GW6 - What did we learn?

City v Newcastle was a real 'game of two halves', the home side much more enterprising and determined after the break - and really looking like they might have been able to steal the win from a City side who, without Rodri or DeBruyne or Foden, looked pretty lacklustre. They really ought to have had a second penalty for Walker's clumsy challenge on Joelinton; and City needed a sharp performance from Ederson in goal to keep them alive. Newcastle are much less incisive without the outstanding Isak to lead the line, although Gordon does a decent job filling in as a No. 9, and at least this switch allows Harvey Barnes and/or Jacob Murphy, also both outstanding, to play from the start. Newcastle still look very shakey at the back; but they have more than enough attacking threat to be well up in the European places again.

Arsenal rode their luck rather, after allowing Leicester back into a game that they should have had comfortably sewn up - their further two goals very late in the game were extremely fortuitous, and harsh on a Leicester side who had fought so bravely, and showed great defensive organisation against Arsenal's many, many set pieces (astonishing that they had 17 corners in the match yet Gabriel didn't score!!). Saliba didn't have a great game, and both he and Calafiori were very fortunate not to pick up two yellows and a sending-off. I didn't see anything in Faes's challenge that would have justified a penalty award, and 'victim' Calafiori didn't really complain, so I don't think Arteta or Arsenal fans have got any valid gripe there; since Trossard snatched their second goal only moments later, it was irrelevant anyway. Arsenal's attacking performance should give a lot of comfort to FPL managers who are sticking with their assets during Odegaard's absence; although they would not have been able to enjoy such extended periods of dominance against a side who posed more of an attacking threat than Leicester. Leicester fans might feel a bit hard done-by that Arsenal's initial breakthrough goal clearly should have been disallowed for a foul on Vardy which enabled the turnover of possession. But they can at least feel good about a very encouraging defensive display, and an exceptional performance from their keeper Hermansen, who registered an incredible 13 saves (giving him a decent FPL return for the week, despite conceding 4 goals).

Teams are obviously going to have to wise up to Brentford's 'quick starts'. But after that early firecracker goal from Mbeumo, Brentford again failed to show much; their defense continues to be a worrying mess. While West Ham are - very slowly - starting to find a bit of rhythm. Both still looking like they'll struggle to be better than lower mid-table, though, and not offering any tempting FPL options - apart from the currently on-fire Mbeumo... and maybe Bowen?

Sanchez again had a bit of a 'mare for Chelsea, being at fault for both Brighton goals (though somewhat redeemed himself with a fine save from Baleba very shortly after the second); if he carries on being this awful on the ball, I can see him being replaced fairly soon (good though he is as a shot-stopper, I am really struggling to grasp why he's got the start anyway). Baleba, though sometimes a bit clumsy in defence, is starting to look as if he has some goalscoring potential too, and might perhaps enter the crowded competition for cheap 5th midfielder. Jackson failed to convert three very good chances in the second half, but again looked very lively overall; fickle FPL managers who just brought him in after last week's excellent performance might immediately be 'disappointed' in him, but no-one with any sense should be. And Cole Palmer - dear me!!!  Some people apparently didn't think he'd been playing that well so far this season. They have perceptual difficulties. First EPL player ever to net 4 goals in the first half??!! The really astonishing thing here is that he might actually have had 7 goals and 2 or 3 assists, for a record-smashing 45 or 50-point gameweek! Sancho also had another very good game. Chelsea are looking on the up; Brighton are having their fundamental weaknesses increasingly exposed.

Everton finally managed to register a win, and really looked good for it - against a Palace side who are still struggling to find much cohesion. However, Palace might well feel aggrieved that they were denied a very clear penalty when Tarkowski flattened Mateta from behind on the edge of the box (what is VAR doing these days???).  The return at last of Jarrad Branthwaite to the defence is no doubt a big lift to Dyche's team. And Dwight McNeil is in absolutely outstanding form, seems to be relishing being switched into a more consistently influential No. 10 sort of role. Ndiaye is also emerging as a major force (though this is probably bad news for all those who piled in for Calvert-Lewin in the last couple of weeks; the lively Senegalese striker now looks set to be at least taking a major share of Everton's goalscoring, if not stealing DCL's thunder altogether). Jack Harrison, though, continues to be strangely anonymous; I have hopes of him emerging as a potential FPL asset too; but at the moment, it's just not happening.

Forest, even at their intimidating home ground, were predictably underwhelming without their talismanic playmaker Gibbs-White. Murillo was a little lucky to escape conceding a second penalty to Fulham after bumbling into the back of Tete; but the earlier challenge on Perreira looked slight, and there seemed to be no really clear view of it on the TV cameras - so, it seemed somewhat bizarre that VAR thought the referee should take a second look at it (is this the first time this season we've seen such an instruction?). Despite this reservation about the refereeing, though, Fulham, despite also playing somewhat below their recent best, were worth the win. Smith Rowe and Adama Traore were a little quiet in this one, but will surely be back among the FPL points soon; Raul Jimenez continues to look like a very tempting pick - perhaps currently the most tempting - for that cheap third striker spot.

Liverpool had another one of their below-par games, and were really a bit lucky to go away with all three points; the late penalty award seemed pretty soft to me. Wolves, at last, are starting to show a bit more organisation, a bit more fight. They really don't deserve to be dead last in the league now; and I remain confident that Gary O'Neill can get them back towards the middle of the table by the turn of the year.

Villa were perhaps a bit fortunate in the end to hang on to a point against a very plucky Ipswich side. Martinez had to pull off a couple of outstanding saves from Phillips and Delap (to deny him a hattrick) to keep them in the game. I am quietly chuffed that Delap, who I'd tipped as one of the best cheap striker options in pre-season, is starting to prove me right. One of my other most controversial pieces of advice, though - that Morgan Rogers isn't yet worthy of inclusion in an FPL team - might appear to be under challenge, as he's now got among the points two weeks in succession. For now, I hold to my view. His debut goal this week found him drawn into the central attacking position because Ollie Watkins had, somewhat unusually, pulled out on to the left wing; the ball was actually played to him by a defender's mis-kicked clearance; and even then his first instinct was to lay the ball off to Watkins rather than attempting a strike himself; only when that pass drew three defenders towards Watkins, and Watkins returned it to him to allow him  a fairly easy finish, did he grab his chance. I haven't seen Rogers's 'touch map' for the game, but I'd guess that might have been the only time he got on the ball in the box. My feeling so far has been that, good - potentially great - though he is, Rogers has been mostly playing far too deep to get many assists or goal opportunities; and even when he does get up around the box, he's tending to be too unselfish - always looking for Watkins (or Bailey, or someone else) as the goal outlet. Perhaps he will gradually start pushing forward more, especially as McGinn, usually Villa's most attack-minded midfielder, is now out for a while with a hamstring problem. I don't at all write off the chances for Rogers becoming a significant FPL asset; I'm just very sceptical as to whether he's become that yet.

Bruno's sending-off was clearly unjust; but United can't really blame the size of their loss solely on that. They were playing dismally and being completely dominated by Spurs even before that. Yet again, the Reds looked disorganised and lacking enthusiasm for the fight - and that has to be on the manager. For whatever reason, Ten Hag just hasn't worked out as a coach there, and should have been replaced long since; a mid-season departure now looks almost certain - it's just a question of when. Very encouraging performance for Spurs fans, that they were able to play so fluently and incisively even without Son. Brennan Johnson is another fringe FPL player who will be starting to get attention for his hot form.

Difficult to tell much from very brief highlights, but it did look as though Southampton - despite taking a bit of a thrashing from Bournemouth - are improving; they looked quite resolute in defence in the latter part of the game, and created a fair bit of attacking threat too. A good win will no doubt give Bournemouth some confidence, but we'll need to see them tested against sterner opposition before we can make a decision on bringing in any of their players. Evanilson got off the mark with a very good finish, but it's too early to get excited about him as a third striker prospect - particularly as competition is so fierce at the budget end of the forward category this year.