25 gameweeks have passed, chips have been played, captains have failed, many have left, but you, elite FPL player, remain to see out the rest of the season. You deserve all the help you can get from fellow FPL elites to propel you as high up the leaderboard as possible come end of season.
However, many of you, like me, are playing just for pure visceral enjoyment at this point, as all your leagues are unwinnable and your ranking makes you burst out laughing. If yes, I can help you squeeze every last drop out of these gameweeks, when the elite stress out over decisions while you sign Lazar Markovic and captain Matty Phillips just because you 'had a feeling'.
Dubious Goal Lotta Fun
West Brom's last-gasp equaliser summed up the fine margins in FPL. Many refuse to accept it but the game is based 6 tenths on luck. The popular and very funny new media sensation Sports Joe getting FPL out there to a mainstream audience this weekend amid the outrageous Gareth McAuley ghost goal below was encouraging, but also expected because the target audience is there: over 4 million players have signed up to play this season, more than any season before it. FPL is bigger than it has ever been and a blog like FPL Hints should celebrate this fact.
Truth be told, FPL is a game for every man and boy, knowledgable or not. Apart from the dubious and angering decision to award populist favourite Gareth McAuley Jonny Evans' goal, the Premier League is a great league to watch. This gameweek in particular was a good one because every game was fiercely competitive. In FPL terms, nobody other than Sanchez ran away with the points, points were aplenty and not just from the usual suspects owned by the elite minority. It was a level playing field for one and all. This is why I would like to take this review as an opportunity to advertise FPL to the every player. With blank gameweeks and double gameweeks on the horizon I want to urge every active manager to keep going no matter what along with some observations of the new-look talent to grace this wonderful league which you may or, more likely, may not want to take on board.
Lazar Focus and The Gift of Gabbiadini
Lazar Markovic could turn out to be the signing of the January transfer window if Marco Silva turns round Hull's fortunes. The signs are good. Hull have only conceded once in outings to Old Trafford and The Emirates and Silva's ambitions are clear; tighten up the backline and hurt teams on the counter attack. Who knows what he has done since leaving Brenden Rodgers' Liverpool and where it all went wrong for him to end up at the KC Stadium at Hull, but Markovic is a creative force. As Danny Murphy rightly pointed out on MOTD, Kieran Gibbs' professional foul on him was a red-card offence and on another day Hull would've got something out of the game. Markovic was part of everything good The Tigers did against Arsenal and will head the Silva revival. Every cloud and all...
Manolo Gabbiadini was the star of Saturday however, stealing the show at the Stadium of Light with a cool first half brace. His Premier League record now stands at 3 goals in 2 games. A definite one to watch, but Shane Long and Charlie Austin, when he returns from a shoulder injury picked up in December, will prove stern competition. Don't sign him yet either, with Saints having no game in gameweek 26 due to competing in the Capital One Cup final in two weeks time.
Oh, and Barton is back in town. Joey marked his return with an assist for other new signing Robbie Brady at Stamford Bridge. So hang in there, captain. Keep a watchful eye on the new signings and your position could sky rocket.
Written by Kyle Norbury
Stoke fan, football fan, fantasy football nerd
Follow on Twitter: @SCFCnerd