The passing of another week in the English Premier League has heralded another series of crisis clubs in the world’s most watched and beloved league.
They say the pressure is always more at the bottom than at the top given the finances involved.
What if though it is the top clubs finding themselves at the other half of the table? What if old traditional clubs have to learn to get accustomed to newer realities of heavy and hard relegation battles?
Despite their stature alone could guarantee the club finishes in the top half of the league.
Alas, the stature and magnificence of the past have little effect on the present especially in the world’s most business league.
Sunday was a showing of money doesn’t guarantee three points for a certain London club while another from the same city triumphed in the derby against the former club, indeed West against Chelsea is being mentioned here.
The Blues of Merseyside will be gearing up for six-pointer matches from the coming game week and it has only been a couple of weeks since the new campaign started.
For Fantasy Premier League managers with Chelsea assets in their squad or Everton defenders, many managers had gone with Everton defenders, mainly Pickford from the start.
It was not a shoot-in-your-foot strategy with the kind run of fixtures Everton has till game week 8, and the presence of Sean Dyche. These managers will likely be in a swindle.
Players watch from the London derby between West Ham Chelsea
It was a game week of Mbeumo and Mitoma, with the former acquiring 16 points courtesy of two goals and the latter 11 points for a goal and an assist as both Brentford and Brighton ran out clear winners on Saturday.
As Sunday turned around, managers with Chelsea assets would have been hoping for a more boost in their Fantasy overall ranks or as was the case for many a sort of recovery from the rank damage done by the incredible showing of Brighton and Brentford.
Chilwell was sensational in pre-season and the game against Liverpool at the Bridge. It wasn’t a fairy wish then to hope for a good return from the full-back with him playing almost as a left-back in Pochettino’s new-look side.
Chelsea goes into an incredible run of fixtures from the next game week starting with Luton at home.
They sit top of the season ticker between game week 3 and game week 8. Fantasy managers, therefore, were eyeing up Jackson as a potential forward replacement for the now proven as feared minutes risk Joao Pedro.
Possibly a third Chelsea asset too, if there is one. James’ injury has already dented hopes in this regard. Gusto, his replacement could be an option, but James is not severely injured and will be back soon. This might mean Gusto might be a waste of a third Chelsea spot or the transfer used.
James Ward Prowse has played all his life with the Saints. Their relegation meant it was time for him to finally go to newer shores and by that, for him, it was East London, at West Ham.
Gusto in the absence of James did start the game as was expected. Jackson for Chelsea was leading the line with Sterling on the wings, and budget enabler Chukwuemeka operating behind Jackson.
It was a showcase of flamboyance from West Ham supporters with the derby being their first home game in the league following their triumph in Europe.
Ward Prowse endeared himself soon enough to his new supporters providing the assist from the corner with Hammers stopper Aguerd heading in to provide West Ham the lead.
Pochettino must have had a conversation with Sterling in the week, perhaps highlighting the winger’s significance and importance in the team. It has been some time since he looked this sharp in a game.
West Ham defenders struggled to contain his and Chelsea’s growing influence in the game. Chukwuemeka restored parity for the Blues. His first goal for the senior team but any hope of him being the third asset from Chelsea in Fantasy Premier League has to be put on hold for now. The former Villa youngster got injured and substituted.
There was much talk in pre-season with James as the new captain of the club that he will be on penalties. His absence meant the much more forward-advancing Enzo Fernandes stepped up.
His penalty was saved by budget goalkeeper Areola to dwindle any attention monitoring Fernandes as a potential greatly differential asset. He is playing well advanced and supporting the attack but to be an option in Fantasy there is probably still some time to go.
Chelsea huffed and puffed but couldn’t secure and as is the case in such circumstances in football, Ward Prowse’s pass allowed Antonio to run on goal.
Antonio was busy in an evening of barely having much of the ball involved in the thankless job of a forward holding up play upfront easily brushed past Colwill firing in a shot past Disasi that beat Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez.
Disasi has to learn to not allow so much space to the opposition as the league rolls on.
Similar to Chukwuemeka, failing to complete the ninety minutes after scoring for Chelsea, West Ham center-back, Aguerd got a yellow card in the game for the second time to get sent off.
Chelsea playing against a ten-man Hammers side never really threatened Areola’s goal. Jackson the most likely candidate to be the second asset from Chelsea did play well again but without any output.
He will be eyed up as the main replacement for Pedro, an easy move for managers with Salah in their squad. There will be concerns however of a potential arrival of a new signing in the forward’s department going with the manner Chelsea have aggressively targeted the transfer window.
The much shrouded in controversy transfer of Caicedo was the focus of attention of the football world for days. He had anything but an impressive debut, summed up by giving away the penalty in the dying moments of the game fouling Emerson inside the box.
It was certainly an evening to forget for the Ecuadorian. Brazilian Paqueta was the latest player involved in gambling controversies. Much has been written following up on the initial story. There is likely an investigation underway.
For now, he is scoring penalties for his side assuring them the victory in the derby. Antonio bagged the three bonus points in FPL followed by two for Areola and one for Ward Prowse.
Aston Villa v Everton
Unai Emery’s side got praised by Sir Alex Ferguson for their display against Newcastle despite the 5-1 scoreline in favor of the Magpies in that game.
The match against Everton on Sunday was a display of the understanding Scott has of the game of football.
Emery’s men ran 4-0 winners not providing Everton a leg to stand on. The fourth goal, the first for Duran, coming from a throw-in was a comedy of errors hard to find in the third or fourth-tier games. Dyche will have a sea of thinking to do over the week.
Watkins, the most popular Fantasy player from Villa, completed the match with an assist winning the penalty after getting knocked down by Pickford. The penalty was converted by Douglas Luiz, heralding a change in the penalty taker in the Villa squad.
Watkins was formerly in charge, but he has a less-than-impressive record with a 60% conversion rate.
Diaby owners given the impressive on the opening week would have been desperately hoping for some points with Mbeumo and Mitoma scoring big. He got subbed off in the 63rd minute without any returns compounding the misery for his owners in the Fantasy Premier League.
Hindsight is a cruel thing in life, but in hindsight, FPL managers with Pickford in their squads will be wondering about what mad dog had bit them at the time.
The England keeper finished the game with a total of zero points. His zero points were shared by central defender James Tarkowski. Leon Bailey, a midfielder of much interest last campaign completed the game with three bonus points in FPL with two points each for Digne, Duran, Martinez, and McGinn.
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