Before I start, if you've never watched The Big Lez Show, go watch it. Type in "The Big Lez Show" into YouTube and just sit back and enjoy. Get a few seasons in and it just gets better and better. Then watch the movie long episodes Choomah Island. Thank me later!
By the way Across the Digital Touchline blogs may pause for a month or so. The Monday Blogs will continue, however there's a chance the Fantasy Football blogs will be paused for a month of so but I'll be back for the end of the season, probably around game week 29 or 30. Sue me!
Time for another catch up
As Liverpool and Everton has a double game week and it has been 9-10 days since the last teams played their games in game week 24, it is time for a catch up and a bit of explanation for the coming weeks.
The Merseyside Derby ended Desmond 2-2. Salah had an incredible game week points wise. As I had him captain he finished on 58 points for my team. 16 points in the Bournemouth (Away) game and now 13 points against Everton (Away). The Egyptian forward got another goal and assist; in what is surely going to be a season where he breaks multiple Premier League records; plus yet another 3 bonus points.
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Both Cody Gakpo and Trent Alexander-Arnold blanked. The next month to 6 weeks of the fixture list for Liverpool is very busy, playing in all competitions every 3-4 days. I feel that Gakpo could be on rotation now that Liverpool have more or less a fully fit squad. I feel Arne Slot wants to make this a statement season in his debut season in the Premier League. They may be out of the FA Cup thanks to bottom of the Championship Plymouth Argyle, however, I think they woke the beast. Liverpool are in the final of the League Cup against Newcastle and look strong in the Champions League as they topped the mega league table.
As all Liverpool forwards are now fit, I can see slot rotating Gakpo with either Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa or Luis Diaz if Darwin Nunez is played up top instead. Even though Liverpool are the strongest team in the Premier League this season I think I will transfer Gakpo out after the double game weeks. This will free up some budget, also Liverpool are one of the four teams that have no game in game week 29. I may transfer out Trent for the same reasons and because he is slightly injured at the moment. Although, I may keep him and game week 29 may be the time I use my Wildcard. In fact it is very likely I will use my Wildcard on game week 29 as Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace all have no games. This will effect 6 of my players and will cost too much in transfers to work around.
A chip that I did use in game week 24 was the Assistant Manager Chip. Bringing in David Moyes has definitely helped as he scored 22 points over two games, with a win against Leicester City (Home) and a draw against Liverpool (Home); in the last Merseyside Derby to be played at Goodison Park. Most other teams around me in my league played no chip or brought in Arne Slot who only scored 15 points across the two games.
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All in all, my team scored a whopping 128 points and I have moved up in all the leagues I am in. In two leagues I am now in first position; but not by much; and in my other two leagues I am in second around 30 points behind first. Next step is to catch them, stay in first position where I can and hopefully I will simultaneously move into the top 1 million in the overall league.
What Does The Future Hold?
In future weeks there are some twists and turns and I need to make full use of my chips. My plan is to transfer out Anthony Gordon for Justin Kluivert. Newcastle have a tough few fixtures coming up, plus there is a chance Gordon is injured and may not play full minutes. Also, I think his form has dipped slightly. He could totally prove me wrong on the form though, yet Bournemouth are flying and the son of Patrick is more than likely to keep scoring goals and creating assists, plus he's on penalties for the south coast club.
Gakpo is also likely to be transferred out after game week 25 and Liverpool's consecutive double game week. I think I will bring in a cheaper option that is £5-6M. Like I said, it will free up a bit of budget and I don't really need a big starting player as it is creating a bit of a selection problem; in a good way. Too many starters, not enough starting positions and I've already used my bench boost chip earlier in the season.
Anyone For Chips?
For the 4 teams who have no games in game week 29, it is very likely that they will have a double game week in game week 33. This may be the time that I triple captain Mohamed Salah as Liverpool are likely to have another double game week and one of those games is struggling Leicester City, who do have it in them to leak goals. Game week 34 will see the teams that are in the FA Cup Semi-Finals blank. I'm not sure how that will effect my team yet as the FA Cup is being a bit more unpredictable than normal. Something like 3 of the top 4 in the Premier League are out so it could be a bit of a smaller team that wins it. Yet Man City could find a bit of cup form and go on to win it. Who knows?
Game week 36 will have double game weeks from the teams that had no games in week 34. This could be a time to use my free hit as I'm hoping; by the time I get to game week 32-33; I have my team set for the remainder of the season, and won't need to make too many transfers. This is unless an injury to a key player occurs. I'm praying it doesn't, although there have been a tonne of injuries this season.
Basically, I'm looking at; triple captaining Salah on game week 33, Wildcard on game week 34 and free hit on game week 36. These are all a bit subjective at the moment as any thing could happen with injuries and form. Somehow I am going to try fit in another Assistant Manager Chip in somewhere because I believe we are given 3 until the end of the season, and from what I understand, if I use that I'm unable to use any of my other chips.
And Long Live Billy Connolly!
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Blogs in the near future will be posted on Mondays and don't forget about Across the "Digital" Touchline blogs for all things Fantasy Premier League, posted on Friday's.
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