Every week this season, two West Ham fans will compete at Fantasy Football to win money for their chosen charities.
Every week this season, two West Ham fans will compete against each other to win money for a charity close to their hearts.
James Jones and Will Pugh from the ‘We Are West Ham’ podcast will go head-to-head by picking their Fantasy Football teams every week, making sure to select at least one player from West Ham.
Their points will be totted up every week, and the highest-scoring team at the end of the 38 Gameweeks will be declared the winner, with Betway donating £1,000 to their chosen charity.
Who will come out on top? Here’s who the Hammers fans have selected for Gameweek 5.
Will’s team
GK: Ederson
DEF: Udogie, Chilwell, Estupinan
MID: Mbeumo, Rashford, Bowen, Saka, Sterling
FW: Haaland (C), Wissa
Seventy seven gorgeous points last week thanks to captain fantastic Erling Haaland’s 40-point haul but somehow I dropped down in almost all of my leagues.
But not the one I am in with James Jones of course. His measly 68 sees the gulf between us stretch to a whopping 18 points after just four weeks. I am sitting pretty on 270 while James is flailing behind on a paltry 252. We have fairly similar teams but my differential picks of Yoane Wissa, Bryuan Mbuemo are Jarrod Bowen are proving the difference so far.
I am nervous about not having Mo Salah like James as the Egyptian is usually a hat-trick waiting to happen with four in his Liverpool career to date. And with the Reds going to Wolves this week, who have already conceded eight this season, I am sweating a little.
But if it ain’t broke, do not fix it is what they say so it’s just another single transfer tweak for me this week. Tottenham sensation Destiny Udogie, who has started every Spurs match this season and bagged two clean sheets and two assists, comes in for Manchester United outcast Harry Maguire.
I considered swapping Ederson with Matt Turner again with Man City going to high-flying West Ham and Nottingham Forest hosting Burnley. But the Clarets have scored in every game this season while City have only conceded twice meaning Ederson stays in the starting XI.
Haaland stays as captain as his scoring record at the start of this season spookily exactly mirrors that of the last campaign. Game one: brace. Game two: blank. Game three: one. Game four hat-trick.
James’ team
GK: Turner
DEF: Estupinan, Chilwell, Saliba
MID: Saka, Mitoma, Salah, Sterling, Diaby
FW: Jackson, Haaland (C)
Will’s probably loving the fact he’s extended his lead over me to 18 points. In fact, I know he is. It’s making him think he’s got this season in the bag already, which is cute. I’ve spent the international break rethinking my strategy and at the moment, that’s led to no change. I pondered playing my wildcard but it’s still too early for that, so it’s one transfer for me as we go into GW5.
That transfer is Harvey Barnes, who still hasn’t forced his way into Newcastle’s starting XI, out for Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby. Diaby has started all four of Villa’s games this season, has two goals and an assist to his name and plays Crystal Palace at home this weekend. It’s a no-brainer swap.
Diaby makes the starting XI for me, too, in place of Man City’s Josko Gvardiol. I just don’t trust Pep Guardiola’s tendency to rotate his defence, so I’m not risking precious FPL points by starting him again.
Matt Turner starts in goal, with Nottingham Forest hosting Burnley. There’s loads of potential for a clean sheet there. In defence, it’s three at the back with Estupinan, Saliba and Chilwell. The Brighton defender arguably has the toughest game in Man United away, but given the way he, the Seagulls and Man United are playing, there’s an opportunity for defensive returns there.
Joining Diaby in midfield are Mitoma, Sterling, Saka and Salah. They all have away fixtures but are all in decent enough form for that not to be a worry for me. Salah has eight goal involvements in 13 meetings against Wolves, Saka has two goals and an assist this season and Sterling has scored more goals against Bournemouth (11) than any other team in his career, adding four assists to that record. He’s a very attractive captain option as a result.
In attack, it’s unchanged with Erling Haaland and Nicolas Jackson. Haaland scored twice against West Ham at London Stadium last season and currently has the armband, but I am wrestling with the guilt of praying for him to get me points while also scoring against my beloved West Ham. It’s a dilemma. I want to beat Will at FPL but I want West Ham to beat Man City more!
