My opposition for this week was my old school friend Aasim. He had made a good start to the head-to-head season and was in fourth place heading into our encounter. Ironically Aasim had not been a fan of the head-to head format when we first started off last season, but currently he is flourishing. I was caught in two minds once again with what to do, and it may just be best to leave things the same in the future when this happens. Honestly FPL can just be a headache at the best of times and some people that make no attempt to change things weekly end up still doing quite well.
After putting in Harvey Barnes last gameweek, the idea was to put him on the bench this week as Leicester were away at Liverpool, and I do not start players against my team. There were doubts about James Ward-Prowse's fitness as he had a hamstring issue, so I decided to take my first points loss to try and counter Aasim. The change I was always going to make was Sadio Mane in for Mo Salah, as the Egyptian was self-isolating. Then out came Barnes, I was going to bring in Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, but as so many others had transferred him in, his price went up and I could no longer afford him. This meant I decided to select Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha, hoping that he would do some damage away at Burnley. As Aasim had Grealish I was not able to cancel out the points he could get anymore, I really needed Zaha to do a job for me in this case.
When Saturday's action started, I realised that Aasim had used his 'Wildcard' bonus chip, I was fuming. His team looked good already, but now he had added some extra 'sauce'. He drafted in the likes of Chelsea's Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Leicester's Jamie Vardy and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. I needed a good start which would have meant Chelsea conceding a goal away at Newcastle, as he retained Kurt Zouma in his side. The good start did not happen however as Chelsea won 2-0 at St James' Park, and this also gave Chilwell a bonus point. I should really know better than to be relying on the Magpies. The closest they came was a long range belter by Sean Longstaff that smashed the crossbar, as they barely had the ball to cause any havoc in the Blues' penalty box. I needed a reprieve in the man I had playing in the next game Tariq Lamptey, as Brighton travelled to Villa Park. Brighton produced a great first half display, but conceded as soon as the second half started. Considering they have such tall centre halves they really do let in such callous goals from set pieces and crosses into the box. Lamptey's performance was again all-action, but his over-zealousness when challenging got him sent off for two bookable offences. The second was very harsh. So I was effectively at -5 points-wise after his dismissal. Brighton won 2-1 as Aston Villa rightfully had a penalty overturned as Solly March played the ball before making some contact with Trezeguet. Grealish was booked and Watkins never contributed, so the penalty eventually not being given was lucky for me as one of the two would have taken it. So missing out on Grealish this week was not so bad after all.
Spurs hosted Manchester City in the third game. I needed something from Harry Kane and Heung-min Son just to get my points total over into the positive. There was a very good start as Son slotted past Ederson after just 5 minutes, scoring against City as he usually does. In the second half Kane assisted substitute Giovani Lo Celso for the second goal as they won 2-0, and the minimum requirement from the two of them came as they both had a goal contribution. So now I had nine points after getting 14 from the two of them. I was hoping there was nothing from Bruno Fernandes in Saturday's last match as Manchester United hosted West Brom. West Brom were denied a second half blatant penalty as VAR informed David Coote that he should watch the replay, and he overturned his original decision. I do not think much of Coote after his nonsense as VAR in the Merseyside Derby, but this was further scandal from him. The foul would have been given against Fernandes too losing him points. Then Conor Gallagher would have won the overturned penalty was fouled again, but nothing was given, United went forward and won a penalty. Another debatable handball decision, but in the current climate it was always going to be given. Fernandes stepped up but had his spot kick saved, however Sam Johnstone came off of his line, so the penalty was retaken. Fernandes then scored, but Johnstone, actually came off of his line again, but all was good because the Portuguese scored. That all makes sense I hope? Rage! An absolute nonsense all round, which in regards to FPL eventually produced a 12-point swing for Fernandes, as he got 3 bonus points, as well as a clean sheet point as United won1-0. I finished Saturday 21 points adrift, with 8 men still to play. Aasim had 5 men left, but I was not optimistic on a big comeback and messaged him to say 'well done'.
Sunday began with Fulham and Everton. I already know how things go when you rely on Scott Parker's men, but even I was not expecting them to concede after just 42 seconds! 'Goodness me'. I was not watching the game at that particular moment, but I knew that Dominic Calvert-Lewin would be the goalscorer. He was Aasim's captain, and before I started watching the game live he got his second goal, I had already basically conceded defeat, and then this, 'FML'. The second contest of the day was at Bramall Lane as Sheffield United and West Ham clashed. The Hammers grabbed a 1-0 win through a great strike by Sebastien Haller, and another clean sheet for David Moyes' men meant more points for Vladimir Coufal, 'so all was good!'. The shutout from them almost did not happen when Oli McBurnie hit the bar when he got through in the second half. Coufal almost scored himself in the first half but his low shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale.
None of us had any players in the entertaining goalless draw between Leeds and Arsenal, so to Anfield we go. Liverpool and Leicester both have long injury lists, but the Reds produced their best display of the season thus far to triumph 3-0. My decision to captain Diogo Jota worked as his smart movement saw him score a header from an enticing cross from Andy Robertson 'get in!'. Always nice for two of your players to combine on a goal, seen as Son and Kane's connection has slowed down. Jota and Mane had chances to make this a real hammering, but I was content with the day regardless. Sunday brought me a very nice 39 points, despite still being behind in the head-to-head by 12 points, I took this with open arms.
I needed a mini-miracle on Monday if I was to comeback. Things started poorly, to my horror the man I took a 4-point hit for Wilfried Zaha did not start as he was self-isolating. I had no words. I had no idea that this would be the case. This meant that I would get a solitary point off the bench for Rhian Brewster in Zaha's absence. Aasim had Nick Pope in goal, so I still needed Crystal Palace to do something at Burnley, but unfortunately they could not. Pope was in inspired form and the Clarets won 1-0. That means since I sold Pope he has got two clean sheets in two games and has got bonus points in both those outings...'typical!'. So to the last match of the gameweek between Wolves and Southampton. I had three Saints players in my team, so I therefore needed a clean sheet from them, as well as at least a goal contribution from one of them, if I was to pull off the great escape. All looked good as Alex McCarthy made save after save to keep Wolves at bay. Southampton took the lead just before the hour through Theo Walcott, and looked set for a 1-0 win. I checked the bonus points system and there was a small chance of me getting a draw if they did not concede and I somehow got a goal contribution. McCarthy was on course for three bonus points and Kyle Walker-Peters was in line for two, but then disaster struck. Raul Jimenez' shot hit the post in the 75th minute and Pedro Neto scored from the rebound, I had hoped he was offside as Southampton froze but he was well onside. Double figure points had been lost at the bare minimum, four for McCarthy gone, five for Walker-Peters (including one bonus point) and one for James Ward-Prowse as midfielders get one point for a clean sheet. It had looked savagely unlikely anyway after the Pope clean sheet, but that was comprehensively that. Ward-Prowse's corners were underwhelming in this game, and that was one of the main reasons I got him in, I may leave him on the bench for their upcoming game against Manchester United, but if Zaha is not ready to return then I would get the points Ward-Prowse gets regardless.
A fifth head-to head defeat of the season, meaning I have dropped to 9th in 'Justice League' table. But somehow this week despite taking a four point deduction, and having Tariq Lamptey sent off, I still got to 61 points. This kept me top of a lot of traditional scoring leagues. I next play against Sam whose birthday is this week, and unfortunately I intent to spoil it for him. Hopefully I will be called the 'party pooper' after gameweek 10!
@DubulDee
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