17. Man vs Machine Learning: Manual Error Sabotages Machine

For the first time since GW 7, Man has taken a narrow lead over the Machine. But it wasn't without controversy after a major manual error has thrown the Machine's team into a fix. 

I hold my hand up and take full responsibility for inadvertently sabotaging the Machine's team. When I looked at the four-week predictions for last week, Reece James was the clear pick for replacing the injured Lucas Digne. However, at the time of making the transfer, I happened to look at the one-week predictions (which I use to pick the captain) and that showed Kyle Walker at the top of the list.

Not only did Reece James get an assist, 5 points and rise in value, but he's also at the top of the defender predictions for the next four weeks. Kyle Walker on the other hand, didn't turn up vs Fulham and played midweek in the Champions League. So it's basically a waste of another transfer to end up with the same team. But it's not even that straightforward. To add injury to this insult, Hakim Ziyech's injury means that the Machine's team is down even more players. 

Needless to say, I will verify multiple times before I make a change to the Machine's team from now on. 

(In what is only a fitting punishment, Google Chrome crashed after I typed out this entire post and I have had to do this all over again. I guess this is the Machine's way of taking revenge)

 The Machine's Team

• Gameweek 11
• Vardy captain with a late return bailed the team out again
• The team was down to 9 men after a blank gameweek and the Walker absence
• No Man City coverage really hurt the team this week
• Bamford and Kane continue to deliver - the strikers really came good this week
• Red arrow from 402k to 652k

• Gameweek 12
• Walker to Reece James is the recommended transfer
• However, with Ziyech's injury, Zaha coming in for him would be the transfer that will be made. I'll wait to see if there is any late team news 
• No Salah or KdB in the team
• Bruno is captain vs Man City
• This week's team selection really feels maverick with the choice of transfer as well as the captain!
• This could be another bad gameweek, especially if Walker and Kilman don't show up again

Expected number of returns for the next 4 Gameweeks per position according to the Machine

My Team

• Gameweek 11
• Ended up doing Watkins to Adams for a hit, but it didn't pay off
• However, it was a good week with both Salah and KdB returning big scores
• Bamford, Bruno, Robbo, Kwp and DCL made sure it was a very solid week, despite being down to 10
• Green arrow from 590k to 507k

• Gameweek 12
• I will be saving transfer this week, I don't see too much that can be accomplished with a single transfer
• DCL could go out but I don't see anyone worth getting rid of him for
• Salah has the captaincy despite playing 90 mins in the CL

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