Regret

I'll do a more thorough post on this at some point, but i'd just like to say: getting myself deep into Chelsea's defence has been a massive regret that may have cost me my Champs league slot. Obviously there have been a few mistakes, but losing Joe Hart and Vidic has not worked out in my favour....

X-KentHouse KnockOut

So, with the league obviously not even remotely important, it's time to turn our attention to the Knock-Out cup.

After the exciting group stages, 4 teams emerged for the semi-finals:

Marrocco Villa

THE SCIENCE MASTERS

The Winwinwinnerteam

Mass Confusion

One semi-final is done and dusted. The Science Masters have mastered the Science of Fantasy, and defeated Mass Confusion with a game to spare (49 points (plus Silva still to play) vs 41 points), and will be in the final against either Marrocco Villa or The Winwinwinner Team. Marrocco Villa are sitting on 50 points with Kolarov and Yaya Toure still to play, while The Winwinwinner Team have an impressive 63 points, with Huth, Kolarov and Silva still to play.

So it looks likely to this pundit that THE SCIENCE MASTERS will be facing The Winwinwinner Team in the final of the X-KentHouse KnockOut, and anything could happen in the final week.

Trophy

Just received the trophy, not the one I ordered due to 'stock problems'. But it will do!

Engraved with X-Kent House Premier, and stands a lofty 12 inches. Its actually pretty heavy as well, thought it would be as light as a feather.

The Testi' Times of Antin's Allstars

Often I think about how making a fantasy football transfer is like putting my balls out on the table: Sometimes I do it because it feels right even if logic tells me otherwise, sometimes I do it because its obvious, sometimes I do it out of pure desperation.

Lately I feel like i've been putting my balls out on the table and the universe has been smashing them with a Thor like hammer.  I make decisions out of what seems like sensible logic only to find that I'm going to take an even bigger shot in the baby maker.

The fact is my balls aren't close to being what they used to be.  In quiet moments I will reflect on how I used to be able to present them with aplomb - knowing full well that while others winced they would admire my moxy and respect the results.  But now as I produce the shriveled old sack that used to be champion conkers I'm resigned to a life of indifference from my peers and self loathing. 

Don't get me wrong - I respect only few of the balls being shown by my competitors.  The real prize set of grapefruits can be seen by the inevitable champion of the X Kent House Premier.  However much JC spit shines those veg of his, he just doesn't have the stones of a winner.  Those my friends belong to the Moroccan timeshare of one Lukas Holden.  Let me tell you - I'm watching Lukas' balls... and I aint hating what I'm looking at!

Tactics VS Luck

This topic is always something that springs to mind, either when a substitution has been made or wildcard played (and in the comments section of Scott's post, about captaining a player). This happened to me last gameweek (Gameweek 35). I substituted DirkKuyt for Clint Dempsy and captained him; for me this was a tactical substitution, made to help me conquer the 13 point deficit between Mass Confusion and Marrocca Villa. And in my eyes it turned out to be exactly that (some would say pure genius), with Dempsy not playing and Kuyt gathering 13 points.

Why would I not captain Dirk Kuyt with a history that looks like this?

However, when sitting back and bathing in the realisation that Marrocca Villa had taken a 4 point deficit for nothing to happen, I quickly thought that I had been on the receiving end of 'a move of pure genius' before. There is one major difference though... I didn't think of that move as pure genius, but a mere spot of luck.

This has sprung to mind before when others have made captain choices. Most notably when 'The Science Masters' had J.S Park as their captain getting an astonishing 30 points (if I remember correctly). Now to me that is pure luck, but to Scott it may be a move of pure genius.

When do you consider it a tactical change or a lucky change? If I've made the change, it's always tactical but if I see somebody else making the change, it's definitely luck!

Or do you make your own luck in this game?

JC

Does Captain Choice Matter?

I'm not sure my captain choice has always been quite right. Let's look at my last few weeks choices, and compare it to the 'form player', the 'expensive player', and the 'in hindsight player', and of course, the point scoring machine; 'Nani'.

Gameweek 35.

My captain: David Silva

Reason: No-one else has him, he's my favourite Man City player, he's at home to WHam. It was him or and everton boy, but I don't quite trust them enough, other than Baines, and I don't really like captaining defenders.

Results: 90 minutes, assist, 2 bonus points (7 points)

Highest Form Player (in my team): Leighton Baines. 11 points (Captained Difference: -8)

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Wayne Rooney. 1 point (Captained Difference: +12)

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): Leighton Baines. 11 points (Captained Difference: -8)

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): David Silva. 7 points (Captained Difference: +-0)

Highest Scoring Player: Simon Davies (Who?!). 16 points (Captained Difference: -18)

Nani: 2 points (+10)

Outcome: Silva lost out to Baines, but as said earlier, I don't like captaining defenders. So of the players I had this week, I probably made the right choice. But a poor week regardless. Shame I don't have any liverpool players...

Gameweek 34.

My captain: Etherington.

Reason: Few other teams seem to have him, and he has a 'Taiki' (double-week).

Result: 102 minutes (3 points). No assists, no goals, no nothing. Better than Zamora, but barely.

Highest Form Player (in my team): Baines (9.0). 2 points. (Captained Difference +2)

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Rooney (11.9). 2 points. (Captained Difference +2)

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): Cech. 8 points. (Captained Difference -10)

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): Van Persie. 7 points. (Captained Difference -8)

Highest Scoring Player: Maxi Rodriguez. 21 points. (Captained Difference -36)

Nani (Highest Scoring Player of the Season): 3 (Captained Difference 0)

Outcome: Should have chosen Van Persie and got an extra 8 points. But I decided to back the player with a 'Taiki'. But VP was on definite form, having scored in the preceeding 3 games. However, he doesn't show in Form or Value, either of whom would have lost me points.

Gameweek 33.

My captain: Terry.

Reason: Has a 'Taiki'. Chelsea's defence should be able to cope with West Brom away and Birmingham at the Bridge. Practically guaranteed 180 minutes. Known to get the odd goal and assist.

Results: 180 minutes (4 points). Conceded a goal in each week. (I'd also put Cech in...)

Highest Form Player (in my team): Van Persie (7.7). 13 points. (-18)

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Rooney (11.9). 2 points (+6)

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): Baines and Van Persie. 13 points. (-18).

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): Van Persie. 13 points. (-18).

Highest Scoring Player: Malouda and Drogba. 22 points. (-28).

Nani: 3 points. (+2).

Outcome: I should DEFINITELY have put Van Persie in as captain and got an extra 18 points. Form said to put him in, and he had a 'Taiki'. But I didn't trust him or Arsenal against Liverpool and Spurs. I thought Chelsea were more likely to keep a clean sheet. And I was wrong. I could aslo have kept my original plan to get Malouda in, and get myself an extra 28 points, which would have completely justified the 4 point deduction. But I didn't know that he was back. Terry still seems like a justifiable option, even if it didn't remotely pay off... Would have been better to put my form player as captain, but not the value player.

Gameweek 32

My captain: Asamoah Gyan

Reason: At home to West Brom, Sunderland's only real striker ought to get a few goals.

Results: 90 minutes and an assist. 5 points.

Highest Form Player (in my team): David Silva. 1 point (+8)

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Carlos Tevez. 1 point (+8)

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): Van Persie. 12 points (-14)

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): Van Persie. 12 points (-14)

Highest Scoring Player: Peter Odemwingie and James Collins. 15 points (-20)

Nani: 11 points.

Outcome: Should have picked Van Persie at home to Blackpool. This was the week i'd transfered VP into my team, having tired of Defoe. But who was to know it was going to be the start of a terrific run of form for the Vice President of Arsenal? (VP, gettit?) I did better than if i'd picked my form or value player, but still didn't get it right.

Gameweek 31.

My captain: Nani

Reason: At home to WHam, United should rip them open and make them have their children, and Nani should be integral to that.

Results: A freak injury in the 4th minute. 1 point.

Highest Form Player (in my team): Charlie Adam. 1 point (+-0)

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Carlos Tevez. 6 points (-10)

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): David Silva. 10 points (-18)

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): David Silva. 10 points (-18)

Highest Scoring Player: Wayne Rooney. 17 points (-32)

Nani: 1 point (+-0)

Outcome: Well, you can't play for injuries in the 4th minute, can you? Maybe I should have picked Silva, but would you expect City to beat Sunderland 5-0? I guess it's not too unexpected really, but I didn't see it coming. Picking form would have had the same result, value would have been a better choice.

Gameweek 30.

My captain: Jermaine Defoe

Reason: At home to WHam, having just score 2 goals against Wolves, Defoe ought to score a hatful. In the past seasons he has been known to score in fits and spurts, so when he showed his shooting boots I got balls deep into him.

Results: 90 minutes. 2 points.

Highest Form Player (in my team): David Silva. 2 points. (+-0).

Most Expensive Player (in my team): Luis Nani. 9 points (-14).

Highest Scoring Player (in my team): Charlie Adam. 15 points (-26).

Highest Realistic Player (in my team): Nani, 9 points. (-14).

Highest Scoring Player: Charlie Adam. 15 points (-26).

Nani: 9 points (-14).

Outcome: Defoe was a bad choice. Oh well, i still think the reason was justifiable. Should however have picked Nani or Adam. Form wasn't a worse choice, ignoring Value was. I didn't think Adam would necessarily perform, having missed the last two games, but of course Blackburn are woeful, so maybe I could have seen it. And Nani is almost always reliable, especially against mid-table teams like Bolton. Oh well.

----------------------------------------------------------

Having looked at the last 6 weeks, let's total up some numbers, and see how I fared.

Totals:

My captain's total points: 22

Form player: 30 (-16)

Expensive player: 21 (+2)

Possible Perfect Pick: 69 (-94)

Realistic Perfect Pick: 58 (-72)

Absolute Perfect Pick: 106 (-168)

Nani: 29 (-14)

Outcome: Short story: I've done badly. I've done better than if i'd just picked my most expensive player each week. But with 106 possible captain points available, i picked up just 22. That's not really good enough. Obviously, that would have required doing the right transfers, as usually I didn't have the best player of the week in the team. But even allowing for that, I've missed out on 69 points that I could have had by picking a better player from the team I DID have. Even just picking Nani each week would have got me an extra 14 points, which at this stage of the season could prove crucial. But what to take from this? Do I keep going with my hunches, or go with the 'form' player in the future? Tough decisions.

Well... live and learn? Later I'll do this for the whole season, but it takes much longer than i'd expect.

Developer

Possible changes and additions to the site will be posted at http://fantbantdeveloper.blogspot.com/

JC