Fantasy football

For today's post I will talk about one of my passions. With AFL season not far away, a lot of people I know are preparing their Dream Teams. However before the Dream Team competition for me there was the original fantasy game, Premier League soccer. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Dream Team, it doesn't have a thousand different stats to count. But there lies the appeal, its simplistic in its approach and very addictive. I am now in my 13th season and still hooked. The game is easy, points for goals, assists, clean sheets. Then a few small points for keeper saves, cards and bonus points. There is no set number of trades, but if you spend more than one a week, it will cost you some of your points. The current season sees Geoff once again at the top. Geoff is the local king at this game, winning more often than not. I haven't worked out his secret yet, but his trades and captain choices are normally spot on. I'm currently second with Jimmy right behind. We watch a lot of EPL on TV and pick more on the look and feel of players on the pitch, more than simple stats (probably our downfall). I like to trade based on favourable fixtures and try to avoid picking too many players from one team. Next up is JP, a newcomer to the game and doing a pretty good job. His team is unique, usually with a sprinkle of of unknown players. A dark horse of the competition. Trimsy is next, now in his second season in our league. Hard to get a gauge on his team. Generally has a unique captain choice...I mean walcott as captain? Who saw that coming? Next up is BJ, a very raw rookie in every sense. Started like a house on fire with some great first up picks. However his experience is starting to catch up with him as he starts to drift off the pace. Phil is next, the creator and usual manager of the comp, his team always has a liverpool feel and this is the position he normally occupies on the ladder. Holding up the ladder is my mate Jeff. Who is a passionate city supporter, however this passion sadly does not transfer to this game. Although only his first season, he is sure to improve next season.

Next week I'll give a review of this week's action.