GW5 Review: Written by @JackAGoodwin

INSERT INSIGHTFUL AND INTERESTING INTRO PARAGRAPH HERE TO SET THE SCENE FOR THE GW5 REVIEW…naaaaaahhhhhh – let’s just wing it.

Everton 2-2 Liverpool

Whilst Labrinth was singing “Beneath Your Beautiful” and Skyfall was just released in cinemas (remember those?), over at Goodison Park we were also seeing the last time these teams drew 2-2. Seamus Coleman is the only player to still play for these teams from that game, and in this one he was subbed off after 30 mins with a hamstring injury!

This one, was rather fun. Everton coming from behind twice in a match which Liverpool could’ve stole in the last seconds of extra time before VAR decided to rear it’s controversial little head.

Mane opened the game before Keane (not the rolly-polly one) levelled at 20 mins. Salah put the visitors ahead in the 72^nd minute with his 100^th for the club, followed 10 mins later by, of course, a DCL goal (his 7^th, which is mad). Richarlison saw red in the 90^th minute for a stupid tackle on Thiago, which was then followed by a Henderson winner, only to be overruled by VAR with an offside call because one of Mane’s hairs was fractionally ahead of the line – horrendous decision (but one I cheered).

One of the big calls in the game was when Pickford decided to go full Roy Keane on Virgil Van Dijk – taking him out of the match and now ultimately the season with a challenge VAR saw no reason to interject – yet another, horrendous decision (I did not cheer this).

This was to be a theme for the weekend’s action which will see 5 score draws, 6 draws in total in just ten matches. This Premier League is so incredibly unpredictable this season, it’s beautiful.

Chelsea 3-3 Southampton

Speaking of beautiful, the Saints performed a juicy comeback against a Chelsea side which appeared to have completely shut off after half time.

A Werner double (finally) and an obligatory Ings goal ended the first half on a knife edge but with Chelsea very much in control. Adams brought the game level in the 57^th minute only to be followed 2 minutes later by a Havertz banger to ease Chelsea’s worries. The Saints, never stopped marching forward, and in the 92^nd minute Borussia Monchengladbach legend Vestergaard headed in the equaliser to end the game!

All of Southampton’s goals came from defensive errors by Chelsea, which must be quite the headache for Frank with scoring Man United coming to town on Saturday. With games in hand for those around them, Chelsea’s 6^th position in the League is not all what it seems – many will overtake them when games played are level.

Fun fact, Vestergaard has a knack for equalising, with his only other Premier League goal coming last season when he levelled the score 1-1 against Manchester United (Dan James scored in this one during his “wow this kids great” run of about 3 games).

Man City 1-0 Arsenal

Bit boring this wasn’t it? The biggest news coming out of this was the return of Slim Aguero complete with bleach blonde hair. Wasn’t the biggest impact return however, as the real Aguero certainly didn’t stand up. Meanwhile off the pitch Ozil made grown men cry with his little strop about not being registered for this season’s Premier League (hilariously 0.7% ownership still in FPL).

 Arsenal have now failed to win in their last 29 away games against the “top 6”, a stat running back to their 2-0 win over City back in 2015 (Cazorla & Giroud with those goals!). City back to winning ways after their 1-1 to Leeds and 5-2 mauling by Leicester.

Sterling with the only goal, taking home the 3 bonus points – Cancelo bagging 2 with a nice defensive performance only hampered by a stupid yellow, Walker with the 1. Foden grabbed his 1^st assist of the season and is still not convincing FPL managers of his worth, especially with injured players making their returns soon.

The entire build-up was about Master vs Pupil – Pep v Mikel, and truth be told,  tactically it appeared they were both trying to outskill the other. At one point Willian was a centre forward, Sterling was a defensive mid, Bernado a false 9…they were all over the place. Didn’t quite live up to the buzz with just the single goal, Pep barely getting past a Gunners side who if more of their 11 shots were on target may have reaped a better result.

Arsenal have lost each of their last 7 league games against City, their longest such run against an opponent since losing seven in a row v Ipswich between 1974-1977 – tough times for Lego head.

Newcastle 1-4 Man Utd

Quite a humbling score for a match that, prior to the 86 minute was 1-1 with Newcastle on the front foot! But, I will take it!

Bruno missed his first penalty in a United shirt (2^nd then coming against PSG, will this hinder his PK role?) before scoring a belter in the 86^th minute to start what would be a phenomenally attacking next 5 minutes which saw both AWB and Rashford get onto the score sheet.

It was Maguire who opened the scoring for United in a grand performance he really needed after what seemed like the footballing media the world over were calling for his perfectly rectangular head. This came after Luke Shaw decided to score a decent own goal to give Newcastle the unexpected lead after 2 minutes.

Man United, unconvincing for 86 minutes but suddenly have a mental final 5 and go on to smash PSG in their own back yard – what even is football.

Sheffield Utd 1-1 Fulham

Mitrovic had a howler here. Missed a penalty. Fouled Robinson to give the Blades a penalty. Sharp scores said penalty in 85^th minute to draw. Mitrovic, I say again, had an absolute howler.

You also did read that right, Billy Sharp scored for Sheffield. The same Billy Sharp I developed into a Champion’s League winner with Scunthorpe on Football Manager 2006. That guy. Fulham’s goal coming from new winger Lookman with a great solo effort.

FPL…You don’t own many of these guys do you? Mitrovic (11% owned) and Brewster (7%) the only “owned” assets – Mitrovic likely from set and forget teams and Brewster the latest hot topic since his move from Liverpool (mostly because he will play and costs just £4.5m).

This game both teams their first point of the season, weirdly even after 5 games and just ONE point Sheffield United find themselves ABOVE the relegation zone. I reiterate my previous very valid point, what even is football.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

Wilfy Zaha with his 4^th goal of the season, and Roy Hodgson apparently wants him to “cause havoc” to teams – so next up is Fulham, surely one for your teams (in 19% of them so far)! He’s in mine, and I’m 140k in the world dontcha know.

Zaha’s goal was however the only Palace shot on target all game, and it was a penalty. Palace were on the back foot all game long, holding on until the dying minutes when MacAlister grabbed a 90^th minute equaliser and break tiny cockney hearts.

Brighton will be a tad gutted, more possession, passes and shots (inc. on target) – Palace deserved nothing in this, even the goal which was a poorly awarded penalty which VAR must’ve just been too exhausted from messing up the previous games over the weekend to bother looking at.

Spurs 3-3 West Ham

After 80 minutes Spurs fans were chanting lovely songs (via the fake crowd noise) and loving life, nothing could bother them. Then West Ham woke up, rumours suggest David Moyes went to the toilet at 80mins and Jose ran after him and locked him in there – unknowing that West Ham play MUCH better with Moyes not on the touchline.

A Kane brace and Son goal started the match so well for Spurs, 3-0 up after 16 minutes and then pretty much strolled through the rest of the game unphased. Gareth Bale made his re-debut for Spurs and should have made it 4-2 in the dying moments of the game only to miss, the ball get lobbed downfield and Lanzini score an outrageous goal to level the scores and close the game.

Harry Kane now with his 3^rd double digit FPL haul in just 5 games and the loveliest of fixtures ahead of him should see many managers grab him – over ½ million new owners since Sunday already. Son also with an additional ½ million owners with his 3^rd double digit haul also. With Spurs in Europa action tonight (Thursday), the FPL world holds it’s breathe for either a change in starting-11 or injury free encounter against LASK. 

West Ham have City and Liverpool next, so probably best to hold off in FPL for now. They’ve a lovely set of fixtures in January – take a break ‘till then I suggest.

Moyes, back after his 10-minute dump must’ve been baffled with the result.

Leicester 0-1 Aston Villa

For the first time in 90 years, Aston Villa have won their opening 5 games! 90 years, ffs. The last time Villa won the opening 5 games in the “top” league it was 1930 – the 1^st year of the Great Depression, Gandhi was strolling across India, the average house cost £10, The Queen was just 4 years old and Roy Hodgson was likely in University. It’s been a long time is what I am getting at.

Nearly didn’t happen either, it took 91 minutes before Ross Barkley scored the winner out of nowhere! Clean sheet points dropped from all our Leicester assets, who also registered no attacking points – Vardy is looking less likely to be having a party anytime soon (famous last words).

Grealish, rumoured to switch to United over the summer, clearly saw something at Villa worth sticking around for. 2^nd in the League with a game in hand, playing out of his tiny socks each and every game – he’s England’s midfield leader heading into the 2020 but actually 2021 Euro’s. McGinn grabbed his 4^th assist of the season and looks really good, and the defence now have it’s 3^rd clean sheet of the season after just 4 games, who’da thought right.

90 years though, lol.

West Brom 0-0 Burnley

This was on PPV. This. £15 for this. Not even worth my effort. Both teams are naff. There’s your review. Naff. This was the first 0-0 of the season BTW.

Leeds 0-1 Wolves

The GW was capped off with what beforehand we thought would be a goalscoring super show, but what we really got was two teams nervously edging towards goal with no real impact to show for it. A tame encounter from two entertaining teams this season.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Mexican (as they say?) – Jiminez scoring a heavily rebounded shot past Meslier in the 70^th minute was the goal that sealed the points for Wolves. His 3^rd of the season after 2 games without finding the net, Jimmy now hosts Newcastle, Palace and Southampton as home over the next 4 games so you’ll be very inclined to keep hold of him in your FPL outfits.

Fun fact (not for Leeds though)/ This was Leeds’ first home defeat in the Premier League since April 2004, a 2-1 loss to Portsmouth which at the time all but sealed Leeds relegation from the Premier League. Little did we all know the severe impact this would have on the team after that.

FPL GW5 Review

FOLLOW JACK ON TWITTER @JACKAGOODWIN

Written by Jack A. Goodwin -Follow him on Twitter @JackAGoodwin

Jack is an “alternative FPL writer” (Who knew, right?) looking for hidden tales behind the most obscure players, dark humour in the game and the creative storytelling to the most mundane of GameWeeks!He’s played the official game for over 7 years, running leagues throughout the offices of his day job.