Fantasy Premier League 2011/12 Season Preview – Transfers: Rules and Guidelines
The game works by awarding a manager’s team points based on how they perform in the real world at different match weeks throughout the season. However, in order to earn points, managers need teams and in order to make teams, managers need to wheel and deal
in the fantasy premier league transfer market.
Every single manager in the game starts off with a default budget of 100-million pounds (which is sure to outrage a majority of Manchester City fans who will argue that their back line cost more).
Every player has a different market value, which during the course of the season will increase and decrease based on the player's long term form. So an expensive player today could be that much cheaper tomorrow and vice versa.
The key to having a successful team is balance. Balance applies not only to formations and players, but how one distributes their transfer budget.
Buying all the most expensive defenders, or midfielders, or strikers, will not guarantee a large number of points for the manager. Firstly, it will reduce the budget for other positions, which has disadvantages of its own and secondly, sometimes the less
expensive players can go on and get more points than the ‘superstars’.
Another issue with going all out on the superstars means that a minority of the squad will actually be of any quality. It is better to have 10 medium quality point earners than the one Superstar surrounded by mediocrity.
Again the main thing to focus on is balancing things out throughout the whole squad. One could sacrifice the bench in order to do this by filling them up with the cheapest players available and saving a few extra million to spend on the rest of the players.
In fact, focus on top players in each position and surround him with a few less expensive players and finally fill the bench with the cheapest of the lot.
Let us analyse each position.
Goalkeepers: Buying a top keeper is beneficial in the long run, as Reina and Edwin van der Sar proved in previous seasons, though keepers with teams that have poor defenses tend to save more shots, and earn that extra point on occasions.
Both should be kept in mind, as well as the opponent the keeper will be facing when it comes to choosing a solid goal keeper.
Bettor.com tip: stay away from Arsenal keepers.
Defenders: The best way to get points for defenders is to get the ones known for scoring or setting up goals. Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool) and Ashley Cole (Chelsea) may be expensive, but the fact that they score on a regular
basis makes them hot property.
Bettor.com tip: It is best to keep three defenders on the field and focus more on other positions
Midfielders: Focus on playmakers and wingers. They provide assists and assists equal points. Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri (Arsenal), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) and Frank Lampard (Chelsea) have been solid in this department so far.
Bettor.com tip: Stay away from defensive midfielders and under no circumstances have Joey Barton in your team.
Strikers: It is best to have three top strikers if possible. Luis Suarez (Liverpool) has been on fire, Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) is a good option and Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) looks promising.
Bettor.com tip: Players like Peter Crouch (Tottenham) and Gabby Agbonlaho (Aston Villa) are good bargains as well.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect the editorial policy of Bettor.com
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