Clean sheets this season seem to be a rarity, even though we saw four more bringing the season total to 17 across the league. That is one fewer than last season (18) and three off the start of the 2018/19 (20). Numbers are fairly consistent over this time frame, even though Liverpool stand out with three clean sheets to open the 18/19 season. Never did I think I would see Aston Villa, Southampton and West Ham each on two cleans to start this season. Intentions going in this season was to buy “big at the back” but that seems to be a bit of a determent at the moment. Defensive points have been very difficult to come by, as witnessed by game week four, as my squad has posted just six clean sheets by my defenders. Continue reading “Think Different: 5-Man Defense GW4”
2020/21 Premier League: GW4 Retrospect
What the hell is going on with the early part of this season? It feels as if the shortened offseason has caused more trouble than three months during last season. This is like living on Bizzaro World, where you can throw logical, form and FDR out, opting to throw darts are your weekly starting players. I reckon I would of had a better score had I done that. The final week before two weeks off and the international break, which could provide more problems with virus related issues that worth. It was a weekend that could have been so much more but maybe creativity got the best of me.
Continue reading “2020/21 Premier League: GW4 Retrospect”
Think Different: 5-Man Defense GW4
Can’t argue with two green arrows to star the season, but there is a bit of disappointment having scored just 153 points (51 average) over three weeks, which is well off my goal of 60 points per week. This COULD be the week that figure changes, as I really am backing many of the matches this week. The wild card was beneficial last week and allows me some flexibility as I roll into the weekend knowing I will have two transfers, if I need them out of the break. This week will be unchanged in my starting XI, playing a 5-3-2 formation and looking for the premiums to have a banger of a weekend. Continue reading “Think Different: 5-Man Defense GW4”
2020/21 FPL GW4 Starting XI
Gameweek 4 is closing in and I am still holding my transfer, reconsidering my options as I prepare to set my starting XI. Two concerns ahead of Saturday, the first, can Villa score on Liverpool? The second, what concerns do we have with Richarlison, who is flagged, being a late fitness test ahead of their game. While the move was going to be to Phil Foden and off Grealish, the concern is over the Brazilian not starting, which means Man City’s, Liam Delap would be my first bench. Not the quality of Richarlison but the Sky Blues could post a big score this weekend against a poor Leeds United defense. Continue reading “2020/21 FPL GW4 Starting XI”
Think Different: GW4 Transfers
In a very low scoring week I felt lucky to see a small green arrow for the second week in a row to start this season. To be honest, I can’t tell you another time that has happened in eight years playing FPL. While 45 points was quite unimpressive there is a confidence gain seeing that green triangle. On the season I’ve scored 153 points, which is 27 points off a weekly average of 60 points per week, which is a target I always shoot for. One factor leading to a poor start, in terms of overall points the fact we have seen just 12 clean sheets over the first three game weeks. Compare that to 14 during the 2019/20 season and 16 in the 2018/19 seasons. While Liverpool has just one clean sheets I’ve seen a total of five attacking returns that have helped my 5-man defense during this early part of the season. Continue reading “Think Different: GW4 Transfers”
2020/21 FPL: GW4 Transfers
One week before we the first international break of the season, which doesn’t seem like the most logical move for world football with COVID still a major player on the world stage. Rest assured we will have players return, sick and losing more time in the FPL game. That is just another factor we must take into consideration, to some degree when we contemplates transfers or the activation of our wild cards. For me, the first wild card is done and I am now looking at both sides of the break to see how to navigate my way though this questionable period. Continue reading “2020/21 FPL: GW4 Transfers”
Think Different: GW3 Retrospect
The Think Different series continues, as I look back on the decision to activate the wild card ahead of GW3. This decision wasn’t a “knee jerk” decision, coming off a green in GW2, I was looking to build on a modest 109 points I had scored the first few weeks, about 21 points lower than expected. This week I just scrapped by scoring 45 points, on a week we saw 43 as the weekly average across the game, while the top 1k averaged 42 points. That’s two consecutive weeks, where the the FPL weekly average has been higher than the top 1k, somewhat uncommon occurrence. That tells you how this season is starting. Continue reading “Think Different: GW3 Retrospect”
2020/21 Premier League: GW3 Retrospect
No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. Thus is the common theme experienced each year when a new Premier League seasons starts. This year, after just three weeks has been…different, but familiar but unexpected. ” It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key,” so spoke Winston Churchill in a radio broadcast in October 1939. The FPL game isn’t Russia, but sometimes the understanding is indecipherable or impossible to foretell. Ahead of the game week, I activated my wild card and felt confident in the decision but won’t be able to judge the effectiveness of my actions for weeks to come. Continue reading “2020/21 Premier League: GW3 Retrospect”
Think Different: 5-Man Defense GW3
This team just scraped by in GW2 with 61 points, enough to give me a small green arrow but green is always better than red. With just 108 points from two weeks, this team is struggling, yet could be the underlying theme all season long, as I need the defenders to pull their weight with clean sheets. Coming out of GW2, I was running with treble Liverpool that will really make or break every week, but looking ahead I feel there is a big need to get Manchester City defenders in. More importantly, this team started without Mo Salah, which I felt was a mistake, even though I attempted to convince myself it was okay. It’s not and while Arsenal’s fixtures are turning and we roll into fall, it was time to make some big changes ahead of GW3. Continue reading “Think Different: 5-Man Defense GW3”
2020/21 FPL GW3 Starting XI
It’s Friday and I’ve got “wild side” lyrics from Lou Reed to Motley Crue running through my head as I have activated my wild card ahead of GW3. Surprising? Not really, as this is the third year in a row that I’ve made this decision. Hasty? Maybe? Well played? Not sure, as it will be 8-10 weeks before I know the ramifications of this decision. As they say, “if it feels right, do it!” I’ve been doing work all week on a reworked squad that removed players going into poor runs, as well as any flagged or injured players, which shuffling some budget players around. Continue reading “2020/21 FPL GW3 Starting XI”
2020/21 FPL: GW3 Transfers
It’s Thursday and time to consider my options for GW3. While both teams are headed in different directions, I have a good feeling about both of them. The main team (6thGoal) has scored 136 points over two weeks and that is a weekly average I would really like to maintain. However, it was the 5-man defensive team (FPL Beer Mule) that posted the small, green arrow, but struggled the first week because of the lack of clean sheets. Now on just 108 points, there is much work to be done when building from the back. Change is inevitable and it might be time to consider the wild card a viable option. Reviewing the FDR, there’s a shift in teams rolling into purple patches as well. Continue reading “2020/21 FPL: GW3 Transfers”
Think Different: GW2 Retrospect
Much like watching Premier League players hit for attacking returns one week, then go dark the next, so goes my 5-man defensive team. On the back of a disappointing GW1 score of 47 points, it was difficult to look over my team, especially not owning the man the hot foot in GW1. Now GW2, we see Spurs, Everton and Leicester City get business done convincingly. Yet I owned just two players from those teams. Thankfully, 61 points was just enough to get me over the hump and pull off a small green arrow, up just 150k, but still nearly at 3 million OR. It’s early, but there is no way I am going to turn tail and give up on my 5-man defense. Continue reading “Think Different: GW2 Retrospect”