Hello Fantasy Football fans! After months of waiting, watching and debating the transfers and tribulations of the world’s favourite league Fantasy Football 2011/12 is now open!
I can feel your joy throbbing through my servers, and yet i can sense that this feeling of elation is tempered with confusion and even mild panic. “How the hell am i going to beat that smug prick who dominates my work league?” is the question flashing across the minds of every Fantasy Football manager. The simple answer my children, is with the help of FantasyFootballInfo.co.uk. We’ll be here right through the season to offer help and advice for Daily Telegraph Fantasy Football and for the first time Premier League Fantasy Football, starting with a preview of the season giving you the inside knowledge you need to pick the perfect Fantasy Football team.
For those of you feeling particularly brave, we’ve got a couple leagues set up in the various games so come and take us on if you’ve got the balls. Stuart Vaughan, i’m coming for this you this year son! Entry details can be found on the main site, unless of course you’re a massive pussy.
So, let’s crack on then. I’ve got Gary Neville making nest in my loft and i don’t want him to disturb the pigeons.
Strategy yada yada yada…
Simple. Pick the players that are certain to do well, predict the cheapos who will over perform and don’t cane your tranfers through boredom like i always do. It’s more difficult these days without the likes of Henry and Fat Frank smashing in the goals. Even Stevie G is ruled out until October with a ‘groin infection’ or something. Here’s some suggestions anywho.
The ‘Must Haves’
Darren Bent (Aston Villa) – I’m shocked that this guy hasn’t been picked up by a top 4 team. It doesn’t matter what club he’s playing for, Darren Bent is proven Premier League quality who gets goals. Takes pens too which is handy and doesn’t get injured that often. Without Young and Downing Villa won’t be as good this season but if you can score shed loads of goals for Charlton and Sunderland then you’ve got some skills. A Fantasy Football banker.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool) – God reincarnate. That is all.
Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) – If this dude can stay fit for more than five seconds then you have to have him in your team. When fit, he’s an awesome player and almost single handedly carries Arsenal’s goal threat. The only slight problem is that his ankles appear to made out of glass and tissue paper. He’s an expensive risk but worth a punt in my view. If your in our league, why not also pick Jonathan Woodgate…..and Darren Anderton….and Harry Kewell…..
Nani (Man Utd) – He may have a stupid name and look like a young Michael Jackson but man can this guy play. Finally crawling out of Cristiano’s shadow he was easily United’s best player last season in my opinion, adding end product to the customary billion step-overs per run down a blind alley.
Leighton Baines (Everton) – The best left back in the world, despite being a toffee. Clean sheets, assists, goals. Now if only he played for a proper team. Ashley who?
The Risks
The majority of successful Fantasy Football managers have one thing in common. No, not B.O and back hair but the ability to predict the players who are going to over-perform. These usually come from the newly promoted teams and will score most of their points in the first half of the season before everyone figures them out. Who will be this year’s Charlie Adam or Andy Carroll? Probably not Charlie Adam and Andy Carroll i’d wager. Here’s a couple of our suggestions
Scott Sinclair (Swansea) – The former Chelsea winger seems to have found a home in south Wales, scoring 22 goals last season as Swansea became the first Welsh club to make it to the promised land. His raw pace will unsettle defenders and if the Swans are to beat the drop, Sinclair will surely be a big part of that. He takes pens too.
Adel Taarabt (QPR) – The Morrocan arrived at Loftus Road with a reputation as something of a lose cannon. Despite his undoubted ability, his selfish play and failure to track back had grown all too frustrating for Harry Redknapp at Spurs. Never a good sign from a manager who’s worked with other ‘one man teams’ like Di Canio. Neil Warnock however decided to build his entire team around his enigmatic front man. The gamble paid off and Taarabt starred as Rangers strolled to the Championship title, banging in 19 goals with 16 assists and picking up the Player of the Year trophy on the way. The biggest problem with picking Taarabt for your team is whether he’ll actually be playing in this country when the season starts, although his proposed moved to big spending PSG seems to have cooled of late.
Grant Holt (Norwich) – A somewhat nomadic figure in lower league football, Grant Holt has scored goals wherever he’s been. A pivotal figure in the back to back promotions achieved under Paul Lambert, Holt scored 45 goals over the last two seasons. The big question though is if the Football League’s quintessential journeyman can make the grade in the Premier League. It’s an unfortunate reality of the game that some players who thrive in The Championship are just not good enough for the best league in the world (Robert Earnshaw? Michael Chopra?). How will Holt fair? Picking him is probably the biggest risk of them all.
Stephen Ireland (Aston Villa) – Although far from an unknown quantity, it’s clear that Stephen Ireland has lost his way in recent seasons. Much was expected of the Irishman when he arrived at Villa Park after being deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium, despite being named Man City’s player of the year in 2009. A box to box midfield who scores goals, Ireland struggled with injury and form under Gerard Houlier and found himself loaned out to Newcastle in the second half of last season. Once more found himself warming the bench, unable to break in to a midfield consisting on Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Tiote. The arrival of Alex Mcleish at Villa Park might just be the fresh start needed. If he can steer clear of injury, Stephen Ireland could be the bargain of the season.
Transfers/Captains
Transfers play a huge role in Daily Telegraph Fantasy Football. I’ve not got too much to say on transfers except use them sparingly and don’t panic. I could tell you that it’s a marathon and not a sprint, that you win nothing in January but it’s also important to make sure you spot the form players early and get them in your side. If you wait too long, you could end up wasting a transfer on a player who just played the best 6 games of his career and is now disappearing in to the background from whence he came.
Selecting your captain for Fantasy Premier League is even more important then transfers. With your captain scoring double points, it can be the difference between a modest score and a massive score for the week. It’s important to do your research every Friday – check the fixtures, check the injuries, check form but most importantly go with you gut feeling. It’s a gamble and you never know, John Obi Mikel may just score that elusive first hat-trick…
So i think that’s enough for now. Ade Akenbiyi is scratching at my back door whimpering to get in so i’d better go and feed him before he wakes up Ruel Fox. Make sure you join our league, i’m getting bored of beating the same people year after year.
