Fantasy Fantasy Fantasy!!
Fantasy EPL Overload?! No such thing... despite the mid week games and the need to make well researched trades twice in one week, our managers will continue to look to get a competitive edge. Those who deligently studied for final exams and lost sleep while finishing final papers, will certainly rely on luck to stay abreast. Those of us that understand the time demands of our team selection, even in the name of our beloved studies, shall not give in. Memorizing the weekly schedules, scrutinizing home and away forms and spending way too much time deciding who should wear the virutal arm band are some of the symptons that are indicative of our determination. Whether we have spend too much time or not nearly enough will not matter as Saturday it is on like onion, and popping like popcorn as the week 17 gets into gear.
Player Selection is the order of the day and thanks to the Scott Shot research team we have our picks. We select our team based on a lot of different factors: Opponents, Previous fixture, player phsychology, Team history, and many more factors, one of which is sheer instinct. This week we have selected a few players who have the potential to be week 17 stars. So without further ado:
Sylvan Ebanks Blake
The Wolves striker that was so prominent in last season's rise to the premiership has not delivered for Mcartny. However, with a crucial 3 points at stake against last year's Championship competitor Burnley, I expect Mcartny to demand results from not only the Wolves but especially Ebanks-Blake. The Wolves rested their starters mid week against Mancheter United and the team will be fresh and ready for the visiting Burnley. Burnley has conceded 27 goals on the road and have conceded an average of almost 3.5 goals per away game. I highly doubt a clean sheet for Burnley and with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake spear heading the Wolves attack, don't be surprised if he goes for a double or even a hat trick.
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres
It seems as if something is wrong at Liverpool. We haven't seen the team really get into the gear that we know they can. Steven Gerrard has not come even close to the level that we know he can play at. Fernando Torres has been out for the majority of the season but is slowly returning. I however feel it is only a matter of time before the Liverpool heros have a monster week. I expect a full strength squad to be fielded tomorrow and when Torres and Gerrard are together for 90, anything is possible. I expect Portsmouth to be put to the sword by a refocusing Liverpool squad.
Didier Drogba
The Ivorian is certainly looking like the prime candidate for the Golden boot this EPL season. Drogba heads to West Ham a team that despite their home advantage lets, in more goals at home than away, 19 and 15 respectively. Maybe this has something to do with Zola's attacking philosophy, emphasized with home field advantage, which leaves holes at the back. In any case, Zola has vowed to stick to his attacking philosophy despite the visiting Chelsea. Last year the fixtures were very bland in regards to goals, Chlesea winning both 1-0. I however think that Drogba, rested mid week, will surely be on the score sheet, maybe even more than once. The striker has recently displayed a deadly form as he scores goals with such ease. Facing a team with such a horrendous defensive record, strap the armband on the Ivorian this week.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Purpose: Scott Shot Blogspot!!
Scott-Shot Blog-Spot will be an outlet for the kid. I will write from the perspective of a Soccer player, coach, fantasy manager, pundit and scholar. The pieces that will be produced will come from my experience and views as I continue to wear these different hats within the soccer world.
Playing:
I am currently playing for the Barnstonworth Rovers in the Cosmopolitan League in New York City. The team is quite talented and doing well but due to the participatory mentality, the squad is under acheiving. Yet still the often humourous interaction of young men in a competitive environment is always unpredictable, entertaining and provides a huge joy to my life. The joy of playing the game in such an environment has also opened my eyes to the lack of romanticism in my own game. Having played with such a serious, result based mentality over the past 2 years has severly restrained the expression and personality that I played with during my teenage years. The step-overs have dissappeared, megs and piles (sombreros) are few and far between, snakes are non-existent while the brand new move that I branded 'The 2010' has been in the closet for so long it is now dusty. As I strive to restore my innate expressive and inventive play, I will still try to hold onto productivity. How this dynamic tug of war pans out will be detailed right here on Scott Shot.
Coaching:
I am currently coahcing the Elmont Rush. They are an Under-13 girls team full of personality and energy. The girls are very new to the organized soccer as the team is approaching a year old this spring. Despite having not secured a win just as yet they are certainly improving. When I began coaching the Rush they were winless and had not scored a goal. Since then we have drawn 3 games, scored a cool 6 goals and were very close to grabbing our first victory. We are currently in the off season hence indoors. The indoor sessions are very technique based, geared towards passing and moving. Their technique and tactical awareness is slowly improving and hopefully the girls will be able to translate the indoor work onto the field when we go out doors in the spring. That will be where the real fun comes in as competition will recommence. And whether I return to the 4-3-3 or opt for a untraditional 3-4-3 and detail the reasoning and under tones of my strategic planning will provide entertainment.
Fantasy Manager:
Fantasy managment is one of the most connecting aspects in my life as all my friends are seriously involved. We often have to restrain ourselves from spending too much time discussing whether to captain Steven Gerrard or Didier Drogba. Though many may think an idle past time the thought process that goes into selecting ones team, buying, selling and holding onto players, based on so many different factors is a science. Though slightly luck based there is a reason why the same people lead the league year in and year out. The competitive energy within the Fantasy league is often ferocious as the forum is often bombarded as managers throw words like daggers at each other. As a fantasy manager the thought process, mistakes, lessons, failures and success provides a roller coaster of a ride as I strive to be the virtual Mourinho.
Scholar Student:
I have become very interested in reading soccer books. I recently read, Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson, which was absolutely great. I am currently at the back end of Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski. Soccernomics is good but I have many issues with some of the ideas and how they go about exmining them. The chapter reviews and thought provoking ideas will be examined through my eyes here. The list of soccer books is almost infinite so the pieces will be incessant.
Pundit (Self Proclaimed):
Every soccer player or soccer fan has their views on the game, players, managers and happenings within the soccer world. Though my thoughts on such are often not interesting enough to voice I occasionally do have views on the game that are worth voicing. Hopefully I will come up with some decent material.
The truth is that self expression is necessary and as my thoughts and life revolves around the game of soccer, a soccer blog seems like an simple means to free some of my ideas and thoughts. Hopefully my readers will enjoy it as much as I know I will.
Playing:
I am currently playing for the Barnstonworth Rovers in the Cosmopolitan League in New York City. The team is quite talented and doing well but due to the participatory mentality, the squad is under acheiving. Yet still the often humourous interaction of young men in a competitive environment is always unpredictable, entertaining and provides a huge joy to my life. The joy of playing the game in such an environment has also opened my eyes to the lack of romanticism in my own game. Having played with such a serious, result based mentality over the past 2 years has severly restrained the expression and personality that I played with during my teenage years. The step-overs have dissappeared, megs and piles (sombreros) are few and far between, snakes are non-existent while the brand new move that I branded 'The 2010' has been in the closet for so long it is now dusty. As I strive to restore my innate expressive and inventive play, I will still try to hold onto productivity. How this dynamic tug of war pans out will be detailed right here on Scott Shot.
Coaching:
I am currently coahcing the Elmont Rush. They are an Under-13 girls team full of personality and energy. The girls are very new to the organized soccer as the team is approaching a year old this spring. Despite having not secured a win just as yet they are certainly improving. When I began coaching the Rush they were winless and had not scored a goal. Since then we have drawn 3 games, scored a cool 6 goals and were very close to grabbing our first victory. We are currently in the off season hence indoors. The indoor sessions are very technique based, geared towards passing and moving. Their technique and tactical awareness is slowly improving and hopefully the girls will be able to translate the indoor work onto the field when we go out doors in the spring. That will be where the real fun comes in as competition will recommence. And whether I return to the 4-3-3 or opt for a untraditional 3-4-3 and detail the reasoning and under tones of my strategic planning will provide entertainment.
Fantasy Manager:
Fantasy managment is one of the most connecting aspects in my life as all my friends are seriously involved. We often have to restrain ourselves from spending too much time discussing whether to captain Steven Gerrard or Didier Drogba. Though many may think an idle past time the thought process that goes into selecting ones team, buying, selling and holding onto players, based on so many different factors is a science. Though slightly luck based there is a reason why the same people lead the league year in and year out. The competitive energy within the Fantasy league is often ferocious as the forum is often bombarded as managers throw words like daggers at each other. As a fantasy manager the thought process, mistakes, lessons, failures and success provides a roller coaster of a ride as I strive to be the virtual Mourinho.
Scholar Student:
I have become very interested in reading soccer books. I recently read, Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson, which was absolutely great. I am currently at the back end of Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski. Soccernomics is good but I have many issues with some of the ideas and how they go about exmining them. The chapter reviews and thought provoking ideas will be examined through my eyes here. The list of soccer books is almost infinite so the pieces will be incessant.
Pundit (Self Proclaimed):
Every soccer player or soccer fan has their views on the game, players, managers and happenings within the soccer world. Though my thoughts on such are often not interesting enough to voice I occasionally do have views on the game that are worth voicing. Hopefully I will come up with some decent material.
The truth is that self expression is necessary and as my thoughts and life revolves around the game of soccer, a soccer blog seems like an simple means to free some of my ideas and thoughts. Hopefully my readers will enjoy it as much as I know I will.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Fantasy Tips for Dummies - The Last Encounter
68 minutes into week 14, glaring at the online update for Manchester City v Hull City I had come to the conclusion that my fantasy week would be rainy. I fought back the urge to throw my Blackberry Storm as my captain; Adebayor was being substituted by Mark Hughes. We all know the importance of having your captain deliver, and 2 points is absolutely unacceptable for the player whom we hand the virtual arm band. What made this worse was that while remaining up to date on the Man City game, I was glued to the television watching Rooney’s unimpressive hat trick. Of course, the night before I wrestled with logic, emotion and numbers in putting together my team and Rooney was a consideration for captain. I immediately immersed myself in self-pity, ‘You’re just unlucky’ I proclaimed. But I refuse to accept that tenuous excuse. In hind sight I came to the conclusion that history is the lesson in this loss. If I had looked at this fixture last year I might have seen that City may not deliver the goal fest I had been expecting. This edition’s tip is that the previous encounter can be a crucial indicator in the fantasy world, more specifically on the psychological state of a team.
Man City v Hull at Eastland’s 2008/09
Last year, this fixture was a turning point for Hull as Man City put them to the sword in a 5-1 thrashing at Eastland’s. Hull City manager Brown actually berated his team on the pitch at half time. (Hence Bullard’s comical celebration) That loss was the beginning of Hull’s 08/09 plummet and close encounter with relegation. The same managers locked horns today, with largely the same personnel on the pitch. Psychologically, Hull City may have had an advantage not only because of last years result but also because of the vividness of what happened. Certainly though, history tipped the odds against a goal fest for the City strike force. If I had factored last year’s fixture into my analysis I may have more strongly considered Rooney for captain who was due a performance, despite how unconvincing he has been, a decision worth 30 fantasy points. Many may be unconvinced by my argument but guess what? I don’t care. Lol. No, I do, and we actually have an opportunity to somewhat test my theory. Tomorrow we have two games with notable history.
Arsenal v Chelsea at the Emirates
Chelsea returns to the Emirates where they pummeled Arsenal 4-1 last year. I predict a low scoring stalemate here, despite Arsenal’s innate attacking mentality, the remnants of last years burning defeat remains. Such a margin will not repeat itself, at least not in Chelsea’s favor. The history here slightly differs from that of the Hull game as Ancelotti is a new variable in this equation. Arsenal is not only suffering from injuries but need to win tomorrow to challenge for the title. Chelsea, sitting atop the tables and enjoying their trade, will not be complacent but last year’s massacre and a depleted Arsenal will certainly not provide extra motivation for the Blues. Psychologically, Wenger has more wood to fire up a more than capable Arsenal. Expect the Gunners to stand up tomorrow to a tough Chelsea. Prediction: 1-1
Barcelona v Real Madrid at the Nou Camp
A game with history is an understatement when describing Real Madrid v Barcelona and though it does not concern our EPL fantasy managers it is a game that will attract the attention of all football pundits. The social, political, and economical implications that have followed this magnanimous football fixture are of the deepest and richest in the world but I do believe there is some clues in looking at recent encounters between these giants. Real Madrid was dispatched 2-0 in this fixture last year but the last time Madrid faced Barca, they were annihilated 6-2 in Madrid. That is the crucial fixture to take into account and would imply that another Barca victory by such a margin is unlikely. However Real Madrid v Barcelona is very different than a Chelsea v Arsenal. Though bearing some similarities as both games involve 2 footballing giants, Real Madrid v Barcelona, arguably El Clasico of all Classicos, decides the not so competitive La Liga. Chelsea v Arsenal does not decide the Premiership. Despite the score last year, I expect Madrid to come to win, not to save face. They believe they can win at the Camp Nou and will approach the game as such. Barcelona, at home will attack from the get go. Expect anything in this one, Madrid could win by a big margin, Barca could do the same as the biggest offensive guns of the game will be locked and loaded on both sides. I shall not try to predict this one. The hatred that these two clubs have for each other provides a football feast every year and this year will be no different. Prediction: I have no clue but as a Barca fan I want them to win. If I had to though... Barca 2 Madrid 1.
Conclusion
Now in truth, these two games are not entirely similar to the Hull City v Man City game but provide examples of how previous encounters may give clues to the psychological state of the personnel involved in an upcoming fixture. As the EPL approaches its half way mark, teams will begin to face each other for the second time of the season. Top managers will be reviewing initial encounters for clues to separate the fantasy dynamite and from the fantasy duds. Adebayor was a dud this week, Rooney on the other hand, dynamite but in the future the roles may be reversed. One thing though is clear, that fantasy points are to be gained in examining the previous encounters of a fixture. Managers able to foresee the fantasy C4 of the future by looking to the past will be the ones to explode ahead as the Barclays EPL approaches the Holiday season.
Man City v Hull at Eastland’s 2008/09
Last year, this fixture was a turning point for Hull as Man City put them to the sword in a 5-1 thrashing at Eastland’s. Hull City manager Brown actually berated his team on the pitch at half time. (Hence Bullard’s comical celebration) That loss was the beginning of Hull’s 08/09 plummet and close encounter with relegation. The same managers locked horns today, with largely the same personnel on the pitch. Psychologically, Hull City may have had an advantage not only because of last years result but also because of the vividness of what happened. Certainly though, history tipped the odds against a goal fest for the City strike force. If I had factored last year’s fixture into my analysis I may have more strongly considered Rooney for captain who was due a performance, despite how unconvincing he has been, a decision worth 30 fantasy points. Many may be unconvinced by my argument but guess what? I don’t care. Lol. No, I do, and we actually have an opportunity to somewhat test my theory. Tomorrow we have two games with notable history.
Arsenal v Chelsea at the Emirates
Chelsea returns to the Emirates where they pummeled Arsenal 4-1 last year. I predict a low scoring stalemate here, despite Arsenal’s innate attacking mentality, the remnants of last years burning defeat remains. Such a margin will not repeat itself, at least not in Chelsea’s favor. The history here slightly differs from that of the Hull game as Ancelotti is a new variable in this equation. Arsenal is not only suffering from injuries but need to win tomorrow to challenge for the title. Chelsea, sitting atop the tables and enjoying their trade, will not be complacent but last year’s massacre and a depleted Arsenal will certainly not provide extra motivation for the Blues. Psychologically, Wenger has more wood to fire up a more than capable Arsenal. Expect the Gunners to stand up tomorrow to a tough Chelsea. Prediction: 1-1
Barcelona v Real Madrid at the Nou Camp
A game with history is an understatement when describing Real Madrid v Barcelona and though it does not concern our EPL fantasy managers it is a game that will attract the attention of all football pundits. The social, political, and economical implications that have followed this magnanimous football fixture are of the deepest and richest in the world but I do believe there is some clues in looking at recent encounters between these giants. Real Madrid was dispatched 2-0 in this fixture last year but the last time Madrid faced Barca, they were annihilated 6-2 in Madrid. That is the crucial fixture to take into account and would imply that another Barca victory by such a margin is unlikely. However Real Madrid v Barcelona is very different than a Chelsea v Arsenal. Though bearing some similarities as both games involve 2 footballing giants, Real Madrid v Barcelona, arguably El Clasico of all Classicos, decides the not so competitive La Liga. Chelsea v Arsenal does not decide the Premiership. Despite the score last year, I expect Madrid to come to win, not to save face. They believe they can win at the Camp Nou and will approach the game as such. Barcelona, at home will attack from the get go. Expect anything in this one, Madrid could win by a big margin, Barca could do the same as the biggest offensive guns of the game will be locked and loaded on both sides. I shall not try to predict this one. The hatred that these two clubs have for each other provides a football feast every year and this year will be no different. Prediction: I have no clue but as a Barca fan I want them to win. If I had to though... Barca 2 Madrid 1.
Conclusion
Now in truth, these two games are not entirely similar to the Hull City v Man City game but provide examples of how previous encounters may give clues to the psychological state of the personnel involved in an upcoming fixture. As the EPL approaches its half way mark, teams will begin to face each other for the second time of the season. Top managers will be reviewing initial encounters for clues to separate the fantasy dynamite and from the fantasy duds. Adebayor was a dud this week, Rooney on the other hand, dynamite but in the future the roles may be reversed. One thing though is clear, that fantasy points are to be gained in examining the previous encounters of a fixture. Managers able to foresee the fantasy C4 of the future by looking to the past will be the ones to explode ahead as the Barclays EPL approaches the Holiday season.
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