Hello EPL Talk followers and football fans alike….and happy holidays to all. I’m finding it difficult to not only think about the condensed fixtures and amazing games there are in the immediate future, but I’m trying to save some smiles for the crazy aunt and ten little cousins about to be parading throughout my house…but that is why we have our beer. More importantly, I am here to both introduce you to the game of Fantasy Football, and if you are already familiar with it, later advise you on how to get ready for the upcoming Gameweeks.

If you have never played Fantasy EPL before, let me try to hook you into playing while I give a summary of how it works. To begin, you have a set amount of funds to build your team. You will want to look at form, fixtures and many other factors in order to guide your decisions. After your team is selected you will receive points for each individual player determined by how they performed in their actual games. Goals, assists and shutouts are just some of the ways to gain points from your players. You pick a captain each Gameweek to receive double points for that specific player, and that is how you separate the men from the boys. Your total points will then be tallied and put up against everyone else playing, which is now right above 2.6 million people.

Getting a group of your mates together, watching your Gameweek captain dominate your opposing players, and rubbing it into their faces is something that never gets old. Fantasy football makes you watch games that wouldn’t be necessarily interesting for you, and will cause your EPL and overall soccer knowledge to expand. Besides making other games more interesting and having fun with your comrades, it is challenging to know who will perform week in and week out, but when you put in the effort, you will seep the reward of success. Even though the season is almost half way done, you can still be ranked according to your Gameweek hat you joined, so a late addition is always welcome. There is no time like now to join the fight of being the best manager around, maybe its you!

Now for those of you who are currently managing your team, you are no doubt looking ahead to a very tight game schedule where rotation and good choices are really going to separate the lead runners from the pack, all the way up until the new year. Looking back at Gameweek 17, we can see that both Manchester teams are rolling on and have no intention of stopping soon. This season has been a story of big names producing, and there is no surprise that Robin Van Persie is crowned king of Fantasy EPL for the first half of the fixtures. Here are some tips to guide your decision making:

1. Rooney and Nani, with their next 4 fixtures being Wigan (H), Blackburn (H), Newcastle (A), and Bolton (H), seem to be needed weapons…and if you can’t find a way to get them in, get Valencia. With Van der Vaart being injured, some funds should open up for new big players to arrive.
2. Man City are a different beast, with heavy rotation sure to be used over the next weeks. Silva is as nailed on as you can get, yet he might be rested at some point as well. Aguero second, with Balotelli and Dzecko fighting for the 3rd spot.
3. Arsenal’s defense does not seem as strong as their managers would like, between injuries and Mertesacker not being quick enough to keep up with EPL strikers….they seemed doomed to give up goals. Vermaelen might not be worth his attacking prowess due to the Gunner’s defensive woes.
4. Sunderland seems to be responding to the Martin O’Neil effect, bringing forth more focus and heart in a team that does have talent. Look for them to surprise. Liverpool’s defense is also silently making waves with 3 straight shutouts tallying 7 on the season.
5. GW20 should be in the back of your mind as a manger as it brings a double GW for both Tottenham and Everton. These teams should be represented in your squad when GW20 comes along so plan accordingly.
6. Make sure to have a good bench. There is no avoiding rest or injury rotation in the upcoming weeks, and a strong bench means a strong team. There is great value on Swansea or Newcastle players, and Stoke have a good fixture list heading into January.

I hope these tips will lead everyone to success during the holiday season, and I furthermore invite and challenge all football fans who aren’t currently playing to sign up and join the fun.

You can find more information each week written by my team and I @ www.eplfantasyguide.blogspot.com or @EPLFantasyGuide on Twitter

Editor’s note: EPL Talk blogger Robbie Kotoviets put on his journalist hat recently and went to the Toronto versus Real Madrid in friendly to cover the game for La Liga Talk. Below you’ll find his observations regarding the press conference and game, as well as a slideshow of photographs taken from BMO Field. Enjoy.

Real Madrid Press Conference

The pregame festivities didn’t feel at all as if it were just a regular training session. More like a cup tie. Sitting in the press conference room and being surrounded by journalists from all over the world gave it a great sense of importance. Spanish media outlets and those from English speaking countries dominated the atmosphere. Personally I felt like a kid at his first day at Toys R’ Us. The hard part was waiting anxiously for manager Pelligrini, Guti and Iker Casillas to walk into the room. Seeing them in person and on television is completely different.

When the question session started most of the Spanish media were ready to pounce. For them covering their beloved Real Madrid was a cake walk. More of the media here were a bit taken back I should say but nonetheless were very involved. Throughout the conference Pelligrini was asked about what he knew about Toronto FC and what his goals were for the future in terms of Real Madrid and their pursuit to win trophies.

Pelligrini knew little of Toronto FC but was aware of their CONCACAF Champions league aspiration after being knocked out by Puerto Rico. Also, that this was a great way for getting all the new signings to “gel” together and see how their in game-form would pan out.

Now we all know the lifespan of a Real Madrid manager and having been successful with Villarreal, Pelligrini knows the pressure is on. “The first challenge is to win with Real Madrid and to satisfy the team and the supporters,” said Pelligrini. So he knows the pressure is on and has to deliver on all campaigns. That’s easier said then done. Just remember Vincente Del Bosque.

Guti is quit pleased with the return of Florentine Peres and is happy with the big money signings that he hopes will bring success. As for the new signings of Arbeloa and Xavi Alonso, Pelligrini is happy and looks forward to incorporating them into the existing base.

After the q&a session ended, the team shirts were exchanged which I thought was a nice gesture on the part of both squads. Very classy.

Real Madrid Training Session

Now, to the training session. I have never seen anything like that. BMO felt like a cup final which was a sign of things to come for the match still to play. Raul, Guti, Benzema (larger in stature then I thought), Higauin, Robben, Sneijder, Casillas and the rest of the squad were all at hand. Getting to field level I was awed by the impromptu five a side which saw a Ronaldo dive take place which got the whole crowds attention including a few jeers as well. For me the hardest working player in training was Drenthe. He really looks like a man on a mission and I think we’ll see him grow throughout the La Liga campaign.

Speaking to fans outside after the training session the consensus was that it was a dream come true to see one of the biggest clubs in the world and that it’s something they will talk about for years to come.

Toronto FC v Real Madrid

All I can say “it was incredible.” Entering BMO was a challenge, a sea of people all over. The smell of food stalls and team chants from both TFC and Real Madrid fans were rampant everywhere. A real football atmosphere. You could tell it was different from an MLS match simply by the intensity in the air and the amount of media that were covering it, including La Liga Talk.

Heading up to the media press box was defiantly an experience. Seeing everyone from the top Canadian, U.S. and International outlets was amazing. Everyone from the world was there. Including James Sharman from The Score Network. After reaching the top I couldn’t believe the view. Fans were filling the stadium and awaiting the entrance of both squads.

When the two teams entered BMO was shaking you couldn’t tell if it was the fans or an actual earthquake. With the Toronto skyline as a backdrop, the match was ready to go.

First Real Madrid entered with all the names being read it was no surprise that Ronaldo was who everyone came to see, and later, he wouldn’t disappoint. Then TFC entered and we were all ready to go. When both the national anthems of Spain and Canada were sung all the fans sang, but the Canadian one understandably more so. Streamers and even the smoke canister were on hand to get the crowed going.

After the whistle was blown to start the match, the match was on and from that point no one was in doubt that Real Madrid would control the match. With Raul opening the scoring, Cristiano Ronaldo (CR9) didn’t disappoint the BMO faithful after putting the ball near side past the keeper from Benzema.

Raul would then put in his second from Metzelder and Albiol finishing it of with a header. A sublime piece work I must say.

Benzema would make it 4-0 until TFC with a massive yell of relief from the crowd made it a 4-1 with a goal from Gabe Gala which left Casillas stranded.

Arjen Robben rapped things up to make it 5-1 to the Madradistas. For tonight’s match, there were no losers. The city of Toronto (the most multicultural city in the world), TFC and its fans were treated to a spectacle of Spanish wizardry. For TFC, they got a chance to play against the world’s best and hopefully this experience will help them in their drive for a playoff spot when they host D.C. United on August 15th for a crucial match.

For me this was an experience of a lifetime but more so as a fan. We watch the teams that we support week in and week out. We talk about them, have opinions on them and write about them. To see them in person is not only an honor but a privilege. I am glad I could share my experiences with you and I hope you will go see your favorite teams battle it out wherever it may be. This is something I will talk about for a long time.

View exclusive images from the Toronto v Real Madrid friendly via the following slideshow.