After an enthralling World Cup, including a final for the ages, it was back to the stressful world of FPL. I cannot say I was too thrilled to have Premier League football back so quickly, but had to get myself into gear regardless. Stel, (head of Shoot The Defence Media Network), was my gameweek 17 opposition, and he was having a good season thus far.
FPL was allowing unlimited transfers due to the unprecedented winter World Cup, and I tried for as long as possible not to even look at my team. After at first saying I would not, I dabbled in World Cup fantasy football, as there was no real pressure, which made it easier to stay away from anything FPL-wise. When I finally got back to my team, I had so many ideas running through my head, that I was wondering whether or not it was as great as it sounded to have unlimited transfers.
oRunaway top scorer Erling Haaland went straight into my side, as he had not gone to the World Cup, so he was fresh, but then I had a change of heart, with Haaland being owned by over 83%, I went in another direction. Sounds crazy, but I was seeing if I could capitalise on an uncharacteristic blank from him. I turned to his teammate Kevin De Bruyne in midfield, and this meant I needed an enabler up top to budget it, so in came Leeds' Sam Greenwood. I finally was able to squeeze Kieran Trippier into my team, as well as his teammate Miguel Almiron, but then yet again I changed my mind. I had worked Alexsandar Mitrovic back into my team, but then I went somewhat rogue. I took out Trippier and Mitrovic, and replaced them with Ivan Toney and Fabian Schar. With Toney facing issues off the pitch, I didn't know how much longer he would be available, so I thought I would use him until I more than likely get Mitrovic back in for Fulham's double gameweek. Schar and Trippier are ever-present's for Eddie Howe, but not having Trippier's ability to assist did worry me a bit.
The action began early on Boxing Day, as Brentford entertained Tottenham. The Bees were indeed entertaining, as they went 2-0 up. Slack marking allowed in Vitaly Janelt, before that man Toney made it 2-0, we all hope he did not bet on himself scoring however! Toney reacted quickly to a knock down by Christian Norgaard, but then he got himself booked. Then came the inevitable Tottenham fightback, imagine how good Antonio Conte's men would be if they actually turned up in the first halves of games. A beautiful cross by Clement Lenglet was headed in by Harry Kane. Then, after good work by Dejan Kulusevski, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg levelled with a tidy finish. Despite the ball coming off a defender, Kulusevski was originally given the assist, before having it taken away from him to my annoyance. Stel also had Kulusevski, so it was not as bad as it could have been. Regardless, it had been good that Toney and Kane both found the net. Kane hit the bar late on, or this could have been really fruitful.
In the 3pm matches, I was to be frustrated. Crystal Palace went behind to Fulham, Bobby Decordova-Reid got the goal, but it was assisted by a great ball from Mitrovic. I rued transferring him out further as he got a 'fantasy' assist for the 2nd goal by Tim Ream. VAR had a long look at it, but it was still given despite touching Mitrovic's arm. Mitrovic officially put me to shame as he slammed in the third goal as it ended 3-0. The game was mainly one way traffic as Palace finished with nine men. Both sending offs can be considered slightly unlucky, especially the second one for James Tomkins. Andreas Pereira, had two really good chances. The first he hit the woodwork with, the second he produced a tame low effort that was easily saved, I had my head in hands. Mitrovic outscored Toney by 10 whole points, 'why oh why did I change!'. Everton and Wolves have both struggled to score this season, so I thought having at least one defender in this game would return something, but it was not to be. I drafted in Wolves' defender Hugo Bueno, only for it to end with three goals. Wolves won it in the fifth minute of injury time, with a goal from a man I had for most of the season Rayan Ait-Nouri, so trust him to do something now. Ait-Nouri actually replaced Bueno just before the hour mark. Stel was kicking himself as Ait-Nouri was the last man on his bench.
Newcastle travelled to the King Power Stadium, and with Leicester in-form before the World Cup, a game I believed would be tight with turned into a cakewalk almost immediately. Newcastle got a penalty after just three minutes to take the lead, then that man Miguel Almiron showed why I finally got him into my team, as he rounded off a slick team move for the second. To my disgression, Trippier assisted the final Magpies goal when his corner was headed in by Joelinton. With Stel owning Almiron too, I had not benefited in the head-to-head here, as also Danny Ward was my keeper, so he returned just one point. Stel had Nick Pope in goal, so he neutralised my Schar clean sheet.
Neither of us had anyone in Brighton's 2-1 away win at Southampton, so to the 5.30pm game we go. I had passed up on giving the captaincy to Mo Salah as I thought De Bruyne may run riot away at Leeds. So trust Salah to give Liverpool the lead at Aston Villa after just five minutes. I was of course very happy as it was my team, but I knew I had made an error. It was a fine team goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold's sumptuous outside of the foot ball, found Andy Robertson, who played a first time ball to Salah with his weaker right foot, and Salah slotted in clinically. Virgil van Dijk made it 2-0 as he via a deflection found the net from a knock-back by Salah from a corner. Salah had shown in just 45 minutes that I should have gone with my gut. He could have had another too but he shot wide. the chances of a clean sheet went when Ollie Watkins pulled one back for Villa, and to be honest it had been coming. Darwin Nunez was a constant threat but his finishing did not match his endeavour, until the 81st minute. His good run and ball in eventually made its way to Stefan Bajcetic for 3-1. Salah was to be ousted by Robertson for the maximum bonus points, but this game had stlll fared well for me. Salah should have scored again in the second half but lost his feet as he was about to shoot.
Arsenal beat West Ham 3-1 in the last game. Stel had Gabriel in his defence, so I was happy the Hammers at least scored. The day had been decent for me, but with the 15 extra points I could have got had I kept Trippier and Mitrovic, I had basically conceded defeat. This was as despite leading by what seemed a daunting 35 points (53-18), I only had my captain De Bruyne left to play on Wednesday, and Stel had him too. On top of that, Stel still had Joao Cancelo, Reece James, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and his captain the machine that is Haaland all still to play. I messaged Stel to tell him that it was over, Stel was pessimistic, but I had a feeling I knew what was coming.
Tuesday, had an interesting start. Chelsea raced into a 2-0 lead against Bournemouth, but then James came off injured before the hour, meaning he only returned one point. James had a good effort saved in the first half before his injury. It was to remain 2-0, as any Kai Havertz owners were to be jubilant with his goal and assist. Things then plummeted as I had anticipated they would. Manchester United later on were to have a routine 3-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest. Their two first half goals were scored by Rashford and Martial, as well as that Rashford assisted the Martial goal, 'noooo!'. Things were already looking bad and it was not even Wednesday yet. Martial would not even have been a factor for Stel, if Callum Wilson had been fit to start for Newcastle on Boxing Day. Tuesday concluded with me ahead 52-39.
So there was just the one game left on Wednesday I got a form of respite as Cancelo was on the bench. Though I did not want Haaland to score, I put in a bet on him scoring in an attempt to neutralise any looming pain. Haaland almost immediately gave Manchester City the lead but he was denied by Leeds' Illan Meslier. Rodri gave Pep Guardiola's men the lead just before half-time, and then in the second period the inevitable took place. Haaland scored not once, but twice to seal a 3-1 City win, 'this man needs to be stopped!'. De Bruyne has a part in the first two goals, but not a apart that impacted in points. One Haaland goal against the team from the city he was born in would have been difficult to overcome, but the second was the nail in the coffin. Stel went on to win 68-57.
After coming off of the bottom of the Justice League just before the World Cup, I am now propping up the table again. The risk of not having Haaland did not work, but the next gameweek is right around the corner, so no time to dwell on things. Can I turnaround my worst FPL season for years? We will just have to wait and see.
@DubulDee
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