Two more Gameweek 32 matches are reviewed as we look back on the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from the weekend.
The headlines from Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest and Everton v Burnley are discussed here.
“I LOVE DEFENDERS SCORING”
Tottenham took control of their match on Sunday with two defender goals, first from Micky van de Ven (£4.4m), then Pedro Porro (£5.9m).
For Porro, he has delivered consistently impressive goal threat numbers all season, without the points to show for it. Before Sunday, he was without a goal to his name, despite racking up 41 shots in Gameweeks 1-31, at least ten more than any other FPL defender.
However, it finally clicked v Forest, when the Spaniard slammed home a powerful half-volley.
There were plenty of other elements to like about his performance, too, not least the fact he took all of Spurs’ corners right up until Giovani Lo Celso’s (£4.8m) introduction on 76 minutes.
It meant James Maddison (£7.9m) didn’t get a look-in, as he struggles to recreate his pre-injury form.
As for van de Ven, he regularly pushed into midfield and notched his second goal of the season, when he found the top corner from the edge of the box.
“It’s something we’ve been working on with the guys. Micky [van de Ven] can strike a ball and Pedro [Porro] certainly can. It just needs a bit of composure. Micky’s was outstanding.” – Ange Postecoglou
“I love defenders scoring. We were pushing them into those areas.” – Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham have won 13 and lost just two of the 20 league matches van de Ven has played in, highlighting his importance.
However, they really have an issue when it comes to keeping a clean sheet.
On Sunday, they gifted Forest far too many chances and it was a bad goal to concede, as Anthony Elanga (£5.1m) worked his way down the right far too easily. It means Spurs have kept just two clean sheets in their last 22 Premier League fixtures.
Elsewhere, Timo Werner (£6.3m) and Son Heung-min (£10.1m) both grabbed assists.
The South Korean also had a late effort tipped onto the post.
ANOTHER GAME, ANOTHER GOAL FOR WOOD
Chris Wood (£4.8m) cannot stop scoring.
Having equalised in north London, the New Zealand international later rattled the frame of the goal, in a decent all-round display that earned the praise of his manager.
“The first goal is beautiful – the way he took his shot and the movement and progression on the right side, the combination was very well executed. And then he had a good chance [to score again]. Chris has been huge for us. He has been so important. What he does overcomes all of that [the missed chances].” – Nuno Espirito Santo on Chris Wood
With nine goals in ten league appearances under Nuno Espirito Santo, Wood is making a mockery of his £4.8m price tag, with fixtures still to come against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Sheffield United and Burnley in the final six Gameweeks.
Meanwhile, Morgan Gibbs-White (£5.7m) came off in the 67th minute and applied an ice pack on his upper leg immediately after being substituted. He will now be assessed, with Nuno hoping it was nothing more than a precaution.
EVERTON’S CLEAN SHEETS
Everton restricted Burnley to just one shot on target en route to a 1-0 win on Saturday.
This was the Toffees’ ninth clean sheet of the campaign – only Arsenal have managed more – with Sean Dyche’s first-choice backline of Seamus Coleman (£4.4m), James Tarkowski (£4.6m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£4.3m) and Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.6m) solid as a unit.
£4.3m defender Branthwaite was particularly dominant, making a string of crucial interceptions (three), plus four ball recoveries and five clearances.
“Full credit to Everton, I thought they defended really really well. I turned around a couple of times and said they are blocking everything. Blocking shots, sliding in, Branthwaite blocked about five and then Tarky (Tarkowski) was doing a job too and they just defended their box really well.” – Vincent Kompany on Everton
It certainly wasn’t pretty, but Everton got their first Premier League win in 14 games when Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) capitalised on an error by Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric (£4.3m) to score his second goal in as many games.
He could have had another after the break, too, but his near-post finish was saved.
“I am really pleased for him. He has stuck at it and kept working. He and Beto have shared bits of games and I am pleased for him. I went with him today, I am pleased with his performance. He could have knocked one in earlier actually, there was a similar incident where he just nearly gets there, but I am pleased with his pressing – he gets a goal out of nothing. That’s important to a striker. At the end of the season, it doesn’t say how the goals come it just says how many you have got. So [the goal] is an important factor for him and an important factor for us today.” – Sean Dyche on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton have since been deducted a further two points for a second breach of Premier League financial rules, so the three taken here take on extra significance.
As for Burnley, they had 64% ball possession at Goodison and Lyle Foster (£4.7m) caused some problems coming in from the right flank, but chances were few and far between.
It means the Clarets have now failed to score in 12 of their 32 Premier League games this season – more than any other side.
