Big Sam a fellow member of the 'D&D Football Factory' team was my gameweek 14 opposition. Sam was having his best ever head-to-head season and had been gloating every Saturday when we did our radio show, if results went his way then he had the opportunity to go top of the 'Justice League' so I was more than wary he may try something.
With the close proximity of the gameweeks I tried my best not to deliberate...so of course I ended up deliberating. I wanted to bring in James Maddison, but then that would have meant the forward I was looking at Callum Wilson I would not have been able to afford. Therefore I was thinking of getting Josh King as he was cheaper and then benching him as Watford played Chelsea and Manchester City next and then after that I could consistently start him. I was conflicted, and despite the fact I was reminded that as I had two free transfers I could make just one and then still have two for the next gameweek, the deadline passed on me. I was going to just transfer in Wilson at 5.57pm got distracted and ended up missing 6pm, 'yikes'. When I checked Sam's team I saw that he had sold Brentford's injured keeper David Raya for Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale, but there was a plot twist...Sam decided to draw for his 'Bench boost' bonus chip, I almost vomited in my mouth. If FPL could kill this was multiple stab wounds.
The midweek action started at St James' Park with the relegation 6-pointer between Newcastle & Norwich. I had no-one in this game. but Sam had Callum Wilson, who of course I almost got in to neutralise him. As I needed Wilson not to score, I thought things had started well when the Magpies' Ciaran Clark defended like he was wearing Clarks, and hauled back Teemu Pukki who would have been through on goal and was sent off. Thinking I was in a good position did not last long as Newcastle got a second half penalty and Wilson's effort was almost saved by Tim Krul but it went in off the bar. I was left to wonder what might have been. The Canaries levelled through a man Khurram (K) said I should take a chance on Teemu Pukki, Pukki is in form and could well be an option soon at £5.9m. The other Tuesday game also had a penalty, this one got me points however. Raphinha scored an injury time spot-kick to edge Leeds past Crystal Palace 1-0. The caveat was however Sam had Raphinha too. Rodrigo one of my differentials was only named on the bench by Marcelo Bielsa. He came on at half-time and missed a guilt edged chance as he tried to take a touch when it would have made sense to shoot first time. Sam had Palace's Christian Benteke, he was also on the bench but came on in the second half and headed a really good chance wide as well as having an effort saved on the line. Tuesday ended with Sam ahead 18-9.
Wednesday saw a stalemate in the earlier kick offs as Wolves drew 0-0 with Burnley. This meant nothing again from Hee-chan Hwang and he also got himself booked, with Wolves playing Liverpool next his days may be numbered in my side. Hwang did go close with a left footed effort in the first half. He then had another left footed effort in the second period and would have scored but his goal-bound shot was deflected wide. The draw meant clean sheet points for my Wolves player Rayan Ait Nouri, but this was countered by Sam as he had Conor Coady in his backline. Meanwhile Watford did my minimum requirement of them as they scored against Chelsea as Sam had Edouard Mendy, but Chelsea still got a 2-1 win. The Hornets' goal was scored by Emmanuel Dennis, meaning he has now scored 3 and assisted 4 goals since I sold him, 'for crying out loud!'. Southampton drew 2-2 at home with Leicester. And like I did not know it was coming Maddison drove Leicester's second goal home after a sharp turn, 'aaarrrggghhh!!'. Just go with your gut I tell myself, but I am always overthinking. West Ham and Brighton also could not be separated as they drew 1-1. Tomas Soucek another of my former men scored, so no clean sheet for Robert Sanchez to my disappointment, Sanchez did get a bonus point and an additional save point however. Sam had Lewis Dunk so West Ham's goal was not good for him either. He also had on his bench West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and he blanked too.
In the latter Wednesday encounters; Liverpool ran riot at Goodison Park as they got somewhat of a rare win at their neighbours' ground 4-1. Andy Robertson 2 assists here, meaning he has 3 in 2 games since I sold him for teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold. Robertson assisted the first for Jordan Henderson and the 4th for Diogo Jota. Those goals sandwiched between a brace from everyones captain Mohamed Salah. Salah clinically finished both times after the Reds caught Everton with quick breakaways. Henderson and Jota's finishes were both brilliant too may I add. I needed more from my differential Jota however to claw back Sam's lead. In the other game Manchester City won 2-1 at Aston Villa. Joao Cancelo was my differential as Sam had no Manchester City players but with no clean sheet or assist points for Cancelo I now had no chance of winning. Big Sam had Villa's Ezri Konsa on his bench so therefore another blank but nevertheless he had still already won. Oh the shame, he had more bragging rights for Saturday's 'FootyOnTop' Show. Sam led 65-62 at Wednesdays conclusion and the only players I had left were Ivan Toney and Heung-min Son and he had both of them. On top of that with his bench boost he had the Arsenal trio still to play of Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Emile Smith-Rowe. When I messaged Sam to say congratulations through gritted teeth, he said he actually did not know that he was playing me as he did not check. He said otherwise he would have probably lost through overthinking how to beat me. Was this actually 'accidental murder' or had Sam planned all along to use his bench boost as deep down he really hated me? I think the latter is more likely to be honest...
First up on Thursday; Spurs won 2-0 at home against Brentford. Another blank from the only forward I still have from the start of the season Toney then. Son scored the second goal after good work from Sergio Reguilón. Reguilón can at times can be found a bit wanting defensively but could be a good FPL option now he is playing as a wing-back under Antonio Conte. Another blank for Harry Kane who seems to have had his ability to play club football killed since wanting to leave the club. There were more "Sui's" at Old Trafford as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Manchester United came from behind to beat Arsenal 3-2. Arsenal had taken the lead through a bizarre goal. Fred ran into David De Gea, but we did not realise it was Fred until we saw a replay. De Gea went down and Smith Rowe struck in a volley from outside the box into what was an unguarded goal, so there were even more points for Sam. Fred Flintstone bounced back to assist the equaliser for Bruno Fernandes and then he won the penalty that sealed the win.
72 points would beat most people, but it was now back-to-back defeats for me, despite again in terms of classic points I have gone higher up in ranking. Head-to-head wise I stay in 9th place in the 'Justice League' and I next face the champion Darren (D-Man), I just cannot hold back my joy right now...not! Thanks Sam make sure you bring a baseball bat to the studio mate.
@DubulDee
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