Fantasy Football Files - 2024/25 - Gameweek 34 - Killer Bees

Gameweek 34 had me up against Boods (Ash). Boods was a very good FPL manager, and he came second in the ‘Justice League’ last season. Despite the fact he was floating around mid-table this campaign he was a still massive threat.

For the third successive week I took a four-point hit to give myself a chance of succeeding in what was a blank gameweek. Out went Omar Marmoush and Jean-Philippe Mateta for Matheus Cunha and Raul Jimenez. In terms of the Jimenez transfer I thought at length about bringing in Cody Gakpo, Nicolas Jackson or getting Yoane Wissa back in my side. There was also the possibility of doubling up on Wolves forwards with Jorgen Strand Larsen, but in the end the prospect of playing a relegated-Southampton swayed me to Jimenez. I was very close to going for Cunha as my captain, only to not be brave enough and I went with Mo Salah. Incidentally, Cunha was the most-transferred in player this week and Salah was the most-captained. Boods used his ‘Wildcard’ bonus chip, and I was extremely intimidated by this, but I just had to see how things went. My opponent captained Alexander Isak.

The action began early on Saturday. Chelsea hosted Everton and Boods had Cole Palmer, so I was watching anxiously. Thankfully, Palmer did not return as the Blues won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Jackson. He had not scored for a while; however, I should have trusted my gut and went with him. Robert Sanchez (£4.5m) kept his third clean sheet in April but may not be available for the next gameweek.

In the 3pm games, Brighton got an injury-time special from Carlos Baleba to edge past West Ham 3-2. Although the Hammers lost, Jarrod Bowen produced for my side as he assisted twice. In the second half, his ball across the face was put in by Mohammed Kudus and then a great cross to the back post was headed in by Tomas Soucek. As expected, Newcastle dealt with Leicester at St James’ Park, only after the Foxes went down to 10-men though. Jacob Murphy outdid Boods’ Magpies midfielder Anthony Gordon as he won a penalty for the first goal, that was put away by Isak. Kieran Trippier (£5.7m) assisted the other goals as it finished 3-0. Boods was like many others who used their wildcard or ‘Free hit’ chips and picked the cheaper option in their backline Tino Livramento (£4.6m) but it was Tripper with the 15-point haul.

My opponent also got drawn into picking Raul Jimenez, all he did was get a yellow card annoyingly as a late Ryan Sessegnon goal got Fulham all three points at Southampton. Sessegnon (£4.2m) has been used as a right-wing back on the right wing. but as an FPL player he is down as a defender and was another popular man in some wildcard and free hit teams. I was up against Alex Iwobi, and he assisted Fulham’s first goal by Emile Smith Rowe. Wolves took the lead at home to Leicester and Cunha was the man who got the goal. It was assisted by Rayan Ait-Nouri, who Boods and I both had. Vitor Pereira’s men went on to win 3-0 as Cunha added two assists, showing me captaining him would have made complete sense. Strand Larsen got the second goal, and he was in Boods’ team, as the Wolves forward-line double-up was another option that would have worked.

Sunday, saw Bournemouth and Manchester United have a stalemate, however, neither of us had anyone featured, so to the other contest we go. Liverpool needed just a point to clinch the title, they treated their home fans to an empathic victory instead. Tottenham took the lead through Dominic Solanke against his former club. Arne Slot’s men then turned it up a gear. Boods had Luis Diaz, and he equalised, then a thunderbolt from Alexis Mac Allister put the Reds ahead. Gakpo made it 3-1, as another forward I neglected found the net. Salah was finally to get in on the act as he cut in and made it 4-1, it was not quite the haul that Cunha got but I was too busy celebrating a title-win to outwardly care. A Destiny Udogie own goal made it 5 and that was how it stayed. The own goal was from a Trent Alexander-Arnold ball, so Boods got assist points there, nonetheless Salah’s goal maintained my lead from Saturday.

We had to wait all the way until Thursday for the gameweek to climax…pause. I expected an entertaining match between Nottingham Forest and Brentford, only for it to be anything but that. A match filled with free-kicks and yellow cards ended up 2-0 to the Bees. It was not quite a Wu- Tang Clan Wednesday, but the Killer Bees were out in force doing the likes of Newcastle a big favour in the race for Champions League football. Kevin Schade had given them the lead, then Mark Flekken of all people was to get an assist for the second goal. His ball up field was not taken care of, and Wissa stole in to dink the ball over Matz Sels. Sels was Boods’ keeper so good news there, Flekken’s assist and clean sheet was amazing as I won by 20 points, 78-58, despite my points deduction.

So, I prevailed even though another player in Wissa scored that I left out. I leapfrogged Boods in the head-to-head table as I am now 8th. My rank improved significantly as I moved up into the top 700k in the world. There was a shakeup in the Justice League as Michael B. (no Jordan) lost so Josh is now top as he beat Darren B. in a battle between 2nd and 3rd. The highest score in the league this week was from Khurram who got 95 points using his free hit to perfection with the likes of Sanchez, Sessegnon, Ait-Nouri and Cunha.

@DubulDee