Week 3 - Ben Stokes: that is all

With the Premier League starting so well, thank goodness for the most extraordinary test match, and astounding test match innings from Ben Stokes, supported at the end by someone who looks like the bloke who mends the office photocopier.

In Last Match Standing, we had three eliminations this week:


Teams in the overall competition:  6,421,137 (up 176, 809)

Highest score: 81- competition high 107

Average score: 48.96 - overall competition average 44

Eliminated this week

With 22 points (gross 30, but -8 for 4 transfers): Forza Watford! (Kevin Parker) 

Gameweek rank: 5,578,617

This was a bit unlucky, as having Sterling as captain instead of Kane would have been enough for safety

Also eliminated with 26 points: Happy Hornets (Nick Garvey)

Playing either if his two West Ham players, especially Haller, rather than having them on the bench would have ensured progress to the next round

Also eliminated with 26 points: Unhippyman (Peter Fincham)

As with Kevin Parker, captaining Sterling, not Kane, would seen got Peter through

Narrowly surviving this week

Barnstoneworth Utd (Tim Turner) -29

GraciaDrinksSangria - 29

Top scorer

Having only narrowly survived last week, 7oaksHornet (Martin Levy) smoked it out of the park, with an astonishing gameweek rank of 8,758 (top 0.14%).  Underpinning this stonking performance was making Salah captain and goals from Gray, Jimenez, Sterling and van Arnholt.

One more week till an international, and more enticingly, the fourth Test at Old Trafford

Week 2 - wating for Operation Yellowhammer

Gameweek 2 was not as high scoring as the season opener, but we still have yet to register a goal or a point.  Still, I wasn't thinking too much about this, instead being transfixed by Jofra Archer at Lord's.

Here are the bones of this week:

Teams in the overall competition:  6,244,328 (up 787, 166)

Highest score:73 (gross 77) - competition high 119

Average score: 42.72 - overall competition average 41

Eliminated this week

With 16 points (gross 20, but -4 for 2 transfers): Watford warriors  (Connor Carpenter)

Gameweek rank: 6,098,453

Connor had one of those truly horrific weeks when no one scored more than 2 points, except Pickford who was on the bench, but nothing would have helped.

Also eliminated with 18 points: Siggys Hornets (Simon Holzman)

Gameweek rank: 6,108,324

Simon's week was similar in misery to Connor's, and even had Pogba not had his penalty saved, the rest of the team would not have saved him.

Surviving this week

JT11 (James Tweats) - 27
7oaks Hornet (Martin Levy) - 28

The Cesc Pistols (Paul Shelock) - 28

Deportivo Biscuit (Gareth Reynolds) - 29

Top scorer

With a mightily impressive 73 points (gross 77): Patch FC (Russell Edward)

Russell made the inspired decision to captain Pukki, had Digne and Henderson (Sheff Utd goalie) as the bais on a fine score that gave him an overall gameweek rank of 18,441 (top 0.30%)

So now we await the Yellows-Hammers re-match from the end of last season. It has to get better soon, surely.

Week 1

You never really know what to expect with the new season.  Finding myself a long way north overlooking the Gulf of Bothnia from a Finnish forest, I was delighted when I saw the Brighton game was being shown live.  That delight did not last, but surely the season can only get better, although in Fantasy terms, the only way is down after Friday, having selected Origi and Van Dijk, with Salah as captain.

This week the numbers definitely will be correct, as Richard worked them our before passing the baton onto me.

Teams in the overall competition:  5,457,162

Highest score: 94 - competition high 142

Average score: 65.35 - overall competition average 65

Eliminated this week

With 34 points: Colchester Hornets (Brad Flack)

Gameweek rank: 5,344,890

Key selections: 

Captain - Firmino (Liverpool) 5 =10

Would have survived if Walker had been captain, and Grealish first substitute instead of Azpilicueta.

Also eliminated with 35 points: When Ken's Fishing (Ian Poole)

94

Gameweek rank: 5,323,519

Key selections: 

Captain - Mane (Liverpool)1 = 2

Three alternative captains would have ensured survival - Pope, Zinchenko and Aubameyang

Surviving this week

Craig Dawson's Creek (James McNeil) - 37
Siggys Hornets (Simon Holzman) - 39

Top scorer

With a very impressive 94 points: Distant Waterway (Martin Ingoe)

Martin had Kane as captain, Sterling in midfield, Origi up front and scored consistently in defence, even with the injury to Alisson.

First week is now safely done, and off to Goodison where it is always uneventful.

Under new management

Attempting to follow Richard Scrimshaw and his sterling efforts of the past few season, this will follow the fantasy league season of members of WML, those scoring the fewest points that week being eliminated, until there is one last man standing.