Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 34
Welcome to Football Captain Picks Gameweek 34. I don’t know about you, but for me, FPL frequently gets in the way of life. I spend an inordinate amount of time on my own and other people’s teams, I question my own decisions and doubt my own reasoning time after time. My moods are often dictated by those decisions, good or bad, and if I’m honest it’s perhaps not the healthiest way to conduct one’s day-to-day life. It is what it is.
This weekend however the tables were turned; life got in the way of FPL. An overthought GW33 FH team that resulted in a not disastrous 93pts was marred by the draft I almost went with scoring high triple figures. Such is life. So, I was determined to keep things simple in GW34; Anderson and TAA to Mane and an as yet unidentified defender for a -4.
On Friday I was invited to a celebratory work ‘lunch’ that also entailed drinks, a lot of them, all afternoon. Such events used to be commonplace in the creative industry, these days however they are a rarity, so I embraced it with vigour.
The hours went by at breakneck pace and I suddenly realised the game-week deadline was looming and I’d yet to make my moves. In my slightly inebriated state, I was incapable of choosing a defender to facilitate my Mane move, in the end, it was all too much for my alcohol-addled mind to process. I swiftly made the decision to instead simply switch Anderson to a Leicester mid, choosing Tielemans over Maddison just to be ‘different’. It could have blown up in my face, as it was I ended up 14pts better off – Life 1 FPL 0. Maybe that should be the other way round? Who knows, but I’m sure there’s a lesson in there somewhere.
Saturday morning I woke to the realization that I was finally into the top 100k (small cheer), my joy was tinged with sadness however when I realised I’d forgotten to activate my WC and had missed a few price rises and falls, bugger. I logged into my FPL team and to my surprise, I was greeted by an ‘active’ WC. Not only that, I’d brought in all the relevant ‘risers’ and ditched all the fodder who had dropped in price. I had no recollection of doing this which made it all the more impressive.
I ended Saturday with a decent 49 points but I couldn’t help casting an envious glance at those with (C) on Vardy who was showing as (VC) in my own team, I’m never satisfied. Sunday was all above avoidance with no representation in the Everton v Arsenal fixture, on then to Monday night football and my Captain Eden Hazard.
I’ve often cited my enjoyment of FPL as means to enhance my enjoyment of football (specifically the EPL), rarely has that been the case this season. Sitting down to watch Chelsea v West Ham my hope was for something, anything from my Captain Hazard. I celebrated his magnificent first goal with an enthusiastic fist pump (let’s not get too carried away). As the match drew to a close I was happy with my lot, 22pts for my captain and whilst not on par with Vardy it would do. Then it happened, the ball was played through to Hazard, he’ll miss I thought, he did not. I’m not ashamed to say I celebrated the goal like a Chelsea fan (shudder). For the first time this season, FPL really was enhancing my enjoyment of football, and boy did it feel good. I ended the GW on 83pts, it felt like more. I almost halved my rank moving up to 58k and maybe just maybe I’ll have a decent season after all.
So here I am, on a WC and pitching myself to take over Cookie’s Diary articles next season (Ed: you’ve got the job!), waffling on in a Captain’s article I had no idea I was supposed to be writing* when I should be telling you all who to captain. So here we go.
*This is not strictly true as I was informed on Friday evening, but yeah, I don’t really remember that.
Jamie Vardy – Newcastle (H)
For those of us on a WC, the omission of Jamie Vardy could be a regrettable if not understandable decision. The man who likes to party heads into a Friday night fixture against my lot on the back of a 16 point haul away to Huddersfield that rewarded many who had handed him the armband in GW33. Vardy’s brace (he also grabbed an assist) means its 8 goals in his last 8 games; time to re-think that Wildcard? Whilst Newcastle’s defence is infinitely superior to Huddersfield’s (isn’t everyone’s) it wouldn’t be altogether surprising if it were time for another Vardy party this coming weekend.
Harry Kane (Heung-Min Son)- Huddersfield (H)
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 09: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur leaves the field through injury during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
With 4 home games in
Sergio Aguero / Raheem Sterling / Kevin De Bruyne – Crystal Palace (A)
It wouldn’t be a captain’s article without some Cityzen representation. With the rise of Jesus just in time for Easter (I know, I know) threatening Kun’s pitch time my focus switches to the midfield pairing of Sterling and De Bruyne. Sterling is the obvious pick, he’s had his rest so looks sure to start (famous last words) and as the player with the highest number of double-digit returns (8) he looks the safest bet. Teammate ‘KDB’ is more of an outside bet, however, if you watched his dominant display at home to Cardiff in GW32 then that bet looks all the more assured. Should you have faith that Kun gets the game time though then surely that’s the way to go? Cross your fingers and hope they play though, is my best advice on this one.
A Brighton player anyone? Bournemouth (H), Cardiff (H)
My last pick isn’t so much a player but the somewhat romantic notion that in a double game-week you have to surely captain a player with 2 games. The problem is that this week’s double features Brighton and Cardiff. Brighton have the better fixtures and arguably the better players, but are any of them really worthy of the armband? If Glenn Murray had fewer miles on the clock he’d not be a bad shout, as it is he’s 35 years old and plays like a man 10 years older than that, so the likelihood of him starting both fixtures is questionable. Maybe If Pascal Groß had followed up his debut FPL season with similar form and consistency then he’d be a solid pick, but he hasn’t. Knockaert? Ker-no-thanks. Which leaves us with Shane Duffy. Bournemouth’s recent poor form and Cardiff’s lack of goals on the road (the lowest in the league with just 9) mean that 2 clean sheets are not out of the question. He also of course occasionally pops up with a goal, he’s the top scoring defender in the league (5 goals) and he has 2 assists to boot. It would take a braver manager than me, he’s not the most conventional pick, but hey, you never know right?
That’s your lot folks, I wish you all a great ‘DGW’ blessed with green arrows, a clean bill of health and if you captain a Brighton player I doth my cap to you Sir/Madam.
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 34. This article was written by Rosco.
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For some reason I’m drawing a blank so I’ll call and ye for help here. I’ve played my WC so if I made no FTs over the next two weeks will I have 2 FTs for GW36 or just 1?
Assuming you save next week’s, you’ll have two.
Ah okay that’s good to hear allows me to go all out on my BB.
What do you think of this plan?
Change Jota and Romeo on my WC to Doucoure and JWP. Save my FTs and then after the DGW do JWP to Romeo and Eriksen to Mane.
I think you’ll get more out of Doucoure and JWP so yeah I’m up for that.
That’s what I was thinking but atleast now if Jota scores a hattrick I can blame you and not myself. 😉
For those WC how many pool are you keeping?
When you BB how many DGW players will you gave?
2 and 13
Def 2 maybe 3 pool, prob have minimum of 2 max of 4 SGW players
I may be radical and have just one for now. A defender.
Will ensure I have the funds to get at least Salah in for 36 and may have to take a deep breath during the Cardiff game.
Kane getting injured has opened my mind to the possibilities of Eriksen plus Son. That’s making a Liverpool mid tricky for me at the moment.
If you’re radical then I don’t know what I am because I’m thinking zero at the moment
And may bring one or two in GW36
That’s downright heresy, Frenchie.
Actually I admire such a chilled approach.
Are you still thinking of Lukaku? I’ve still got Pogba in my side.
I’m still having one eye on Man Utd forwards and even Pogba.
It looks like Lukaku and Rashford have played together upfront recently. This may make Rashford a decent option for much cheaper than Lukaku.
I keep an open mind but the deadline is approaching, I should make some decisions at some point!!
I’ve still got Pogba in my side. I have to choose between him and Sterling.
The reason I went for Pogba originally was that I knew he was nailed. As he still seems to be. So saying goodbye isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
Annoyingly I have him and Vardy who both have pretty good fixtures this week. Vardy’s another nailed player.
Have toyed with Man U forwards but am settling now towards Kun/Jiminez/Vardy or Deeney.
That makes perfect sense Kralin.
Pogba being nailed is a big plus.
The same argument goes for Vardy, but at the same time I would want to transfer him out right after this gameweek, which is not the case for some other players.
Vardy will have to go after this GW as a) Deeney has more appealing fixtures and b) I’ll need the dosh to be able to afford Pog/Sterling to Salah.
If I just get Vardy to Deeney done now I can afford a significant upgrade to Dunk in 35 without taking a hit.
It’s a can I’m kicking down the road until tomorrow.
This evening did have a moment of great sadness: I moved Wan-Bissaka out. Not a dry eye in the house. The side just doesn’t look the same without him.
my mid is Son/Eriksen/Salah/Camaraso/Jota at the moment
have 3 now, may become 1 with plans to bring back.
min 11
As everyone can tell I’m a bit clueless on my wildcard. But that bit seems consistent of two Liverpool and 13 double GW players
I was happy enough than Kane injury meant multiple changes
Yeah same I was pretty set with Kane
Looking like 3 at the mo (Salah, TAA, Vardy), but things can change!
Got Mane. Will switch Vardy to Firmino for GW35. Which will give me 2 SGW players in total for the DGW, ie 13 DGW players.
Lpool vs Hud is practically a DGW.
No Camaraso love for this gw?
The only one I’ve half-thought of from poor old Cardiff, though Etheridge crossed my mind very briefly.
I’m finding it hardish to slot in Brighton players so am baulking a little at Cardiff as well.
What about you?
Have Duffy, Ryan and Camaraso atm. If anyone is going to score, would think he is surely involved
He’s a better pick than Knockaert, who had a brief and unhappy stint in my first draft. But I then shifted to Ward-Prowse and Jota as my cheapos.
JWP didnt really play until GW 20. So in 13 games he has 6 goals. Camaraso has played more (27) and has 5 goals and 3 assists. Depending on set up, might get away with playing Camaraso this week and trf to JWP for GW35
JWP is on every dead ball situation for Saints and at 5-1 and their games its gotta be a steal!!
That sounds OK. It’s nice to see something different. And Cardiff have got to win.
He’s been sat in my draft team all week but likewise it’d be dependant on an exit strategy for 35 itself. Depends whether others are more of a priority for those precious ‘Liverpool v Huddersfield’ transfer spots. And whether I take Vardy for a week.
What do you think guys?
0.2 itb
Or do I go for Salah ?
That looks ok.
Just work out how you’ll get Salah back. Obvious way would be to downgrade Mane – the likes of Jota spring to mind – so you can swap out Sterling when the time comes.
Mane to Jota allows Lloris in as goalie, giving you a direct line to the Spurs’ defence for the rest of the season.
Yeh sterling to Salah looks the way kralin
Wow. Ajax was actually better than Juve.
Ajax were great!! Neres what a goal, we’ll hear more about him in the future for sure!
A lot of talent in that team. Sadly they didn’t get a narrow win. Juve pretty much had one chance and scored through Ronaldo. Painful.
True the result doesn’t reflect the match at all, Ajax should have won, very good result for Juve actually that, away goal and all…
Here the team after shipping kun. Have a huge 2.4 Itb. I know the risk of no pool cover but am will to take it. Here the question though. Do I,
1. Leave the team as it is for 34, then do Eriksen to sterling for 35.
2. Do it now.
The play for 36 is Abua to Bobby and sterling to Salah. Option 1 means a -4 .
I would hesitate before picking Auba. In the sense he’s not had 90 minutes since GW25.
And given Arsenal’s terrible defensive record I wouldn’t be too keen on Kola either.
Probably best to plan for Liverpool in 36 so TAA for Kola may see you well.
Auba to Deeney would probably enable Sterling now.
Stephens is useful bench fodder but not much else. I’d be more inclined towards a Southampton cheap mid, or take a punt on Camarasa instead.