Well, the Differentials XI run of green arrows had to stop at some point. A 400k drop was a hard pill to swallow, but an overall rank of just outside the top 1 million is still respectable, given the fact we can’t have any of the big hitters.
Here’s how the Differentials XI finished up at the end of the week:
Looking back at the previous week, 1 big positive to take is that we captained the highest scoring player in our team! Although we had to wait until the 85th minute for the big Belgian to score, so it wasn’t half nerve-racking to say the least, as we faced a sub 25 point gameweek score, which would have been a sheer embarrassment. We did however, field the wrong player in the London derby seeing David Luiz pick up a mere single point, whilst we left Mustafi laughing on the bench! Club loyalties die hard, but in fantasy football it can often provide a stumbling block.
Now onto this week. We will look to bounce back from a red arrow, however we will be holding onto the free transfer despite having Nolito rotting away on the bench. Price changes don’t really affect the Differentials XI, due to the players eligible (under 10% ownership) being a lot more reasonably priced.
Here is how we line up:
Starting XI: Stekelenburg (3.4%), Luiz (0.9%), Coleman (4.0%), Cathcart (0.4%), Mustafi (0.7%), Wijnaldum (2.0%), Bolasie (6.1%), Pereyra (0.9%), Lanzini (0.2%), Benteke (6.2%), & Ighalo (5.8%).
Bench: Forster (4.1%), Dawson (2.1%), Rooney (3.6%), Nolito (1.9%)
We start a back 4 this week, unorthodox, but Rooney’s form is absolutely dreadful. The Everton double defence (Stecklenburg and Coleman) remains and although it hasn’t been worth it yet, the fixtures make it hard to offload one of them. At home to Palace and our frontman Benteke, it could be seen as a huge risk, especially with Dawson away to Sunderland on the bench, but we’ll go with it for one more week. Alongside the Toffees defence is Cathcart. The triple Watford coverage in the Differentials XI squad didn’t exactly work out last week as they got told a lesson away to Burnley. Still without a clean sheet this season, Cathcart is an odd pick and there could be a last minute change with him making way for Rooney. Completing the defence is the London boys. Both David Luiz and Mustafi are away to newly promoted clubs and a clean sheet is definitely on the cards for both. Burnley will be on a high after the win against the previously mentioned Watford, so will probably prove a sterner challenge than Hull against Chelsea.
In midfield it’s the 4 boys that are in the starting line-up by default due to Nolito’s stupidity. Liverpool scored 5 goals at home to Hull… Milner, Mane, Coutinho and Lallana bagged goals… Andddddd obviously we started Wijnaldum. Typical! Let’s hope we don’t have the same luck this week, as Liverpool travel away to Swansea. Bilic’s West Ham are in desperate need of a win. The Croatian is in serious trouble at the Hammers new stadium and could be the first Premier League manager to see the sack. At home to Middlesbrough it’s simply put a MUST win. Lanzini has to perform too. If not, he’ll be seeing the chop next week too! Finalising my Everton coverage is Bolaise. He’s also got the captains armband this week. The toffees will be looking to bounce back after a surprise defeat to Bournemouth. Koeman has made it clear that European football is the target for them and its games like these that will make the difference to whether or not they will achieve their aims. Pereyra completes the midfield and looks Watford’s bright spark in midfield. He was hugely disappointing last week with a measly 1 point.
Up top, continuing on the Watford theme is Odion Ighalo. Hopefully he can pick up steam and start performing like he did last year. Next to him is Christian Benteke. It’s a strange one really, I wouldn’t mind him blanking so I could get a 12 point haul from Coleman and Stekelenburg, but if Palace are to score it better be through this man!
That’s in this week, all the best for this week and may your arrows be green!
Written by FPL Avids (@FPLAvids)
