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IT’S THAT TIME of year again. Whereas once upon a time, the details of a Stoke-West Ham game meant nothing to most people, fans now obsessively watch such matches all because of an increasingly popular phenomenon — Fantasy Football.
Given that the season will soon start, we at TheScore.ie have generously agreed to share our tips for the coming season. So sit back and take heed of our guide detailing everything you need to know (aside from obvious facts like ‘don’t pick Peter Crouch’) about Fantasy Football…
1. Pick cheap substitutes
It might seem like a high-risk strategy, but you should be confident that all your first XI are good enough to start and perform respectably. Worry about a player getting injured or suffering a loss of form when it happens and you can make the appropriate transfer(s), rather than playing it too safe and picking an overly expensive bench. There is no use having a goalkeeper worth £7.0m if you never play him. That is not to say you shouldn’t choose your bench wisely though — try to ensure all your subs, though cheap, are at least starting for their clubs.
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2. Take each game on its merits
Ashley Williams has a very good chance of keeping a clean sheet if Swansea are playing Hull at home. However, if you forget to take him off your team when they’re playing Chelsea away, you’re screwed essentially.
3. Form is temporary, class is permanent
Have some faith in Rickie Lambert. Admittedly, he hasn’t scored in his last five matches and it’s starting to become clear why he’s spent most of his career as a journeyman footballer, but don’t worry, those last five matches were all against top quality opposition. He now has a run of games coming up against the likes of Stoke and Leicester, in which the goals will inevitably flow.
4. Make at least one maverick selection
Unfortunately, your team can’t be filled with players as talented and expensive as Robin van Persie, so you’ll have to be smart with some of your picks. These selections are what separate the men from the boys in Fantasy Football terms. Any old eejit is smart enough to pick Yaya Toure, who you just know, is bound to score his usual plethora of incredible goals from midfield. My somewhat maverick choice, incidentally, is Bojan. You may not know the 23-year-old ex-Barca star who Stoke have recently signed particularly well, however he is considered to be a player of enormous potential and is likely to play in most of his side’s matches given their paucity of flair players in attack, while he has shone in pre-season, so all the signs are there that he is ready to light up the Premier League.
(Robin van Persie — don’t forget he’s injured at the moment — Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
5. Make sure to check your team and make the appropriate changes every week
As Bill Shankly might well have said once: “Fantasy Football isn’t a matter of life or death, it’s much more important than that.” Therefore, providing they’re in a league that’s halfway decent, anyone who doesn’t regularly check and update their team (i.e. every week) has no hope of succeeding. If you go through with the hassle of picking a team in the first place, you might as well stick with it. It may seem like obvious advice, but there’s always at least one player in any given league who succumbs to such laziness. Make sure you’re not that player!
6. Try to avoid using your wild-card too early
Firstly, be thorough in your selection before the season starts. That way, you won’t end up regretting picking Robin van Persie only to realise that he’s injured at the start of the season. Secondly, no matter how poorly your team is performing, you should be extremely wary of using your wild-card prematurely. If you do so, you could later be faced with the unenviable situation of having half your team out injured, with only one possible transfer to make.
7. Lies, damned lies and statistics?
Despite what Mark Twain says, statistics are occasionally important, especially when picking a Fantasy Football team. Pay attention to players’ previous form. When picking your defence, keep in mind that Chelsea and Arsenal had the two best defences in the Premier League last year, so it doesn’t take Nostradamus to determine that it might be wise to pick a fair few of their players at the back. On the other hand, of the teams from last year still in the league, Aston Villa had the worst defensive record, so picking their defenders is honestly just silly.
That’s what we think, now let us know your answers to the question of how to create a successful Fantasy Football team:
Alan, there are free FPL apps for both Android and iOS (for the official fantasy premier league). There is an app called Fantasy Football Manager on both but are completely different apps. Love the Android one. Don’t forget to make your account and first draft of your team on the official website first. Also, I use fotmob on Android for my goal notifications/ticker etc when the matches are on.
Mignolet would be worth a shout. 5.5 mill. 13 clean sheets last year and liverpool tended not to concede much against weaker sides last year. They play 9 weaker sides in first 10 games. Take that to the bank. Or slag me when they lose 9 of their first 10 games.
While it’s good to pick a goalie with a great defensive team, they do score a point every 3 saves they make. So the goalie’s that work harder can get you more
Good tip, just don’t forget that you can only have three players from any one team so doing that with say Joe Hart and Pantilimon (last year) would have left room for only one City outfield player.
The facts can sometimes go against you though, two years ago Grant Holt was the only player in the league to score against every team, so i picked him last season and he was awful!
Looking like it has to be 3-5-2 to start off with, that’s where all the value is. Mata, Ozil, Silva and Fabregas all only £9m each, serious value compared to last year. Rooney probably the best value forward especially given their easy start to the season. Stoke and Newcastle also have really easy starts to the season, only one or two tough games in the first 12 weeks or so. Sigurdsson the best looking budget midfielder for me, very good goals to minutes played ratio and will probably start every game for Swansea, already scored two goals for them in preseason. Eriksen only £8m another must have as well as Sanchez, if he plays up front for Arsenal then he could likely be top scoring player this year (in Fantasy terms).
Lukaku. 17 and 15 PL goals in the last two seasons + 9 assists last year. Best £9mil you will spend. All things point to a phenomenal season with Everton this year.
I would get rid of Mignolet, 50 goals conceded last year. Your defenders are really expensive, Debuchy for Per and Luis for Ivanovic would save you a million and they will most likely get similar points. Walcott probably won’t be starting right away, there are better alternatives to Snodgrass and Nolan, maybe Sigurdsson and de Jong, Coutinho is too expensive for what he produced last year, a small amount more money would get you Silva, Mata or Fabregas instead. Giroud is hard to call, with Sanchez there he will get more service but there’s talk that Sanchez might play up front on his own.
I’d pick sterling ahead of Gerrard . He will be Liverpools best player this season and will score much more than last season as he will play more attacking in Suarezs absence
Also Coleman is now the same price as Baines and he takes penalties so I’d pick him if I had to have an Everton defender. Vlaar is good but plays for a defensively weak side. Keep an eye on him. Kolorov… rotated a bit last year. Personally I’d take some money from defence to bolster your midfield.
None of the arsenal Germans will be playing the start of the season. No ozil, mertesacker or the less fancied podolski. Chelsea really have a double game week first week???
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Use 3-4-3 formation much more points to be had
i’m a 3-5-2 man myself
Do use your wild card early if you need to. The overall winner last year used theirs in GW1.
He also said he never picked any united players in midfield because u could never tell who was going to start
Or De Gea. Lindegaard will siphon off points from him.
I had De Gea last year, when Ferdinand and Vidic was playing he let very little in
Is there an app for it?
I’m a breast man myself :)
Alan, there are free FPL apps for both Android and iOS (for the official fantasy premier league). There is an app called Fantasy Football Manager on both but are completely different apps. Love the Android one. Don’t forget to make your account and first draft of your team on the official website first. Also, I use fotmob on Android for my goal notifications/ticker etc when the matches are on.
Rule 8. Don’t pick liverpool players
Coutinho is a must i would say
Mignolet would be worth a shout. 5.5 mill. 13 clean sheets last year and liverpool tended not to concede much against weaker sides last year. They play 9 weaker sides in first 10 games. Take that to the bank. Or slag me when they lose 9 of their first 10 games.
While it’s good to pick a goalie with a great defensive team, they do score a point every 3 saves they make. So the goalie’s that work harder can get you more
To RvP or not. That is the question!
Is there any prizes from u guys running it?
Is this really from last year?
For the keepers, pick two from the same club and you get your second one cheap.
For example, pick Begovic and Sorensen from Stoke. If Begovic doesn’t play, Sorensen becomes the starting keeper and you’ve paid very little for him.
Good tip, just don’t forget that you can only have three players from any one team so doing that with say Joe Hart and Pantilimon (last year) would have left room for only one City outfield player.
The facts can sometimes go against you though, two years ago Grant Holt was the only player in the league to score against every team, so i picked him last season and he was awful!
Looking like it has to be 3-5-2 to start off with, that’s where all the value is. Mata, Ozil, Silva and Fabregas all only £9m each, serious value compared to last year. Rooney probably the best value forward especially given their easy start to the season. Stoke and Newcastle also have really easy starts to the season, only one or two tough games in the first 12 weeks or so. Sigurdsson the best looking budget midfielder for me, very good goals to minutes played ratio and will probably start every game for Swansea, already scored two goals for them in preseason. Eriksen only £8m another must have as well as Sanchez, if he plays up front for Arsenal then he could likely be top scoring player this year (in Fantasy terms).
Remember it’s a marathon not a sprint
Ravel Morisson…former Man U now west ham thug scored 4 in pre season already, only 4.5..down as midfielder , plus up front. Handy first sub I think
Is he out of prison yet?
He’s 5.0 and has a groin injury (50% chance of playing) at the moment. Not the best pick just yet.
Robbie Brady should be pretty cheap and he took the penalties and corners for Hull last season.
Well that’s unlucky, picking up a groin injury in prison!
Top comment lad
Chelski double gameweek week 1, get on it…
Don’t remind me of that from last year. I bought Lukaku for that DGW!
Lukaku. 17 and 15 PL goals in the last two seasons + 9 assists last year. Best £9mil you will spend. All things point to a phenomenal season with Everton this year.
Best advice is to avoid any of those Liverpool players that the club misleadingly refers top as defenders.
Mignolet
Zabaleta, Ivanovic, Mertesacker
Walcott, Snodgrass, Nolan, Hazard, Coutinho
Lukaku, Giroud
Any thoughts on my team???
I would get rid of Mignolet, 50 goals conceded last year. Your defenders are really expensive, Debuchy for Per and Luis for Ivanovic would save you a million and they will most likely get similar points. Walcott probably won’t be starting right away, there are better alternatives to Snodgrass and Nolan, maybe Sigurdsson and de Jong, Coutinho is too expensive for what he produced last year, a small amount more money would get you Silva, Mata or Fabregas instead. Giroud is hard to call, with Sanchez there he will get more service but there’s talk that Sanchez might play up front on his own.
Whoops, that’s a year old. And here was I frowning at other people commenting on the old posts ha
I have Gerard,van Persie,lampard,hart and lambert in my team is that too much?
I’d drop Gerrard for Coutinho. Cheaper and will score you more I feel.
I’d pick sterling ahead of Gerrard . He will be Liverpools best player this season and will score much more than last season as he will play more attacking in Suarezs absence
Watch out for the teams with easy starts(united&arsenal) -they are likely to keep a lot of clean sheets and score lots of goals!
bojan, d tadic from southampton and rodwell…. 3 players who will get you points this year
I love de gea
Use wild card after week 1 every week :(
Sorry every year!
Fraizer Campbell is a handy sub to have. He’s cheap and scores every couple of games. Good backup
Spend the lions share of your money on forward players and adopt 3_4_3 formation.
Howard, Myhill
Coleman, Fonte, Lovren, Vlaar, Kolarov
Mata, Sánchez, Herrera, McCarthy, Ince
Rooney, Bojan, Giroud
The big guns better turn up!!
Coleman is risky. Everton have arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and united in the first 6 weeks!
Herrera, Mata, Rooney. Any chance you support United? Although why would anyone have a Liverpool defender in if they’re not a Liverpool fan…
Also Coleman is now the same price as Baines and he takes penalties so I’d pick him if I had to have an Everton defender. Vlaar is good but plays for a defensively weak side. Keep an eye on him. Kolorov… rotated a bit last year. Personally I’d take some money from defence to bolster your midfield.
Leopald,Lovren is a Liverpool player
De Gea
Debuchy, Caulker, Terry
Mata, Sterling, Sigurdson, Ramsey
Rooney, Costa, F.Campbell
…. Mannone, Rodwell, Ward, Wisdom
Jack Grealish to be this seasons Ross Barkley. 4.5 million.. Worth a place on the bench
Fed up picking a team then right at the end they ask for money! Any good, proper free fantasy sites out there?
The official one. The one everyone here is talking about and the league code is for
The official one is free??
Ah les
Dear les
Gobs****e
Les
Are the journal/score.ie running their own league on the Premier League site by any chance?
Bottom of the article. Code is there.
plz help
howard /myhill
skrtel/mertesacker/terry/fonte/oshea
nolan/sanchez/sterling/schurrle/sidwell
lambert/rooney/bojan
None of the arsenal Germans will be playing the start of the season. No ozil, mertesacker or the less fancied podolski. Chelsea really have a double game week first week???
Last year they did. Some comments here are a year old as the topic has been recycled.