Captain Picks Fantasy Football Game-week 3

Captain Picks Fantasy Football Game-week 3 – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16

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After having my sleep rudely interrupted by a chicken, c0ck-a-d00dle-doing about a looming FF247 deadline, I could have been forgiven for thinking we were still awaiting the kick-off to season 2015/16. So imagine my shock when I was summonsed to select the captaincy contenders for Gameweek 3! Anyhow, I’ve resisted the temptation to defer to the “snooze” function, and I stand before you under a false pretense that this is indeed GW3…
Makes you wonder why we even bothered playing from GW1. I mean, look no further than the chap who topped the GW2 rankings. While the rest of us toiled over the pre-season, Johnny-come-lately swoons in and pulls the rug from under our feet.

History is such a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Why? Because it tells us the same thing over and over again: that while we’ve supposedly “learned from our mistakes” blah blah blah, we’re doomed to repeat our sins of the past. The truth is that, notwithstanding its status as the most sophisticated of species, the homo sapien really ain’t that sophisticated. We are destined to look to history for the sake of repeating history. One needs to look no further than fantasy football to reinforce the point. We gushed over Rooney, Hazard, Walcott, Kane in pre-season and in GW1, and “learned from our mistakes” by retaining the aforementioned in GW2. Heck, we even captained them! A cursory glance of the FF247 pages reinforces the proposition: “Don’t play your wildcard…”. “Be patient…”. “Wenger will start Theo…”. “Don’t take points hits…” etc etc…Dare I continue?
Wake up folks. This is fantasy football Armageddon. The world as we know it has ended. Don’t believe me? Check your rankings (well, check mine anyway). Have a look at that half-baked attempt at what purports to be a football squad by the fool leading your mini-league by the length of the straight, who probably hasn’t logged in since hitting “autocomplete” back in July. Heck, the leader of my own mini-league still has Dzeko in his squad!! And yet, despite the statistics, despite the research, despite the history lessons, and the blood, sweat and tears expended over whether to pick Walcott, Cazorla or Ozil, the fires of fantasy footballing hell have descended upon over 3 million unsuspecting victims, leaving a trail of carnage and destruction over all who dare stand before them. We’re doomed. In fairness, one only has to note that Everton maintained their unbeaten start to the season (and Lukaku is scoring goals) for the stark reality of what is upon us to take hold.
But, again, what does history tell us? Yep, we pick up the pieces, and soldier on. We curse, we mourn, we activate the wildcard, we spit chips, we play chips, we blame Raz, we burn effigies, we threaten to walk away, but we pick up our bat and face up to one more over. It’s our destiny folks. Age shall not weary us. Fear is not an option. There is no excuse for failure.

And so with that call to arms, I present you this week’s captaincy picks.

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1. Juan Mata – Manchester United (h) v Newcastle
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His no. 10 counterpart is likely to be the more popular choice this week, but needless to say Rooney hasn’t (yet) hit the heights expected of him in early 2015/16. Again, our failings as homo sapiens conspired to construct what, on its face anyway, seemed an inevitable flow of fantasy gold. I mean, it’s Wayne Rooney! Historically starts the season so well! And he’s back in his favoured role! Oh, and look at his opening fixtures! But wait, there’s more: he scored twice in United’s last home fixture against Newcastle (December 2014). But let’s be frank, Rooney seems unlikely to explode any time soon. There is no bang here (football-wise, keep it above the belt peoples!). No sizzle is going to sell this sausage. Partly boredom, partly a product of the conservative attacking style being adopted by LVG, and Rooney’s tendency in the opening matches to drift wide, but no matter which way you deconstruct this beast (literally as well as figuratively), there is no escaping the fact that Rooney has been a fantasy disappointment (again, literally as well as figuratively).

Mata, however, has begun to show glimpses of the form which twice made him Chelsea’s player of the year, assisting Januzaj’s effort (and 3 bonus points to boot) in last week’s 1-0 over Sherwood’s Villa (and really should have had a second assist but for “When I was walking in” Memphis Depay somehow failing to hit a target as wide as Elvis’s (and Rooney’s for that matter)). Importantly, Mata appears the mainstay and the conductor of the United midfield which will look to make beautiful music against a Newcastle side which to be fair has started the season quite well by its own standards. Incidentally, Mata has enjoyed recent success against Newcastle (admittedly Lord Pardew was in charge then), scoring a brace in a 4-0 victory in April 2014. I expect United to decimate Newcastle at home this week, and further expect Mata to be central to that cause.

Prediction: United 4 Newcastle 1

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2. Sergio Aguero – Manchester City (a) v Everton
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Now, be honest, how many of you hid behind the sofa when the team sheets for City v Chelsea were announced last week? Actually, in view of the way this season has started for many of the big names, we’d have nothing to worry about. Right? Wrong! After easing into season 2015/16 with a 28 minute cameo against West Brom, Aguero put in an impressive 90 minute display against the Champions, scoring his first goal of the season in the process. It would now seem that Aguero is back to full match fitness, after his summer break post-Copa America. Attention now turns to the Toffees. This match-up has been kind to City in recent years: Everton have failed to defeat City in their last 4 outings, losing 3 in the process. Incidentally, Aguero has scored in two of those fixtures. Storming into title favouritism, City have been keen to make an early impact on 2015/16. Clinical in their surgical dissection of the Champions, City will look to build on their impressive start to the season. Expect goals in this encounter. Kun is likely to be on the goal sheet. Ignore him at your peril. Refrain from your wildcard or points hits at your risk. Do whatever you need to do to get him into your squad. I, for one, will be watching this fixture from the comfort of my lounge, not behind it!

Prediction: Everton 1 City 3

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3. Alexis Sanchez -Arsenal (h) v Liverpool
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Much like Kun, and again following the Copa America, Alexis eased into season 2015/16 with a 24 minute cameo against West Brom, followed by 74 minutes and an assist against Palace. In truth, Alexis should have achieved much more from the Palace fixture, missing a host of chances that he would normally bury by his own high standards. Which only serves to make him an even more dangerous proposition at home to Liverpool this week, now that he appears to have reached full match fitness. Arsenal have generally underwhelmed since winning the Community Shield in early August, however they come up against a side for which this fixture has been very favourable in recent years. Liverpool have failed to defeat Arsenal in 8 of their past 9 meetings in all competitions – the most recent fixture being a 4-1 demolition in April, and, yes, one in which Alexis scored. The Gunners have scored at least 2 goals in each of those 8 victories. A rather interesting statistic is that, in the last 13 premier league meetings between the two teams, a goal has been scored in the 90th minute on 9 occasions. In all likelihood, Alexis will see 90 minutes, which only adds to his appeal in this fixture.

In view of Chelsea’s recent performance, a straight Hazard to Alexis swap is likely to be a popular transfer this week. Much like the case with Kun, this could be another “hide behind the lounge” moment if Alexis unleashes on Liverpool. However, and in view of recent selection anomalies, it’s equally likely that Le Professeur will choose to start Alexis from the bench, further polarising all opinion and rationality. At some point before too long, normal service will resume in fantasy football: expect Alexis to be leading that renaissance.

Prediction: Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1

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4. Dimitri Payet West Ham (h) v Bournemouth
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Payet has opened his Premier League campaign in fine style, scoring one and assisting one in his first two matches. The West Ham of 2015/16 appears to resemble everything that their former manager was not: slick, efficient, attacking, and most certainly not boring. They dispatched Arsenal with ease at the Emirates in GW1, before stumbling against the new title favourites in Leicester, who seem to remain under the impression that they’re still in a relegation fight, having picked up right where they left off in 2014/15.

Payet’s credentials are certainly impressive. In 2014/15, Payet created more chances (135) than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues last year, and led Ligue 1 in assists (17), whilst helping himself to 7 goals in the process. Payet also led Ligue 1 for key passes, 40 more than any other player. The 135 chances basically meant that he set up a team mate every 23 minutes. Payet also attempted more shots from outside the area (58) than any other Ligue 1 midfielder in 2014/15.

Rightly titled the “Assist Master”, Payet looks set to add a new edge to the Hammers’ attacking midfield in 2015/16, and a hapless Bournemouth awaits as his main course. Priced at 7.6m, Payet has shown early signs that he may well become the mid-priced purchase of the season.

Prediction: West Ham 3 Bournemouth 0

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Red (proceed with caution): Rooney

Amber (if you have him, captain him): Mata

Green (ignore him at your peril): Aguero

Best of luck to all. Back to sleep I go. Let me know when the season gets underway.

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Triple Captain Chip
Just a quick word on the new feature this season. It pretty much does what it says on the tin and trebles your points for your captain on whichever game-week you choose to deploy it. We shall touch on this as and when we feel the opportunity presents itself to use it effectively but this in all likelihood is one to save for when we encounter double game-weeks later on in the season.

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Thanks for reading Captain Picks Fantasy Football Game-week 3. This article was written by blue_moon

Follow @Yazbeckistan

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