ESPN Soccernet - Premier Fantasy - Official Blog- Why?

Posted by John Culea on 11/08/2011

To be successful in fantasy football you must manage with your head instead of your heart. Here is a list of players with low or disappointing point totals and the percentage of managers who own them.

The reasons why vary from sentimental to hope the player will either regain his form or return from injury.

Goalkeeper:
Cech, Chelsea, 6.7 million, 31 points owned by 11.1% of managers

Defenders:
Vidic, Manchester United, 7 million, 7 points, owned by 12.5% of managers
Luiz, Chelsea, 8 million, 7 points, owned by 5.7% of managers
Rafael, Manchester United, 6.7 million, 0 points, owned by 4.1% of managers

Midfielders:
Gerrard, Liverpool, 7.2 million, 14 points, owned by 8.5% of managers
Kuyt, Liverpool, 7.1 million, 22 points, owned by 6.9% of managers
Wilshere, Arsenal, 6.5 million, 0 points, owned by 5.1% of managers
Rodriguez, Liverpool, 5.8 million, 1 point, owned by 3.1% of managers
Essien, Chelsea, 6.5 million, 0 points, owned by 2.5% of managers

Forwards:
Hernandez, Manchester United, 7.3 million, 39 points, owned by 11% of managers
Berbatov, Manchester United, 7.2 million, 7 points, owned by 7.2% of managers
Tevez, Manchester City, 7.5 million, 2 points, owned by 6% of managers

Notes: Van Persie is the top-scoring striker with 79 points. He has a 10 million value and is owned by 19.5% of managers. The high salary likely explains the still low percentage of ownership; however, it also could be that managers know the Dutchie has a long history of extended injury breakdowns.

The players with the highest percentage of ownership at each position:
Goalkeeper: Hart, Manchester City, 19.9%, 50 points, 8.5 million
Defender: Baines, Everton, 22.2%, 34 points, 7.2 million
Midfielder: Silva, Manchester City, 49.6%, 77 points, 7.8 million
Forward: Rooney, Manchester United, 53.2%, 67 points, 8.6 million
Note: Rooney has been playing in midfield, but still only gets Forward points

Comments

Posted by Dan on 11/16/2011

What I don't understand. RVP's salary shoots through the roof with only 20% of the people having him, but when 50% of the people have Silva in midfield his salary is still only 7.8? That makes no sense. Van Dar Vaarts Salary shot up a ton as well. Isn't the percentage of people that own them the determination of how their salary changes? I would think that Silva would be 9 or 10 Million by now surely, especially if half the game has them on their team. And of course 50% of the game is going to have him when he is only 7.8....if his salary had shot up like the others the first few weeks people would have had to look elsewhere or spend a 8.5+ to get him. Please clarify the salary determination if you have an opportunity.

Comment:
I agree it is hard to figure out why some players are valued higher than others. I think it all boils down to the subjective judgment of the fantasy game's managers. For instance, how can you explain Dempsey's relatively low salary each season when he routinely finishes as one of the highest point-getters?
It is hard to understand Tevez priced as high as he is considering his persona non grata status at MC.
I will send your comments to ESPN game managers.
Best,
Sir John

Posted by Dan on 11/18/2011

The fantasy points can't be subjective if the game is to have any validity. I understand that it is just a "fantasy game", but as more people purchase an individual, his price should shoot up until individuals stop buying them. The inverse should be true when a player starts getting dumped. That is why this new game sucks. Past years, that was the whole point of the game. Buy a team for 100M, make the appropriate trades, right picks, etc... your players appreciate in value as more people start taking them, then you sell your 6M player for 8M and you now have a team worth 102. You know you had a good season when your team started being worth 100M and is now worth 115 or 120 by the end of the year. They way they have it set up now is completely baffling. The return value isn't there in this game for finding a star early on when no one knows him and having him appreciate when people start buying him. Your team is still worth 100M, and that is just ridiculous. Thanks

Comment:
I am in total agreement that the system of players value increasing but not increasing the value of your team is dead wrong. Under the past system you were rewarded for picking the right players-thus enabling you to buy more expensive players.
While the new game offers better statistics, quicker results and a running tally of how players are doing while games are in progress, there are changes that need to be made. I will pass your (our) concerns to ESPN. Those in England have good ideas about how the game should be run; however, an American company manages the game. There needs to be a summit.
Sir John

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