The Hype Train's 2015/16 FPL Team of the Season
A tremendous season of Premier League football is well and truly over. In relation to Leicester City taking the crown of Champion, even though we want it to be the case between now and the end of time, a feat of that magnitude that might never be repeated again. This one in a lifetime season dictated the destiny of the Fantasy Premier League, and in The Hype Train's frantic debut season we've had the challenge of assembling the Avengers of the FPL. Our 2015/16 Team of the Season truly represents the unpredictable flavour of the season, and is capped off by the unveiling of our Player of the Season. Not many guesses are needed to guess who was in contention for that latter award. Sit back, enjoy the graphics that we've crafted, and if by any chance you are reading this as a nostalgic memento, we hope that you were part of this fantastic season, both real and fantasy. It's been a first class journey.
The Hype Team: Team of the Season
Each member of The Hype Team has recently released an FPL season review for 2015/16. In each article @RobboAustin, @sweatymongoose, and @SamAustin45, reviewed their individual. Team of the Season picks.
First up is the Team of the Season of Sam Austin.
To read our Chief Writer Sam Austin's full 2015/16 review, as well as an analysis of Liverpool, click here, or on the cover photo of Firmino and Sturridge below.
Secondly, after a season finishing inside the top 50k, our elusive "SweatyMongoose" Phil Jones has pitched in with his personal Team of the Season.
To read our SweatyMongoose Phil Jones's full 2015/16 review, as well as an analysis of Chelsea, click here, or on the cover photo of Hazard and Willian below.
Lastly, Hype Train Owner, Robert Austin, weighed in his his favourite players from the season.
To read THT Owner Robert Austin's full 2015/16 review, as well as an analysis of a now-relegated Newcastle United, click here, or on the cover photo of Gini Wijnaldum below.
Debating the Forwards: Romelu Lukaku or Sergio Aguero
For us, 14 spaces in our Team of the Season were easy to fill. The only contentious spot that our Hype Team had a back and forth on was the last forward spot. We didn't want to compromise by adding in an alternative option, so decided to pit Lukaku against Aguero for our last spot. One side of the argument claimed Aguero was more important for 'big' moments, whilst the other argument is that a vote for Aguero discards the goal machine that was Romelu Lukaku prior to the turn of the year.
We took the vote onto our Twitter account, and let our followers help decide who we should have gone for.
We pitted both sides of the argument, to give the FPL community some context of why we were debating between the two strikers. First up for debate was Man City's Sergio Aguero.
With our Hype Team member Phil Jones backing Lukaku, the rest of the Hype Team didn't agree simply because whilst Aguero was there for a few big moments, Lukaku was there or about for most of the season.
Ultimately, when posing the question to our FPL community, there was only ever going to be one winner. Aguero often wins fantasy football related polls, and this one is no different.
Congratulations to Sergio Aguero on making our little old team, but we will use this time to spare a moment for Lukaku, the Toffee who just missed out on our Team of the Season 15.
TEAM OF THE SEASON: GOALKEEPERS
Missing Out: Gomes (WAT), Schmeichel (LEI), Hennessey (CRY)
TEAM OF THE SEASON: DEFENDERS
Missing Out: Huth (LEI), Daniels (LEI), Sagna (MCI)
TEAM OF THE SEASON: MIDFIELDERS
Missing Out: Arnautovic (STK), Sigurdsson (SWA), Ayew (SWA), Sanchez (ARS)
TEAM OF THE SEASON: FORWARDS
Missing Out: Ighalo (WAT), Lukaku (EVE), Deeney (WAT)
TEAM OF THE SEASON: RECAP
The fifteen in our Team of the Season should be of no surprise, and neither should the formation. For 3 years on the bounce, the 3-4-3 formation has been the dominant formation, and we have utilised it for our team. Representation of the team is as follows:
3 - Leicester (Vardy, Mahrez, Fuchs)
3 - Spurs (Alderweireld, Alli, Kane)
3 - Arsenal (Cech, Bellerin, Ozil)
1 - Stoke (Butland)
1 - West Ham (Payet)
1 - Man City (Aguero)
1 - Man United (Smalling)
1 - Liverpool (Firmino)
1 - Crystal Palace (Dann)
2015/16 PLAYER OF THE SEASON: RIYAD MAHREZ OR JAMIE VARDY?
Our Player of the Year award went to a poll, with just 2 candidates in the running. Mahrez and Vardy. Without doubt the two most popular players of the season, we put our Player of the Season award in the hands of our Twitter followers.
Below, here's how we and you voted...
By an absolute landslide margin, the winner, and subsequent 2015/16 FPL Player of the Season is Algeria's own, Riyad Mahrez. Congratulations to Riyad, and to Leicester for an unforgettable title victory. Here's to more next season!
A Thank You from The Hype Train
This first season for us as a team has been a rewarding experience. We've grown from nothing into a growing part of a vast FPL community. We've not the exposure of some other wonderful FPL sites and social media accounts, but we are confident that if we stay true to our values of quality and differential expertise, there is no bar too high for The Hype Train. Throughout the season we believe that we provided some of the best written, graphically appealing fantasy football articles that you'll find on the world wide web. We even had a brief period as guest writers for the heavily popular Fantasy Football Pundits (@FFPundits).
In our first year alone our Twitter account has 1400+ followers, and since May 2015 we have amassed more than 1 million unique views. Our ad-free website has been visited by 5,000 unique visitors, and above all else we have enjoyed speaking to the many FPL addicts and football enthusiasts that interact with us. Our Hype Team always has room to grow, so if you are a football or review writer looking for some decent exposure, get in touch with us today. We're not hard too find, and friendly on the eyes.
So thanks for those who have boarded our vision, and we look forward to growing even more next season, with old and new faces alike.
All aboard.
