It was a green arrow last gameweek with 67 points and a rolled transfer. I was properly carried by the defense, as Andersen 🦅 hit a 10-pointer thanks to defcons, Porro keeping a clean sheet, as did Romero who also got an assist. A controversial Romero goal ruled out as well, a header off a corner and the usual jostling you see in the box on corners, but at least he still delivered. Salah 👑 left it very late, scoring from the penalty spot in the 94th minute for an 18-pointer. Gyokeres scoring a lovely ball squared by Eze as well, but still a lot of blanks from Gakpo, Bruno, Rogers, Reijnders, and Waktins.
I need to hit one of those mega weeks where the majority of the team returns to help move up the rankings fast. It's really important to be patient; one in every four managers have used at least one chip. I've used none, especially at the higher ranks—for example, 23% of the Top 10K have used 2 chips, 6% have used 3 chips already. Technically speaking, the best week to gauge everything will be GW19 when everyone will have had the opportunity to use all four chips, though I don't expect many leave it as late as that, so even earlier than that it'll be clearer how things are settling.
I'm feeling committed to wildcarding in GW6 now as my chip strategy, with a bench boost in GW7 or 8. So this time next week it'll be a wildcard team selection. I will talk more on the wildcard and bench boost a bit later. Let's run through the team and plans for GW5, starting with a look at how you all got on.
GW5 Team and Plans
In goal, Sanchez plays at Old Trafford this week. There's a quote going around this morning: Maresca was asked in his press conference who will be starting in the Champions League, to which he said Sanchez will start. Jorgensen will play games in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. We have so many games that Sanchez cannot play all of them. So there seems to be some panic that he's benched in GW6; my interpretation watching the presser itself is that Sanchez also starts in GW5 but looking much longer term there will be the odd week where Jorgensen plays. GW9, for example, Chelsea have Ajax then a few days later Sunderland home, could be that sort of game. It's not great though, I'll have sold by then, and Dubravka is a perfectly good backup this week.
I'm playing a back 4 for the first time this season: Andersen, Pedro Porro, Murillo, and Romero.
It's looking ropier for clean sheets this week. Liverpool are top with 40%. I've got Andersen third highest but only 32%, Spurs are on 18% vs Brighton, Forest 31% vs Burnley. Andersen is one player I'll definitely keep on a GW6 wildcard; he's just fantastic for defensive contributions and will chip in with 3 or 4 goal involvements over the season in all likelihood, and I noticed that he and Senesi rotate basically perfectly very long term, and Senesi is also immense for defensive contributions so those two are a lock for that cheap.
It's going to be hard to lose my Spurs defender if they keep another clean sheet; they've both done well for me though Brighton away is a tough fixture. Brighton's 6.83 expected ranks fourth highest though I believe they've had a couple of penalties. If we're talking the most disappointing picks, Rogers and Wirtz have got to be the winners in midfield, Strand Larsen and Watkins strikers, Murillo has got to be up there as far as defenders. He did actually hit the defcon threshold in like 30 or so minutes last match, but those 3 points was his biggest score of the season, and even then owners benched him. The other Forest defenders of course have been bad as well, and now Ange is in, they're unlikely to be as solid, so it's probably his last week in my team for the season. If he doesn't play then Esteve comes on.