Sampah Nonsense

Fantasy Football Update #20050814

- Trashed by SampahMan @ 12:01 AM

The first week of the English Premier League is nearing its end. After this weekend's matches, I honestly feel disgusted and dirty, and disgraced as a supposed Manchester United fan.

I own a fantasy football team in http://fantasy.premierleague.com, and due to my "kiasu-ness" and desire to gain more fantasy points, I chose to select players from rival teams (actually just Chelsea and Arsenal). In fact, I feel ashamed to say I only had 1 Man. U. player in my squad, Rooney. Who else did I select?

Chelsea: Cech, Gallas, Terry : Chelsea has an awesome defense, and probably won't get scored against that often.
Arsenal: Fabregas, Henry: I see great upside in Fabregas and see him as a possible successor to Vieira. As for Henry, who wouldn't select Henry (42% of 423,286 fantasy managers selected him in their squad).

While at the mamak stall watching the Arsenal - Newcastle game, I found myself cheering for Henry to score, and in my mind, secretly hoping for Chelsea to draw nil-nil against Wigan. Well, I got what I wanted. And I feel like I have blasphemed against the gods of Manchester United. How the fuck could I hope Henry scores and hope Chelsea draws instead of losing??? Normally, I would be hoping both those teams get their ass beat, and Henry breaks his leg and Cech hits his head against the goalpost and dies! All this supporting the enemy, for what? 34 measly fantasy points(that's actually a lot)!

I have seen the error in my ways, and to cleanse myself of this crap that I put myself in, I decided to start a new team, with NO players from Arsenal and Chelsea. And after this weekend's matches, I feel that I am able to make better choices in squad selection. Therefore, I present to you my new team, aptly named "No Chelsea/Arsenal!".

Formation: 3-5-2

GK
Van Der Sar (Manchester United): Steady keeper, I like him already. Ability on the big stage is unquestioned.
Carroll (West Ham): Former Manchester player, who is 1st choice for promoted West Ham. For a measly 3.5 million, that's really considered undervalued considering his potential.

DEF
Upson (Birmingham): I personally just like him from my CM games, and would consider him a leader in the Birmingham backfield, and I would expect the team to be hard to score against.
Carragher (Liverpool): For 6.0 million! It's a steal for a good defender!
Phil Neville (Everton): Also player on the cheap, former Man U player, good range of passing, especially the long balls that Everton players love.
Jean-Alain Boumsong (Newcastle): Possesses potential to be a very good player. Tall and good in the air.
Andy Todd (Blackburn): Picked him based on hearsay. Hope he's good.

MID
Cahill (Everton): What's not to love about this guy? Nips around defenders while Everton pumps in the high balls and sneaks in a goal or two. Clutch player for Everton.
Solano (Aston Villa): Another midfielder who can score the goals. Good in set-pieces, and also possibility of a couple of assists.
Campo (Bolton): I just like this guy, moreover, he's only 5.0 million. Okocha was over my budget.
Arteta (Everton): Spanish player, with good vision in passing. Also good in set-pieces, and hoping that he scores a few too.
Laurent Robert (Portsmouth): Could be the replacement for Yakubu in the team. Undoubted flair, but failed in the system in Newcastle during Souness' reign. The expectations are for him to stuff in a couple of goals during the season, as long as he stops whining.

ATT
Van Nistelrooy (Manchester United): Deadly in the 6 yard box, as proven against Everton. Hope he rediscovers his true form, and strikes a great partnership with Rooney.
Rooney (Manchester United): He can score, he can create assists, he can outmuscle defenders, and he probably has one the better football brains in terms of visions and seeing goalscoring opportunities for self and others. Great player!
Sheringham (West Ham): Another former Man U player(3 in my team already), already in late 30's(38 I think), but most importantly, seems to be the talisman for newly promoted West Ham. Showed that he still has his marbles intact by scoring and creating a goal last weekend. Unfortunately, he'll sit on my substitute's bench because he won't be playing week-in, week-out.

Well, I hope I've redeemed myself. I would love to go every week watching Manchester wins, and hoping the other teams fuck up and lose. No more hoping Henry scores. No more of that bullshit from me. I've re-discovered my football principles, and no more losing my marbles just for some virtual points.

Next Week, Chelsea VS Arsenal. As a friend said, hope the crowd riots and the fans whack and injure every player on the pitch on that day.

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