Obviously picking the right players, watching the gameweeks and checking on injuries/form/selection is a base tactic, but as I see it you can go one of several ways with the overall tactics;

You can either spread the money about or focus on a few big names. Then you can put more in a certain department, like your midfield.

At the moment I seem to have focused a large proportion of my funds on Ronaldo, Lampard, Van Persie, Berbatov, Terry & Ferdinand, with the rest of my team being shrewed cheapo picks. I figure you can't guarentee anything but there is a handful of players who always do well and you can pick up this seasons 'new heroes' once they emerge.

I've picked the best players I can in order to finish in the top 50 of the game.



That at least is the theory.

So no underlying theory behind it?

Hope for the best, cross my fingers, say my prayers and be a good boy until Christmas eve.

Balance balance balance.... in all areas - then see which way the wind blows... I've made easy for myself to switch to any formation should I wish to. Also not taking any risks to start with. Bit boring really.

I've plumped for some expensive players because I think it will make early season transfers easier if my money is centralised in a few players.

If I were to get say three strikers worth £8m and it quickly became apparent that I needed Rooney, it would then take a few transfers to get him in, thus wasting time/points.

I think boring is good...

My gamble is that I've got Koumas and McSheffrey in my team...

I don't have a theory as such. I just make sure that when I look at my squad that 12 or 13 of them give me no concerns regarding how they will perform or whether they will play each week.

I like the star rating that Flyman used in a RMT thread.
****/* = 4/5 biggies but nothing much else
*** = 3 biggies with good supporting players, couple of dodgy benchers
** = 2 biggies with better than average support players, decent benchers
* = 1 biggy - NO EFFIN' CHANCE!

I have gone with a *** team.

My plan is as much as possible to ignore short and double gameweeks. I said the same last season having suffered so much the previous year (my first), but I still tried to plan for them - and still came unstuck.

I'm going to copy the leaders team. I might not win. But at least I'll come second.

Planning for gameweeks is a pain but the GW2 issues are so obvious that you have to take them in to consideration.

I guess it depends on the definition of "biggies" but I think with Ronaldo, Lampard, Terry, Ferdinand, Van Persie and Berbatov, I should be worthy of *****...

Doesn't look like McSheffry is a guaranteed starter anymore.

How come?...

Reading around the various pre season threads, it appears that Bruce hasn't been involving him very much.

I find that odd considering Bruce only bought him last season and he added so much to their goals and assists tally...

I might stick with him as there aren't really any obvious replacements at that price... time will tell...

I am pondering a cheap defence with big midfield and forwards.

If you look at the pre-season friendlies for Birmingham, it seems that McSheffrey played a big part in most of them - played up front for one game!

I've selected my players based on a big fat J-Lo 5-2-3 system! No gambles, no surprises... just percentages !

I'm targeting 2000 points and have pretty much picked 11 points earners with 4 bargain basement and hopefully regular starters filling the bench spots.

It's sticking to the strategy that's gonna be the challenge!

That's most odd, Jimmy. I could have sworn I missed his name when I had a look at most of the line ups

****/* and all up top.

I should rename my team "Big Rack Attack."

I've been on the Birmingham City website and McSheffery has been involved in the past four games, three from the start once off the bench.

He is staying in.

FC Schwinefurt 2 Birmingham 5

McSheffrey tap in, 90 mins
Also to note Forssell x2 including penalty (his foul)
Plus two for Jerome

Walsall 0 Birmingham 2

McSheffrey 90mins, "Playmaker / Provider" ie crosses / freekicks
Forssell & Jerome with the goals

Perterborough 0 Birmingham 3

McSheffrey 2nd half sub (66)
Jerome in on the action again - SB's No1?

GMS is a bargain for the style of player ... the question however, is less about game time (he's central to SB's plans), but more on Birmingham's strike rate ie: are we expecting many GMS will chip in with his fair share of goals, assists and boni and will be great VFM at 6.5 esp considering what else is available (Speed) at that level. He's also a potential bandwagon with a few 0.1's to be made.

Forssell is interesting again now/if Mido is off to Sunderland. Opportunity to save a valuable 0.5 for that 3rd striker spot.

"[url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11694_2636617,00.html]Is Mikael in with a chance of playing against Chelsea? Absolutely," conceded Bruce.

"There is no question of that. He has looked so sharp this pre-season[/url]"

I'd like to think Forsell will play and have toyed with the idea of having him. As you say, it saves precious pennies.

Also, seeing as he is a "big name" in that price range, surely a lot of people will jump on him from day 1, meaning his price will rise immediately?...

I would go for Forsell in a sec but for the more experienced voices here on Fiso saying he's rot despite his pre-season form. I come here for advice so I tend to take it. Currently I have Earnshaw in at third but keep looking at Forsell, wondering. And .5 cheaper, right.

At 6% picked he's been noticed already. I don't think he'll drop in price even with a bad start because what other 5.0 forward will people swap him out for? He'll sure rocket in price (last year's Zamora, Saha) if he comes out firing like he's done in pre-season.

my mantra for this season:

only make more than one transfer a week in exceptional circumstances

I forsee exceptional circumstances occurring about twice a gameweek.

i am a victim ...

I want to limit transfers by not making too many gambles before the season starts. By selecting the "guaranteed" players, you shouldn't have to scramble early on.

As for Forsell... I'm at the stage where £0.5m elsewhere makes a huge difference, so should I be that concerned about a player who's role is to keep the bench warm? Of the £5.5m-ers, I'm think Chopra is a better bet as he will definately play.

I don't understand everyones love-affair with Earnshaw; he was once a promising youngster but now is just a washed up goofy gimp with bad hair and several failed attempts at cutting it at the top level...

There is a smokescreen if ever I saw one! People should take just a little look further into the Derby strikers.. there is a potential little gem in there.

Gem you say? Ummm lemme see.... Oh of course, Fagan.

Oh wait, surely you mean Macken...

...Howard?

At cutting what? His hair?

As for Forssell, let us not forget that in 2003-2004 he scored 19 goals in 37 games and was that season’s best vfm player in TFF (and might have been in FPL for all I know). He’s done nothing since because he keeps knackering his knees. But if he really is finally back on form …