The Times Fantasy Football

Looks like one of the best online Fantasy Football Leagues

Have a look, throw in a team...

The Times Fantasy Football Leagues

You basically have to rank Premiership players in order of how good you think they are. THEN.. just before the start of the season all our teams will be created according to our rankings. ie. Only one player can have Fernando Torrest etc.

I am aware we have another 'proper' league up and running - but if players want to join this one then sign up to the site.  Our League name is LFC REDS.COM but you will need to PM me for the password to join. There are only spaces for 20 teams so don't delay.

The winner will get a special forum award under their avatar.

All Players will be Allocated to teams on the 9th August 2007 (BEFORE the first game!)

As The Times is my regular league, I'll definitely be tagging along.
Haven't got time to sort it out tonight, but I'll have a fiddle around with a team over the next couple of days.

[edit]
Ooh, it's gone all different! No picking teams yet! Intriguing!
[/edit]

It's very very different indeed.

Wonder who is going to get Stevie G...!

Thinking about it, it's not that surprising that they've had a shuffle around this year.
Last season there was one player who had 17 teams in the top 20 and he also had 9 in the top 10 - netting the vast majority of the cash prizes.
I'm actually glad they've changed it even though I think my final position last season was just outside the top 1000 - The league was getting very samey, with the only big change last year being allowed 4 transfers per week.
Looks like this could add quite a bit of spice!

Wonder who is going to get Stevie G...!

You can have him, if I can have Carragher...

Very different. Very interesting.

I've only rated two players so far. Will go back to it when I can be bothered to search through that list!

Did anyone feel slighty offended to see who was top of the list? Or did we just get different lists and I was the unfortunate one....?

Watch out for mrtommo's scum free X1.
Slow starters but watch them go 

I've ranked Gary Mongo bottom of the listings.

I have played the Times FF for a few years & this looks like an interesting twist...I'm in, Bosmia FC

Big changes here...here's the FAQ for lazy so & so's :

http://playthegame.timesonline.co.uk/soccer/help/faq.asp

Blimey transfers between players in leagues allowed too...this is looking promising...

^{Once 2 Teams agree to a transfer, it will be under "review" for 48 hrs. All transfers must be approved by at least 50% of the Teams in the League (calculated without reference to the proposing and accepting Teams). Remaining entrants will have 48 hours to vote on the proposed transfer. If any entrant chooses not to vote, this will be considered an "accept transfer" vote. The Promoter/Times Online reserves the right but has no obligation to monitor disputes between entrants. Votes are final - you can't change your mind after voting.}

anything for last place JD? Wooden spoon?!

SIDE NOTE: I will be following all things fantasy football on my blog this season...

Posts so far:

http://sweetflag.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/play-the-game-fantasy-football-in-its-prime/
http://sweetflag.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/ranking-your-fantasy-players-play-the-game-update/
http://sweetflag.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/first-7-out-of-the-hat/

I'm in CF Kopstars

anything for last place JD? Wooden spoon?!

Lifetime Ban.

It will probably be a ticket for a game at Goodison (and no - not the derby!)

done, finally...I'm in but logoff time at work so will have to pick players on Saturday...but atleast I've joined...

Roll up Roll up! Still room for ten more teams!

You don't have to pick players as such, just rank them and then they are distributed between all the teams.

And it's FREE this year!

Still sorting out my rankings


Aiming for a top 60 or so. How are we getting on guys? Made all your choices?

Have begun posting about this seasons FF now...follow all the wordpress bloggers posts including my own here:

http://wordpress.com/tag/play-the-game/

Still haven't done mine yet mate. Will have a good look at it in the next few days.
How long did it take you to go through yours DM?

Will someone PM me the password so I can access it and join in  :action-smiley-065:  I've asked JD, but think he will be too busy on his hols 

Very different. Very interesting.

I've only rated two players so far. Will go back to it when I can be bothered to search through that list!

Did anyone feel slighty offended to see who was top of the list? Or did we just get different lists and I was the unfortunate one....?

No, I got him as well RK, but soon fixed that and moved him down 50 places !! 

thanks for the PM 

Still haven't done mine yet mate. Will have a good look at it in the next few days.
How long did it take you to go through yours DM?

Well I have still more to do but I would give yourself at least 3-4 hrs spread over a couple of sittings...I wonder how many will go for Tevez now he's moved?...yeah I know he now resides in Manc land

Owen is going to the bottom of my pile for now

Ok we have 12 teams so far in league...still time though to get in on the fun. Team allocation date is nearing guys...have we all made our rankings changes?

Just noticed that if we don't fill the league our player allocation date will be postponed. Moving this thread into The Kop until we fill the league to drum up more interest.

th

Just noticed that if we don't fill the league our player allocation date will be postponed. Moving this thread into The Kop until we fill the league to drum up more interest.

thought we only needed 5 teams in the league to qualify?

IMPORTANT: All owners are responsible for finding a league that fills prior to the start of the season. If your league does not have the specified numbers of teams 24 hours prior to the scheduled player allocation date, your player allocation date will be postponed.

That's what it says on the site. Going by that we need to find 8 more players in the next day.

9.3 Player Allocation Dates:
(a) Prior to August 10, 2007, if a League has not acquired the set number of Teams 24 hours prior to the player allocation date, the player allocation will be postponed until August 10, 2007. If on that date, the specified number of Teams has not been formed, but there are more than 5 Teams, the player allocation will take place. If there are fewer than 5 Teams, the player allocation date will be postponed by a week. If a player allocation is postponed, the Chairman will be informed by email.

Didn't notice that bit, moved back to General Football.

^ I'll play if someone can properly explain to me what it is and how it works. The sites themselves dont tell you much

Didn't notice that bit, moved back to General Football.

hehe...I had to read it through a few times to get the gist of it!

Basically you rank the players according to who you think is best etc. No need to do all the players just a rough go at the big names (or lesser known players that you rate highly)

Then, using this data the teams are automatically chosen so only one team has Gerrard, one team has Rooney blah blah blah.

I'm in and done and didn't break it

how do yo get into the league again? cud sum 1 pm me and get into your league

Player allocation will take place tomorrow. There are 6 places still available in the league.

Well, I've been allocated 5 players so far... Got my first two choices too! Carra and Agger
The rest of the team might be a bit shaky though, as the fifth player picked was Nani, and was ranked down somewhere near 50
Oh, I got Tevez too... Bloody scum

So far I've got Friedel, Carvalho, Chimbonda, Carrick, Bellamy & Owen.

Not too bad so far, happy with Friedel & Carvalho, and who knows, maybe this is finally the season that Owen comes good?

Team so far...

James, David
Berbatov, Dimitar
Ben Haim, Tal
Benayoun, Yossi
Rosicky, Tomas
Riise, John Arne
Eboue, Emmanuel

So far I have got...

Wayne Rooney
Andriy Shevchenko
Ryan Giggs
Louis Saha
Pogatetz
Matt Taylor
Nicky Shorey

I despise my team already (though will possibly do quite well?)

What I have found interesting is you can still set your allocation...but am unsure if this will still effect who you may still get...hmm

FFS, just got Wes Brown 

FFS, just got Wes Brown 

I'd take him over Owen "Poncey Hair" Hargreaves who I've just been given!
I've also got Gilberto Silva for some unknown reason...

We have all be given 7 players out of a total of 20...unsure why the whole squad hasn't been allocated in one hit.

4 Forwards out of 7 allocated upto now. Help - I need a keeper soon !!

Dean Ashton, Benni McCarthy, Peter Crouch & Fernando Torres.

2 in midfield.

Tuncay Sanli & Ryan Babel

1 defender.

Gabriel Heinze

Could be a team full of goals / Liverpool players !!!

4 Forwards out of 7 allocated upto now. Help - I need a keeper soon !!

Dean Ashton, Benni McCarthy, Peter Crouch & Fernando Torres.

2 in midfield.

Tuncay Sanli & Ryan Babel

1 defender.

Gabriel Heinze

Could be a team full of goals / Liverpool players !!!

you can always transfer out a forward to another manager if you feel you have too many & get goalkeeper instead.

REFEREE!!!!!!!!!!! I've got Michael Ballack! 

Also have:

Dirk Kuyt 
Salomon Kalou
Michael Dawson
Abdoulaye Meite
Kolo Toure
Gael Clichy

I got momo sissoko!!!! happy days

Anyone seen Venison's team?  It's a fix 

Get In
Gerrard
Hyypia
Mascherano
Aurelio
Gonzalez???
Finnan
Pennant

All Players in for the mighty Anfield Athletic.

Very UNIMPRESSED by the lack of ANY Liverpool players. And who the F**k is Shabani Nonda.

Shay Given in goal - are they taking the piss.

I think I will certainly be the 'tinkerman' of our league this season.

And as for Venison's team...

It's a fix. Reckon you know someone who works on that paper sunshine. (Mind you not too many strikers)

(6 places left - not sure if people can still join - but if you want to the password for our league is 'copper20')

Here's the starting teams...

Oh and Tommo (Scum Free XI)? You've got Gabriel Heinze... or do you know something we don't?

Right, I give up already. The only half decent players I've got are Owen, Carvalho & Gareth Barry. I've been stuck with F***ing Emile Heskey, George Boateng, Wilfred Bouma & Moritz Volz. Not happy 

McBride!!??
You's will have to find something else for a goalpost, because I'm taking my jumper and I'm going home!

Redkenny's got about 15 strikers in his team.

Redkenny's got about 15 strikers in his team.

And probably about three goals between them all season - excluding Kuyt of course...

I think I've probably got the best collection of forwards but can't bear to be needing Fat Head and Andriy to bag any goals.

Guys the are out of contract players which you can trade your unwanted in for...take a look.

And as for Venison's team...

It's a fix. Reckon you know someone who works on that paper sunshine. (Mind you not too many strikers)

(6 places left - not sure if people can still join - but if you want to the password for our league is 'copper20')

Good old uncle Rupert

I had 7 LFC players in my top 30 but not an LFC player in my squad WTF pissed off.......forwards, midfield and GK will do....but the back 4 are crap.... Carlos Bocanegro, Johnathon Woodgate, John Terry (who I was forced to sub for Christopher Samba) and Stephen Carr...WTF.

How can I get rid of any of these 4 ...I can't bench them because my bench is crap!!! Can anyone please advise?

I had 7 LFC players in my top 30 but not an LFC player in my squad WTF pissed off.......forwards, midfield and GK will do....but the back 4 are crap.... Carlos Bocanegro, Johnathon Woodgate, John Terry (who I was forced to sub for Christopher Samba) and Stephen Carr...WTF.

How can I get rid of any of these 4 ...I can't bench them because my bench is crap!!! Can anyone please advise?

Have you checked the out of contract players in our league? 

Anyone check whose top yet ?   

Anyone check whose top yet ?   

Ah great one!

Got joint top in pts for club in defence with CF Kopstars, 13.5. Funnily enough joint second bottom of pts for club in attack with CF Kopstars too!

Point system is not transparent so will make a good talking point this season. My next football blog post will tie up the first weekends games with my Fantasy Football thoughts on the scoring system etc.

My released players have taken effect too!!

Anyone else release/add players from the out of contract pool?

Anyone else release/add players from the out of contract pool?

Yup... loads

In
Paul McShane - Sunderland
Vedran Corluka - Man C
Stephen Ireland - Man C
Martin Petrov - Man C
Geovanni - Man C

Out
Owen Hargearves - Man U (Good riddance!)
Ledley King - Tot (Injured - and not keen on him)
Lucas Neil - West Ham (Injured, and not from the best defence in the league )
Darius Vassell - Man C (Like he's ever going to play!)
Gilberto Silve - Arsenal (See above)

When I can find someone decent to swap Nani for, then he'll be going too.

Bottom of the league! Bottom of the league!! 

Just tried tinkering a bit - Dirk Kuyt right midfield? Wouldn't let me do it. Looks like this Play The Game is going to take up more time than I anticipated. Don't think i can be arsed. I'll have a good luck through the week though.

Have you checked the out of contract players in our league? 

will check it out during the week...cheers DM

Bottom of the league! Bottom of the league!! 

Just tried tinkering a bit - Dirk Kuyt right midfield? Wouldn't let me do it. Looks like this Play The Game is going to take up more time than I anticipated. Don't think I can be arsed. I'll have a good luck through the week though.

Top of the league, Top of the league !!     

Gotta be a fluke ! 

I didnt know we had a league going on ThePremierleague.com, I was by myself     I've now joined up with our league and sitting at number 15 

I didnt know we had a league going on ThePremierleague.com...

Welcome to the forum Smigger. We talk about Liverpool FC and stuff on this website.  :

Oh and you're one of the forum moderators.

I had a Manc team and now I've got a crocked Manc team - anyone want Rooney off me.

Ha

Welcome to the forum Smigger. We talk about Liverpool FC and stuff on this website.  :

Oh and you're one of the forum moderators.

I had a Manc team and now I've got a crocked Manc team - anyone want Rooney off me.

Had a lot on my mind JD 

I feel cheated. My team is made up of Mancs and Blue scum. I've got a lot of red as well though, if although it's all of the wrong kind!

Can we still sign up for the premierleague.com league?

Can we still sign up for the premierleague.com league?

I'm pretty sure you can sign up anytime, you just forfeit the points already scored.

I have emailed the Times FF customer support as I believe we are missing a player from the Man City ranks...he scored last night

EDIT: after a few emails back & forth the missing player is in the game

From bottom to sixth place! Just call me Kenny Redknapp! 

From bottom to sixth place! Just call me Kenny Redknapp! 

Yeh cheers Kenny, now I'm rock bottom.
Hopefully tho', I have up to 9 players playing tomorrow !!
I said previously that my team are slow starters, but not this f'in slow

Eddie - I have just proposed a transfer with you.

Eddie - I have just proposed a transfer with you.

Can't seem to see transfer listed to vote on...I take it Eddie wasn't interested?!

Elano for Man City seems to missing from game & have emailed the Times about it...I am getting a little fed up with the player omissions from this game already

Re: (Case 4826) Times Online Fantasy Football Challenge:  General Question
Thanks for the email. Those players will be added later today

--
Play The Game

This is really poor!

Can't seem to see transfer listed to vote on...I take it Eddie wasn't interested?!

Elano for Man City seems to missing from game & have emailed the Times about it...I am getting a little fed up with the player omissions from this game already

This is really poor!

He's in there... Currently selected to play for StellaReds... Look for E. Blumer - thats him.

STELLAREDS     Out-of-contract pickup     Elano Blumer     Bench     8/12/2007 6:29 PM BST

I take it no-one's really bothering with this anymore?

It seemed like a good idea, but ultimately I got a sh*t team so couldn't be arsed.

Topic un-stickied.

I take it no-one's really bothering with this anymore?

It seemed like a good idea, but ultimately I got a sh*t team so couldn't be arsed.

Topic un-stickied.

Am taking a passing interest still but not sure the format fits with everyone?

I take it no-one's really bothering with this anymore?

It seemed like a good idea, but ultimately I got a sh*t team so couldn't be arsed.

Topic un-stickied.

Hey Eddie, I'm on top of the list mate, so I'm definetly still playing...no wonder I'm doing so well....all of you have given it the arse. Very pissed off with myself after the weeked. Put Robbie Keane on the bench after having him there all season, so far and put Mark Viduka as one of my strikers!!!!  he didn't even make the bench.

I'm still on the go... got another two teams going in different leagues too! it takes a lot of getting used to playing though, such as defensive midfielders being next to useless as they are violently outperformed in the points stakes by the more attacking variety.

I presume everyone just left this to role on on it's own, like I did?

Anyone know the final league table?

Forgot all about this Kenny!

Gonna try and see the table now.

I didn't, have been playing every week...leading our league for most of the season until London Reds came from nowhere a few weeks back and stormed to the Title...finishing 11 points clear...it was only 5 the difference last week.

No wonder I was doing well all season, none of you guys kept playing ...damn Tommo...should have asked for Torres off you



LEAGUE TABLE

TEAM           PTS
LondonReds  121 
lfcchamps     110.5  (Me)
SellOut XI     105.5 
Bosmia FC       92.5 
redkennys stella can  86.5 
Eds 11  83 
Venisons 11  78 
STELLAREDS  73 
ni reds  67.5 
Anfield Athletic  65.5 
mrtommo's scum free ...  59 
CF Kopstars  53.5 
The Invincibles  38.5 
Rafalution AFC  16