Fantasy Football Files - 2024/25 - Gameweek 30 - "Omar's Coming..."

One of my D&D Football Factory co-hosts ‘Big’ Sam was my opponent for gameweek 30. Sam likes to be at his sharpest when he plays against me, and I told him if he kept that energy throughout the season then he would probably finish second again like he did a few seasons ago. I was literally only playing for pride now as recent defeats had killed the chances of me making the top four.

With Chris Wood picking up a knock to his hip whilst on international duty, I was always going to sell him. At first, I was going to bring in Omar Marmoush, not long before the deadline however, I changed to Alexander Isak. Both were good options, but I got Isak back in as the Magpies play Leicester in gameweek 31. Manchester City had Leicester and then Manchester United so not a huge difference, but I decided on Isak. With Newcastle up against Brentford, the Bees concede a lot of shots at goal, so I expected something from the Swedish international. When I spoke to Sam just after the deadline, he said he had got Marmoush in for Wood and he also captained him. When I looked at the rest of his team, I knew this was going to be another tricky encounter. I left my captaincy with Mo Salah despite the temptation to go with Isak.

The action started on Tuesday evening. Arsenal hosted Fulham and my opponent had David Raya, so I was hoping for a Fulham goal at the least. There was slight confliction on my behalf as Sam also had Antonee Robinson, so I needed Arsenal to find the net too and I never want them to anything constructive. The Gunners went 2-0 up through Mikel Merino and the returning Bukayo Saka. Despite not knowing how many minutes Saka would get, some took a punt on him and were repaid for it. The Cottagers got a late goal from Rodrigo Muniz, who should have scored a header before that. Muniz (£5.5m) is one to keep an eye on, his ownership has dropped to 1.5% and he is finding the net now even in limited minutes off the bench. He has 3 goals in the last 4 games. I hope he does not score at home to Liverpool but after that run free Rodrigo. Wolves edged past West Ham 1-0 thanks to a goal from a man I used to own Jorgen Strand Larsen, it was his 10th goal of the campaign. I was happy for the clean sheet points from Rayan Ait-Nouri, although as the opposition had him too, I was really hoping that Jarrod Bowen did something. With Alphonse Areola also being my keeper this game did not produce any form of differential for me. Ait-Nouri almost got an assist when his cross was headed by Toti, but Areola saved well. Nottingham Forest beat Manchester United 1-0 through a great solo goal by Anthony Elanga and Sam sadly owned him. Bruno Fernandes was in his team too but luckily he had two first half efforts saved. Tuesday’s completion saw me trailing 22-10.

On Wednesday, I was expecting Bournemouth to bounce back against Ipswich at home, however the ‘Tractor Boys’ had other ideas. Nathan Broadhead and Liam Delap were on the scoresheet as Kieran McKenna’s men won 2-1. Delap’s goal increased the deficit I was facing as another of my former forwards scored this week. Despite getting a goal from Evanilson, and Milos Kerkez being in Sam’s defence I still suffered badly here. Newcastle beat Brentford 2-1 at St James’ Park. Isak put a good headed chance wide. He then thought he had assisted Harvey Barnes for the opener only for offside to be given. In first half stoppage time Isak finally got his goal thanks to a delicious cross from Jacob Murphy. I was to get more points in the second period, as Nick Pope upended Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo slotted away the spot-kick. A great combination usually for me in a head-to-head, the caveat was Sam had them too, so I really needed more from Isak. Eddie Howe’s men were to get all three points through an audacious strike from a tight angle by Sandro Tonali.

Manchester City took the lead after just two minutes at home to Leicester, and I thought it was Marmoush who got it, only to find out Jack Grealish remembered how to score again. Anyone who used to watch ‘The Wire’ knew Omar coming was inevitable and after a pathetic piece of goalkeeping by Mads Hermansen, Marmoush calmly put the ball into the top corner for 2-0. The Josko Gvardiol clean sheet points were truly welcomed as I always feel City will concede a cheap goal, and Gvardiol is not looking like scoring as much as he was earlier in the campaign. I therefore needed my captain Salah to really do a job against Everton. The Egyptian was to have a first half effort on target but that was really it, as the Reds mainly attacked on their left wing. Diogo Jota got the only goal in the second half as Liverpool once again got a clean sheet when I did not have one of their defenders, as Sam had Virgil van Dijk he moved further ahead. With Salah’s blank, things really looked bleak for me as I was 20 points behind now upon Wednesday’s conclusion, 73-53.

It was all up to a man who was not in form now, Cole Palmer, to try and pull off the impossible comeback. I also had Djed Spence in Thursday’s London Derby but if Palmer was to shine Spence would of course lose points. Palmer looked a little more decisive than he had recently, in the end it was only to be an assist from him as Chelsea squeezed past Tottenham 1-0. It was a superb cross for Enzo Fernandez to head in. Palmer was also close to a first half FPL assist as his ball in struck Destiny Udogie and almost went in for an own goal.

So, despite my highest score since gameweek 26 and seven of my nine players returning, I fell to a 73-60 defeat. Sam better be on his guard when I see him at the studio on Saturday as I’m going to beath him up! Anyway, I have dropped to 9th in the Justice League, although my overall rank improved as I was well above the average. Trust that in a week where I scored more than 17 of the other 19 managers in the Justice League that I was matched up against the man who got the highest score, Sam…you will not get away with this!  

@DubulDee