Miles Reucroft is undertaking a different way of playing the ever popular Fantasy Football this season. To understand his methodology, read part one here. The Week 1 review is here, Week 2 transfers & preview here, Week 3 preview here, Week 4 preview here, Week 5 preview here, Week 6 preview here, Week 7 preview here, Week 8 preview here, Week 9 preview here, Week 10 preview here.
I’m very happy with the side at the moment. FC Fakin’ Run Aboutabit may have slid down the table last week, but there are no glaring holes in the squad. I demanded more from Butland: he gave me more. I demanded more from Maguire: he gave me more. The only disappointment was a late injury to Harry Kane, which meant we went into battle without out leader.
It could have been worse. A 43 point haul was three below the week’s average score and we dropped out of the top 1,000,000, but only just. We stand firm in 1,037,780th. From where we were a couple of weeks ago, this is a palatable setback.
As such, there was no need for any surgery this week. Everyone is fit and firing and there is competition for places in the ranks.
That’s not say I wasn’t tempted to do a bit of wheeling and dealing. Who doesn’t enjoy a spot of wheeling and dealing, anyway? Sometimes the best thing you can do, however, is stand firm and stay true to your convictions.
They’ve been tested within the squad and there is a change to the XI for this week. Delle Alli returns in place of Tiemoue Bakayoko. Bakayoko enjoyed a solid debut, but Alli looks refreshed after his break and has been excellent in training. Other than that, we are unchanged.
The one sour note has been the behaviour of Jay Rodriguez. He’s not seen much action this season and has been voicing his displeasure at the fact. I’ve told him to knuckle down; Manolo Gabbiadini hasn’t been pulling up many trees so there could well be an opening in the side.
His behaviour irked me, though. So much so that I put in a call to Gary to see if there’s a market for his services. He’s going to sound out a couple of potential buyers, so it could be Rodriguez’s last week at the club. It would be a shame, since he hasn’t been a moment’s bother and has been an ever present in the squad, but I can’t have players running their mouths off at me. A precedent may need to be set.
But that’s for next week. For this, it’s all focus on reclaiming the lost 37,780 places and getting back into that top 1,000,000.
It’s back into battle with a 4-2-3-1:
Butland – Gomez, Stones, Maguire, Bertrand – Alli, Xhaka – Gabbiadini, KdB, Silva – Kane (C)
Subs
Grant, Jones, Bakayoko, Rodriguez
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