Darren (D-Man) my co-host from the 'D&D Football Factory' was my gameweek 15 opposition. He was the defending champion of the 'Justice League' and after I had suffered back-to-back defeats he was the last person that I wanted to see to be honest.
I allowed myself to be intimidated by the fact he was one of the bigger trash-talkers and I ended up making a decision that I was not 100% sure about. Up front I wanted to bring in Armando Borja from Southampton but then I had a change of mind and opted for Burnley's Chris Wood. Despite this change leaving me with nothing in the bank I liked the fixtures Sean Dyche's men had coming up despite the fact they do not always make good chances. Ironically their match this gameweek was against Newcastle, the team Darren supported. I knew if Wood scored against them he would be scathing. If Big Sam's head-to-head win over me last week was 'accidental murder' than my intentions for D-Man this week were more scripted than a WWE title match. The other transfers I made was to sell Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo for Leicester's James Maddison. Maddison was in-form and I was hoping I was not late to the party. When the deadline had passed I saw that Darren had not made any transfers.
The action started early on Saturday at the London Stadium as West Ham played Chelsea. He had Reece James and Antonio Rudiger in his defence so I desperately needed the Hammers to score at least one goal, and I hoped from no goal contributions from them as they had recently frequently produced. Chelsea took the lead but the Hammers did what I asked of them plus more. David Moyes' men won 3-2 with a rather random winning goal from Arthur Masuaku. Eduoard Mendy looked rattled in the game, and his foul gave West Ham their first goal from the penalty spot. He did not fill himself with glory on the winner either, but hey I was not bothered, as it helped Liverpool out as well. James was booked too, so his Chelsea defenders got him just 1 point between them. This was a much better start than I was expecting I must say.
In the 3pm kick offs; 'Operation knock-on-Wood' failed as Darren's Newcastle beat Burnley 1-0 at St James' Park. I do not have to tell you it was Callum Wilson who got the goal, so that is two goals I have missed out on from him. I cannot complain too much as I had the chance to neutralise Sam last week and Darren this week by picking Wilson and I did not do it. Southampton took the lead at home to Brighton and you guessed it, another man I bottled putting into my team Broja scored. It was a lovely goal too as he showed great composure to turn his man and fire past Robert Sanchez. I thought I was heading for clean sheet points from Tino Livramento, when James Ward-Prowse played everyone onside in the 8th minute of stoppage time and Neal Maupay got the Seagulls a point, 'rage!!'. This was karma for all the times Maupay has been called a fraud on my radio show I swear.
Liverpool huffed and puffed in their trip to Wolves and eventually with almost the last kick of the game blew their house down. The goal had not looked like it was coming as Diogo Jota headed wide in the first half and then had a criminal miss in the second period. After gathering the ball out wide from Wolves keeper Jose Sa he ran and ran closer to the goal. Jota then just had to slide the ball in as their were two men on the line but he went for power and Conor Coady blocked it with his 'crown jewels', "unbelievable scenes Jeff!!". It took super-sub Divock Origi to win the game in the 94th minute after good work by everyone's captain Mo Salah. Rayan Ait Nouri was on my bench as I do not play people against Liverpool and he came off before the goal so got clean sheet points. In the late Saturday kickoff; Manchester City strolled to a 4-1 win away at Watford including a brace from Bernardo Silva, his second goal was sublime. But it was a blank from Joao Cancelo who we both had. Saturday ended with Darren leading 36-33, with the players I had left he messaged me to concede defeat as he was disappointed in his Chelsea players, I told him there was still a way to go.
I needed my differentials to step up on Sunday, and there was a good start as Heung-min Son assisted the opening goal for Lucas Moura as Spurs took the lead against Norwich. Antonio Conte's men went on to win 3-0 and Son grabbed the third goal, thanks 'Sonny mate!'. Luckily for me the man Darren was hanging his hopes on Harry Kane blanked once again. Ivan Toney missed Brentford’s trip to Leeds as he tested positive for Covid. This meant I would get Rodrigo’s points if he came off the bench for Leeds. Leeds took the lead asTyler Roberts' goal was provided by a Raphinha cross, 'give me points!'. The game went on to finish 2-2 and the Bees' second goal was assisted by Mbeumo, trust him to do something once I sold him. As Rodrigo did not see any pitch time for Leeds and he was my first sub, it meant I would get Tyrick Mitchell's points but Crystal Palace fell to a late goal from Fred as they lost 1-0 to Manchester United. It was a very good goal by Fred on his weaker foot it has to be said.
Things were looking good for me, but they could be great if I got something in the last game from James Maddison as Leicester travelled to Aston Villa. It was to be Steven Gerrard however who got one over his old manager Brendan Rodgers, as Villa came from behind to win 2-1. Maddison had numerous chances to score but had an effort blocked, as well as shooting tamely at Emiliano Martinez in the first half and shooting over in the second. He topped off the game by getting booked for a moment of petulance after Leicester fell behind to an Ezri Konsa brace. If Darren's Arsenal double of Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe did not get major points for from their trip to Everton on Monday then I would get my win.
When the team news came out on Monday evening Smith Rowe was not in the Arsenal XI, this meant that D-Man would get Mbeumo's 5 points off of his bench. Therefore unless Ramsdale kept a clean with numerous saves, saved a penalty or to the biggest extreme assisted or scored then my victory was confirmed. Everton and Arsenal's contest was a real hard watch in the first half, with neither team showing any real quality despite Arsenal taking the lead right at the end of it. Richarlison had a headed goal disallowed for a tight offside, but the real highlight of the half had nothing to do with football. Ben Godfrey did his best Seth Rollins impression as he stamped on Takehiro Tomiyasu and somehow did not even get booked, he did receive a yellow card for a different incident in the second half however. The Toffees continued to probe as the second period became a better watch. Richarlison thought he had equalised for Rafa Benitez's men only for him to be given offside once again. This call was tighter than the first one and I was resigning myself to the fact Everton were not going to score, things were looking a little tight. Richarlison did finally get his goal though as he headed in the rebound after Demarai Gray smacked the crossbar in the 79th minute. Eddie Nketiah missed a guilt-edged header and then disaster struck for the Gunners. Like they had not been warned before when he hit the bar they let Gray cut in after some good work by Andre Gomes and he smashed the ball in off the post for an injury time winner...SCENES! Gray kept Benitez in a job and squashed any outside chance that Darren had as I won by 7 points. There was still for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to salvage a point for the Gunners but his effort was more of a threat to the corner flag than the back of Jordan Pickford's net. Aubameyang cannot wait for the African Cup of Nations it seems, in his mind he is already there.
So stopping my recent rut took me up a place in the head-to-head league to 8th. I have dropped off of the top of a classic league however, meaning I am only on top of 5 now. A big shoutout for my last opponent Sam who is now 5 points clear at the top of Justice League after easily getting the highest score of 83 as Smith Rowe not playing meant he got Konsa's 17 points off of his bench. I have real decisions to make ahead of gameweek 16 as my forwards are just not contributing.
@DubulDee
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