With a Sunday deadline, clashing with a few other things, I made the cardinal sin of making early transfers yesterday hoping I could get away with it… and then the FA cup final happened.
After already taking an 8 point hit, I was then left with Mo Salah injured and Andy Robertson potentially injured, and Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James both having played 120 minutes…. and then I logged into Twitter.…
Bukayo Saka not pictured in training for Arsenal amongst rumours of an injury, Dejan Kulusevski rumoured to be ill. Gameweek 37 has the potential to be even worse than the train wreck that GW36 proved to be for my team.
But with the season coming to an end, and my rank having been decimated in recent weeks, I’ve decided to have some fun, and take some risks.
Normally, I wouldn’t advocate goalkeeper changes this late on in the season but with Aaron Ramsdale having only kept one clean sheet since GW25, it was time for him to go. In his place comes the guy I tipped as my favourite captaincy candidate for the Fantasy Football Community thread…. Jordan Pickford.
With 3 clean sheets in his last 6, and a double gameweek of Brentford and Crystal Palace I’m backing the England number 1 with the armband after he’s scored 22 points in his last 3 outings.
Replacing the injured Ruben Dias, is Ryan Sessegnon. This was a move I was really excited about yesterday. Sessegnon appears to be the wingback Antonio Conte is relying on for creativity and attacking threat. Across the last 6 GW’s Sessegnon is averaging 0.44 expected goal involvements per 90 minutes, and with Spurs challenging for top 4, I’m expecting him to continue threatening.
Danny Ings was the final part of my minus 8. He looked threatening in midweek against Liverpool, after scoring in consecutive games before that. Similar to Pickford, Ings has a double gameweek and replaces Jean-Phillipe Mateta in my squad after he‘a returned a dismal 5 points in his last 4 games.
So there I was. Set on a minus 8. Happy with my squad… then Salah goes down injured.
My first thought was that it could finally be my way into owning Heung-Min Son. But no, I’m tripled up on Spurs. It’d mean another 8 point hit. I can’t go with a -16.
Price was no object. I could go for any midfielder I want. Kevin De Bruyne will be top of a lot of peoples wishlist, but is that chasing last weeks points after his stunning display at Wolves in the week?
Even if it isn’t, his ownership is bound to rise, and I’m looking to take a punt.
So what if I could get a player in who’s owned by just 4.0% of teams in the game, yet has scored 31 FPL points in his last 3 starts…. It’s a no brainer right?
Well it would be if his minutes were guaranteed…. Yes I’m taking another spin on the Pep roulette wheel… with a player who’s trolled me hard before, and I think I swore that I’d never sign him again earlier in the season…. It’s Riyad Mahrez.
Having only played 32 minutes altogether I. city’s last 4 league games, it’s a risk, but if he plays, he can be one of the most explosive players in the league, and desperate times call for desperate measures.
So come on Riyad. Make the starting line up, and repay my gamble!