While holding the wild card for the sole purpose of exiting the first international break would have been a wise decision, it was somewhat surprising to see just over 8% of managers across FPL decided to active it, that was a percentage point less than those who activated it in GW3. What does that mean? Oh, probably not a whole hell of a lot, but based on Twitter you would have thought there were more FPL managers on their wild card. Goes to prove that Twitter isnt’ necessarily the movers and shakers some take it to be. As for game week five, can we just look ahead to next weekend?
If I cared a bit more I would be a wreck because of my FPL team, but keeping it all in context my team is doing fine, but just not able to pick up those fancy looking green arrows. With just one on the season, this week by the numbers was a good week. Unless your name was Virgil van Dijk or Richarlison, of which I had to own both, right? That in just the first game of the weekend! For GW5 I finished on 63 points, that was three points over the the weekly average of 60. Green arrow, right? Wrong, a small red. Probably missed the green by a point, maybe two. On the season I’ve scored 308 points, an average of 61.6 PPW. Goal met and in all honesty, I am not upset with how this team is playing.
Sure I haven’t had the likes of Son Heung-min or Harry Kane to start the season and not until the Richarlison red card, will this team have included Dominic Calvert-Lewin. I could be worse off, but I am pleased with some of the numbers I am looking to achieve. This week, outside of VVD going off injured (no thanks to Jordan Pickford and a poor decision) and a very reckless tackle by Richarilson, every player returned points on my starting XI. Now the red came in the 90th minute, so Richarlison failed. For the fifth week in a row I captained Mo Salah and he returned 14 points, leading my team. That’s now 96 points on the season, as he will continue to wear the armband.
Defensively, it was fthree clean sheets, but had to wait for substitutes to be added, making the decision not to replace Kevin De Bruyne and opting to take my chances with Charlie Taylor and Burnley, who picked up their first clean sheet on the season. Taylor was booked, but 5 points helped the cause this week. Nelson Semedo and Wolves grabbed their second CS of the season, in really unexciting game yesterday. Yet, Leeds couldn’t find the goal to save their lives. While Andrew Robertson didn’t pick up a clean, he did return his second assist on the season, making it four returns in five weeks of play for the defender, now on 25 points for these season. My best decision during my wild card, the addition of Emiliano Martinez in goal, as Villa…fucking Villa picked up their league leading third clean sheet of the season! The former Arsenal netminder picked up 9 points that included save and bonus points.
While Mo did heavy lifting with a beautifully taken goal, James Rodriguez, Phil Foden and Joringho each contributed with an assist on the weekend. A combined 15 points from those three to along with Salah’s 14 points. That’s a 7.25 point average. I will take that every week of the season! Now keep in mind had I moved KDB for Son, I would have been in a much better position at the conclusion of GW5, but I can’t dwell on the “woulda, coulda, shoulda” and focus on what it coming up.
Speak of up, I had to wait for my men up front to finally contribute, as Raul Jimenez picked up his third goal on the season. Yet, before the end of the Merseyside Derby, I had already removed the Mexican and Richarlison. Call it a knee jerk reaction to a frustration situation. Yet, Wolves didn’t impressive, maybe it was those Portuguese colored kits they were in, but Jimenez had almost no service up front.
This article could have been rolled into my weekly transfer article as well, seeing as I’ve made three changes and taken a -8 point hit for GW6. That could potentially roll to a -12, but right now I am content with how my starting XI looks for next week, but will discuss the transfers I made on Wednesday.