Peter wonders if Fantasy Football is good for more than avoiding doing actual work.
I’ve been playing the Premier League’s fantasy football game this season, in preference to many others, mainly as it’s free. I see no point in forking out 30 quid so I may have the chance to win something banal at the end of it. I was wondering after looking at the points totals we’d get a reasonable Premiership XI, or would it throw up an abomination of a football team proving that statistics really can prove anything?
In goal you’d have Portsmouth’s David James, who to be fair has had one of his best seasons, coupled with the fact that he’s just broken the Premiership clean sheets record. Although Jamo has been in fine form you’d probably say Chelsea keeper Petr Cech was the best goalie in the Premiership and had it not been for Bolton defender Nicky Hunt’s knee he’d probably have amassed more points than Portsmouth’s stopper.
At the back you’d have Portsmouth’s Matty Taylor, Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher, Manchester City’s Richard Dunne and Everton’s Joleon Lescott. Not a formidable quartet and again John Terry would almost definitely have broken into that back 4 had it not been for his injury. Taylor has accumulated a lot of points this season mainly due to the fact that he’s been deployed in midfield but there hasn’t really been a stand out left back this season in my eyes anyway. Carragher has had another consistent season at the back for Liverpool and even though Manchester City aren’t doing too well in the league David Dunne has been immense for them. Julian Lescott has been superb for Everton, displaying his versatility by playing at left back but also his strength and pace when played in the centre.
In midfield the quartet of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea’s Frank Lampard, Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard would take some beating, and there isn’t much argument there. Obviously Gerrard would have to play out on the left or right depending on which wing you’d put Ronaldo on but on the whole I don’t think anyone can argue with those 4 as the top 4 midfielders in the Premiership. It’s interesting to note that another left footed Englishman, Gareth Barry, is 6th in the points ranking but Steve McLaren still seems befuddled as to who to put there for England.
Up front yet again you’d probably have difficulty choosing anyone other than Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney although I’m sure there are plenty of Arsenal fans claiming that had Thierry Henry been fit he would have the most points. It’s difficult to argue with that as even with the meager amount of games he’s played he’s gained more points than the likes of Craig Bellamy, Andriy Shevchenko and Kevin Davies.
So all in all, this side does seem to reflect the form, productive players more and ignores reputations that seem to dictate the “Official” teams of the season. The likes of Scholes and Giggs are missing because, for all their importance in terms of intelligent play, their quantifiable contribution isn’t exceptional.