Here’s Tali with his article the Fantasy Premier League legends of the passing decade
The Fantasy Premier League Legends of the Passing Decade
Followers of the English Premier League, and particularly Fantasy Premier League (FPL)
managers must have experienced the most thrilling decade since the beginning of football.
Given, FPL was not there before the turn of the century. Numbers of new managers have shot up
significantly, and the fun does not seem to die down. Between 2010 and 2019, we have seen
players who have made the FPL experience even more exciting with their contribution to soccer,
one of the biggest sports in Ireland and the larger UK.
Steven Gerrard
Popularly known as Stevie G, or Captain fantastic to most English fans, the Liverpool midfielder
enjoyed an illustrious career spanning 3 decades. His best turnover was during his middle years
where he was almost an obvious choice for FPL managers. In the 2013/14 season, he scored 13
goals and set up 13 more in 33 starts, bringing in a total of 205 points.
Frank Lampard
Frankie kicked off the decade in style, scoring at least 10 or more goals per season between 2010
and 2013. For Chelsea, he was Mr. Consistent. For FPL managers, he was Mr. Reliable. His
returns were awesome, and like his England partner, his middle years were his best, though he
never disappointed when a few managers would consider him for a place in their teams during
his final years.
Luis Suarez
For the three and a half seasons in England, superlatives had run out for the Uruguayan striker
who had joined Liverpool from Ajax in Amsterdam. He was the loved by FPL managers across
the board in much the same way Norwich fans reviled him. He had his dark moments, like the
biting incidences, and the racial abuse on Patrice Evra, but despite these moments he
brought the points home. In the 2013/14 season, he amassed 295 points, a record that stood until
his heir Mo Salah broke in the 2017/18 season.
Gareth Bale
In case you forgot, Gareth Bale played in the EPL before Real Madrid came calling. Reasons
behind his transfer from Spurs to the Spanish capital were purely based on his performances. In
2011/12, he amassed 195 points, followed that up with 249 the following season before making
his move. And to imagine he was once frozen out on loan to a championship side earlier only
makes his story all the more interesting.
Mo Salah
There were doubts about the Egyptian’s capabilities in England when Jurgen Klopp secured his
signature from Roma. Some believed he was not good enough for the EPL since his failed stint at
Chelsea, but Klopp gambled. Boy, did he deliver?
Salah’s story has been remarkable. His second coming to England was Messianic. In the 2017/18
season, he not only broke Luis Suarez points haul of 295 points, but he also became the first player in the EPL to score 32 goals in a single season. His 303 points for the season stand as a
record.
Sergio Kun Aguero
The Manchester City man has played nearly all the 10 seasons of the decade, and none has been
a disappointment. He is an expensive buy for FPL managers even before the start of any season
thanks to his incredible stats. In six of 8 full seasons, Aguero has scored 20+ goals, topping 200+
points 3 times in the process. When he is not out injured, he is certainly the first name on the
FPL managers’ sheet.
Michu
Remember him? The little known Swansea striker who scored for fun? He joined Swansea in
2012 to fill in the boots of Gylfi Sigurdsson. Initially, Michu was to play as a midfielder just
behind the main striker, but his number nine shirt must have spurred him to go forward. It paid,
and soon, Sigurdsson was a forgotten man in Wales. Michu’s 18 goals and 3 assists gave him
190 points, falling behind Spurs man Gareth Bale on 249. Blame injuries for the rest of his story.
Other notable performers
Wayne Rooney, Clint Dempsey, Riyad Mahrez, Yaya Toure, Manolo Gabbiadini, Odio Ighalo,
David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane.
