Points really do win prizes in the Fantasy Premier League, so to see them left on the bench can be frustrating.
The FPL rules require a manager to select a squad of 15 players – 11 of those are picked for each week's starting XI and four are left on the bench in case a starter isn't picked.
But what happens when the substitutes score points and the starting line-up all play? 'Regret' is the answer.
Can I have my bench points plz 😢 pic.twitter.com/t8LrS0Na1m — MoHmEd (@79moameeno) January 2, 2019
That's a pretty tough bench to swallow, with 25 points rendered useless. But it's far from the most painful bench of the 2018-19 season.
This manager for example was tripped up by Southampton's 3-2 win over Arsenal before Christmas, with both Danny Ings and Henrikh Mkhitaryan bagging braces.
This #FPL manager: 39 points from starting XI 😧43 points on the bench 😫 pic.twitter.com/Ani3KRYk99 — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 17, 2018
More points on the bench than in the starting XI? Ouch.
Elsewhere braces caused further pain for FPL managers, including one from Lucas Moura during Tottenham's 3-0 win against Manchester United.
4️⃣6️⃣ points left on the bench 😱 Who can relate? #FPL pic.twitter.com/95UdpafySO — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) August 28, 2018
Meanwhile, can you blame this manager for failing to predict two goals and a clean sheet for defender Fabian Schar?
The hat-trick from Diogo Jota wasn't ideal either...
This #FPL manager got 33 points.The bench got 46. A #BlueMonday indeed... pic.twitter.com/RNc8X0XBLi — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) January 21, 2019
Here's something you don't see every day – four dream team players all on the bench.
Has any bench outperformed its starting XI this comprehensively?
😫 😢 😱 When your starting XI has 2️⃣5️⃣ points & your bench has 4️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/usslsoetHB — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 18, 2018
Some managers have been unfortunate enough to leave 50 points and more on the sidelines this year.
Think you had a Gameweek 27 to forget? 🤦♂️ This manager left 50 points and four dream team players on his bench 👇 pic.twitter.com/EWYb1l9a1d — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) February 25, 2019
How close was hat-trick hero Gerard Deulofeu to coming on for this manager? As first-choice substitute there may well have been a chance.
And finally, surely this is one of the worst cases of bench-itis this season?
A grand total of five goals, three assists and one clean sheet gone to waste.
5️⃣7️⃣ POINTS ON THE BENCH 😩#FPL pic.twitter.com/TW5x2XPXPL — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 24, 2018
It could all have been so different for those managers had they selected their teams differently.
However, with the help of the bench boost chip – which managers can use once per season – others have avoided such pitfalls.
The highest worldwide score in Gameweek 20 was 145, from Jorn Marcussen. He played his Bench Boost! This was his bench 👏#FPL pic.twitter.com/NnLElQJv7B — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 31, 2018 Vladimir Jelenic's 'Lion UTD' top our '@OfficialFPL on Twitter' mini-league after a bold Bench Boost in Gameweek 1... pic.twitter.com/AOBbhCmcye — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) August 16, 2018
Beware the bench.
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