Yes, yes, we know: we are too good to you people here at Fantrax! Not only do we give you the wise words of the Kickaround Pod, the astute analysis of Genie’s Waivers, the informed insights of the Chaps Sleepers XI, and the must-read musings of Totti’s Starts and Sits, but NOW we are providing you a preview of your very own personal league. Okay, enough of the alliteration. Hopefully you know the score: on Monday we gave you the opportunity to win a written preview of your league’s matchups, and you got back to us admirably. We chose Fundalski as our Community Special winner this time, so here is that preview…
P.S. Even if this isn’t your league there should still be some useful tips for gameweek 6!!
Before We Begin…
At the risk of being perceived as more corrupt than the Blatter-era FIFA…we’ve only gone and picked the same league as last week! 59 people entered and somehow, we’ve gone back-to-back with the eloquently named “Community League C”. I promise you it’s not a fix. And that’s a real promise; not a ‘Bayern-promising-to-not-tap-up-players-from-fellow-Bundesliga-teams’ promise.
Regardless, the potential controversy has led us at Fantrax to invoke a rule. In order to stop “Community League C” from getting a weekly soap-opera style article – #Rigged’s version of “All or Nothing: Manchester City”* if you will – all members of the league are officially banned from entering the Community Special Sweepstakes for the remainder of 2020. Yep, that’s right guys – give others a chance!
*Or perhaps it should be Neville’s Advocaat’s version of “Sunderland ‘Til I Die”…
Gameweek 6 Community Special
Neville’s Advocaat vs Wakanda FC
I was brought up on the old adage that “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” But that’s not fair to Neville’s Advocaat. They’re just as much a part of the league as every other team. Not a good part, obviously, but a part. I’m sorry, but this squad is genuinely painful to look at. I think KDB has got injured deliberately so he doesn’t have to be associated with this team. And without KDB this team is like Coldplay without Chris Martin. Let me find a positive to end on…*10 minutes later*…ah yeah, Bobby Firms is up against Sheffield United! That could be a solid 15 points! Boom. Just need to find another 60 now, otherwise, Neville’s Democrat will risk the ire of Trump by mailing it in (again).
The 451 formation has become an endangered species in the world of fantasy football, but it is the selfless work of philanthropic managers such as Neville’s Advocaat and Wakanda FC that keep it from going extinct. Sometimes, though, extinction is what nature intended, and this (amongst many other reasons) is why these two teams sit 11th and 12th. In fairness, Wakanda has Pedro Neto (fighting for a starting spot with Podence) and Anthony Martial (serving the 2nd of his 3 game ban) on the bench, so normally they wouldn’t be as dire up top. The defense is going to carry Wakanda to victory in this one – TAA is due a monster score and could get it against a Blades defense, whilst Reguilon and Targett should do nicely as well. It won’t be a big score, but it’ll be enough.
Neville’s Advocaat 65 – 79 Wakanda FC
#Rigged vs Substitute 11
Manchester United vs Chelsea is HUGE for #Rigged. They have FIVE players in this fixture, and with it split evenly across the two teams and across positions (1 United DEF, 1 Chelsea DEF, 2 United MID, 1 Chelsea MID), it’s anybody’s guess as to what score would result in good fantasy points. Last time out I bigged up #Rigged in a manner that even this lady would be proud of, but the schedule has not fallen kindly for the league favorites, and I’m calling it now…Rigged will be taking the L this weekend. It’s an unbelievable squad that has been assembled, but sometimes you have weeks where things don’t fall your way. Five key players squaring off in one matchup is one such example (note to self: message Drafterthoughts asking if this theory is supported with statistics).
The lucky manager taking advantage of #Rigged’s misfortune is Substitute 11, and I think this one actually becomes comfortable for the current 8th placed team. Robertson will build on his decent start to the season (remove the 7-2 defeat to Villa and he has an FP/G over 12), whilst March could also continue his push for ‘surprise find’ of the early season as Brighton take on lowly West Brom. I doubt Benrahma starts straight away for the Hammers (given that they take on Manchester City, this isn’t an issue this week), but he will soon add to a strong forward contingent that contains Che Adams (9.5 FP/G), Mitrovic (9.6), and Rashford (14.9). Nice squad here, and they’ll cause a bit of an upset and get to 3-and-3 for the season.
#Rigged 90 – 119 Substitute 11
Los Cuchi Frescos vs Cobra Kai
Last weekend I incorrectly predicted Los Cuchi to lose, and I received a healthy dose of “I’ll prove you wrong” from their manager in response. Predictions are a tricky business though, and I’m not bitter at all. Anyway, moving on.
They say it’s better to be a lucky manager than a good manager, and Los Cuchi is proving that to be true in the fantasy world too. Fortuitously victorious with a below-average score in gameweek 5, the team somehow still sits top at 5-0. As certain as it is that VAR will find another way to ruin football this weekend, Los Cuchi’s luck will soon run out, and they will sink back to the mediocrity of mid-table.
Unfortunately for the rest of the league, it won’t be this week. Again, they will put up a below-average score (Vardy against Arsenal and DCL/Hamez versus Southampton aren’t great fixtures for your best players) but they’ll be saved by the inadequacies of their opponent.
Speaking of…Cobra Kai need to find a way to help out the Merseyside trio of Mane, Richarlison, and Digne because the rest of this team is Bubba Sparxxx ugly. (Actually, we need to include Havertz in that initial group, but “Merseyside trio plus Havertz” didn’t read as nicely.) First on the agenda should be a defender, as with Soyuncu out until the New Year and Laporte out until who knows when, Cobra literally has just Jamal Lewis (gulp) and Digne.
A (kind-of) silver lining though: all of the bench can be dropped to the free agent pool to find that defender. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but Conor Coady might be worth picking up to halve the deficit of Wolves’ inevitable clean sheet against Newcastle. To stand a chance, Mane needs to have a BIG game. I’m talking, hat-trick, and assist big. Liverpool takes on the “found-out” Blades, so you never know.
Los Cuchi Frescos 94 – 70 Cobra Kai
FPtsA FC (formerly known as @Wrigavin) vs Jingle Bellamy
Some admin news for the millions of fans of the Community League C: @Wrigavin have changed their team name to “FPtsA FC”; I cannot think for the life of me why. Anyway, as a celebration of this rebrand, here is a gift for the club’s manager. This is going to be a close one, though – spoiler alert – not the closest matchup of the weekend. Barnes and Pulisic may not hit their usual heights as they face Arsenal and Manchester United, but there are nice matchups for the Brighton duo of Lamptey and Bissouma. Michy Batshuayi owners – of which @Wrigavin is one – should pencil this weekend in as D-day for his fantasy future. If he doesn’t get a big return against Fulham, he needs to go.
With Maddison, Saka, and Aubameyang in the starting 11 Jingle Bellamy will be wanting goals in the Leicester-Arsenal game, but I don’t see it happening. Add to that Chilwell going up against United, Greenwood currently warming the bench, and injuries to Riccy P and Gabriel Jesus, and the manager will be rightly ecstatic if they can squeeze by with a win here. And I think they’ll get it. Just. Thanks will be given to some of the less fashionable names in the squad, with Nelson Semedo (vs Newcastle), Wilf Zaha, and Jeffrey Schlupp (vs Fulham), Matty Cash (vs Leeds), and Alexis Mac Allister (vs West Brom) all poised for good returns.
@Wrigavin 90 – 95 Jingle Bellamy
@BeefRed1 vs FF92
Awkward decision to kick off the weekend for @BeefRed1. They’ve brought in Mings, who faces Leeds on Friday night, but if everyone in the squad starts, Mings wouldn’t get in the first 11. The question, then, is how confident are you that Reece James and Joao Cancelo start? I think they do. This means Mings has to be dropped (to free agency that is – none of this amateur hour stuff by leaving him on the bench). But then if one of those doesn’t start… Anyway, that’s too much defensive talk for a team that has potential goals all over the park this weekend. I’m predicting BeefRed to top score this weekend, but that’s based on my sincere disdain for Newcastle’s defensive abilities (they have the 3rd worst XGA in the league) and my faith in Silva and Mahrez to do the business against West Ham. If we have a surprise result or two, then this big score shrinks drastically.
Checking into heartbreak hotel this week is FF92, who will lose despite putting up the second most points themselves. The defense would the weak link in this team, but I think even my Sunday-league team could keep a clean sheet against Sheffield United, so the VVD-less Liverpool should be fine here and bring home two clean sheets. The midfield has points everywhere, whilst the forward line has Salah – enough said. A big decision for the manager may be whether to go with Pepe, Willian, or Wood. This might get decided for them if Arteta mixes things up, but if not, I’d be tempted to only go for the one Arsenal forward, and back Wood to exploit a Tottenham defense that must be reeling from conceding three goals in their last 12 minutes of football. Which Arsenal forward is a toss-up though.
@BeefRed1 139 – 132 FF92
Kriss Tross (Chuck) vs A Team of Carraghers
Now that’s what I call a defense. Reminiscent of the great Italian sides of the 90s, these are a collection of legendary defenders right here. Maldini? Try Antonee Robinson. Cannavaro? Na, Gabriel for me. Costacurta? More like Azpilicueta. This is what Fantrax is all about. Yeah, the rest of the squad is pretty good too. Son probably scores against Burnley, and the midfield is like Jonah Hill – not pretty to look at, but damn effective. A century is incoming for Kriss Tross, unfortunately…
Yep, this is the matchup of the weekend right here. A Team of Carraghers is going to win this one by the Bush-Gore-est of margins (*admires third American political reference; pats self on back*). Again, the predictions hinge on Wolves sticking it to Newcastle, and Marcal/Saiss/Traore benefitting to the tune of 50+ points. It’s also banking on Townsend rediscovering his double-digit form of the first three games – he takes on Fulham, so this is hardly a reach – and Watkins or Werner finding the net again. To start Jannick Vestergaard versus Everton, or Michael Keane versus Southampton is the sort of decision that makes Fantrax the beautiful game that it is. And the sort of decision that wins these types of matchups.
Kriss Tross (Chuck) 101 – 102 A Team of Carraghers
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