Before we start, I think it’s important to note that this information is of very little use to your FPL team. The following looks purely at the FFUK league, who’s good, who’s good all the time, and, who used to be good. This is a study of the quality of the players at the top of the FFUK league, and if anything, if there is just a smidgen of usefulness to this analysis, it is only that there is always hope, that it is always worth playing.
*Please note – we do not have data prior to Gameweek 3.
**Also, this is long.
Hardcore
Mark Turnbull (1st) is currently top, and has been for 7 weeks now. That’s hardcore. Mark shot into the Top Ten courtesy of a beautiful Aguero Triple Captain back in Gameweek 8 against Newcastle. Oh that was a glorious day, and especially for Mark, who bar one week, has been in the Top Ten ever since. That’s 17 weeks give or take.
The silent but deadly Toby Glicher (2nd) could also show us all a thing or two. Toby has topped the table 4 times and has been second 5 times. We all thought the first few weeks of the season were meaningless, that like the Premier League, until there are a number of games on the board, who’s top and who’s bottom is irrelevant. Well. Toby would disagree.
Toby entered the Top Ten in Gameweek 4, he was 9th. Well, 22 gameweeks later Toby is still in the Top Ten and in fact, he is second. That’s a phenomenal 21 weeks Toby has been at the Top. Hardcore. Toby was one of few players that did not use his first wildcard at all – I’m sure not many players can say that. Cech in goal has certainly served him well, as have early Mahrez and Vardy inclusions. Toby told me he usually gives up at some point but this season has clearly been different, and with this level of consistency it is difficult to see Toby slipping.
Paul Baker (3rd) currently sits in third place and I’m sure he’s very happy to be right next to Toby too. Paul has also been in the Top Ten for a while now. I say a while, I mean 5 months. Between Gameweek 6 and today, Paul has been in the top places for 18 weeks. Hardcore man.
On writing this I’m thinking I should probably look at Toby’s team a bit more often for some hints and tips but I actually tend to look at Paul’s team when I’m looking for a bit of je ne sais quoi. In previous seasons I would always look to the top players for good differentials to look at, solid defensive choices etc and Paul’s team I have followed closely, primarily because of Paul’s tactical nouse. Saying that, both Toby and Paul have already used their second wildcards, Paul regenerating in Gameweek 21 in January, presumably to move both Aguero and Payet back into his side. We will see how these early moves affect the final table in May.
Another stalwart in the Top Ten is Mr Stan Packham (4th). Chris considers Stan to be his protégé, though I don’t think Chris has any part to play in Stan’s success. Mind you, I give Chris quite a lot of advice so it may be that my maverickness filters to Stan though Chris. Either way. Yes, Stan has been in the Top Ten for some 15 weeks, another benefactor of faith in Aguero back in Gameweek 8.
Which leaves just one man, Lester Deeble (8th), who has been a mainstay in the Top 10 for a whopping 20 weeks.
Lester surely benefited from some early knowledge of his own team, Watford, hence, Lester has no Watford players at all in his current side. What a fall from grace!?! Not really. But yes, Lester was Number 1 for five weeks until his holiday in January. Seriously though, can a holiday really mess with your fantasy football season? Ask Lester. Although, in all honesty, I’m not sure a drop from 2nd to 8th is really that catastrophic, plus the January wildcard is helping to stop the rot. It’s also notable that Lester and Paul Baker share the second-highest team values in the entire league…
A final mention in this section goes to Loz Kelly (5th). A chimera in my eyes, I watched Loz earlier in the season taking hit after hit, week after week. Clearly that worked, as despite making the most transfers of any player in the Top 50 (38), Loz entered the Top Ten in Gameweek 16 and has been there ever since.
Did I forget anyone? That’s 6 of the Top Ten covered, leaving four spaces.
Risers
Welcome to the new school, the flyers, the mavericks, the code-breakers that have cracked their way into the Top Ten more recently.
A big pint of speroni for Sam Blake (6th) who soared into the Top Ten with a very good Bench Boost in Gameweek 24, just two weeks ago. After an ungracious start, come Gameweek 9, Sam was still not even in the Top 50. Well. He is now. He’s fifth in the league.
It’s a similar story for Donald Macauley (9th), he was 38th in Gameweek 9 and two weeks before that he wasn’t in the Top 50. Donald had now been in the Top Ten for three weeks, following an immense week in Gameweek 23.
Richard Harrison (7th) was the highest scorer in the month of December and is a good shout for the Manager of the Month prize with 373 points. This performance placed him comfortably in the Top Ten with eight weeks in and a top place of 2nd. Faith in the Hammers has served him well and we will see how that continues with 3 West Ham players currently in Richard’s side.
Finally Yabah Turnbull (10th) classes as what I like to call a ‘bubbler’. Prior to Richard Harrison’s December performance he had always been in and around the Top 20 or 30. Likewise, Yabah has always been in and around the Top Ten, on and off for 9 weeks from Gameweek 16. If he’s a player that consolidates then ‘Enter team name’ will be a name we will hear more of.
Just quickly I’ll mention the chips, though I decided not to discuss individual teams chips. Of the current Top 10, many chips have already been used.
So I’ll do it like this:
4 of the Top 5 have already used their second wildcards.
2 of the Top 10 have all chips in tact.
2 of the Top 10 have no chips left.
4 of the Top 10 have used their Bench Boost.
3 of the Top 5 have used their Triple Captain.
Anyway, I’m sure I forgot someone. And as this is already so long, I’m splitting it into two parts. Check out Part 2 for the best of the rest, the fallers, and the one hit wonders.
FFUK 