MFF August Team of The Month 2023/24
A new season is here so as usual we are back with the MFF team of the month. The team takes on a 3-5-2 formation this month. For any new readers the XI has the players in the positions they are registered in with the ‘Official Fantasy Premier League’.
Goalkeeper
Alphonse Areola (West Ham)
Areola, is now the Hammers’ first choice keeper after displacing long-standing number one Lukasz Fabianski. Despite not yet keeping a clean sheet he has been incredibly vital to David Moyes’ men taking seven points from a possible nine to start the campaign. In West Ham’s home win against Chelsea, he saved a penalty from Enzo Fernandez when the game was tied at 1-1 and the home side went on to win 3-1. In another 3-1 win this time away at Brighton, Areola was outstanding making no less than nine saves. He made a hat-trick of great stops from Evan Ferguson to make sure West Ham took the three points, saving a header that was going into the bottom corner as well as turning two powerful efforts over the bar. Areola made 16 saves in all which was joint-2nd and his 3 punches made rank joint-1st in the league.
Alphonse Areola saves Enzo Fernandez’s penalty in West Ham’s 3-1 win over Chelsea at the London Stadium. Image from ‘getty Images.co.uk.’
Defenders
Destiny Udogie (Tottenham)
Udogie, was signed last year but loaned out to Udinese. New Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has him ahead of a long line of players who can play left back and thus far it is paying dividends. Udogie, has coped defensively and when going forward he has taken up an inverted role causing issues for the opposition. His marauds forward unsettled Manchester United’s backline especially in the second half when Spurs took control of the game to win 2-0. Tottenham, then played some great football as they kept their second clean sheet away at Bournemouth in another 2-0 victory. Dejan Kulusevski, scored the second goal and it was Udogie who provided it for him with another surge forward. Ben Davies and Ivan Perisic currently must be content with coming off the bench and Sergio Reguilon may leave the club on loan due to Udogie’s instant impact.
Pervis Estupinan (Brighton)
Estupinan, is a constant threat from the left back position. After joining from Villarreal last summer, he has been highly consistent and has adequately replaced Marc Cucurella who departed for Chelsea. The Ecuadorian provided the fourth goal for Evan Ferguson as Brighton gave Luton a harsh introduction to Premier League football with a 4-1 thrashing. The Seagulls then won 4-1 again this time away at Wolverhampton. Estupinan assisted the first goal for Kaoru Mitoma who went on a mazy run. Mitoma, then returned the favour cutting the ball back for Estupinan to fire low into the net to make it 2-0. Roberto De Zerbi’s men were then brought back down to earth by West Ham as they lost 3-1 at the Amex Stadium but Estupinan had already made his mark on the month.
Axel Disasi (Chelsea)
Who said it was hard to adapt to the Premier League eh? Disasi was purchased in the summer for just under £40m from Monaco and though it is a small sample size he looks ready for the test. He reacted quickly to score on his debut against Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge seizing on Ben Chilwell’s header back into the danger area. Disasi, did well to help Chelsea to a clean sheet in their last August game at home to Luton, who posed a threat despite falling to a 3-0 defeat. Disasi, who was a late call-up to France’s winter World Cup squad has won 11 aerial battles which has him joint-3rd in the league, but he is not just powerful and physical, as early on he looks slightly quicker off the mark than first thought.
Midfielders
Rodri (Manchester City)
If there is a midfielder better than Rodri at the moment then I have not seen them. The Spanish international has picked up where he left off last season and has contributed heavily to City winning their first three league games for the first time since Pep Guardiola’s first season in the Premier League back in the 2016/17 campaign. In the Cityzens opening contest, Rodri made an important challenge in the first half to deny a brave Burnley side amid assisting Erling Haaland to give the champions the lead. Rodri then scored the third goal in the second half with a close-range finish. The month concluded with him smashing in the late winning goal against Sheffield United as they edged them out for a 2-1 win. The Blades defended well throughout and deserved a point but Rodri on his weaker left foot found the top corner with a volley. He leads the league in passes made and touches with 361 and 410 respectively, and his 11 tackles made are joint-second.
Manchester City’s Rodri celebrates his brilliant strike to seal a late win at Sheffield United. Image from ‘telegraph.co.uk’.
Solly March (Brighton)
March, as I stated last season, is not the same man that Graham Potter managed. He was ever so wasteful under Potter, but since Roberto De Zerbi has come in, he has been superb and has started out the 2023/24 season how he finished up the last one. Brighton are the top scorers in the league with 9 goals and March is their top scorer with 3. The Seagulls were knocking on the door against Luton and finally took the lead when March towered above everyone to head in Kaoru Mitoma’s cross. Brighton, then travelled to Wolverhampton and March bagged a second half brace as they romped to a 4-1 triumph. Julio Enciso assisted both March’s goals, the first he produced a delightful ball with the outside of his foot and March emphatically finished. The second was another swift counter attack which March slid in off the post once Enciso picked him out. Surely an England call-up would be justified.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Bowen had an excellent 2021/22 league season but he struggled to reach those heights last campaign. He ended the season scoring the winner for the Hammers in the Europa Conference League final and he has taken that confidence into August. He scored a sublime goal to give David Moyes’ men the lead in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth as he found the top corner from outside the box. After beating Chelsea 3-1 at home, Bowen was again causing trouble on the road. West Ham got a statement 3-1 victory at Brighton and Bowen scored and assisted to help put the game away in the second period. They produced a terrific break and Said Benrahma found Bowen at the back post and his composed finished made it 2-0. Bowen, then dug out a pass to Michail Antonio who fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-0.
Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)
Diaby came with a good reputation from the Bundesliga and with the interest shown in him, some were slightly surprised that it was Aston Villa who were able to get a deal done. With the likes of recent Bundesliga recruits to the Premier League, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz struggling a minority felt Diaby may need time to adapt but he has settled quickly much to the pleasure of Unai Emery. Villa, started well on the opening weekend away at Newcastle, they fell behind, but Diaby levelled things up as he showed great technique to volley in on his weaker right foot. Villa, however, then capitulated and lost 5-1. They responded with a 4-0 win at home to Everton. Diaby, somehow did not get on the scoresheet as he was denied by a fantastic save by Jordan Pickford and the ball went onto the post. They won 3-1 away at Burnley to end the month, and Diaby’s cutback was slammed in by Matty Cash for his second goal. Diaby, helped himself to the third as he finished well passing the ball in from the edge of the box as they hit them on the break.
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
With Ivan Toney banned until January, some feared that the Bees would be in trouble but their record without him is a solid one. Mbeumo and Wissa, have stood up in Toney’s absence and Brentford are unbeaten after three games. They began the season at home to Tottenham and they came from a goal down to take the lead before it ended 2-2. Mbeumo, scored the equaliser from the penalty spot adopting Toney’s run-up before calmly finding the corner. Thomas Frank’s men then got their first win of the campaign in what looked a tricky game beforehand away at Fulham. Mbeumo, scored again from the penalty spot and then at the end he finished off a rapid breakaway with a a simple tap-in for his second. If the Cameroonian can keep up this form, then when Toney does return they may be able to match last year’s position in the table.
Forwards
Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal)
Nketiah is much maligned for not being as well rounded as the man he deputises for Gabriel Jesus. However, he has impacted every game Arsenal have played thus far and they simply would not have seven points without him. He gave them the lead in the 2-1 triumph over Nottingham Forest with a low drive that took a slight deflection. The Gunners then travelled down south to play Crystal Palace and Nketiah almost scored a fine goal but hit the post before missing a guilt-edged chance a little later. He redeemed himself in the second half as he won the penalty that won the game. Martin Odegaard coolly slotted the spot-kick home after Sam Johnstone brought Nketiah down. Mikel Arteta’s men went behind in the first minute at home to Fulham but after Bukayo Saka levelled from the spot, Nketiah put them 2-1 up before a late goal denied them the three points.
Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
After taking a while to get going last season, Awoniyi, finished well to help keep Steve Cooper’s men in the top division. He has begun this campaign full of confidence and is the only player to have scored in all three games in August in the league. He came off the bench in the season opener away at Arsenal and finished off a counter attack after some great work by fellow substitute Anthony Elanga but the Gunners held on to win 2-1. He was back in the starting XI as they welcomed Sheffield United to the City Ground and took only three minutes to get his second of the season with a header from a good cross by Serge Aurier. Forest went into a 2-0 lead before allowing Manchester United to come back and get a 3-2 victory. Awoniyi scored the first as they punished United for sending too many men forward for a corner as he coolly slotted the ball past Andre Onana who went to ground too early.
Taiwo Awoniyi gives thanks to the man above as he scored his second goal of the season against Sheffield United. Image from ‘afrosportnow.com’
Written by Daniel Dwamena
@DubulDee