Games

Middlesbrough beat Man United in exciting ChampManFPL Gameweek

Double Gameweek 17 forced managers to make the decision between handing Ruud van Nistelrooy or Juan Sebastian Veron the Triple Captain chip – and it did not disappoint.

Veron emerged as the winner of the skipper debate, although both attacking assets delivered for those who put their faith in them.

Despite that, it was Middlesbrough who emerged as the real victors of the Gameweek. With 17 matches played so far, could Steve McClaren’s boys from Teesside do the unthinkable?

Middlesbrough won the opening game of the Double Gameweek 2-1 against Chelsea – a result that led to Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri being shown the door by Ken Bates – ensuring that they entered the crunch clash with Manchester United level on points.

ChampManFPL focus shifts to Man United and Middlesbrough fixtures

United did as expected against struggling Leicester. Veron opened the scoring before van Nistelrooy netted two goals in a 3-0 win. It gave those on Triple Captain a great platform going into the war between the top two.

United started the game really well with Veron the orchestrator. His impressive start was capped off when he headed in the opening goal – but Middlesbrough responded almost instantaneously with an equaliser through Hamilton Ricard.

He then got in behind the United defence and was clipped by Fabien Barthez as he rounded him.

Penalty. Red card. Chaos.

From the moment that Gianluca Festa fired the penalty home, Boro never looked like relinquishing control. A third goal felt inevitable and when it arrived, the scorer was no surprise to see who scored it.

Ricard teed up Allan Johnston – now known as ‘The Postman’ in the community – and he slammed home his eighth goal of a fantastic season. Boro were able to see out the game for a 3-1 win that leaves them with a three-point lead at the top of the Premiership.

Striker hauls force tough decisions on ChampManFPL managers for Gameweek 6

Veron ended the Gameweek as the top points scorer with 19, those brave enough to triple captain him earning a huge 57 points. Van Nistelrooy Triple Captainers (over 20% of the game) can be happy with his 15 points.

There were scores well in excess of 100 for the Gameweek – and that included some who didn’t pull the trigger on their chips.

Spurs were the disappointment of the round as they were beaten 3-2 at home by Derby. Sergei Rebrov was heavily signed-up after the disappointment of Robbie Fowler‘s showing in Gameweek 16 – and although Rebrov did gain two bonus points, he registered no attacking returns.

It was left to Horacio Carbonari to steal the show at the Lane with a goal and assist. Spurs threatened a late fightback with a Ledley King goal but couldn’t find an equaliser.

Of course, Liverpool’s key assets punished their sellers with Fowler netting twice in a 5-2 away win at Southampton.

Steven Gerrard, who didn’t play a minute of Double Gameweek 16, punished his sellers with a goal and two assists. Anyone who exercised patience with their Liverpool attacking assets was certainly rewarded.

There were two other main headlines from Gameweek 17. Aston Villa look rejuvenated under Kenny Dalglish and absolutely dismantled West Ham, winning 6-1 at Upton Park. A hat-trick from Dion Dublin was the highlight and Villa could be a fascinating attacking prospect under the man that guided Blackburn to the title.

The big drama came at Portman Road. It looked as if Thierry Henry‘s goal was guiding Arsenal towards a hard-fought win but it all happened in the last five minutes. First, Jermaine Wright slammed home an equaliser. Immediately following the restart, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sent off for a terrible tackle – and from the resulting free-kick, much-loved Icelander Hermann Hreidarsson thumped a header past David Seaman to take the points and an 11-point haul.

The game now enters the hectic Christmas period and the main captaincy options for Gameweek 18 again come in the form of Manchester United assets at home to West Ham.

However, could United finally start to rotate? It seems a prime game to do so, which may lead to fear for some managers.

Rebrov and Spurs assets could be the alternative at home to Charlton who were thumped by Bolton in Gameweek 17.

Everyone will have a close eye on Chelsea’s trip to Ipswich with a caretaker manager in charge. Could their fortunes change?

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73 Comments Post a Comment
  1. mad_beer ✅
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Good Saturday morning all. Much love to Epic Fail!

  2. circusmonkey
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Quiz on this season here. The first question is the hardest.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52801737

    6/10 for me.

    1. Legomané
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      5 for 5 then it all went wrong 😆 7/10

    2. avfc82
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      7/10 here, and yep, got the first one wrong too!

      1. RedLightning
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Snap!

    3. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Got 9, didn't get the pva question

  3. Legomané
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Copy of my vFPL fixtures matrix, GW26 to season end for anyone interested 🙂
    https://twitter.com/legomane_fpl/status/1266486197649641474

    Think I’m saving a FT this week — my last decision — play one? Cheers and GL!

    A) Deeney v LIV(a)
    B) Lundstram v NOR(h)

    Heaton
    TAA Laporte Basham
    Mané Sterling Sané Grealish (Lundstram)
    Pukki Jota (Deeney)

    (McCarthy Webster Holgate)

    1. tets mcgee (Bachmann an Rob…
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      lundstram looked good in my freindlies i ran. i would definitely start him. I am over Pukki.

  4. Tinkermania
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Some people. We want footy back. It's back. We want another wildcard(even though no guarantee that fpl adds more game weeks). If fpl came back and added game weeks and another wild card, they will demand something else, maybe bench boost or unlimited transfers. Get real, you used your wild card and fpl don't need to compensate you for something that wasn't there fault. Play your way through. This game is about luck and tactics. Stop demanding handouts.

    1. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Well that's them told.

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      😮

    3. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I agree completely but dont you go saying it's fair either. It's not and that's fine. That's life. Enjoy your advantage without rubbing our noses in it. That's my only point. Pre season makes the wildcard advantage undeniably massive. But it is what it is.

      https://www.empireofthekop.com/2020/05/29/lfc-could-play-pre-season-friendlies-against-other-premier-league-clubs-before-june-17-restart/

      1. Drexl Spivey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Doubt there'll be much change to Liverpool's lineup. A mere press conference should clear that up.

        1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Are you a fortune teller? So when my liverpool fpl players get injured or sick in pre season I must just be happy with a press conference confirming that but no wildcard to sort it out. What if half my team are out? Not sure you get the point that if you have a wildcard and pre season info from multiple games you have a massive, unprecedented advantage

          1. GreennRed
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            If you had freehit your team during season and weather conditions left you with just 6 players would you ask for a second freehit?

            1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              The difference is a lot more can happen in 3 months than in 1 week. That makes sense right. Surely.

              1. GreennRed
                • 12 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                That wasn't my question.

                1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  I am not asking for a wildcard either bud. Simply saying it is unfair that's all. Same applies to free hit scenario. Unfair but that's life. My argument is primarily against wildcard holders pretending nothing changed because of lockdown. Just admit you gained massively. Not your fault. Its life.

                  1. GreennRed
                    • 12 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Wildcard holders will gain if their wildcard pays dividends. Could easily be awful. A lot of players hold wildcard until late for a perceived advantage. If they add a third wildcard it'll diminish that regular 2nd wildcard. I don't care if they add a third wildcard or not. In some ways it's like a new season, seasons start with a wildcard. But only in some ways. Some have added only players from DGW, a shrewd move. No need for them to WC in first week back. Wait and see what happens.

          2. Drexl Spivey
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Well who are you worried about, specifically? You're Pool players are both template anyway, plus you're arguably ahead of the pack with three Arsenal. The Mahrez/Sterling thing looks a bit iffy, but you should have enough to tweak that with a transfer of two.

            1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              Full backs are not great in a new scenario. Would swap to Virg and gomez in a heartbeat.

              And its 3 weeks to go. I have no idea what shape I am in. No one does.

              Wildcarders win

              1. Drexl Spivey
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                So they're going to drop TAA or Robertson, with a title on the line?

                1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  "Title on the line"

                  That made me laugh. Thank you

                  1. Drexl Spivey
                    • 5 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Okay. So they're going to drop TAA and Robertson, because they've already won the league, but still going to play VVD and Gomez regardless?

                    1. @persecuted_by_mods
                        3 years, 10 months ago

                        Not drop but like always they're most likely to be rotated

                      • MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
                        • 6 Years
                        3 years, 10 months ago

                        9 games in 4 weeks.

                        My guess is trent and Rob miss at least 3 games.

                        Virg and Gomes won't miss as much.

                        Full backs run more especially in liverpool's system

                        1. Drexl Spivey
                          • 5 Years
                          3 years, 10 months ago

                          I'd bet my left testicle TAA's still template at the end of the season.

      2. bitm2007
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Totally agree and we have already been given 9 FT's since the PL was suspended, if that wasn't enough to sort out their teams they must have been in a right mess.

        1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          9 free transfers pale in comparison to a wildcardholder. You really think your team is ready for the re opening with 3 weeks to go. Rofl

          1. Tinkermania
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            You are overplaying the wildcard advantage buddy. Many times I have used and seen people use wildcard and be 40+ points worse off compared to week before.

            1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              This situation is unprecedented. Peoples teams are locked in. Imagine being forced to make a team when the game opens and then two months later the game starts. Players got injured, lost or gained form in pre season. Oh yes and some people were allowed to change their team after receiving all the up to date information.

              1. Tinkermania
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                Players get injured every week. Loss of form is judged over several competitive games not friendlies.we have different points of view. Can I have another triple captain as Man City double game week didn't happen due to Covid-19?

                1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  Oh so getting 106 gw1 two years ago without a chip was pure luck. It had nothing to do with the fact that my gw 1 team was completely different to my first draft after seeing how things went in pre season and doing tons of research.

                  1. Tinkermania
                    • 4 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Do you get 106 every week 1? 😉

                    1. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
                      • 6 Years
                      3 years, 10 months ago

                      No but my week 1 team beats my opening day team every year.

                      Mic drop

                      1. Tinkermania
                        • 4 Years
                        3 years, 10 months ago

                        There is more luck involved in week one that subsequent weeks though. Now you need the mic!

                      2. bitm2007
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 9 Years
                        3 years, 10 months ago

                        If you pick a team specifically for the first GW after the resumption it probably would score more than your current team, but subsequent GWs would probably also suffer as a result (I've lead the Daily Mail and Metro fantasy football games with GW1 specific teams, that bombed the next week on both occasions) . A more balanced approached would be to pick the strongest team that's within your budget with the remainder of the season in mind (which could be done using the FT's we've been given since GW29), then if necessary make an adjustment or two using FT's when the fixtures are known.

              2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                The other perspective is that people that held their WC back then get hardly any benefit from it.

                Virtually every player is back fit now so most sides should have few injuries. People that slowed WC-ed have probably chucked out City and Arsenal players that they might want back.

                The fairest option would really be to reset the game to prior to the City v Arsenal game being called off. I set my team up for that double and lost out.

                1. Tinkermania
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  Me too. Set myself up for that week. I was furious when they called it off. My rivals were celebrating.

    4. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I understand your thinking. As almost everyone is back from injury, I am going with the team I had before lock down. I don't play wildcards early so will see what happens. I might not play it at all as it sometimes messes things up.

    5. Gorbitz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Been logged off for about 3 months. Know nothing except that PL is looking like starting up quite soon.

      What to do? Are you allowed to make transfers at this point and start preparing? What are you guys doing? Thanks

      1. FPL Pillars
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        FPL hasn’t officially opened yet so come back in about a week and we can talk 🙂

        1. Gorbitz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Thanks.
          It was just because it looked like I actually could make transfers.
          And I seem to remember people on here immediately after shutdown made transfers to be in better Shape before a possible restart...

          1. The Polymath
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            This was the slow wild card from GW30 onwards.

      2. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Nope. No transfers. It's likely the fixtures will be the same as Game 30 on Saturday following the 2 extra matches in Mid-week of Villa V Sheff U and Man City v Arsenal and making it a possible DGW.

        You could consider your free-hit for a team that gameweek.

    6. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      PL has announced that its coming back, but FPL hasn't yet. No guarantee that both will happen, or even one of them despite the dates announced.

      1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Why? It’s not like they need to build anything new. It’s some parameters in a database.

        Considering FPL having 5 million players it’s probably their most cost efficient marketing tool. It would be insane not to run it.

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          They've nothing to lose by not resuming it.

      2. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Exactly. All it takes is a quick visit to fol site to see all 38 gameweeks have been conpleted.

        Seems like people just want to believe what they want not what is almost certain ti happen

      3. FPL Pillars
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        When official FPL said “your chips will be carried over”... or something to that effort... I take this to mean it will be only a matter of time before it restarts.

        1. FPL Pillars
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Effect*

        2. Nightcrawler
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          WRONG

          1. FPL Pillars
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            “We want to reassure FPL managers that we will provide further updates on the game when appropriate and we thank you for your continued patience.

            We can confirm that any chips you retain at present (e.g. Triple Captain, Bench Boost, Free Hit and/or Wildcard) would remain available for you, in accordance with the Game Rules.”

            Right.

            1. Tinkermania
              • 4 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              Do you know when that message went up FULL PILLARS?

              1. Tinkermania
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                *FPL PILLARS

            2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              I think FPL put this up to deter playing chips in GW38. People were going to gamble on the remaining fixtures being piled in a mega GW38.

              1. FPL Pillars
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                Yes it was. Remain available... hence if the season restarted, which it has, FPL will restart. Only a matter of time IMO

    7. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      That doesn't change my point. There is a chance but not 100%.

    8. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      My prediction is the FPL will restart with GW30, a double gameweek with the extra matches at the start of the week rather then the end of the week.
      Absolutely minimal programming required, I expect it will be up and running just a few hours after the official fixture list is announced.

      1. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Logical thing to do yes.

    9. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I see. It's a prediction. Well put.

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Use the bloody reply button!

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          He's going to reply to this in a new post 😉

    10. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      FPL can't restart without changes to the underlying API, correct?

    11. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      V-FPL - Looking at this WC squad for tonight to set up for BB week 2 with many good fixtures and team should be well set going forward. Any changes you would suggest?

      Leno (McCarthy)
      TAA James Boly (Webster Mariappa )
      Mané Sané Barnes Neto (Saka)
      Aubameyang Jiménez Tammy

      1. dunas_dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        *BB week 27

      2. BNMC
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I think Lundstram or Cantwell scores more than Saka. And if you need the extra 0.2 to do that, I'd change Boly to Saiss.

      3. tets mcgee (Bachmann an Rob…
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        wont u want salah? think he is back for tomorrow. or are u doing mane to salah tonight?id also agree with the comment about saka. i might also look to get aguero over auba.

        1. dunas_dog
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Thanks- may be 28 before get Salah unless I go for Kane over Aubameyang which leaves enough in bank for Salah. Aguero too expensive but could do Bruno over Sané to get him. Much to consider.

    12. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Who are you guys captaining tonight in vFPL?
      I can't decide between Mane, Sane, Sterling and Vardy...

      1. Skonto Rigga
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Mane here! So you should probably go with someone else.

      2. bitm2007
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Mane, he's facing the weakest D.

      3. dunas_dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Thanks for your feedback above. Mané captain for me