LOVS Fantasy Football: GW11

This weeks team contained three Liverpool players, one from Stoke City and two from Bournemouth adding a rather red tinge. Conspicuous in their absence for once was a representative from Manchester, and how sad that makes me.

Leading the way were Steve Cook and Mohamed Salah on 15 points a piece. The Liverpool contingent was completed by Sadio Mane and Joel Matip. Mane’s two assists on his return to the team shows some great potential going into Liverpool’s favourable run of fixtures. Personally I would not be without one of him or Salah at this point. Liverpool defenders doing well isn’t rare, but I always get the nagging feeling they will not keep a clean sheet.

Cook was joined by team mate Asmir Begovic. He picked up 9 points but I would not expect him to gain a similar score going forward given how leaky Bournemouth tend to be.

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The other side of Liverpool also had representatives with Leighton Baines and Oumar Niasse in the team. Niasse came to Everton’s rescue again. He is probably a cheaper option and never plays a whole game, but he has been saving the team with regularity. Baines is of course the Everton penalty taker and I believe that is where his goal came from and he also chipped in with an assist showing his enduring value.

Cesar Azpilicueta once again turned provider for Alvaro Morata. Their match up has helped Azpilicueta to the top of the defender rankings.

Son Heung-min, Tottenham Hotspur’s saviour, Xherdan Shaqiri of Stoke and Huddersfield Town’s Scott Malone completed the team. Shaqiri is always capable of something and Huddersfield’s defence shows its continuing value. Son took full advantage of Dele Alli’s absence, but he won’t be a constant starter

The best team set up by a player had some interesting personal.

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Glenn Murray seems to have become the best cheap striker option despite his low ownership. The Brighton and Hove Albion player has been returning on a consistent basis of late. Sergio Aguero does appear to have become Manchester City’s first choice striker, though it is hard to say how long this will last for. Who ever is number one is a guarantee of goals at present.

Burnley’s Ben Mee and Nick Pope picked up 8 points a piece as Burnley’s defensive prowess continues to be evident. In the defence there was also Jan Vertonghen of Spurs who is now their highest scoring defender.

Moving onto the LOVS league Mad-Eye Mounie was the top team.

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Key to this was captain Salah pulling in 30 points. Charlie Daniels of Bournemouth and Richarlison were the main differentials from the other teams above. Richarlison looks like comfortably the best way into Watford’s continued good form.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton was another one. He is another cheap Everton striker who, thanks to their lack of other options, is always likely to get game time.

The other end of the LOVS spectrum saw Sporting Abeerbelly pick up 25 points.

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As with many teams this week no doubt he was let down by the returning Harry Kane, by a Romelu Lukaku continuing to struggle for form and a Manchester City midfield which was oddly quiet. I always try to steer clear of multiple midfielders from the same team for the occasions when the team does not fire as well as expected. Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane were both fairly quiet, along with Christian Eriksen of Spurs.

On another week those are all players who will make an impact on proceedings and bring in big points. Sterling and Sane are often not both in the starting 11 making them risks. Lukaku is going through a rough patch, which he did last season as well. I would expect him to pull through this, it is just a matter of when.