A blank for Cole Palmer (£11.4m) capped off a pretty miserable week for the most popular Gameweek 22 captaincy picks.
Palmer couldn’t get in on the act as Chelsea beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final Premier League match of the Gameweek.
The key Fantasy takeaways are covered in this article.
- READ MORE: FPL notes: Solanke + Johnson injuries, Everton’s change of shape
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PALMER’S FITNESS
Palmer recovered from a knock to his ankle to start, although he didn’t look 100% to the untrained eye. He was clobbered afresh towards the end of the first half, limping visibly until the interval but emerging for the second half.
His night ended in the 84th minute when he came off in a substitution that looked like it was more about saving legs than an enforced alteration.
Enzo Maresca discussed Palmer’s fitness after full-time.
“Cole played with a small problem in his ankle.
“For me tonight, it has been one of the best games from Cole in terms of showing leadership in a difficult moment for the team. He showed himself, second half, he was asking for the ball. In the moment you have to see that kind of player not only when they score goals or give assists. They are very important for the team also when they need them and they are there.
“For Cole, with the problem in his ankle, he was there second half asking for the ball. He was a little bit the leader in the team in that moment so we are very happy with the Cole performance.” – Enzo Maresca
While Maresca was right in that Palmer “showed” for the ball plenty, it was still more of a muted performance – almost as if he was adapting his game due to the ankle knock. There was more tidy link-up play than bursting runs. After a couple of early shots, and especially after his first-half kicking, he didn’t really look like scoring.
That said, he was denied an assist by Noni Madueke‘s (£6.1m) greed: a Trevoh Chalobah (£4.4m) header from a Palmer free-kick was already going in before Madueke applied a finishing touch.
ENZO, COLWILL + LAVIA INJURY LATEST
Palmer was one of four Chelsea players flagged as a new doubt after last Friday’s presser. The other three, Enzo Fernandez (£4.9m), Levi Colwill (£4.6m) and Romeo Lavia (£4.5m), missed out.
In terms of seriousness, it sounds like Lavia, Enzo and Colwill in descending order.
“Romeo is [a] more important [injury] than the Enzo one. We don’t know yet how long they are going to be out. Hopefully, not too long.
“Muscle fatigue or muscle problem. So, we need to wait a little bit.” – Enzo Maresca on Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez in his post-match presser
“Enzo, probably we need some more days. I’m not sure for the next game, we’ll see.” – Enzo Maresca
“He’s better, Levi is better, so it’s good news.” – Enzo Maresca on Levi Colwill, speaking to in-house media
CHELSEA’S BACK FOUR ALL DELIVER
Chelsea’s back four was almost completely changed for this contest, as Reece James (£4.8m), Tosin Adarabioyo (£4.2m) and returning loanee Chalobah were all recalled.
That trio, plus Marc Cucurella (£5.2m), all delivered attacking returns.
If that sounds like a freak occurrence, it’s not entirely a shock. Wolves have conceded more goals from set pieces than any other side this season, so you’d always fancy your defenders to be in with a chance of a dead-ball goal or assist. Take note, owners of Arsenal defenders, ahead of Gameweek 23.
Another two set-piece goals were added to that total on Monday. Tosin converted after a James shot had been blocked, while Madueke ‘stole’ Chalobah’s aforementioned effort.
Cucurella’s goal came from open play. The inverting full-back was popping up in some very advanced positions, even ahead of Palmer at times, and his goal came from less than six yards out.
After zero shots in the box in the first 15 Gameweeks, he’s now had six in as many appearances.
Two under-fire members of the Chelsea XI didn’t further their causes. Robert Sanchez (£4.8m) dropped a clanger for Wolves’ goal, while Nicolas Jackson (£8.0m), for all his good work elsewhere, again failed to score. A late big chance was put wide, while the one time he did find the net – from a Palmer through-ball – he was well offside.
“You said it was the fourth mistake [leading to a goal]? OK, and how many times did he save us? More than four. So no problem. It happens. Mistakes happen to him, the strikers, the midfielders. He is doing well.” – Enzo Maresca on Robert Sanchez
CUNHA CRITICISED
Matheus Cunha (£6.9m) was back in the Wolves starting XI after recovering from illness.
His respiratory system may have been fine but many were left questioning his heart after what appeared to be a disinterested, stroppy display.
In fact, criticism came from his own manager.
“He’s a captain. I had this conversation in the dressing room. He is a captain. He can be frustrated because he wants to win, but everybody in the dressing room wants to win. Everybody in the team wants to win. It means that the body language… I don’t like this body language. I want someone as a captain trying to help the team: running, suffering, fighting together. But this is something that I can understand. Next time I will not understand.
“[Walking down the tunnel without acknowleding the away fans] is something that cannot happen again, cannot happen again.” – Vitor Pereira on Matheus Cunha
Might it have been his final appearance in a Wolves shirt?
Despite the perceived disinterest, he either shot or set up six of Wolves’ nine attempts. One of the others, Matt Doherty‘s (£4.3m) goal, came from a Cunha corner that Sanchez dropped.
You’d fear for Wolves if he did go, but you’d likely still be interested in Cunha as an FPL asset wherever he went.
Pereira’s side have now conceded three goals in each of their last three matches. Next up: five fixtures against sides all in the top half…
