The march for FPL top 100k continues! Our run of fantasy premier league green arrows actually began and coincided with Jamie Vardy’s goal scoring run in week 4, but thankfully for us our run didn’t finish in week 15. Since week 4 the average score has worked out to be 47.5 points and we have actually averaged 58.9 points, a run that has moved us up to 156,723rd and left the top 100k in our sights for the turn of the year. So let’s have a look at the gameweek 15 breakdown.
Ok, so I’m going to start by admitting that I did say neither of our goalkeepers would keep a clean sheet and that we opted for Butland more because he’s a fooking legend rather than any genuine hope of points. Even though we got it wrong we got it right. The stoke shot stopper made it 6 clean sheets in 8 with the shut out against City and sent him top of all keepers in FPL scoring. Not bad considering Stoke conceded in all of their first 7 games. His 7 points really helped in a week where all the ‘big teams’ conceded. All complaints from United fans can be sent directly to @FPL_Guru_ !!
Our back 3 included new recruit Kurt Zouma. Hands up all those that thought Chelsea had turned the corner defensively and that a clean sheet at home to Bournemouth was inevitable. Yep, that’s me in the corner, hand up looking rather sheepish. How terribly naïve of me. Although with Leicester, Sunderland and Watford up next I’m sure there’s some points to be had. Things were looking bleak for Cedric with Villa surprisingly opening the scoring, but somehow our marauding full back picked up a much appreciated 2 bonus and gave him a respectable 4. Lastly, Kolarov. About 10 minutes into the Stoke vs City game, I could see this wasn’t going to be a game for City defenders, so we will take the 1 point and move onto next week.
In midfield where else to start than Riyad Bloody Mahrez! Yes his 60% ownership means that the majority of the fantasy world were celebrating this hat-trick, but we don’t care but for one second. Just imagine being part of that 40%! His 21 point salvo means he now leap frogs team mate Jamie Vardy at the summit of top scoring FPL this season. We gave a rare start to Wanyama. For the record, this was more of an enforced change due to Aguero’s problematic heal and not wanting to take a points hit, but he scored 2 points and will return back to the comfort of the FPL Updates bench this coming week. We also saw 2 point returns from De Bruyne and Deulofeu (with no thanks to the thickness of Gareth Barry’s sock fibre stealing the assist). Oh and guess what? Mesut Ozil notched an assist! 9 games in a row with an attacking return and bonus achieved in 7 of the last 8. We send our best wishes to Aston Villa this coming week.
Up top and something weird happened. Jamie Vardy didn’t score. To me owning Jamie Vardy has always kind of felt like that girl you’ve been dating for ages, but at no point did you really see it as a long term thing. It just kind of happened and you go with it! Until this week. This week was the equivalent of that text from her telling you it’s over. How did we take it for granted for so long? Why did we not truly appreciate every goal scored at the time? Jamie, please, we’re sorry. We promise to start appreciating you in this article more. Chelsea next. Even Glenn Murray can score against them! Our other striker was Lukaku. One of the most in form players in the league and that’s why he was wearing the Updates XI armband. With our sub Scott Dann giving Palace a late lead it was Big Rom’s time to shine and shine he did. His 6th goal in his last 5 games shared the points and finished the week on a high for us.
So, with week 16 in mind we had a big decision to make with our transfer. As painful as it is we have had to make the move
Aguero (OUT) –> Kane (IN)
So onto our starting 11 for gameweek 16. In goal, guess who. Butland gets the nod. With West Ham missing Payet, Lanzini, Moses and Sakho, I think they are really going to struggle over the month of December and with the defensive form shown by Stoke, he gets the start.
Our back 3 sees one change. Scott Dann in for Cedric. I will admit that I’m a fan of Cedric, but he hasn’t played a single minute of the last 2 away games and Scott Dann is turning into one of the best defenders to own. His goal against Everton now puts him 4th in FPL point scoring for defenders this season. We have Kurt Zouma in and although he’s likely to concede we prefer him to Martin and Cedric. Lastly it’s Kolarov. I have a terrible feeling that he gets dropped for Clichy this week, but facing a Swansea team that has only scored in 1 of their last 5 games he obviously has to start.
Our midfield 4 is the usual suspects. Mahrez fresh from his highest scoring week of the year faces 14th place strugglers Chelsea. De Bruyne will be licking his lips at the thought of facing Swansea. Just quickly before I move on, although I’m not really one for the ‘I told you so’ routine, last week we did in fact say about Mahrez that ‘This week he faces an out of form Swansea team who have conceded a goal to an opposition midfielder in their last 4 games with over 50% of their total goals conceded coming from midfielders.’ So with that stat even more relevant this week we will be expecting good things from Kevin De Bruyne. Ozil will be very expectant of continuing his fine form against a frankly embarrassing Aston Villa team and Deulofeu will face Norwich at Carrow Road knowing even if he notches 17 assists the FPL committee will somehow manage to rob him of all of them. So we will see you next week when we discuss in depth his 2 point return!
Up top we have the wonderful Jamie Vardy! Our favourite player and the best player in the league! See, I told you we could start appreciating you Jamie. He faces Chelsea and given their inability to deal with opposition pace this year we will have our fingers crossed that Vardy is back to scoring ways. Next to him is Lukaku. With a goal in 5 games in a row he’s now in the midst of attempting his very own Vardy. The last time Everton played away in the 12.45 game they beat Southampton 3-0. Lukaku hit a brace. So, over to you Rom. The last striker is new kid on the block. ‘Arry Kane! With Aguero being Aguero we had to make the decision to move on without him. Giroud’s 4 goals in the last 7 days gave us food for thought but Kane home to Newcastle was just too appealing. With that in mind, we have given the armband.
Quietly confident this week but seeing as our lowest score in the last 5 weeks was 63, the pressure is seriously on! Good luck to all and a little Friday afternoon tip. With Christmas parties in full flow, when you feel the need to drunkenly triple captain Cameron Jerome put your phone down and just crack onto a colleague!
By FPL Guru
