Football
3 months ago
Week 4 in the English Premier League was a mad one, but then again, they have all been mad so far this season! While we are taking a little break from the EPL action, I have given a quick synopsis of each match of the past gameweek. in this article. The main takeaways, key players and the odd stat or two. I hope it helps to get ready for GW5 after the International break is over!
Chilwell (£5.6m, £5.5m – FPL & FanTeam respectively and hereinafter)
Werner blanked for the 3rd time in a row, and his main contribution so far has been penalties, which have allowed Jorginho to become a great cheap enabler. This time it was Abraham and Havertz who were felled, teeing up Jorginho for 2 goals and 2 bonus points. Notably, the Italian still has penalties after missing one against Liverpool – even though the German did his best to get to take one of the spot kicks.
But it was Chilwell who got the first goal following some poor defending by Palace as they failed to clear the ball. He also set up Zouma with a cross which he powerfully headed in. Giving Chilwell a goal, assist, clean sheet and 18 points on his debut. A poor Palace managed 0 shots on goal, making this clean sheet a formality.
For once, Werner’s stats don’t give pause to keep him, only managing one shot in this match. Abraham had the most in the match with 4, all in the box. 1 of which was a big chance.
Rodriguez (£7.8m, £7.1m)
Butterfingers Pickford again lamely dropped a Trossard shot allowing Maupay to score his 4th of the season and ruin any hopes of a clean sheet. He nearly gifted the Frenchman a 2nd, flopping at a March cross. But he could do nothing about Bissouma’s consolation stunner in injury time, the pick of the £4.5m midfield category.
Calvert-Lewin got his 6th Premier League goal and his 9th of the season from yet another header. He is in flying form, earning him a first international call-up. But it was Rodriguez’s 2 goals and assist that stole the show. That’s 2 double-digit hauls and 2 blanks for the Colombian. He has settled extremely well but may start from the bench against Liverpool due to international extraneous travel. Meanwhile, Richarlison is now in the physio room having been subbed off after 24mins.
DCL only had an xGI of 0.26 from his 3 shots but still managed to score, showing his prowess in the air. Rodriguez had 4 shots, 3 in the box and 2 of them being big chances. Also creating 2 chances, 1 being a big chance.
Rodrigo (£5.8m, £6.4m)
De Bruyne captainers will be aggrieved to hear that their choice hit the post early on from a smart free-kick and perhaps should have been given the opportunity for a spot kick for a poor tackle on Sterling late in the game. With Fernandinho benched, De Bruyne was forced to sit back a lot more alongside Rodri. Instead, it was the Englishman Sterling who got the goal cutting in from the left-hand side from new signing Torres’ assist. But it was Mahrez who led the line from the front this time with Aguero and Jesus out injured.
Leeds again looked highly impressive and more than deserved the draw. Spanish international and new signing Rodrigo got the goal while Bamford blanked. How the pair share minutes, goals or how often they play together will be interesting given this team is full of goals and cheap options. Rodrigo’s goal was thanks to Ederson hitting the ball off Mendy allowing the striker to pounce. He hit the crossbar soon after this too.
Bamford’s blank wasn’t from lack of trying, having 4 shots, all in the box. Rodrigo managed 3, all in the box in his 34mins cameo. Both strikers had 1 big chance. De Bruyne managed 5 shots, 3 in the box and created 5 chances. Leeds had 5 big chances to City’s 0 and 7 shots on target to City’s 1.
Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.3m, £6.3m)
Newcastle had a comfortable 3-1 win over Burnley who are struggling so far this season losing all 3 of their opening games. Allan Saint-Maximin excelled in the number 10 role and opened the scoring for the hosts with a low drive into the bottom right corner. Burnley did levels things when Westwood’s sublime volley hit the Same bottom corner on 61mins. Newcastle rallied and just 4mins later ASM burst down the line and teed up Wilson for a simple tap-in for his first of the night.
The game was then wrapped up as Pope fouled Fraser in the box after miscontrolling a Tarkowski backpass. Wilson calmly put way the penalty to send Newcastle 6th.
ASM created the most chances on the night (3) and 1 big chance. The only other big chance in the game was courtesy of Shelvey. ASM just had the 1 shot on goal though while Wilson had 3, all in the box and all being big chances.
Bowen, Antonio, Fornals and Cresswell and deserve a mention
West Ham pulled two shocks in a row, this time tearing up Leicester. It began with Antonio getting a goal, heading in a Cresswell free-kick. Cresswell then earned his 2nd assist when a long pass up the pitch was superbly brought down by Fornals before slotting it into the net. These 2 assists and a clean sheet helped Cresswell to all 3 bonus points and a 15 points haul. Bowen got the 3rd, making it 3 goals in 2 games for him, having latched on to a Fornals through pass.
Vardy and Barnes owners will be ruing the marginal offside ruling out a Barnes goal and a Vardy assist. Vardy also missed a gilt-edged chance in the 89th minute, pushing his shot outside the post when he was clean through on goal. It is worth keeping tabs on £4.0m Leicester defender Daniel Amartey who has started 2 games in a row. But this depends on formation (3 at the back) and him returning from injury
Vardy looks poor without penalties. He only had 1 shot in the match. Contrastingly, Antonio and Bowen managed 3 each, all of Antonio’s being in the box and 2 of Bowen’s. The pair also had a big chance each.
Read more:
FPL Bonus Points Explained
Romeu (£4.5m, £5.0m)
As expected, Southampton had a comfortable win over West Brom, but unlike expectations, no attacking returns came via Ings or Adams. Instead, Djenepo finished well for the opener before Romeu sealed the win in the 2nd half with a sublime strike from an Armstrong cross.
Johnstone made 6 saves in the match, denying both Ings and Adams in 1 occasion each. He was at full stretch to keep out Ings’ header. McCarthy was never overly stretched but still had to make 3 comfortable saves which helped him get 2 bonus points as well.
West Brom’s 5 shots added up to an xG of 0.19 showing how little they offered on the day. However, no Southampton player stole the show and slew the Baggies with the most shots (2) being hit by 5 players; Ings, Adams, Armstrong, Romeu and Walker-Peters. Each also having 1 of these shots inside the box.
Bellerin (£5.0m, £4.5m)
Two quick goals in the 2nd half, both created by Bellerin, set Arsenal on the way to victory on Sunday. Arsenal didn’t really get going for the first 60mins until Saka headed in Bellerin's cross. His 2nd assist just came 3mins later when Pepe coming off the bench received a through pass and finished into the bottom corner.
But Arsenal don’t like doing things the easy way and looked vulnerable at the end of the match. Irish international McGoldrick’s curling shot gave the visitors hope with 5mins to go. Arsenal were on the ropes thereafter, but time was on their side as they held out for the win.
Bellerin only created 2 chances on the day, both ending up as assists. However, one of these was a big chance. Aubameyang isn’t living up to his price tag, managing only 2 shots, 1 in the box. Sheffield Utd only managed 1 shot in the box from their 6 shots in the match.
Saiss? I guess (£5.1m, £5.0m)
A dull affair to say the least. Many were expecting big things from Jimenez and he only fashioned one good chance in this match when a Kilman clearance put him through on goal him only managing to hit it straight at the keeper. Unexcitedly, Wolves' goal came from a Dedoncker blocked shot falling at Neto’s feet which he slotted nicely into the corner of the net.
Fulham had one good chance in the game, but Kamara struck his effort straight at Rui Patricio. It’s going to be a long season for Fulham!
Mitrovic had an xGI of 0.35 from his 3 shots, all in the box. Looking at forwards priced under £6m he has the 2nd highest xGI with 2.11, while Adams is first with 2.24. While Bamford is 4th with 1.39 yet he has managed 3 goals and 1 assist.
Kane (£10.6m, £11.1m)
All was well for Manchester Utd fans for 2 minutes as Martial was clumsily bundled over by Sanchez in the box, allowing Bruno to score yet another penalty. But things weren’t rosy for long. I will try to be blunt and quick for you Man U fans out there:
Son has 45 points, 6 goals and 1 assist from 4 games. Kane has 44 points, 3 goals and 6 assists. They look phenomenal. Getting 1 of them is a must, 2 is desired.
Kane had 7 shots, 4 in the box and 2 big chances. While Son 2 shots, both in the box and 3 big chances (as he unselfishly laid up Kane for one). The best Man U could muster was 3 shots from Greenwood which were all outside the box. Even Aurier matched this, with all 3 of his being inside the box.
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Grealish (£7.0m, £6.5m)
Takeaways
With Mane missing out due to contacting COVID-19 and Alisson through injury, a few may have foreseen a tough away trip against a much improved and solid Villa. But no one in their right mind would have predicted a 7-2 annihilation! Watkins got a hat-trick, but it was Grealish who shone brightest with 2 goals and 3 assists. McGinn and Barkley on his debut got the others.
Alison is out injured meaning like last year Adrian is deputising. He is a bag of mistakes and he didn’t wait long as his first mistake led to Villa’s opener. Robertson still got forward well but the same cannot be said for Alexander-Arnold. The double Pool defence is likely dead until Alison returns. The only Liverpool asset who satisfied their FPL managers was Salah, who had a brace on the night.
Barkley was Villa’s most advanced player on the night and had the most shots in the game with 6, with 4 being in the box and 1 being a big chance. Watkins had 5, all in the box. Jota had the most for Liverpool with 4, while Salah had just the 2 – but converted both.
That’s the GW4 review. Yet another weird one to say the least. At least it is the international break to help us breath, cry out the pain and for me inevitably see Ireland play out three 0-0 draws. It will make for a ‘nice’ change to these 9 goal thrillers…
Sports fan and FPL addict from Ireland (still has not forgiven Thierry Henry). Loves numbers in both studies & profession and has incorporated this into FPL in recent seasons. Has played FPL for 8 seasons, finishing in the top 40k 5 times, with the best finish of 8k. Find on Twitter @FplPup if you have any questions