Every week this season, two West Ham fans will compete at Fantasy Football to win money for their chosen charities.
Will’s Team
GK: Areola
Def: Tarkowski, Lascelles, Colwill
Mid: Gordon, Saka, Salah (c), Bowen
FW: Nketiah, Haaland, Watkins
Well it appears I am just having one of them unlucky years.
Played a rogue free hit last week to include Man City and Liverpool players for their easy clashes against Bournemouth and Luton and it hasn’t really helped me at all.
I got 30 points, four more than James Jones to be fair, but hardly the claw back I was hoping for as I still sit 29 points behind him on 637.
I brought in Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez. City score six and only one is scored by my trio – Foden. Jeremy Doku bags four assists and scored one himself while two centre-backs get on the scoresheet.
I also start Salah, Nunez and Jota for Liverpool’s game at Luton, Nunez misses an ABSOLUTE HATFUL, the worst of which would have been a Salah assist so double whammy and Jota also should have got on the scoresheet as Luton somehow bagged a 1-1 draw.
A proper shafting from the FPL gods.
But look, I am not being too hard on myself, the logic behind the decisions were sound, I was just unlucky which happens in this game.
It’s obviously James’ to lose from here and I know he will be crowing about how strategically silly it was to use my free hit on a non-double week but I don’t regret a thing.
Two transfers this week, also on the risky / brave / stupid side… Cameron Archer (who obviously scored last week as soon as he dropped out my squad as Sheff Utd somehow beat Wolves) and injured James Maddison OUT. Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon and Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah IN. Nketiah and Bukayo Saka are both injury doubts but yellow warnings only with Mikel Arteta remaining coy about their availability which makes me confident at least one of them will be available as goal sieves Burnley come to town.
Salah loves a goal at Anfield so he gets the armband for Brentford’s visit. I fancy goals goals goals from my team this week and I’ll just be crossing my fingers Levi Colwill and Chelsea don’t get spanked too heavily by Man City.
A small set back last week, but as ever, we battle on with our heads held high.
James’ Team
GK: Raya
DEF: Porro, Cash, Gabriel
MID: Bowen, Salah, Son, Ward-Prowse, Hee Chan
FW: Watkins, Haaland (C)
GW11 was one to forget for so many FPL managers around the world, not least Will Pugh, who played the worst Free Hit chip I think I’ve ever seen. He did end up with 30 points, four more than my 26, but that is an absolutely hilarious return for a chip designed to boost a player’s score for the week.
It means my 29-point lead over him will seem a lot bigger to Will now that he’s already used one of his three chips without having much impact whatsoever.
My 26 points were disappointing but I’ve taken comfort in the fact it was a low scoring week for everyone. If it wasn’t for Bowen and Hee Chan’s attacking returns, it would’ve been even worse. But we go again in GW12, and I almost decided to go a third consecutive week without changes.
I have made one change, though, and that’s to replace the injured Dan Burn with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The centre-half averages 4.1 FPL points-per-game at the moment (Burn was averaging 3.4 before his injury) and Palace have a run of attractive fixtures – Everton (H), Luton (A), West Ham (A) – so he’s a worthwhile and affordable upgrade to my defence.
I do have one more free transfer to make and I’m still questioning whether it’s worth holding on to James Ward-Prowse for much longer, but with a home fixture against a Nottingham Forest side with just two Premier League wins on the road since their return to the top-flight, it makes sense to hold for at least one more week. Therefore, I’m carrying my free transfer once again.
However, Guehi goes straight on to my bench for GW12 because while Everton at home is a good opportunity for points, I cannot find a way of squeezing him into my team, such are the favourable fixtures my squad have this week.
Gusto drops back onto the bench as Chelsea host Man City, with Hee Chan replacing him. Wolves host Spurs and in any other week I’d be wondering if he would be a good option in this fixture, but Spurs have defensive suspensions and injuries after their crazy defeat to Chelsea earlier in the week. It means Wolves could capitalise, with Hee Chan in prime form for attacking returns.
I’m debating the captain choice again this week. My head says Salah could deliver against Brentford at Anfield, but Haaland away at Chelsea also poses a potential FPL points haul threat. My heart says Haaland because, well, it’s Haaland.
I’m going to follow my heart on this one, as I don’t have much to lose given the lead I have over Will, and I’m very confident that lead will be extended further by the end of GW12.
