With Fantasy Premier League (FPL) now open for business as of this afternoon, there’s plenty of time to tinker with our teams -33 days and counting- before the big kick-off. No doubt there will be plenty transfers into the Premier League between now and the 14th August that will have us all ripping up our chosen fifteen and starting from scratch again -Manchester City may buy a whole new team by then- but this evening myself, Mark and Andy had a run-through of the upcoming season’s player price list and highlight some of the stand-out options so far:
Keepers
There are little surprises in the top price bracket here with Jose Reina looking the likeliest pick, given that injuries have a tendency to blight the Fantasy returns of both Edwin Van der Sar and Petr Cech.
Heurelho Gomes looks good at 5.5 with his first six fixtures, as does Manuel Almunia if he remains Arsene Wenger‘s first-choice pick between the sticks. Bearing in mind that Michael Dawson could be shipped in to defence for 5.5, Almunia could just have the edge here.
Tim Howard is the other option in the 5.5 bracket, although one of his defenders- Leighton Baines or, in particular, Phil Jagielka, given their respective prices- looks a better route to Everton defensive returns.
Ben Foster will undoubtedly be a favoured lower mid-price option at 4.5, particularly with a fairly kind opening run of fixtures. In the same bracket, Paul Robinson is one to consider, although his opening run is tougher. Jussi Jaaskelainen is a good option in tandem with Foster, as the pair alternate home fixtures for the opening four games.
Defenders
The high-end defenders need no introduction. Thomas Vermaelen will perhaps be hard-pushed to match his seven goal haul of last season, so the Gunners will likely need to up their clean sheet count to justify the Belgian’s 7.5 price tag. For the same price, Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson both look stronger alternatives.
Leighton Baines’ leap to 7.0 is disappointing, but at the same time, not wholly unsurprising. Given his assist rate (9 last season) and the fact that Everton will surely not have as poor a first half of the season this time round, means he should still be on the radar.
With Moyes’ men in mind, Phil Jagielka seems a steal at 5.5. Among those stand-outs at the same price are Gary Cahill, whose tendency for goals and Bonus Points will surely be enhanced with Bolton tightening up at the back under Owen Coyle. Brede Hangeland looks tempting, more so if he follows Roy Hodgson to Anfield.
However, it’s Michael Dawson that really catches the eye at this price-range; pretty much guaranteed a first-team slot in Harry Redknapp’s back four after his showings at the tail end of last season, he will hoover up bonus points when Spurs keep those cleanies.
Ryan Shawcross remains at a modest 5.0 which will be tempting for many, below him the likes of Philipp Senderos, Jose Enrique and Maynor Figueroa (particularly if he gets a move), are all potential risky options in the 4.5 bracket. In addition, new Sunderland signing Ahmed Al-Muhammadi may well turn out to be an out-of-position player, given that he’s a better winger than a full-back.
If you want real budget then perhaps Newcastle’s Steven Taylor is worth a punt at 4.0, although at the same price, Wolves new signing Steven Mouyokolo is another who will draw some interest. With his bonus point potential -he earned 9 at Hull last term- the centre-half will benefit from playing in a stronger back four under Mick McCarthy.
Midfield
To Frank or not to Frank: that is the question that most of us will have trouble saying “no” to. A cool 13.0 is a big price, particularly after his World Cup showing, but with the future of both Cesc Fabregas and Steven Gerrard currently uncertain, there’s little competition for big investment in the midfield area. With Frank on board, we’ll need to look for lower alternatives to fill out our squads, although the price bracket just below sees Florent Malouda, at 9.5, and Mikel Arteta for 8.5 particular standouts.
The classification of Gareth Bale as a 6.5 midfielder is another disappointment. We’ll have to wait on Harry’s transfer tinkering and Spurs’ pre-season form before we can really assess if Bale will provide reliable starts on the left of midfield. Bolton’s Martin Petrov looks a safer bet at 6.0- he looks set to be the main threat to Matt Taylor’s returns at the Reebok.
Interestingly both Matt Etherington and Charles N’Zogbia sit relatively still in terms of a price rise. Etherington at 6.0 looks particularly tempting given that he looks assured of starts as long as Stoke can show signs of improving their miserable goal output. N’Zogbia, meanwhile, is another who has been subject to speculation and looks set to deliver value for the same price. The Wigan winger might struggle to match his impressive points tally next season though, given that an amazing 31 of them came from the dubious bonus point judges.
Lower down the brackets is the potential offered by Jack Rodwell at 5.5, though much will be determined by where David Moyes decides to mainly play him; if he’s not in an attacking role, he’s not worth it. Wolves’ Steven Hunt -due to return to action around October- will surely be a reliable source of points, with his delivery from set-pieces being of particular importance to Mick McCarthy’s side. New West Ham boy Thomas Hitzlsperger is no stranger to these shores and could well return a few goals for Avram Grant’s team. Kevin Nolan’s goals were vital to Newcastle’s play last season and he has a proven Premier League record
In the same price-range, West Brom’s Graham Dorrans is likely to be the most popular option, however, with his performances integral to the Baggies survival; if he turns it on, expect the Scot to pick up the majority of their assists and Bonus Points, as well as helping himself to a handful of goals. Another promoted possibility is Blackpool’s Charlie Adam. Coming in at 5.0, he takes his team’s set-pieces and penalties and will bag a few Bonus Points for his owners. A Dorrans/Adam pairing looks a risk but will likely be a popular route for those looking to liberate cash for Lampard’s selection.
Forwards
Again the pricey selections are predictable enough and one of Didier Drogba -12.5- or Wayne Rooney -12.0- look pretty much essential. The alternative is to gamble lower down the price range on steady returns from the assist and bonus gathering talents of Robin Van Persie and Carlos Tevez. However, injuries and rotation respectively will always be a worry with that pairing. Darren Bent looks appealing at 8.5 but will be manage to return the same amount of goals as last term?
Lowering our sights somewhat you can take a punt on either Hugo Rodallega or Bobby Zamora repeating their feats of last term for a reasonable price of 6.5. Arsenal’s Marouanne Chamakh, Birmingham’s Nikola Zigic or Liverpool’s Milan Jovanovic are there for those willing to take a gamble on new arrivals to the Premier League. Always a risky strategy but their pre-season form will be under the microsope in preparation for a cheeky punt.
Robbie Keane, at a mere 5.5, will possibly be the best bargain of them all if he moves on from White Hart Lane, with Aston Villa being amongst his suitors. A first team place will surely make a mockery of that starting price.
Newcastle’s Andy Carroll immediately looks a strong budget option at 5.0. The Magpies are surely going to need to attack sides, particularly at home, and Carroll’s substantial presence should see him earn returns. Much will depend on him earning regular starts but Chris Hughton’s war chest looks limited and Carroll’s starting role looks assured as a result.