Higashi Rinkan FC Week 1

Well here I am starting this at halftime of the 3pm (UK time) games on the opening day of the new Fantasy Premier League season. Just thought I'd go through my team and explain some of the reasons for selecting the players I did - even though so far things couldn't have gone much worse!

I decided the way I've done things in the past couple of seasons had to change, finishing god-knows-where in 08/09 and seventh last season meant that it WAS broke, so I had to fix it. So as much as I love Pepe Reina, I plumped for Sorensen as my keeper, and had to have a Stoke DF in, so that naturally is/was Shawcross (they're 2-0 down at Wolves at HT, and I've just been sick in my mouth). The other big call in defence, and this was the hardest of all the decisions I made, was putting a Scumchester United player in, after a FULL SEASON of none of that shite. With Wio crocked that had to be Evans. Alex is an injury doubt for Chel$ki, but with Carvalho out of the picture, I was happy to take the risk.

In midfield the dilemma was Fat Frank. I don't like him one bit, but he's one of the top three players of the modern fantasy era without question (sure, I'll tell you, the other two are Henry and Gayboy), and he was in my team for most of the pre-season. All it took was Stevie G's two goals for England in midweek, though, and the fat man was kicked to the kerb, and S.G. MBE was in. I wanted a Chel$ki MF to replace fatty, and for the price Essien is (as noted by L.M.S. Champion The Monsieur in Podcast Episode 1) he could be the value buy of the season. Arteta is Arteta and picks himself when fit (still gets no respect - 8.5 mil?!), and Martin Petrov is my out-of-left-field choice, hoping he will be rejuvenated by his move to Bolton.

Up-front, Drogba is in and my Captain for Week 1, Defoe got the nod over Bent (who of course scored in the first half) and Boselli from Wigan is my bolter.

Higashi Rinkan FC (3-4-3)
                                        Sorensen 5.0
           Evans J 5.5            Alex 6.0               Shawcross 5.0
Arteta 8.5               Essien 7.0           Gerrard 11.5             Petrov 6.0
           Defoe 9.0               Drogba (C) 12.5         Boselli 6.0

Subs: Mignolet 4.0
Dann 4.5
Perch 4.0
Routledge 4.5