Quite simply, we can’t have them all.
On a day that began with us fixated on the fortunes of Sergio Aguero, it was perhaps fitting that almost every other big striker produced their own bid to steal his thunder.
Aguero was a slow starter but eventually found his gear to take his turn in Manchester City’s mauling of Crystal Palace.
A goal and an assist were his reward, with two bonus points ensuring that the Argentine avoided being dwarfed by the double-figure blitz from Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane from midfield.
Again, there was evidence that Pep Guardiola’s attacking riches border on the ridiculous. Just ask Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian sat unused on the bench, forcing his 678,000 owners – not least the 183,000 who acquired him with Palace in mind – to choke on a bitter pill.
Pep’s Jesus decision was perhaps signposted by 90 minutes in midweek. But it’s no less confusing for us Fantasy managers, who must now wonder if Guardiola will toy with ongoing rotation of his strikers, with Sterling and Sane building compelling claims for regular starts.
Chelsea in Gameweek 6 will tell us more, although it’s City’s meeting with a beleaguered Stoke City defence that we really care about now.
We can, of course, opt out completely. It’s not as if our options are limited.
Harry Kane’s brace at the London Stadium offered a reminder that he will not surrender the Golden Boot, or his place in squads.
Sold by 196,000, with 141,000 of those swapping to Aguero, the Spurs striker set the bar for the City man with a 13-point return in the early kick-off.
Kane remains a force of nature, with the talent to circumvent Spurs’ woes on the Wembley turf – he now has 11 goals from his last five away matches.
Romelu Lukaku wasn’t to be put in the corner. He picked off his sixth goal in as many Gameweeks, as Manchester United endured a hard-fought victory at St Mary’s.
But Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata won today’s battle.
He ruthlessly exploited an ailing Stoke City defence to punish the 148,000 who had disposed of his services amid the clamour for Aguero.
Chelsea and Morata won’t play against a centre-back pairing of Darren Fletcher and Glen Johnson every week, but the Spaniard’s haul was nonetheless telling.
It offered a reminder that this is a season awash with goal scoring riches.
Our midfield firepower may have stalled – thanks in no small part to the absence of Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez. But that’s allowed the strikers to roll back the years and reinstate themselves as the critical position in our squad.
This could have a marked impact on our squad construction, particularly for those still with Wildcards to play. Funds in midfield will surely be scrutinised, monies in defence squeezed.
This could be a season where the big-hitting forwards take turns to dominate. Restricting ourselves to just two may no longer cut it.
6 years, 6 months agoWhat to do with this team folks?
Elliot Begovic
Fernandez Stephens Jones Bavies Mee
Ramsey Eriksen Alli Groß Carroll
Jesus Wood Lukaku
1ft. 2.0 itb.