TFF chit chat 14th, 15th and 16th May

[morganb]

SATURDAY 14TH MAY

FA CUP FINAL

Chelsea 16:45 Liverpool

The only game this Saturday is the FA Cup Final which kicks off at 4:45pm and features Chelsea and Liverpool. Both sides played in midweek, Liverpool won on Tuesday against Villa, Chelsea beat Leeds on Wednesday. Diaz scored, Liverpool rested Salah and Fabinho picked up an injury. For Chelsea Kante may be back but Kovacic is a major doubt.


SUNDAY 15TH MAY

Tottenham Hotspur 12:00 Burnley

Seven games this Sunday, the early kick-off is at 12pm and is Tottenham Hotspur versus Burnley. Spurs are 5th by a point after winning on Thursday. Injury doubts over Romero, Doherty and Reguilón. Burnley are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Possibly no Rodriguez, Tarkowski, Vydra or Mee.

Aston Villa 14:00 Crystal Palace

Five 2pm games, the first of which takes place at Villa Park between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Villa lost to Liverpool in midweek but are safely in mid-table. Jacob Ramsey may return but Watkins came off with a knock on Tuesday. The Eagles are one point above Villa in the table. Guaita missed the Watford game and Guehi came off in that one.

Leeds United 14:00 Brighton & Hove Albion

Next up is a game involving Leeds United v Brighton & Hove Albion at Elland Road. Leeds played in midweek and are currently in the bottom three. Dan James was sent off, Ayling is also suspended, no Dallas, Harrison with a knock.Brighton are up to 9th after recent good results. No new injury concerns for the Seagulls.

Watford 14:00 Leicester City

The third of the 2pm matches is relegated Watford against mid-table Leicester City. Watford managed a nil-nil draw against Everton last time out. Leicester won on Wednesday thanks to a couple of Vardy goals. Cleverley, Dennis, Sarr and Femenía all doubts for the Hornets. Leicester may be missing Ricardo Pereira.

West Ham United 14:00 Manchester City

A clash between 7th place West Ham and top of the table Manchester City is next. The Hammers didn't play in midweek so should be better rested than City. Antonio, Benrahma and Dawson all came off with knocks in their last match. Fernandinho and Laporte join Walker, Stones and Dias in the sick bay.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 14:00 Norwich City

Wolverhampton Wanderers versus Norwich City is the final 2pm games this Sunday. Wolves are still 8th but on a terrible run of form. Romain Saiss should be back for this one. Norwich are already relegated back to the Championship. Kenny McLean and Mathias Normann missing for the Canaries.

Everton 16:30 Brentford

Sunday's late game is at 4:30pm and features Everton and Brentford at Goodison. Everton played in midweek and now two points clear of the relegation zone. Mina out but Godfrey could make a return. Brentford are in fine form and are one of three teams on 43 points. Canos and Pinnock could be fit for this one.


MONDAY 16TH MAY

Newcastle United 20:00 Arsenal

The Monday night fixture is Newcastle United versus Arsenal. Newcastle have lost their last two games but are now well clear of the drop. Arsenal lost 3-0 to Spurs on Thursday night. Fernandez, Willock and Shelvey out, Fraser could return for the Magpies. The Gunners will be without Partey, Tierney, Gabriel, suspended Holding and perhaps White who was on the bench.


More matches Tuesday to Thursday.

[Darbyand]

The end of season survey is on the weekly TFF email.

Usual stuff really, do you want captains etc NO!! Will you pay for their assistant manager thingie, how can they get you to place more bets etc.

[hayesag]

bring back key contributions. thats what i asked for. hopefully they listen

[murf]

Proper positions for players - Salah and Son are forwards FFS!

Second KCs (not that that will happen).

What do people think of the save and tackle points after a season? Think I am used to them but would probably, just, vote to lose them. Another thing that takes away the value of an expensive striker and makes the right 'enabler' a must have taking some skill away. Also bonkers that Son can get tackle points but Kane can't.

Oh, lets go back to 24 transfers

[hayesag]

i would like to see something extra for the strikers (maybe tackles). Would make going for a 3 mill gordon for example more worthwhile. Dont mind the save points for keepers myself personally but each to their own

[hayesag]

Oh, lets go back to 24 transfers

i played the game when they were at 30 so going to 24 would be one hell of a challenge

[murf]

Oh, lets go back to 24 transfers

i played the game when they were at 30 so going to 24 would be one hell of a challenge

You should have played TFFO, the squad game. 18 players but only 15 transfers!

[Moon Knight]

Asked them to not be overly influenced by the vocal minority on social media.

Also, to classify Salah, Sterling, Mane, Son etc as forwards because that’s what they are!

[ChaffMyJive]

I personally found this question a bit worrying:
How would you feel about the introduction of a transfer amnesty during the January transfer window, where you can make unlimited transfers to your team?

[Darbyand]

It's been in before that question, but yeah would be terrible if introduced.

[Spinynorman]

I can see that amnesty happening. Be like a wildcard in FPL so may be both familiar and popular with a lot of players.

[Jamjack]

Oh god I hope not. The January thing would completely change the approach to the game and dumb in down imo. I’ve played FPL for the first time this year and I hate it.

[Darbyand]

They need to differentiate themselves from FPL not imitate.

[Spinynorman]

They need to differentiate themselves from FPL not imitate.

Spot on.

[morganb]

Oh god I hope not. The January thing would completely change the approach to the game and dumb in down imo. I’ve played FPL for the first time this year and I hate it.

Regarding FPL, coming from a TFF background it took me a long while to start liking FPL proper (chips, changing budgets, limited transfers) but FPL drafts are a more instantly enjoyable kettle of fish (no chips, no budget, unlimited transfers of available players).

[Darbyand]

One other thing: it says how do you follow TFF and has options for their Twitter and FFHub(?) but of course I ticked "other" and put Fiso TFF forum. We have to be their biggest organised playing group.

[Joey Navinsky]

Quite like the bonus points for keepers and midfielders. Definitely need to recategorise some of the midfielders as strikers. Transfer amnesty in January sounds like a terrible idea. I think around this time last year people were concerned it was going to be the last season of TFF, whereas this time around it looks pretty certain to continue, which is good as after 20-odd years think I'm getting the hang of it!

[zipnolan]

I suggested they reduce the defensive bonuses for clean sheets (they won’t, of course). As my evidence, in the FISO block league I am about 12 points behind Murf’s Pool block despite having scored 50 more goals than his side! Those 50 goals are wiped out by just five clean sheets in a full block…

[murf]

I suggested they reduce the defensive bonuses for clean sheets (they won’t, of course). As my evidence, in the FISO block league I am about 12 points behind Murf’s Pool block despite having scored 50 more goals than his side! Those 50 goals are wiped out by just five clean sheets in a full block…

10 surely? Assuming GK + 4 def. 10 lots of 5 equal 50.

Attackers should also get more Assists than defenders though the current Liverpool block is not the best to use in that comparison!

This issue started with the dumbing down with defenders not losing a point for first goal conceded. With saves and tackles too strikers just slip back against all other positions and so struggle to be VFM, especially if priced to a top value of 7m (admittedly Henry used to be £9m!)

[zipnolan]

Whoops, yes, 10. Obviously the Liverpool defence are going to get more clean sheets than Brighton, but the thing is that conceding no goals can be rewarded with 5 (even 6) times as many points as scoring one goal. This is part of what Andy Luckhurst has been banging on about for years.

[Spinynorman]

....... after 20-odd years think I'm getting the hang of it!

Which is quite the opposite for me as I seem to get worse with every season.

[SamD]

Don't feel KC will return as it'll require extra effort at TFF. This'll also reduce likelihood of accurate in-game live updates. Telegraph may think latter feature helps them keep up with the Joneses/FPL.

[Jamjack]

Evening cleared to watch all of this with a beer. End to end thriller please

Team line ups are fairly predicatable other than Lukaku starting and Havertz missing completely

[SamD]

... suggested they reduce the defensive bonuses for clean sheets …

Case for this may be strengthened by also stating [in questionnaire] that key contributions are no longer awarded. This tended to favour midfielders* and helped equalise the different team positions.

* for example, in 2018-19 the best six KC providers were midfielders:
24 Sterling, MC
20 Silva B, MC
20 Silva D, MC
19 Hazard, Che
18 Fraser, Bou
18 Moutinho, Wol

[Jamjack]

Hells teeth! Mo off.

[murf]

Hells teeth! Mo off.

Who is the best 3 for 0 (maybe 1? surely not 2?)

Mind you with finishing like that Klopp may play a hobbling Salah over Jota!

[Jamjack]

Amazing the effect Salah going off has had on the momentum of the game even though he hasn’t done much himself.

Alonso could have scored 3! Yikes

Study time re Salah.

[happyhoppy]

Hells teeth! Mo off.

Who is the best 3 for 0 (maybe 1? surely not 2?)

Mind you with finishing like that Klopp may play a hobbling Salah over Jota!

3
Vardy
Richarlison
Watkins

2
The usual suspects if you haven’t already got them.

[Jester]

Just got home from hols - how many has Salah scored so far.....?

[Jamjack]

Hells teeth! Mo off.

Who is the best 3 for 0 (maybe 1? surely not 2?)

Mind you with finishing like that Klopp may play a hobbling Salah over Jota!

3
Vardy
Richarlison
Watkins

2
The usual suspects if you haven’t already got them.

Chat that Watkins could be injured. A bit left field but I’d may add Zaha under the 3 game options