The Fantasy Football Suffix - Gameweek 31 (Pt 1)

I don't know about you guys, but I actually quite enjoyed the latest International Break. As in real life, I had begun to suffer from a little bit of fantasy football burnout. However, after a bit of R & R I'm refocused and ready to attack the closing stages of the season. For me, the most surprising thing that happened in the build up to today's deadline was the astronomical amount of people dumping Sergio Agüero. That's 17 goal Sergio Agüero. Granted, he hasn't scored in four games, but that is not a run that will continue for long. Costa seemed to be the transfer target of choice, but with Aston Villa and QPR both playing twice this week, there was also movement for Benteke and Austin. 

For Part One of this week's Suffix, we started off at The Emirates for the lunchtime kick-off between Arsenal and Liverpool...

ARS v LIV

Mertesacker, Bellerin & Özil returned for the Gunners with Sturridge missing out for Liverpool, along with Lallana and the suspended Skrtel. Raheem Sterling spearheaded the attack, after spending the last 7 days under intense scrutiny by the media. Arsenal started much the stronger but failed to make their dominance pay, and you sensed it may have been one of those days for Wenger's men. However, the breakthrough came on 37 minutes as Hector Bellerin scored his second of the season. Following his two minute cameo in GW30, many would have benched him this week much to their annoyance! The assist came from Aaron Ramsey who is starting to regain some of his old form.

It only took a few more minutes for Arsenal to double their lead, as Mesut Özil scored a stunning free-kick which gave keeper Mignolet no chance. The game was up for Liverpool on the stroke of halftime as Alexis Sanchez controlled a pass from Ramsey to fire home his 14th of the season.

Sturridge was deemed fit enough to start the second half, and hopefully restore some shattered pride for Liverpool. Koscielny was lost to injury shortly after but even without the impressive Frenchman in the heart of the defence, Rodger's men laboured. It took an act of charity from Bellerin who bought down Sterling in the penalty area to allow Jordan Henderson to convert the spot kick and continue his recent run of four goals in his last five games.

Emre Can was the latest in a line of Liverpool players to be sent off with his reckless challenge on substitute Danny Welbeck. Player of the Month for March, Olivier Giroud, scored for the sixth game in a row to make it 4-1 and second place in the table for Arsenal after collecting a pass from Sanchez. Bonus points were awarded as follows: 

Sanchez - 3pts

Özil - 2pts

Giroud - 1pt

EVE v SOU

No Lukaku for Everton left Everton looking lightweight up front; especially when facing the tight defensive unit of Southampton. But with Fraser Forster out for the season, could it be that Koeman's team could be leaving the back door open? Clyne, Alderweireld, Fonte and Bertrand surely couldn't be as confident with Davis between the sticks, could they? 

Evidently not, as it was the home side who took the lead just after the quarter hour mark. Phil Jagielka got the last touch on a scruffy goalmouth scramble with Gareth Barry being awarded the assist. James Ward-Prowse came close with a free kick for Saints but it went just wide. 

Just before the hour, Mané and Tadic were brought on to try and spark something, but Everton held firm and consigned Southampton to defeat. Two clean sheets in the last three games for Everton. With The Europa League no longer a distraction, and with a decent run-in from now until the end of the season, perhaps their back line has become a viable proposition? 

Jagielka - 3pts

Baines - 2pts

Howard - 1pt

LEI v WHU

It's been well documented in these Suffix articles that I believe the wheels are truly off West Ham's season that started with so much promise. They have only won twice in the league since beating Leicester 2-0 back in GW17. And those victories came against Hull and Sunderland. Leicester have also only won twice since then, collecting three points from Hull and Aston Villa. That's relegation form from both teams being demonstrated then. 

With West Ham mathematically safe, and Leicester fighting for their lives, it was the Foxes who came out fighting. They took the lead through Esteban Cambiasso who cracked in a great shot on the half volley proving that some things do improve with age. No assist was awarded. David Nugent had the chance to put the home side two goals to the good after a penalty was awarded following Carl Jenkinson's challenge on Ulloa. However, Adrián guessed correctly and dived to the right keeping the Hammers in it.

The equaliser came from the boot of Cheikhou Kouyaté who chested down a ball from Song and rifled it past Schmeichel. 1-1 at the break, and in the second half it appeared as if Jamie Vardy had made it his personal mission to keep the Foxes in the Premier League. He was like a man possessed, involved in virtually everything that was created. The pressure told when four minutes before the end he cracked in a shot that was heading in all on its own before Andy King got an unnecessary touch on it. Only the assist points to Vardy, but the 2-1 victory for Leicester will be priceless. 

Cambiasso - 3pts

Song - 2pts

Kouyaté & Adrián - 1pt

MUN v AVL

Having recently stumbled across his best XI, United manager stuck with a winning formula and didn't tinker for the visit of Aston Villa. In the first game of their double week, Villa lined up without Scott Sinclair. The scoring was opened by the increasingly impressive Ander Herrera, who is finally getting a run in the team.  He let loose with a left foot drive that beat Guzan from Daley Blind's assist. 

The second goal was a stunner from Wayne Rooney he brought down Di Maria's ball with his left foot near the penalty spot before twisting his body and hitting it on the volley with his right foot. Beautiful. 

Villa pulled one back almost instantly when Joe Cole fed Christian Benteke whose tame shot squirmed under David De Gea. Disappointing from the Spanish keeper who wiped out his clean sheet points in the softest of ways. United restored the two goal cushion as Herrera grabbed his second of the afternoon with Mata assisting. Villa get to go again on Tuesday, but it looks like they will need to reorganise and regroup as QPR will not be a pushover.

Herrera - 3pts

Blind & Rooney - 2pts

SWA v HUL

After consecutive losses against Spurs and Liverpool, Swansea got back to winning ways against Villa last time out. Hull are once again struggling, failing to win at all in March and in danger of being sucked into the relegation scrap. 

Swansea seized the opportunity to take the lead as Jonjo Shelvey's low shot could only be parried by Allan McGregor into the path of Ki Sung-Yeung who scored his seventh of the season. In the 38th minute Bafétimbi Gomis latched onto Dawson's defensive clearance to double the lead. 

Hull obviously had a rocket at half time if Steve Bruce's body language was anything to go by, and they responded by pulling a goal back soon after the restart. Paul McShane got it, with the assist provided by Bruce Jr. David Meyler saw red for a horrible challenge on Kyle Naughton, which has left the Swansea defender needing an X-Ray this evening. Bad news for him and the 1.3% of managers who own him. 

Shelvey continued to do his usual trick of trying to score from range throughout the second half, but it wasn't until injury time that Swansea put the game to bed. Gomis has had big boots to fill since the departure of Bony to Manchester City, but his second of the afternoon made it three in his last two. It was Sigurdsson's assist, as he continues to try and recapture his early season FPL points scoring form. 

Gomis - 3pts

Ki - 2pts

Sigurdsson - 1pt

WBA v QPR

A Pulis defence at home versus a struggling QPR who have only won once away scoring ten goals on their travels all season? A foregone conclusion then surely? With QPR playing twice, their players - and particularly star man Charlie Austin - were popular picks. 

Rangers only made one change with Eduardo Vargas replacing Junior Hoillet, and it was an inspired pick as he fired the away side ahead with a superb strike from 25 yards after picking up the ball from Austin. Boaz Myhill (replacing the injured Ben Foster) stood no chance. 

Vargas went off injured on the half hour mark, but his contribution was significant. His replacement, Kranjcar, flicked on a Phillips corner for Charlie Austin to score his 16th of the season. Bobby Zamora made it three just before the break with a fabulous dipping shot from just outside the area which went in off the bar. The assist was from Matt Phillips. Interestingly, I analysed the Stats on this site's Fix Comparison Matrix this morning and discovered that Phillips had better stats in nearly every attacking area compared to Arsenal's Santi Cazorla. At just £4.6m he is a true midfield bargain. 

WBA had brought Victor Anichebe on at half time, and he pulled a goal back with a header following a ball from Saido Berahino to make it 1-3. Albion certainly looked better in the second half and pushed on, but in the 83rd minute Mulumbu was sent off for a foul on Joey Barton. 

QPR wrapped up their most convincing away performance deep in injury time when Joey Barton scored to the astonishment of the 315 FPL managers who had took a punt on bringing him in for the double gameweek. Charlie Austin assisted for his second of the game to add to his goal. Along with his three bonus points, it was quite a profitable afternoon for those managers who had entrusted him with the armband. 

Austin - 3pts

Zamora - 2pts

Vargas & Anichebe - 1pt

CHE v STO

The late kick-off saw Diego Costa benched, much to the annoyance of the thousands of managers who had dumped the misfiring Sergio Agüero for the Brazilniard Chelsea striker. The game started with Eden Hazard in scintillating form and showing no ill effects from his exertions during the recent International games.

It took until the 39th minute for the breakthrough to come; Fàbregas bamboozled Wollscheid in the box who brought him down and conceded the penalty. Hazard sent Begovic the wrong way to make it 1-0. 

The equaliser was something truly special. Charlie Adam picked up the ball in his own half from Jon Walters and as he ran towards the centre circle he spotted Thibaut Courtois off his line and unleashed a shot from 65 yards out. It sailed into the net past the flailing hand of the Chelsea stopper. 

Diego Costa came off the bench at the break, and then went off 11 minutes later. His hamstring is finally shot and I'd be surprised if we see him again in the next few weeks. Just after the hour mark, Loïc Remy restored the lead for the hosts, Hazard putting the chance on a plate for the easiest of goals. It proved to be the winner, just like last time out for Remy who netted the third and final goal against Hull. He certainly looks a viable replacement for Costa at £7.1m, but may share game time with Didier Drogba. 

Hazard - 3pts

Fàbregas - 2pts

Remy - 1pt

There it is then, the first instalment of this lengthy gameweek in the bag. Some truly great goals from the likes of Zamora, Adam and Rooney. A lack of clean sheets, with only Everton managing to shut out their opponents. Captain success if you went with Austin or Hazard, and an epic fail if you stuck the armband on Costa.

Next up tomorrow is Burnley v Harry Kane followed by Dick Advocaat's first experience of the Wear-Tyne derby. Monday sees Palace take on Manchester City, before we wrap it all up on Tuesday night with Villa against QPR.

FPL_Fly

@meet_the_gadfly