How To Play
Picking Your Team
Study the player list and decide which players you want in your team for the Barclays Premier League 08/09 season.
Your team must contain no more than two players from any one Barclays Premier League club and must conform to a 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 formation.
- A 4-4-2 formation consists of one goalkeeper, two full-backs, two centre-backs, four midfielders and two strikers.
- A 5-3-2 formation consists of one goalkeeper, two full-backs, three centre-backs, three midfielders and two strikers.
The total cost of your team cannot exceed the £55m budget
You must also pick a manager who will score points based upon how his team performs in Premier League games. Managers have no Fantasy League value (they're free), but they do count as one of the two players you are allowed from any one Premier League club. This means that if you picked Joe Cole for your team and then went for the Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, you would not be able to pick another Chelsea player because you would have reached your limit of two per club.
Once you have decided which players you want for your team, click on log in or register, depending on whether you have already entered your personal details or not, to go ahead and select your team.
Game Periods
The game is divided in to two Game Periods. Your team will compete for prizes based on it's score in both Game Periods and in the overall, season long game.
During each Game Period you can make a total of 20 transfers, with a maximum of three per week. Unlimited transfers are available before the start of Game Period 1, and between the end of Game Period 1 and the start of Game Period 2. This means that you can change your team as many times as you like before the start of each Game Period.
The Game Periods and unlimtied transfer windows are as follows:
- Pre-season: 16 July 2008, 00:00 - 16 August 2008, 12:45:00 (unlimited transfers)
- Game Period 1: 16 August 2008, 12:45:00 - 31 December 2008, 00:00:00
- Mid-season: 31 December 2008, 00:00:00 - 10 January 2009, 12:45:00 (unlimited transfers)
- Game Period 2: 10 January 2009, 12:45:00 - 25 May 2009, 00:00:00
* All times are BST/GMT.
Scoring Points
From the first scheduled kick-off of the Rock n Roll Fantasy Football game, until the end of the Barclays Premier League season, points are awarded to players in Premier League matches only on the following basis:
| Event |
Points
|
Details
|
| Goal |
3 |
|
| Assist |
2 |
|
| Goalkeeper/Defender Appearance |
1 |
(must play 45 mins or more) |
| Goalkeeper/Defender Clean Sheet |
3 |
(must play 75 mins, inc. 1 pt for appearance) |
| Goalkeeper/Defender Goal Against |
-1 |
|
Manager only |
|
|
| Win |
3 |
|
| Draw |
1 |
|
These points then make up your, the manager's, cumulative team score. Each team competes in a 'Fantasy League' Leaderboard against other teams, for the glory of coming top of the pile and maybe even a prize or two along the way.
Read more about scoring points
Managers
This season, as well as selecting your team of 11 players, you must also pick yourself a manager.
The manager you choose for your team scores points based upon the results of his team in Premier League matches. Managers score three points for a win and one point for a draw.
The decision of Fantasy League will be final on all these matters.
Goals:
Goals are those officially attributed by the Press Association (PA). Fantasy League will not overrule this source in any circumstances. Fantasy League can only amend goals that are overruled by PA within 24 hours.
Assists:
Generally assists are awarded to team-mates who provide the last 'clean
pass' to a goalscorer. (A clean pass is defined as a pass, cross or shot
that goes directly to the goalscorer without the intervention of another
player).
However, once there is a measure of interference from another player (be
it a team-mate or opponent) then the assist may be taken away (in the case
of defensive intervention), or additional assists added (in the case of a
flick-on by a team-mate).
What happens if an opposition player gets a touch on the ball?
If the last touch is by an opposing defender (accidental or otherwise)
and significantly alters the speed or direction of the ball (excluding a
goal-line clearance) then the assist is removed, and no assist is
credited.
This could result from a dodgy backpass, a defensive deflection, a
blocked shot or a poor clearance, and is deemed significant in the
following circumstances.
-
If the 'touch' significantly alters the flight of the ball, thus having a
considerable effect on the speed or horizontal direction/trajectory (as
viewed from above) of the 'pass', such that it alters the original path that
the ball was taking.
- For example, a cross along the edge of the six yard box, that deflects
off a defender, arriving at the feet of an attacking player on the penalty
spot, who then scores, would not be deserving of an assist.
- A good illustration of this is to look at how, and when the goalscorer
receives the 'pass'. If the defender's touch means that the player receives
the ball in a different area of the pitch, or in a different way (e.g.
allowing him to control the ball on his left foot, rather than having to hit
it first time with his right), then the 'touch' is deemed to be
significant.
- In these circumstances how the touch on the ball affects the height, is
only significant if the defender's touch dramatically alters the flight
(e.g. a ball travelling across the face of goal is headed straight up in the
air), but a flick for instance that allows an aerial ball to continue in
it's initial direction would not result in an assist being removed.
Benefit of the doubt
If the Assist panel, do not believe that the defensive touch has been
significant, and has not had a determinable impact under any of the above
criteria, then the attacking player will be give 'the benefit of the doubt'
and the assist awarded.
The 'last pass to goalscorer' rule
If the defensive interference occurs after the goalscorer has already
received the ball from a team-mate (after a 'clean' pass) then the assist
will stand, as the assist is given for the final pass to the goalscorer. For
example, if Michael Carrickfeeds the ball to Wayne Rooney on the edge of the
box, and Rooney shoots but his shot hits a defender rebounding straight
back to him, and on the second attempt he scores, Carrick will still be
awarded an assist, as the goalscorer (in this case Rooney) had already
received the ball before the deflection occurred.
But did he mean to do it?
Whether the player intends to interfere with the flight of the ball or
not, is not the defining factor in awarding assists. The assists are decided
on the actual movement of the ball and how it is affected by any touch by
attacking or defending players.
He's hit the bar!
A player who has a shot which comes off the woodwork and rebounds back to
the goalscorer will also be deserving of an assist.
Goalkeeping parries
If a goalkeeper parries a shot or drops a shot or cross and a goal is then
scored then the person making the original shot or cross is awarded an
assist. There is no assist given if the goalkeeper intentionally punches or
kicks (not including a save with his feet) the ball away, the difference
being that he is deemed to be in control of his actions and, no matter how
pathetic the attempt, has cleared the ball away.
If a defender makes a goal-line clearance from behind the goalkeeper, and
the defenders deflection is then turned in, an assist is awarded in the same
way that it is awarded for a goalkeeping parry. This only happens with
goal-line clearances, and when the defender is closer to the goal-line than
the goalkeeper. It does not apply to shots blocked in front of the
goalkeeper.
Penalties/free-kicks
When a penalty is awarded, a player fouled earns an assist if the penalty
is subsequently converted.
If the penalty is for a handball on a goal-bound shot (which has already
passed the goalkeeper and hence results in a sending-off), then the player
taking the shot is awarded the assist. No assist is awarded for a handball
that is other than a goal-line clearance.
Please note that if the player earning the assist also scores the
resulting penalty then no assist is given.
If a goalkeeper parries a penalty and the penalty taker scores from the
rebound then the assist remains as above. If a different player converts the
rebound then the penalty taker gets the assist.
There is no assist given to a player earning a direct free kick if a goal
arises directly from it.
What happens if a team-mate gets a slight touch on the ball (flick-ons and double assists)?
If the last touch before the goalscorer receives the ball is from his own
team mate but does not significantly alter the speed or direction of the
ball then two (or more - in the event of a flick-on of a flick-on) separate
assists are given. One to the person providing the ball and one to the
attacker providing the flick on. These typically occur as a result of near
post corners, long throw-ins and goal-kicks.
Again the determining factor in whether two or more assists are awarded
is whether or not the additional touch (the flick-on) has a significant
impact on the flight of the ball.
Thus a flat corner driven at head height towards the near post, flicked
on to the back post by an attacking player, where it is nodded over the
line, would attract two assists.
However, an inswinging corner to the near post, headed outwards to the
edge of the six yard box, from where it is turned home, would only be
deserving of one assist - as the headed intervention changes the direction
of the ball on the horizontal plane by a 'significant' degree.
Deciding on assists
Assists are awarded by virtue of a decision from the highly experienced
Fantasy League Assists Committee. The decisions of the panel are in line
with the framework laid out above in order to maintain consistent
adjudication. We are always happy to advise why an assist was or wasn't
given, so long as the query is based on having seen the footage and not
(often inaccurate) written media reports, but such decisions made by Fantasy
League are final.
Appearance points & Clean Sheets:
An appearance point (1 point) is awarded to any goalkeeper or defender who is on the pitch for at least 45 minutes - including injury time (i.e a full half). Goalkeepers and defenders who appear in only part of a game will lose one point per goal conceded while they are on the pitch. Accordingly, a player who completes a game and concedes one goal will score no points (0 points). A player who completes thirty minutes of a game and concedes one goal will be deducted one point (-1 point total).
If a player completes 75 minutes or more of a game before he is substituted - and no goals are conceded whilst he's on the pitch - then that player will be awarded two extra points for a ‘clean sheet’ (3 points total).
Read more appearance points and clean sheets
Goalkeepers and defenders receiving red cards will lose points after they are sent off. If a player is sent off and his team concedes goals after his dismissal, he continues to lose the points that his team-mates do.
If the goalkeeper / defender is sent off and his team keep a clean sheet then, as previously, he keeps the points as at the time he was sent off.
Goalkeepers/defenders playing less than 90 minutes
Goalkeepers or defenders that only play part of a game will receive an
appearance point if they are on the field for 45 minutes (i.e. a full half,
including injury time) or more. If goals are conceded whilst they are on the
pitch they will lose one point per goal conceded (so watch out for those
late defensive substitutions!).
On occasions when players are off the pitch receiving treatment, or are
stretchered from the field of play but have NOT been substituted, then they
are still liable to be deducted points for goals conceded, even if they do
not return to the pitch. They only stop being liable to concede points once
they have been officially substituted.
If a defender comes on as a substitute after the second half has started,
but his team concedes a goal whilst he is on the pitch, he will score minus
one point. Similarly, if a player plays the first 30 minutes of a game
before being taken off and concedes a goal in the process, he will also
score minus one point.
If no goals are conceded while playing, players will receive the extra two
points for a clean sheet, so long as they are on the field for 75
completed minutes or more. (i.e. defenders starting the game will need to be
substituted in at least the 76th minute in order to obtain the two
additional points!).
Defenders being sent off
Goalkeepers and defenders receiving red cards can now lose points after they
are sent off. If a player is sent off and his team concedes goals after his
dismissal, he continues to lose the points that his teammates do.
If the goalkeeper / defender is sent off and his team keep a clean sheet
then, as previously, he keeps the points as at the time he was sent off.
Only goalkeepers, full-backs and centre-backs are awarded appearance points.
Transfers
If your team isn't performing as you would like, it's easy to switch players in and out. Prior to the start of scoring at 12.45BST on 16th August 2008, unlimited changes can be made to your team. Once scoring for the game is underway, you can make a maximum of 20 transfers in each Game Period. To help ensure that you use your resources wisely, you can only use a maximum of 3 transfers in any one Game Week (a Fantasy League week runs Tuesday to Monday). So, one more time... that’s 20 transfers in total for each Game Period and no more than 3 transfers can be used in any one week.
Changing your selected manager counts as a transfer.
Transfers can be made at any time. Any transfers made after a scheduled kick-off/whilst a match is in progress will simply take effect for the next match.
To make a transfer, go to your team screen and click on the Team Changes button. You should then follow the prompts displayed on the screen.
Don’t forget… You can make unlimited changes before scoring for the Rock n Roll Fantasy Football game begins. Unlimited transfers are also available between the end of Game Period 1 and the start of Game Period 2.
What happens if one of my players, or my manager, moves clubs in real-life?
Club classifications will change as players move between Premier League clubs. However, players already selected by a Rock n Roll Fantasy Football manager at a given Premier League club will remain classed at that club until the Fantasy League manager transfers them. For example, if you'd bought Lassana Diarra when he was at Arsenal last summer he would've been in your squad as an Arsenal player. When he moved to Portsmouth in January he would have still shown as an Arsenal player in your team. However, anyone bringing in Diarra after his move to Portsmouth would have had him in their team as a Portsmouth player. This prevents any possibility of invalid club quotas when players in your squad move clubs.
If your selected manager is sacked or moves on to pastures new, you will continue to score points based upon the performances of the club he was at when you selected him. This means that if you selected Gary Megson to be your manager, but he is shown the door at Bolton, your team will continue to score points based upon Bolton's results. Similarly, if Roy Keane move to a new Premier League club during the season and he was in your team as Sunderland manager, your team will continue to score points based upon the results of Sunderland, and not Keane's new club.