26. Man vs Machine Learning Gameweek 21 - Bench Headaches

In a gameweek that saw budget midfielders like Gundogan, Saka, Raphinha and Soucek post double figure hauls, the machine gained 13 points over me to finish the gameweek on 1273 vs 1158 points

In terms of overall rank, the machine's team is now in the top 700k. If the machine can end up in the top 500k in the next few weeks, it can hopefully set itself up for a strong finish in the end of the season. Meanwhile, my team finally got a red arrow after 10 consecutive green arrows and benched a lot of points to finish on a rank of 30k, getting knocked out of the cup in the process.

 

The Machine's Team

• Gameweek 20
• Triple Man City defence returned immediately with a clean sheet, Cancelo getting his much awaited haul. Chilwell ensured it was a full house of clean sheets in defence
• Mid priced options like Bowen, Grealish and Wood got returns 
• Premium options Salah, captain Bruno and Kane blanked, along with Bamford to finish on a score of 63 points, without the 4 point hit
• Green arrow from 856k to 683k

• Gameweek 21
• Kane got injured and subbed off at half time vs Liverpool. He makes way for Ollie Watkins
• This leaves a fair bit of money in the bank that could be used to upgrade either Steer or Stephens if the team is to prepare for the DGW later
• Bruno is the chosen captain, even though Arsenal have looked good defensively of late. Cancelo is the vice captain of the team

Expected number of returns for GW 21-24 per position according to the Machine

My Team

• Gameweek 20
• The decision to go with Son over Gundogan backfired, with Gundogan getting a brace and Son blanking
• The decision to play Coufal over Soucek cost 14 points, with Soucek also getting a brace
• Chris Wood, 3rd on the bench scored the winner against Villa to further cause damage to the rank
• Grealish, Cancelo and Stones ended up as the only players to get returns of any kind
• Red arrow from 25k to 30k

• Gameweek 21
• The transfers that I was considering were Wood to DCL and Soucek to Gundogan. In the end, I've gone with the former
• I'm hoping that good fixtures and the return of Rodriguez and Digne against weak defences can get Everton and Calvert-Lewin firing again
• The obvious downside to this decision is Gundogan's potential upside
• Captaincy is on a strangely out of form Salah, with Son the vice captain

Follow me on Twitter if you want to keep track of these teams and see the final teams before deadline

25. Man vs Machine Learning Gameweek 20 - Ten Consecutive Green Arrows

At the halfway point of the season, there is still a sizable difference between the two teams. However, there are some positive signs that the Machine's team can get a decent finish still and maybe even mount a comeback in the second half of the season. My team has 1227 points and the Machine's team is just below the 1.1k mark on 1099. 

In terms of overall rank, the machine's team has entered the top million again. Let's hope it can stay there on consolidate its position in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, my team has got its tenth consecutive green arrow and obtained its 7th top million gameweek rank in the those weeks. However, I have used 2 of the major chips and the next couple of weeks could see a regression in the rank due to excessive funds on the bench. 

Both teams have injury concerns to address in GW 20 as we head into a busy two weeks that sees four gameweeks being played.

Man's Gameweek History - 10 Green Arrows in a Row

 

The Machine's Team

• Gameweek 19
• The triple captain chip has been used and Bruno Fernandes returned with a non-inspiring but decent 24 points over the two gameweeks with the chip
• City defence did well but the team didn't own either of the big performers in Dias and Stones despite having double defence
• The frontline blanked completely, but Chilwell, Robbo, Bowen and Grealish got decent returns to take the score above 90
• Green arrow from 934k to 856k

• Gameweek 20
• GW 20 sees a return to regular gameweeks for some time at least, unless more rescheduled fixtures are announced
• Vardy's injury means a forced transfer needs to be made
• The transfer that has been suggested is Vardy and Robertson to Kane and Dias for -4
• The move hasn't been made yet as the FA Cup games aren't complete
• This would mean that the team will go into GW 20 with triple City defence
• Bruno is the chosen captain again, with a favourable fixture at home to Sheffield United. Kane would be the vice-captain once the move is made.

Expected number of returns for GW 20-23 per position according to the Machine

My Team

• Gameweek 19
• The -8 paid off handsomely with John Stones scoring a brace in the first fixture
• All the premium options got at least one return - except Salah
• The cheaper options - especially the Leeds ones - disappointed but Coufal and Martinez returned to take the total above a 100
• The bench boost was not great but happy to get it out of the way and focus on the starting 11 from now
• Green arrow from 33k to 25k

• Gameweek 20
• KdB's injury means that saving transfer isn't an option
• The bench looks quite deep in case of any surprise injuries or postponements
• I'll be playing 5 at the back, probably for the first time this season, with favourable fixtures for Villa, Leeds and West Ham
• The transfers I'm looking at are either Kdb to Gundogan or Son
• Gundogan has favourable fixtures, but with a quick turnaround between games there is always the issue of rotation
• Son is a safer pick, despite the Liverpool game, given his high ownership
• Bruno has the armband for now

Follow me on Twitter if you want to keep track of these teams and see the final teams before deadline

24. Man vs Machine Learning - DGW 19 Bench Boost vs Triple Captain

As we reach the halfway mark of the season, both teams played their free hit in GW 18. The teams were quite similar, with captain KdB proving the difference between the two teams. Both teams also had a bit of luck with Mitchell coming on for Tierney. After 18 gameweeks, the gap in points is 114.

 

The Machine's Team

• Gameweek 18
• The free hit was played last week as the original team was almost completely blanking
• Mitchell, Cancelo and Maguire all got clean sheets - although at least one of them could have easily had an attacking return or two
• Rashford, KdB and Kane were the other performers with small, but useful returns
• Captain Bruno blanked along with Zaha, Saka, Darlow and Wilson to finish on 54 points
• Green arrow from 1.2 million to 934k

• Gameweek 19
• GW 19 is the double gameweek and the team already had 9 players with two fixtures
• It would have been 11 if the Leeds-Southampton game was not postponed
• The transfer that has been made is Mccarthy to Ederson
• Bamford is the only players to not have a double
• KdB is the big miss in this team, but the team has double City defence
• Bruno is the chosen captain and the triple captain chip has been activated, hoping to capitalise on the two fixtures

Expected number of returns for GW 19-22 per position according to the Machine for DGW players

My Team

• Gameweek 18
• Cancelo, Stones and Mitchell all got clean sheets
• Rashford, captain KdB and Kane got solid returns with Bruno the disappointing blanker
• Saka, Wilson, Son and Lloris blanked too to finish on 58 points
• Green arrow from 54k to 33k

• Gameweek 19
• Three transfers have been made for an 8 point hit
• The bench boost has been activated
• The Southampton - Leeds postponement was a blow but it still is a good time to use the chip, with doubles for 11 players and good fixtures for 2 others + Adams leading the line vs Leicester in the absence of Ings
• Bamford, Dallas and Adams (who could become Ings with the money gained from downgrading Wood and Coufal) will be in the starting 11 anyway for a few weeks more so that double can be taken advantage of when it does come
• KdB is the captain

Follow me on Twitter if you want to keep track of these teams and see the final teams before deadline

23. Man vs Machine Learning - Free hit vs Free hit

It was a gameweek to forget for the Machine and a fortunate one for me to take the total scores to 1063 vs 953 after 17 gameweeks. Covid struck both teams again, but fortunes could not have been more different. This week also saw the Machine exit the FPL cup in the very first round while my team progressed to the 2nd round.

 

The Machine's Team

• Gameweek 17
• Reece James to Cancelo was the transfer that was made - but Cancelo's late clean sheet wipe out was a disappointment
• The others in defence were worse, getting just 1 point each. Mccarthy did not show up due to Covid and Forster wasn't on the bench
• Captain Vardy got an assist so it wasn't all doom and gloom for the team
• Grealish and Bruno scored against each other to at least get close to 40 points
• Red arrow from 785k to 1.2 million

• Gameweek 18
• Since this week is the blank week, the free hit chip is active
• Predictions are being made for a forecast of just one week
• Darlow is the goalkeeper picked, with there being enough budget to get Ramsdale on the bench - in case Dubravka starts by some chance
• Bruno, Rashford and Maguire have been picked from the Burnley-Man Utd game, with Bruno also getting the armband
• Kdb and Cancelo are the players from the blue side of Manchester
• Tierney, Saka, Kane, Wilson and Zaha complete the team
• Kilman, Mitchell and Brewster make up the bench

Expected number of returns for GW 18 per position according to the Machine

My Team

• Gameweek 17
• Last gameweek, I moved the injured Taylor our and got Coufal - and then promptly benched him for Mitchell, in case Mitchell played
• In the early kickoff, Soucek and Coufal both returned and were stuck on by bench
• However, Burnley's game against Fulham was postponed so Wood couldn't play and Adams was out with a concussion for the very last game of the week so 17 points could come off the bench even though Mitchell played
• Captain Son, Bruno and Grealish ensured that the score this week would be a solid one
• Green arrow from 84k to 54k

• Gameweek 18
• I've activated the free hit too
• The team looks kind of similar to the Machine's one with some differences
• I've gone with double City defence and Son in midfield
• Tierney could go out for a Spurs defender, given that they're playing Fulham
• Dias could go out for Stones and the money can help me improve my bench

Follow me on Twitter if you want to keep track of these teams and see the final teams before deadline