Football Blogging Awards: Please Vote For Us!

Hi all,

With voting coming to a close this Sunday, I thought it best to lobby on this matter for one last time.  I posted a quasi-manifesto in September prior to our blog being shortlisted.  I would like to elaborate on the previous post and give you more insight about our blog.  But before I do so, I must say that it is an honour to be shortlisted, especially against some of the respected heavyweights of the FPL community.  We are truly humbled and appreciate the recognition wholeheartedly.

This blog is run by volunteers and has gradually expanded over the past two years.  Our increasing output hasn't been at the behest of quality.  I could have instigated quicker expansion from the onset, such as adopting a dot com URL, stuffing the blog with tons of adverts and so forth.  On a side note, I could have ditched it all together as I have had plenty of offers to write for other outlets too.  But sometimes it's good to say no and take things one step at a time.  I like the fact that I still use the "blogspot" suffix for my blog as it emphasises our rawness and authenticity.  We don't offer a bog standard service or force you to pay fees to read our content.  We are ordinary folks who are passionate about FPL.  It's as simple as that!  Thousands follow us on Twitter and more so read our posts on a weekly basis.  Such interest continues to increase and as a consequence gives us impetus to carry on.  Heck, we even sell shirts now!

Our FPL Blog Team is a litmus test of our success.  If we gave poor advice no one would read our blog.  Yet the truth of the matter is that we generally talk sense!  It is such a mindset that allowed me to be World No. 73 in 2012 or for Matej to finish World No. 15 in 2013.  In relation to this season, our 82% success rate of weekly Hot Picks/captains (thus far) shows that we have been able to get it right in the past as well as the present.  Even Walt's new feature (limited by strict parameters), #JackInTheBox, shows our depth in thinking - as was the case with his excellent pick in GW10.  We aren't experts by any stretch of the imagination.  But without our free insight would you be better off or worse off? Who else has shown you their team for every GW since the 2011/2012 season?  Who else shows you their captain and transfers or provides you with potential differentials on a weekly basis?

If you don't wish to vote for us that's completely fine too.  If that is the case I would personally recommend that you vote for Fantasy Yirma or Fantasy Football Pundits.

In relation to the other categories, I have only voted for FutbolPulse as Best New Blog.  Having said that I may vote for others in the remaining categories but that remains to be seen.

PLEASE VOTE FOR US!

You can vote for us through Twitter, Facebook or SportsLobster.  Your vote is greatly appreciated by Walt, Matej and I.  If you have ever benefited from this blog in any way and haven't voted for anyone else (post-nominations),  PLEASE VOTE FOR US.

Regards,

Chief @FPLHints

The Rearview Mirror: GW11 FPL Wrap-Up

FPL GW11: Remembrance Day Weekend

 

Being a sentimentalist, GW11, at its very core, should be remembered for the tradition it honors so proudly and touchingly.  Sporting pursuits have long mirrored and reinforced cultural traditions of the society within which they operate, and the communal, national identity that is so strongly expressed through English football holds nothing back in the annual tradition of Remembrance Day.  The spine-tingling roar of the crowd is eclipsed only by the minute of remembrance and deafening silence of respect and honor that precedes it.  Pure class.

 

 

 

Amidst the tradition of honor and respect on display in such a touching way, there were 10 EPL fixtures to be played as well and I am happy to summarize them for you in today's article.  In all honesty, weekly reviews are my favorite.  I have found that describing what's happened during a specific gameweek is infinitely easier (and recently much more fun) than attempting to predict what will happen before it starts.  In a format I hope you enjoy and have become comfortable with, I will give you 3 headlines for each fixture, as well as dish out some important FPL related updates.  

 

Aston Villa 2 - 0 Cardiff City

Bacuna dazzles with another amazing free kick in 76' to break the stalemate

Kozak converts from Lowton to double the Villa lead

Guzan and Co. notch another cleanie!

Top FPL points distributed to: Bacuna (11), Kozak (8), Vlaar (7), Guzan (7)

 

Chelsea 2 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Eto'o capitalizes on awful Ridgwell mistake to open scoring

Shane Long equalizes before Cech gifts Sessegnon a 2nd

Andre Marriner requests hate mail and Hazard converts PK to save Mou and CFC

FPL treats claimed by Hazard (13), Sessegnon (8), Eto'o (7)

 

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Everton

Barkley begins to lose FPL cred - starts on bench again

Dikgacoi amazingly turns impressive Thomas cross BACKWARDS - wtf!

Jagielka sends cross-goal header off bar in 77th but no goals here today

Boring goalless draw FPL pts to Jagielka (9), Baines, Coleman, Moxey (8)

 

Liverpool 4 - 0 Fulham

Amorebieta unintentionally turns Gerrard free kick into own net

Skrtel attacks Gerrard corner with abandon to double lead

The Luis Suarez Experience notches 2 more in 4-0 rout by home side (Chief's #HotPick)

Super duper FPL points for Suarez (16), Skrtel (13), Gerrard (11)

 

Southampton 4 - 1 Hull City

Schneiderlin converts Lambert assist in 16th to go up 1-0

Lallana draws PK for Lambert then provides stunner of his own

Wanyama gifts Hull and throws away CS before Clyne to S Davis ends scoring

FPL goodness for Lambert (15), Lallana (12), Sagbo (7)

 

Norwich 3 - 1 West Ham

Nolan to Morrison in 32nd before Hooper PK equalizes in 53rd

Howson (Walt's #JackInTheBox) rattles post in 71st

Snodgrass gem puts home side ahead before Fer slams door shut in 93rd

Pointus Maximus for Snodgrass (10), Hooper (9), Elmander, Morrison (8)

 

Tottenham 0 - 1 Newcastle

Remy puts visitors ahead and makes Levy frown from the rich seats

Krul keeps Newcastle ahead (with a little help from post)

Newcastle notch back to back victories over Chelsea and Tottenham (impressive)

Happy FPL managers (not me) had Krul (13), Remy (8), Williamson (7)

 

Sunderland 1 - 0 Manchester City

 One defender feeds another - Wes Brown to Bardsley 21st min

Aguero et al - great chances throughout but nothing doing (including Matej's #CalledIt Nasri)

This Sunderland-City curse is for real!

Big FPL pointage for Bardsley (15) - wish I had him!, Brown (11), Mannone (8)

 

Manchester United 1 - 0 Arsenal

Old Arsenal hero / new Arsenal nemesis RVP puts Utd up 1-0

Szczesny-Jones and DeGea-Vidic collide in separate incidents

Ramsey doesn't score - WHAT!?!

RVP (9), Evra (8), DeGea, Smalling, Evans (6)

 

Swansea City 3 - 3 Stoke City

Walters unknowingly starts GoalFest in 8th min from Crouch assist

Crouch to Ireland, Bony from DeGuzman, and Dyer levels at 2-2

Shelvey to Bony and very late PK to Stoke leaves things level 3-3

Wish I had Bony (13), Crouch (9), Walters, Ireland, DeGuzman (7)

 

Well, there you have it; GW11 in a nutshell.  All of us at Fantasy Premier League Hints wish you an enjoyable international break and thank you for taking the time to visit this blog. Please take note of the paragraph below and vote for Fantasy Premier League Hints in the FBAs if you have not yet voted in the final round.

 

Cheers,

 

Walt

 

 

Please remember that Fantasy Premier League Hints is a finalist in this year's Football Blogging Awards in the Best FPL Blog category. The Chief has worked extremely hard over a number of years to build and offer a blog of high quality and consistency. Fantasy Premier League Hints would be honored to receive your vote in the current round of final voting. If you haven't already voted in the final voting round, you may cast your vote between now and November 17. Note: Voting is allowed in both the preliminary round and the final round of voting, so even if you have already cast a vote during the preliminary round, you may also vote in the final round that ends November 17.

Visit the FBA's through this link right here. Or cast your vote by simply tweeting the following:

"I am voting in @TheFBAs for @FPLHints as the Best #FPL Blog"

#CalledIt Differential Pick - GW11

I know, where is the visual, right? My apologies, there will be none this week as I am away on a business trip and it completely slipped my mind that I don't have Adobe Illustrator installed on my company computer (DOH!). Don't worry, despite the lack of packaging, the goods are still coming. Last week Fernando did not deliver, but two of the mentions - Sagbo and Sessegnon did. Hope you had at least one.

A popular pick this week seems to be Coutinho, who will do his best to play the inhospitable host role to the Fulham team, who have been on a receiving end of 10 goals in their last three matches (7 of those courtesy of Manchester City last week). While I do agree that he has the potential and he should start his first game in a while (after getting 45 minutes last GW) AND should take over the much coveted role of playing "in the hole" AND the fact that Liverpool will be hungry to bounce back after a disappointing defeat against Arsenal, I just believe that we can do better. Down to 8.5m (from 9.0m at the beginning of the season) and with an ownership of 4,7% he still deserves an honorable mention. Who knows, maybe by not selecting him for my #CalledIt, he will decide this is the time to shine and score a brace and add a trio of assists. Worth your consideration. Has the skill set, form is questionable.

With having said that, form is key! Because of this, I select Samir Nasri as my #CalledIt for GW11. Sure, he might not play 90 minutes, but City is rolling right now and he has returned 3 assists and 1 goal in the last 6 matches. Especially with Silva sidelined (most likely), he should carry more offensive threat.

GW11 #CalledIt

Samir NASRI

Cost: £8.0M

Ownership: 2,6%

Fixtures: B+

Form: B

As a risky differential, you can always turn to Mirallas. He is down to 7.2m and 3,3% ownership, but Crystal Palace should prove to be a resilient opponent this week. You can also consider Eto'o (with Torres out) and Negredo.

GW11 FPL #JackInTheBox

Party Time!!

Instead of posting a Jack In The Box article this week, I have decided to replace it with a week's worth of celebration and non-stop bragging over last week's successful pick on the maiden voyage of Walt's Jack In The Box ;)  Nah, only kidding, but after the start to the season I've had, last week's selection has certainly been the highlight of my season to date.  I will long remember sitting at lunch with my family, including my Mom, who was visiting from out of town, and feeling my phone start vibrating like crazy as my Twitter friends were spreading the happy news that Caulker scored.  Along with my phone, I was literally buzzing.  Thanks for the tweets!

Ok, on to this week....  the bottom 5 have a pretty difficult run of fixtures this time around, with Palace at home to Everton (not going near it), Sunderland at home to City (hahaha, right!), and Fulham away to Liverpool (no thanks).  So it's gotta be between Stoke, who will be visiting the Liberty Stadium, and Norwich, who will be at home hosting West Ham.  I feel as if I've picked on Swansea enough after last week and don't want to rub it in, so I'm gonna go with the Norwich-West Ham game.  No easy task, given Norwich's shyness in front of goal this year and West Ham's solid away form.  But I gotta go with one of the fixtures and I'm sticking with the home side again.  Plus, I still believe Norwich are under-performing and could start to improve soon.

So, Norwich at home, but who then?  Well Snodgrass of course, but NO, he's owned by more than 3%!  The other options among the squad are many, and I've had a good look around.  Sporting Norwich's highest EA Sports PPI numbers for the season, along with being their top scorer this season, the nod goes to Jonathan Howson.  Some of you may recall the stunner he put past Asmir Begovic during gw6 or the other goal he scored in gw8 vs league leaders Arsenal....if Norwich are going to get on the board and their forwards continue to struggle, it could very well be Howson to the rescue yet again.  And with the next two upcoming fixtures being Newcastle away and Crystal Palace at home, he could provide returns for the short-term future as well.

Walt's GW11 FPL Jack In The Box Pick:

Jonathan Howson (Norwich)

Good luck to you, Mr. Howson.  May you sleep well tonight, maintain proper hydration, and make me look like a genius tomorrow (Matej too; as he thinks you're a good shout as well).

I cannot let the week finish without a HUGE thanks to one of my new favorite EPL players, Mr. Steven Caulker.  Mr. Caulker, you have managed to do what prior to last week no one, including myself, has been able to do this FPL season. You actually made it appear as if I have a faint idea of what I'm talking about!  Well done to you, sir. You are a magician and I am forever in your debt;)

Good luck in GW11 everyone.... I will see you shortly thereafter with this week's Wrap Up!

Walt

Please remember that Fantasy Premier League Hints is a finalist in this year's Football Blogging Awards in the Best FPL Blog category.  The Chief has worked extremely hard over a number of years to build and offer a blog of high quality and consistency.  Fantasy Premier League Hints would be honored to receive your vote in the current round of final voting.  If you haven't already voted in the final voting round, you may cast your vote between now and November 17.  Note: Voting is allowed in both the preliminary round and the final round of voting, so even if you have already cast a vote during the preliminary round, you may also vote in the final round that ends November 17.

Visit the FBA's through this link right here.  Or cast your vote by simply tweeting the following:

 "I am voting in @TheFBAs for @FPLHints as the Best #FPL Blog"

FPL Hints - Gameweek 11

Disclaimer: *FPLH reserves the right to change this team at any time. Any changes made will most likely be confirmed on FPLH's Twitter account.

Transfers: 

NONE

Hi all, before I ramble on about this week's preview, I would like to say this again...

PLEASE VOTE FOR US!

This blog has been shortlisted by the Football Blogging Awards under the category of:

BEST FPL FOOTBALL BLOG

You can vote for us through Twitter, Facebook or SportsLobster.  Your vote is greatly appreciated by Walt, Matej and I.  If you have ever benefited from this blog in any way and haven't voted for anyone else (post-nominations),  PLEASE VOTE FOR US.  I don't wish to go on about it too much, but this is the only FPL blog that has posted its own team for every single Gameweek for the past two years with decent results to boot!  More reasons as to why you should vote for us can be found on our previous post.

Before I talk about GW11, I must lament about GW10.  But why you may ask? My #HotPick and captain Aguero did so well and I scored over 70 points!  But that's not the end of it... I had Marshall on the bench (who kept a clean sheet), but played Vorm (who got sent off!).  I played Barkley (who pocketed a 1 point cameo) and benched Ramsey (who scored a goal).  In total I lost 20+ virtual points.  With that in mind...

 DON'T BENCH RAMSEY, DON'T BENCH RAMSEY, 

DON'T BENCH RAMSEY, DON'T BENCH RAMSEY,

DON'T BENCH RAMSEY, DON'T BENCH RAMSEY,

DON'T BENCH RAMSEY, DON'T BENCH RAMSEY!

So glad I have got that off my chest...

As for GW11, I have decided not to make any transfers. This is partly due to the international break taking place next week.  In addition, my midfield and attack is jammed shut for now and I wasn't tempted by any specific defensive options.  The result of my non-action means that I will have 5 players potentially participating in one match (Man U v Arsenal).  I know that's a risk, but when their attacking players are doing so well (yes, like 'effing Ramsey!) it's hard not to keep them nailed down in my first XI.  In the unlikely event the match ends up as a damp squib 0-0 draw, Gibbs and Vidic will mildly bail me out from lost attacking points via clean sheets.  They could even score in a high scoring game.  It's a big match; you just never know.  Either way, I'm taking a risk and I don't mind.  The match promises a lot, especially when considering the following facts:

Arsenal have won 14 of their last 15 away matches.

Arsenal haven't beaten United at Old Trafford since 2006.

Man Utd haven't kept a clean sheet in the PL since GW4.

Man Utd have only won 2/5 PL matches at home this season.

I have decided to captain Suarez.  Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from their defeat at the Emirates and the Uruguayan will be the person who can inspire them against a shaky Fulham team.  I would have considered Aguero for the armband again, but he played 90 minutes mid-week in the Champions League.  Rooney, Ramsey and Ozil were also potential candidates but there are too many variables in the match at Old Trafford.

GW Reject:

GRAHAM (HUL)

GW Punt:

RAMSEY (ARS)

GW Hot Pick:

SUAREZ (LIV)

Why?

Liverpool have won 4 of their last 5 PL home matches.

Suarez & Sturridge have formed a lethal strike partnership.

With Coutinho back, expect more goal scoring opportunities.

FPLH's GW Star Picks:

Boruc

Terry

Lovren

G. Johnson

Oscar

Ramsey

Silva

Ozil

Suarez (c)

Aguero

Rooney

Subs:

Cech

Baines

Rangel

De Guzman

FPLH's Projected GW Results:

Looking back at Gameweek 10 - Chief's "LESSLINES"

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

AMAZING AGUERO LEADS HART-LESS CITY TO 7 STAR VICTORY!

TOON REMAIN MOURINHO'S BOGEY TEAM WITH SHOCK WIN.

ILL-DISCIPLINED BLACK CATS ARE MAULED TO BITS BY THE TIGERS.

BEGOVIC BECOMES STOKE'S JOINT TOP SCORER IN STALEMATE v SAINTS.

PALACE SUFFER MORE WOE AS 'BROM BAG AN EASY WIN AT HOME.

NO GOALS AT THE BOLEYN GROUND AS VILLA & IRONS SHOOT BLANKS.

RAMBO-INSPIRED GUNNERS BEAT LIVERPOOL & EXTEND LEAD TO 5 PTS.

TOFFEES & SPURS PLAY IT SAFE IN DAMP SQUIB NO SCORE DRAW.

PL'S FIRST EVER SOUTH WALES DERBY ENDS WITH A VICTORY FOR CARDIFF.

IF YOU HAVE VORM, MARTIN, GIROUD & LUKAKU YOU MUST BE DEFLATED.

IF YOU HAVE BEGOVIC, CAULKER, RAMSEY & AGUERO YOU MUST BE ELATED!

AND FINALLY...

DON'T BENCH RAMBO & MARSHALL AT HOME... I DID! DON'T ASK...

*"LESSLINES" is a portmanteau of Lessons and Headlines.  They are intended to be bite-sized summations of what we learnt during the Gameweek!

#CalledIt Differential Pick - GW10

To put it out in the open, I have never been a big fan of Fernando Torres. Maybe it’s because at the beginning of his career it seemed all too easy for him. He was scoring goals for fun, having a great time doing it and he was (and still is) a babe magnet. Could you call it resentment? Perhaps. People are funny this way.

But in the last couple of years (the struggling ones) I have found myself actually rooting for the guy. Maybe it's because I would like to believe that even players who have been written off and forgotten, can have that one last great game, one last great season, to go out with a bang. You know, the BIG season that a movie could be made out of. Just like I hoped that Michael Jordan’s second comeback would see him carry the underdog team all the way to at least the Conference Finals at the age of 40. But we all know how that ended…

Anyway, I doubt that Torres "IS BACK". I doubt that he will again be the "old Torres". But darn me, he looks pretty hungry out there these days, scratching and clawing. And this is what I really like. So, despite Mourinho's knack for rotating, and despite vowing that I will not pick any Chelsea, I am doing it anyway - my #CalledIt for GW10 is Fernando Torres. May #FPL gods have mercy on my soul.

As a bonus, I am bringing you the 0,2% owned, 4.9m worth Yannick Sagbo from Hull. He is expected to start against Sunderland and has shown that he can score. Want to free some funds for Agüero for instance? He is your man. 

Last, but not least, are the only two of my former picks that did not deliver - Sessegnon and Bony. Still owned by less than 5% this could be their week to shine. 

Until next week. 

And thanks to Walt for letting me use his footer and I join him in saying that your consideration and vote (see below) for Chief's hard work would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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Please remember that Fantasy Premier League Hints is a finalist in this year's Football Blogging Awards in the Best FPL Blog category.  The Chief has worked extremely hard over a number of years to build and offer a blog of high quality and consistency.  Your consideration and vote in the final round of voting would be greatly appreciated.

Visit the FBA's through this link right here.  Or cast your vote by simply tweeting the following:

 "I am voting in @TheFBAs for @FPLHints as the Best #FPL Blog"

GW10 FPL #JackInTheBox

All Eyes on South Wales This Weekend

Living in a country where football is struggling to gain a solid foothold in the mainstream sporting landscape, I wish I could take every person I know and sit with them during a playback of last week's Tyne-Wear derby.  It is fixtures like that where I am left literally shaking with adrenaline as I watch the emotion and intensity unfold.  The raw and uncontrollable excitement displayed by the supporters, in my opinion, is enough to turn even the harshest or most apathetic football critic into a believer with immediate effect.

Fresh off of last week's Adrenaline Fest comes another derby match that will go down in history as the first ever South Wales derby in the top flight of English football.  With the spotlight firmly pointed in the direction of Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd, this historic fixture is much too important and simply cannot be overlooked during my first installment of #JackInTheBox.

Cardiff is tough at home; they proved difficult to breach in last year's Championship run and they've also beaten mighty Manchester City and kept Everton off the scoreboard this year in home fixtures.  I expect them to be tougher than ever this weekend, and I expect them to benefit greatly from home field advantage in one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Premier League season.  

With this in mind, and considering that main-man Whittingham's ownership level disqualifies him from consideration (along with my current defender Ben Turner), I'm sticking with a defensive player and anointing Steven Caulker as my first ever FPL #JackInTheBox!

GW10 FPL #JackInTheBox:   STEVEN CAULKER

Caulker is big, strong and tough.  He also has come away with maximum bonus points in two separate fixtures this season already.  His aerial presence on offensive set pieces, combined with Cardiff's notoriously tough defense at home, gives him a nice multi-faceted potential for a surprising jackpot of FPL points this weekend.  Steven, this is your cue to get in there and give us a #JackInTheBox worthy performance, buddy.

I hope you've enjoyed the first-ever installment of #JackInTheBox and I look forward to your comments, banter, and follow up discussion both here and in the Twitterverse.  I also look forward to the derby and will be watching him very closely, hoping to be able to show up post-GW with some bragging of my own to do.  Bring it on!

_______________________________________________________________________

Please remember that Fantasy Premier League Hints is a finalist in this year's Football Blogging Awards in the Best FPL Blog category.  The Chief has worked extremely hard over a number of years to build and offer a blog of high quality and consistency.  Your consideration and vote in the final round of voting would be greatly appreciated.

Visit the FBA's through this link right here.  Or cast your vote by simply tweeting the following:

 "I am voting in @TheFBAs for @FPLHints as the Best #FPL Blog"

Cheers everyone and best of luck for FPL Gameweek 10!

Walt