Monitor – Dimitar Berbatov

Back in Gameweek 11, Dimitar Berbatov appeared to have sealed the deal. Having fetched a brace and assist in Fulham’s outstanding display at Arsenal, the Bulgarian looked an essential purchase as a third striker option, used in tandem with two heavy-hitters – most likely Robin Van Persie and Luis Suarez.

Under the crafty stewardship of Martin Jol once again, and with form and strong fixtures in front of him, Berbatov looked primed to add to his impressive early goal tally. Since the disappointing home defeat to Sunderland in Gameweek 12, however, he has drawn blanks in every game, a spell that has coincided with the injury and absence of Bryan Ruiz.

With news of the Costa Rican suffering a hamstring setback which could keep him sidelined for another month, it seems timely to examine Berbatov’s form in more detail. In this latest article for members we check on how the absence of Ruiz has changed the Bulgarian’s game, whilst assessing the chances of an upturn in fortunes as Fulham’s fixture list continues to grant Berbatov a platform for returns.

Let’s start by rolling back to Gameweek 11 to examine just how prosperous Berbatov had been in his first six starts for Fulham. Despite missing matches against City and Southampton, the striker had been in outstanding form between Gameweeks 4-11, notching five goals and earning three assists on his way to nine Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points. The double figure return at Arsenal confirmed his class and seemingly “fixture-proof” status and, with an array of attractive opponents in front of him, all looked rosy.