Hall of Fame Update – Ronka Reclaims Top Spot

The weekend break for the FA Cup grants us the opportunity to scan the latest standings in our Live Hall of Fame.

Since our last update, in Gameweek 20, the race for the top has been intense with number one spot exchanged between two high-flying managers.

The HoF ranking system is applied to everyone who takes part in our Fantasy Premier League mini-leagues – both the free and members league. Managers’ performances over the seasons are then traced and scored via an exclusive algorithm to produce a HoF rating.

This article will take a close look at the histories and strategies deployed by those leading the current live HoF rankings. This has been updated to take into account Gameweek 25 and can be viewed by Members via this link.

If you would like to know more about the Hall of Fame we have included a quick guide in this article. Alternatively, you can view this movie to listen to Mark and it’s creator, Chris Atkinson, talk you through it.

The career version, which shows the standings at the end of each season, is free to view here or via the HoF tab on the home page.

A Gameweek 25 score of 67 was enough for Ville Ronka to reclaim top spot, after losing it five Gameweeks ago for the first time since 2013/14.

A determination to continue with his patient style of avoiding hits, keeping faith in players and swerving early transfers has ensured this HoF stalwart continues to deliver.

A trust in a 3-4-3 formation is another trait, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Harry Kane joined by Romelu Lukaku in Gameweek 25. Drafting in the Everton marksman saw Christian Benteke, who he bought in back in Gameweek 4, finally depart his squad.

Despite dipping out of the top 100,000 FPL placings at the time of our last update, Ville has since stuck resolutely to his game plan and even managed to roll over free transfers twice.

Such patience has seen him climb to 26,693 in the overall rankings in Gameweek 25, where he captained Alexis Sanchez and earned clean sheet or attacking points from three defenders, Ashley Williams, Erik Pieters and Gareth McAuley.

With the second Wildcard, Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips still to play, he looks in good shape to rack up yet another stellar finish.

Given his exemplary nine season FPL career, in which his lowest season placing was 4,668th in 2012/13 and has included four top 1,000 finishes, a change of strategy looks unlikely as he enters the final stage of this campaign.

Ville is also well prepared for Gameweek 26’s blanks, with only Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Manchester United striker missing out. Gameweek 28 planning is also on track, with eight players from teams that are guaranteed a fixture.

Ville’s conqueror in recent Gameweeks, Jay Egersdorff, slips from first to second despite racking up an impressive 64 points and moving up to 580 in the overall FPL standings in Gameweek 25. A fine recent run, which saw him enter and remain in the top 1,000 in Gameweek 21,  makes him the live HoF Top Ten’s highest ranked manager.

Key to his success was a switch to a five-man midfield in Gameweek 6, involving Hull City’s Adama Diomande as a makeweight third striker. Since then he has achieved 12 green arrows.

As with Ville, Jay is also keen to avoid hits, making just two so far. For the last five Gameweeks, he has decided against banking a transfer and instead brought in a player each week, with mixed success.

His Gameweek 25 draft of Swansea City set piece specialist Gylfi Sigurdsson brought an immediate six-point return. However, other new recruits during this time, Dele Alli and Junior Stanislas, have already been jettisoned.

He has also planned well around the blanks, with just Sanchez and Ibrahimovic to bench or remove in Gameweek 26. For Gameweek 28 he has seven players from teams currently guaranteed a fixture.

Jay has his second wildcard, Triple Captaincy and Bench Boost chips to play, and with ten seasons under his belt already, seven of which ended with a top 5,000 placing, he looks set to continue to threaten Ville’s status.

In sharp contrast to Jay and Ville, Peter Kouwenberg (aka My Pretty Pony) is more than a little partial to making extra transfers. He has now racked up an incredible 16 hits over the season, including two since our last update in Gameweek 20.

But while much of this spending spree has seen him either slip or stay static in the overall rankings, he is now enjoying his best period of the campaign, moving from 45,792 over the last five Gameweeks to a season-high 6,126. This has also seen Peter climb from eighth to third in our live HoF.

A Gameweek 24 hit to bring in Everton’s Seamus Coleman and Lukaku as well as Sigurdsson, after banking a transfer the previous Gameweek, proved extremely profitable. His captaincy of Lukaku for his four goals against Bournemouth that week was also canny.

If Peter can continue to spend wisely, he looks on course to add another strong finish over an 11 season career that has seen him pick up two top 500 final placings.

Retaining his Triple Captaincy, Bench Boost and second Wildcard chips also helps, as could a flexible approach to formation, which has seen Peter field 4-4-2, 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 line ups over the last five Gameweeks.

However, with Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia joining Ibrahimovic and Sanchez on the sidelines in Gameweek 26, and just five certain starters in Gameweek 28, it looks likely his penchant for hits will continue.

Moving from second to fourth is David Meechan, who has slipped from 6,417 in the overall rankings at the Gameweek 20 stage to 12,211, following three red arrows in five.

Despite this slight recent wobble, he has remained within the top 20,000 since Gameweek 14 and with Triple Captaincy, Bench Boost and second Wildcard chips still to be used, he looks in prime position to add a third top 1,000 finish to his decade-long FPL career.

He is another among our elite group who is not afraid to spend points, taking 10 hits so far, four of which have come in the last six Gameweeks.

Recent moves have seen him spend wisely to shore up his defence and also keep a close eye on impending blanks.

Since Gameweek 20 Coleman, Leighton Baines, Chris Brunt, Lukaku and Sigurdsson have all joined. All are from teams guaranteed a fixture in Gameweek 28.

But for Gameweek 26, further surgery may be required. In addition to losing Sanchez and Ibrahimovic that week, David’s bench now consists of three non-starters for their teams, Bournemouth’s Junior Stanislas, Nathan Ake of Chelsea and Sunderland’s injured striker Victor Anichebe.

A non-mover in fifth spot in the live Hall of Fame is Bruce Savage, who has been a regular in the top 10 this season, having finished 2015/16 in 19^th place.

Since Gameweek 8 he has cemented a top 10,000 berth, with Gameweek 23’s 9,127 his lowest overall rank and Gameweek 16’s 1,027 placing his highest. He is currently 4,032 in the overall rankings thanks in part to captaining Lukaku in Gameweek 24 and Sanchez a week later. These two decisions alone netted him 72 points.

While the acquisition of the Everton striker in Gameweek 23 was a masterstroke, the remainder of his recent transfers have been less successful. Sergio Aguero was recruited in Gameweek 20 but found himself benched by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola shortly after. The Argentine was finally ejected by Bruce in Gameweek 25, but frustratingly could be back in favour for the Sky Blues following an injury to his Brazilian rival, Gabriel Jesus.

Bruce’s transfer of Crystal Palace’s misfiring striker Christian Benteke in Gameweek 24 has also failed to bear fruit so far, in his favoured 3-4-3 formation.

A fourth top 1,000 finish certainly looks achievable with his second Wildcard Bench Boost chip left. However, a rash deployment of his Triple Captain in Gameweek 20, which garnered 21 points from Aguero, could prove costly.

Nevertheless, Bruce looks well set up for Gameweek 26, with Sanchez and Swansea’s out of favour defender Jordi Amat the only absentees. But with just three players with guaranteed Gameweek 28 fixtures, he will need to spend his transfers wisely if he is to avoid falling behind during that reduced programme.

Sixth placed Sir Edo Nygren is another non mover and with a Gameweek 25 FPL overall rank of 790 is the top 10’s second highest placed manager.

For most managers, such a lofty position would be a cause for celebration, but given he was placed at 294 in Gameweek 22, he is likely to be disappointed. A key factor in his failure to edge into the top 100 was two disastrous set of fixtures, including a 34 point score in Gameweek 23. His 59 points the following week was also marred by failing to own Lukaku, who was captained by many of our other HoF leaders.

That experience is set to influence his next transfer, with the Toffees striker his likely next recruit ahead of relegation-threatened Sunderland’s visit to Goodison Park. With out of favour Cherries winger Stanislas in his team, and Ibrahimovic and Sanchez both missing Gameweek 26, it looks like the Manchester United man may make way. However, the Ibrahimovic hat-trick against St Etienne in the Europa League midweek, plus a home clash with Bournemouth in Gameweek 27, may yet prompt a rethink.

For Gameweek 28, Edo has just five players in teams guaranteed to play so will be hoping this weekend’s FA Cup fixtures provide some upsets to avert further surgery.

Given he has his second Wildcard, Bench Boost and Triple Captaincy chips to play, a ninth top 5,000 finish across his 11 season career looks guaranteed.

Three green arrows in a row have propelled Peter Gullested into the top ten at seventh spot, a rise of seven places on his career HoF rank at the end of 2015/16.

Across his ten-season career he has twice come close to winning FPL, with a rank of 31 in 2008/9 and 36 in 2014/15.

A keen advocate of a 3-4-3 formation, he isn’t afraid of a hit on occasions, taking six so far. He is currently in his third stint in the top 100,000, but with a Gameweek 25 season-high rank of 12,163, he looks better equipped this time around to push on into the top 10,000. A combination of captaining Lukaku in Gameweek 24 and Sanchez in Gameweek 25 have helped with his recent success, as has the Gameweek 23 acquisition of Sigurdsson.

With Triple Captain, Bench Boost and second Wildcard intact, his prospects look good for the final stages of the season. However, a hit is likely to be required in Gameweek 26, as he will have to make do without Sanchez, Ibrahimovic, Valencia and very probably the out of favour Stanislas and Amat.

Gameweek 28 also looks tricky for him to navigate with West Brom pair Matt Phillips and Ben Foster, as well as Lukaku and Sigurdsson his only likely starters.

The second new entry into our top ten since our Gameweek 20 update is our very own Mark Sutherns. His rise to a season-high overall rank of 2,265, in Gameweek 25, has helped him rise to eighth spot in the live HoF, from 49^th in last season’s career run down.

A strategic use of hits, with five taken so far, and a switch to a 3-5-2 formation with the drafting in of Sunderland striker Anichebe in Gameweek 15 have been key factors.

A focus on Gameweek 28 starters in the transfer market recently, with Lukaku, Coleman and Sigurdsson among his latest recruits, should also ensure Mark is able to cope well with the impending blanks.

However, further work will be needed. During Gameweek 26 he will have to make do without Sanchez, Ibrahimovic, the injured Anichebe and out of favour pair Amat and Stanislas. For Gameweek 28 he currently only has four likely starters.

Nevertheless, a fourth top 1,000 finish looks very much on the cards, especially as he still has his second Wildcard, Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips to play.

Matthew Jones has moved from 19^th in Gameweek 20 to ninth spot in our latest update to rejoin the top ten, having held the same number nine position at the end of last season.

His strong run over the last five Gameweeks have included three green arrows and a score of 91 in Gameweek 21, when he benefitted from a total of 60 points from his captain Sanchez, a brace from Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso and a hat-trick from Spurs striker Harry Kane.

The following Gameweek, the patience in Roberto Firmino was rewarded with a 14 point return from the Liverpool ‘false 9’. Matthew’s differentials also excelled that weekend, with Swansea striker Fernando Llorente and Brunt bringing in 13 points each.

With Lukaku now part of a three-man frontline he looks in reasonable shape to cope with Gameweek 26’s reduced fixtures. Just Manchester United pair Valencia and Ibrahimovic and Sanchez are certain absentees. Preparation for Gameweek 28 has also started in earnest with six likely starters currently available for those fixtures.

Currently in 17,257 and with his second Wildcard, Bench Boost and Triple Captaincy chips left, Matthew has a strong chance of adding a further high placing to an FPL career that already includes two top 500 finishes.

Tenth place is retained by Glynn Sherwood (aka Spectrum), who finished in 36^th in the Hall of Fame at the end of last season.

This is Glynn’s 11th campaign over a career that has included five top 10,000 finishes and a 133 placing in 2014/15.

Another advocate of 3-4-3 his Gameweek 25 score of 59 was enough to propel him to a season-high overall rank of 6,610.

So far he has taken eight hits this season, with his last coming in Gameweek 28. A further spending spree looks off the table given his intelligent preparation for the reduced Gameweeks on the horizon. For Gameweek 26 he has only Sanchez, Ibrahimovic and Amat as non-starters, and for Gameweek 28 he already has seven likely starters.

Notable Mentions

Last year’s FPL champion Dimitri Nicolaou is still struggling but has made strides to improve since our Gameweek 20 update revealed he had slipped out of the top 2,000,000 in the overall rankings. Over the last five Gameweeks, Dimitri has shaved more than 785,165 off that grim figure but had to use up his second Wildcard in Gameweek 21 to achieve the improvement..

Among the other former champions, 2013/14’s winner Tom Fenley, has risen to 383 in the live Hall of Fame from 407^th five Gameweeks ago. In the overall rankings has halved his position and is currently 66,103 with all his chips left to play.

The 2014/15 winner Simon March (aka Dufflinks) is also faring better, having recorded an overall rank of 333,085 in Gameweek 20. He now sits in 173,136 place and is up to 143^rd in the live HoF.

Hall of Fame FAQ

How is my rating calculated?
The “HoF Rating” is based on your points scores from previous FPL seasons, with the latest season, weighted the heaviest and each corresponding season weighted at roughly 70% that of the previous season. So, in other words, those who performed best in 2014/15 will receive a bigger HoF Rating boost from those who did best in 2007/08. The “HoF Ranking” even allows for those with missing years, adapting the formula accordingly to allow to rank alongside the veterans of the FPL.

How do I join the Hall of Fame
Simply sign up to our leagues, either the Fantasy Football Scout Classic League (see home page for code) or if you’re a member, the Members Classic League (see Members home page for code).

How do I find myself in the Hall of Fame?
The search box at the top of the ranking tables allows you to search by surname or by FPL id.

What if I don’t want to be listed?
Either notify us via support@fantasyfootballscout.co.uk or simply leave the Fantasy Football Scout league, and you’ll be removed on the next update.

When does the Hall of Fame get updated?
The Career table is available to all and is updated at the end of each season to display the latest rankings. The Live version of the Hall of Fame is updated every week to use the latest season data.