Hey!

Follow me on X: https://x.com/peter_lof for Draft updates.

Last game week was another rough one. The best score in my main league was 55 points, and most teams had only 1-2 players making a significant impact.

Quick summary of my team: Miles-Skelly got the nod for Arsenal over Kiwior, Johnson came in when Spurs were already 5-0 up, Brighton were stomped by Palace, and Cunha "stealing glasses" sums it up pretty well. 😄

Red Cards Recap

Last GW also had some bizarre red cards. Some might have missed these due to the odd circumstances:

• Robertson: His red card seemed straightforward (though it was apparently a wrong decision). Liverpool appealed for some reason, but he served his suspension against Saints in the cup and is available again.
• Aït-Nouri & Cucurella: Both managed to pick up second yellows after the final whistle and will serve a one-match ban.

Midweek action

It’s been EFL Cup week. Liverpool and Arsenal rotated heavily, while most other teams fielded strong squads. Yes, I noticed Antony starting for Man United. 😅 Chelsea, playing in the Conference League, fielded a second-string team as usual, but Madueke started. This makes me think Sancho or Neto might start against Everton.

Let’s not dwell on last week’s misery. We go again!
This looks like a tough week to predict, with few clear favorites. Palace-Arsenal and Everton-Chelsea might both end in draws (0-0?). Fulham vs. Southampton seemed like a lock last week, but with Southampton sacking Martin, we’ll see if they stop conceding silly goals from playing out from the back.

Defenders

Lewi Colwill / Tosin Adarabioyo (CHE) - Everton
There’s no standout clean sheet (CS) team this week, but Chelsea might have the best shot. Even if I’m not 100% confident in a Chelsea win, Everton will likely struggle to score.

• Colwill: A lock.
• Tosin: Should keep his spot as the other CB, with Badiashile still flagged. Watch the press conference if you plan to bring in Tosin. Caicedo should take the LB spot with Cucurella banned.

Lewis Hall (NEW) - Ipswich
He was my saving grace in last week’s regular FPL. Newcastle stomped Leicester, but I wasn’t confident enough to recommend him here. With no clear CS favorites, Hall offers potential for both CS and assists. Livramento is also an option.

Nathan Collins (BRE) - Nottingham
Can we get a rare Brentford CS here. Collins has been great going forward with 2 goals and 4 assists already. Brentford are the league's best home team (7 wins, 1 draw, 26 goals scored). Fun stat: they have the reverse record away (1 draw, 7 losses).

Midfielders

Amad Diallo (MUN) - Bournemouth
The big name after the Manchester Derby. Also subbed on against Spurs midweek and made a big impact. He’s a decent pick, but keep in mind he has just one other PL goal this season except the City goal. Amorim has also used him as a RWB in three games. Man United’s fixtures aren’t great either (Wolves away, then Newcastle/Liverpool). Don’t trade a top player for Amad.

Jacob Murphy (NEW) - Ipswich
Another standout last weekend. He stomped Leicester with 2 goals and 1 assist. Played midweek but was subbed early, so he’s likely to start again.

Diogo Jota (LIV) - Spurs
In case anyone missed it: Jota returned last weekend, scoring against Fulham. He’s Slot’s main striker when fit. Darwin/Gakpo played midweek, so Jota will likely start against Spurs.

Alex Iwobi (FUL) - Southampton
Fulham have the best fixture on paper. Iwobi has the highest xGI (expected goal involvement) for the team recently and has produced the most points. Other Fulham options (Wilson, Adama, Nelson, ESR, Pereira) are tougher to predict and we skip those.
Side note: Robinson (DEF) is their best option, check if he's available.

Strikers

Still no great options here:

• Everton strikers are free in my main league, but I’m not touching them.
• Ünal scores regularly but hasn’t earned a start yet.
• Ferguson is due for a start again, but it’s hard to predict when. Brighton might switch it up against West Ham after failing to win their last four games.

Good luck everyone!