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Mark Johnson has been in top fantasy form thus far for James
If Fantasy Football has tickled the footballing sensibilities across York’s eight colleges so far this summer, just wait for Thursday evening.
From 6.00pm sharp – and all through the weekend – fantasy fans will be able to make up to four crucial changes to their teams in preparation for the quarter-finals. But while it might seem pretty darn obvious who you should take out – all Langwith and Wentworth players for starters – there are some little-known steals lurking in the bargain basement.
Miles McDermott and Parris Williams look criminally undervalued at £3.9m and £4.1m, respectively, after rising from regular substitutes to nailed-on starters in Alcuin’s first team. Meanwhile, though, Jake Delaney (£8m) is almost certainly out for the rest of the tournament with cruciate ligament damage. There could be no better trade for the hundreds of teams that have made Delaney the most-picked midfielder in the game than switching him for a bit-part player from favourites Derwent or Goodricke – Nav Jakarkhly (£4m) or Sam Lewis (£4.7m), for example – and using the spare cash elsewhere.
Chris Barnett (£6.3m) and Mark Johnson (£6.6m) are expensive but proven performers and it’s important at this stage to pick players in teams expected, at least, to make the semis. Derwent are as good as certainties and James, who will probably face Halifax Firsts in the quarters, should join them.
Elsewhere, Ben Smith (£5.8m) is due a goal for Goodricke and next year’s university second team captain would be a fitting replacement for Mark Gouland (£8.1m) should Vanbrugh face elimination at the hands of Derwent today. Goal-a-game striker Dom Green has also shown excellent value for Halifax Firsts at £4.6m. If absent medics Joe Brennan and Ian McKellow show their esteemed faces for the ‘Fax, they could go all the way, making Green a perfect addition.
Thus far, defenders have been the surprise source of plenteous group stage points – particularly Halifax’s Shaun Evans – but don’t expect any stunning hattrick performances from rearguard battering-rams in the latter stages. If you’re feeling lucky, though, look no further than Chris Grayland (£5.6m): a towering figure at corners for Goodricke. With the delivery coming from two of the best deal-ball operaters at York in Remi Remington and Tom Wilson, Grayland is odds-on to bag.
Adlou may have dominated the league table since Matchweek 1, but his victory is by no means assured. Some insightful picks this weekend could see those as far back as 200th jump into the the top three: it all comes down to window wranglings now. Remember to change things around by 9.00am on Monday morning in order for transfers to take effect, and check my Start em Sit em blog online at nouse.co.uk for the latest titbits.
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Eh up, can those playing in the plate still score fantasy points?
Sorry Dan, no Fantasy Points scored for Plate games. Simple reason is that I felt it would work more effectively as a competition that way, not to diminish the excitement of the Plate.
We’ll be there for the games anyhow, so expect match reports and the like.
DH