And so it begins. This is our time – the period of the season where the hours of planning and strategising lay the foundations for big hauls to come.

Blanks and double Gameweeks are looming, and we’re clearing our heads in preparation to embrace the variables and manoeuvrings they present. We’re not sure if we’re going to be able to fully exploit them, but we’re certain that, should we fail, it won’t be for a lack of planning.

Guided by your questions, it all starts here, in this latest episode of the ScoutCast, where Jonty and Andy join me to pick through the early “known unknowns” and lay down the groundwork.

Elsewhere in the episode, we overcome Jonty's "cow on the line" incident to embark on some formation dancing; considering the shift back to 3-4-3 and, once again, entertaining the idea of a big spend in defence.

It’s quite ironic that, in an episode that focuses on our experience and strategies of mini-league management, my long-term rival on that score goes awol.

Granville is waylaid by “homework” and misses out, but Luke crashes in mid-cast to join Jonty, Andy and myself as we deliver an 80-minute episode which includes our dubious insights on navigating a team to mini-league glory - mind games and all.

Once again guided by your community questions, we take on the Diego Costa fall-out, the rising stock of Spurs on form, and Everton on fixtures, while finding time to wade in on the demise of darling Sergio Aguero under the stewardship of Pep Guardiola.

Back for 2017, partially refreshed and braced for the season run-in, the ScoutCast returns to herald a new leader in the Fantasy Football Scout Hall of Fame.

With the legend that is Vile Ronka toppled, Granville, Jonty, Andy and myself start by doffing our cloth caps to the brand new leader Jay Egersdorff.

An advocate of the 3-5-2, Jay provides the springboard for the episode’s big discussion, as we revisit the merits of a formation change to a “power five” midfield, while considering a big spend on a four-man defence.

Your community questions supply the rest of the ammunition, as we chew over rising stars Alli, Giroud and the fading stock of Hazard and Aguero and, against better judgment, we even touch on Nyomgate until Jonty pulls the plug.