Our Transfers, Captains, and Starting 11s.

WALSH

Transfers:

An easy save for me this weekend. After some early fears over Costa’s fitness he now appears fine so the only flag I’m staring at is Holes. Should be fine to get 11 out which is all I really hope for in a gameweek after an international break.

GK: Still sitting with Pickford in there as my sole “playing” keeper. I’m a bit nervous about Mannone being back but Pickford has looked pretty great and looks to be their future in goal. But, he’s kept zero cleans, so idk. Hopefully he keeps his place.

DEF: With Holebas injured and Amat still dead I have no decision to make this week. Fuchs, Clyne, and Van Dick will go again for me. Not too hopeful at getting points from them this week but given that all three hold considerable attacking threat maybe I get lucky. Would be very surprised to see a clean from any of them though. Fuck.

MID: Hopefully Mrs. Walcott’s pregnancy doesn’t fuck me this weekend and Walcott features for Wenger in the early game tomorrow. A return would be insanely massive and allay fears of his price dropping further. Gundogan better do something at Palace. Mane and Firmino are rolled out once again. Both will prob get double digit hauls as usual cause they are boss.

FWD: Heavy men Costa, Aguero, and Lukaku have proven to be a wonderful trio over the past several gameweeks. Hoping for continued returns. Might be a farewell game from Lukaku so hopefully he smashes it against Swansea.

Captain:

Right now, it’s still on Lukaku, but my eye is starting to wander over to Kun. The two week break he got is pretty nice….so he’d really only have to be fighting against jet lag. With UCL midweek for Aguero, though, I might just stick with Rom. His stats have been trending down but they should be able to do Swansea at home. It’s a big game for them and they need the three points before their fixtures stiffen considerably. That said, even if Aguero only gets 75 minutes, he could bang a hat trick against shit ass Palace defense. Even more shit ass with Mandanda hurt and Wayne getting his first go in the league for a while. This decision will go down to the wire.

ALON

Transfers:

OK I just did it. Like as I’m writing this post I did it, I felt the pressure of Lineup Lams and gave in.

Callum Wilson out for Charlie Chaz Austin

It doesn’t feel as good as transfers usually feel… I’m not getting that post-transfer al dente boost but I know why. I was really waging a war inside my own head about this move because this move kind of decides my team structure for a long time. Without making draaaastic changes and taking huge point hits I will have two premium forwards and one budget forward in my squad.

I was honestly leaning towards not doing this move and saving and then trying to get three premium forwards starting next week… doing like Lukaku/Callum/Kolarov out for Costa/Kane/some fuck or something like this. But Callum is still flagged, still needs a late test, and with Holebas suspension, Coutinho flagged, I’m scared of this week and I just need a nailed on forward.

So all my eggs are in the budget basket, or basktit rather. Chaz, maybe Defoe in the future, maybe someone else emerges? I’m anxious about it but hopefully he’ll cool my nerves tomorrow.

GK: Rolling Pickford this week as well. My two keepers, Pickford and Lee Grant, are both under threat with the returns of Mannone and Butland. Hopefully Pickford home Hull can do something maybe sneak a clean but I doubt it. That said I feel better about it then Lee and Stoke’s injuries vs. Bournemouth. Heaton or Butland will be in my side soon.

DEF: Same as Walsh above I have no decision to make. Holebas is suspended and Amat doesn’t start so I’m rolling my three guys with Kolarov, Koscielny, and Matip. Doesn’t feel great in this moment. But it’s never worth a hit to swap fit defensive players.

MID: Ozil is kind of a mind-fuck in my team. I’ve grown to like bugeyes and he’s been pretty good this year and I think he’s a really good huge differential pick, so he ticks all of those boxes. But he’s 9.5, and he’s not as good as Hazard. So that’s basically the counter argument against him. There’s also Feo which makes Ozil less relevant too. Right here right now I feel great rolling with Ozil for the next 10+ GWs but Haz and Chelsea may do their best to put my squad six feet deep so I might not able to keep him… My others are the obvious trio of Bobby Firm, Cout, and Gundogan. I’m worried about Liverpool this weekend from a fan’s perspective and FPL perspective seeing as almost definitely no Lallana, and it’s looking like maybe no Cout… Not pleased at all about any of that.

FWD: That new guy Chaaaaaazzzzzzy and his insanely good stats comes into the squad and I hope he kicks it off with a bang (in a Liverpool win though)… Settle me Chaz please…….. The others are Kun and Rom, classic. Not much else to say here, Kun and Rom have been crushing it and both have nice fixtures. Go on.

Captain:

I’m resisting the forbidden fruit which is Kun after an international break and before Champions League fixture and sticking with big Romelu Bookaku / Dongkaku / Letskaku. It is true Lukaku’s stats are way down but you also have to factor in his opposition.. Three of the last four were away, and tough aways at that. At City, at Chelsea, at Turf Moor, and home West Ham are his last four. Now with a home Swansea in the cards what better time to dominate and flip that script??

It’d be cool if the stats where we lie so much trust had some sort of relationship with Everton’s possession percentage per game or something like that. Anyway I digress. It’s as simple as this with Kun:

1. Is there ANY chance that Sergio Kun Aguero will be rested after international break? Yes. Then don’t captain him.

2. Is there ANY chance that Sergio Kun Aguero will be rested AND/OR pulled early from the match because of impending pivotal Champions League match? Yes. Then don’t captain him.

Done.