Top 100k here we come! Ok, there may be more chance of me spending this weekend with Emily Ratajkowski than there is of us finishing that high but I’m just buzzing after finally breaking into the top 1m for the first time since week 13. 875k with Wildcard and bench Boost available there is still hope of significant improvements though if we get it right, which we seemed to do last week. 71pts on a 46pt weekly average is just what we needed as we hit the final stretch.
Another week and another blank for both our keepers. Anyone surprised? Of course not. The worst part about it was that we benched one and started one from both WBA and Hull player and got it so wrong. Instead of 9pts for Ben Foster and Harry Maguire we had to deal with 3pts from Eldin Jakupovic and Chris Brunt. Fine margins. The story of my FPL season to be honest.
At the back we had Leighton Baines to thank for his 6pts because Erik Pieters and Chris Brunt didn’t help our cause too much. He now moves up to 7th in defender scoring which really isn’t too bad considering he missed six straight games early in the season.
Our midfield was flush with points again. Wilf Zaha’s blank can be excused given his recent form but it was the Spurs duo who delivered again. The double transfer in of Hyeung Min Son and Dele Alli in GW31 might be the best thing I’ve done since breaking up with my ex. Maybe a little later than I would have liked but 62pts between them in the last three GW’s is stunning form. With a double GW in 37 I suspect these two will be sticking around. Leroy Sane was our transfer in last week and he duly delivered with a goal. His 3rd in the last seven weeks. It may be a bit early to say but I’m sure he will be one of the first names on my pre-season drafts next season.
Up top we brought Harry Kane back in following his injury and gave him the armband. Generally speaking there are three rules I live my life by. Never drunk text, never buy more than one Nando’s a week and never captain a player in the lunch time kick off. Unfortunately I’m a woeful excuse for a human being and have done all three within the last 7 days. But a home game against Bournemouth seemed just too appealing to ignore and so it proved. 24pts from your captain pretty much guarantees green arrows but was helped by contributions from both our other 2 strikers Romelu Lukaku and Andy Carroll.
As said we are finally back inside the top 1m and it’s taken bloody long enough. All decisions from this point need to be perfect if we are to finish the season well and if I want a contract extension come May. So talking about perfect decisions here’s our double transfer this week.
Pieters (OUT) – Rojo (IN)
Carroll (OUT) – Negredo (IN)
Do not make transfers before European games are over. Do not make transfers before European games are over. Do not make transfers before European games are over.
I hate making transfers before all midweek games are played but typically the week I do we get an injury. As Marcos Rojo left the Old Trafford pitch I almost had to laugh. Thankfully we hadn’t just brought in Zlatan too. Rojo in for Pieters seemed a no-brainer, as did Negredo in for the injured Carroll.
I don’t see this being a season defining DGW but I’d have liked to run with more than just two on a double. But it seems Zaha and Negredo will have to suffice. Unless my Friday night after work drinks get messy and I decide to balls out with the hits.
With WBA on a blank we actually can’t get the keeper choice wrong! Eldin Jakupovic gets the nod at home to Watford and I’m really hoping that Deeney et al are already on their summer jollies now they’ve hit the magical 40pt mark and are comfortably safe for another year.
This also applies to Harry Maguire who has two goals in his last three games and gets a start for us. Leighton Baines gets the nod away to West Ham. I’m not expecting clean sheet points here but it certainly helps that Andy Carroll is out. Marcos Rojo is almost certainly out so I expect John Stones to come in for him. So as per usual I would say I’m not pinning our hopes on defensive points.
Our midfield looks good again though. Dele Alli and Hyeung Min Son face a Crystal Palace team who are surely safe and should be beatable for the title challengers whilst we have Leroy Sane at home to Man United and Wilfried Zaha on a double against Liverpool and Spurs. There’s points to be had here.
Up front not only have I brought in a Middlesbrough player but I’ve given him the f*cking armband. BUT if it’s ever going to be done then I guess a DGW with matches against Bournemouth and Sunderland is when you do it. In hindsight I would rather have brought in Marcus Rashford, given the injury to Ibra, but we will just have to cross our fingers and hope that Middlesbrough actually score a goal or two. Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane obviously remain in the XI and although both play away they have nice match ups.
So with just five GW’s left it’s business time. As we have explained in previous weeks that we are saving the Wildcard and Bench Boost for the DGWs in 36 and 37 so the next 2 weeks is all about green arrows to keep us marching onwards.
If you have yet to make your transfer(s) don’t buy into this weeks DGW too heavily. There’s some nice options but make sure you have all of the next five weeks in mind, especially if you don’t have your Wildcard left. Good luck to all and let’s hope Negredo goes goal crazy.
On a sad note, I like everyone else woke to the news of Ugo Ehiogu’s passing. As a life long Villa fan this is heartbreaking and I want to send love from both myself and FPL Updates to all of his family. RIP to an absolute AVFC legend!
Written by FPL Guru (@FPL_Guru_)
