The night was brisk. The crisp, autumnal air strangled summer's last remaining breath and with it brought early darkness and falling leaves. Sheltered in the warmth of a cosy holiday apartment located within the wooden haven of Sherwood Forest, I removed a succulent roast chicken accompanied with potatoes and garlic butter from the homely gas oven and inhaled its sensational aroma. Partnered with a large glass of Shiraz, the meal was unsurprisingly delicious, and was subsequently devoured within minutes.
Stunned rigid by a wealth of flavour, I laid across the sofa contemplating my Fantasy Premier League week, occasionally refilling my seemingly ever-empty wine glass. I felt comfortable and entirely at ease, fervently believing that I had been struck by an epiphany. Owning both alcohol and a smart phone can be a recipe for disaster and the following example seemed to reinforce that opinion.
In a tranquil mental haze, my hands wandered towards the phone and straight to the Fantasy Premier League website. After logging in, my index finger caressed the screen, sliding over the yellow cross sat aside from Nathan Redmond's name and pressing down, therefore removing him. Scrolling through Bournemouth's list of players in a psychological mist fuelled entirely by what I had deemed to have been pure serenity, my pre-determined final destination's face spread itself across the screen, almost appearing to wink as he was ushered and confirmed into my squad. Welcome, Matt Ritchie.
I had broken one of the FPL management's golden rules.
“Never, under any circumstances, make early transfers.” Luke Shaw's horrific midweek injury has left me deservedly punished for my rushed midfield changeover, and as a result the squad's defensive depth is beginning to look rather thin. However, if Ritchie was to deliver the goods in the upcoming game week the decision would obviously become justified. But with no goals, no assists and two yellow cards so far this season, the transfer carries a large quantity of risk. This Fantasy Premier League Tips article will assess Matt Ritchie and fellow Premier League star Marcos Rojo on whether they would be welcomed additions to squads belonging to FPLBet readers.
Matt Ritchie - £5.8m
Bournemouth's extraordinarily successful Championship campaign of last season was by no means a freak occurrence. Eddie Howe's side demonstrated a composed and positive approach throughout the season which ultimately paid dividends. The pivotal thunder thighs partly responsible for Bournemouth's leap across the Premier League-Championship void belonged to Ritchie.
There were numerous talented British midfielders that stamped their authority onto the Football League's highest division a year ago but Ritchie's ability was by far the most awe inspiring. Norwich's Nathan Redmond tallied six goals and thirteen assists for The Canaries whilst Brentford's lilywhite loan signing Alex Pritchard created seven and scored eleven times. Both remarkable statistics when stood alone.
Seldom however, would Matt Ritchie play a match without being responsible for at least one goal, whether it was through providing the penultimate or final touch of a net-bound sequence of play. The 26 year old scored on fifteen occasions, a colossal total considering that it was in addition to the seventeen assists he'd also provided last season.
Redmond, who carries previous Premier League experience albeit rather minimal, has started the season very admirably. One would presume however, that a rich run of form from Ritchie is an inevitability rather than a possibility and considering that he has played ninety minutes of every one of Bournemouth's Premier League matches so far, he will have ample opportunity to outshine Norwich's England under twenty one.
Likelihood of starting in Gameweek 6: 5 out of 5
Marcos Rojo - £5.4m
Compassion is rarely granted by widespread football supporters to the beloved plethora of athletes they pay money to view. Whether it is from the comfort of their cushy, memory foam chairs or the cold, plastic seats expensively provided within stadia. Even the most ardent of
“he's getting paid tens of thousands a week to do that” fans will have felt at least an ounce of sympathy towards Manchester United left back Luke Shaw, whose leg injury required surgery on Tuesday evening and has thus forced the in-form England international to the treatment room for an unconfirmed but expectedly lengthy period of time.
As Shaw painfully collapsed to the ground the hearts of many hopeful Fantasy Premier League managers sank knowing that they would be placed with the task of replacing the popular yet reliable defender. However, there is a savvy loophole to this conundrum in the shape of Shaw's replacement, Marcos Rojo. Flexible as a left sided centre back or full back, Rojo's introduction to the game against PSV Eindhoven moved Daley Blind out wide and paired the Argentinian with Chris Smalling.
Shaw, much like Smalling started the season very brightly for club and country and as a result has seen his stock increase. Equally priced at the beginning of the campaign, the difference between Shaw and Rojo is now £0.2m, with Manchester United's number 23 the more expensive of the two. £5.4m for a regular starter in a side likely to finish within the top four can only be described as a bargain.
Likelihood of starting in Gameweek 6: 5 out of 5
National health campaign Go Sober for October looms and with it an opportunity to cease making foolhardy decisions under the influence of [onion gravy and] red wine. Remember, don't drink and transfer. Ever.
