Expectations were high. We’ve had out fill of Christmas spirit, it was now left to Fantasy football to cheer us – to gift wrap a bountiful gameweek of goals and clean sheets. We anticipated a feast of football, we were fed warmed-up leftovers.
Lacklustre performances, rotating team-sheets and early substitutions conspired to produce what, so far, has been the most ordinary gameweek imaginable.
Cheslea’s tepid showing in the 1-1 draw with Fulham started proceedings, offering an early warning; Sir Alex Ferguson’s teamsheet then added to the frustration. Phil Jones’ absence was signposted, while the United boss understandably preserved his punch drunk starlet, the decision to rest Wayne Rooney to the bench took us all by surprise. While we will go into gameweek 19 anticipating heavy tinkering, Rooney was fully expected to be in the lineup and well placed for heavy profits when Wigan arrived at Old Trafford.
Another 5-0 scoreline, with a hat-trick for the forgotten Dimitar Berbatov, rubbed salt into this particular wound. The Bulgarian claiming his third goal from the spot, with Rooney on the pitch. There were further twists from United’s rout – with Jones absent, Jonny Evans was also denied a clean sheet, removed at half-time following a first half booking, nursing a calf injury. With a Nani blank, only those who had the foresight to acquire the slow-burning Antonio Valencia will come out of United’s canter with profit.
Elsewhere, we were left with scraps. City’s stalemate at the Hawthorns delivered another blank for Sergio Aguero, Liverpool once again struggled to notch goals – this time against basement club Blackburn, who also spoiled the anticipated clean sheet.
Only those who kept faith Newcastle’s assets following their recent slump, can really muster any satisfaction. Ryan Taylor marked his return to the starting lineup with an assist to accompany the Reebok cleanie, while Demba Ba again demonstrated his deadly consistency – his goal, a fourteenth of the season, sealed the three points and gave the Senegal striker six strikes in six games.
Even so, with just Stoke and Villa left to play, Boxing Day passed with whimper. Boozed-up and bloated, this was a soporific day which saw our Fantasy lineups do little but go through the motions. The holiday is over – get ‘em in early for training in the morning.
