How do you solve a problem like Sergio Aguero?
I’m going to start this week by pondering the future of Aguero in my team, and hope to see your opinions in the comments at the bottom. Another scoreless week for Aguero as captain, and to add insult to injury he picked up a silly booking, making his score for the last 2 matches a net of -1. Aguero has now failed to score in his last 3 in the League, not exactly the returns we’re used to, or likely to expect at 13m. The more worrying thing for me though, isn’t necessarily the lack of points – all players go through rough spells, but the manner of the last 3 performances, or 4 if you include the CL tie against Barcelona. It seems fairly clear that Guardiola doesn’t hold him in as high regard as previous City managers. Guardiola isn’t a manager that takes prisoners, players like Thierry Henry will attest to that – you work for the Guardiola system, the system doesn’t work for you. And whilst Aguero is unquestionably the best number 9 in the league, that won’t necessarily guarantee him the role that he wants in the team. Aguero also looked worryingly off the pace against Southampton, something that simply won’t fly under Pep.
For what it’s worth I still think Aguero will be one of the first names on the team sheet at City in most games, but it wouldn’t exactly be surprising to see him benched in favour of a false 9 or for Iheanacho at times. There is also the issue of captaincy, in the past he’d be almost a cert for most people, but I think with doubt creeping in many may look elsewhere.For example this week, Alexis Sanchez is surely a more appealing option away at Sunderland, than Aguero at West Brom?
Depending on how this weekend goes surely everybody will be on Aguero next Saturday at home to Middlesbrough – I won’t be selling……for now.
Gameweek Review
Gameweek points: 47
Season points: 673
Overall rank: down to 253
It was another disappointing gameweek on the captaincy front, Alexis Sanchez had his chances on Saturday against Boro but ultimately returned nothing, and as above, fortunes didn’t improve with Aguero on Sunday. I’m now 0/5 captains since I started writing this blog…
I opted against selling Petr Cech and that proved fruitful with him getting a clean sheet. In order to fund Capoue –> Walcott I brought in Daniels for Fuchs, so a clean sheet for Daniels was very welcome. Jose Holebas made it 3/4 clean sheets for my defence, so Saturday wasn’t a total disasater.
As of Sunday morning I was very happy with my front 7, they look primed for points going forward. My head was turned somewhat by Hazard on Sunday though, he’s clearly enjoying being allowed some freedom in Conte’s 5-3-2 and given he’s such a MoM magnet I’m now pondering bringing him back in. City’s lack of goals is now a serious concern, in an ideal world I would bring Hazard in for Sterling but unfortunately I’m just short on funds for that move. I’ll leave it for this week I think, despite my magnificent 7 only delivering 1 measly assist between them. I think it could get messy if I keep chopping & changing the midfield, so many players are performing at the moment, we can’t have them all – and I don’t want to dip below 25 transfers before Xmas unless I absolutely have to.
Captain Plan
Alexis Sanchez will again be my Saturday captain, there are a few other strong options on Saturday, but I think Sanchez away at a dire Sunderland side is primed for points, Sunderland will be under pressure from their fans to perform so I don’t think they’ll be sat back looking for a 0-0. They’ve also had 24 hours less rest than Arsenal – who had the chance to rest 7/8 key players in midweek so I can only see this game going one way…
Sunday is a bit less clear. My two options at the moment are Gueye at home to West Ham and Dusan Tadic at home to Chelsea. Both are solid options who have flirted with big scores. Gueye is probably the safer option, I’d expect him to pick up at least passing bonus & probably tackling. Tadic would need to get a goal to better that, if he does I’m sure the MoM award won’t be far away, Southampton are in very good form. One for me to make a judgment call on Sunday morning, however if Sanchez fails to deliver again on Saturday I’m sure my finger will be itching over a switch to either Lukaku or Hazard (c) – I’d rather I wasn’t left in this position! I’ll be ignoring Monday nights game, whilst I aim to have a captain every match day there will be rare exceptions – this being one of them.
What moves have you got lined up? Is Hazard now a must-have as we was at the start of the season?
kun’s form is correlated with city’s recent slip and international hangover. I’m sure when they thrash a mid table opponent 6-0 in the coming weeks his fantasy halo will be restored.
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69 for the week and 649 for the season for a spot in the top 600, so quite happy at the minute.
Heaton
Cook S
Friend
Holebas
Sterling
Walcott
Firmino
Mane
de Bruyne
Lukaku
Sanchez
0.1 ITB
30 Transfers
Injuries permitting, no changes for the next fortnight.
Captains for the next 5 matchdays:
29th Sanchez
30th Lukaku
31st None
5th KDB
6th Mane/Firmino
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Flying!
Loving the Liv double up in midfield. When did you make the no Aguero move? Very bold but certainly paid off last few weeks! Hopefully KdB back fit this weekend, he makes City tick
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I haven’t brought him back since his ban.
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Nice team Ian, and sound captain plan. Do you have an up to date version of your spread sheet with the transfer and captain strategy?
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Will post it next time I’m on my laptop.
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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MJXZEzHWkxZm6sXRNQPle_dmvUrmyOHES-eZ7cfkNb0/edit#gid=439110238
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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nACqj2w6h45nJQ2XrcfR38QtBcNdxPADcST77fgoZNM/edit#gid=2035824645
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See amended link below. 🙂
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Great post again Lewis. Been a tough few weeks for captaincy, I haven’t nailed one in an age.
Just a quick note to say that if anyone wants to join the facebook group but can’t let me know. Been having trouble with people that have no interest in the Sky game trying to join the group, so I have had to change the group settings from “closed” to “secret”. Not sure if the link still works, but if it doesn’t and you want to join, let me know on here.
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Who we captaining tomorrow?
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Cruel if Walcott doesn’t play, it would’ve been a fantastic fixture for him. I still can’t work out my best eleven. I’m getting close though. I might keep stones, he is so highly owned it doesn’t really matter if he does well or not I think
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I think he’a pretty much only owned by the players that don’t change their teams! Anyone who follows the game would of got rid ages ago
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I’ve now amended the conditional formatting:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1F25XcDjSq5nVd6lOOojHbdYrTsrTTOI2Lq6OW-uuctA/edit#gid=1839756011
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Thanks Ian, much appreciated
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Great start for Sanchez captainers 🙂
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Motm too
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Great stuff 😍
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I don’t know why sky didn’t give aguero an assist, I don’t know how to complain either
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Unbelievable. One thing after another with the game this season
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Only reason I can imagine is the deflection it took. Glad in a sense as I captained Sanchez.
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Yes, it took a big deflection which cancels out the assist unfortunately!
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Lukaku and Pieters in felt like a must. 26 transfers left. Should I worry about that number?
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Probably not. I would expect the majority of us have started to dip below 30 now.
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Looking like Sergio is now a must have then…
Lukaku/Sterling to Aguero/Gueye?
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It looks like it! How quickly things change.
I would keep ahold of Lukaku. Looking at your team I’d move out KdB to fund it
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Just looking at Everton’s fixtures after today (when I’ll have him anyway)
Chelsea (A)
Swansea (H)
So’ton (A)
Man Utd (H)
Watford (A)
Arsenal (H)
Liverpool (H)
Leicester (A)
makes me think Lukaku is the man to make way at the minute.
He can always come back…
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Didn’t know how hard his fixtures were. Costa incoming
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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uGlLGH5qkqDnLtHGTX8xw0ZWv1IZkdk30y5X4ktSsO4/edit#gid=884848345
The Coutinho move may be one transfer too far though!
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Yes I think 3 Liv mids is a bit overboard!
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Stick with 3 City then?
Sterling and KDB already plus Aguero to come in …
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KdB out for Aguero?
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