Josh who was flying high this season was my gameweek 33 opposition. Josh has got better every year since participating in the head-to-head league, he lay 5th in the 'Justice League' table and 4th in my traditional league the 'League of Gentlemen'. This was not going to be easy, I was an underdog here.
My usual flurry of ideas was messing with my head. The plan was always to wait before bringing Erling Haaland back in l, but I toyed with it this week more than ever, but left it alone as I expected Harry Kane to return against Manchester United. James Maddison was another one I wanted back in my team but I did not wish to take a points-hit to do it as Leicester were so unpredictable. Lastly l, and the one I came the closest to pulling the trigger on a points-hit for was the fact I was convinced that Kevin De Bruyne would do something major against Arsenal like he usually does. So as I did not want to sell Mo Salah it would mean downgrading one of the forward spots to free the money up. I sold Ivan Toney, give it reluctantly and got in Kelechi Iheanacho as I wanted a Leicester player in as they faced Leeds who had been leaking goals. But then I decided not to take the points deduction as I did not want to give Josh any form of an advantage. I went against selling Cody Gakpo to get De Bruyne in and just rolled with what I had. My captaincy of course stayed with Salah.
When the deadline passed I saw Josh had made just one change, this was to sell Kane to get in Haaland. He too had Salah as captain, I was just pleased he did not give it to Haaland as I expected goals from City with the way Arsenal have defended recently. This made it so hard to go into this week with any of Pep Guardiola's men but it is what it is, this is the FPL life we chose.
The midweek action started on Tuesday. Crystal Palace travelled to Wolves and I benched Michael Olise and started Eberechi Eze rather than doubling up on them again. Wolves took the lead after only 3 minutes as Joachim Andersen scored an own goal. The Eagles probed with Olise looking a threat, and Eze was denied by a great Jose Sa save before he had another goalbound effort blocked. However, after a wild challenge by Sam Johnstone, Ruben Neves' injury time penalty wrapped things up. Aston Villa were at home to Fulham and took an early lead through a header by Tyrone Mings from a John McGinn corner. I had almost benched Mings as I strongly thought about putting Pedro Porro in, so this was greatly satisfying. Mings thought he had scored an own goal in the second period only for it to be offside and Villa hung on for a 1-0 victory in a rather drab game. Mings got the maximum bonus points and I was ecstatic for once. Josh and I both had Ollie Watkins but it was a second straight blank from him. Once again I was too late to the party as he has been in scintillating form.
Tuesday's last kick off was at Elland Road as Leeds met Leicester. And it was the home side who took the lead through a header by Luis Sinisterra. Jack Harrison (£5.7m) made it with his 7th assist thus campgain and he has somehow never been in my team this season, despite my very first draft before it began having him in it. The Foxes fought back and Iheanacho went on a great run before a challenge injured him, Maddison then found substitute Jamie Vardy who salvaged a point. I thought Maddison may do more damage than just an assist so not getting him was not as bad as I thought it would be. Tuesday ended with me ahead 19-2.
Wednesday pitted Nottingham Forest against Brighton. With the Seagulls having a couple of double gameweeks coming up people had heavily invested in them. Brighton took the lead however through a player no one owns in another young starlet of theirs Facundo Buonanotte but the popular Solly March did assist it. Forest who have been good at home came back to shock everyone with a 3-1 win, Brighton have been great recently so I suppose we should have seen a defeat was coming for them. No returns from Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan for me then and Josh had Alexis MacAllister as well as thecorrvious in his team. In the reverse fixture between Chelsea and Brentford, I doubled up on Brentford players at the back and they did the job, this time around I only had David Raya but it would have worked again as they won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's dreadful campaign somehow got worse, but to be honest Todd Boehly deserves it for getting Frank Lampard in as caretaker. Raya's clean sheet was boosted by two bonus points, luckily for me Josh opted for his opposition in Kepa Arrizabalaga as Raya was left on his bench. Josh and I both had Toney so a rare blank was disappointing whilst my opponent will also have rued leaving Ethan Pinnock on his bench as well as Raya.
Liverpool went behind to a great strike by Lucas Paqueta (crisps) at the London Stadium but West Ham could not hold on to their lead as Liverpool came back to win 2-1. First, Cody Gakpo levelled with a good low drive and a thumping header from Joel Matip won it. Andy Robertson's corner assisted the Matip goal as I was thrilled to get more points as well as my team winning regardless of the fact Salah did not return. Trent Alexander-Arnold assisted again in his new role and though unlikely I will consider switching Robertson to his fellow full back. The biggest game of the season so far saw the top-two clash at the Etihad and in the end it was a partial anti-climax as City strolled to a 4-1 triumph. De Bruyne copped a brace and saw his free-kick headed in by John Stones and Haaland of course wrapped the scoring up. Is the title over? We shall see. I now led 53-29 despite Josh having Haaland.
I thought Fabian Schar was out injured but he started as Newcastle made it 10 goals in 2 games as they disposed of Everton 4-1 at Goodison Park. A double from Callum Wilson here as well as another goal for in-form Joelinton. Josh had Kieran Trippier and Schar so Dwight McNeil's goal straight from a corner basically confirmed I could not be caught in the head-to-head. Tottenham went 2-0 down to Manchester United after good goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford but they pulled it back to 2-2. Pedro Porro who I left on the bench scored and Heung-Min Son equalised as both goals were set up by Kane. With England's captain getting maximum bonus along with the Gakpo goal meant I was not as bothered about not taking the hit to get De Bruyne and Haaland.
So a 64-33 win for me then which only moved me up a place in the head-to-head league. Mings is obviously the one who is most to thank as so many men blanked, but it was nice to get the win as I was not expecting this to be so emphatic. Another gameweek will be here almost immediately and I have many decisions to make.
@DubulDee
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