Handling the Big Guns: The Key to the Rest of the Season?

SlickRic wrote: »

Aguero back.

Sanchez returning soon.

Arguably, these are the two most explosive players in the game. In years gone by you'd have to have Aguero and Suarez, or Ronaldo and Lampard, in order to compete at all.

This year is nuts - the year of the mid-price option. Vardez has run amok. Ighalo is on fire. Ozil was 8.5, and has no decided to be prolific FF-wise.

A lot of teams that are doing well above me have had neither of these players all season (even when doing the business), and in the case of at least one player (who got to 1st in the world), he has no intention of ever having them because they're 'too expensive'.

I believe they hold the key to a lot of people getting back into their mini-leagues, and overtaking some of the teams that we're slightly baffled we're behind.

What are your thoughts? Will you be getting them at all costs? Or will you be trusting that the 'year of the mid-price option' continues unabated?

Very good questions and a good thread.

My season has gone from meh to disaster over the last 2 weeks, so as someone who is very much chasing both OR and mini leagues i am slightly tempted to get both back in almost immediately and hope they explode once or twice.

A key thing about Aguero imo is that there were two completely different injuries. He came back from the hamstring and then hurt his heel, which effectively means the hamstring got further rest. I'd hope that will reduce the risk of him breaking again right away. Plus the need to build up his minutes and get him on form ahead of the CL knockout stages next year may reduce his risk of rest/rotation in the short term.

I'm toying with getting one of them in my team this week, or possibly waiting and getting both next week.

SlickRic wrote: »

I believe they hold the key to a lot of people getting back into their mini-leagues, and overtaking some of the teams that we're slightly baffled we're behind.

What are your thoughts? Will you be getting them at all costs? Or will you be trusting that the 'year of the mid-price option' continues unabated?

One of the reasons for my disaster of a season has been my faith in these two, including captaining Aguero for all his blanks (and Hazard too). I believe those who are doing best this year have adapted to this season's reality that form trumps history. I did not.

Earlier in the season I laid my hopes of improvement on big-hitters finding form. Now I think my only hope of improving is to stop putting my faith in players who SHOULD explode, but haven't yet.

SlickRic wrote: »

This year is nuts - the year of the mid-price option. Vardez has run amok. Ighalo is on fire. Ozil was 8.5, and has no decided to be prolific FF-wise.

A lot of teams that are doing well above me have had neither of these players all season (even when doing the business), and in the case of at least one player (who got to 1st in the world), he has no intention of ever having them because they're 'too expensive'.

I think Chelsea catastrophic form is giving us a deceptive view on this. Agüero & Sanchez got injured but did get explosive return(s) while Hazard/Costa have been an almost complete total waste of money.

Granted Agüero & Sanchez have overall been disappointing but the former got a 50 pts captain return that compensated several GWs where these players you're talking about got good scores and the latter got a 46 pts haul over 3 GWs from which all of us should at least have gotten a 26 pts benefit over 2 GWs!

I feel it's not THAT different from the previous seasons. We had Michu 3 years ago, Ramsey/Yaya 2 years ago, Kane/Austin last year. Every season, mid-price mids and cheap forwards emerge and perform!
This year, KDB is doing a pretty good job for his first season. Ozil took Sanchez boots on as Arsenal premium (lower range premium alright) mid.
At the back, globally Kolarov/Bellerin/the fit premium United def have justified their price.

Again and like every season, the key in this game IMO is to be reactive and adapt quicker then your opponent and not to be stubborn.

FHFC wrote: »

Very good questions and a good thread.

My season has gone from meh to disaster over the last 2 weeks, so as someone who is very much chasing both OR and mini leagues i am slightly tempted to get both back in almost immediately and hope they explode once or twice.

Beware my friend! My season was going great to good to just OK a couple of GWs ago and to try beating and being cleverer than everyone else I did exactly that. Consequence: my season went from OK to meh.

I hope you noted my tremendous effort to use the appropriate vocabulary about my season to describe it the fairest way possible relative to the other players :pac:...

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To conclude, I'd just state the obvious. The season is still very long. We haven't yet reached the hectic Christmas period which will be a premiere this year since we won't be able to plan it with a January WC in mind. January is also a very long month football-wise with all the various cups rounds to be played. Then February/March will see the return of European Cups games which will affect a few teams (City got lucky in their CL draw for once, they may focus a bit more on this comp' this year, will that trigger more rotations?). There could also be some major new signings in January. Many, many things to deal with and games to come. Plenty of time to recover. And a lot fo damage to potentially be done by our fresher big guns .

I'd be different to most here. Aguero will be in my team as soon as he shows fitness (probably next week). Sanchez I can take or leave (probably leave). I've made my views clear on him before, I think he has far too many blanks (18 of last 27 GWs he has played) to justify an 11m outlay.

I might look at him if Ozil gets injured and Ramsey is a rotation risk, but I regard those 2 as better 'value'.

Hazard I wouldn't touch. He's done nothing all season and Chelsea are a mess.

Aguero in as captain for me for the Sunderland game
Sanchez in ahead of their 2 juicy Xmas games
At this stage Ozil is more likely to be rested for one of them than Sanchez .....;)

dahat wrote: »

Exact same boat as you, Aguero, Sanchez and Ozil to Ramsey possibly will all be in pretty soon.

I think the three of us who are trailing are thinking the same way!

FHFC wrote: »

I think the three of us who are trailing are thinking the same way!

ye i'm in the "big gun boat" too- form is temporary class is permanent...I hope!!
Have Aguero, and KDB- will be looking at Barkley to rambo then Ozil to Sanchez too.

For myself the key to this game is as follows:

"Bring in players before/as soon as they begin a run of form/scoring before everybody else does"

It's as easy and as impossible as that. Get it right and you'll be laughing all the way to the green arrow bank. Get it wrong and you'll see a season like I'm having this year. I was at around 1k or certainly top 10k this time last year before it fell apart.

That's how I try to play the game and it's how I feel I could win the whole bloody thing some year if I get things right.

There's the safety first approach as well in picking the players that score well and hold them until they stop performing, and that's perfectly fine too and you'll have guys inside the top 20k every year doing that. But can you actually achieve the elusive World Number 1 that way?

So to me it's really down to when it's the right time to bring those players in, assuming they're the players that are likely to score highly! I won't achieve any gains by sticking with the crowd now and I'm happy to have write off seasons if it goes wrong.

Simple eh?

SlickRic wrote: »

Bump.

Aguero seemingly back. Sanchez back soon.

You have the likes of Payet returning. Maybe Sturridge too.

You have teams figuring out Vardez to an extent, so I don't think they'll be as prolific.

You have so many viable option in midfield in particular with KDB, Sanchez, Ozil, Yaya (seemingly), Payet, Alli (going by recent hauls), Barkley, Mahrez. Ayew if he hits form again maybe. I'm sure there are others.

You then have the conundrum of if you want Aguero, then you'll struggle to have KDB and Sanchez too...as well as Lukaku and Kane up front.

I know everything is fluid, injuries will come, form will come and go...but if the majority of those mentioned stay fit, it's going to get a he'll of a lot more interesting.

There may be a way back for those struggling yet.

Basically any week where Aguero outscores Vardy/Ighalo will be a good week for me for the next while. Those who have those lads may be slow to dump them even if their output tails off due to value tied up.

I'm hoping those weeks will be the norm!

I can accommodate KDB, Sanchez and Aguero, its keepng Ozil as well that will prove tricky. More down to lack of spots in midfield as I'll be reluctant to let Mahrez go. I'm still not feeling desperate to get KdB just yet though.

I dropped Mahrez 2 gws back, a stroke of genius tbh and a big differential as I replaced with Arnie.

I have Kun and Rom and I'll be doing my best to accommodate sanchez and kdb

I've Aguero Vardy and Lukaku up top and will go without Kane in all likelihood.
My dilemma will be KDB or Ozil to go with Payet Mahrez Sanchez and Alli say,
Iroced Yaya suggestion could be an option even though I don't think he is playing well but he has the class to get the fpl points. I've Ozil ahead atm.

Chelsea have back to back home games now too
zouma and willian may be in my team after fa cup

Lemlin wrote: »

I'm looking at Costa Kun and Lukaku. Can afford it with Alli in midfield.

Are you going to get rid of Kane before Leicester and Sunderland at home? Or maybe you don't have him actually. If so change that to a hypothetical question!