My gameweek 29 opponent was Ash. Ash was an extremely good FPL manger and I drafted him in this season to make the 'Justice League' more competitive as one or two people pulled out this season.
I had planned way ahead to use my 'Bench boost' bonus chip for this massive double gameweek, but after having a look around the FPL community and talking with a few people everyone else did too. In fact it was confirmed that over a million managers used their bench boost this week.
As usual my initial plans were scuppered. I wanted to bring back in Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson up front but he was flagged with an injury. Sometimes I do not bother to go by the FPL website/app but I never had time to do my press conference rounds. West Ham's Emerson Palmieri was flagged also with an 'illness' and though I thought that was a tad strange I was in a panic. I only had one free transfer and this had been made early on as I sold Riyad Mahrez for James Maddison as the Leicester mans' price was ever rising. In the end I took an -8 hit. A Saturday deadline always coincides with recording the 'FootyOnTop' radio show, and in a utopian society I would make all my transfers early but I procrastinate regularly. I panicked and sold Emerson as well as the injured Wilfried Gnonto for Tyrone Mings and Patson Daka respectively. I felt underwhelmed but the time was 10.59am by now, there was no going back. When the deadline passed I saw that Ash had two free transfers; but as he was using his bench boost also to cover it he made four transfers, so just like me he took an 8-point deduction. Out went Danny Ward, Hugo Bueno, Andreas Pereira and Erling Haaland for Jason Steele, Ben Chilwell, Alexis MacAllister (who I had) and Kai Havertz.
The action began early on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City and Liverpool met. City started brightly but the Reds took the lead as they exploited Per Guardiola's men's high line and Mo Salah (my captain) fired in emphatically. After that however Liverpool capitulated and were duly slapped 4-1. All this and Erling Haaland was not even playing as Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish all found the net. I was lured into a false sense of security that major points could be coming, I was left as usual scratching my head. Null and void the season man, I cannot take this, Liverpool and FPL are going to be the death of me I swear!
In the 3pm's; Arsenal did what was expected at home against Leeds as they won 4-1. What was not expected was Bukayo Saka being on the bench. This only meant he got a solitary point for Ash when he came on in the second half. My opponent still ate well as he owned Ben White and he scored the Gunners' second with a close range finish in off the bar. At a mere £4.8m White's points return of 129 this season has been absolutely brilliant. Brighton and Brentford played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Amex Stadium. The Bees took the lead before Steele got more points for Ash as his intelligent ball towards Kaoru Mitoma saw the Japanese international delightfully lob the ball over David Raya for 1-1. Balls of Steele indeed...pause! Upon acquiring Daka I had a look at Bryan Mbeumo but decided against going with two Brentford men up front. Mbeumo assisted Ivan Toney as the away side went 2-1 up. The Toney goal delivered points for both Ash and I. Danny Welbeck made it 2-2 from a Solly March cross which meant points for Ash. Ethan Pinnock who has been on fire recently (and very randomly may I add) put Thomas Frank's men ahead as Mbeumo again assisted. MacAllister was to have the last day as his 90th minute penalty left it all square.
Roy Hodgson was back in charge of Crystal Palace and he guided them to a 2-1 home win over Leicester. The Foxes actually took the lead through a Ricardo Pereira thunderbolt but an own goal by an unlucky Daniel Iversen drew things level. Jean-Philippe Mateta was to win the game in injury time with a great finish after trapping the ball well from a Jordan Ayew pass. If Mateta had trapped a ball like that more regularly then Patrick Vieira will still be in a job let alone the damn finish. Maddison's blank was extremely disappointing but also frustrating as Vicente Guaita made a good save from him. Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Wolves and to my annoyance Johnson was passed fit and of course he scored, so there was no need for me to put Daka in. My namesake Daniel Podence realised my disgust and bizarrely pretended to spit at Johnson in the second half after he had equalised. VAR had a look but realised no saliva actually left his mouth. I still have no idea why he would even think of doing that away. In the late game my opponent had tripled up on Chelsea men, so you can imagine my satisfaction at them being beaten 2-0 at home by Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins scored once again and I wish had enough in my budget to get him in my side. Mings' clean sheet points were more than welcomed.
Sunday, saw West Ham beat Southampton 1-0 as I rued selling Emerson as somehow he was fit to start, I really should have known to be honest. In the second game, Newcastle got a well deserved 2-0 win at home to Manchester United. A Luke Shaw blank for Ash then and no return from Marcus Rashford (Ash's captain), who if you were not told you would not have known he was even on the pitch. Whenever the Magpies play I need Fabian Schar to somehow outscore Kieran Trippier, but this was not the case as Trippier's free-kick was headed in by Callum Wilson for the second goal.
I rarely have Harry Kane as a differential in a head-to-head contest so I was hoping he delivered away at Everton on Monday evening. Kane helped to get Abdoulaye Doucoure sent off before being booked himself and I thought a blank was pending. However Tottenham were to be awarded a penalty and Kane clinically dispatched it. Spurs were to be Spursy and they let the Toffees grab a point from a late stunner from Michael Keane. This was after they also went down to ten men as substitute Lucas Moura was dismissed. I had a very narrow lead heading into the midweek games but I was not overly confident.
On Tuesday; Brighton rode their luck at times but won 2-0 at Bournemouth. Evan Ferguson who I have wanted for awhile scored the opening goal with a deft flick from Mitoma's pass. Mitoma really has been brilliant since I got him in, and I could have captained him really, a true FPL bargain at £5.6m. I got him in when he was £5.2m I believe. Aston Villa continued their great run with another away win this time at Leicester as they emerged 2-1. There was another goal for Watkins who has transformed under Unai Emery. There was to be blanks from Maddison and Mings, but I thought I was getting a possible fantasy assist from Daka right at the death. After a VAR review however Daka actually fouled Watkins so no penalty was awarded. The final Tuesday match saw my Liverpool travel to Chelsea. Things looked very bad for me as all my Liverpool men were on the substitutes bench. A forgettable game ended goalless and my chances of victory were now in serious doubt as Chelsea's clean sheet allowed Ash firmly back into the picture with the points from Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ben Chilwell added to Jurgen Klopp's surprise XI killing me.
Wednesday saw Newcastle thump West Ham at the London Stadium 5-1 despite the home team taking the lead. I got what I needed here as for once Schar outdid Trippier as he assisted the first of Joelinton's two goals. In the other game If I was to win then I needed a rare blank from Ash's captain Rashford, but it was not to be as he scored the winning goal as United beat Brentford 1-0 to put Ash ahead. And this was all after Luke Shaw got booked, then was injured and taken off scoring a big fat 'zero'. To compound my defeat Rashford laid on a late chance to Fred which got him into the bonus points. I felt sick I had scored 97 points and I was still beaten. Just end the season already man!
@DubulDee
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