A Tale of 14 seasons

[SPR]

How hard would it be to monitor both teams here?

[happyhoppy]

I'll track both. Be interesting as they are so different with near block v mixed.

[happyhoppy]

Week 1 Update

Decent if unspectacular start with my best team getting 68 and lowest 44 (English Lions only). A very high scoring week with lots of popular points scorers but bit of a shock to see 103 topping our Sl, 2nd on 79 but early days.

With my two teams below I decided to act early and shift Milner which may or may not end up a mistake but I'm comfortable today but watch him now regain his place and rack up the points, hey ho the life of FF!. Looking at the teams below there's good differentiation with only 3 players the same Stephens, Alonso and Lukaku.

Saints Block Team

Forster

Soares
Stephens
Milner (1) Bertrand
Alonso

Ward-Prowse
Eriksen
Salah

Jesus
Aguero
Lukaku
49.5

Transfers 39
Points 68/68
Position 21155
SL Pos 19/98
SL Gap -35

Balanced Team

Moraes, E

Davies, B
Stephens, J
Walker, K
Alonso, M

Alli, D
Carroll, T
De Bruyne, K

Milner, J (1) J Rodriguez
Kane, H
Lukaku, R
49.7

Transfers 39
Points 66/66
Position 27353
SL Pos 24/98
SL Gap -37

[SPR]

Decent start. Is that 103 from starting XI or were transfers made?

[happyhoppy]

66 to 103. Looking at the player he normally targets motm so think he can be discounted.

[happyhoppy]

Week 2 Update

Poor week but no need to panic just yet! Two past the ton on 103 and 101.

Saints Block Team

Forster

Soares
Stephens
Milner (1) Bertrand
Alonso

Ward-Prowse
Eriksen
Salah

Jesus
Aguero
Lukaku
49.5

Transfers 39
Points 33/101
Position 21155 43251
SL Pos 18/98
SL Gap -35 -52

Balanced Team

Moraes, E

Davies, B
Stephens, J
Walker, K
Alonso, M

Alli, D
Carroll, T
De Bruyne, K

Milner, J (1) J Rodriguez
Kane, H
Lukaku, R
49.7

Transfers 39
Points 31/97
Position 27353 55749
SL Pos 26/98
SL Gap -37 -56

[happyhoppy]

Week 3 Update

Much better week. Done a few transfers across my teams ditching in the main KDB, Aguero, JWP and 1/2 others. My best team is the one below on 166 (36t) but now a team I'm very happy with so hopefully can be left for a while. Left 0.2m in case I get twitchy on the Salah to Miki move as I now have Mane. Made 3 transfers diluted my Saints block to raise money Bertrand to Doucoure, enabling JWP to Mane and Aguero to Kane both replacing uncertain starters for solid ones! In my other team I removed KDB for Mane, 38 transfers left in that one. Not really worried about the top 2 in my SL one is def playing for MotM and the other I know will be out of transfers by Christmas. So the real leader is on 171 (-6) not someone who has challenged near the top before so I'm looking below me to 159 as my nearest challenger. So all looks quite promising at this stage.

So at the first IB these are my 9 teams:-
166 (36)
151 (38)
150 (39)
148 (33) Egg so "5" transfer penalty.
146 (35)
145 (38)
141 (38)
138 (37)
108 (40) Lions team - English players only

Saints Mini Block Team

Forster

Soares
Stephens
Alonso

Milner (1) Bertrand (2) Doucoure
Ward-Prowse (3) Mane
Eriksen
Salah

Jesus
Aguero (4) Kane
Lukaku
49.8

Transfers 36
Points 65/166
Position 43251 7039
SL Pos 5/100
SL Gap -52 -57

Balanced Team

Moraes, E

Davies, B
Stephens, J
Walker, K
Alonso, M

Alli, D
Carroll, T
De Bruyne, K (2) Mane

Milner, J (1) J Rodriguez
Kane, H
Lukaku, R
49.2

Transfers 38
Points 44/141
Position 55749 41407
SL Pos 23/100
SL Gap -56 -82

[SPR]

Both teams look solid. I like the first team the most because it's very similar to mine.

Think this is the first time I've made it to week 3 with no transfers made (4th year playing)! Doucoure is one I'm looking at as well. Him for Carroll would give me some change to upgrade Willian when/ if the time comes (assuming I don't want to downgrade Eriksen or Mane).

[happyhoppy]

How many points you got SPR?

[SPR]

154.

[happyhoppy]

Very nice start then

[SPR]

Yep, trying to make sure I make better use of it this year than last year! Need to find the happy medium between being trigger happy and jumping after the horse has bolted.

[happyhoppy]

Week 5 Update

A costly game at the Etihad meant I replaced Moraes to the now injured Heaton (reason being it enables Jesus for Jay Rod next week). Mane brought in across 7/9 teams lasted one week gone for MickyT, should have brought Pogba in one but did all the transfers whilst at the footy with dodgy internet and just wasn't thinking. So wholesale Mickys came in. I will probably end up bringing Mane back in a fair few so that will dilute that coverage.

In the balanced team Jesus will come in which leaves 2.9 for a replacement keeper, so one of Foster, Butland, Gomes to choose.

In the mini block soon to become less so just the one transfer planned which is Soares to Davies, can't ignore the latter any longer and think even if Rose ever returns Davies will still see plenty of minutes and for 3.4 in a decent attacking side that will do.

In the super league some way off the leader who is 84th nationally but I expect him to fade away so 2nd at 23 behind is more the target. Both teams will have used 6 transfers which hopefully will take me to the next IB in good shape with teams I'm happy with although it would be nice to have some differentiation in the front 3 but at the moment I can't see past those.

Of my 9 teams 219 is my best below, my best placed is probably on 207 (39t).


Saints Mini Block Team

Forster

Soares
Stephens
Alonso

Milner (1) Bertrand (2) Doucoure
Ward-Prowse (3) Mane (5) Mkhitaryan
Eriksen
Salah

Jesus
Aguero (4) Kane
Lukaku
49.3

Transfers 35
Points 53/219
Position 7039 4138
SL Pos 6/100
SL Gap -57 -64

Balanced Team

Moraes, E (4) Heaton

Davies, B
Stephens, J
Walker, K
Alonso, M

Alli, D
Carroll, T
De Bruyne, K (2) Mane (3) Mkhitaryan

Milner, J (1) J Rodriguez
Kane, H
Lukaku, R
47.9

Transfers 36
Points 63/204
Position 41407 14342
SL Pos 14/100
SL Gap -82 -79

[Yorkshire Exile]

6 already

To lose one keeper is careless..... To lose two ......

[happyhoppy]

6 already

To lose one keeper is careless..... To lose two ......

6 next week

I call the keeper thing unlucky personally but I get you're looking for a bite.

[Yorkshire Exile]

Only a flesh wound for ederson.

Gives you a chance to bring him back next week

[happyhoppy]

Only a flesh wound for ederson.

Gives you a chance to bring him back next week

You think I should hold Jay Rod rather than bring in Jesus?

[Yorkshire Exile]

I'd rather have milner than j rod in the first place..... And I have no milner

You don't need my advice hoppy, but in 9 seasons not sure you have been so profligate with transfers early on

[happyhoppy]

Bit of Saints bias there with Jay Rod but early fixtures and a point to prove persuaded me to give him a go.

Don't regret most of those tbh (apart from Milner to Jay maybe), I'd rather get the team right (if that's ever possible ).

My Tenners team has only used 1 but if you're not happy with the team then I think with 40t available why sit on your hands? I'll still be working towards having 20-25 at Christmas so 9-14 to use Oct to Dec, plenty.

[Billy Stark]

Bit of Saints bias there with Jay Rod but early fixtures and a point to prove persuaded me to give him a go.

Don't regret most of those tbh (apart from Milner to Jay maybe), I'd rather get the team right (if that's ever possible ).

My Tenners team has only used 1 but if you're not happy with the team then I think with 40t available why sit on your hands? I'll still be working towards having 20-25 at Christmas so 9-14 to use Oct to Dec, plenty.

Agree with this. Yorkie just likes to have 35t at Xmas

To be fair he does ok at this game too. More than one way to skin a cat.

I would have held Ederson tho

[Yorkshire Exile]

Highest finish last year.... 39th still had 24 transfers on march 11th.

Probably more of a function of my poor finish with other teams that were contending...

Hey ho... Keep it up hoppy always use this thread as a pseudo benchmark...

[happyhoppy]

Thing with Moraes is I needed the cash to get Jesus in for Jay Rod, there was no other easy way to raise 0.7m and I thought there is a good chance he could miss a few games plus MC aren't always that tight.....justification.....

Annoyingly I was 0.1m short of Carroll to Doucoure which if I had done Pogba instead of MickyT I could have kept Moraes that way.

[zipnolan]

Lucky escape with Pogba then!

[happyhoppy]

First bit of good fortune yaaay

[happyhoppy]

So I decided to keep jay Rod as thought he would score more v WH at home than Jesus away at Watford.

Now going to get Aguero in this team which means another transfer Carroll to Doucoure.

[happyhoppy]

Top guy in our SL is 18th nationally.

[Clueless65]

Top guy in our SL is 18th nationally.

Lots of transfers used perhaps Yorkie but it is an unusual season in some respects. In my best team (which is only around 13000th) I have only used 4 - Cahill and Mane out and an ill advised hokey cokey with Kane and Aguero - but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I have teams further back that have only used 1 transfer (I have 9....I think). I'll get to my point in a minute.

It depends what you started with. I have had some issues with discipline and injuries across my teams.

There are some strong points scorers about and I think there is a concern about letting things get away from me to an extent. And as Hoppy says, there is an element of bad luck at times. One needs luck and preferably not the bad variety. Some will have been fortunate enough to start with better defences than mine. I have 2 Joel Wards. I think it will be exit stage left for both next week. It could have worked but it hasn't and there is, what, an 18 point turnaround with the other Ward of Burnley?

But in the grand scheme of things it don't mean shit at this stage. We have a lot of transfers. As you say, Hoppy probably doesn't need your advice. But let's just say that he is aware that he has used a couple more transfers than would be ideal. We all reach a point where we become a bit more thrifty with them. But it is important to try to get the team to the point that you are happy with.

And I have done both in the past. I have squandered transfers early and I have saved them only to make ineffective changes in the later stages.

It's only really at the end that it matters and we are a long way from the end.

Good luck to all.

[happyhoppy]

Week 6 Update

So the SL leader is 37th nationally having dropped from 18th and is 78 ahead. Still don't think I need to concern myself with him so 2nd is 24 ahead and my target. Feeling a bit annoyed about MC at the moemnt and as a result quite a few of my starting X! teams are currently higher than my actual teams in the main due to KDB and Aguero. I ditched the former because he was playing deeper and Aguero was benched so felt some justification to swop to Kane/Jesus/Alli/Erksen who were all playing but atm that's looking pretty crap.

So onto the week the SMBT moved up 700 places so a positive week despite no longer having Aguero and missing another big haul. Was bringing in Ben Davies but his omission and Rose's return anytime soon meant a rethink and I decided to bring in Jones for Stephens instead so I have retained a very mini Saints block in this side Apart from not having Walker I'm pretty happy with this side despite 6 transfers being used.

Onto the B.T. I had set this up to do Jay Rod to Jesus but as mentioned earlier I still have Jay Rod so now I have to decide whether to do that move or do another transfer probably Carroll to Ward (as I already have Doucoure, for Stephens) and bring in Aguero. Another option is to bring in Morata/Lacazette and just the one transfer would then be needed. Arsenal have good fixtures. This team has currently also used 6 but will be 7/8 next week.

Of my 9 teams 286 is my best below, my best placed is probably on 281 (37t).

Saints Mini Block Team (SMBT)

Forster

Soares
Stephens (6) Jones
Alonso

Milner (1) Bertrand (2) Doucoure
Ward-Prowse (3) Mane (5) Mkhitaryan
Eriksen
Salah

Jesus
Aguero (4) Kane
Lukaku
49.9

Transfers 34
Points 67/286
Position 4138 3483
SL Pos 5/100
SL Gap -64 -78

Balanced Team (BT)

Moraes, E (4) Heaton (5) Foster

Davies, B
Stephens, J (6) Doucoure
Walker, K
Alonso, M

Alli, D
Carroll, T
De Bruyne, K (2) Mane (3) Mkhitaryan

Milner, J (1) J Rodriguez
Kane, H
Lukaku, R
47.3

Transfers 34
Points 51/255
Position 14342 24063
SL Pos 19/100
SL Gap -79 -109

[happyhoppy]

Top guy in our SL is 18th nationally.

Lots of transfers used perhaps Yorkie but it is an unusual season in some respects. In my best team (which is only around 13000th) I have only used 4 - Cahill and Mane out and an ill advised hokey cokey with Kane and Aguero - but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I have teams further back that have only used 1 transfer (I have 9....I think). I'll get to my point in a minute.

It depends what you started with. I have had some issues with discipline and injuries across my teams.

There are some strong points scorers about and I think there is a concern about letting things get away from me to an extent. And as Hoppy says, there is an element of bad luck at times. One needs luck and preferably not the bad variety. Some will have been fortunate enough to start with better defences than mine. I have 2 Joel Wards. I think it will be exit stage left for both next week. It could have worked but it hasn't and there is, what, an 18 point turnaround with the other Ward of Burnley?

But in the grand scheme of things it don't mean shit at this stage. We have a lot of transfers. As you say, Hoppy probably doesn't need your advice. But let's just say that he is aware that he has used a couple more transfers than would be ideal. We all reach a point where we become a bit more thrifty with them. But it is important to try to get the team to the point that you are happy with.

And I have done both in the past. I have squandered transfers early and I have saved them only to make ineffective changes in the later stages.

It's only really at the end that it matters and we are a long way from the end.

Good luck to all.

Always happy to engage with anyone and take on board comments/advice, good natured/banter/slating whatever.

I'm getting happier with my teams so hopefully can go through to Christmas in a calmer manner but in a ten month season that's 4 per month crudely so well in hand lol. In my best team I had only done Milner to Bertrand but I've done two more this weekend ditching Stephens and Carroll for Doucoure and Jones. Straight away my team is better so don't see the point in hanging onto players that are either no longer going to play or not doing anything.

[Yorkshire Exile]

wasnt sure if that quote was directed at you or me....

my teams plodding - but still got 40 in some and not less than 38 in others.... hoping things even out.... man city started like this last year.... i still feel man u are flattering to deceive.... we'll see...