FPL Gameweek 5 saw me pitted against Darren T. He had lost all his four opening games but I was still not taking him lightly as he used his 'Wildcard' in gameweek 4 after not being happy with his start. As usual numerous differing ideas were doing the rounds in my mind, but I did not want to take a points hit. I looked at the opening six fixtures before picking all my players, so I thought I would at least give them that amount of games before using any form of bonus chip or making any drastic decisions.
With Michail Antonio being sent off last week against Southampton; the only change I made was to sell him and bring back in Patrick Bamford. This meant still keeping Heung-min Son despite him being touch-and-go in regards to starting against Chelsea. When the deadline passed I saw Darren had sold Harry Kane and brought in Romelu Lukaku. I was surprised at this with him being a Tottenham fan but he clearly thought Lukaku would rip his team to shreds.
The week's action started on Friday night at St James' Park as Newcastle hosted Leeds. I had pondered about giving the captaincy to Raphinha, but I have this thing with giving the captaincy to someone who plays in the first game of a gameweek so I gave it to Diogo Jota for the second week running. There had been a rumour floating about that Raphinha had picked up an injury anyway so if I gave him the hypothetical armband and he did not play I would have been fuming. Raphinha ended up starting the game and in true FPL fashion (when you do not captain someone) he opened the scoring. The goal had a bit of fortune as it was a cross, but Rodrigo had the presence of mind to dummy the ball and it flew into the back of the net. The superb delivery got its just reward. Bamford assisted the goal so it was all good. Raphinha could have scored a second but hesitated when clean through. Newcastle levelled through Alain Saint-Maximin, a player we had suggested putting in your team on Shoot The Defence's 'FPL War'. Raphinha came off injured with a hip issue proving the rumours had some substance and it ended 1-1. A decent start to the week that could have been even better for me, Friday ended with me 13-0 up, but of course none of Darren's players had played.
Saturday began with Brentford's trip to Wolves. I was wary of how many chances Wolves had been making and hoped they scored as Darren had Pontus Jansson in his defence. We both had kept faith in Ivan Toney and hoped it would pay off. Brentford dominated the first half and Toney had 2 disallowed goals which sandwiched him giving the Bees the lead from the penalty spot. Toney then supplied the second goal for Bryan Mbeumo as they secured a 2-0 triumph. So despite Jansson getting booked his clean sheet points were a differential in the head-to-head. He also had Ethan Pinnock as the second defender on his bench so things had the chance to get worse if two people in his team did not play for any reason. I did actually say on the first FPL War before the season began to get a Brentford defender in your side as their first five games I believed were decent ones, and they have got three clean sheets in those games. Should have listened to my own advice shouldn't I, but you cannot pick everyone can you.
In the 3pm games; Liverpool entertained Crystal Palace at Anfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold missed the game through illness which meant I would now get the points of my first defender on the bench Southampton's Tino Livramento. Liverpool won 3-0 but the scoreline did not tell the full story as the Eagles caused them some issues. Diogo Jota missed an absolute sitter making me rue making him captain, and my vice-captain Mo Salah got a 'fantasy' assist as his header was saved and Sadio Mane put the header in for the first goal. Salah was to volley the second goal in from another corner and my search for a differential failed as Jota was taken off, "rage!", the second week in a row he was so close to getting me the differential points that I badly needed. Naby Keita rounded off the win with a sublime volley on his weaker left foot and I was left pondering what could have been as Darren had Salah as his captain and had cut into my lead. Southampton shocked the world and kept a clean sheet at Manchester City as they survived a late offside call when Raheem Sterling thought he had won the game. City were also lucky themselves not to concede a penalty as Livramento got me precious clean sheet points, he slightly spoiled it by getting booked, but I was still very thankful for the unexpected points. Joao Cancelo of course also got me clean sheet points.
Watford won 3-1 at Norwich and Emmanuel Dennis opened the scoring to my great pleasure with his first goal since the opening day. Ismaila Sarr also scored his first goals since the opening day and at £6.1m is looking like a real option for me in the near future. Sarr almost set up a second for Dennis in the 70th minute but Dennis just could not reach his ball in. In the late Saturday game Emiliano Martinez started and I should have known better and left him in my XI as though there had been doubts he would play he kept a clean sheet which meant I had 8 points sitting on my bench. Everyone of my players had contributed thus far bar my captain, "just my rotten luck!". Saturday ended with me ahead 60-44 but the lead looked overwhelmingly slender as I only had 3 men left to play and Darren still had bloody 7!
On Sunday; Brighton v Leicester and West Ham v Manchester United both kicked off at 2pm. I watched along with fellow 'Justice League' member Rian (Milito). Darren had Shane Duffy and Yves Bissouma from Brighton in his team, while I had Robert Sanchez in goal. Brighton took the lead and I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out it was not Duffy, only to realise he got a fantasy assist as his header caused the handball for the penalty. It was a very harsh decision to give handball against Jannik Vestergaard and Neal Maupay scored the spot kick. The Seagulls went on to win 2-1, worth adding however that Leicester were robbed of a point not once but twice by some very questionable offside calls after a review by Var. Meanwhile whilst Darren had Saïd Benrahma and Mason Greenwood in the match at the London Stadium I had the Czech internationals Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek. So again in true FPL fashion Benrahma gave the Hammers the lead with a deflected goal. I had thought the shot was going wide before it hit Raphael Varane but it was changed from an own goal and given back to Benrahma, I sighed. United came from behind to win 2-1 surviving a late penalty, but Benrahma somehow still got all 3 bonus points, I felt sick! FFS! I was done as I was only ahead by 1 point and he still had 3 men to play. There was no way on earth that I could win this.
The last game was the London Derby between Tottenham and Chelsea and I thought Darren had 3 men left but it was just 2 as Edouard Mendy was out injured, he therefore got the solitary point from Robert Sanchez that I of course got too. I was to get a big surprise as Son was passed fit to start, this therefore meant now I was getting any points he got and not Soucek's points as I left Son in my XI just in case. After a good start by Spurs; Chelsea produced an efficient second half display and won 3-0. This meant no clean sheet points for Sergio Reguilón who Darren had but it did not matter anyway eve with Lukaku blanking too. Son obviously blanked also so I ended up with the same points Soucek had got in the earlier game. My last hope was gone. Since I started picking Spurs players a few seasons ago I usually have Kane but let's be honest Citizen Kane looks more likely to score than Harry does at the moment. May I remind you Harold while you are a Spurs employee you still have to score for them, just letting you know...just in case you forgot mate.
So a third head-to-head defeat in five games that should have easily been avoided had I just went with Salah as captain or had I come out of my comfort zone and given it to Raphinha though he was involved in the first contest as I only lost by measly 3 points. Even starting Martinez would have got the job done. 64 points would have beaten 13 other men in the league but it is the luck of the draw isn't it. Nonetheless with the start I had with 7 of my first 8 men delivering, I should have been clearing 70 points but picking the right captain is so vital. I am happy for Darren to get his first win however...actually I really am not and I took a cheap shot at him on Twitter. Next gameweek could not come quick enough as I need to redeem myself.
@DubulDee
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