My D&D Football Factory co-host Darren B. (D-Man) was my opposition this week. There were not many people that trash talked as much as him, so a win here would have been a nice way to keep him relatively quiet for at least a week. Another defeat for me in what has been a catastrophe thus far, would mean even more gloating from him on our Saturday morning radio show.
I had two free transfers this week, as usual I drafted a couple of differing things, but decided in the end to let go of Heung-min Son. The Korean came out for Phil Foden, and this change saved enough to allow me to 'bolster' my backline. The other change saw Andy Robertson came in for for his former teammate Neco Williams. With Liverpool away at Nottingham Forest, I thought it was a good time to get Liverpool's Scotsman back in my team. I would not have started Williams, so decided to sell him as they have Arsenal in gameweek 14 also, I will get him back at a stage however as he is cheap and starts a lot of games. I had overlooked getting Erling Haaland back as Darren used his 'Wildcard' last week, so for him to get Haaland back in, he would have needed to take a points-hit. People rarely take a points deduction after using their wildcard, so thought I was possibly safe for one week. But when the deadline passed I saw that was exactly what Darren had done and Haaland returned to his team, 'dammit!'. Had I lost before a ball had been kicked? Or would Haaland have an extremely rare blank?
The action began early on Saturday at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest welcomed Liverpool. I usually have an issue with giving my captaincy to a man playing in the first match of a gameweek, but I gave it to Mo Salah nonetheless. The Egyptian was to only had a tame effort at goal in the first half. Forest looked a threat on the counter attack throughout and took the lead in the second half. Taiwo Awoniyi (a former Liverpool player), was quickest to react to his own shot off the post to slam Forest in front. The game had a thrilling finish as it was end-to end and both sides could have scored on more than one occasion. Steve Cooper's were to hold out for the upset of the season so far. Jurgen Klopp's men not keeping a clean sheet did not only effect me, as Darren had Joe Gomez in his side. He had Salah too but his captaincy was with the aforementioned Haaland of course. 'This just sucks man, all my plans had been scuppered already, thanks for ruining my weekend on varying fronts Liverpool!'.
The two 3pm games saw both home sides triumph and this was not really good news. Everton brought Crystal Palace back down to earth, as they played some very good football in a 3-0 win. Luckily, Alex Iwobi, who got two assists was only on Darren's bench, but unfortunately he got clean sheet points as he had Conor Coady at the back. At the Etihad; Haaland did as was expected, as he bagged a brace against Brighton. Pep (Guardiola) roulette struck as Phil Foden was only on the bench meaning the transfer I made had failed for this week, 'I should have known really to be honest'. Many felt my pain as Foden was the most transferred in player for gameweek 12. I resigned myself to defeat despite having more players left than Darren on Sunday, so I sent him a message. The only thing that was not expected that happened was the fact that goal-shy Brighton found the back of the net. Leandro Trossard beat Ederson on his near post, so at least Darren did not get further points from Cancelo. With none of us having anyone featuring in the late game between Chelsea and Manchester United which ended in a 1-1 draw, Saturday had me already trailing by 27 points although I had eight men left and Darren had just five.
Sunday, saw another of my starters on the bench as Jacob Ramsey was not in Aston Villa's starting XI, 'I mean could things get any worse?!'. Villa were to bring in a new era without Steven Gerrard with a 4-0 smashing of Brentford. Leon Bailey who has dropped to £4.6m scored and assisted. After Brentford did me proud in gameweek 12, I was glad this week I left David Raya on the bench, Rico Henry on the other hand returned the same amount of points as I did from my position on the sitting room couch, a big fat zero. I picked Danny Ward, in goal instead of Raya, and he delivered as he kept yet another clean sheet, clearly some of the 'worst keeper in the Premier League' comments were savagely premature. Leicester somehow won 4-0 at Wolves, despite the home side having 21 attempts at goal. James Maddison, got himself on the scoresheet, but did not join Ward amongst the bonus points.
Darren had Gabriel Martinelli, but he did not return in Arsenal's 1-1 draw away at Southampton. Fulham won 3-2 at Elland Road, as Leeds fell to their fourth straight defeat. Leeds took the lead through Rodrigo, but Alexsandar Mitrovic again found the net. The only issue and it was a big one was that the goal was assisted by Andreas Pereira. It got worse as he assisted the second goal for Fulham too, as Bobby De Cordova-Reid headed home. Darren had Andreas to my disgust, and he was rewarded for starting him, as although he continues to stack points, many fantasy managers leave him on the bench. This means Andreas has now scored once and assisted three times since I sold him. Mr Pereira, I was indeed out of line and at fault like the 'San Andreas', and I apologise wholeheartedly for ever selling you. You would have thought there had been an earthquake the way I slammed the table in anger. Andreas' double figure haul cancelled out over half of the points from my Leicester duo.
Tottenham hosted Newcastle in Sunday's last game. I needed Harry Kane to go bananas, knowing how well he usually does against the Magpies. But it was Eddie Howe's men who caused a shock by coming away with the three points in a real statement victory. At the time of kick-off I trailed by 18 points, and messaged Darren to congratulate him, as I knew I needed a mini-miracle. The only hope was that Kane got a double digit-haul and Emerson started for West Ham on Monday. He still said 'it was not over', I informed him his team will pull him through, and they did. Callum Wilson opened the scoring, thanks to another clanger by Hugo Lloris, and as Darren had Wilson, that was that! Kane did get on the scoresheet, but it was just a consolation goal as Newcastle won 2-1, he somehow got two bonus points, but it was not enough. The in-form Miguel Almiron had earlier put the away side 2-0 up, and I must admit I overlooked him, as I thought there was no way that he would keep on scoring. You see FPL is easy in some instances, just go with the guy on a roll. Almiron looks like a school-kid, but he looked like a powerful seasoned vet the way he destroyed Clement Lenglet on the goal, and some of you wondered why Barcelona let Lenglet go out on loan, shame on you.
Monday came, and Emerson did not start for West Ham in their 2-0 triumph over Bournemouth. It did not make much difference to the head-to-head as he would have needed 15 points just to get me a draw anyway. Amazingly I now sit bottom of the 'Justice League', as of the five men on only 13 head-to-head points, I have the least classic points overall. with 632. I am a broken man, this is unfamiliar territory for me. The World Cup needs to hurry and come, because I need a break, a reset, I swear. I have had to find solace in Champions League Fantasy Football, just to know I can do something right. Darren is going to cook me on Saturday's show, but it will be my birthday the day before, so I promise I will not hit him.
@DubulDee
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