It’s been the longest and strangest Gameweek. Weeks of strategic planning on which Everton assets to ignore were unhinged by a googly from FPL Towers, which was delayed until we’d all bought our third Liverpool asset. Further upsets followed in the FA Cup; Newcastle failed to bottle it against Arsenal; and we had the usual fun and games in Europe. Throw in transfer deadline shenanigans and we have enough material for a series on Netflix. There were points for everyone but triple-digit scores were no guarantee against red arrows. Those who opted for a Salah threesome are the early winners, but he has an even better looking double this week, and the Ass Man players still have table bonuses to chase. It should be one helluva ride.
Of course, all this is just normal business for campaign-hardened managers in the Fantasy Football Scout Head-to-Head Leagues, who have already moved on to which Bournemouth midfielder to buy, and how fetching Rashford looks in Claret and Blue. Choosing the right Chip plan could be the difference between a relegation grind or a thrust for glory, so let’s see who’s flying into the Endzone, and who might need a brotherly push.
As always, I’m looking to provide the snippets of additional content that Red Lightning doesn’t have room for in his weekly updates on FFS community tournaments.
LEAGUE ONE
Liam McAllister (46) has collected just four points in the last four Gameweeks, but still has daylight over James Wong-You (43), with Simon MacNair and Darren Curtis a further point back. All bar one of the League One managers struck centuries in Gameweek 24, and Sakari Ututela (17) was the top scorer with 153 points, but more of the same will be needed to climb out of the cellar.
LEAGUE TWO
Ville Touminen (42) has failed to trouble the scorers since the last update, and has now been overtken by Michał Dąbrowski (46). Anoop K and Billy Ketsu (both 40) are tied for third, and Michael Scott (39) is hanging on to the final promotion berth. Neil Methold (51) has been treading water in Division 2, enabling Craig Johnson (49) to make up ground, and John McHugh is a further three points adrift. Aviinesh Kumar and Richard Clarke (both 42), complete the Top Five.
LEAGUE THREE
Terje Balteskard (48) has seen his lead halved in Division 1, with EasyE ® (45) cruising in second place, and Peter Tind a further point back. David Walker (48) has maintained his edge in Division 2, but is now being chased by Mat Gilbert (46). Jonathan Glover and Carlene M (both 51) are joint-leaders in Division 3, and have a six-point advantage over Magnar Nordtun; meanwhile, Taymur Reza Hossain and Timo Laukkanen (both 51) continue to rule supreme in Division 4.
LEAGUE FOUR
Richard Slaven (51) now has Andrew White for company at the top of Division 1, with Sam Bonfield six-points adrift in third. In Division 2, Stuart Blakely (60) has extended the chasm over Alex Jones to 11 points; and Filip Suchta (5) has extended his Division 3 margin over Daniel Loebjer to six points. Tom Nickalls (48) is the new leader in Division 4, but James Bambridge (47) remains in contention. Benjamin Arslangic (56) has maintained his advantage in Division 5, but Andrew Boddy (52) and Martin Rapp (51) are still eyeing the top spot. William Elliot (54) has opened up a six-point gap over Alan Robertson and Francisco Lamarque in Division 6; and Conor Slattery (48) has a five-point margin over Matthias Ammon in Division 7. Alex Lau and Qing Hao Sim (both 48) are joint-leaders in Division 8, with Ben Capron, Paul Strange and Niall Clusker (all 45) vying for the minor places.
LEAGUE FIVE
Avishek Ganguly (48) has now joined Neil Allison at the summit of Division 1; and Nick Palmer (51) has surpassed Shales Moor (48) in Division 2. Steven Schelk (49) has maintained his one-point edge over Tom Houston in Division 3; and new leader, Rod Harris (48), has a three-point margin over the chasing pack in Division 4. Paolo Turrini (46) retains a slender advantage over Marin Vuletic, David Woods and Gary Kerr (all 45) in Division 5; but Bukola Atanda (52) is seven points clear of Jamie Fitsgerald in Division 6. Cian McKenna (51) is now only three points ahead of Danny Schifflers in Division 7; but it’s just a one-point margin for Paddy Smith (49) over Budhi Nugraha in Division 8; as is the case for Thomas Morris (9) over Stephen Burge in Division 9. Bilal Shaikh (48) is still leading the way in Division 10, so Speedy and Sal (both 46) will need to find another gear. Manickam P (54) has maintained a five-point advantage over the field in Division 11; and Darragh Copley (51) has the same margin in Division 12. Jan-Erik Carlsen (45) is the new leader in Division 13, but Zheng Huan Hoe is just a point adrift. Pavle Ziman (51) has opened up a seven-point chasm over the chasing pack in Division 14; but Laszlo Nyiri and David Lavignotte (both 45) are joint-leaders in Division 15; as are Andy Wong and Craig Ekedahl (both 52) in Division 16.
LEAGUE SIX
Andy Whiteley (63) is the top scorer in League 6 and, in addition to being ranked 143 in the World, also has an 18-point advantage over the competition in Division 16. John Lloyd (60) also has a double-digit lead in Division 6; but Simon Linford and Sebastian Cornejo (both 57) are joint-leaders in Division 32. Whitney Baxter (56) is 11 points clear of the opposition in Division 9; but the same score is only good for a two-point edge for James Williams in Division 22.
Four managers are leading their respective Divisions on 55 points: Wojciech Lo∤akowski (Division 4), André Mærli (Division 8), Richard Phillips (Division 10) and Kasper Keller (Division 13); and a further four Division-leaders are on 54 points: Henrik Hammen (Division 15), Chris Hayes and Neil Reynolds (Division 20) and Henrik Palm Strand (Division 21). Arnór Sindri Sölvason (53) has a five-point margin at the summit of Division 31; and five managers are leading their Divisions on 52 points: Garry Murray and Jamie Luland (Division 12), Oliver Lanneberg (Division 18), Lennox Desborough (Division 19) and Nigel Hadley (Division 30). Chirag Kalwani (Division 7) together with Alberto Mangiantini, Sharavanan Shanmuga Sundram and Peter Leahy (all Division 11), Nigel Bolton and James Harrison (both Division 26) are all setting the pace on 51 points; as are Debarchan Maiti (Division 1), El Timbo (Division 2) and Jahn Oscar Staff (Division 17) on 50 points.
Four managers are leading the way on 49 points: Aaron Coleman (Division 6), Tavish Bhagat (Division 23), John Samoryk (Division 24) and Jeff Oodian (Division 29); as are the following managers on 48 points: Dan Burge (Division 14), Tyrone Jacobs (Division 25) and Darren Teague (Division 27). James Allen (46) has a three-point advantage in Division 28; and Pedro Segurado (44) heads a competitive contest in Division 3.
LEAGUE SEVEN
Max Norton (61) is the top dog in League 7, and has raced 13 points clear of the competition in Division 58. Chris Lord (60) is also setting a fast pace in Division 47, as is Ben Gould (58) in Division 15, and both have opened up double-digit leads.
Daniel Sailer (Division 30) and Len Håvar Thomassen (Division 32) (both 57) have established eight-point leads in their respective Divisions; and the following pacesetters have amassed 55 point to date: Sunny H (Division 4), Tony Cassidy (Division 25), Mark Foley (Division 37) and Jonk Haglund (Division 46).
There are a further nine Division leaders on 54 points: Mr Jenkins (Division 5), Jonathan Pacey (Division 14), Mohamad Abou Salem (Division 19), Fiyin Doherty (Division 20), Brendan Murray (Division 22), Alex Galbraith (Division 24), Dianne Williams (Division 45), rafa (Division 59) and Filipe Loureiro (Division 61).
LEAGUE EIGHT
Jamie Record (63) is setting new standards in League 8, and has a healthy 12-point margin over the competition in Division 90. Also thriving at this high altitude are four Division-leading managers on 60 points: Peter Willis (Division 41), Jonne Welling (Division 70), WF Smith (Division 102) and A Kwok (Division 128). Luka Bošnjak (58) has also been making short work of the opposition in Division 125.
There are five pacesetting managers on 57 points: Cameron Craigie (Division 1), Ian Roberts (Division 8), Mekibebe Gebre (Division 46), Vinait Thorat (Division 74) and Khummuan Guite (Division 83); as are the following on 55 Points: John Hartline (Division 84), Thomasz K (Division 99), Padraig O Conaill (Division 109) and Romeu Fernandes Junior (Division 120).
LEAGUES NINE AND 10
The top performers in Leagues 9 and 10, whose 63 points accrued is also unsurpassed across all H2H Leagues, are: Karim Kapo (Division 35), Adam Harriot (Division 38) and Mo Elmelegy (Division 254). All have double-digit leads in their respective Divisions. A further three managers are just two points off this hot pace, namely: Jackson Coker (Division 104), Emmanuel Fatoyinbo (Division 196) and Vukadin Veljković (Division 223).
It’s more crowded on 60 points where there are 15 Division-leading managers who are making their mark: Conrad Buging (Division 27), Virinder Gupta (Division 28), H2H KING (Division 33), Mahmoud Mounir (Division 34), Josh King (Division 50), Amr Thabet (Division 57), Roger Clutton (Division 58), Janek Polska (Division 108), Arnaud Lev (Division 137), Edomyas Solomon (Division 182, Toon Heylen (Division 187), Richard Robinson (Division 201), Conor McGrath (Division 228), Christakis Michael (Division 235) and Peter Hall (Division 236).
Simon Sheppard (59) has a five point margin over the competition in Division 63; and the following managers are leading their respective Divisions on 58 points: Jeff Dunn (Division 79), Ibrahim Hirsi (Division 170), Rowan Smith (Division 197), Kaloyan Dobrev (Division 222), Yee Sian .89 (Division 240), Juliandri Zanori (Division 250) and Mandar Karandikar (League 10, Division 2).
TOP 100 HALL OF FAME
Our elite FPL managers are continuing to suffer mixed fortunes as they seek to navigate through the lower echelons of the FFS H2H League hierarchy. @elevenify (40) has failed to trouble the scorers since the last update, and is now in danger of dropping out of the promotion berths in League 6, Division 6. Fellow Top 100 Hall Manager, Dan Furneaux (43) has taken full advantage to leapfrog into fourth place. Colin Innes (42) and James Harrison (51) are maintaining their position in the Top Five of League 6, Divisions 24 and 26 respectively, but Timo Riekko (28) (League 6, Division 5) and Tod Modisette (31) (League 7, Division 34) are heading in the wrong direction. It’s better news for Ómar Olgeirsson (32), who has risen to 12th in League 7, Division 47 following three successive victories.
BEAT THE SCOUTS
Three wins has elevated Torres Magic (39) to ninth League 2, Division 2; three points adrift of the promotion berths, but only three points clear of relegation. Greyhead (38) is in a similar position in League 3, Division 1; but just one win since the last update sees Neale Rigg (39) slip out of the promotion berths in League 3, Division 2. With four successive wins, it’s mojo restored for Sam Bonfield (45) in League 4, Division 1. Red Lightning (39) continues to tread water in League 6, Division 8; as does Rainy ~ (39) in League 7, Division 2; and G Whizz (37) in League 8, Division 44. Three wins in a row has helped Hibbo (43) to consolidate a Top Five slot in League 9, Division 225; but this month’s Chief Scout is Marc Jobling (54) who is four points clear of the competition in League 9, Division 189.
I’ll be back with more tales of daring deeds after Gameweek 28, but In the meantime, you can keep track of your performance, and stalk your opposition, via MIR’s Head-to-Head Leagues page.
I’m off to count my Triple Captain points. Stay safe.
