As the old saying goes, ‘one step forward,
twelve steps back.’ That’s precisely what happened last weekend, as @FuzzyWarbles
gave out a 65-point shellacking to my side. All the optimism that had been
around in the build up to the gameweek evaporated in a haze of red cards and
injuries. Unfortunately, that haze tends to stick around for a while so this
week we are not in the best shape as we prepare to face @EPL_MOstradamus. After
a poor start to the season Chris has rattled off four wins in a row and
probably won’t have to exert himself too much to make it five. The
IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer will see to that!
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| Aurier's tackle on Carroll may have been from behind (VAR needed) |
Serge Aurier only lasted seventy minutes
against West Ham before receiving his marching orders for an incredibly
boneheaded challenge that earned him a second yellow card. The $45 spent on him
the week before looks like as sound an investment as those AOL Time Warner
shares I bought back in the day. He will find himself suspended this gameweek
meaning I will have to bring in another defender; but all my defenders are
injured! Well that’s a lie, Ciaran Clark is fit, but has to face a free scoring
Liverpool side. A team with only one defender has pretty much no chance of
victory in IEFSA, so I might be forced to look at Free Agency if my side are to
compete in this one.
@EPL_MOstradamus’s Team
My side are not the only ones to suffer the
injury jinx. Chris recently lost his Forward Christian Benteke and Defender
Benjamin Mendy. @EPL_MOstradamus does have the squad depth to be able to absorb
those injuries though. Firmino will lead the line, against my only defender no less!
while Charlie Daniels should be a more than capable deputy for Mendy at the
back. Daniels already has a goal and assist this season and gets to face a
rather shaky Leicester City at home on Saturday. Apart from those changes, it
looks a pretty settled side. Manuel Lanzini is still side-lined with a knee
injury, and Heung-Min Son will likely sit on the bench for Spurs, and therefore
Chris, during the early kick-off.
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| Firmino may outscore my whole team this week! |
Looking around for where the points will
come from; Firmino is an obvious candidate, as are Harry Maguire and Nathan
Redmond, who average over 16 points a game each. Solly March of Brighton
averages over 13 points per game, but has to travel to an Arsenal side who like
to hog the ball at Sunday tea-time. In goals will be Ben Foster of West Brom.
The Baggies are usually a good bet for a clean sheet at home and they face a
kind fixture against Watford on Saturday at three o’clock. Even when conceding
two goals to the Gunners last time out Foster still managed 15.2 points.
What I Need To Happen
@EPL_Mostradamus might be down to the bare
bones nine players to fill his roster, so perhaps if a few managers where to
start tinkering with their formations or starting elevens then now would be an
ideal time. The Aurier suspension leaves me in quite a bind. Steve Cook is
still recovering from injury, so will perhaps remain on the bench for Bournemouth.
Michael Keane looks like he won’t recover in time to take part in Everton’s
next fixture. Victor Lindelof played 90 minutes in midweek for a Champions
League game and is probably still out of the starting line-up when the Premier
League rolls around. This paints a far from rosy picture of my prospects this
weekend.
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| Sometime in the last century Gareth Barry played for a side called Aston Villa (ask your grandfather) |
If we try to find the positives, you could
say that Tammy Abraham scored last week and should perhaps force himself back
into the Swansea eleven. Gareth Barry reached a record 633rd appearance in the
top flight since football was invented in 1992, so there’s that…
Ummm…. Nick Pope kept a clean sheet
recently…
Moving on…
Predictions
A more than respectable seven from nine in
last weekend’s predictions. Can we do any better this time out? Follow @THE_IEFSA
to find out. Also follow @GarryIrwin on Twitter also to keep up to date on all
the goings on of my hobbled together WorstSquadInIEFSA™.
Here are this week’s
predictions. Good Luck Everyone.
@RotoZdroik over
@nikarg
@TRKingston over
@FantasyYIRMA
@FuzzyWarbles over
@wrigavin
@jasonuk17 over
@jforquer11
@cjradune over
@nealjthurman
@BenDinnery over
@SmokeyLoogy
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