BAKES’FPL CUPDATE Week 7: Cupmaggedon

Round 7: Gameweek 23 …..

I guess it had to happen sometime. Every week thus far 50% of FPL Cup protagonists got booted out (as is the way with cup competitions), yet more than 50% of FFUKers had remained standing. Weeks of FFUKers looking statistics in the eyes and poking it with two fingers. Finally statistics has raised it’s own hand, king-fu style, to block those fingers and deliver a blow right in the Jatz Crackers. Give ‘im one int box, Fred Trueman used to say, and that is exactly what was delivered.

Those that have been keeping up with current events will recall 8 FFUKers had made it through to Round 7, the round of 65,536. Well, I’m sorry to report that in round 7 we got our asses kicked, and only three of those have progressed to round 8. Sad times. Maybe we got ’em demoralised …..

John Parkinson can count himself relatively unlucky, losing by 7 points. He scored 63 – the same amount as Stuart Newton who progressed. Other fallers were mostly battered. None more so than JPC whose 52 points (after hits) was a full 21 points short of the 73 scored by his opponent. Chris Panayi lost by 16, Craig Sharman by 15 and Richard Green by 13.

All this leaves us with three representatives to contest round 8, the round of 32,768. I should add that, seven rounds in, we’re less than a third of the way through the competition! Those three are:

1. Stuart Newton, ranked 25th in FFUK. Stuart sneaked his round 7 contest 63-60. He would have lost to every other opponent faced by the other seven FFUKers in the round, so he did get pretty lucky! Stuart goes on to face ikke tenk pa det in round 8. Ikke … progressed last week with a paltry 47 points, so Stuart must fancy his chances. The danger comes from Hazard, but otherwise Stu’s team looks stronger on paper.
2. Duncan Galloway, ranked 49th in FFUK. Duncan judiciously played his triple captain chip (on Raheem Sterling) to secure safe passage to round 8, although by a narrow 3-point margin. Duncan’s round 8 opponent, Samerinho, looks tough. He played his wildcard in GW22 and has a number of strong differentials, including Auba and Kola. Duncan will be looking for Firmino and Sterling to redress the balance.
3. Paul Baker, ranked 45th in FFUK. Yes me! Would you Adam and Eve it! Maybe the process of writing these Cupdates has brought me good luck. Maybe it’s focused my attention more closely on the competition, making minor adjustments to maximise my chances. Maybe that’s why, 8 weeks in, I’m still bothering to write these posts! I progressed in the end through 7 by a comfortable 9-point margin. This week I face Jays “HAT” Trick (inverted commas and capitals his) who wildcarded last week and therefore has a better team on paper than me. I have 4.1 in the bank – do I take a hit to upgrade when my opponent clearly won’t (he hasn’t made any transfers at the time of writing on Tuesday morning)? Do I do a “Duncan Galloway” and bust out a chip (triple captain being the most obvious option)? Decisions, decisions …. I hear on the grapevine that VVD might not play due to illness, which given he’s in my opponent’s might give me the edge. We have five players in common, so it will come down to differentials. Hoping for a big week from Firmino as Duncan is!

So, FFUKers, do look out for your three remaining survivors in FPL Cup 2018/19. Fingers crossed we have representatives for round 9, the round of 16,384.

Bakes