GW Points: 121
Overall Points: 2187
Overall Rank: 3,368
Transfers: Coady out, Walker in
Kane out, Firmino in
On the surface game week 32 looks like a fairly decent week with over 100 points scored. However this didn’t result in much of an improvement on the overall leaderboard. I’ve also lost my lead in a mini league I’ve been winning for most of the season. Really frustrating as I was firmly on course to win this at one point. I’d mainly put this down to two decision, at the time both could have gone either way. Going for Stones over B. Silva cost me 20-30 points. Missing the price changes last week and going for Walker over De Bruyne has cost me 25 points alone this week. Awful result really as I try to follow the principle of being able to win mini leagues if you simply stay organised and make transfers at the right time when others won’t and this is exactly what’s caught me out. It seems like two minor mistakes after a really good run have pretty much written off my season. Unfortunately the leader also went for Firmino so our teams are now pretty much the same – other than I have Rudiger (who is now injured) and he has De Bruyne. I’ve basically got no chance with no transfers in the bank for April – I’ve have to make some very bold moves in May to give myself a chance of catching him by going for players he is unlikely to go for. I can’t see this tactic being overly successful as it will likely be players who haven’t scored overly well this season and I will have to rely on a bit of luck in the final few games. Ironically he also didn’t have Kane before he got injured. I was hoping that being able to accommodate Kane was going to see him off for the rest of the season.
Positives:
A clean sheet and a goal for Van Dijk resulted in 18 points.
26 points for Sterling and 22 points for Mane.
Goals for Salah, Firmino and Aguero.
Potential Issues:
Rudiger is injured but I can’t do anything about this at the moment with no transfers.
The biggest issue is pretty much having the same team as my main rival. As a result I’ll have to make some very radical changes in May straight off the bat to try and catch him. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone follows these moves if you’re already winning your mini league as they are likely to be differentials. This isn’t a route I’d normally take as I prefer to go for proven point scorers.
Tips for Game Week 33
I’d imagine most people have no transfers remaining. However if you do, it’s worth looking at Man City, Man Utd, Spurs and Arsenal players as they all have a double game week. Spurs in particular look like a team worth considering with the additional Champions League fixtures now coming up. I personally won’t be going for any further Man City representation now that they are out of this competition. Despite only have one game this week, Liverpool travel to Cardiff which could be a good game to target. It could also be worth looking at Chelsea and Arsenal long term as they have both progressed in the Europa League.
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I have taken the differential route all season probably because I started the season badly and saw no point in having popular choices. Also I find differentials interesting as the right ones can take me to high ranks and acts as good swords 🗡. When my differentials get a high score it gives me a buzz rather than say Hazard scoring a hat trick. Downside is that not ever differential has worked out – high risk strategy and not one for the faint hearted but when I works 💥 the transfer I made for Jesus in January is my best move all season.
Last week I brought in Eriksen in my best team ranked 2k (not great position by all means) but to get a higher rank I needed to invest in differentials as every team is so similar full of City and Liverpool players. I kind of wished I went with Moura instead (my gut feeling) but was unsure of his game time so played with an element of safety (boring) with the reliable Eriksen and am a big fan of his. I am also now going to add two more spurs players (not decided if going with spurs defenders Vertoghen and Toby A or defender Vert and striker Son) probably add more spurs next month as could be in champions league final. If so, I think spur’s players are likely to be popular next month (anyone thinking Firmino to Son next month) so may no longer retain the differential tag unless you go three transfers on a spurs block which would act as a major good differential if spurs obtained 4 clean sheets in May. Lloris may even save another penalty (I never saw him as a good penalty saver). So spurs can act as nice sharp swords 🗡 in April but may become slightly blunt in May.
Arsenal on the other hand might be an interesting one. Been happy with my move for Kolasinac for Lindelof in February (same price back then) although I put him in my team expecting goals from his advanced position as he scored 5 goals last season. Maybe the manager tells him to cross more. Still a problem choosing between Lacazette and Aubameyang as they tend to share dream team points between themselves.
Yeah, when the differentials come through they give me the buzz certainly more than the usual big hitters. Having nearly done a full season though I’d probably say that going for anymore than 4/5 differentials over the course of a season will probably see a lesser points return than the usual big scorers (not as exciting I know but that’s the conclusion I’ve come to with DT).
I’m looking forward to playing FPL next season too as you can pretty much fill your boots with differentials.
I’ll certainly be looking for the next Doherty at the start of next season, as he’s shown, if you get in on players like that early, rewards can be immense both in points and value.
I think maybe more differentials are needed, I put the number at 10 over the course of the season. You do need the usual big scorers but you also need the differentials thrown in the mix to stand out and above the rest. There was a quote that read about winning:
‘Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently’
Over the summer will look to the promoted teams because that it likely where the next bargain will come from but they are the great unknown and a team ready made for the premier league like Wolves rarely come again. It took a while for me to see the merits of Doherty as I was more interested pre season in Barry Douglas who looked good in the championship for Wolves but went to Leeds.
Right now I just want the sun dream team season to be over, not happy with my performance but will review my team – mistakes and then spend some time to equip myself to have a better season next year. I got to review different tactics and come up with a strategy when the game launches. Right now, I am getting my football enjoyment from the telegraph game (top 40 position overall maybe a game that suits my style better) and watching Man Utd games.
I think it depends what you class as a real differential. I’m probably personally a little more strict on who I’d include in this bracket. Looking down the list of top point scorers I don’t see many names that I’d class as a true differential – Jimenez, Doherty, Sigurdsson, Digne, Anderson, Fraser, Deeney, Vardy, Wilson. However outside of that list I’m not sure about the others. They are all playing for the big clubs – is someone like Jesus, Son or B. Silva really a differential? They’ve all scored well in previous seasons and it’s what is expected of them. Either way I agree that you can’t win it by sticking to all the biggest names. Although if you could accommodate them all you would. Interestingly the highest scoring team by position would be:
GK: Alisson
Def: Van Dijk
Def: Laporte
Def: Robertson
Mid: Hazard
Mid: Sterling
Mid: Mane
Mid: Pogba
St: Aguero
St: Salah
St: Kane
That’s the team with the most points on the board to date. No differential has managed to score more points than them and surely it’s all about points on the board. To be honest I think it mostly comes down to luck outside of making the logical decisions based on upcoming fixtures and being organised enough to make transfers at the right times.
Differentials are probably never going to match the big hitters over the course of a season, but if you get on them at the right time (ie when fixtures are good for instance) then they can potentially come into their own for a short period of time.
Oh yeah absolutely – for me I just go for players who I think are going to score well during certain fixture patterns. That could be a big name or it could be someone less obvious. I guess I don’t really go for the differential route. I think it’s the way they are described – as being different to what everyone else is going for. I try to keep it simple and just go for the players I think will score well during certain points in time – that could well be a player who is not very highly owned but I’ve not gone for him because he’s a “differential” – I’ve gone for him because in my opinion he will score the most points over the course of the games I want him for. To me, all that matters is points on the board and that generally involves picking the highest scoring players.
Important question: What is a differential? Well, fantasy football scout put any player that plays for any club (including top 6) which has an overall ownership at 5%. They state ‘Differential picks are a valuable commodity for Fantasy managers chasing a mini-league deficit or hoping to improve their overall rank as we enter the season run-in.’ In their differentials articles these season, they have mentioned Lindelof, Lingard, Young (Man Utd), Dele Ali (Spurs), Higuain (Chelsea), Lacazette (Arsenal), David Silva, Sane and even Sterling (Man City). Even in DTT article in January on differentials include the likes of Azpilicueta, Luiz, B. Silva, Mahrez, Jesus and Lacazette.
I myself set a ownership cut off point at 14%, any higher then I wouldn’t classify that player as a differential. Also, you got to take mini league ownership in account. So no point in getting those attractive high scoring players who people love if they are all present in the teams above you. They are not going to take them out, they want to keep those angles covered, it’s up to the chaser to make something happen. They need to go on the path that’s not easy but it is only route to possible success.
So let’s take the forward three template in consideration: right now I would say it is Salah, Aguero and Firmino/Son. So if I want to go differential and am chasing: I could replace Firmino for Lacazette (or even Aubameyang depending on ML). If I wanted to go more risky and the gap is really big: I could replace Aguero for Lukaku and then finally I would even take out Salah for Higuain. So very much doubt that they would be any teams in mini league with Lacazette, Lukaku and Higuain up front and all these replacements play for the top 6 clubs. You could even go Aubameyang, Lacazette and Son to take advantage of European games. Also there is defensive differentials: you could go Spurs block. Something I noticed is that one individual was in top 800 in March and then took out three Liverpool defenders and put in three spurs defenders and now team is in top 100 as they thought no point in having the same Liverpool defenders as the teams above. So you have differential players, you also need to consider differential tactics.
Yeah it’s a tough one to define really – I agree that if you’re chasing the pack then you need to have different players but I prefer to be the one out in front. Who can then just pick the players who you believe are going to score the most points during certain periods in time. Take my current situation. I’m about 30-40 points adrift from top spot (I’m 2nd). If we take our front three, as you say we’ve both got Salah, Aguero and Firmino at the moment. I’m going to have to go down the route of doing something different. I could for instance bring in three different strikers in a last ditch attempt to close that gap and go for Son, Giroud and Aubameyang. If I look at that on paper, who do I think will score the most points? I still think it’s going to be Salah, Aguero and Firmino. That puts the odds firmly against me and it could open up the gap even further. It’s going to put me in a really weak position, given that it will be May when I have to make these transfers I’m less bothered. However I wouldn’t risk such a move during say the middle or start of the season. I’ll only be doing it as I’ve got nothing to lose and I still don’t think it will work in my favour.
I think you have been unfortunate DTT as you have played a good game. It’s been a very good season. It goes to show that to win mini leagues you need to reach close to the 1,000 overall rank which the marker I set myself every season. I am unlikely to finish there (currently 2.5k maybe I will have some luck with Spurs) so need to step up my game next season. Maybe I do need to change my approach.
There are probably three main ways to play SDT: (1) selection of shields – the highest scoring players (2) the swords – the differentials or a mixture of both (think Chris has done well here) which is probably want we should aim for in the future.
I’m convinced there must be a statistical way to figure out a strategy. It’s really just one big maths problem and it really bugs me that I can’t figure out a perfect strategy for winning every year. When you think about it in simple terms – most years it’s always the same players from the same clubs who get the most points so it should be relatively easy to figure out some kind of formula based on probability and previous stats that would achieve good results – but I’m yet to find what that approach is.
I disagree with the statement ‘most years it’s always the same players from the same clubs who get the most points’
It is not the same players each year in the highest scoring points rank. From the list of top 20 highest point scorers from last season 2017/18, 10 players have (currently) dropped out: De Bruyne, Lukaku, Otamendi, Eriksen, Alonso, Mahrez, Smalling, Willian, D. Silva and Dele Alli. Now these players the Sun dream team will look at their points total next season and price them cheaper than their 2018/19 prices.
So we have 10 new entries in the top 20: Van Dijk, Aubamenyang, Pogba, B. Silva, Robertson, Laporte, Jimenez, Jesus, Alisson and TAA. So it can be noticed that the most of the Liverpool defence is in the top 20 which is why Liverpool blocks have dominated this season. Only one Liverpool defender was in the top 10 highest scoring defenders 2017/18 and that was Lovren in position 9.
This season the Liverpool defenders have consistently gained points rather than the expensive strikers (Salah, Aubamenyang) who have influently been explosive but mostly have blanked in games. Indeed, I read one person’s strategy was to have no Salah in their team as he was too expensive at 8m and funds could be better utilised in other positions. To tell the truth, Salah has not been value for money. Maybe the three expensive strikers up front is no longer the best approach.
Sure enough, Liverpool defenders will see their starting prices increasing quite significantly for next season. It may be difficult to go with the Liverpool block defence.
I meant it quite broadly and I think it’s fairly accurate in that sense. De Bruyne dropped out due to injuries, Otamendi has been replaced by Laporte. Of the new entries they are from the teams who were tipped to do well at the start of the season. Aubameyang hit the ground running in terms of points after joining in January last season so it’s no surprise to see him in there. The only real surprise is Jimenez for me. The rest you could have easily predicted at the start of the season.
Well played on the top 40 position mate. Nice one. 🙌
You’re certainly one of the biggest thinkers and strategy connoisseurs on here so always like to hear your thoughts mate. Like you say, we’ll all be looking for the next Doherty next season but I’ll be surprised if anyone can match his DT achievements next season outside the big 6. Maybe finding the next Wan-Bissaka is a more realistic proposition.
I do like to talk about fantasy football strategy – more so than player selection unless it is a player of interest or players I do not have knowledge about such as Doherty at the start of the season.
There are many routes to fantasy football success – that’s why it is difficult and interesting. Sometimes dream team is 75% player selection and 25% strategy (especially at the start) and sometimes it is the opposite 75% strategy and 25% player selection (at the end) and sometimes it is 50-50.
Great as ever to hear your thoughts DTT & RR. Fascinating insights.
Being my first season, it’s really interesting to see strategy adapt and change as the season heads to its conclusion. It been a steep but enjoyable learning curve and hopefully I can hang on in their for that top 1000 spot I really want to achieve (currently 996!) 😬
That would be a great achievement considering it’s your first season. I’d be happy with a top 1,000 finish any season.
Well played on being top 1000. 👏🏻 Great for first time effort. Top 1,000 or higher should be the standard every season. Maybe my expectations are high.
I finished 5k in my first season but my season didn’t get going till November back then. The aim now to improve rank every season.
Yes thinking of getting some spurs coverage as have none at the moment. Have two transfers left for the month but not much time to make a decision. Currently 2nd in my main mini league so need to do something. Looking at getting Son in for Higuain and shipping Laporte/Azpilicueta for either Moura/Gomez. At the minute feeling Laporte as have Walker and Ederson already and then Gomez now he looks to be back from injury.
I’ve took a leaf out of RR’s and gone for differential and got both Spurs players in for Azpilicueta and Higuain. Kept Laporte in instead as double game week and Europa semis not until May. Hope everyone has a good week 🤞🏻
My transfer course strikes again! It was Stones last month, now its KDB this month.
Decided to delay my Rashford to Firminho transfer and instead swapped out Sane for KDB. That one soon bit me on the arse 😂
I am absolutely delighted I used my last sub on KDB. Hopefully it is a minor injury!
And I guarantee Doherty gets 2 clean sheets now and a goal 😂😂
I definitely feel like I’m having a bit of the rub of the green as I was very close to going for KDB over Mane. Could have been costly with my rivals owning Mane. 😅
Hopefully not a bad one though and he’ll be back soon enough.
I’m cursing TAA at the moment!!
He is the only player that 2nd and I have (I have Azpilicueta).
My lead was 53 last week and now it’s 26! Just one player has halved my lead in a week when I thought it would be relatively safe!!… 👎
Doesn’t help of course that Azpilicueta has earned -4 from his last two games!!!
Squeaky bum time!
That should have said, the only player that 2nd has that I don’t! (Our teams are identical other than TAA)!!…
When does the transfer window open again ? How many fixtures remain after it ?
I’m 50 points ahead in my ML I’ve got the same team as dtt at the moment. The team below me randolmly has Giroud , not sure I can bring myself to put him in though !
I presume it’ll be the 3rd May Ian.
Also did I read somewhere on a thread last week you can some how see the changes your rivals are making ?
I can remember someone suggesting taking screenshots of rivals teams every Thursday then you can see their changes then. I suppose it would be easier to simply be able to view the changes though. Can’t remember who said it to be honest though or how it’s done. Might need to backtrack through the threads to find it Ian.
I think it might have been ffstuff.co.uk
I would be interested to know, what people’s front 3 is going to be in May, I have plenty to do in my mini league, so will have to gamble considerably like DTT. For me it’s Salah plus 2 others, looked at all possibilities, undecided, Firmino being the front runner, will hopefully add TAA, or Gomez depending on guaranteed gametime, leaving one other striker, my midfield is B. silva, Hazard, Mane, Stirling, no point in altering that & changing formation.
I may just use three transfers straight away and go for Son, Aubameyang and Giroud – hoping that one of them explodes during the latter stages of the European competitions. For me it will be a case of seeing what happens during the rest of the month first though.
It’ll probably break down into two categories. Those ahead in their ML’s and those trailing. Those ahead will have Salah, Aguero and Firmino/Son whereas those chasing will more likely roll the dice as DTT mentions below. If you’re trailing I’d be looking at the Arsenal boys personally and prey they play. I’d be surprised to see Higuin or Giroud score heavily but stranger things have happened I guess. Game time is certain to be split between those two as well whereas there’s higher chance of Lac or Auba playing together. GL David. 👍🏻
*Sorry mentions above not below… 😂
I would go with Aubameyang myself – one of the most explosive players around and has penalties in the locker so every possibility of a end of season hat trick.
Thanx for replies guys, appreciated, got stung this month, trying to make up ground, 3 transfers straight off, Kane injured 1st game proving to be fatal, & Rashford of late been abysmal, went chasing it, costing me big time now.
Just how much has Bernardo Silva improved this season. Great work rate to go with his undeniable skill. The gulf between United and City/Liverpool has never been so huge.
Agree. It is a joy to watch City play though Ederson drives me with his short passes in the box. For me, David Silva ran the show. B. Silva doing great as second top (after VvD) in my research for point scoring consistency. I never would have predicted that at the start of the season.
My team done downhill with having Pogba, mentioned above in the highest scoring team but has scored 13 points altogether in the last 10 games. He plays for a top 6 club challenging for champions league so I would expect better from one of the best midfielders in the world. Man Utd need to sell him and Lukaku in the summer.
Think the signing of Sanchez totally ruined the whole squad with the wages he gets which is why city pulled out. Pep is one smart fellow so is Klopp after hearing about his set piece goal on the weekend. We just need to be as shrewd as these guys in football management.
Surprised to see Pogba make the PFA team of the year to be honest. He had that good spell during the middle part of the season but either side of that has looked extremely languid.
I can’t believe he’s made that PFA team of the year. I think Roy Keane hit the nail on the head with his comments on Sky last night. Questioning if Pogba even means some of the things he says about letting the fans down, saying they threw Mourinho under a bus and they will do the same to Ole and calling some of the players bluffers. I think he’s absolutely spot on.
Yeah, I can’t help but think that Pogba’s attitude stinks a little (in a United shirt at least). He would never be able to get away with strolling round a football pitch under Pep that’s for sure.
Having said that Keane hasn’t really covered himself in glory as a manager/coach has he. Much too abrasive to manage in today’s game where an arm around the shoulder approach seems to get more out of the modern player than throwing tea cups around.
Yeah it’s safe to say if Keane was the manager him and Pogba would have had a big bust up by now and he would be gone. I can’t help but think the way the game is going is all wrong though. I can’t see the problem with saying it how it is – for me someone needs to tell Pogba and the rest of them for that matter exactly how Keane was saying it last night. For me he was spot on. Too many snowflakes being offended and it gives the players too much power. For me Man Utd are the prime example of this – no leaders in the dressing room pulling them up for not giving their all. Imagine putting in a performance like that with people like Keane, Schmeichel, Scholes, Ince, Bruce, Stam, Ferdinand (the list could go on) in the changing room. It wouldn’t just be the manager who would pull these players up for not being committed it would be the leaders in the dressing room but there aren’t any. I agree he’s not been massively successful as a manager/coach – although he did very well at Sunderland but as a player for me he would be the first name on my team sheet. The dedication and leadership he displayed was remarkable. Made Ferguson’s job easy at times – if players weren’t pulling their weight the manager wouldn’t need to tell them because Keane would and it worked. These days they seem far too distracted with celebrations and Instagram followers. The whole culture of not being able to take a criticism really winds me up. He got away with all sorts when Mourinho was there as well – he basically added to the problem. That can’t be a player who is really bothered about the club.
This is an area where I think Pep has got it spot on. I reckon he knows when to put an arm around a player and when to give him “the glare”. He commands respect for what he’s achieved and how he keeps such a huge squad of talented players all happy (with some of them sitting out huge chunks of the season) is a skill in itself.
Strange that the SDT highest point scorer Hazard is not in the PFA team of the year. Definitely have him in my team instead of Pogba.
100%
Couldn’t agree more.
Agreed, Klopp does a good job of this as well. I do wonder if there is anyone capable of turning Man Utd around though. Even Pep or Klopp would probably have to start from scratch in terms of players. I don’t think a Utd player currently gets in either of the starting line ups for City or Liverpool.
A player I should have stuck with throughout the season having had him from the start. I’d be much better off in terms of points than I am now.
OK guys so here`s a challenge. I am 32 points behind in my ML with about a month to go and transfers due next week. My team is
Kepa,
TAA, Robertson, Lindelof
Sterling, KDB, Hazard, B Silva
Kane, Salah, Aguero
No transfers left for April and 0.1 ITB.
My rival in top spot has
Kepa
VVD, Zinchecko, Luiz
Mane, Hazard, Sterling, B Silva
Son, Aguero, Silva
I don’t believe he has any transfers left or any ITB.
Any suggestions to overhaul the lead??.
Kane lindelof and Kdb out for laporte , mane and firmino
Lindelof, KDB, Kane out.
Laporte, Eriksen, Firmino in?
If you were leading I’d say Mane for sure but you’re playing catch-up so I reckon you need to take a risk before time runs out.
Thanks @Ajf & @Sutton_Chris . I haven’t really thought about it yet and you guys have made some good suggestions. Would you guys still think Firmino/Ericssen would be a good idea if Liverpool/Spurs dont get favourable results against Barca/Ajax in the first leg next week?
Another consideration would be KDB could be back earlier possibly and him and Jesus would be a possibility for the FA Cup Final as well. Would be interested in your thinking.
Yeah, worth monitoring KDB certainly. You also have to bear in mind the likelihood of the leader (in you ML) mirroring any moves you make. That would certainly make it very difficult to catch-up. Keep your cards firmly against your chest and time your moves at the last moment would be my advice. Will have my fingers crossed for you kurbs. 🤞