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 9: IEFSA Fantasy League 2017/18 Preview

My side achieved their highest points total of the season in Gameweek 8, but unfortunately ran into the team who posted the highest total of the round in @TRKingston. That defeat leaves my side bottom of the table with only one win in eight games. There were a few silver linings in that defeat though. Tammy Abraham netted a brace in a Swansea win over Huddersfield, while Nick Pope kept up his good form with over twenty points against West Ham. The writing was on the wall for my side though when Ciaran Clark didn’t make the Newcastle line-up and I was forced to play with a man short.

Probably harder to miss from there. But they all count.

This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer has thrown up a very interesting match-up. My side will be playing the side directly above them. The only thing separating our sides are points scored. And while I would have beaten his side last weekend, he has outscored me every other Gameweek apart from the opening weekend. For the winner, a chance at perhaps climbing up to eighth in the table. For the loser, rock bottom, and a long season ahead. Which side am I playing you ask…

@TAMc10’s Team

A number of fresh injury and rotation worries for @TAMc10 going into this Gameweek. But perhaps the return of both Alexis Sanchez and Shinji Okazaki are imminent, as each of their sides look to bounce back from disappointing results. Shane Duffy went off inured in Brighton’s last game, and with them playing Friday night against West Ham, maybe it’s too soon for his return. Either way, @TAMc10 will know in plenty of time in order to reshuffle his pack and perhaps bring in Laurent Koscielny if needed. It would be a particular blow for Tate if Duffy was to miss out as he has been his highest scorer this season.

The Leicester players get a second manager sacked in two seasons

@TAMc10 could field a whole side of players with fixtures away from home. The only players on his roster who would benefit from some home comforts would be Atsu at Newcastle and Sandro at Everton. With Atsu the more likely of the two to get into the starting lineup. Tate could call on Mark Noble on Friday night too. The West Ham midfielder actually has a higher points per game average than Atsu. If he is put in the Friday night starting eleven for West Ham, that’s definitely something for @TAMc10 to ponder over. In goals will be the Leicester City keeper Kasper Schmeichel. The Foxes have not been enjoying the best start to the season, and just sacked their manager, but the Dane still averages over 17 points per game. Leicester will be traveling to Wales to face Swansea on Saturday, putting Schmeichel in direct opposition to my Forward Tammy Abraham.

What I Need To Happen

I will need Abraham to continue his goal scoring exploits, as he looks like the only player capable of finding the net in my squad at the moment. My second top scorer, Ciaran Clark, should earn a recall to the Newcastle defence, and I’m basing that on nothing more than the fact they let in two goals from Manolo Gabbiadini last time out. My next biggest goal threat is Joe Allen, who has registered one assist this season. He looks to be returning from his head injury suffered during the international break, and his Stoke side badly need him after they were mauled by Man City in his absence last weekend.

Nick Pope recently signed a new three year deal with Burnley.

As mentioned, Nick Pope has been a bright spot over the last number of weeks, as Burnley are flying high in seventh. The Clarets have only lost one game and conceded six goals in the first eight games. Unfortunately, it looks like that run will end abruptly with a trip to Manchester City this weekend. City scored seven in their last game and could have Sergio Aquero returning to their side to boot. I may have to lean on my defence for points this week if the goals dry up. Serge Aurier is back from suspension for Tottenham which could help. (Though I wouldn’t hold my breath on him getting back in the Spurs first team right away)

Predictions

The only thing ruining a perfect round of predictions last weekend was a tie game. A tie game!! @jasonuk17 and @SportsByGotti couldn’t be separated, probably in an effort just to spite me. I wouldn’t put it beyond either of them! Remember to follow this week’s games, keep tabs @THE_IEFSA on Twitter and also @GarryIrwin for a closeup look of a fantasy managers slow mental breakdown.

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

@TRKingston over @jwl_15

@EPL_MOstradamus over @FantasyYIRMA

@FuzzyWarbles over @nikarg

@RotoZdroik over @wrigavin

@cjradune over @jforquer11

@SmokeyLoogy over @nealjthurman

@RotoWireAndrew over @TomSunderland_

@jasonuk17 over @BenDinnery

@SportsByGotti over @DFS_Hambazaza

Week 6: IEFSA Fantasy League 2017/18 Preview

A fifth loss to start the season would make you believe I’m feeling the pressure. But things have been positive this past gameweek, as my side posted their second highest total of the year and everyone got on the pitch and contributed their little bit. Beating @wrigavin was always going to be a tough ask, and a Xherdan Shaqiri (of all things!) goal was the difference between the two sides. Harry Kane had a quiet game but still put up 13 points, which would have been the third best score if he was on my team. Which basically means if @wrigavin wanted to trade Kane for any of my better players, then my door would perhaps be open.

Shaqiri loves a long range shot or two

With performances slowly on the up I can look forward with optimism to this week’s matchup. So, who has the IEEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer decide to pit my side against? Oh it’s @FuzzyWarbles. *checks IEFSA league table* Oh…… oh…. @FuzzyWarbles just happens to be top and has scored the highest amount of points in the league. He has scored almost three hundred points more than my team and scored the highest amount of points last weekend. Surely this fixture is just further proof of the IEFSA/Fantrax bias against my side.

@FuzzyWarbles’s Team

Steve has a player who has already scored more goals than my whole squad put together. Liverpool’s Sadio Mane. He has a player who would be my top scorer (2 goals) if he was on my team. Burnley’s new signing Chris Wood. In Midfield things don’t get much better when you compare our sides. The best passer in my side is, obviously, Joe Allen, with 144 accurate passes in Midfield. @FuzzyWarbles’s players would laugh at this stat though. After five games, his three midfielders of Tom Carroll, Andrew Surman and Eric Dier post numbers of 200, 247, and 316 accurate passes respectively.

At the back things look equally as grim. I somehow have six defenders in my squad and between them they’ve played 15 games and have earned a total of three clean sheets. @FuzzyWarbles also has six defenders in his squad, yet they have managed 13 clean sheets between them. Phil Jones (4) on his own has more clean sheets than my whole team! Steve’s goalkeeper is Spurs’ Hugo Lloris, and the Frenchman has three clean sheets this season. I on the other hand have whoever mans the sticks for Burnley, currently Nick Pope, and that side has yet to stop an opponent from scoring.

@FuzzyWarbles also has another player he can call on if he needs a bit of a goal threat.

@FuzzyWarbles will rest him right?

What I Need To Happen

Not many sides can boast a Golden Boy award winner in their squad!

Well, six sides can boast that, including @FuzzyWarbles, doh!

But moving on… I secured the talents of Renato Sanches for a steal of only $45 a few weeks ago. The Swansea midfielder has yet to find his feet in Wales, but surely will find things easier going when he faces Watford on Saturday. This should also be the game where Tammy Abraham bags (conservative estimate) a brace. Looking elsewhere for goals. My best hope is probably Tom Ince. The Huddersfield man has taken 19 shots this season and is yet to find the net. It would be just my luck that he finally pops one in when he is up against my Burnley goalkeeper.

Izquierdo is Brighton's record signing #TheMoreYouKnow

Jose Izquierdo managed 104 minutes for Brighton during the league cup in midweek. Unfortunately, he didn’t use this time by scoring any goals and probably missed his side’s best chance of the game, as the Seagulls were knocked out. Using my crystal ball, I’d say that the Colombian will fail to break the starting line-up again for some time. This means I may have to offload the winger for another promising player on the Free Agency list. I’m hearing good things about this Marko Grujic, maybe I’ll pick him up…

Predictions

Five from nine last weekend, as a number of tight games didn’t fall the way I had expected. @wrigavin against @TRKingston is the tie of the round. Both teams have a record of 4-1 and the winner of this tie could go top if @FuzzyWarbles has a below par performance. *crosses fingers* To keep track of all the goings on of this gameweek, please follow @THE_IEFSA. To hear tales of woe, heartache, despondency, misfortune and the occasional cat meme, please follow @GarryIrwin on Twitter.

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 @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @BenDinnery

@jforquer11 over @TomSunderland_

@SportsByGotti over @nealjthurman

@cjradune over @DFS_Hambazaza

Week 34: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

A Win! And with those three points the title race is not over yet! For another week at least. A Marko Arnautovic goal helped my side to the victory over @jforquer11 last gameweek. Unfortunately all the other big guns won, so my side is still positioned fifth on the league table. Being 15 points off the top means I need a little bit of a miracle in order to win the title. A loss this week and all those dreams will be shattered, leaving my side having to fight over the (probably more) coveted fourth-place trophy.

Preparations for this week have been thrown into chaos though with the news that Jack Wilshere has been ruled out for the rest of the season with injury. He gets injured at just the wrong time, as all of my injured reserve slots are full. This means he will be cast to Free Agency like so many other anonymous England internationally capped midfielders. And speaking of random England international midfielders, I have drafted in Tom Huddlestone of Hull City into my side to replace Wilshere.

Get your boots on Tom you're in!

This week will see all the Premier League matches stretched out over the whole week and not just the weekend. This means some sides will play twice (Man Utd, Middlesboro, Crystal Palace) and one team doesn’t have any fixture (West Brom). In Fantrax scoring, players can’t gain points from two games. Therefore, players will only earn points from the first game they play. Probably? But whatever way the IEFSA/Fantrax works out the points, it will probably be the way that impacts my team negatively the most. And my opponents this week? Second placed @FuzzyWarbles. A team that has already beaten me this season.

@FuzzyWarbles’ Team

Two West Brom players and only Luke Shaw means @FuzzyWarbles will not be impacted too much by the fixture kerfuffle. Shaw should only gain points from the game against Burnley on Sunday. That’s if Shaw plays at all, with rotation being a problem because of Manchester United’s Europa League commitments. A lot of Steve’s players don’t play until midweek. He has three Man City players, Tadic of Southampton, Vertonghen of Spurs, and Januzaj of Sunderland. The only player that represents his side on Saturday will be Tom Carroll of Swansea. Because I could have five players playing on Saturday, and will have built up such a lead, @FuzzyWarbles could be panicked into wholesale changes to his squad on Sunday as he frets over the fitness of Sergio Aguero.

Aguero faces a tough (really?) game against Arsenal in the FA Cup this weekend

Aguero has scored 17 goals this season and averages a healthy 16.92 points per game. He strangely hasn’t registered any assists so far though. Which is strange because, he had contributed 26 assists in the five seasons before this one. A sign of dropping standards? Or of Man City’s change of style under Pep? The other City players in @FuzzyWarbles’ side are Yaya Toure in Midfield and Nicolas Otamendi in Defence. Toure averages 14.12 and Otamendi 15.94 points per game. They do face a home derby with Manchester United though, which should hopefully blunt their normally heavy passing attacking style.

What I Need To Happen

Huddlestone is not exactly the quick fix I need at this stage of the season. But he does average over ten points a game and will be playing Watford at home this gameweek. He will, hopefully, be partnered in midfield by Kevin Mirallas, who is in good form at the moment for Everton. Luka Milivojevic of Crystal Palace will only have his points counted from the game against Liverpool on Sunday, I presume. While Henrikh Mkhitaryan can only gain points from the game against Burnley in the early Sunday kick-off.

Marko Arnautovic has scored six goals in the league this season

Burnley will face an injury hit Man Utd who have been heavy on ball retention but light on penetration. (Tell me about it! Story of the season) My goalkeeper Tom Heaton and Defender Michael Keane will hopefully rack up the points when the Red Devils visit Turf Moor. Last week’s hero Arnautovic will travel to Wales to play Swansea. He will have to score without the help of Stoke’s best player Joe Allen though, who is still side-lined with injury.

Predictions

A perfect set of predictions in the last gameweek was ruined by one of the upsets of the season. @DFS_Hambazaza picked up only his fourth win with victory over @jwl_15. This week @DFS_Hambazaza will be hard pressed to repeat the trick when he faces table topper @RotoZdroik. The tie of the round is probably @EPL_MOstradamus (4^th ) against @wrigavin (8^th). Don't forget, to follow all the action you need to be watching the Twitter feed of @THE_IEFSA. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone.

@nealjthurman over @jforquer11

@nikarg over @RotoWireAndrew

@SmokeyLoogy over @TomSunderland_

@EPL_MOstradamus over @wrigavin

@TRKingston over @FantasyYIRMA

@cjradune over @jasonuk17

@TAMc10 over @jwl_15

@SportsByGotti over @BenDinnery

@RotoZdroik over @DFS_Hambazaza

IEFSA Fantasy League Gameweek 19 Preview: IEFSA Fantasy Cup

A Marko Arnautovic goal and an Alberto Moreno clean sheet helped me achieve the win over @TomSunderland_ just two days ago. That victory doesn’t move me up any positions in the table, and I still sit in 10th with nine wins and nine defeats to my name. As I mentioned in my previous post, this victory was crucial to keep pace with the leaders (is 15pts off top keeping pace?), as seven of the other teams in the Top 10 had victories also.

But Gameweek 19 offers us a little respite from the pain of looking at the league table, because this is the first round of the IEFSA Cup. Last season I lost in the final and I’ll be hoping for a similar run this year, but hopefully go just one better. With the quick turnaround in matches and my internet acting up (I live in Japan, it shouldn’t be like this!), this will be a quick preview.

In the First Round of the cup, I’ve been drawn against………

@DFS_hambazaza’s Team

I beat @DFS_hambazaza in Gameweek 16 thanks largely to Arnautovic gaining over ten points. His side may sit bottom of IEFSA with only one win, but his side will surely be up for the cup? Sergio Aguero is due back for Man City, and he is a player who could win a matchup all on his own if in the mood. So I’m well aware of the threat that @DFS_hambazaza poses over the next three days of Premier League fixtures.

No Cup upsets this week please

What I Need To Happen

Aguero looks likely to play against Leicester City, if he is kept quiet that would make my life a whole lot easier. I’ve been talking about a number of my players being due a goal or two over the last couple of weeks. So if one or two of them could step up for their respective clubs this Monday that would be great. I’m looking at you, Ayew, Wijnaldum and, dear oh dear…. Memphis Depay.

Looking further ahead, and the need to get a full squad of players playing week in week out, I’ll be looking to aquire another defender of the free agent list. Carl Jenkinson may have gotten 45 minutes for West Ham last time out, but baring a long term injury to one of the fullbacks, he doesn’t look like getting back into the Hammers back four any time soon.

Predictions

Gameweek 18 = 7 from 7

What more needs to be said? When you’re good you’re good! Let’s try and replicate this feat with this week’s cup games. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter for all the ups and downs of cup action. Plus, follow me @GarryIrwin for all the corresponding downs and ups!

@cjradune over @BenDinnery

@wrigavin over @DanRiccio590

@Smokey_Loogy over @GalinDragiev

@RotoZdroik over @FuzzyWarbles

@nikarg over @nealjthurman

@FantasyYIRMA over @TomSunderland_

@SportsByGotti over @RotoWireAndrew

Good Luck Everyone!