Week 19: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview 2017/18

A battling performance in the IEFSA Cup against @TRKingston, but not enough points to score the upset. Oddly I was hanging in there in the tie until late on in the Liverpool game when Dejan Lovren assisted a Ragnor Klavan goal (both of these Defenders were @TRKingston players) against my Goalkeeper Nick Pope. That is two games in a row where Todd has got the better of my side.

As i said, if it wasn't for bad luck...

It’s back to IEFSA league action this weekend though, as I attempt to drag my side from the foot of the table. So, who has the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer saw fit to put my side up against this gameweek? Why its only third placed @RotoZdroik, who has already beaten me in gameweeks 3 and 10.

@RotoZdroik’s Team

The two highest scoring players on @RotoZdroik’s team have more goals between them than my whole squad. Both of them have nearly three times as many assists as my whole squad too. And to cap it off, they both cost less than five players in my squad. Leroy Sane of Manchester City in Midfield averages over 15 points per game. While up front, Manchester United Forward Romelu Lukaku is just back from injury and will hope to add to his ten league goals this season when he faces Stoke City on Monday night.

Lukaku back from injury, and back on the score sheet in the FA Cup

But even if those two players misfire this weekend, he can call on several other stalwarts to get him through the fixture. Hector Bellerin in Defence is a good accumulator of points. Steven Davis of Southampton in Midfield already has three goals to his name this season, as does Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson. In goals is Huddersfield’s Jonas Lossl, who has achieved seven clean sheets so far this season.

What I Need To Happen

It looks like @RotoZdroik will be able to get a full set of starters in his team and will be scoring points all over the field. My side on the other hand will be struggling once again this week. If Tammy Abraham, (my top scorer believe it or not) is absent this week, that will mean no scoring player for the Forward position. This will force me to look into the abyss of the unclaimed player pool for a goalscorer that everyone else has inexplicably passed by.

Will Joe Allen stay put, go to West Ham, or, retire and move to Celtic?

Mark Hughes has been shown the door at Stoke City. Hopefully this will free up the criminally underused Joe Allen. The Welshman has been a transfer target of West Ham United this January according to reports. Maybe a move to the Hammers would revitalise his fantasy scoring seeing as West Ham score more and concede less than the Potters. Wherever he ends up, his head better be right for Stokes vital clash against Manchester United this coming Monday.

Predictions

Only one from three for the IEFSA Cup games midweek. This was after a rather disappointing showing of five correct from nine during the last gameweek. Things are only going to get harder to predict as we enter squeaky bum time in the season. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter for all the latest action.

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

@TRKingston over @nikarg

@FuzzyWarbles over @TAMc10

@jwl_15 over @EPL_MOstradamus

@FantasyYIRMA over @wrigavin

@SportsByGotti over @RotoWireAndrew

@cjradune over @FPL_MNOP

@BenDinnery over @nealjthurman

@jasonuk17 over @TomSunderland_

@jforquer11 over @DFS_Hambazaza

Week 3: IEFSA Fantasy League 2017/18 Preview

A slight improvement from the opening weekend, but unfortunately it was still a loss to @FantasyYIRMA in Gameweek 2. Fifteen extra points were scored, and even better, all of my players stayed on the field, but it wasn’t enough, as a failure to get a clean sheet out of any of my defenders or goalkeeper cost my side dearly. It leaves my side deep in relegation trouble and we haven’t even reached September yet. So, this week what has the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer in store? Why it’s only the second highest scoring team in the league, @RotoZdroik.

Dwight Gayle  has had some early season struggles in front of goal

The international break can’t come fast enough. It might give my players a chance to rest and recuperate! As I mentioned many times, goals win games. With no goals so far this season, I’m starting to think Dwight Gayle is not as good Romelu Lukaku. My side also has failed to register any assists, with only three assists of actual shots from my whole squad. Compare this to @RotoZdroik’s squad who has assisted 23 shots and it looks like it might be a long weekend.

@RotoZdroik’s Team

Everton have scored two goals this season and both were assisted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The youngster must surely have moved himself up the pecking order in Adam’s Midfield. This week Everton have a difficult trip to Chelsea though, so perhaps Calvert-Lewin will be held over in the OF position until Sunday. A lot of his players, at least on paper, have difficult ties. The majority of them have an away fixture this weekend. His highest scoring player has a home fixture on Saturday though.

Can @RotoZdroik be tempted to rest Lukaku??

Romelu Lukaku has scored 48 points in the first two games of the season, scoring three goals. The Belgian has had eight shots and will hope for a few more at Old Trafford when Manchester United face Leicester City. @RotoZdroik could pull a trick on everyone though and play Ayoze Perez in the Forward position. At three o’clock on Saturday, Newcastle will play West Ham United. The Hammers have shipped seven goals in two games and it could be fruitful for Adam to find a spot in his roster for the Spaniard.

What I Need To Happen

I really need my side to break the 100 point barrier. @RotoZdroik averages 154 points, which is only 18 points less than I have managed in two Gameweeks. I`m in desperate need of some goalscorers. Dwight Gayle didn’t even last an hour last time out and has only one shot on target this season. The players who have taken the most shots in my squad, (and are therefore due a goal this weekend!) are Tammy Abraham of Swansea and Tom Ince of Huddersfield.

Gareth Barry will face Joe Allen in the game of the weekend

Looking elsewhere around my squad for points, you have top point scorer Michael Keane, who faces a tough away day at Chelsea with Everton. In Midfield Gareth Barry has settled in well with West Brom who have won two games to start their campaign and have yet to concede a goal. Barry and his side face a resurgent Stoke City on Sunday. Joe Allen has not has as good a start as he managed last term, but hopefully he can pick up some points in this game, which should be a tense midfield battle.

Predictions

Those of you following @THE_IEFSA on Twitter (and you all should be) will see that a lot of sides have been busy in the transfer market in the hope of unearthing that $1 gem that can turn a loss into a win. Six sides including mine have yet to get off the mark. In the prediction stakes, last weekend was a bit of a bust as only four of the nine predictions were correct. Let’s hope for better this Gameweek. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@nikarg over @TRKingston

@FuzzyWarbles over @TAMc10

@jwl_15 over @EPL_MOstradamus

@FantasyYIRMA over @wrigavin

@SportsByGotti over @BenDinnery

@cjradune over @TomSunderland_

@jasonuk17 over @RotoWireAndrew

@jforquer11 over @SmokeyLoogy

@nealjthurman over @DFS_Hambazaza

Week 25: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

A squad that outscored your opponent 7 goals to 1. A goalkeeper clean sheet to two goals conceded. A defence that gave up one goal, verses a team whose three defenders gave up a total of 11 goals. Four players who outperformed their averages. A score that would have beaten 14 other sides in the league. All of this league leader @RotoZdroik achieved in Gameweek 24. Yet he still game away with the Loss, as my side put in an all-round performance that pulled in the week’s highest total, 162 pts. This keeps my team in second place, but now only nine points behind. This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer tries to throw me a potential banana skin against the side propping up the table, @DFS_hambazaza.

Lukaku nearly equaled my season top scorer in one afternoon, but ended up on the losing side

@DFS_hambazaza has scored the lowest number of points in each of the last three gameweeks. The last time we faced each other, the winning margin was over a hundred points in my favour. On paper this should be an easy three points. But as we all know, fantasy football can throw up some surprises when you least expect it.

@DFS_hambazaza’s Team

The January transfer window has not been kind to @DFS_hambazaza this year. Nathan Ake was averaging over 14 points a game before he was recalled to sit on the bench at Chelsea. Everton have had an upturn in their performance levels of late, but Gerard Deulofeu found himself surplus to requirements and is seeing out the rest of the season at AC Milan. Seemingly better news was the transfer of Robert Snodgrass from Hull to West Ham. But the Scot has yet to settle into the side, having only started one game, but did register an assist in that one start.

Robert Snodgrass is now @DFS_hambazaza's biggest weapon

@DFS_hambazaza still has a number of players who could cause my side trouble though. If they can get on the pitch. Charlie Daniels is his highest scoring defender, but he faces a late fitness test to be ready for the fixture against Man City on Monday night. Xherdan Shaquiri of Stoke City and George Friend of Middlesbrough are both nursing calf injuries and are doubts for their teams’ games at three o’clock on Saturday. The defence should not be a problem to fill, it’s the Midfield and Forward positions that will give @DFS_hambazaza the most headaches. He spent big on getting Nolito of Man City, but the Forward has not featured since Christmas.

What I Need To Happen

Hector Bellerin is still a doubt after the head injured suffered last week. He may have a tempting fixture at home to Hull City, but surely Arsene Wenger won’t risk the Spaniard before the big Champions League clash midweek. This will leave me with an unchanged backline of Leighton Baines, Steve Cook and Michael Keane. These three conceded a combined eleven goals last weekend, so any improvement on that would be a plus.

Henrik Mkhitaryan scored against the champions, so will hold no fear of Watford

On the attacking front, Mkhitaryan got on the scoresheet against Leicester City and will be expected to carve out as many chances at home to Watford. Kevin Mirallas missed out when Everton scored six goals against Bournemouth, so I don’t expect him to get back into their starting line-up any time soon. Sunderland also scored a lot of goals last weekend without the talents of Fabio Borini. But with the Black Cats missing a few midfielders through injury and suspension, perhaps he could make his way back into the side. Elsewhere in Midfield, Jack Wilshere will get a chance to help his Arsenal buddies by scoring a goal or two for Bournemouth against Man City on Monday. Also in Midfield, The Ibrahim Afellay Experiment has shifted up a gear with the Dutchman forcing his way into the Stoke starting eleven of late. I expect him to have his best points haul yet when the Potters host a free-falling Crystal Palace side.

 Predictions

After a slight dip in predictions midweek, an improvement to seven correct and two incorrect for Gameweek 24. @RotoZdroik has seen his lead cut to nine points, with two teams on 45 points to his 54. There is a cluster of five teams a further three points back. One of those teams is @SportsByGotti, who @RotoZdroik will face this week. To follow all the action make sure you check out @THE_IEFSA on Twitter.

Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@RotoZdroik over @SportsByGotti

@TAMc10 over @BenDinnery

@jwl_15 over @cjradune

@FantasyYIRMA over @jasonuk17

@wrigavin over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @jforquer11

@FuzzyWarbles over @nealjthurman

Week 24: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

My team responded to defeat in Gameweek 22 with a big victory midweek against @BenDinnery.  Along with scoring the highest total of the week with 133.7 points, the victory also saw my side move up into second place in the league. A Tom Heaton clean sheet for Burnley, as well as his teammate Michael Keane adding an assist. Marko Arnautovic chipped in with an assist too. Ben only had a Darren Fletcher assist and a one save Willy Caballero shutout in response. My rise was because of a number of upsets, as four of the top eight lost. One person who didn’t taste defeat was leader @RotoZdroik. His side has a league best six wins on the trot (the next best has two!). Adam also had the second highest score in midweek with 132.5. This after he had been nearly sixty points adrift going into Wednesday night.

All Tom Heaton's six clean sheets have come at Turf Moor

@RotoZdroik is now 12 points clear of a group of four teams. He is in danger of being out of sight before we enter the final third of the season. Our clash will also be a revenge game for him, as I managed to beat him in Gameweek 5 by a measly 2.6 points. It was one of only five defeats for him this season. He has only lost three in eighteen games since. While most of the league will be cheering me on in this clash of the top two sides, I have a feeling the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer has thrown up this fixture now in an attempt to undermine my side’s rise up the table. Only three of my players have home games this week. While Adam’s two top scorers, Defoe and Lukaku, have a combined goals total (24), just two shy of the combined goals total of my whole team (26).

@RotoZdroik’s Team

Oh did I mention he has eight goal Fernando Llorente and seven goal Gylfi Sigurdsson of Swansea in his squad too? Or that his Hull Goalkeeper gained more than twenty points in a game away to Manchester United last time out. If his players simply hit their average for the season, I will need 131.7 points to beat him. A score I have only managed six times this season. Adam can only play two of Lukaku, Llorente and Defoe though, so he will have a few choices to make this weekend. Lukaku and Defoe are the obvious picks, but Llorente did score two goals away at Liverpool recently and the Man City backline does tend to have the odd car crash game, even at home.

Sigurdsson spearheads a resurgent Swansea side

The three Defenders he is likely to go with all have home fixtures. Cahill, Maguire and Sagna. While two out of his three Midfielders will be playing at home, Gueye and Sane, the other being Sigurdsson. The Icelandic international has already scored against Man City this season in the League Cup though, and averages over twenty points a game. Unlike the Forward and Defender positions, Adam has no alternative options in Midfield with his Arsenal pair Granit Zhaka and Aaron Ramsey, suspended and injured respectively.

What I Need To Happen

Goals win games. I will need all of his top four scorers to have an off day this gameweek. The last time none of these players scored in a gameweek was back in mid-December in Gameweek 17. But even in that week, Leroy Sane scored for @RotoZdroik. With goals almost guaranteed, maybe I should just worry about my side scoring goals.

With most of my players playing away from home, and my only Forward playing at home is up against Arsenal. Pedro may have five goals this year, but he can’t seem to nail down a place in Conte’s Chelsea side. This London derby is the first game of the weekend, so as least I will know early if Pedro is in or out of my team. If he is out, Arnautovic or Borini will occupy the Forward position. Elsewhere in my team, Joe Allen and Henrik Mkhitaryan have had dips in form recently, and Jack Wilshere is still making me wait for his first Bournemouth goal. It may come this weekend, and if it does it would take cleansheet points away from my Defender Leighton Baines.

Afellay will take his gloves off soon and storm the fantasy scene

In better news, the Ibrahim Afellay Experiment is seemingly improving. He started Stoke’s last game and managed ninety minutes, but only 7.75 points. A trip to West Brom is not the easiest game to gain points in, so perhaps I will hold off on unleashing him to the fantasy football world just yet.

Predictions

With a few upsets last week, the predictions finally saw a dip from a run of six correct in a row over the previous three gameweeks. Five correct and four incorrect. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter to not only keep track of this weekend’s scores, but also to see if any side has dipped into the transfer market. A number of teams are looking to get players in order to improve their fortunes. No one has made a bid for Ibrahim Afellay or Jack Wilshere yet. But when that happens, follow @GarryIrwin and you’ll be the first to know.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone

@BenDinnery over @DFS_hambazaza

@SportsByGotti over @jwl_15

@TAMc10 over @jasonuk17

@TRKingston over @cjradune

@EPL_MOstradamus over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @nealjthurman

@FuzzyWarbles over @jforquer11

Week 5: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

It’s barely been four days and the next round of fixtures in the IEFSA Fantasy League on Fantrax comes around again. An agonising loss last week saw my side slip from ninth to twelfth with a .500 win percentage. @BenDinnery might be the go to guy for Premier League injury news, but how long to recover from a broken heart Ben, how long?? I thought I had done enough on Saturday to keep my side in front, before Diego Costa popped up with two goals to crush my dreams, as Ben’s team streaked off into the distance. Everton’s emphatic win on Monday night only served to fill me with false hope as a late rally from Baines left me short by a soul crushing 1.85 points. An interception or a blocked shot and some accurate passes away from the victory. Heart breaking stuff.

This week the IEFSA fixture bias against my team continues, as I’m to face 3-1 (fifth place) @RotoZdroik. He has won his last two games and is the fourth highest scorer in the league. His Forward line has also contributed five goals to his team, while my Forward line has provided the grand total of zero.

@RotoZdroik’s Team

That Forward line is led by Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian hit a hat trick last time out and will be home to Middlesbrough on Saturday evening. His back-ups are more than capable too. Jermain Defoe returns to old side Tottenham on Sunday. Wilfried Bony will try to open his Stoke City account against Crystal Palace, while Fernando Llorente heads with his Swansea teammates to Southampton. Adam’s Midfield is full of real work horses who love hoovering up points around the pitch. Idrissa Gueye averages over twenty points a game for Everton. Granit Xhaka will be part of the Arsenal squad that travels to Hull on the back of some good recent form. Gylfi Sigurdsson adds some guile to his midfield; and if any of those three are not fit to start, he has Aaron Ramsey and Leroy Sane waiting in reserve.

Lukaku won't get everything his own way against Middlesbrough

His star in defence has been Kyle Naughton. Averaging over 19 points a game, he wins his fair share of aerial duels, as well as putting in a number of accurate crosses. His three other defenders are playing at home though, so he may be tempted to rotate them in to one of his three defensive slots. Cahill will be kept busy by Liverpool. Zabaleta might get to raid forward when Man City entertain Bournemouth. Damien Delaney plays on Sunday in the clash of Palace and Stoke. Finally in goals will be Hull’s Jakupovic. In the opening four games the Bosnian has made 16 saves to three goals conceded.

What I Need To Happen

If Arsenal could put a few past Hull at three o’clock on Saturday that would be good for my squad, which includes Bellerin and Cazorla. Before that game though, perhaps it would be good (if not a minor miracle) on Friday night if Pedro were to actually start a game for Chelsea.  He hasn’t done a great deal since joining the Blues and faces stiff competition to break into their starting eleven. More than likely joining him on the bench will be my two Manchester United ‘stars’ Lingard and Mkhitaryan. Playing these two last week more than likely cost me any chance of victory, but the chances of them starting this weekend against Watford are pretty remote. Although we will know more after the dust has settled on Man Utd’s Europa League game.

This will leave the rest of my squad to pick up the slack. Burnley holding champions Leicester to a clean sheet would benefit my goalkeeper, and defender Michael Keane. Two Stoke players, Arnautovic and Allen, need to help the Potters off the foot of the table, and any win away to Palace will surely hurt Delaney’s points tally. My ace in the hole though is tricky Jack Wilshire, who is due a goal when Bournemouth head to Man City. No clean sheets yet for The Citizens means a brace or more is not out of the question.

Predictions

It’s proving really difficult to predict winners in this league. @cjradune overcame @TomSunderland_ by only 0.2 points in Week 4's top of the table clash for instance. A respectable six correct and three wrong from last week’s predictions though. As usual, to keep track of all the games from this week, make sure you are following @THE_IEFSA on Twitter.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good luck everyone.

@DFS_Hambazaza over @BenDinnery

@EPL_MOstadamus over @FantasyYIRMA

@RotoWireAndrew over @nealjthurman

@nikarg over @SmokeyLoogy

@jwl_15 over @SportsByGotti

@jasonuk17 over @TAMc10

@cjradune over @TRKingston

@FuzzyWarbles over @jforquer11

@wrigavin over @TomSunderland_

IEFSA Fantasy League Week 14 Preview

Two goals last week helped my team see off @RotoWireAndrew by nearly 30 points. Andre Ayew ended a recent barren spell, while Memphis Depay found himself on the team sheet and then on the scoresheet for Man Utd. That victory puts my side to 7-6 and up to the heady heights of 9^th! This week’s match-up is against a team three points and two places above mine.

Only nine points separate the top 11 teams in the league, so any victory is vital, especially at this stage of the season if you want to be in the mix for honours in 2016. Week 14 serves up a game between my side, off the back of two straight wins, and @RotoZdroik, who himself has rattled off three wins in a row. So far this season he has scored 28 more points than me overall, thanks to some of the star players he has lining out for him.

@RotoZdroik’s Team

In goals he has the third highest scoring goalkeeper in Heurelho Gomes of Watford. He has kept five clean sheets and made 40 saves so far. He is also one of only two goalkeepers to save a penalty this season. In defence he has two players who average more points per game than his goalkeeper; Eric Dier of the stingy Spurs backline and Man City’s Bacary Sagna. He has three other capable defenders vying for that third Defensive spot on his roster, but this week I expect him to stick with Damien Delaney of Crystal Palace, as they host Newcastle United on Saturday.

"I'm dropping you for Aiden McGeady"  *probably not going to happen

His other big star player, who is bang in form too, is Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian's 9 goals so far this season are only bettered by Jamie Vardy. This week Everton travel to the worst defence in the league at Bournemouth, where he will be fancied to add to his tally. He has plenty of other goal threats on his team too; Defoe has chipped in with four goals, Dier and Sigurdsson both have two goals each. Elsewhere in Midfield sits Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla, who has three assists but no goals so far, and will probably be extra determined to find the back of the net after doing everything but score against West Brom last weekend.

What I Need To Happen

Memphis Depay to keep his place. Although after a poor outing midweek in the Champions League, I’m in doubt as to whether Luis van Gaal will trust him in the top of the table clash against Leicester City in the Saturday evening kickoff. Bastian Schweinsteiger seems to have a more secure place in midfield. But I will probably put Arnautovic up front, Stoke travel to lowly Sunderland, and leave the flex OF position free until the teams are announced for the game at the King Power Stadium at 5:30.

The old adage of goals winning games will surely mean I need my side to outscore Lukaku. If Bournemouth could somehow keep him quiet that would be great. But if not, I will surely need Ayew to step up again; or perhaps Wijnaldum could rediscover his goalscoring touch as Newcastle battle to move out of the relegation zone. If not goals, then cleansheets could be the route to victory. I have two defenders playing at home, Moreno and Jenkinson, while the third travels to Aston Villa, who are the lowest scorers in the league.

Predictions

Four correct predictions last week. Not the worst week, but not really anything to write home about either. It just goes to further prove how unpredictable this league becoming. Anyone can beat anyone, but that won't stop me from telling you who is going to beat who this week! So without further ado,

@RotoWireAndrew over @DFS_hambazaza

@GalinDragiev over @SportsByGotti

@TomSunderland_ over @DanRiccio590

@FantasyYIRMA over @cjradune

@nealjthurman over @Smokey_Loogy

@nikarg over @FuzzyWarbles

@wrigavin over @BenDinnery

And please, don’t forget that to be able to keep up with all the scores in these matchups over the weekend, you simply have to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. Oh, and follow me @GarryIrwin!