Play Fantasy Championship on Foontasy, where you can buy players after deadline and loan them for just one gameweek. Also wildcard and 2 free transfers each GW.
GW1 DREAM TEAM
Best Player — Fred Onyedinma (Luton, MID 5.5) who assisted the first two goals against Peterborough and scored third himself. He is just 2 goals away from repeating his last season goal contribution record.
UNEXPECTEDLY BENCHED AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM
GW1 gave us quite a lot of omissions. Will they go back to starting XI?
Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich, DEF 6.0) – expected back three was Ajayi-Bartley-Clarke, but manager Valerien Ismael fielded Kipre-Bartley-O’Shea. Matt Clarke had a small hip problem, and Ismael started Kipre over Ajayi, so basically he’s 5th choice centre-back now. Sell.
Nahki Wells (FW 7.0) and Kasey Palmer (MID 5.5) (Bristol) – preferred to O’Dowda (LW) and 17-years-old Scott (CAM) respectively. O’Dowda was forced off on 13th minute and replaced by Palmer straight into his position while Wells didn’t feature at all. Wells omission was due to long ball tactics that doesn’t suit him. Sell. Palmer can regain his place at CAM or play LW if O’Dowda is out for long. Wait.
Josh Koroma (Huddersfield, MID 8.0) – “I think the shape in which we played – we played with three center backs and two strikers today – the shape was a big reason behind Josh not starting,” said Assistant Coach Danny Schofield. But it didn’t stop him last season. And more likely they’ll switch back to 4-3-3. Keep.
Chris Basham (Sheffield United, DEF 5.5) – fell victim to switch from 3 centre-backs to 2. Sell.
Sean Morrison (Cardiff, DEF 6.5) – must be due to him missing all pre-season. Not everyone is like Marc Bola. Wait.
OUT-OF-POSITION MADNESS
There were a lot of players who didn’t play roles they were assigned in Fantasy. Let’s see how long they will last.
Ethan Bristow (Reading, DEF 5.0) – played at left wing replacing Ovie Ejaria who missed out against Stoke City due to minor knock, so Ethan goes back to the bench.
Ryan Giles (Cardiff, DEF 6.0) – forward Kieffer Moore’s lack of full match fitness led to switch of formation from 3-4-1-2 to 3-4-3, where Giles moved to left winger position from left wing-back. He created two big chances which were missed by Leandro Bacuna before finally getting an assist to Marlon Pack. Moore should be fit for clash against Blackpool, so Giles is expected to be back at LWB.
Reece James (Blackpool, DEF 4.5) – when I first saw Blackpool line-up I thought he’d be used as left winger too, but he played in defensive midfield where the Tangerines missed Virtue, Stewart and Dougall due to injuries. There’s a small chance Reece will continue on this role next Saturday, or he’ll be benched.
Joe Tomlinson and Josh Knight (Peterborough, DEF 4.0 and 4.5 respectively) – CDM Jack Taylor got injured, Knight in his place. LW Siriki Dembele is injured too. Who is next in pecking order? Jorge Grant. But he has to play CDM too. What about Joel Randall? He joined just three days ago, too early to start him. So here comes Joe Tomlinson. Quite sophisticated, isn’t it? However, Dembele and Taylor should be fine by GW2, so they won’t last too.
Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn, MID 5.0) – last season didn’t give a clear answer to a question who would play centre-forward in absence of Adam Armstrong. Ben Brereton Diaz or Sam Gallagher, who were more deployed on left and right flank respectively. But Tony Mowbray surprised us by fielding RW Tyrhys Dolan there. Blackburn head coach confirmed that Armstrong joins Southampton, so maybe Dolan could play one more game before Rovers sign a replacement.
STAT LEADERS
Shots
7 – Brereton Diaz (Blackburn, MID 7.0)
5 – Lolley (Nottingham Forest, MID 6.0), Brown (Stoke, MID 5.0)
4 – Bacuna (Cardiff, MID 5.0), Woodrow (Barnsley, FW 8.0), Dolan (Blackburn, MID 5.0), Robinson (West Bromwich, MID 8.5)
Key Passes
Huddersfield deep bench-warmer, winger Sorba Thomas (MID 5.0) started at left wing-back role after LBs Toffolo and Ruffels were hit by Covid. And he made 9 key passes! Nine! Deserves at least one more start.
6 – Vrancic (Stoke, MID 6.5)
5 – Giles (Cardiff, DEF 6.0), Smith (Stoke, DEF 5.5)
Big chances (including shots and chances created)
4 – Onyedinma (Luton, MID 5.5, 2+2)
3 – Brereton Diaz (Blackburn, MID 7.0, 3+0)
2 – Mowatt (West Bromwich, MID 7.5, 0+2), Martin (Bristol, FW 6.0, 1+1), King (Bristol, MID 5.5, 1+1), Bacuna (Cardiff, MID 5.0, 2+0), Giles (Cardiff, DEF 6.0, 0+2), Thomas (Huddersfield, MID 5.0, 0+2), Barkhuizen (Preston, MID 5.5, 1+1), Lewis-Potter (Hull, MID 6.0, 1+1), Vrancic (Stoke, MID 6.5, 0+2), Jutkiewicz (Birmingham, FW 6.5, 1+1)
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