My opposition this week was Spurs fan Josh. I was intrigued to see what he would do with his team for our game, as the only people we both had when gameweek 6 ended were Heung-min Son and Harry Kane. I really needed my 'differentials' to step up as he had some potentially dangerous players. For once me making a transfer decision this week was straightforward. With Sergio Aguero out injured, I just resorted to bringing Jamie Vardy back in. I had mildly considered using my 'Wildcard' chip to freshen things up, but decided to hold it off for another week at least.
Again the action started on a Friday night, so I was patiently waiting to see if anyone had missed the deadline. Josh was not to be caught out however and used his 'Wildcard' chip. He made no less than twelve changes, obviously I was hoping this backfired. Friday night's game was between Wolves and Crystal Palace. I was on my way to north London just before the match was starting, by the time I got off the tube Wolves were already 2-0 up. Josh had Wolves' Max Kilman and Romain Saiss, but Saiss was on the bench. I just hoped Palace could score but only as long as it was not Wilfried Zaha who Josh had too. Palace unfortunately did not hit the back of the net, so Kilman got him clean sheet points.
Neither of us had anyone in Saturday's first match between Sheffield United and Manchester City, so we go to Turf Moor. I needed Burnley to turn up at home to Chelsea, and I especially needed them to shut out Hakim Ziyech, but they did not do either. Never will I trust 'Kabaddi FC' again! Chelsea won 3-0 and Ziyech scored his first goal for the Blues as well as assisting the third goal for Timo Werner. Ziyech got all three bonus points and this could prove to be vital for Josh, 'rage!'. Saturday's last stop was Anfield. Liverpool edged past West Ham 2-1 to go top of the table. The Hammers took the lead through Pablo Fornals, so no clean sheet for us yet again, but the Reds bounced back at home just like they did last week. Mo Salah's 42nd minute penalty was Liverpool's first meaningful attempt on goal, and it was much needed for me as he was my captain. The Reds eventually got their winner through Diogo Jota, who if he is auditioning for my team, he is doing a good job. The only problem with Jota, is that the Portuguese is not guaranteed to start. That is unless Jurgen Klopp decides to drop Roberto Firmino, as Salah and Sadio Mane cannot be left out.
Sunday began with Aston Villa at home to Southampton, I again played all my Southampton players, risky as I have two of them in my defence, so everything would be discombobulated if they were to concede. The game started with Southampton on the front foot and Jannik Vestergaard thought he had given them the lead, only for it to be ruled out for offside. This was annoying, as it would have been an assist for Danny Ings. Ironically it was Vestergaard who shortly after gave the Saints the lead nonetheless. James Ward-Prowse, who is someone I am considering getting into my team bagged a brace on his birthday after assisting the opener, before Ings got in on the act to my great satisfaction. He curled a brilliant shot from just outside the box and I thought at 4-0 that was that, as Alex McCarthy had kept out everything Villa had thrown at him. Dean Jones' men however pulled not 1, not 2, but 3 goals back. This took away any bonus points that McCarthy was in line for despite him making seven saves. And it also pushed Danny Ings out of the bonus points conversation, as Jack Grealish got a goal and two assists for Villa, one of them being a fantasy assist as he won a penalty. Absolute madness.
Next up on Sunday, was Newcastle at home to Everton. I desperately needed something from the Magpies' Alain Saint-Maximin, but I was sceptical literally as soon as I transferred him in, as I stated last week. Saint-Maximin had a great chance in the first half, but he shot straight at Robin Olsen who replaced Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal, I held my head in my hands. Newcastle went on to win 2-1, but Saint-Maximin was withdrawn before any of the goals went in, so came out with three points. This means he has got six points in the games I have had him for, and the man I took out for him Helder Costa got six points in the first match I had without him last week. ASM can 'SNM' when it comes to my team, be gone! Ea Even if I was not to use my wildcard, I would take four-point deduction just to get you and your headband out of my team! To make matters worse, Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a late consolation goal, and this somehow got him two bonus points also, when it had seemed like he had a really quiet game. Josh had him and was probably laughing at the time.
We both did not have any players in the dull game between Manchester United and Arsenal, (well done Arsenal), which ended 1-0 to the Gunners, so to the last match of the day. At the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, Spurs edged past Brighton 2-1. Harry Kane gave Spurs the lead with a dubious penalty. You would think this would have pleased me, but Kane was Josh's captain, so I actually did not want him to have a big game. I then got something I was not expecting. Tariq Lamptey went on another marauding run forward and was played in by Pascal Gross, he showed great composure and passed the ball into the corner of the goal. The way I screamed for a fellow man of Ghanaian heritage, you would have thought Liverpool were playing. There was then an agonising wait as the VAR checked for a foul by Solly March in the buildup, but the goal stood. I thought Lamptey may be able to assist or maybe even win a penalty or something, but a goal I was not expecting, but I was more than thankful. I finished Sunday one point behind Josh as it stood at 49-48. Tight was clearly an understatement here.
On Monday I had two players left in Fulham's Harrison Reed and Leicester's Jamie Vardy. Reed was not likely to start, so I hoped it was another party for Vardy. When the team news eventually came out it was not surprising Reed was not starting, if he was not to come on, then I would get two points from West Ham's Tomas Soucek, as I left him on the bench as I do not start players I have when they play Liverpool. Fulham got their first win of the season, as they beat West Brom 2-0. To my shook, Reed entered the game at half time for Mario Lemina. He got himself stupidly booked just before he took a free kick, so he got me an empathic zero points, 'thanks lad'. Josh had Leeds' Patrick Bamford, so the last match was huge, whoever performed better out of Vardy and Bamford would seal the win for either of us. Bamford missed a header in the second minute, and Leeds were caught napping as Leicester went straight up the other end and tok the lead as Vardy assisted Harvey Barnes. The Sky Sports cameras almost missed the goal as they were still showing replays of Bamford's point-blank miss. Vardy was to get another assist, all albeit a 'fantasy' one, as Ilhan Meslier saved his header and then Youri Tielemens scored. Bamford had another decent chance, but he took an extra touch, which allowed Kasper Schmeichel to save from his as he tried to stab the ball home. My win was sealed in the second half, as Vardy scored an easy tap-in from Cengiz Under's cut back, he has now assisted Vardy in successive games. There was to be further frustration for Josh as Bamford went close agin in the second half. So I finally had my third head-to-head win of the season. Vardy's heroics also kept me top of numerous traditional scoring leagues. This was much much needed. We move!
@DubulDee
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