GW Points: 67
Overall Points: 2254
Overall Rank: 3,549
Transfers: None used
Game week 33 was another dull week for me. At this stage in the season it appears that overall position on the leaderboard has become fairly stable. I’d imagine this is because most teams within these positions have very similar players. If I was winning my mini league, this wouldn’t be much of a problem. However as I’ve dropped to 2nd, I’m now in a position where I’m going to be forced into making some different choices in May. This isn’t a route I’d normally want to go down – I’d prefer to simply pick the players who I think will score the most points during the month. I’m now going to have to attempt to do this from a pool of players who aren’t picked by my main competitor. The problem with this approach is that the players who I think are going to score well are the ones we’ve both already got. As a result it’s basically going to take a big slice of luck from a player I wouldn’t normally be looking at – not a great position to be in. This is most likely to backfire and will affect my overall finish, but I’m simply going to have to roll the dice if I want any chance of winning the mini league. I must admit overall my interest in the game has decreased slightly over the season – I’ve still given it my all in terms of trying to get points on the board but I find the format a little boring. Once you’ve established a position, most people make the same transfers and have a rough combination of the same players. There’s very little that can be done in terms of strategy. I much preferred the World Cup game, where we had the opportunity to really plan around fixtures with a shorter format and more transfers. I found it much more strategical and therefore more enjoyable.
Positives:
Aside of Rudiger who was injured, it was clean sheets all around for my defensive assets. Two for Ederson and Walker and one for Van Dijk and Robertson. Other than this there was no real positives for the game week with none of my attacking players getting on the score sheet.
Potential Issues:
My only issue is that I’ve lost 1st place in the mini league I wanted to win. This is a big issue as 1st place now has a very similar team to mine. This basically means when I get fresh transfers in May, with very few games remaining I’m going to have to roll the dice on very different transfers. I’ll be looking at players from teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs who will still have a second leg of European football to play.
Tips for Game Week 34
If you’re fortunate to have any transfers remaining, I’d personally be looking at players who are still in Europe for the coming weeks. The likes of Son, Eriksen, Moura, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Hazard and possibly Liverpool players. There might be a temptation to move on Man City players after they crashed out of the Champions League but it’s worth considering that they will have the FA cup final to play at the end of the season.
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Where the fuck is Firmino tonight … this game against Huddersfield tonight was my big hope of clawing those 20pts back 🙁
“Yesterday after training he mentioned a little muscle issue,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“We assess it obviously. It’s not a big thing but it was enough to leave him out today, that’s all.”
I think I mentioned a few months ago that the dream team was littered with many clones as everyone was making the same transfers. I even seen DTT clones out there. I don’t pick the most popular players, I try to make things interesting for myself and pick a few differentials. I am 30 points behind my mini league leader but have 5 players different from him and potentially can add 3 more giving me 8 differentials, no way the leader can block all of those. Some teams in a similiar position but have only 2-3 players different. Otherwise the game can be boring and repetitive when we talk about the same players over and over again. When I did my blog years ago, I kept my readers in mind so would often include a shock player in my team where a reader would ask I didn’t see that move coming. I would then would write a piece on my reasons why. I think my enjoyment of fantasy football is not really about winning but able to make things interesting and writing about it. My mate has been 100 points behind the leader since the start of March and his picks have all been the popular ones which the leader already has. His team is very good, one of the best I have seen but it has that resigned look about it where you feel the aim now is get as many points possible but not get more points than everyone else. The gap now is 90 points so more or less the same. I think it will better much stay the same when the season ends.
I have talked about my strategy all season and I don’t think I can add anymore on this topic. I even done a hot topic on the strategy behind transfers. I know my strategy is not the best but then again I am not following the herd. I am incorporating different approaches to tactical thought as I said previously ‘winners don’t different things, they do things differently’. This is best demonstrated by a recent dream team weekend winner (I shall play this side game next season) who picked Moura, Redmond and Wood in his 7 aside team and won the 5k jackpot. He said the reason behind his picks was that he wanted his team to be different from the many other teams out there.
In the World Cup game, the most common strategy in my mini league and elsewhere was simple: get as many Brazil players as possible. When Brazil got knocked out, the strategy fell apart and the Brazil clones dropped down the rankings. Myself on the other hand, probably picked one or two Brazil players, my team was full of England players who did well – Pickford, Maguire, Trippier, Kane although I had Sterling throughout the tournament but strangely enough blanked most of the time. I even had transfers left as the Brazil team had used all or most of them up as they thought they would stroll at least to the final. The highlight was my pick of Cristano Ronaldo vs Spain. For some weird reason, I was the only one to have picked him in my mini league so a great differential if I have ever seen. My team got off to a flying start with his hat trick and my three Uruguay semi block defence. My world team finished 116th overall (my highest fantasy football rank so far) which is not too bad. The overall winner’s strategy was to pick differentials to start off with in the group stages including a Uruguay full block and then going very heavy with France in the knockout rounds. He did prepare a month before the tournament started looking at qualifying matches closely so fair play to him on winning and well deserved.
Going to be busy next season, will try to do better in the sun (the dream is to finish 100 one day) and telegraph games (will be hard to improve on my top 40 place). Might try fpl and sky. A website also wants me to be a contributor to their TFF articles. Finding time will be tough as I am starting a new part time along with my current full time one in August as a football data validator. Maybe too much football can be a bad thing.
I think it makes perfect sense if you’re behind but I’ve only been behind in my mini league for about 2 weeks so I’ve simply gone for the players who I think will score the most points up until that point. Even so last night is a good example. The team above me has: Robertson, Van Dijk, Mane and Salah. Say for arguments sake I thought I’ll mix it up a bit and take Mane or Salah out for a differential – someone like Eriksen or Son. They’ve now already got to exceed 10-20 points this week to gain any ground on the leader – it’s not looking likely. The gap could only get bigger. If we say winners do things differently – the current leader of the whole competition isn’t with Ederson, Van Dijk, Robertson, TAA, Sterling, B. Silva, Hazard, Mane, Aguero, Firmino and Salah. If he goes on to win it with that team then he’s pretty much stuck to the template. With regards to strategy, if you do think having a different approach is needed to keep things interesting on this blog I’d be more than happy for you to detail your thoughts in your own blog posts at any time.
it’s been a tough year. Can’t work out how leader has 2600+. I’m 48 points behind mini league leader on 2304 so need to try something also. So your thoughts for the last 3 subs will be helpful. my lack of Liverpool defence cost me this year. You’ve been very unlucky DTT everything always seemed solid to me. I do think you missed out on B Silva though.
I also think the format needs changing. more subs needed to mix it up more and take more strategic gambles.
All the best guys
Thanks Lucas, appreciate the comments. I’d agree that more transfers would benefit the game to make it a little bit more strategic and hands on. I think you’re right about B. Silva – that decision to go with Stones rather than Silva probably cost me 40-50 points. I’d still be top if I’d have gone for Silva but it just shows how fine margins can really cost you in this game. Pretty much everything has to go your way all season to be very successful.
I have to say I have not looked at the current leader’s team in detail but the person hasn’t won it yet so I won’t counting on chickens before they have hatched. With regards on the template, it is not set in stone and changes month by month (as seen in my template comments earlier in the season). The overall leader’s strategy might be to recognise first the template team before anyone else and so the rest follow like sheep and follow his template playing the game into his hands. There will be others that will take risks – some will work some won’t – to overtake the leader. Someone in the top 3 put in Sturridge against Huddersfield. You mention B. Silva in the template but looking back when you had the chance to do Stones to B.Silva before the FA cup game vs Swansea – you mentioned it is tempting but you don’t consider B. Silva long term. Now that is not down to luck but the result of decision making. Our decisions on player selection and strategy play a large part in our fantasy football success. My mate that I said was 90 points behind the leader used his final transfer on Friday to bring Ederson for Kepa – another player owned by the leader (my strategy has been to stick with one goalkeeper all season – I don’t understand the point of going through five or six goalies, seems a waste of transfers for little gains). So the differentials from his team and the leader is David Luiz and Son. The rest of the teams are a carbon copy of each other. I read an interesting article from the Sun dream team website on how if you are behind your mini league you should load on Spur’s players with May transfers and think outside the box. Well, I did intake of spurs in April and I thought outside of the box all season to make the game interesting for myself. Yes, I might have cost mini league success but I have enjoyed playing the game my way.
Hopefully I am not sounding too critical, I am not perfect fantasy football manager (I do however consider myself to be a good one though but not by all means an expert), I made mistakes but that’s ok – everyone does even the previous winners. Very good players recognise their mistakes quickly and rectify them at the next available opportunity whereas others can be too proud to admit to them. I consider anyone who does their research and makes their own decisions as a very good fantasy football manager but don’t really rate those that copy other people’s teams.
Luck is the one thing we can’t control so it is not something I worry about or play much attention to. Can it be measured? Anyways, player selection and strategy is my concern and really all we can control and an area I certainly need to improve in but I say that every season and experience does help. Last season’s Sun dream team and TFF winners both had 20 years of experience in playing fantasy football. Don’t know much about last year’s SDT winner although I know he is retired (I find accountants – must be a numbers thing and retired people – time on their hands – do really well in these games) but the Sun didn’t bother him for an interview so not much info on how to win in fantasy football.
With regards to my contribution, I haven’t got much too add to dream team tips anymore. My tenure is coming to an end in the summer. Yes I am been critical (by that’s my personality, it drives me to be better at a game I love) but I hope I contributed positively over the last two years. I have tried to open debates and encourage thinking outside the box. I do hope everyone has mini league success.
Definitely always a positive contribution – I love a good debate so I’d be keen to hear more about your thoughts and strategy for next season. I’m not sure why you think you’ve not got much to add anymore? I think this season has driven the most comments and interest in this blog, next season could be even bigger so I think the more people willing to share a different opinion is better.
I admire your enthusiasm RR I am an absolute addict of fantasy football myself and there is alot too it. B.Silva playing his preferred position. he is a winger was a choice not many got on as quickly as others. after you’ve missed that purple patch you don’t want to just join the party. you try to counter a regain any lost points. I could still win but it’s highly unlikely. I’m solely relying on Liverpool to concede now.
all the best guys.
I think that the most interesting part of the season in terms of DT is probably the first half. You simply can’t afford all the big hitters at this stage so you have to go for a few more unpredictable picks. As this season has progressed you see more and more teams clone into each other, but that is simply the nature of the beast I guess. Sitting top of my ML that hasn’t bothered me too much but I can imagine it’s frustrating if you’re chasing as a lot more risk taking and luck is probably needed. I’m playing to have fun but I also want to win at the end of the day so I’ve opted to block my rivals (which went against my natural instinct but thought I’d do the sensible thing with it being my debut season).
I’m going to run numerous teams next season. I’ll have two or three clone teams to enter mini leagues which I’ll make the same transfers for throughout most of the season. When I get to the business end of the season however, I’ll have the option to make different moves depending on the circumstances of each ML my team is in.
Looking forward to next season, with the introduction of VAR I’ll be looking at how I can cram the maximum number of penalty takers into my team as I’m sure there will be many in the first part of the season especially.
I fancy Norwich to hold their own next season in the PL so there may be a few players worth looking at who could be a good price.
It would be interesting to discuss how people are going to generally approach next season over the summer. I can’t seem to find a formula for success – it seems very hit and miss for me but there must be some basic principles that people follow to be successful. Or does it simply come down to luck in most cases? This is something I’ve been leaning towards slightly.
Chris, sounds like you are eying up an Norwich defensive block with the expensive penalty takers upfront (penalty takers to get price increase because of VAR?). But do we ignore players like Sterling, Mane who can score explosively but have no set piece involvement. Do we follow the same successful route of having Liverpool defenders – TAA, Van Dijk and Robertson – already high on the watch list for next season even though their price will significantly increase. I doubt you will get any of these for less than 4.5m. Van Dijk might even go to 6m. An united goalkeeper and defender might be cheap as chips though.
My mate gave me a book this week on how to win at fantasy football. It’s an old book written in 2007 about dream team but the game has changed much then so I don’t it will be useful nowadays. But still will give it a read over the summer and maybe I can get a winning formula from it when applied with modern data.
I’m not really looking to form a plan for next season just yet tbh RR.
I honestly think there will be a big increase in penalties at the start of the season though, until defenders re-acclimatise to the fact that they can’t get away with what they’re used to, with the introduction of VAR. Of course I don’t think that means we ignore the likes of Sterling etc but I’ll be looking at different options such as Vardy and
Milivojovic. The pace and trickery of Zaha will win Palace plenty of penalties and I predict that Vardy (and Leicester in general) will have a strong season under Rodgers.
Of course price is going to be a huge factor in how we assemble our teams at the start of the season, and no doubt compromises will have to be made. As I’ve mentioned previously, to me this is the most interesting stage of the season as it’s impossible to fill our teams with galactico’s.
I think you’ve had a solid season to be fair DDT. Just unlucky on a couple of transfer as previously mentioned. Fingers crossed your selections for May get you back to the top of your mini league. Hope you are carrying on next season. I would like some changes though to dream team itself. I’d prefer if people could only enter one team. As Chris says he is making clones next year and I bet the people at the top have clone teams and alter players differently to each team to achieve the most points. Also I’d like all players to be available. Like Zinchenko wasn’t added until he had like 70 points and I bet there are some other players this has happened to.
Yeah don’t get me wrong I’m not overly unhappy with my overall position and I’ve been within the top 3,000-5,000 teams for most of the season. It would just be frustrating to lose this mini league at the very end. I think some changes to the game would be good, agreed that all players should be added and only one team would suit me but I can’t see them implementing that rule. More transfers would be an improvement for me as well. Maybe also prevent people from seeing each others teams as well to mix it up a bit.
Yep, I’d much prefer if everyone could only enter one team too but having to go down the “if you can’t beat them join them” route if I want to have a real crack at winning multiple mini-leagues and getting into that top ten (extremely difficult of course but you have to aim high right?) I reckon 4 transfers per month would spice it up a little more too. I don’t think I’d change too much about DT although the value fluctuations would have Stephan Hawkins scratching his head.
I think the best change for dream team would be to only allow 2 players a team. Would force people to mix up their selections more.
Does anyone here Play the other Fantasy formats?
First season playing any FF for me and I’ve only gone with DT. Will probably look to play FPL as well next season but I’m mindful that I don’t want to get bogged down too much with it all (having a full-time job and two kids).
Do you play any other formats Lucas?
No All my mates and associates play this so I’m in 2 diff mini leagues. Been playing 5 years. I know what you mean it takes over your life when you’ve got players fixtures coming up all the time.
I play the Telegraph game (currently 35 overall)
Passing interest in the Sun game (best team ranked 3k, others ranked 6k and 30k)
Do have an fpl team ranked 850k – would like to say I have been unlucky but the truth I put in minimal effort sometimes not looking at my team for weeks. Also annoying I put Wilson’s much needed 16 points on the bench.
Any chance of you placing for a prize in the telegraph league RR? Some achievement that. 🙌
Difficult to win any from TTF as they only reward the top 10 but won my mini leagues. Tempted to leave SDT behind and just play TTF or give sky sports a go next season. Lost a lot of enthusiasm for sun dream team as September price changes ruined my team value and couldn’t really compete with teams that are 5.0m more in value than me. Hence why I went for cheaper differential players. My pre season strategy changed as a result of a poor start compounded by 0.3m losses on players in one go.
Hope you carry on with SDT mate as I always enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas (along with those of the other regular posters on here.
Have to say I’ve really enjoyed playing it, especially how every game matters. Do any of the other Fantasy Football games include all competitions?
What points are you on RR?
I play the Telegraph one too. I was in about 500th position earlier in the season, but have been Gun-Ho with my subs so have now dropped to 2000th!!
Had no subs for a few months now and playing with 9 men!!
Got three team in TFF: on 2190 points (35th), 2117 points (283) and 2043 (1377th). Only a couple of transfers left in all teams.
Any of you guys play super 6?
Morning all was after some opinions or advice any ideas would be greatly appreciated
40 points behind leader he’s team
Boruc
Doherty
Vvd
Robertson
Sterling
Jota
Mane
Hazard
Salah
Son
Kane
My team
Schmeichel
Walker
Robertson
Azpi
B Silva
Sterling
Eden
Moura
Aubameyang
Salah
Kun
1.5 in the bank any suggestions?
Thanks
I’m not keen on Schmeichel as Leicester have City and Chelsea left. Can’t see clean sheets there but options are limited with your budget. Maybe you could downgrade Aubameyang to raise funds? Firmino?
Aubameyang to Firmino?
Schmeichel to Alison?
Great read as always Fella’s
All The Best
Lionel Messi. The best player of all time?
Hi all,
Thanks for the input from everyone on here throughout the season, it’s been a great read!
This post seems to have got people on a downer a bit, which I understand as I have had seasons when things haven’t gone my way and it is frustrating. I have been comfortably winning my league most of the season this year, and now have a 200-point gap to second, so have not really had to fret too much, but have tried to challenge myself against my supporters league (wolves) and overall league for continued motivation.
One thing I really don’t like about this game which has been touched on here a little is the ability to enter several teams. I think it’s cheating really. To cover all basis at the start of the season and then just pick up the best ones to push on with really isn’t the test of a good fantasy football manager for me. I know you need luck as well in this game, but it should be on a level playing ground. I bet most all of the teams at the top are from people who have several teams.
I play with one team in the sun, and one in the telegraph every year. I generally do pretty good in my mini leagues, but also can have a bad season in one or the other. I know people will only have one team in certain mini-leagues which is a more level playing field, but I think you would need to have several to be competing on the overall leaderboard.
It will never change, as you can’t legislate for people having lots of teams, not with the amount of email addresses everyone seems to have nowadays! I would prefer it like that though.
Home straight now, good luck for anyone still competing for positions in your mini leagues!
Cheers Chris was defo planning to get rid of schmeichel won’t get a clean sheet v city/chelsea
Same here Chris.
I have only ever submitted one team and usually do quite well.
I’d be interested to see how well I could do with several team variations, however I’m not sure I’d have the time and patience for it, even though most teams not doing so well, probably get dropped after the first month or two!!
Yeah, kinda feels like we need a group hug doesn’t it. 🤗😂
Multiple teams does feel like a way of cheating ultimately I agree. Wonder if they’ll ever consider making it one team per person? Could be done if you had to supply your address I guess? Would really be the ultimate test then.
I see Klopp has gone for a more defensive minded right-back in Gomez tonight. I can see him being one of the first names on the team sheet in my Dream Team next season if his price is reasonable. Was brilliant until his injury.
Chris, Was that a tactical decision to play Gomez or is Trent Alexander injured?
I’m presuming tactical as TAA was on the bench. He’s also made this move previously in the season against the more tougher opponents.
Posted this before but in wrong place:
Lionel Messi. Best player of all time?
I cant decide on Messi, some say no due to him not winning a major tournament with his country! Ronaldo, Pele and maybe Maradona(still cant forgive him for the hand of god)are other possibles. How is it decided? trophy’s, goals, appearances, performing in big games, so many factors. Would he of done so well if he didnt play for Barcelona or have the likes of Iniesta and co ? He cant do it for his country. For me its Ronaldo, he matches or betters Messi in stats and hes done it for every club in the big games and playing for Portugal who are arguably not as good as Argentina. There is one thing though, we have been incredibly fortunate to have witnessed two world class players perform at the same time.
I’m not basing it on trophy’s won or anything like that. Just purely on technical skill and intelligence on a football pitch. Football in the purest form.
In that regard I see no better than Messi, ever. An absolute wizard. Long live the GOAT!
As you say, we’re very fortunate to be living in a time where we have two of the greatest players of all time, playing at the same time! A good time to be alive!
I’d marginally go for Ronaldo as well. I think he’s done it at more than one club and still seems to drag a performance out of a team like Portugal when he’s surrounded by players who aren’t at the same level of ability. Whereas Messi doesn’t appear to do the same with Argentina.
Was a bit annoyed that TAA was benched… even more frustrating that it was at a time when Liverpool conceded 3. I could have done with those minus points on my closest rival!!
Might only be 2 points, but given it’s our only differential and my lead is a slender 23 points, it would have been greatly appreciated.
Still, let’s hope that Azpilicueta can pick up a few points later! At this point, just 3 points will do!!…
Hi guys love the comments
Right need some wisdom please
My team
Ed
Az
Stones
Rober
Taa
Kdb
Ster
Mane
Aq
Fir
Sal
Got .600 in bank
I’ve moved up to 3rd in my league
Could get second as only 20 points behind
Any idea
Might be worth showing us the team in second as well Steve so we don’t suggest players already in that team. 👍🏻
Ok
Alison
Laporte
Vvd
Az
Sterling
Haz
B Silva
Mane
Rash
Kun
Jesus
If your answer is ronaldo based off international trophies won then dont forget ronaldo only played 25 mins in that euro final. Messi has played four international finals (Losing all 4) with two going to penalties and the other losing in extra time. Thats pretty unlucky.
Reckon Kompany will play much at end of season ? He’s a good swap for the injured Rudiger (out for season now) or Lucas Moura from Spurs ?
in terms of the blocking tactic , what’s the best way to do this , I read the other week on here that you can some how see the transfers people are making in that game week ? How do you do that without waiting until the next game week to copy? Or did I misread that ?