So I got my Christmas wish.
While I was hankering for a Harry Kane hat-trick over his two festive fixtures, I hardly anticipated that it would arrive at Turf Moor. If the Spurs striker sticks to his frustrating script of the season, a blank, sporting my armband against Southampton, will now follow.
But I’d still be happy that Kane has finally shaken the monkey off our backs. I was getting weary of fighting what appeared to be a losing battle against a tide of opinion that questioned his continued selection.
Kane’s failings as a captain at Wembley were mounting up, while his points per million value hardly give me a leg to stand on. But his explosivity ramped up the fear factor and, in the end, my cowardice paid off.
Even after his Burnley treble, the argument against the other premium-priced strikers remains.
Kane aside, the value and options available in the three forward positions is under severe scrutiny. Alvaro Morata needs to deliver today and Roberto Firmino needs to start the next three to convince me otherwise.
Charlie Austin’s determination to knock himself out via a suspension or injury meant that I was robbed of what appeared to be my own viable solution. His absence has now forced another hit and a fairly dramatic switch in stance.
I’m firmly in the “power five” midfield camp, though my chosen strategy has also warped to consider a 4-5-1 as another effective solution.
While I wait for the forward options to be revived, I could end up relying solely on Kane as my spearhead, while shifting funds to other areas to maximise value.
Marcos Alonso was making me feel uncomfortable. Watching him push up into the box, almost as an auxiliary striker, meant that I was fidgeting when watching Chelsea. Still backing Eden Hazard, this was a situation I had to resolve.
Some data mining made it clear that we should currently reclassify Alonso in our heads.
His four goals so far would already need to be matched by six by a forward. Factor in his eight clean sheets and Alonso’s ability to outstrip any forward – or indeed midfield option – in the 7.0 bracket is clear to see.
Home matches with Brighton and Stoke could and should produce further returns, and I struggled to see an asset who could match that potential.
Alonso could just act as my temporary piggy bank. He can hold 2.5 million in reserve, hopefully earning me interest, while the striker situation resolves itself.
In the meantime, it means I can keep anxiety levels in check while watching Chelsea, and enjoy Alonso’s marauding to join a growing army of owners in crying out when he shanks three shots past the post.
I know that Alonso can and will frustrate and he may only be a short-term solution. But for now, he arrives to help calm more of my Gameweek fears.
I like to think of myself as a “maverick” Fantasy manager, but in reality, I’m just a scaredy cat. I live in dread of the big haul players and will bend my tactics to reduce the risk they present.
Fear is perhaps the main driving force in my current strategy, but it worked for me in Gameweek 19. I’m too scared to abandon it now.
