Fantasy Football Files - 2025/26 - Gameweek 25 - 'Szob Story'

Josh was my gameweek 25 opponent. He was a solid FPL player, and we always frequently talk on football. He messaged me just after the deadline to say we were up against each other as some people do not check their opponent, but I had already looked to see that was the case. I was still trying to stay clear of the bottom three in the ‘Justice League’ and Josh was trying to keep pace with the pack that were chasing the top four.

I had two free transfers and used them both. As Erling Haaland was out of form and up against the team I support, I made a bold decision and sold the big Norwegian for Joao Pedro, who was the most transferred in player with the fixtures Chelsea have coming up. I also let go of another Manchester City player in Antoine Semenyo and brought in the in-form Florian Wirtz. I have tried to avoid having three players from one team all season, but as people would not think of doing it against a big team like City, I thought why not. I may as well try something as my season has been beyond disappointing anyway. Josh used his one free transfer to sell the injured Bukayo Saka and bring in Bryan Mbeumo. I hated the fact Mbeumo was at Manchester United now as he has been prominent in my team in the last few seasons at Brentford and now, he was just a ‘bald op’ to me. Any new readers need to know I refuse to pick players from Manchester United and Arsenal as they are the two teams I loathe the most and I do start people against Liverpool unless there is no other option. I gave my captaincy to Joao Pedro at the last minute and my opponent captained Bruno Fernandes.

The action began on Friday as Leeds beat Nottingham Forest 3-1, however as no one had any players that influenced the head-to-head, we go to Old Trafford for the early Saturday game. I intentionally did not watch the match as I made my way back from the radio show and United took the lead through Mbeumo, another terrible start for me. When I watched the highlights later, I saw that he could have scored after just 35 seconds too, so I got off lightly. Cristian Romero was sent off, and I thought the Red Devils would then run riot. Guglielmo Vicario made a good save from a Casemiro header that would have given Fernandes an assist. The later it got I believed I had got away with it, when Fernandes produced a well-timed finish to make it 2-0. A big goal for United and …Josh who ironically is a Spurs fan, so it was all bittersweet.

In the 3pm games, I needed Sunderland to at least get a goal away at Arsenal as I was up against Jurrien Timber. Bar an effort by Chemsdine Talbi it did not really look like happening as the Gunners had a straightforward 3-0 victory. Bournemouth and Aston Villa finished all square at the Vitality Stadium. I was rewarded for keeping faith with Morgan Rogers as he scored the opening goal after some fine work by Jadon Sancho. This meant no return from Marcos Senesi for me who usually is a defensive contributions magnet but not on Saturday when I needed it most. Rayan (£5.5m) in only his second Premier League game got the equaliser as he caught Lucas Digne sleeping when he went on a run. It could have been even more for him as he hit the bar with a first half header. This meant no return from Matty Cash too, although he had an effort well saved by Dorde Petrovic.

When you have two starting keepers it sometimes is extremely complex to decide who to put in goal as you mostly seem to make the wrong choice. Therefore, I can understand some FPL managers that decide to have a keeper on their bench who is unlikely to start. This week I picked Martin Dubravka again and within just 26 minutes West Ham led Burnley 2-0 and that is how it stayed. I thought Dubravka may bring in some save points but that did not happen. Crysensio Summerville who I tipped last week and who was also in my January team of the month scored for the fourth consecutive league game. When I sold Haaland it was with the idea to start 5 in my midfield as my gut told me that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would do well away at Fulham and I thankfully was right to start him. For 75 minutes that did not look to be the case as the Cottagers led 1-0, the good thing with that was the fact I was up against Jordan Pickford. Dewsbury-Hall then scored with a low finish. After that, Bernd Leno scored an own goal from Dewsbury-Hall’s corner after being put under pressure by Jake O’Brien. 13 points from a £4.9m player are always greatly welcomed. Josh and I both had Harry Wilson who had a rare blank, as well as this Josh had Joachim Andersen making Dewsbury-Hall’s contribution even more vital.

The last 3pm match featured my captain. Joao Pedro helped as he won a penalty that Cole Palmer tucked away for the opening goal at Wolves. Pedro was to win another spot-kick that Palmer scored before Palmer rounded off a first-half hat-trick with an emphatic finish from a Marc Cucurella cutback, it went on to finish 3-1 to the Blues. Now after your captain gets you 16 points you would think you would be fine, all I could think about nevertheless is what could have been. I picked Reece James last week who did not play this game due to injury… (water is wet!) over Cucurella and Cucurella scored last week and assisted this week. On top of that I had enough money to get hat-trick hero Palmer as I have so much in the bank after selling Haaland, ‘oh what could have been’. At least Enzo Fernandez did not return for Josh although he did get vital defensive contributions from Trevoh Chalobah.

In the 5.30pm contest; Brentford got a crucial 3-2 triumph at St James Park. Newcastle took the lead before Vitaly Janelt levelled. Next was bad news as Igor Thiago netted for the Bees and Josh from the penalty spot. The sprinkle of positivity I got was that I did not miss out on points for once from Caoimhin Kelleher. Saturday ended 50-47 in Josh’s favour.

The big match between Liverpool and Manchester City rounded off the gameweek. As Josh and I both owned Florian Wirtz I needed Dominic Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike to outscore Haaland by at least three points so I would not lose. Haaland had an early chance saved by Alisson Becker as I almost went to hide behind the couch. In the second half, Ekitike missed a golden chance as he headed a superb ball from Mo Salah wide. The match looked destined for a stalemate when in the 74th minute Szoboszlai scored another brilliant free-kick in off the post in a massive league game. With him starting at right back again he also had defensive contributions meaning he was on course for 13 points… as it stood, I was going to win. Then disaster struck like Busta Rhymes was releasing a sophomore LP. Haaland got to a header before Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva levelled things up, ‘damn!’ Then in injury time Alisson had a rush of blood and clattered into Matheus Nunes who did not look like he was going to keep the ball in play and conceded a needless penalty. Haaland tucked it away to go from 2 points to 11 in the blink of an eye. Despite this all Szoboszlai was still on for a double figure haul so with Ekitike’s points I was leading by 1 point. Then my season was summed up, in the dying moments after Alisson had come up for a corner, he stayed up the field even when City had cleared the ball away. Substitute Rayan Cherki then played the ball forward looking for Haaland; Haaland was then pulled back by Szoboszlai and Haaland returned the favour. The ball ended up rolling into the net, only for VAR to ask the referee to review things. Subsequently Szoboszlai was sent off and the goal was disallowed; no penalty was given as the initial foul took place outside the box. Just like that Szoboszlai lost 3 points for being dismissed and lost a bonus point, this meant Haaland gained a bonus point despite being booked and I lost by 4 points 63-59.

I am done! I have lost count of the narrow defeats this campaign, what have I done in a previous life for this? I now sit in 17th place in the Justice League as Coach Kojo won so he has now moved over me. Just end the season now man. The next gameweek is right around the corner so no time to dwell. I will try to rectify but it is all looking quite hopeless, this should have been a win!

@DubulDee