| MATCH WEEK 21: GRECIANS BACK IN THE NEWS |
The top Captain pick of Match Week 21 by a fair distance brings Grecians -2000 back into the Nightmare news. James Tarkowski's 17 points, doubled to 34, inspired Bob Thomas' boys to their fourth Team-of-the-Week award of the season. That equals Al's Army who collected their fourth last week. Army's winning total of 69 was the lowest weekly winner so far, and Grecians' 73 this time is second lowest. Tarkowski collected nigh-on half the Grecians' total, with nine men in action there were a smattering of ok-to-good performances, the captain's team-mate Ben Mee second best with 9 as Burnley lost 3-1 to Leeds.
If you weren't following the Grecians' progress earlier in the season, I began by condemning Bob for picking a pretty awful looking squad, severely limiting his options by spending £33m on Harry Maguire. After a start as expected - second bottom on week 1, in the bottom six for the first five weeks - Grecians started to rise... and rise...by Week 12 they were incredibly 4th overall, inspired in no small part by Maguire. Then, the rot began to set in - five weeks later, Bob's boys were 21st.
And there they have remained, for five weeks now. This week's bumper score, though, has Grecians looking up again - just 11 away from 18th for starters. How will this crazy yo-yo squad of mis-fits fare from here on? Still in the squad are Maguire, Luke Shaw, Harry Kane, Aubameyang, plus a fair few players that struggle to get a game. Mind you, Jack Butland chipped in nicely with 18 points in two unexpected appearances recently. He can go back to sleep now with Guaita fit again.
 |