Your TFL primer, part 2: Spotting the difference

SINGAPORE — It's all about goals and assists in the TODAY Fantasy League (TFL) — thanks higher-than-usual penalties for goals conceded and no extra points for goals scored by defenders — so get as many penalty-takers in your team of 11 players. By my best guess, seven of the 20 clubs (now with Soldado taking over from wantaway Gareth Bale at Tottenham) will have strikers as their main penalty taker, midfielders will take charge for 13 clubs, and only one will have a defender as their designated man for spot-kicks. Which makes picking Leighton Baines, the undoubted star in an under-performing Everton side, a no-brainer when assembling your team for the TFL, which kicks off on Sept 14. One of the most valuable defenders in recent seasons, Baines is not only a solid defender. The full-back regularly bombs forward on the left flank and consistently supplies assists for the Toffees but, more importantly, he's Everton's designated penalty-taker. Two goals from the spot helped him score five Premiership goals last season, making him the joint top scoring defender alongside Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen, a centre-back. Baines managed four Premiership goals in 2011/2012 and five in 2010/2011. In terms of assists, the 28-year-old also led all defenders with five last season, sharing top spot with Manchester United's Patrice Evra. Baines, however, created 116 goal-scoring chances, 12 more than any other player in the Premiership, according to the Guardian. Now if only his Everton team-mates can buck up this coming season and not waste those opportunities. For the record, the England international got two assists in the Premiership season before, in which he missed five games due to injury, and he set up a remarkable 11 goals in the 2010/2011 campaign. One more thing: Baines was one of four players to have played every single minute of every match in the Premiership last season. And the other three were goalkeepers. Talk about consistency, the Everton full-back should be the first one on your team sheet, and you can keep him there. YOUR TFL PRIMER Part 1: Watch the fixture list — http://tdy.sg/TFLprimer1 Part 2: Spotting the difference — http://tdy.sg/TFLprimer2 Part 3: Rotate the armband — http://tdy.sg/TFLprimer3 Part 4: Help from the bookies — http://tdy.sg/TFLprimer4 Part 5: Musical chairs at the big clubs — http://tdy.sg/TFLprimer5 TFL SCOUT REPORT Part 1: Goalkeepers — http://tdy.sg/TFLscout1 Part 2: Full-backs — http://tdy.sg/TFLscout2 Part 3: Centre-backs — http://tdy.sg/TFLscout3 Part 4: Midfielders — http://tdy.sg/TFLscout4 Part 5: Forwards — http://tdy.sg/TFLscout5 Click here to take part in the TODAY Fantasy League now — Manager of the Season wins US$5,000.