Green FPL arrows! Oh how we have missed you! In what turned out to be a fairly low 41 point average, the FPL Updates XI delivered a 43 point return and FINALLY clawed itself up inside the fantasy premier league top 2m! WooHoo!! Looking at the next 4/5 weeks’ fixtures I’m confident an assault on the top 1m is a realistic aim, but before I start looking ahead too much let’s have a look back at our week 5 performance.
So, starting at the back. We were always expecting Norwich to concede as we had doubled up with Ruddy and Wisdom, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frustrated that it was a late, meaningless consolation in a game Norwich dominated. Huth picked up just the 1pt but it was a greatly appreciated Cedric clean sheet that left us with reason to smile, in what has now turned out to be his last game for the Updates XI. Well for at least the next month or 2.
Onto the midfield, where we had very mixed results. Our midfield 5 is where we have spent most of our time renovating this season and it was one of our bangwagon boys, Riyad Mahrez, that top scored for us. Anyone that watched his match winning performance Sunday will realise that he is no longer just a fad but he is a truly talented player with a price that makes him borderline ‘must have’. I use that tag sporadically but in this case, with his budget price, I believe it’s justified. I may regret that considering Leicester’s upcoming run but for the moment I’m more than happy to ride the Mahrez wave. Santi Cazorla chipped in with an assist and a clean sheet but the main headache has been what to do with Eden! His inept performances so far, coupled with Chelsea’s upcoming run has culminated in the painful decision to drop him. There is something hugely disconcerting about taking out last season’s top scoring player but every fantasy gaffer has his tolerance threshold. Ours has apparently turned out to be 5 weeks. Don’t think we have forgotten about you Memphis!
Last as always is the front line. When captain Kun limped off within half an hour we could have been forgiven for believing this was just not our season BUT along comes Christian Benteke and his frankly ridiculous late overhead kick. As happy as we were, we did also have certain amount of sympathy for Cameron Jerome. The decision to keep Benteke in, with the week 6 and 7 fixtures in mind, paid off and now we hope he can continue that form in to his next 2 very favourable matches.
So onto the changes. With no transfer made last week we were left with the luxury of 2 free transfers this week. But why go with 2 when you can do 3!
Cedric (OUT) – Kolarov (IN)
Hazard (OUT) – Toure (IN)
Hooper (OUT) – Wilson (IN)
A 4pt hit taken but given the fixtures of the 3 coming in I’m very confident those will be covered over the next month.
So in goal it’s Butland. Although he faces star man Mahrez, his penchant for save points (27 saves in 5 games) make him an easy choice over Ruddy. Huth also features in that match up and he sits next to Richards (WBA) and Kolarov (WHU). So bizarrely a Mahrez blank and a 0-0 stalemate would actually sit very well with us at Updates XI.
In midfield we welcome Yaya Toure (WHU). He slots in nicely next to Mahrez (STK), Ayew (EVE) and Depay (SOU), with Cazorla (CHE) making way to the bench. Plenty of form here and hopefully Depay can convert his European goal scoring ways over to the Prem. Wouldn’t it be beautifully ironic for him to score his first league goal against Koeman, after the Dutch gaffer’s fairly scathing pre season criticism of Depay’s personality and mentality. Football is funny like that.
Finally the front 3. Bizarrely the first time the Updates XI has played a front 3 this season. New boy Wilson (SUN) comes straight in and with this week’s match I’d like to think he will hit the ground running. Alongside him is Benteke (NOR) and Aguero (WHU). All 3 with great matches and I’m going to confidently say this will be the first 50+ week for us this season. Captaincy is currently sitting with Aguero, pending team news. Over to you Pellegrini!
Good luck everyone and let’s keep those green arrows rolling in!
By FPL Guru
