Fantasy Football Files - 2024/25 - Gameweek 27 - Decision Making

Gameweek 27 pitted me against Jacques (J). He was a consistent FPL player but this campaign he had struggled compared to his usual standards. However, this made me more wary, as with FPL you just do not know what could happen. The gameweeks were coming thick and fast…pause. But on a serious note, you had to be alert and always thinking of how to overcome your next battle, as always luck would need to be on your side too.

As Liverpool were at home to Newcastle, I would not have started Alexander Isak, so as with the Magpies also not playing in gameweek 29 I decided to sell him. He will be back in my team very soon though. As Cody Gakpo came on first of Liverpool’s forwards against Manchester City, I assumed he may be in line to start so he was who I brought in for Isak. This was also with a view to the Reds being at home to Southampton in the next gameweek. My opponents only transfer was to sell Iliman Ndiaye for his teammate the in-form Beto. I left my captaincy with Mo Salah, whereas Jacques opted for Cole Palmer as Chelsea were at home to Southampton.

The action began back on 25th February. Brighton took an early lead at home to Bournemouth, only for Justin Kluivert to get Jacques points with a stunning equaliser. To make it worse Milos Kerkez who my opponent also had provided the assist. The Seagulls won the game thanks to Danny Welbeck but in terms of the head-to-head the damage had been done. Crystal Palace slapped Aston Villa 4-1 at Selhurst Park. I was grateful for what in the end was a Morgan Rogers consolation goal as I was up against Marc Guehi. I was anticipating points as Wolves hosted Fulham, but it was not to be as the Cottagers prevailed 2-1 at Molineux. Rodrigo Muniz got the winner, and he cannot stop scoring since I sold him. The latter contest ended up not being much of one as Chelsea beat Southampton 4-0. The conversation about Palmer still needs to be had as he somehow did not get a goal contribution. It was a ‘positive’ in this instance, nonetheless questions still have to be asked. A woeful Tuesday ended with me trailing 22-6.

Wednesday, saw Brentford draw 1-1 with Everton. Jacques and I both had Bryan Mbeumo, and he got a ‘fantasy’ assist for the opening goal as his header struck the bar and the rebound was put in by Yoane Wissa. We also both had Mark Flekken as our goalkeeper, and we thought a clean sheet was coming only for a late header by Jake O’Brien to deny us points. Flekken had helped me out regardless as he thwarted Beto who was upfront for Jacques on no less than three occasions. The rare gameweek I had Chris Wood as a differential he blanked as Nottingham Forest and Arsenal had a forgettable goalless draw at the City Ground. Wood’s best chance was saved well by David Raya and on another chance, he was challenged by William Saliba, or it would have been a goal. Ironically my opponent had Saliba, so Arsenal’s clean sheet killed me. Erling Haaland got the only goal as Manchester City edged out Tottenham 1-0. Josko Gvardiol’s points helped as I slightly closed the deficit. Ederson had to make a superb save from Heung-min Son to keep the clean sheet intact, also Pape Sarr missed a great headed chance.

In Wednesday’s late game, Liverpool beat Newcastle 2-0. After selling Isak, he was not to be fit for the game anyway. Another man who did not start was Gakpo, to my annoyance as I could have got in Jean-Philippe Mateta for instance who scored. Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.4m) got the first goal as he scored in successive games and could be a good differential as his ownership is still under 5%. Salah was not to be denied as he setup the second goal for Alexis Mac Allister to justify the captaincy. Wednesday concluded 50-34 in Jacques’ favour.

So to Thursday, as my opponent had got Anthony Elanga’s points off the bench as Isak did not play, I needed Alphonse Areola and Jarrod Bowen to do a madness and somehow accumulate at least 16 points. Areola made an early save from Wilfred Ndidi. West Ham took the lead through Tomas Soucek before Bowen put an effort just wide. The Hammers won 2-0 as Bowen’s ball across the six-yard box went in off Jannik Vestergaard for the second goal. At first, I thought Bowen had scored until I saw the replay, Bowen’s stifled celebration should have shown me it was not his goal. Despite both my players contributing, 12 points was not enough and I lost by four points, 50-46.

A hard defeat to take (pause) but after getting over 100 points last week I had a feeling I would not win for some reason. With some people having at least double Arsenal defenders and others tripling up on them my rank took a bad hit. In the Justice League I stay in 7th place but lost ground on those above me. A shoutout to Boods (Ash) as he was the top scorer in the head-to-head league with 67 as he had Levi Colwill, Luis Diaz and Ollie Watkins, as well as Enzo Maresca as his assistant manager. I desperately need to bounce back from this.

@DubulDee