Starting this thread to help keep track of Maximum Plays

Opening line up:


Only dialema is whether to play Melberg vs Liverpool or field Baines as a non-player and hope to "catch up" a play later during the season? Villa will be running a tight game at the back so not expecting a goal fest. Liverpool's improved attacking options should also boost Melberg's tackle count ...

Other worry is whether Xabi / Yossi will start Big risk with Liverpool players this season ... rotation, rotation, rotation. Might just have to leave this in the hands of Rafa as there's not much chance of second guessing him.

I can see goals upfront against a poor Wigan (on the road) and a depleted Boro back line. Big test for CK Bianchi ... could prove an excellent pick up off the OOC list

Had to make one more change

Rumour (Liverpool Echo) is that Benayoun is out of today's squad

Kapo Kewell who should start ahead of Babel on the left. Harry slots into midfield bench spot

Kapo has potential but will be battling for a start with Dutch newboy De Ridder ... wish we had an extra couple of squad places

Gonna leave Melberg in and get a play in each position under my belt.

Teach me to try and play the system

I understood from the Rules that you could change any player up to 5mins before kick off. On discovering that Kewell wan't starting I dropped him in favour of Arbeloa, intending to play S.Petrov in midfield and replacing Melberg in defence. Although he's now part of my squad, he's not available for Saturday. I've emailed PTG ... but its just one of those things.

Aside from that, an interesting start to the season - Goals everywhere! Just not many for me Bianchi got off the mark in his first Premiership start, however its worrying news for McCarthy who collapsed unconscious. Letting Bentley leave has come back to haunt me - he got an assist, plus Matt Derbyshire scored - another player I let go

Now lets see what my Liverpool boys can do. All two of them

Well that's the first round of fixtures out the way and I'm starting to get to grips with this. Currently topping the mini league - although thats largely to do with fielding all 14 active positions. Without a doubt, this will change dramatically on a weekly basis for the first few months of the season.

Round two is a shortened GW in other games with 6 teams absent from midweek fixtures. Gonna try and take this opportunity to forge ahead although its difficult to see where the points will come from.

I've been quite fickle with the pick up / release function and have a couple more new faces in my active line up:



Everton are away at Spurs and you've got to expect them to get on the score sheet following the shock defeat at Sunderland. However, this should boost the defensive tally with plenty of tackles required. Going to field both Evra & Cambell. Should be a Utd win ... although no Rooney does change things.

Main changes are in midfield. Two promoted clubs doing battle - I'm expecting a home win for Brum. Looked very attacking against Chelsea and put two past "the best keeper in the world". Kapo scored a wonder goal so I quickly snapped him back up while both Larsson and Edwards chipped in with a high pass tally. Kinda hedging my bets on the result, Brum win = 2pt average each, Sund win = 1pt, draw on average.

Upfront I've taken a gamble on Heskey. Yes, he can be a bit of a donkey but still manages a goal in 3-4. Boro are shakey at the back without their regular CB's plus Wigan have home advantage. Same goes for Bianchi and am almost guaranteed 3pts for my pair of City players.

Shortened game week but I'm still able to field 11. I've one non playing Forward/Midfield/Defender so that should allow some flexibility when catching up on active plays.

Um'd and ah'd for a while ... but nipped back for one more swap . This game is based on stats and its worth baring that in mind as well as the quality of player / fixtures ect.

Carew Corluka

Think the Croatian will get the nod over Onouha (sorry Pryford Power) - Sven reportedly shelling out £8mil for the defender. Reason he came off after 60mins was fatigue rather than performance - only just got his permit = lots of travelling. Bit that swayed it for me (wiki) - goal threat

Stats wise, City should not only beat Derby (3x3 team points) but also keep a clean sheet. Its perhaps the only midweek fixture I can see that happening, except maybe Fulham v Bolton bore draw. He'll then prob go back on the transfer list as I look to pick up someone with better fixtures.

Choosing who to let go was the hard part. Heskey is not a keeper but I like the look of Wigan's coming fixtures. My 3x Promoted midfielders also have a reasonable run - plus all recorded 30+ Successful Passes. Villa aren't the most prolific of scorers and tend to pick up a lot of draws. Decided to keep Melberg as my AV representative and put the big man up on notice. 48hours takes us to 4.30 Thursday so allows time to reassess after the midweek games.

Final dialema was which of my active players to replace. Lescott vs Cambell? Not holding my breath for either to keep a CS as both their opponents drew a blank at the weekend. Despite Rooney's absence, Utd should win with their wealth of attacking options ... plus Pompey leaked two against Derby (admittedly Fortress Fratton is a different prospect). I can see Spurs getting on the score sheet but Everton are in with more of a chance of a result. Either split the risk (team points) or bank on Toffees? Lescott's higher def tally swings it for me.
(apologies for the amount of thought gone into that)

I'm still open to offers if any transfers take your fancy

Back to the drawing board ... two more tinkers

Out: Emile Heskey
Ok, he might just go score on Sat but Sunderland are looking pretty resilient at the back. Fighting to the end, they've scraped two results with 90min goals. Wigan aren't going to accrue much in the way of team points but he hustled well against Boro and notched up 27 SP's. However, I need a goal scorer up front and he's not the man for me.

Out: Carlos Edwards
It was between CE and Kapo to make way ... in the end it came down to fixtures. CE pulled up with his hamstring in the 85th last night but also face Liv & Man U in the coming weeks. Brum have Derby next weekend then a trip to Boro = team points in the bag.

In: Steven Taylor
Newcastle will only get better ... but is ST part of big Sam's plans? An easy run of fixtures make it worth the chance. Plus with an England call up should aid his claims to first team football. Hoping Given returns to action soon too.

In: Kieron Dyer
Having already passed his medical, he's in contention for Sat against Brum. Not the tightest defence so a good opportunity to open his account. Scored 8 in 33 games last season ... fingers crossed he'll stay off the physio table this time.

One more regret to add to the list: Arbeloa Seems Riise is playing in midfield with Kewell out injured (again) and Babel still warming up. Again its Browny snapping up my cast offs

I have a sneaking suspicion that you're enjoying this

Wish i could enjoy it, seem to be spending a bit to much time on this and neglecting other games with more financial reward.


That said, makes a great change from the normal fantasy game. Just hope im getting my tictacs right