The Knee Jerk – Gameweek 34

We were braced for disappointment and, four matches in, the Gameweek has delivered just that.

While it would have been hopelessly optimistic to expect big returns from Saturday’s limited set of fixtures, it’s already clear that we may have to settle for consolidation, if not damage limitation, from Gameweek 34.

Middlesbrough have been quick to snatch the role of arch villains.

Brought in by 201,000+ FPL managers – second only to Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford for transfer traffic – we started the day wondering if striker Alvaro Negredo could possibly grasp hero status. Sadly, it seems we already have our answer.

In truth, Gaston Ramirez is perhaps the real culprit behind Boro and Negredo’s miserable afternoon. The Uruguayan’s needless back-to-back cautions reduced Steve Agnew’s to ten men having already fallen behind to an early Josh King goal at Bournemouth.

That hindered their toothless attack and meant that Negredo would again be starved of service. Agnew’s side mustered a pitiful five attempts on goal, with Negredo treated to two of those efforts.

Meanwhile, at the back, Ben Gibson – brought in by more than 118,000 FPL managers – marshalled a defence that capitulated to concede four goals and return zero points.

With both Hull City and Swansea City earning victory, the concern now is that Boro may be on the verge of giving up the ghost.

They will face Sunderland on Wednesday for their second Gameweek fixture in what has the makings of a dead rubber. The loser will sure be relegated, the victor, in all likelihood, will be accompanying them. A draw would be useless for both.

Optimists among us will be willing Agnew’s side to lift themselves – to bounce back from today’s damaging 4-0 reverse with a convincing performance with goals and a shutout.

However, we have to question just how much they have left in the tank. We didn’t neccersarily expect profit from the trip to the Vitality Stadium, but we could hardly have envisaged such a fruitless defeat.

Over 155,000 (3.5%) put the armband on Negredo, including 27 of the top 100 FPL managers – Rashford, with 20, was the next most popular armband option. That is a staggering statistic and evidence of just how a double Gameweek can turn heads and warp the decision-making of even the leading managers.

To be fair, today’s big single Gameweek asset fared little better.

Everton’s Romelu Lukaku started his clash with West Ham as the most captained – backed by 602,000+ (13.6%) of FPL managers.

No doubt buoyed by his record of nine goals in nine appearances against the Hammers, it was the Belgian’s statistic of just a single goal in his last seven away trips that proved a more worthy indicator of what was to come.

Luakaku mustered just a single blocked shot on goal as a dull London Stadium encounter passed by with a whimper. That was typical of a day of disappointment.

There’s still some way to go, but already the fears surrounding the fools gold of double Gameweek 34 have been realised. It remains to be seen if Rashford and Crystal Palace’s assets can change the outlook.