the prem game being cancelled.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

WHO THE FUCK IS JAMES TOMKINS?! There aren't enough games being played for randos to be scoring goals


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

An approximate guide to how many players the top teams in the non-h2h league have got for this week. Ones I've listed as 11 may have spare subs too.

7,11,10,8,5,4,11,7,6,11,8,8,11

The amount of snow at the stoke everton game sounds, err, interesting.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

elbows said:


> The amount of snow at the stoke everton game sounds, err, interesting.


The chances for goals was already limited by the number of games and the teams involved, conditions ain't helping 

May have wasted the free hit...


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> May have wasted the free hit...



The closeness in points to my nearest rivals and how few players some of them have means that I wont consider my free hit a waste even if most of the players its given me this week only get 1-3 points each.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

elbows said:


> The closeness in points to my nearest rivals and how few players some of them have means that I wont consider my free hit a waste even if most of the players its given me this week only get 1-3 points each.


They guy at the top of my work league is 14 points ahead of me with six viable players, but I've got four of them too with the same captain. Just wish this could really be capitalised on rather than picking up a few crumbs.


----------



## passenger (Mar 17, 2018)

I played my free hit looking good so far


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

I'm so glad this is a temporary team, lost two to injury already!


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Scratch that, only lost one to injury, fantasy website had the wrong number of minutes played for Tosun earlier so I thought he went off near the end of the first half.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Fucking hell  Tosun scores, good for me, but at the same time so does Milivojevic, who the other guy has got, so I'm still only keeping pace   

Actually, that Tosun goal also does for Butland's clean sheet, so I've got to hope he picks up plenty of 'saves made' points.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

And again!

WBA concede, losing Foster's clean sheet for the guy above me, but AT THE VERY SAME TIME Everton also concede, losing Baines' clean sheet for me!

This game is proper fucking with me today


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Looks like I've managed to extract somewhere between 31-36 points out of those 3 games! (depending on bonuses)


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Yup, exactly the same for me: currently on 31 points and waiting on bonuses.


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Got one more point from somewhere (probably Lossl) and Tosuns 3 bonus points seem assured so my probable range of points from those games is now 35-38. Only a massive performance by certain Watford players can spoil my week now.

I cant win my h2h game unless Doucoure scores minus points though.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

elbows said:


> unless Doucoure scores minus points though.


Oi, less of that talk, thank you very much


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Liverpool doing well for me (and many others, no doubt) so far, but the differential between  me and the guy at the top is Mane, as we both have Firmino and Captain Salah. Really need Mane to add to his one assist to pull ahead, here.

Another mate in the same league:



 

<edit: I've just seen he captained fucking Wilson    >


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Update from my mate:


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

We are getting well over 100 points out of this week haha.


----------



## Steel Icarus (Mar 17, 2018)

No,YOU forgot to change the captaincy from Kane who is injured and wouldn't have played anyway to Salah who scored four fucking goals

Fuck my life, fuck this stupid game*


*this is six months later than usual to reach this point for me so I guess it's progress of a sort


----------



## tommers (Mar 17, 2018)

100 points from 4 games. Can't be bad.

Tomkins, Tosun, Stanislas, Salah.


----------



## sealion (Mar 17, 2018)

sealion said:


> Im down to a five a side team for this week. I might use the triple captain option and cross my fingers.


I didn't but should have  Still, i think my h2h opponent only had three players available and left Kane as his captain.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Mar 17, 2018)

i had 14 points at 5 pm

currently on 72



and have still lost in the H2H


----------



## starfish (Mar 17, 2018)

Despite only having 3 scoring players, i think i might have managed an H2H win 

No offence intended to my opponent


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

Fucking hell, I've just looked and despite getting 115 points I think I'm going to draw in the H2H


----------



## rekil (Mar 17, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Fucking hell, I've just looked and despite getting 115 points I think I'm going to draw in the H2H


115 to 113 I think. 

Fez off h2h top spot (for a week).


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

copliker said:


> 115 to 113 I think.


2 points to come off the bench.

<edit: ah no, thought Smith had 0 because he didn't play, but he did and had points deducted>


----------



## rekil (Mar 17, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> 2 points to come off the bench.


The Bournemouth defender was booked then subbed. Unless I'm looking at the wrong teams.


----------



## elbows (Mar 17, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> 2 points to come off the bench.
> 
> <edit: ah no, thought Smith had 0 because he didn't play, but he did and had points deducted>



Yep, thats why I needed Doucoure to get negative points  well done 

Wahey now sitting at my 2nd highest overall rank ever. If I can just improve it by 3 thousand or so then I will finally beat my highest ever rank (at any stage of any season) which was achieved the first game I ever played, and it was the start of a season where overall rank = gameweek rank so no really the same sort of sustained achievement at all. Oh the giddy heights. Normally I get most of my really impressive points after this stage of the season, when desperately playing catchup, but since I've done better in different ways so far this season I wouldnt be surprised to see this pattern end. But as I'm now starting to get a foothold in the upper section of the non-h2h league maybe I should be trying to hype up this threat, ooh fear me in the double gameweeks to come. In the meantime, watch me squander some of my recent gains by spending a fair few points on transfers.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 17, 2018)

elbows said:


> Yep, thats why I needed Doucoure to get negative points  well done


Ah yes, didn't connect the dots at the time as I honestly wasn't paying attention to the H2H. I knew I recognised that name from somewhere  

Pretty crazy GW in the end; everyone thinking it was going to be low scoring, and looked like it would be after only one goal in the first half of any of the 3pm k/os. Then all of a sudden some those dark horses came good, and Captain Salah made all the fucking hay.

I really liked the fact that we had until most matches kicked off to tinker, and that all the games were done with in one day. Just one more reason to hate how much TV messes with the schedule (and I say that as someone who doesn't go to matches).


----------



## marty21 (Mar 19, 2018)

Puddy_Tat said:


> i had 14 points at 5 pm
> 
> currently on 72
> 
> ...


I lost with 63  almost all scored by one player   and as the bottom club won, we are in a life or death struggle for the wooden spoon, 4 points in it


----------



## elbows (Mar 19, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I really liked the fact that we had until most matches kicked off to tinker, and that all the games were done with in one day. Just one more reason to hate how much TV messes with the schedule (and I say that as someone who doesn't go to matches).



Well theres always the last gameweek for that, as long as Man Utd dont leave a training fake bomb in a toilet and get their game postponed like happened that one season 

I just hope there is minimal 'many prem clubs have nothing to play for so start messing with their team selection' at the end of this season. I'm thinking it wasnt that bad a phenomenon last season because I managed 144 and 100 points in the final 2 gameweeks, but I seem to remember it being quite annoying the season before.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 19, 2018)

Kane's price has already dropped £0.1m since I checked earlier today  It's a damn fire sale!


----------



## elbows (Mar 19, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Kane's price has already dropped £0.1m since I checked earlier today  It's a damn fire sale!



Nah, prices never change during the day, its usually between 1 and 2am. And I had Kane until I was able to sell him once my free hit happened, so I've been keeping an eye on his price. He went down 0.1 during the week I couldnt sell him, and another 0.1 after I sold him on Saturday. I know beause ideally I wanted to wait before making transfers but I had to rush that one as I need all the money I can get. I believe his last price fall was around 1.30am Sunday, and he is about three quarters of the way towards going down again.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 19, 2018)

elbows said:


> Nah, prices never change during the day, its usually between 1 and 2am. And I had Kane until I was able to sell him once my free hit happened, so I've been keeping an eye on his price. He went down 0.1 during the week I couldnt sell him, and another 0.1 after I sold him on Saturday. I know beause ideally I wanted to wait before making transfers but I had to rush that one as I need all the money I can get. I believe his last price fall was around 1.30am Sunday, and he is about three quarters of the way towards going down again.


I'm tellin' ya, he was 12.8m earlier today, then by the evening he was down to 12.7m


----------



## butchersapron (Mar 19, 2018)

I have only one dying wish - to take fez down. Keep it in the family for four years straight.

(that said, i'll not change my team to do that - i'm not that sort of twat)

ref: h2h ages later


----------



## elbows (Mar 20, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I'm tellin' ya, he was 12.8m earlier today, then by the evening he was down to 12.7m



Well I can prove that he has only fallen in value once since Saturday, because the stats page on the fantasy site can show each players price fall (round), which for Kane is 0.1. Normally I would be able to prove my whole case because we could look at the history for Kane and see what his value was on Saturday. But because his team didnt play in week 31 there is no week 31 listed in his history. The week before he was worth £12.9, and I know that his actual value on Saturday was £12.8 but it seems I cannot prove it.


----------



## sealion (Mar 20, 2018)

I sold Kane (again) on saturday evening, he was 12.8 million.


----------



## elbows (Mar 22, 2018)

First big double-gameweek fixtures are now out. Looks like they've moved the cancelled games from week 35 to take place in week 34.

No sign of the cancelled games from week 31 on the site right now but I suppose the common expectation is now that those will happen in week 37.


----------



## elbows (Mar 22, 2018)

Slight exception to what I said there, the Burnley Chelsea game that is now scheduled for week 34 was originally a week 31 game, not a week 35 game like the others that have moved to week 34.


----------



## marty21 (Mar 22, 2018)

When does next season start?


----------



## butchersapron (Mar 31, 2018)

Nice to know that i'm so little a threat now that fez has actually approached his h2h game with me with the double gameweek 34 and burnley being the only team doing that and week 35 uppermost in his mind. Just a stepping stone.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 31, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> Nice to know that i'm so little a threat now that fez has actually approached his h2h game with me with the double gameweek 34 and burnley being the only team doing that and week 35 uppermost in his mind. Just a stepping stone.


My team is good for any single game week as well....plus h2h is not the only game in town


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 31, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> Nice to know that i'm so little a threat now that fez has actually approached his h2h game with me with the double gameweek 34 and burnley being the only team doing that and week 35 uppermost in his mind. Just a stepping stone.


Did you or the app fuck up, btw? 

You've got de Gea, Smalling Mustafi and Firmino on the bench?! - No bench boost...


----------



## butchersapron (Mar 31, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Did you or the app fuck up, btw?
> 
> You've got de Gea, Smalling Mustafi and Firmino on the bench?! - No bench boost...


Oh ffs, i forgot to press save. Sorry copliker.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 31, 2018)

sorry man


----------



## rekil (Mar 31, 2018)

Spoiler


----------



## rekil (Apr 1, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> Oh ffs, i forgot to press save. Sorry copliker.


There's still a fair chance you'll win but those De Gea points would've been important.


----------



## elbows (Apr 1, 2018)

I cant believe I spent 12 points on transfers but only fell less than 3000 places overall so far. However this is likely to get worse since lots of people have Aubameyang and my main counter, Mkhitaryan, is on the bloody bench in real life.


----------



## rekil (Apr 2, 2018)

copliker said:


> There's still a fair chance you'll win but those De Gea points would've been important.





Spoiler: my punditry


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

I've sold Salah 

This might turn out to be a huge mistake...


----------



## elbows (Apr 7, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I've sold Salah
> 
> This might turn out to be a huge mistake...



Good luck, at least you know its fine for this week. I'm waiting to see who impresses me this week before my final shuffle for double gameweek 34, and that will factor into whether I bench Salah that week or sell him.

I was mildly surprised by how many people I know sold him without much hesitation this time, although I assume this was made easier by the aforementioned looming double gameweek greed. Given that I sold him about 3 times this season already, I wont be expressing shock at this, unlike err certain other people cough cough who were shocked by tales of selling Salah or people even considering it in this thread in January and March


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

elbows said:


> I was mildly surprised by how many people I know sold him without much hesitation this time, although I assume this was made easier by the aforementioned looming double gameweek greed. Given that I sold him about 3 times this season already, I wont be expressing shock at this, unlike err certain other people cough cough who were shocked by tales of selling Salah or people even considering it in this thread in January and March


tbf, it _was_ shocking before, no question about it. Even with him injured now it's a huge risk, but the CL matches, doubles and potential rotation/limited minutes means it's now a punt that _could _pay off. But even now it's not neccesarily a sensisble move. He's just that good.

Stoke. Came off the bench and scored two. Kane had two matches in one GW earlier in the season and scored 3pts I believe.


> Good luck


Yep, luck. That's all it is now...and thanks


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 7, 2018)

I was going to flog him as well - didn't want to carry 3 liv players (salah+mane and firmino) into either of  the DGW's. But rumours last night that firmino was going to be rested this morning led to me getting rid of the other two - i think salah's form justifies him being carried this and next week - not so sure about GW37 at minute though.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> I was going to flog him as well - didn't want to carry 3 liv players (salah+mane and firmino) into either of  the DGW's. But rumours last night that firmino was going to be rested this morning led to me getting rid of the other two - i think salah's form justifies him being carried this and next week - not so sure about GW37 at minute though.


This twitter account has been pissing off scousers by leaking the 100% correct line up each week 24 hours ahead of the match: Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) on Twitter

Worth keeping an eye on


----------



## elbows (Apr 7, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> This twitter account has been pissing off scousers by leaking the 100% correct line up each week 24 hours ahead of the match: Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) on Twitter
> 
> Worth keeping an eye on



I was wondering why sections of the press seemed fairly confident in their predictions. Cheers for the tip - how long have you known about it?


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 7, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> This twitter account has been pissing off scousers by leaking the 100% correct line up each week 24 hours ahead of the match: Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) on Twitter
> 
> Worth keeping an eye on


Yep - proven very useful a few times that!


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

elbows said:


> I was wondering why sections of the press seemed fairly confident in their predictions. Cheers for the tip - how long have you known about it?


Just since yesterday, sadly, but a quick search around it seems people have been onto it for weeks


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> Yep - proven very useful a few times that!


There we go


----------



## elbows (Apr 7, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> I was going to flog him as well - didn't want to carry 3 liv players (salah+mane and firmino) into either of  the DGW's. But rumours last night that firmino was going to be rested this morning led to me getting rid of the other two - i think salah's form justifies him being carried this and next week - not so sure about GW37 at minute though.



Whether he makes my week 37 squad probably depends on how paranoid I've gotten about other big names (that I want to play two games that week) being rested at the end of the season. I'm going to curse myself for using bench boost that week if there are lots of team changes all over the place, but I'm hoping most of the teams will still have something to fight for at that point.


----------



## elbows (Apr 7, 2018)

If Aubameyang has a good week then the battle for top 10 places in the non-h2h league quite likely to tighten significantly. A lot of people chose him as captain and plenty dont have him at all (including me).


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

elbows said:


> If Aubameyang has a good week then the battle for top 10 places in the non-h2h league quite likely to tighten significantly. A lot of people chose him as captain and plenty dont have him at all (including me).


Wish we had some handy tools to extract stats like this from our league(s). Might see if I can knock something up (because I don't spend enough time on FPL or the computer currently  )


----------



## elbows (Apr 7, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Wish we had some handy tools to extract stats like this from our league(s). Might see if I can knock something up (because I don't spend enough time on FPL or the computer currently  )



Its crossed my mind a few times as well, think I looked for unofficial APIs/scrape tools a year or two ago and was fairly disappointed. Think it is worth doing though, there are such a wealth of ways that interesting stats could be presented. 

Its the sort of project I find myself wanting to dabble with at the wrong time - eg outside the season, when there is no bloody site available to scrape!


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 7, 2018)

elbows said:


> Its crossed my mind a few times as well, think I looked for unofficial APIs/scrape tools a year or two ago and was fairly disappointed. Think it is worth doing though, there are such a wealth of ways that interesting stats could be presented.
> 
> Its the sort of project I find myself wanting to dabble with at the wrong time - eg outside the season, when there is no bloody site available to scrape!


Perfect for intl breaks


----------



## Lord Camomile (Apr 7, 2018)

I got rid of Firmino and Salah for Sterling and Abumayang.

And then I chickened out and cancelled


----------



## elbows (Apr 8, 2018)

elbows said:


> If Aubameyang has a good week then the battle for top 10 places in the non-h2h league quite likely to tighten significantly. A lot of people chose him as captain and plenty dont have him at all (including me).



Due to so many crap points totals so far this week, the threat of many people climbing up to the 'just below the top 2' battle via Aubameyang today has receded quite a lot. He could have been a killer as the icing on the cake, but for many he now needs to be almost the whole damn cake. Can still make quite a difference though, especially to the battle between 1st and 2nd.

I have no players today, should have gotten some Chelsea players in but made the mistake of watching them play the other week and decided to wait and evaluate their performance against lesser opposition.

I am not really feeling next weeks double gameweek, dont think there is anyone there I can triple captain, might have to rethink entire end of season plan, gulp. Think this is partly due to me usually having 3-5 million quid more at this stage to splash out.


----------



## elbows (Apr 11, 2018)

Oops, found a cunning plan for the double gameweek that involves me spending another 16 points, no surprise there then 

Best of all, it still leaves me with very little confidence in who I am triple-captaining. Ah well, going for it anyway, just waiting another day or so for any unexpected team news.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 11, 2018)

Kane given the 2nd goal from last weekend - but not being given the points for it.


----------



## sealion (Apr 11, 2018)

From the game rules.
*FPL rulings*
As stated in the game rules, points awarded in-game are subject to change up until one hour after the final whistle of the last match of any given day.

Once the points have been updated on that day, no further adjustments are made.

To remain consistent with this rule, statistics and points shown in the game from Saturday April 7 in Gameweek 33 will not change.


----------



## starfish (Apr 13, 2018)

Can you use your wildcard & play bench boost in the same game week?


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 13, 2018)

Yep - loads going to this week or 37.


----------



## starfish (Apr 13, 2018)

Ta. Id only be filling the bench with duffers if i did though. Ill think about it.


----------



## elbows (Apr 13, 2018)

No, you cant do that, you have never been allowed to play more than one thing in one gameweek in the 3 seasons I've been playing. People who wanted to use a wildcard to build a team for a double gameweek where they will play another chip have traditionally had to use their wildcard the week before. Unless I've lost the plot completely, which I'm bound to consider the less likely option.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 13, 2018)

You can't play two chips but a wildcard isn't a chip.


----------



## elbows (Apr 13, 2018)

I still reckon you've had a brain fart there butchers I'm afraid.

Time your chips right to lift your FPL team



> But the Wildcard's value changes for those managers yet to use their Bench Boost chip.
> 
> Remember, two chips cannot be played in one Gameweek, but managers can use a Wildcard in a Gameweek before the double one in which they plan to use the Bench Boost.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 13, 2018)

Looks like you're right there then.


----------



## starfish (Apr 13, 2018)

Someone should try it & see what happens to confirm.


----------



## elbows (Apr 13, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> This twitter account has been pissing off scousers by leaking the 100% correct line up each week 24 hours ahead of the match: Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) on Twitter
> 
> Worth keeping an eye on



It doesnt seem to have delivered the goods this evening!


----------



## elbows (Apr 13, 2018)

Within 2 seconds of me saying that they've started saying things like Salah is starting tomorrow.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> It doesnt seem to have delivered the goods this evening!


I can't find a team sheet posted...or is that your point?

I was planning on shipping out my last Liverpool player last night but I didn't have enough for his replacement. So haven't really been watching Liverpool news much. Will keep an eye on the price changes tonight and hopefully I'll get a rise/fall in my favour so I can get rid, but if not, I think Robertson is a safe choice against BOU anyway 

Get the feeling Salah could go balistic tomorrow. That'll sting, but these are the risks you take.

Speaking of Salah and that Twitter account, I liked this interview with him:



Never seen him speak before. He seems like a nice guy. It's funny how players fall into certain categories. You've got the likes of Messi, Salah etc, who are good and seem humble. Then you've Harry Kane and Ronaldo who are so driven and competitive it makes you cringe.

Then you have Zlatan. Who's neither competitive nor humble, and by all account you should hate him, but you can't help but laugh at his arrogance


----------



## elbows (Apr 13, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I can't find a team sheet posted...or is that your point?



That was my original point, one I was getting ready to backtrack on when it sounded like they were starting to blab about the team but since then nothing.



> I was planning on shipping out my last Liverpool player last night but I didn't have enough for his replacement. So haven't really been watching Liverpool news much. Will keep an eye on the price changes tonight and hopefully I'll get a rise/fall in my favour so I can get rid, but if not, I think Robertson is a safe choice against BOU anyway
> 
> Get the feeling Salah could go balistic tomorrow. That'll sting, but these are the risks you take.
> 
> Speaking of Salah and that Twitter account, I liked this interview with him:



Having taken risks with selling Salah earlier in the season when situations arose, and having not sold him last week because I'd already spent too many points on other transfers, I figure I may as well keep him for this week now. Given that my team is not in shape to use my bench boost and I havent got too much faith in my choice of who to triple captain, its almost tempting to give the honour to Salah despite him only having one game. But I doubt I will actually do that, although who knows as the choice is presently driving me mad.



> Never seen him speak before. He seems like a nice guy. It's funny how players fall into certain categories. You've got the likes of Messi, Salah etc, who are good and seem humble. Then you've Harry Kane and Ronaldo who are so driven and competitive it makes you cringe.
> 
> Then you have Zlatan. Who's neither competitive nor humble, and by all account you should hate him, but you can't help but laugh at his arrogance



I like Salah a lot, but this was mostly based on his performances and smile lol, and the fact I backed him to perform from the start probably helped. I'm not sure how much I feel like I really know even that side of players really, I might be learning more about their attitude towards interviews and the interviewer than anything else. But probably also because I've only been following football properly for a handful of years. I've heard the top 10 Zlatan boasts and his time in the premier league seemed relatively tame by comparison. So I've sort of been looking forward to the hype spectacle of Zlatan does the USA. To be honest I dont think even Zlatan can give them 'that Zlatan' in every media performance. He found a ridiculous claim to throw at them in a press conference or two, but I saw a couple of youtube clips of him doing the rounds and being interviewed on the pitch, and despite his impressive first performance for the team he seemed more interested in mentioning his knee than his god-like abilities.I suppose its the wrong stage of his career for me to be seeking a new level of ego silliness from him, especially considering the giddy heights he already reached in the past, but Zlatan turned up to 12 would be a great fit with the hype banter associated with many US sports and their presentation.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 14, 2018)

elbows said:


> Having taken risks with selling Salah earlier in the season when situations arose, and having not sold him last week because I'd already spent too many points on other transfers, I figure I may as well keep him for this week now.


Salah capain this week could easily outscore double gameweek players.

I got rid of him last week immediately on his injury news, and I still think that was a sensible choice. It doesn't mean it's definitely the best choice though.

He missed last game, so the player I brought in, assuming he played, would score +2 over him barring yellow cards etc. It was Alli and he scores so got 5, so I'm already up.

But Salah playing this week was something I wasn't counting on, so I was expecting another +2 or +1 minimum over Salah, and it seems like that might not be the case.

Then there's the champions league - Liverpool progressing means they might want to protect Salah and rest him in the league, given champions league is all but guaranteed for them now.

If you add up the number of matches where Salah will defo play vs the number of matches where, say, Alli, will defo play, then it's almost x2 for Alli. So even if Alli doesn't score highly in either match, his x2 score will _hopefully_ match Salah's single match score. But as we saw a few weeks ago, Salah can outscore anyone on a good day...

Anyway, if you add up the number of matches Salah has left in the league vs a player who has a double gameweek, because we're so close to the end of the season, you can almost get twice as many games out of a Tottenham/Manu etc player than Salah. So even if Salah goes nuts, can he outscore double Son? Maybe. But it's a potentially good risk...


----------



## elbows (Apr 14, 2018)

Spent 12 points instead of 16 in the end. Triple captained Sanchez, partly based on me staring at the teams I had in previous double gameweeks I got great points in, in prior seasons.

The current top 15 teams or so in the non-h2h league range in the number of player games they have this week from 16 to 28. Only about 4 teams from that bunch played their bench boost, giving them up to 24, 25, 27 and 28 player games this week.

The main drama so far seems to have been a tackle by Alonso that many seem to think should earn him a retrospective red card.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 14, 2018)

elbows said:


> The main drama so far seems to have been a tackle by Alonso that many seem to think should earn him a retrospective red card.


Looked a bad tackle, depending on the angle. Not sure it would've been a straight red even if the ref had seen it.

Alonso's a waste of space lately anyway...Not sure I'd miss his 2pts, but the extra tied up in him would come in useful.


----------



## elbows (Apr 15, 2018)

Currently pleased I didnt go for bench boost this week, lets see if that sentiment survives my triple captain actually playing a game (Sanchez).


----------



## elbows (Apr 18, 2018)

Its been a hilarious disaster for me so far and not exactly stunning scores for everyone else either. One of those double gameweeks that just seems to prolong the agony!


----------



## elbows (Apr 18, 2018)

Yay the comedy continues, Lukaku and Sanchez are on the bench.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 18, 2018)

ffs


----------



## sealion (Apr 18, 2018)

I used/wasted my triple captain card on Lukaku


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 18, 2018)

sealion said:


> I used/wasted my triple captain card on Lukaku


Manu 4 - 0 Bou

Smalling hattrick and assist. That's the only thing that'll make me happy now


----------



## sealion (Apr 18, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Manu 4 - 0 Bou
> 
> Smalling hattrick and assist. That's the only thing that'll make me happy now



I have Smalling in my team so don't get your hopes up


----------



## Lord Camomile (Apr 18, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Manu 4 - 0 Bou
> 
> Smalling hattrick and assist. That's the only thing that'll make me happy now


Up and running...


----------



## Lord Camomile (Apr 18, 2018)

Frustrating thing is both me and the guy I'm fighting for top place at work with have Smalling and Lingard. I have de Gea and Wilson (he also has Jones), so I have no idea if there's any kind of result that works out well for me


----------



## elbows (Apr 19, 2018)

After all that, at last its finally become clear who has done relatively well this week. I'm not doing very well but at least Smalling helped me avoid the worst depths.

Alonso has been banned.


----------



## rekil (Apr 19, 2018)

Hazard on the bench ffs.



Spoiler


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 19, 2018)

Willian benched. Alonso banned.


----------



## big eejit (Apr 19, 2018)

And Willian.


----------



## starfish (Apr 20, 2018)

Wildcard finally played.


----------



## elbows (Apr 21, 2018)

I had no suitable cards to navigate through this week with so spent an eye watering 24 points on transfers!

I was unnerved by the talk of whether Aubameyang would play so have tried Lacazette as a differential instead.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 21, 2018)

elbows said:


> 24 points on transfers


Jesus  

You've been doing so well, too


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

elbows said:


> I had no suitable cards to navigate through this week with so spent an eye watering 24 points on transfers!
> 
> I was unnerved by the talk of whether Aubameyang would play so have tried Lacazette as a differential instead.


I, due to my misreading the rules have, either spare bench boost or triple cpt. This truly has been a season of doze.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 21, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> I, due to my misreading the rules have, either spare bench boost or triple cpt. This truly has been a season of doze.


BB in 37 and TC 38 seems like a good use of those


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> BB in 37 and TC 38 seems like a good use of those


I'm being forced to do that basically. 

Next season!


----------



## starfish (Apr 21, 2018)

Is the free hit the same as the wildcard? As in unlimited free transfers for that week.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

starfish said:


> Is the free hit the same as the wildcard? As in unlimited free transfers for that week.


Yep - that's it.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Apr 21, 2018)

No. It explains it pretty clearly when you rollover the q Mark.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 21, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> I'm being forced to do that basically.
> 
> Next season!


I've not been forced into the same situation, but I'm tempted by TC in 38 anyway. 

Logically should use it in the big week 37 but last game of the season has seen some silly results in the last few years. Plus Salah in one game can outscore Kane/Whoever in two games....

Difficult one.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

Reiabuzz said:


> No. It explains it pretty clearly when you rollover the q Mark.


You mean where it says yes, unlimited transfers for that week? Not no?


----------



## Reiabuzz (Apr 21, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> You mean where it says yes, unlimited transfers for that week? Not no?



The wildcard is for the whole season. The free hit is for that week only. Afaik.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

Reiabuzz said:


> The wildcard is for the whole season. The free hit is for that week only. Afaik.


This was the question:



> Is the free hit the same as the wildcard? As in unlimited free transfers for that week



The answer is yes. Not no.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Apr 21, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> This was the question:
> 
> 
> 
> The answer is yes. Not no.



No, it’s not. See my post above. One is for that week only and the other is for the season. They are not the same, that was the question.


----------



## Fez909 (Apr 21, 2018)

Reiabuzz said:


> No, it’s not. See my post above. One is for that week only and the other is for the season. They are not the same, that was the question.


You're being way too literal here. Of course they're not exactly the same, otherwise they wouldn't be different chips.

The mechanics of them is essentially the same for what the poster was asking, though.

You can make unlimited free transfers within the gameweek you play your chip.

You'll be affected by price changes within that week,_ just like a wildcard.
_
They differ in that after the FH week is over, your team reverts back to how it was 2 weeks ago, as if you hadn't done anything for 2 weeks.

That's it.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 21, 2018)

Reiabuzz said:


> No, it’s not. See my post above. One is for that week only and the other is for the season. They are not the same, that was the question.


Jesus christ - if it didn't mean just for that week it would be another wildcard not a free hit. The understanding that the team reverts back to prior is written into it.  So the answer remains yes.


----------



## Reiabuzz (Apr 21, 2018)

The question was are they are the same thing. Sorry for being too literated.


----------



## elbows (Apr 21, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Jesus
> 
> You've been doing so well, too



Cant be helped - I really needed my triple captain to contribute last week and it didnt happen. Never mind, I still cant have many regrets because using the free hit in week 31 was a winner. And my big mistake, playing my second wildcard on Dec 31st instead of saving for April, is also hard to regret because it really helped shape my team into one that had a nice little run for a whole bunch of weeks.

Given that some poeple are trying to get by this week with 7 or 8 players, there is still hope that I can demonstrate the ability to still do well despite spending 24 points in a week  This might be more likely if the 24 points spent had gone towards really beefing up my defence, but thats not what Ive done


----------



## Steel Icarus (Apr 22, 2018)

Tricky fixture, this, especially if you have players from Stoke.


----------



## rekil (Apr 22, 2018)

elbows said:


> I had no suitable cards to navigate through this week with so spent an eye watering 24 points on transfers!
> 
> I was unnerved by the talk of whether Aubameyang would play so have tried Lacazette as a differential instead.


----------



## elbows (Apr 22, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Jesus
> 
> You've been doing so well, too



Well it looks like I got away with the 24 point spend, I have currently managed to improve my overall rank compared to last week and seem to have won my h2h game!

I've dropped a tad in the non-h2h u75 league, but I have to consider it a great success that I'm still in the top 10 scramble at all. Because that last double gameweek wasnt a great success for me and I spent, wait for it, 56 points in the last 4 weeks! So even though I've tumbled somewhat in that league, still being in the mix at all smells like success and leaves me with things to chase after in the closing games.

I've given up pretending to myself that I'm still chasing your number 1 position any longer, the bad double gameweek ended all hope of that and this week seems to have underlined your triumph!

I suppose it could get interesting if I were able to repeat last years feat of getting 320 points in the last 3 games (and spending 20 of them on transfers in the same period) but thats not going to happen! And I only remember those numbers because there wasnt much else for me to cheer with my performance last season, I've enjoyed this season far more.


----------



## elbows (Apr 23, 2018)

S☼I said:


> Tricky fixture, this, especially if you have players from Stoke.
> 
> View attachment 133401



Newcastle are giving Newcastle a hard time of it too!


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Apr 23, 2018)

at this week


----------



## elbows (Apr 30, 2018)

Interesting week so far, with Zaha bringing me many of the points I will no doubt be spending on transfers for next week 

Just remains to be seen whether Kane is actually going to have an end of season spurt this time, or whether he is doomed to continue his post-injury/post-goal-claim malaise.

As for Leicester, bah, at this point I think they deserve a worse reputation than even Chelsea for stopping playing properly for managers.


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

Its not as much fun without the banter.


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

Spent 20 points. Looked at a range of scenarios for the team I've assembled (+ bench boost) and anywhere from 70 to 180 points seems entirely feasible.


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

Bah, make that 24 points (had to respond to late injury news).


----------



## starfish (May 4, 2018)

Last minute tinker & ive sold Silva for Son.


----------



## starfish (May 4, 2018)

I need 72 points from the next 2 game weeks to beat my highest score.


----------



## starfish (May 4, 2018)

Playing my bench boost. And its some bench. Salah, Firminho, Robertson & Ederson. Giving my Seagulls a final run out


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

starfish said:


> I need 72 points from the next 2 game weeks to beat my highest score.



Should be well doable, but good luck anyway!

Even with my ridiculous points spent on transfers I'm pretty much assured of beating my previous highest total of 2068, only need 28 points to equal it.

I couldnt find a suitably priced replacement for the injured Chilwell so I bought Bong in because fuck racism.


----------



## starfish (May 4, 2018)

elbows said:


> Bah, make that 24 points (had to respond to late injury news).


Whos injured? Just in case.


----------



## Fez909 (May 4, 2018)

starfish said:


> Whos injured? Just in case.


deadline's gone anyway


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

The aforementioned Chilwell was the injury.

Anyone who kept faith in Sanchez will be pissed off now he isnt in the squad at all this evening. I already had my double-gameweek Sanchez disaster when I triple captained him a few weeks ago so he was already long gone from my squad, and I got Pogba in for this week.


----------



## starfish (May 4, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> deadline's gone anyway





elbows said:


> The aforementioned Chilwell was the injury.



Never heard of him!


----------



## elbows (May 4, 2018)

starfish said:


> Never heard of him!



He's a Leicester defender that some people got in large part because he was cheap at £4.4 million and started to get to play a lot of games and then got an assist two weeks in a row. Leicester went to shit at around the same time a lot of people got him though.


----------



## elbows (May 6, 2018)

lol @ the state of this double gameweek so far - like the others this season, its shite!


----------



## elbows (May 6, 2018)

From bench boost to beach bust via a series of snoozes.


----------



## big eejit (May 7, 2018)

Triple captain on Jesus this week. 0-0 at home to Huddersfield.


----------



## Fez909 (May 7, 2018)

First time Salah has gone without scoring in two games since week 7/8


----------



## elbows (May 8, 2018)

In theory I have 15 players left but its looking very likely that only 11 or 12 will play, and it could easily be as low as 7-9. Oh well.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

C.O.Y.S bench (bench boost not active). Auba will come in for Ward but if Valencia plays 1 minute, then no sweet McArthur points. And no way to get at Bellerin's haul.



Ouch.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

Actually, there's no way to get McArthur's points, either. Auba for Ward leaves 3 def, so the 2nd auto-sub can't happen.

Sad times whoever you are, C.O.Y.S


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> First time Salah has gone without scoring in two games since week 7/8



And yet I still find myself unhappy at the prospect of not buying him back for this Sundays final game. But I will need something good from players tonight to give me the required points buffer in the battle for 3rd-9th in the non-h2h league. And I dont really imagine getting those points, especially considering likely Man City rotations (eg think David Silva already returned to Spain, no surprise)


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 9, 2018)

I need Kane to pull something out of the bag, otherwise it's almost certainly a successive 2nd place finish in the work league for me


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> And yet I still find myself unhappy at the prospect of not buying him back for this Sundays final game. But I will need something good from players tonight to give me the required points buffer in the battle for 3rd-9th in the non-h2h league. And I dont really imagine getting those points, especially considering likely Man City rotations (eg think David Silva already returned to Spain, no surprise)


I just hope Sterling (TC) plays! I'm not confident, though. Maybe Silva going home helps here a little?

And I'm worried about the amount of Kane captainers


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I just hope Sterling (TC) plays! I'm not confident, though. Maybe Silva going home helps here a little?


Oh yeah, Sterling having a good second game would be a boost too.

I brought Kane in at the expense of Aubamayang, so, seriously, need him to do something!


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

I really wanted Aubameyang and Eriksen instead of Vardy and Alli but I didnt have enough money.

So far only a bit of defensive luck and the failure of everyone elses triple captains has enabled my bench-boosted squad to make up for the 24 points I spent and I dont really expect this to still be the case after tonights games.


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> I really wanted Aubameyang and Eriksen instead of Vardy and Alli but I didnt have enough money.


I brought in Alli for Eriksen so I'd have more money to spend, then forgot to spend it


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I just hope Sterling (TC) plays! I'm not confident, though. Maybe Silva going home helps here a little?
> 
> And I'm worried about the amount of Kane captainers



I wouldnt be that confident about Sterling playing either, but really who knows given the way this season is tailing off. Most people have him anyway so not a differential for many, although obviously thats not true for you since you triple captained him.


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I brought in Alli for Eriksen so I'd have more money to spend, then forgot to spend it



I swear there is at lest one team where it looks like they were setup to play bench-boost but just never got round to activating it for this week!


----------



## marty21 (May 9, 2018)

starfish said:


> I need 72 points from the next 2 game weeks to beat my highest score.


I need 278 points to beat my highest score which was last season  it seemed easier then


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

There were a shit-tonne of points around in the final weeks last year, eg I got 320 points in the last 3 weeks. This season has had more overall points potential but spread out and often in the weeks least expected. Not been much in the way of devastating <30 point weeks either compared to other seasons.


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 9, 2018)

Yeah, last year I nabbed 2nd place with a 75 point haul from triple captain Aguero.

Not particularly confident of Kane doing the same for me tonight


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> I swear there is at lest one team where it looks like they were setup to play bench-boost but just never got round to activating it for this week!


I thought that was the case with C.O.Y.S whose bench I posted earlier, but he played his BB earlier in the season.

It's a baffling bench, tbf.


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

I really wanted to do well this week so I could replace my lecture about not being too afraid about spending points on transfers with a handy graphic. But even by my standards I think I went a little too far and cannot quite show the pattern I'd like. To really demonstrate the point I'd need to get back to an overall rank of around 80,000 and that now seems highly implausible. All the same, I think the graphic at least illustrates that if I can spend this many points (0,12,8,12,24,8,24) and not totally collapse then other people shouldnt sweat spending 4 or 8 points here and there!



If I can just get back to a rank of at least 111,104 then I can at least demonstrate 2 recent occasions where I spent 24 points and still improved overall rank on those weeks!

I doubt I will manage that either though because lots of people around me have triple captain active and it wont take much to send me in the other direction.


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> I really wanted to do well this week so I could replace my lecture about not being too afraid about spending points on transfers with a handy graphic. But even by my standards I think I went a little too far and cannot quite show the pattern I'd like. To really demonstrate the point I'd need to get back to an overall rank of around 80,000 and that now seems highly implausible. All the same, I think the graphic at least illustrates that if I can spend this many points (0,12,8,12,24,8,24) and not totally collapse then other people shouldnt sweat spending 4 or 8 points here and there!
> 
> View attachment 134851


I've taken hits in 6 different game weeeks and only two of them I increased my rank.

This week looks to be paying off so far, and it's my biggest hit, but hits in a double are less expensive, effectively, as you _should _get two games out of your player coming in....


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I've taken hits in 6 different game weeeks and only two of them I increased my rank.



lol you inspired me to check out my own stats for that....

I took a hit in 27 different weeks  In 13 of them I increased my rank and in 13 I decreased my rank  Too early to judge this week yet so I've left it out.


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

At least my bonus points this season have paid for my transfers: 241 bonus points so far, 224 points spent on transfers so far 

Much more restrained than last season when I managed to spend 320 points on transfers! In my first season I already had this transfer-happy approach but spent a more reasonable 180 points on transfers that year.


----------



## marty21 (May 9, 2018)

I haven't sacrificed any points on transfers this season and I'm having my worse season ever in terms of position , make of that what you will .


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

marty21 said:


> I haven't sacrificed any points on transfers this season and I'm having my worse season ever in terms of position , make of that what you will .



What sort of spending did you do in other seasons? Just the occasional 4 points here and there apart from special occasions?


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

This season just isnt the same without the threat of Costa getting a red card!


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

And I know its too early for this really but are there any prospective players for next season that may join the premier league and be interesting fantasy options?


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> And I know its too early for this really but are there any prospective players for next season that may join the premier league and be interesting fantasy options?


Jota


----------



## marty21 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> What sort of spending did you do in other seasons? Just the occasional 4 points here and there apart from special occasions?


occasional 4 points here and there


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

Sterling not even on the bench...9pts triple captain. Brilliant 

edit: No Otamendi either....fuck you pep you absolute cunt


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

I could do with Alli and Vardy getting lots of points, Jesus not getting many, and Kane doing ok but not too well. Oh and I keep forgetting about Aubameyang, dammit no points there either please!


----------



## Fez909 (May 9, 2018)

elbows said:


> I could do with Alli and Vardy getting lots of points, Jesus not getting many, and Kane doing ok but not too well. Oh and I keep forgetting about Aubameyang, dammit no points there either please!


Son/Alli masterclass, pls. No Kane


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Any week where I get dragged into hoping other peoples players do badly, rather than cheering my own players, is not good. And there have been too many of those this season, especially the weeks that we expected so much more from!


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Sterling not even on the bench...9pts triple captain. Brilliant



I'm struggling to think of anyone I know that had a successful triple captain at any stage this season. Although I am still speaking of this matter several hours too soon!


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

The suspense continues, nothing is settled so far, etc.


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Kane is so shit at the moment - my goalie would have got an assist too if it were not for Kane fumbling his lines again.


----------



## elbows (May 9, 2018)

Finally Kane found the net.


----------



## Fez909 (May 10, 2018)

Even though it'll cost me points I'm praying for a WHU goal here....Takes H2H out of renegadechicken's hands!

C'mon arnie!


----------



## rekil (May 10, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Even though it'll cost me points I'm praying for a WHU goal here....Takes H2H out of renegadechicken's hands!
> 
> C'mon arnie!


I think I've drawn with purves grundy and probably handed you the H2H title. 

And fuck you Pep. 1 minute from De Bruyne would've done me.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (May 10, 2018)

mid table mediocrity

at least i'm consistent


----------



## marty21 (May 11, 2018)

I think I've secured 18th place in the h2h


----------



## Fez909 (May 11, 2018)

copliker said:


> I think I've drawn with purves grundy and probably handed you the H2H title.
> 
> And fuck you Pep. 1 minute from De Bruyne would've done me.


Whoops, yeah, double fuck up there. Got the wrong person and got my sums wrong. I thought Salah was coming off his bench for 1 but only 3 starting defenders meant he couldn't.


----------



## elbows (May 11, 2018)

I'm glad the season is nearly over, since I probably need to do a few transfers for the last games but the choices are rather uninspiring given the lack of form from most quarters in recent games.


----------



## elbows (May 11, 2018)

Spent what are hopefully my final points on transfers for this season (no last minute player unavailability news please!), another 8 points down the sink!


----------



## passenger (May 11, 2018)

I need 52 points from Sunday to breack the 2,000 point mark for the first time.


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 12, 2018)

I'm 16 points behind first place at work, and I haven't got a fucking clue what to do!


----------



## butchersapron (May 12, 2018)

This was an odd season i think.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

butchersapron said:


> This was an odd season i think.



Only my third season so I dont have all that much to compare to, but a few thoughts about problems this season:

Even harder than before to get offensive points out of Man Utd.
Harder to find clean sheet consistency, both at the high end and the bargain basement.
Annoying Spurs defensive rotations.
Lack of Chelsea consistency, including rotation issues/lack of Costa.
Sigurdsson not much use at Everton.
Felt like there was quite a long period earlier in season where it was hard to get excited about any forwards, let alone 3.
We were a bit spoilt last year with end-of-season form of some key teams.
Lack of great new revelations (Salah, Gross, Doucoure & Richarlison earlier on but fell off cliff, Aubameyang later, several Man City players with much improved points potential, who have I forgotten? Ok Murray and Barnes at times, Zaha was not a new revelation but I supoose Milivojevic & McArthur points were a surprise)

A few things that helped me/were easier:
Coutinho leaving made it easier to pick the right Liverpool players.
Some midfielders that didnt have amazing seasons did manage a good run of form for a while (eg Mahrez helped me do well for a while.)
Think I had far less injury woes this season.

Things I'm sort of looking forward to next season:
post-Wenger Arsenal, hoping for some consistency at some point.
A few less managers whose style I did not appreciate, hopefully.
Post-champions Leicester team seems to have run its course/has unreliable attitude and I'd like to see big changes there and Mahrez getting regular games for a different team.

Not looking forward to next season:
Even greater Man City squad rotation assuming Pep beefs the team up even more.
The potential for Salah not to sustain his amazing form.
I'm sure more will follow once transfer etc gossip starts to solidify.


----------



## sealion (May 12, 2018)

I was about to win a mini league until my closest rival triple captained Augymang  Europa league it is for me then 
I still enjoyed taking part in what has been, quite a frustrating season of rotation and positional tinkering.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

sealion said:


> I was about to win a mini league until my closest rival triple captained Augymang



Ouch, I was grateful that I didnt run into anyone that captained him let alone triple-captained. I lost out in another league the good old fashioned way, by being over 100 behind the leader, hitting a great run of form and getting almost 100 ahead of him, only to see my lead gradually erode and then collapse as I got myself into a position where I had to spend so many points forming a team for each tricky week near the end of the season.  This was my first serious chance to win any league and I blew it!


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> who have I forgotten?


Nick Pope. Got him on my first wildcard and he was unreal until Christmas. Next season will be interesting...Pope or Heaton?!

Jones - when fit, he was class. Clean sheets galore and always in the bonus points.

Silva before his family issues. Cheap and nailed, and people seemingly didn't jump on the train until late.

Sterling - finally showed his true potential. If he learns to be less wasteful in front of goal, could be next seasons highest goal scorer. First pick for me next season (I reckon Salah will be overpriced/under-perform),

Ward from Burnley was great until his injury. Made me a fair chunk of cash, too.


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

Biggest let downs this season : 

Kane - obviously scored high but for his price was way too inconsistent. I think I only had him for about 3 weeks.

Sanchez - way too expensive, and doesn't perform the same role in a boring Mourinho team.

Lukaku - Same as Sanchez, really, although fairly consistent. An overpriced Costa.

Ben Davies - Clearly the better full back at Tottenham, but rotation pain. If he was nailed he would be essential.

Mhikitarian - Great start at Manu, then did fuck all for weeks. Thought maybe he'd do the business at Arsenal, but meh.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

All great points - I got good results out of Pope for a while too, only sold him because of double gameweeks and certain sites hyping the prospects of Heaton getting some games.

I know what you mean about Kane but he did help one of my Draft teams win that league. Cant say Im at all shocked that he failed to repeat last seasons end-of-season pointsfest, or that Spurs as a whole leave me feeling a little cold due to inconsistency.

I've not totally given up on Mkhitaryan, one of the reasons I'm interested to see what sort of Arsenal team takes shape next season.

As for Salah, is he bound to be a forward in fantasy next season? Depending on what other strikers come and goes from the prem over the summer, he might well still make my starting team.

As for David Silva, yeah I was so impressed with him this year that I gave him a few more chances even after the family issues lead to irregular appearances. And I've often been more than happy to bring in Sane, though if I remember correctly I was also a fan of him last season before he had really hit his full stride. Sterling goes without saying, De Bruyne lost out because I didnt manage to increase my team value enough this season to afford him without sacrificing elsewhere, and the few times I was looking coincided with him not getting many points.

I really, really loved having Son during one stretch of the season too, even though I held onto him for too long once the sustained run was long gone.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Regarding team value, that might be my single biggest disappointment of the season, because my strategy in the later half of the season does tend to rely on having lots of cash relative to most other teams. I still had more than average, but way down on previous seasons. Think it was a combination of the price change calculations being changed (in various ways, but that stuff isnt really public) and not very many bargains who rose in value a lot over long periods. Me actually having some periods where I was conservative with transfers (hard to believe I know!) probably played a small role in this too, as did the free hit card.


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> Sterling goes without saying,


I know what you mean by this but I think he's still been undervalued this season.

He's the second top scorer in the league, despite his rotation. And he's only owned by 1.5m players. At his peak only 2.2m owned him.

For comparison, Salah is owned by 3.5m and was last below 2m ownership in GW13.

Sterling's 1.5m cheaper, too.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I know what you mean by this but I think he's still been undervalued this season.



Ah yes, I didnt mean to imply that everyone recognised his brilliance and got on board.

It's a phenomenon I've seen before. Memory a little hazy but I think I was amazed how many teams refused for so long to take a serious look at Mahrez and Vardy during the Leicester league-winning season.


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> Ah yes, I didnt mean to imply that everyone recognised his brilliance and got on board.
> 
> It's a phenomenon I've seen before. Memory a little hazy but I think I was amazed how many teams refused for so long to take a serious look at Mahrez and Vardy during the Leicester league-winning season.


I wasn't playing that year, but I think with players like that there's the, "This can't last" feeling. 

Like Hegazi earlier this season. I never owned him, because I thought it was one of those flash in the pan things. Turned out he did _ok._


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Ahh, even though I have little faith in the points that tomorrows games will bring, cant help get a little excited for a week where all the games take place at the same time. Especially after the slow-motion failure of certain double-gameweeks this season.


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

Gross is probably a better example than Hegazi, actually


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

Alonso was another disappointment this season. Obviously priced v high due to his previous performances and playing as basically a left-forward, but I don't think he was worth the money. Owned him for a few weeks where he didn't do much for me, and tied up a load of value. Meh.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> I wasn't playing that year, but I think with players like that there's the, "This can't last" feeling.
> 
> Like Hegazi earlier this season. I never owned him, because I thought it was one of those flash in the pan things. Turned out he did _ok._



I'm glad people are often very conservative and listen too much to the 'this cant last' feeling because it gives me the chance to get a sustained advantage over them by being bold and seeing trends early.

As for Hegazi, West Brom were probably the best example of teams that prior seasons indicated might be great for cheap, effective defensive points, but that lost that property big-time this season. But I need to go and check my facts, my dodgy memory indicated to me that I got more ot of Hegazi last season but I dont think he was actually in the premier league at all then so I wonder who I was thinking of. It doesnt seem to take long for me to forget what earlier chapters of this season were really like in detail, let alone prior seasons!


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Alonso was another disappointment this season. Obviously priced v high due to his previous performances and playing as basically a left-forward, but I don't think he was worth the money. Owned him for a few weeks where he didn't do much for me, and tied up a load of value. Meh.



Like Coutinho, he is a player I have memories of others doing well with in the past/past seasons, but that I never seem to have much luck with (bad timing). I seem to have warmer feelings about my luck with Azpilicueta at times, but the stats might not actually back this up, will go and nerd over this for a little while.


----------



## marty21 (May 12, 2018)

Stuart Broad tops Fantasy Premier League table

Stuart Broad , handy at Fantasy Football too!


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

elbows said:


> Like Coutinho, he is a player I have memories of others doing well with in the past/past seasons, but that I never seem to have much luck with (bad timing). I seem to have warmer feelings about my luck with Azpilicueta at times, but the stats might not actually back this up, will go and nerd over this for a little while.


Azpi was one of the highest scoring defenders this year, and if you do "value (season)" sorting in the stats page, he was one of the highest non-GKs there, too. Only beaten by Salah and one or two other players.

He was a solid choice, and if I could go back to August, he'd be a set and forget for me.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Gross is probably a better example than Hegazi, actually



Yeah not a bad example. Only had one sustained run though, eg weeks 8-13 were a good time to own him and it looks like I got him in for week 10 and had sold him by week 13. If I'd really believed in him and done my bold strategy early, I'd have got him in week 5 after he got 18 points in week 4. He got some nice points in other occasional games later in season but far too sporadic, and not the sort of player I'd enjoy benching either.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

marty21 said:


> Stuart Broad tops Fantasy Premier League table
> 
> Stuart Broad , handy at Fantasy Football too!



Yeah I was drooling with envy over his double gameweek team when this first got reported on the fantasy site and then picked up by the media. Which at the time was before the final game so I wasnt sure if he'd end up on top in the end.

I wouldnt want his overall rank though (959,370) or his team value (£98.3, which makes his double gameweek benchboosted score even more impressive).

Does make me laugh when these sorts of stories talk of him beating almost 6 million other players. Because there must be millions of zombie teams in that number from what I can tell from the current rank of people I know who stopped playing dozens of weeks ago.


----------



## elbows (May 12, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Azpi was one of the highest scoring defenders this year, and if you do "value (season)" sorting in the stats page, he was one of the highest non-GKs there, too. Only beaten by Salah and one or two other players.
> 
> He was a solid choice, and if I could go back to August, he'd be a set and forget for me.



Ah, turns out I had him from weeks 12-27 but I've no memory of what made me get him or sell him. At some point over the summer I will probably get bored and try to work out exactly where all my points for the season came from.


----------



## Lord Camomile (May 12, 2018)

I thought the games were today, so ended up panic buying Zaha at 13:30  

Ah well, die is cast...


----------



## Fez909 (May 12, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> I thought the games were today, so ended up panic buying Zaha at 13:30
> 
> Ah well, die is cast...


BREAKING: Zaha out of tomorrow's game after hearing LC has transferred him in.

"I really wanted to play, but fucking up his team one more time this season was too good an opportunity to turn down"


----------



## elbows (May 13, 2018)

Quite a lot of players on various teams benches or entirely absent.


----------



## Fez909 (May 13, 2018)

Wow, I might be proper fucked this week

No Son, no Alli, no Jesus, no Otamendi..and I haven't even checked the other teams' lineups yet.


----------



## Fez909 (May 13, 2018)

No Willian, no Jones.

RIP


----------



## elbows (May 13, 2018)

Turning into, if not quite a goal-fest yet, a busy afternoon.


----------



## elbows (May 13, 2018)

I think I can safely call it a goalfest now, though not necessarily for players people have.


----------



## Fez909 (May 13, 2018)

This Leicester Spurs match is insane


----------



## sealion (May 13, 2018)

.


----------



## rekil (May 13, 2018)

I sold Mahrez and left Vardy on the bench. A fitting end to the season.


----------



## passenger (May 13, 2018)

sealion said:


> .


Fucking show off


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

Prior seasons I was desperate to get at least 2000. This season went well enough that I was desperate to get 2200. It looks like I am one point short before bonuses, which should see me a little past that target, but the wait is still nervous. I might have held onto 3rd place in the non-h2h league and got 6th in the h2h but my maths might be wonky and I'm not going to double check, will just wait for reality.


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## starfish (May 13, 2018)

Ive certainly broken 2000 points for the first time ever. Highest score of the season, once sub & bonuses added, as well.


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## sealion (May 13, 2018)

passenger said:


> Fucking show off


I had a decent week, when it didn't bloody matter  30 points from 2 defenders although neither of my Man utd defenders played. I think my main cock ups this season was trying to accomodate Kane, that meant sacraficing other postions due to his high price tag. Any time i had him he dried up, when i sold him he scored for free. fuck him  Lukaku never done me any favours either, on the few occasions i bought him in, he either did nish, got subbed, booked along with a single goal now and then.


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## marty21 (May 13, 2018)

copliker said:


> I sold Mahrez and left Vardy on the bench. A fitting end to the season.


I left Perez on the bench #ffs


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

Looks like there are plenty of bonus points coming to my players, yay.


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## marty21 (May 13, 2018)

My opponent left his bench boost til the last game week


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

marty21 said:


> My opponent left his bench boost til the last game week



I bet they didnt get many points from it given how many players didnt start.


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

The slow nature of the fantasy football computer is on full display now that it has to process 10 games at the same time.


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

Ha, as if by magic the bonuses are finally in.


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

I'm impressed that Ederson got -1 point despite not playing  Did he get overexcited on the bench?


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## sealion (May 13, 2018)

elbows said:


> Did he get overexcited on the bench?


The whole bench ended up on the pitch celebrating the late goal, i pressume he got carded for encroachment.


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## elbows (May 13, 2018)

I'm kind of glad my transfer strategy always keeps me very far away from the upper echelons of the overall table. Just look at some of the history of the guy who won it and it looks like torture to be pinging around in single or double-digit positions for so many weeks before the end. He came back from 6th to win it this week!


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## Lord Camomile (May 13, 2018)

I lost the work league by 7 (SEVEN) measly points


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## passenger (May 13, 2018)

Fantasy Premier League, Official Fantasy Football Game of the Premier League

I did it got 2,000 points bang on


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## Fez909 (May 14, 2018)

elbows said:


> I'm kind of glad my transfer strategy always keeps me very far away from the upper echelons of the overall table. Just look at some of the history of the guy who won it and it looks like torture to be pinging around in single or double-digit positions for so many weeks before the end. He came back from 6th to win it this week!
> 
> View attachment 135277


What about this guy...lead for nearly the entire season:



Gutted!


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## Fez909 (May 14, 2018)

Top Fantasy Premier League players 2017/18 Quiz - By FourFourTwo_


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## elbows (May 15, 2018)

Add Marco Silva going to Everton to my list of hopes for things that might happen and might deliver more options in fantasy next season.


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## starfish (May 15, 2018)

Congrats to Fez909 on winning both the H2H & the normal league. Made the top 10k as well.


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## Fez909 (May 15, 2018)

starfish said:


> Congrats to Fez909 on winning both the H2H & the normal league. Made the top 10k as well.


Thanks!

Never thought I'd do so well. Can see a fall back to nothing next season on the cards


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## Lord Camomile (May 15, 2018)

Has anyone found the official World Cup one? Did a cursory Google but couldn't find one 

Also, just discovered this about the person who came 8th in our work league.



 

<edit: she made all three transfers in GW7, and then rode that team all the way to 8th for the rest of the season  >


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## sealion (May 15, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Never thought I'd do so well. Can see a fall back to nothing next season on the cards


Well done, two triumphs as well! Obviously, it may never be repeated in modern day football, etc etc.


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## sealion (May 15, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Has anyone found the official World Cup one


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## Fez909 (May 15, 2018)

2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™  - News - McDonald’s World Cup Fantasy is back! - FIFA.com


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## Lord Camomile (May 15, 2018)

Oh, for hell's sake...!

<edit: wait, it only goes to the general WC site  >


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## Lord Camomile (May 15, 2018)

en.mcdonalds.fantasy.fifa.com/

redirects to >>

fifa.com/worldcup/


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## Lord Camomile (May 15, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™  - News - McDonald’s World Cup Fantasy is back! - FIFA.com


Yeah, just double checked and that's a page I found... from 2014


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## marty21 (May 15, 2018)

Congrats Fez909 
Well played.


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## Fez909 (May 15, 2018)

Lord Camomile said:


> Yeah, just double checked and that's a page I found... from 2014


 missed that completely!


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## marty21 (May 15, 2018)

I'm pleased that the board has kept me post and given me the chance to rebuild the squad .


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## Lord Camomile (May 15, 2018)

marty21 said:


> Congrats Fez909
> Well played.


Oh yeah, that too  

Most weeks your considerations left me reeling and clear in the knowledge I was a child playing an adult's game


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## elbows (May 16, 2018)

Fez909 said:


> Nick Pope. Got him on my first wildcard and he was unreal until Christmas. Next season will be interesting...Pope or Heaton?!
> 
> Jones - when fit, he was class. Clean sheets galore and always in the bonus points.
> 
> ...



Alexander-Arnold England news today reminded me that if there had been a little less rotation in the Liverpool team, he would have been on the list for me too. Robertson as well.

Congrats by the way, sort of forgot to congratulate you before because I think I already said well done a few weeks before the end.


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## elbows (May 16, 2018)

I dont know enough about football globally to play the world cup fantasy if there is one. I think I signed up to euro 2016 fantasy but had no idea what I was doing so didnt end up following it at all.

I still dont know that much about english football really, just what I need to play fantasy. Would someone with a clue care to guess whether todays news about Allardyce and Moyes means the probable end of them in the premiere league? I never seem to be short of managers to dislike from a vague impression of what they might be like as people and what they offer (or fail to offer) for fantasy football. So I'm inclined to think good riddance to Pardew, Moyes, Allardyce, Pulis, and very much from a fantasy points perspective was not sad to see failing Koeman go or Wenger forced out. Van Gaal didnt exactly set my world on fire in previous seasons either lol. Wont mind seeing Pochettino somewhere else either, the limits to spurs ambitions can be tedious for fantasy football fans to navigate too, not just fans of that team! Actually that might be rubbish since limits to ambitions helps reduce squad rotation potential and I was just moaning the other day about more spurs defender rotation this season.


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## marty21 (May 16, 2018)

elbows said:


> I dont know enough about football globally to play the world cup fantasy if there is one. I think I signed up to euro 2016 fantasy but had no idea what I was doing so didnt end up following it at all.
> 
> I still dont know that much about english football really, just what I need to play fantasy. Would someone with a clue care to guess whether todays news about Allardyce and Moyes means the probable end of them in the premiere league? I never seem to be short of managers to dislike from a vague impression of what they might be like as people and what they offer (or fail to offer) for fantasy football. So I'm inclined to think good riddance to Pardew, Moyes, Allardyce, Pulis, and very much from a fantasy points perspective was not sad to see failing Koeman go or Wenger forced out. Van Gaal didnt exactly set my world on fire in previous seasons either lol. Wont mind seeing Pochettino somewhere else either, the limits to spurs ambitions can be tedious for fantasy football fans to navigate too, not just fans of that team! Actually that might be rubbish since limits to ambitions helps reduce squad rotation potential and I was just moaning the other day about more spurs defender rotation this season.


They will probably both get save us please pleas around Christmas and get half season gigs again .


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## elbows (Jun 8, 2018)

I guess the fantasy game will have to come up with a way for people to cope with the following come the 2019-20 season, otherwise people will end up spending as many points as me on transfers!



> Premier League clubs will have a winter break in February from the 2019-20 season.
> 
> The break will be staggered across two weeks, with five matches on the first weekend and five the following weekend.



Winter break for Premier League clubs in February from 2019-20


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## Lord Camomile (Jun 8, 2018)

World Cup fantasy football thisaway ---->


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## purves grundy (Jul 4, 2018)

The FPL folks are beginning their pre-season teaser prices on the Twitters. First up is Aguero at.... 11m! 

Not worth the rotation headache these days imo.


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## elbows (Jul 4, 2018)

purves grundy said:


> The FPL folks are beginning their pre-season teaser prices on the Twitters. First up is Aguero at.... 11m!
> 
> Not worth the rotation headache these days imo.



I fear this will be more of an issue for even more Man City players this season, what with stuff like the indications that Mahrez is city bound.


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## Lord Camomile (Jul 5, 2018)

Surprisingly, the cheapest option won


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## Lazy Llama (Jul 6, 2018)

This thread is now closed. A new thread "Fantasy Football League 2018-19" has been created.
Please remember to watch the new thread if you were watching this one.


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