Week 23: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

No fixtures for several weeks thank to FA Cup and League Cup action. While I would usually be glad of the break in order for my side to heal up all those injuries, I would probably have been better off if games were being played! Because, barring we’ve entered some bizzaro-fantasy league, it looks like I have the most in-form side in the league with four wins in a row. I ended @jwl_15’s outside change of the league title last time out thanks to two goals from Tom Davies and Luka Milivojevic. Davies is new to the side as I picked him up before kick-off, along with Swansea Defender Mike van der Hoorn. With 18.9 points the Swansea player could well be one to hold onto for a couple of weeks. Swansea play at home to West Ham this Saturday.

Can Tom Davis continue scoring and help Everton away at Burnley?

The IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer doesn’t dole out any easy fixtures, and Gameweek 23 is no different. This week’s opponents are @EPL_MOstradamus. A side that has an identical 9 wins and 13 loss record. @EPL_MOstradamus does have a big advantage in fantasy points scored though. He averages over 110 points per game, my side on the other hand averages a league low 103. The last time we met was before Christmas, and I managed to get the win thanks to a Joe Allen (who else!) goal and assist against West Brom. Chris will be super determined to get the three points this week as he tries to climb away from relegation, and he definitely doesn’t want to fall below my side. (There’ll be no catching me!)

@EPL_MOstradamus’s Team

Chris’s top scorer is Heung-Min Son with seven. Next on the goal-scoring charts is Laurent Depoitre who has netted five times. To help his stuttering Forward line, where Benteke has returned a paltry two goals, Everton’s new Turkish signing Cenk Tosun was brought in for $20. Tosun has struggled for game time under Sam Allardyce in the first two months of the year and could turn out to be an expensive signing who rots deep in the bench. He is not @EPL_MOstradamus’s highest salaried player though, that honour belongs to Nathan Redmond. Like Benteke, he is another player who has failed to reproduce any sort of consistent form this season.

It's all becoming a little too easy for Man City and Danilo.

The player who bags Chris the most fantasy points per game at the moment is Manchester City Defender Danilo. The Brazilian has two goals and an assist from 15 games. @EPL_MOstradamus’s Defence is put together on a budget seeing as big signing ($39) Benjamin Mendy, also of Man City, is a long-term injury absentee. Danilo only cost $1, as did Erik Pieters and Matthew Lowton. The only cash splashed was on Charlie Daniels of Bournemouth, $13. In goals Chris has Ben Foster of West Brom. And as a bit of a trick card, he has Scott McTominay in his squad. If our match-up is pretty close, he could throw the Manchester United youngster into the OF roster slot and hope he and Benteke bring home the points needed for a win on Monday night.

What I Need To Happen

If it does go down to the wire of Monday night, I would think, going on form, McTominay would outscore Milivojevic. It would perhaps be in my best interest in getting as many players who are starting games out early, rather than waiting on the line-ups for that fixture. I wouldn’t want to be leaving a spot for Victor Lindelof for instance. Most of my team are playing away from home this weekend. And on top of that, most of my squad will be facing teams inside the top 10 in the league. Can Tom Ince score away at Spurs? Will Ayoze Perez score away at Liverpool? Nine times out of ten, the answer to these questions has to be a no.

Thankfully there are hardly any throw-ins in the modern game.

In some good news, it does seem that Serge Aurier will be returning to the Tottenham back-line again. Thankfully, Fantrax don’t track foul throws……. do they??? With Aurier against Huddersfield, van der Hoorn against West Ham, and my goalkeeper Nick Pope hosting Everton. It could be the defensive side of that game which gives me a platform in order to have a chance at victory.

Predictions

A lot of big money moves over the last few weeks as a few sides get desperate in their bids to either gain promotion or avoid relegation. @SportsByGotti sweet talked @DFS_Hambazaza into giving him Mo Salah in exchange for Jordan Ayew and some scrubs. @FuzzyWarbles beat @TRKingston in the previous gameweek, meaning both are now tied on 17 wins, with Todd claiming first place in the IEFSA Premier on fantasy points scored.

Five correct from nine last time out once again, so let’s try and at the very least beat that this time out. Here are this week’s predictions. Don’t forget to check out all the action on Twitter from @THE_IEFSA.

Good Luck Everyone

@RotoZdroik over @nikarg

@jwl_15 over @TAMc10

@TRKingston over @FantasyYIRMA

@FuzzyWarbles over @wrigavin

@jasonuk17 over @cjradune

@SportsByGotti over @jforquer11

@RotoWireAndrew over @nealjthurman

@TomSunderland_ over @FPL_MNOP

@BenDinnery over @DFS_Hambazaza

Week 22: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

Another Win! And finally, my side is actually off the bottom of the table! @FantasyYIRMA had a week to forget as some of his new signings failed to come alive (Mangala, Sturridge), while a goal from Milivojevic and six saves from Nick Pope was enough to see my side over the line. In an effort to scrape enough points and in order to give my team a chance at victory, Tammy Abraham was sent to Free Agency after he failed to start another game for Swansea. Dan Gosling of Bournemouth was brought in, and he contributed an acceptable 9.8 points. Gosling may have to be offloaded this week though as I try my best to get eight players onto the pitch. My side might be off the bottom, but they are lagging well behind in fantasy points scored, if I’m tied on wins at the end of the season with someone, I’ll be in big trouble. I need to try and address this imbalance.

Every game is a relegation six pointer now it seems

Abraham might have been one of my top scorers this season, but I had run out of patience with the striker, as I can’t afford to have too many players who are not guaranteed starters in my squad. My impatience is @FuzzyWarbles gain though, as he picked up Abraham midweek for a paltry $5. He was not the only big mover midweek, as a number of teams picked up players on big fees. @TAMc10 put $100 down on Lucas Moura of Spurs. @BenDinnery hopes the $19 spend on Alex Sorloth at Crystal Palace will help fire him to promotion. @TomSunderland_ spent his money on Joao Mario of West Ham, Defender Laporte of Manchester City, and Guido Carillo who now plays with Southampton. $68 for all these players could well be a bargain. The big money though was splashed by @cjradune. In order to secure the services of Arsenal new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang he bid $176. My opponent this week is @jwl_15, and he invested his budget on Gerard Deulofeu at Watford. Spending $25 to claim him for the remainder of the season. I refused to get drawn into any transfer bidding shenanigans after being left with a terrible squad beset with injuries and woeful form after the last signing window. A philosophy of scouting the dregs no one else is interested in, is how my side will play out the next few weeks.

@jwl_15’s Team

Deulofeu will slot straight into the Forward position for Jake. If needed he could put in Brighton’s Jose Izquierdo, who has three league goals this season (none of which were scored when he was in my squad by the way). In Midfield is where @jwl_15 gets most of his points. N’Golo Kante tips along with nearly 15 points per game. His two Arsenal players have been in fine form recently. Aaron Ramsey has six goals and six assists on the season, while his new teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan has eight assists, three of which came last week. Both of these players face a tricky trip to Wembley to face Tottenham in the early Saturday kick off this week.

Deulofeu could worm his way into the Spain World Cup squad

In goals is Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski. Since the appointment of Carlos Carvalhal, things have been looking up at the Liberty Stadium. The Swans have not lost in eight games in all competitions. They may only have gotten two clean sheets in that time, but Fabianski has been racking up the saves. 99 on the season so far. Now if Carvalhal would only find a place for Renato Sanches…

What I Need To Happen

This tie could go one of two ways as early as the first game of the weekend, which as mentioned is the game between Tottenham and Arsenal. If Ramsey and Mkhitaryan inspire a Gunners victory, it could be a long couple of days for my side. If on the other side of the coin Serge Aurier starts and Spurs keep a clean sheet, I could try and ride out the upper hand that gives me.

I'll be heading to bed early if Ramsey and Mkhitaryan are on song this weekend

Unfortunately, it looks like I will have five injured players this week and not a lot of room to move people around in order to get the magic eight starters playing. As I alluded to before, Gosling could be sacrificed for a Defender or a Forward if need be.  If Dan is to keep his place, I’ll need to see starts from players like Tom Ince, Marcos Rojo, Ayoze Perez and Victor Lindelof. But I wouldn’t be holding my breath on too many of those.

Predictions

A poor five correct from nine last week, in what was a surprisingly low scoring round overall. My opponents this week, @jwl_15 were the highest scorers of course, hence why the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer ‘threw’ us together. The big game this gameweek is the clash of the top two in @TRKingston and @FuzzyWarbles. To follow all the transfers, scores, and general mayhem in the league, please follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@RotoZdroik over @EPL_MOstradamus

@TRKingston over @FuzzyWarbles

@TAMc10 over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @nikarg

@BenDinnery over @SportsByGotti

@cjradune over @TomSunderland_

@jasonuk17 over @RotoWireAndrew

@jforquer11 over @FPL_MNOP

@DFS_Hambazaza over @nealjthurman

Week 16: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

Sometimes you ride your luck a little bit, you get the rub of the green, the bounce of the ball, and no amount of IEFSA/Fantrax ‘scoring’ can prevent an upset victory. One such victory occurred last weekend when my side topped the high flying @FuzzyWarbles by a score of 105.3 – 102.6. I had clung onto the lead going into the Manchester Derby on Sunday, knowing I had one player to play (whoever might take the field out of Zlatan, Rojo and Lindelof. It was Rojo who started), yet @FuzzyWarbles still had Aguero to play. But the skillful Argentinian was sitting on the City bench. As the game was going on, Rojo was booked and taken off injured at half time. My lead was slim. If Aguero was summoned to the fray I was surely looking at defeat. City were always in the lead though and were never chasing the game which might have improved the chances of Aguero seeing some action. Ninety minutes came and went, Aguero went unused, and the three points were mine.

Aguero has often sat out the easier games this season

I don’t have time to celebrate that victory though as my team will be thrown straight in against @TAMc10 in a fierce relegation six-pointer. Both our sides have four wins and twelve points. The only thing separating our sides at the moment is fantasy points scored. Oh and @nikarg in ninth place. The last time we faced each other was in Gameweek nine, where @TAMc10 beat my side by over 70 points! I’ll be hoping for something closer this weekend.

@TAMc10’s Team

An Alexis Sanchez goal and assist, as well as a Shane Duffy clean sheet, did the damage that day. He will be hoping for more of the same, Sanchez plays against Newcastle at home and Duffy hosts low scorers Burnley. He can also call on the return recently of Forward Callum Wilson of Bournemouth. The Cherries entertain Liverpool on Sunday, and Klopp’s side have been known to leak the odd goal or two when playing away from home. @TAMc10 may be streets ahead come Sunday though. In fact, he could be out of sight by the time the Saturday three o’clock kick-offs are in view.

If Duffy scores against Pope, @TAMc10 is almost assured of three points

The early kick-off is between Leicester City and Crystal Palace. Normally I would have the ever-reliable Luka Milivojevic in my side, but after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season, he will be suspended for this game. That leaves Tate with two players playing where he can build up a sizable lead. Under the right conditions of course. Kasper Schmeichel will be keeping goal, averaging nearly 17 points per game. While Wilfred Ndidi will be bossing the Midfield scoring an average of over 13 points per game. I expect to be 30 points down before my first player has even laced up his boots.

What I Need To Happen

I need Palace to halt this winning streak that Leicester have been on lately and come away with a victory. Yes, it looks again like I will have to hope that my opponent has a bad day at the office rather than that my players will run up an unbeatable score. The vast chunk of my players are playing with sides struggling in the bottom half of the table, and if they are not, they are not an automatic choice to get into their teams starting eleven. Now would be a good time for managers to start rotating their squads for the busy Christmas New Years games. Fingers crossed some of my squad get rotated into teams, rather than out.

Sanchez is due a good game. Please be due a good game!

If I am within spitting distance of @TAMc10 after Saturdays and Sundays games, I could have three players gaining me points in the Monday night fixture between Swansea and Everton. This includes my top scorer, 4 goals, in Tammy Abraham. My top Fantasy Points scoring player is my Goalkeeper Nick Pope. The Burnley stopper has kept seven clean sheets, and if he can do so again against Brighton, then my side may have a fighting chance.

Predictions

Seven from nine last weekend in what was a very entertaining round. @nikarg scored a week high 164 points, which got him the win and kept my side on the bottom of the table.  I only managed to correctly prediction one of the four midweek cup ties. So, the less said about that the better. The magic of the cup eh?

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@TRKingston over @jwl_15

@EPL_MOstradamus over @FantasyYIRMA

@FuzzyWarbles over @nikarg

@RotoZdroik over @wrigavin

@cjradune over @jforquer11

@FPL_MNOP over @nealjthurman

@RotoWireAndrew over @TomSunderland_

@BenDinnery over @jasonuk17

@DFS_Hambazaza over @SportsByGotti

Week 15: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

After a win that briefly lifted my side off the bottom of the table in Gameweek 12, following by an agonising late defeat in Gameweek 13; last week saw my side well beaten by @jwl_15 and a return to the bottom of the table. Even if I had rejigged my side to a full complement of outfield players, I still would have been soundly defeated. The only way is up from here, if only my players could grasp the initiative and perhaps get in the starting line-ups for their clubs.

This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer really wants my side to suffer as they have pitted me against @FuzzyWarbles. Steve is only kept from the top of the table by virtue of Fantasy Points scored, and has only tasted defeat twice this season. Our previous encounter saw my side lose by over 65 points. I’m not saying that if I were to win this weekend it would be the greatest upset in IEFSA Fantasy League History. But it would be in the top one.

@FuzzyWarbles's Team

Let’s see who we are due to face this week then…..

Oh…..

Ummmm, I’ve seen enough.

Moving on…

What I Need To Happen

I could stay glued to the Twitter feed of @BenDinnery and see if any of my squad actually get a game this festive season. Or, I could just pray that the FA and the authorities err on the side of caution and call off a few games that involve @FuzzyWarbles’s players.

Predictions

@TRKingston won the top of the table clash last week thanks to both of his Manchester City players, Otamendi and David Silva, scoring both of City’s goals in a 2-1 win. This week he will face fourth placed @wrigavin. To keep track of these and more (or just to hurl abuse) please follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter.

Only four correct predictions out of nine last week, as teams battled for precious points coming into this busy new year’s season. Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@EPL_MOstradamus over @TAMc10

@jwl_15 over @nikarg

@RotoZdroik over @FantasyYIRMA

@TRKingston over @wrigavin

@jasonuk17 over @FPL_MNOP

@BenDinnery over @RotoWireAndrew

@jforquer11 over @TomSunderland_

@SportsByGotti over @nealjthurman

@cjradune over @DFS_Hambazaza

The IEFSA Cup has reaced round two and it will be played this coming midweek. Here are those predictions.

@BenDinnery over @cjradune

@DFS_Hambazaza over @FPL_MNOP

@TAMc10 over @jforquer11

@wrigavin over @SportsByGotti

Week 14: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

Last week my side's unbeaten run, if you could call it a run, was brought to a screeching halt by @wrigavin with goals from Harry Kane and Xerdan Shaqiri. My side didn’t manage to find the net, but they were still a Nick Pope penalty save away from victory. A penalty save which didn’t materialize as Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez scored and condemned my side to an eight-point loss. @wrigavin stays in the top four while I’m still second from bottom.

If you're thinking,encroachment. Should be retaken! You're right. But there's a conspiracy against my side!

This week my team is up against a side which beat them handily back in gameweek four. @jwl_15 suffered a cruel 0.2 point defeat last weekend at the hands of @RotoZdroik. (scoring 33 points more than my side in that loss by the way) So this week he will be hurting and determined to get back to winning ways as he attempts to climb into the top 2 in the table.

@jwl_15’s Team

His two highest scoring outfield players will be facing each other this week in Aaron Ramsey and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Ramsey has three goals and five assists on the season so far, while Mkhitaryan has one goal and five assists. He also has Jesse Lingard in that Arsenal versus Manchester United fixture. The midfielder scored his first league goal of the season against Watford in midweek. Ramsey is his joint top scorer with those three goals. Also sitting on three goals for Jake are Manolo Gabbiadini of Southampton and Mame Biram Diouf of Stoke City.

I'm not sure how many points this is in the IEFSA/Fantrax scoring system.

It’s actually between the sticks where @jwl_15 gets a good percentage of his points each week. Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski may have only five clean sheets in fourteen, with sixteen goals conceded, but he has racked up 60 saves and averages over twenty points a game. Swansea travel to Stoke on Saturday. At least if Diouf finds the net it will take points away from the Swans goalkeeper. Other players who chip in with points for @jwl_15 are Jordan Henderson of Liverpool (over 14 points per game) and Harry Maguire at Leicester City (who also averages over 14 points per game).

What I Need To Happen

While it is good to see Victor Lindelof getting starts and seeming settling into the Man Utd side, I would prefer if he kept more clean sheets. Also returning to the United backline was Marcos Rojo after a long injury absence. Do I risk playing both in a game away to in-form Arsenal? That decision may well be made for me depending on which eleven Jose Mourinho chooses to play in the Saturday night game. Hopefully Jose does indeed decide to finally start a game with Zlatan up front though. The big man could well be my best hope of victory (Hell, he could be the only think keeping me from relegation!)

Jose hopefully telling Rojo to keep his head and not get booked.

The Defence was a bit of a sore point last weekend. Ciaran Clark and Michael Keane both saw three goals fly in behind them as they combined for 16.3 points. On the bench was Watford’s Christian Kabasele, who thanks to a clean sheet scored nearly 25 points. A total, which if he had played instead of either Clark or Keane, would have secured victory for my side. With Keane now injured, and the uncertainty around starts for Lindelof and Serge Aurier of Spurs. I will probably be forced to just play any player who starts for their club regardless of fixture.

Predictions

Lots of tight games going against me saw my predictions slip to only four from nine last weekend. But if you factor in the midweek cup games, I actually had a respectable seven from thirteen. The tie of the gameweek in @THE_IEFSA is surely the clash of the top two in the Primary League. @FuzzyWarbles is three points ahead of @TRKingston and is looking to gain his tenth win in a row. He will be tough to stop.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@RotoZdroik over @EPL_MOstradamus

@FuzzyWarbles over @TRKingston

@FantasyYIRMA over @TAMc10

@wrigavin over @nikarg

@SportsByGotti over @SmokeyLoogy

@cjradune over @RotoWireAndrew

@BenDinnery over @jforquer11

@jasonuk17 over @nealjthurman

@DFS_Hambazaza over @TomSunderland_

Week 12: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

Young, Alli, Bong, @FantasyYIRMA, your boys took a hell of a beating! Burnley and Bournemouth were the architects of your downfall; a Steve Cook winner and a Nick Pope clean sheet were your undoing. How does it feel? How does it feel when Gareth Barry does a whole lot of nothing, except get booked, and gets more points than your Vardys and your Rooneys and your Ozils. How does it feel?????

Only one Cook needed to spoil Newcastle's day

This was my side’s second victory of the season. The first victory strangely enough also came before an international break. Perhaps my players up their games in order to cement places for their countries at the very highest level of competition. If this is true, the next international break can’t come soon enough. *checks fixtures* The next international break is in March…. Bugger. I’m not sure how the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture compiler swung that one, but it’s surely just further proof of the uphill struggles my side must face. And struggle it will, as this week sees a fixture against @nikarg, the only other side with two wins to his name. This is surely the match-upnic of the weekend. Nik has been eyeing up this fixture for a while now. So much so, that he has lost his last nine games in a row in preparation.

@nikarg’s Team

We last met in Gameweek 1, where Nik picked up the victory thanks to two Christian Eriksen assists. It’s hard to believe but Eriksen has not provided an assist since then and he scored almost a fifth of his season’s total points in that opening game. The Dane is coming into the North London Derby in great form though, having scored three goals midweek against Ireland in the World Cup playoffs. Arsenal’s defence are not going to be as generous as the Irish were in Dublin though.

Christian Eriksen ran riot midweek. (also pictured, Ireland's answer to Eriksen; Aiden McGeady)

The rest of @nikarg’s players, apart from perhaps Riyad Mahrez, will have somewhat favourable fixtures this weekend. Sam Vokes at Forward will face Swansea at home. He could also rotate in Defoe or Chicharito who are playing Huddersfield and Watford respectively. That’s providing either of them start for their clubs. Andros Townsend in Midfield will be up against Everton on Saturday. The Toffees haven’t kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season. Unless you count a game against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup in September, but no one counts a game against Sunderland! At the back he has Scott Dann of Palace, and a couple of players who face off on Monday night. Lewis Dunk and Ryan Shawcross both average over 15 points a game. If @nikarg is behind in our match-up going into this Monday night fixture, just watch as Brighton and Stoke play out a nil all draw.

What I Need To Happen

I have no less than five players who will be sweating over late fitness tests and are basically game-time decisions for their managers. But….. But….. if the stars align for my side, then this man is back…

 

Zlatan is back. Quick, everyone look busy!

You may as well hand that IEFSA Primary League Trophy over to me now if Zlatan returns this week. He inspired his own nation Sweden into knocking out Italy in the World Cup Playoffs and he didn’t even have to play! Everyone had an eleven-week head start, but playtime is over. Manchester United play Newcastle United at home in the evening kick-off on Saturday. Zlatan could well be the Premier League’s top scorer come Saturday night.

Predictions

Six correct predictions last gameweek, as several tight fixtures went against me. There is no doubt as to the tie of the round this week, it’s my side against @nikarg. While the Secondary League has a rather intriguing set of fixtures because the top four all play each other. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter to keep abreast of the goings on in the league. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@TRKingston over @RotoZdroik

@FuzzyWarbles over @EPL_MOstradamus

@jwl_15 over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @TAMc10

@cjradune over @SportsByGotti

@RotoWireAndrew over @SmokeyLoogy

@BenDinnery over @TomSunderland_

@jforquer11 over @nealjthurman

@DFS_Hambazaza over @jasonuk17

Week 11: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

For all those following @THE_IEFSA on Twitter, you will have seen a brief rundown of how all the teams in the league are doing with a third of the season completed. My side was encouraged to find some attacking talent in order to improve. But do they not see that I have Swansea’s top scorer Tammy Abraham in my team! I also have Crystal Palace’s second highest scorer of the season! Milivojevic has 33% of all Palace’s goals this season. In addition to all this, in Ciaran Clark, my side also boasts Newcastle United’s joint third top scorer! So, with that slightly optimist take on how my squad is doing, let’s check in on who they face this gameweek.

You asked for goals.. step forward Tammy Abraham

Ooooh it’s @FantasyYIRMA. A side that was described in @THE_IEFSA recap as a Top 2 side languishing with a 5 - 5 record. A side that is sure to climb the table soon. To make sure this prediction sticks, the biased IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer pits him against my side this weekend. YIRMA has won his last three fixtures after a run of three defeats. Those defeats were to sides that had to post the highest points totals that gameweek in order to get the win. If my side has to have any chance, it looks like they will have to score more points than they have ever scored before!

@FantasyYIRMA’s Team

His side has scored 21 goals, spread across eight players. Top scorer Jamie Vardy has six, and Wayne Rooney has four. If needed, he could also call on Daniel Sturridge in the Forward position. With Rooney missing out on the Europa League game on Wednesday, he should be fresh for the fixture against Watford. It’s then up to @FantasyYIRMA to play Vardy or Sturridge away to Stoke or West Ham respectively. In Midfield most of the goals have come from Tottenham’s Dele Alli, who has contributed three. Mesut Ozil has chipped in with one, and Robbie Brady has only contributed one assist but does average nearly 12 points per game.

FantasyYIRMA has a Vardy party most weeks

His highest scorer though has been his goalkeeper David De Gea. In fact, it was largely thanks to    De Gea in Gameweek 2 that YIRMA managed to get one over my team by a measly five points. The Spaniard averages over twenty points a game and has kept eight clean sheets in ten games. In front of De Gea, @FantasyYIRMA has a back-line that are no strangers to finding the net. Nacho Monreal has two goals this season, as has Jamaal Lascelles. Jonny Evans is the man bringing up the rear at the back, with only one. That came from his only shot on target this season. Evans is probably as deadly as Sergio Aguero, if only Tony Pulis would take the handbrake off his team.

What I Need To Happen

Nick Pope has been on a one-man mission to keep the scores of these matchups respectable of late. Last weekend he scored over 30 points, meaning my side only lost by 20 points to @RotoZdroik. Did I mention my side also got their second highest total of the season in Gameweek 10 too. Things really are looking bleak. If goals are needed, Zlatan Ibrahimovic can’t return soon enough to guide my side to safety. Seeing as this weekend won’t see the return of the Swede, Tammy Abraham will have to be the one who scores the goals that fire my side to victory. The youngster will be up against Brighton at three o’clock on Saturday. The Seagullls against the Swans is one of the highlights of the Premier League and Bird Watching Magazine calendars.

A battle as old as time.... but who will win this weekend?

My side is facing another injury crisis. Micheal Keane is still side-lined for Everton with a foot injury. Renato Sanches is nursing a thigh injury and the game against Brighton is perhaps too soon for him. Ciaran Clark is still waiting on a recall to the Newcastle side, meaning it looks like I will struggle to get three defenders onto the field this weekend. Without a full roster playing, I will just be cannon fodder to the big guns of @FantasyYIRMA, which will delight the Fantrax computer no end!

Predictions

Two predictions wrong last weekend, as ruining the slate were @BenDinnery and (of course) @FantasyYIRMA getting big wins. This weekend in the tie of the round my previous weeks conqueror @RotoZdroik will get the opportunity to upset table toppers @FuzzyWarbles, and a chance to prove he didn’t just raise his game against my side!

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@TRKingston over @EPL_MOstradamus

@FuzzyWarbles over @RotoZdroik

@jwl_15 over @wrigavin

@TAMc10 over @nikarg

@SportsByGotti over @RotoWireAndrew

@cjradune over @SmokeyLoogy

@jasonuk17 over @TomSunderland_

@BenDinnery over @neajthurman

@DFS_Hambazaza over @jforquer11

Week 10: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

The lowest score in the IEFSA Primary League last weekend leaves my side looking up from the bottom of the table. My opponent @TAMc10 scored a rather good 161 points. Not the highest score of the week (that honour went to @jwl_15) but good enough to move him up to eighth place.

This gameweek the clear prejudice from the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer against my side continues, as I must face @RotoZdroik. Last weekend he lost a tight high scoring encounter, that surely must leave him a bit sore. I did score one of my highest scores of the season against @RotoZdroik in Gameweek 3, in a game I lost. My side has only managed to outscore Adam’s in one week so far this season. With this in mind, let’s look in on how my team is preparing for this match-up…

@RotoZdroik’s Team

A below par Sigurdsson performance cost Adam the win last week. The Icelander and his Everton side should have an easier time of things against Leicester on Sunday. They surely can’t ship five goals again can they? Now that Ronald Koeman has been shown the door at Goodison, Gylfi Sigurdsson might be deployed in his favourite position for a change, which would help @RotoZdroik. Another Everton player in his squad is Idrissa Gueye. The Senegalese midfielder was red carded last weekend but served his suspension in midweek and is available again. To complete his set of Toffees, we have Phil Jagielka at the back. With David Unsworth selecting the side at the moment, you would believe that Everton should improve at the back in the coming weeks.

"I heard Pep call us 'that Romelu Lukaku team'"    "I'll show him!"

The biggest providers of points for this side are from his top goal scoring Forward, his Midfield, and the man in goals. Between the sticks is Huddersfield’s Jonas Lossl, who averages over 17 points per game, Midfield trio of Steven Davis, Leroy Sane and Mario Lemina average double figures every game, while Forward Romelu Lukaku (thanks to his seven goals this season) averages over 18 points per game.

What I Need To Happen

If Lukaku can be shackled by the Spurs defence at Old Trafford in the early kick off that would be a great start for my side. If Serge Aurier found himself on the Spurs team-sheet too that would be fantastic! The rest of my Defence have tough fixtures this week. Michael Keane must head to Leicester. While Steve Cook, if he can get back in the Bournemouth team, hosts a free scoring Chelsea side.

Let’s pretend I give myself some hope this week with a full set of players starting for their clubs. To be able to give @RotoZdroik at least a token contest, I will need to score some goals. My top scorer Tammy Abraham is maddeningly inconsistent, but has to head to an Arsenal side who are no strangers to inconsistency. Maybe this could be the week they get plunged back into crisis on the back of a Swansea win and an Abraham hat-trick?

I'm dressing up as Tony Pulis this halloween

Predictions

A diabolical three from nine predictions last weekend, as a number of teams turned over their more fancied rivals. This Gameweek should be just as tough to call, with the game of the round being third and fourth (@jasonuk17  - @RotoWireAndrew) facing off in the Secondary League. To follow all the action, make sure you are tuned in to @THE_IEFSA and @GarryIrwin on Twitter.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone and Happy Halloween.

@TRKingston over @nikarg

@FuzzyWarbles over @TAMc10

@jwl_15 over @EPL_MOstradamus

@wrigavin over @FantasyYIRMA

@SportsByGotti over @BenDinnery

@cjradune over @TomSunderland_

@jasonuk17 over @RotoWireAndrew

@jforquer11 over @SmokeyLoogy

@DFS_Hambazaza over @nealjthurman

Week 8: IEFSA Fantasy League 2017/18 Preview

Did you all enjoy the international break? I sure did, because it meant my side went unbeaten for another week! YES, in Gameweek 7 my plucky group of misfits managed to get one over @EPL_MOstradamus by seven points. Another superb performance from Burnley keeper Nick Pope (29.9 pts) and the late drafting in of Defender Christian Kabasele of Watford who contributed 9.8 points, helped my side break into triple digit scoring for only the third time this season. Kabasele was brought in at the expense of Brighton’s Jose Izquierdo (who then went ahead and started his first game of the season against Arsenal!). Couple this with @EPL_Mostradamus’s Roberto Firmino turning out to be his side’s lowest contributor, after I had previously mentioned that the Brazilian could easily outperform my whole side.

Nick Pope with another clean sheet against Everton moved Burnley up to sixth

Every green shoot gets quickly trampled underfoot by the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture compiler though. The victory didn’t move my side from the bottom of the table as @TAMc10 also had a big victory; A good chunk of my squad returned injured from the international fixtures meaning I will struggle to get a full roster of players this week. And who will I have to face this gameweek? Oh, it’s just table topping @TRKingston, who has won six games straight, and has scored 400 points more this season than I have. Thanks IEFSA/Fantrax!

@TRKingston’s Team

Todd has eight outfield players who have scored more points this season than my highest scorer (Tom Ince of all people). The only player who has under-performed for @TRKingston so far has been Yohan Cabaye, but everyone in a Crystal Palace shirt has under-performed this season. It also looks like Todd can play a whole outfield eight of players that will be playing at home this weekend. His only new injury worry has been the one suffered by Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi while away with the German squad for the World Cup qualifiers.

Diego Tardelli was in the latest Brazilian squad but not Richarlison?? #TiteOut

Some of Todd’s best performers have been the triple Man City set of Otamendi, Fernandinho and David Silva. Together they average nearly 65 points per game. None of these players are his top goalscorer though, for that you have to look at the inform Richarlison at Watford. The Brazilian has scored three goals this season and has made a habit of scoring important late goals recently.

What I Need To Happen

A week is a long time in football and now facing into Gameweek 8 my side has picked up several injuries. Most worryingly of all Joe Allen has a head injury and will miss Stoke’s next fixture away against Man City. More tragic than this though, is that the football world has been robbed of having Joe Allen play at a World Cup yet again. The Welsh side missed out on any chance of a trip to Russia after finishing third in their World Cup qualifying group. Also injured on international duty was Renato Sanches. The Swansea Midfielder should be at Russia next summer with the Portugese squad. But to do that, he surely must be playing regularly for the Swans no? He more than likely won’t be able to take the field this Saturday at three o’clock against Huddersfield, meaning the rest of my squad will have to drag their working limbs onto the pitch and earn enough points to be competitive this weekend.

Joe Allen joins, Dzeko, Robben, Bale, Alexis Sanchez etc. who won't be going to Russia 2018

I need goals now more than ever. The average points my players pull in every week is not enough to win the usual match-ups. A goal or two could be crucial. Especially since a goal or two is the sum of what my side has managed all season. Ciaran Clark – one goal. Top scorer, Tammy Abraham – two goals. Luckily Abraham gets to the chance to find the back of the net against Huddersfield this week. The Terriers conceded four goals in their last Premier League game, and they haven’t scored in nearly a month.

Predictions

Six correct predictions from nine last time out. A lot of high scoring meant a number of upsets. 12 points separate top from bottom in the Secondary League. That is also the league with the tie of the round. The top two, and highest scorers, in the league face off when @jasonuk17 meets @SportsByGotti. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter for all the latest goings on in both Primary and Secondary leagues. Plus, for the inner workings of the inevitable changes to my side, follow @GarryIrwin.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@RotoZdroik over @TAMc10

@FantasyYIRMA over @nikarg

@FuzzyWarbles over @jwl_15

@wrigavin over @EPL_MOstradamus

@jasonuk17 over @SportsByGotti

@cjradune over @BenDinnery

@TomSunderland_ over @nealjthurman

@RotoWireAndrew over @jforquer11

@DFS_Hambazaza over @SmokeyLoogy