Kantar Media Premiership – October in review

October in the Premier League was a bit special. The first round of matches brought us the best two derbies outside of Manchester: Merseyside and North London (debatable). The former wasn’t the spectacle it has been in years gone by – Liverpool taking a comfortable 2-0 win at Goodison; in the latter, Arsenal, heading to Spurs as underdogs for the first time ever, duly lost – thanks entirely to a Dutchman’s arm. In the same Gameweek, Chelsea went away and scored 5 and Man City went away and scored 4. Fulham, though, scored most – 6, against a clueless QPR.

There was yet another international break on the weekend that followed, where England managed to surrender a two-goal lead to Montenegro but still qualify for Euro 2012.  Pointless, really, because we know what will happen.

Gameweek 8 wasn’t great and was lucky to have followed an International break. Man City won easily again, Chelsea beat Everton and at Anfield, Liverpool and Man Utd played out a bore-draw.

In Gamweek 9 there was a phenomenon. There was another shock at Loftus Road, where QPR scraped a win against Chelsea, who had two men sent off, and one man who represents everything that is wrong with English football.

In Gameweek 10, Arsenal fans were happy – this was why. An early call, but it’ll most likely take game of the season. The Gameweek finished with Newcastle winning at Stoke, thus extending their unbeaten opening to this campaign, and leapfrogging Chelsea into third in the process. Well done, but it’s potently clear they’ll come crashing down soon.

So another entertaining month in real life – but did it transpire in Fantasy world?

The answer is ‘maybe’ – my records of the league standings in Gameweek 7 and 8 were somehow lost (or stolen). Apologies to anyone who took big steps in these weeks. One thing we can assume without a reference-point, though, is that bottom place was filled by its rightful owner*.

Luckily Gameweeks 9 and 10 were the more entertaining of the month. In Gameweek 9 Chris Branford was Terminal Decline by name but not by nature – rising all the way to top spot after joint-top scoring with Julie Forey’s Dodgy Knees (not literal). Towards the bottom, Kantar Media’s Euan Mackay, Charlie Gordon and Graeme Griffiths all gained ground – but all still remained at least 100 points off top spot.

Gameweek 10 saw Stephen Callow’s wevewonitfivetimes reclaim pole position – thanks largely to the excellent Robin Van Persie. Gentel FC, who finished September on top spot, are now down to 8^th, seemingly suffering the effects of a quiet Wayne Rooney. Danny Kay caused a stir after moving into third place – the first time that Kantar Media have held a position in the top 3 since Trevor Vagg dropped from first in September. Keep an eye on Channel 4’s Nick Blake, too, whose Blake Panthers have moved up 10 places in the space of a month, and are now within 9 points of the top.

In September James Burke took the crown for the month’s highest scorer. Different story this time round – Sky’s Ian McDougall, who guided his Jimmy Buzzard XI to 222 points across October. That has earned him a place in the top 10 – a huge improvement from 33^rd at the end of September.

So, October did enough to cause havoc across the Kantar Media Premiership – even if the usual high-flyers are still… well, flying high. There are just three Gameweeks in November so it’s unlikely we’ll see the same level of movement but I’m sure something will change. And in fact, my parting tip for November is to consider Fernando Torres in Gameweek 12 – his former Liverpool side visit Stamford Bridge that week, so what better way to end his scoring drought than against them.

Good Luck.

*Wilshee Win? subsequently escaped bottom spot in Gameweek 10 at the expense of Jennie Beck’s (even grumpier) Grumpy Global