tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79846692024-03-08T06:31:55.937-05:00Fantasy Premier League BlogOpinion, commentary and humour on fantasy English Premier League football, the English Premier League, Major League Soccer and international football. From people who should know... better.Neal Thurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07585543708520268866noreply@blogger.comBlogger2248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-48347517201849789662023-01-20T18:01:00.004-05:002023-01-20T18:01:37.499-05:00Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.A quick repost of this story so I don't lose it if Never Manage Alone goes dark. (Thanks, Vox Media.)
credit: Scott Heavey
Dec 1, 2012, 11:41am PST
So I woke up at 3am - no alarm, but couldn't sleep - with every intention of selling Anderson (will he or won't he start?) for Bertrand or maybe Marin. The team sheets came out, and my options are... Gary O'Neil and Carlton Cole. Fuck! So what Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-85909710703452541712022-12-14T14:08:00.001-05:002022-12-14T16:58:17.083-05:00France - Morocco5' Game over, five minutes in? Morocco have been very fortunate in game-state all tournament and now France can bunker and break through Mbappe.
96’ Yep. Sometimes you’re the windshield; sometimes you’re the bug. Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-57805783898377895082022-12-14T11:44:00.005-05:002022-12-14T11:45:33.579-05:00Argentina-CroatiaMy takeaway from the match is that Julian Alvarez is due a move to a bigger club.Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-58883555694984846062018-06-12T18:30:00.001-04:002018-06-12T18:30:11.180-04:00World Cup 2018 Fantasy: To the Nines
The nine. The finisher. The poacher. The goal scorer. El zorro en la caja. In these days of false nines and wide forwards, there is a crop of men - so manly, so dashing, so cool - that they could only be center forwards. It's on these players that a team will rest their goal scoring hopes.
Robert Lewandowski
Romelu Lukaku
Harry Kane
Luis Suarez, and Uruguay blessed with not only an easy groupJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-65783100642715999872018-06-12T16:58:00.000-04:002018-06-12T16:58:06.682-04:00World Cup 2018 Fantasy: Ten
The OMAC is the player you build around - in real life, and in fantasy. The nine is your Golden Boot hopeful. But the ten... the ten is something magical. The attacking midfielder. The small, skillful player directing his teams forward play, taking set pieces, and finishing moves. They may play off a striker, or behind a pair. They may be a false 9, but especially come the World Cup, theseJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-47581864728142406512018-06-12T16:22:00.001-04:002018-06-12T16:30:52.702-04:00World Cup 2018 Fantasy: OMAC
My first category, and the one you should look at first, is OMAC: One Man Army Corps. These are the players around whom their national teams are established. These are the rare few players who coaches construct systems around and who will be expected, indeed needed, to lead their teams. Needless to say, these players will be the most expensive, but still the most heavily owned players in the Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-52560020745729282882017-12-27T13:14:00.000-05:002017-12-28T10:32:55.833-05:00Former Southampton Eleven
Updated to address some Spurs-blindness, noted by @FFScout_Anorak.
pic.twitter.com/OTcziKsHFl
— Virgil van Dijk (@VirgilvDijk) December 27, 2017
With the news that Virgil van Dijk's long-anticipated move to Anfield is becoming a 75-million-pound reality, we thought it would be fun to come up with a Premier League all-ex-Saints eleven. We'll line up in a 4-2-3-1, as is the fashion, and Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-55545489609142592652017-12-11T13:03:00.003-05:002017-12-11T13:04:57.613-05:00Star Wars Football XI
A long time ago in a social media platform far, far away.
Could we get a Star Wars XI? Jar Jar Okocha. Obi Mikelnobi. Luke Young. Kyle “Sky” Walker. Gareth Bale Organa.
— Jeremy Spitzberg 🇺🇸 (@jspitzberg) December 9, 2017
Here's what we have. Feel free to add more in the comments. Thanks to @FantasyYIRMA, @FantasyGaffer, @jbullDFS, @alstra78, @wrigavin, @Nutk1ns, @JamesMartin013, and Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-11419803170201670792015-10-21T12:08:00.000-04:002015-10-21T12:08:23.194-04:00In defence of Big Sam
View image | gettyimages.com
My colleague and friend, Neal Thurman (formerly of these pages), had this little nugget buried in his Monday Morning Manager post:
"As much as I appreciate what Big Sam accomplished at Bolton back in the day, it seems like a poor fit of manager and roster. The Black Cats are handing a roster full of attacking midfielder-types to a guy best known for Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-13275191394001533162015-10-09T11:51:00.003-04:002015-10-09T11:54:08.255-04:00The Five Stages of Fantasy Manager GriefView image | gettyimages.com
With the news that Sergio Aguero has injured his hamstring playing for Argentina, we turn to Twitter, the internet's id, to demonstrate fantasy managers going through the classic five stages of grief.
Denial — The first reaction is denial. In this stage individuals believe the diagnosis is somehow mistaken, and cling to a false, preferable reality.
Won'tJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-56149865491833846212015-10-08T16:27:00.002-04:002015-10-08T16:27:36.055-04:00Serious Question
View image | gettyimages.com
Has anyone broken the news to them?
Amidst all the, justified, excitement around Jurgen Klopp's appointment as Liverpool manager is one thing I haven't heard. How do Liverpool fans - not ones to give up on their image of the club as a premier destination - feel about Klopp's deigning to take the job in the first place?
“I’m really very relaxed – but only Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-87714307405368912182015-10-08T16:10:00.001-04:002015-10-08T16:10:06.842-04:00Robin Van Persie is not impressed
View image | gettyimages.com
It seems as if the ex-Arsenal, ex-Manchester United star isn't happy with his lot in life with Fernebache. Here he is, on the bench, "celebrating" one of teammate Fernandao's recent goals:
I don't know why it's gone wrong for him. Maybe he's just past it. Maybe all those injuries didn't save his body from wear and tear - the theory when he was healthy Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-5414511086776803712015-10-07T11:57:00.000-04:002015-10-07T12:06:15.083-04:00What I'm reading - October 7, 2015
View image | gettyimages.com
I do love this photo.
First, the fantasy tips:
Premier League Power Rankings: 5 October
Fantasy Premier League Gw9 Tips – The Early Bandwagons And Sinking Ships
FPL Scout Extra: Chips should be held despite Aguero heroics
Hopefully, you don't have any of these players in your fantasy side:
The Premier League's underperforming (but undropped) players
Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-71159743945422581012015-10-06T14:12:00.002-04:002015-10-06T14:12:58.160-04:00Jurgen Klopp Press Conference"Jurgen Klopp: 'It's Liverpool Or Sunderland... What A Choice!'"
Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-27934538425467435862015-10-06T14:04:00.000-04:002015-10-06T14:04:03.121-04:00What I'm reading - October 6, 2015View image | gettyimages.com
Today, I have been mostly reading about Jurgen Klopp.
Jurgen Klopp the logical hire for Liverpool job
The Liverpool Offside Roundtable: Where Did It All Go Wrong for Brendan Rodgers?
Liverpool has big problems that a manager can't solve
Juventus 2-1 Dortmund: Juve bypass the midfield press for both goals
Dortmund 0-3 Juventus: deep defending and quick counteringJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-61060133581837050492015-10-05T13:27:00.001-04:002015-10-06T14:04:17.202-04:00What I'm reading - October 5, 2015
View image | gettyimages.com
What I'm reading, on the heels of a fantasy gameweek that saw me jump into the top 3K places despite having sold the player who scored five goals and was the leading choice for everyone's coffee cup (that's the captaincy for everyone not making jokes based on old AOL Instant Messanger icons).
Six things we learned from Norwich City’s narrow loss to LeicesterJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-51864587227262457762015-10-02T12:33:00.001-04:002015-10-06T14:04:28.468-04:00What I'm reading this weekView image | gettyimages.com
Some of what I'm reading this week, heading into the eighth round of Premier League action.
--
The Movement of Strikers in Mauricio Pochettino’s Tactics
Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 8 – The Strong
Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 8 – The Weak
Premier League Weekend Predictions & Tips
The Bargain Hunter - Week 8
Anthony Martial's success at Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-73475924585127535092014-06-03T13:09:00.001-04:002014-06-03T13:09:25.672-04:00#ProudToPlay
"Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers."
-- Nelson Mandela
YouTube and a host of sporting institutions and stars are Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-79731072539056904482014-05-30T16:06:00.001-04:002014-05-30T16:08:53.504-04:00Daniel Sturridge Goal England v. PeruJeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-8932227753934562962014-05-30T13:58:00.001-04:002014-05-30T16:09:29.689-04:00Getting Messi
... or, Just Higuain Around. A one-act play in three part.
Me: Thought this would be of interest to you:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2014/may/30/-sp-world-cup-kits
Co-worker: Argentina's away jersey this year is ugly.
Me: It looks better on paper. Much like their team in general.
... and, scene. Thank you.
Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-4654189622284710192014-05-27T17:20:00.003-04:002014-05-30T16:09:52.632-04:00Cardiff City sign Frederico MachedaTRANSFER NEWS: #CardiffCity can confirm the signing of Federico Macheda on a three-year-deal. #WelcomeKiko pic.twitter.com/cLrCJb5e7K— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) May 27, 2014
Not bad for someone who, as far as I know*, has only ever scored one goal. Albeit this one:
* I know. I know.Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-77357995807608309762011-10-12T13:02:00.003-04:002012-01-13T13:40:24.866-05:00The Week Ahead, Part 1 - Schedule AnalysisAs with everything blog-related, you can find this week's post at our new home over at www.NeverManageAlone.com (a part of SBNation.com). We hope you'll join us there.
http://www.nevermanagealone.com/2011/10/12/2485570/the-week-ahead-part-1-the-schedule
Cheers - NealNeal Thurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07585543708520268866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-82598616684853306882011-10-11T09:08:00.001-04:002011-10-11T12:42:20.767-04:00Barn Door Team - Week 8 Revised
Check out this post at our new blog home, Never Manage Alone.
The original is after the jump, but really you should check out the new version.
With Emmanuel Adebayor struggling with a hamstring injury after the Arsenal match, and seeing his price coming back down to cost, I'm playing with a new line-up for next week.
Franco Di Santo has been hit or miss this season, but hosting a Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-33446273276972766092011-10-10T10:13:00.000-04:002011-10-11T09:04:15.833-04:00English teams watching Brek Shea
So this rumour has made it from Twitter to the larger web.
English eyes on US starlet | Sky Sports | Football | Transfer Centre | Speculation:
Skysports.com understands a host of Premier League clubs are tracking American hot-shot Brek Shea.
The FC Dallas ace is regarded as one of the best young talents in America and is already an established member of Jurgen Klinsmann's USA side.
The Jeremy Spitzberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13306174630343638372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-8005959808218197522011-10-06T14:07:00.000-04:002011-10-07T08:45:19.273-04:00Wenger As England Manager?
Perhaps because it is an international week. Perhaps it is because reporters are tired of writing about Arsenal's demise on the pitch. Perhaps they are tired of digging into the books and trying to figure out how many years it will be until the long-term, and now out-dated, deals made to pay for the new stadium will be keeping Arsenal's football revenues from growing at the same pace as Neal Thurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07585543708520268866noreply@blogger.com0