The final gameweek of the FPL season was here. Strangely enough I initially was the most relaxed I had been coming into a final day despite the fact this was the most that I had ever had at stake this late in a campaign. If things went my way, then I could finish as high as second, but if I lost, I would end up in fourth place. Fourth was still one of the money positions, but the aim of course was to finish as high as possible. Stel was my opponent, and he was the man in fourth looking to leapfrog me. We would be level on 66 head-to-head points if he did beat me, but he had more classic points so therefore he would finish higher.
My primary composure went out of the window when it got to an hour before the deadline. As I had promised myself to try and have some fun on the final day as I had achieved my goal from before the season began, I tried to regroup, so then I tried something. Jurgen Klopp was taking charge of his last game, so I rearranged things to get some Liverpool players in. I wanted Mo Salah back in my team, as there was no 100% guarantee he would be at the club next season so just in case I wanted one last haul from him, so, I sold Kevin De Bruyne for his teammate Phil Foden to help the budget. Heung-min Son was also sold so then I could get Salah in. Up front, there had been rumours flying around on Sunday morning that Alexander Isak was not starting, so then I hastily sold him as I thought Cody Gakpo, who had been good recently could come in and that gave me another Liverpool player. Unfortunately, just before the deadline, there were then more rumours, these new ones stated that Isak was starting now, I was vexed. It was also claiming that Anthony Gordon was not in the squad at all, so I transferred him out. The transfer was done so late, I think it came just as it was turning to 2.30pm but thankfully it went through as I got in Eberechi Eze. Overall, I took a -12 deduction as I got a bit carried away. I was so overwhelmed making the transfers that I forgot to change my captain from Haaland to a differential captain to try and make up some ground on Boods in second place and of course to try and obviously beat Stel. My opponent only used his free transfer as he also sold Gordon and got in Bernardo Silva. He also captained Haaland.
As all games obviously started at 4pm, we shall start with the conclusion to the title race. Manchester City did not even take 2 minutes to go ahead against West Ham, Foden vindicated me putting him back in by scoring another top-class strike into the top corner from outside the box. The caveat here was that the goal was setup by Bernardo Silva, who Stel brought in. It was soon to be 2-0 to City when Jeremy Doku flew down the left-hand side and found Foden who passed the ball in for his second goal. I never gave myself enough time as I fell to late pressure, but Foden really should have been my captain. Arsenal went behind against Everton, meaning I at least did to not have to worry about Gabriel Magalhaes getting clean sheet points for Stel. They soon equalised however, to give themselves faint hopes of winning the title. As the Gunners levelled things up, back at the Etihad Stadium, Mohammed Kudus scored an outrageous overhead kick to make the second half of both games interesting. That goal took away a return for me from Josko Gvardiol. Rodri, just before the hour-mark put any doubts people may have had with Pep Guardiola’s team relinquishing their place at the top as he made it 3-1. Again, the problem here was that goal was assisted by Bernardo Silva. Foden’s brace should have had me feeling comfortable, but it was far from the case. Back at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal got a late winner from Kai Havertz, much to Stel’s delight and I was seething. Havertz could have scored earlier on when he hit the woodwork so with my points deduction, I would not have had a chance if that went in, nonetheless his 89th minute goal was a dagger to my chest. Havertz was the most transferred-in player, so his goal was important for many. Nevertheless, Manchester City were champions for the fourth time in a row.
The reason why the goal from Havertz was so detrimental was as at Anfield, the game did not necessarily map out how I needed it to. Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0, with both goals coming after Nelson Semedo was sent off for the away side. Alexis Mac Allister gave the Reds the lead after he headed in Harvey Elliott’s cross, as Elliott showed I should have found a place for him. Jurgen Klopp’s men went 2-up when Salah’s effort from a set piece was not cleared properly, and Jarrell Quansah forced the ball in as he scored in consecutive games. Salah got a fantasy assist for the goal, but in the second half, Jose Sa tipped an effort from him over. Salah could not control the ball for another chance when he was put through in the second half too. Gakpo, had a good chance saved, another chance saw him work the ball from a tight angle to Luis Diaz, who could only hit the bar. My opponent had Virgil van Dijk, as he got further points for Liverpool’s clean sheet. With the players from the team I support not quite delivering what I needed this left me in a precarious position to say the least.
Alternatively, to my Liverpool transfers, the late transfer I made flourished. At Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace smashed Aston Villa. After already securing Champions League football, Unai Emery’s men were looking for a beach but got a rude awakening when they reached south London, and they were attacked by Eagles. Michael Olise fed the man in-form Jean-Philippe Mateta to open the scoring as I got some early points. Olise found Daniel Munoz, and he played in Mateta for his second goal as my Palace players were coming through with the goods. I overlooked Mateta to get Eze in and I was thinking that I had made the wrong decision at half-time, only for Eze to explode in the second half. He smashed the third goal in with a low drive and then supplied the fourth goal for Mateta to get his hat-trick. Palace, who in the last 6-7 weeks have played the best football in the league made it 5-0 when Eze converted after a flick by Mateta. Mateta’s 20 points and Eze’s 18 points did not seem too much different in my decision on my third Palace player, there was consequence, however. Bukayo Saka did not play in Arsenal’s late win over Everton, therefore, as Eze was his first substitute, Stel got his 18 points, this literally killed me despite Lucas Digne losing him a point in this game, getting -1 for the 5 goals that were conceded.
Alexander Isak, showed me in emphatic fashion that I should not have been drawn in by the rumours and I should have kept in. Isak started for Newcastle and found the net in a 4-2 victory at Brentford. In addition, he assisted Jacob Murphy’s goal and got another ‘fantasy’ assist for the fourth goal by Bruno Guimaraes. Stel of course had the Swede whose ownership was at its zenith for the season of over 40%. Tottenham won 3-0 away at Sheffield United, another man I sold contributed as Son got an assist, as he found Dejan Kulusevski to open the scoring with the first of his two goals. Stel and I both had Pedro Porro and he crashed in the second with a fine strike. For once Micky van de Ven did not score when Porro found the net to take his bonus points as the Spaniard ended with 14 points.
Chelsea edged past Bournemouth 2-1. Moises Caicedo’s goal of the season contender opened the scoring up. What mattered to the head-to-head was that Cole Palmer found Raheem Sterling for the second goal. Also, Benoit Badiashile’s own goal denied me a clean sheet from Djordje Petrovic. Stel’s keeper was Bernd Leno, and he was beaten twice, regardless of this it did not stop Fulham from winning 4-2 at Luton, to confirm the Hatters’ relegation.
So, when it was all said and done Stel got the win 80-74, to finish above me as the points-hit I took was just too much. Reluctantly selling Isak cost me as his points would have easily taken me to victory but there is nothing I can do now. 4th place was my minimum requirement and I reached that, nonetheless so I have to thankful. With Arsenal having the best defence, with me not picking their players, when I faced a double up at the back, compiled with Cole Palmer in midfield I almost had to have a perfect week. FPL can be so unpredictable even when it is predictable, if you get what I mean…read that again. Palmer’s outstanding season forced my hand, as I had to abandon the fact I did not pick Chelsea players as I do not dislike them as much as Manchester United and Arsenal players, who will remain the teams I do not select from. I just cannot see myself being happy to get anything from their players, as anyone who has read down the years will have seen how I have reacted to some points that I have accumulated. I did insinuate getting Palmer many weeks before I did and I should have acted earlier, it would have made a huge difference. I missed out on back-to-back home hat-tricks against Manchester United and Everton and that could have guaranteed me second place at least as I only came three points behind Boods, as he won his final game. In terms of the prize money outside of Boods; as said last week, well done to the winner of the ‘Justice League’ Eman, Stel was of course third after beating me and I was fourth. Khurram ended with the highest score when he got 142 in gameweek 34.
2,252 points was my third highest score since I started playing FPL, however, it only got me a rank of 1.5 million, whereas my two seasons when I scored higher than that got me into the top 200k. I should be looking forward to the break but I’m already looking at enablers from Leicester and Ipswich…no rest for the wicked. See you in August.
@DubulDee
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