Sleeper – Charlie Adam

His debut season in the Premier League will forever live in Fantasy football folklore but ever since that 2010/11 campaign with Blackpool, it’s been all downhill for Charlie Adam. Back then, as the creative hub of Ian Holloway’s promoted side, Adam proved a cut-price phenomenon – with spot-kick and set-piece duties boosting his appeal, the Scot racked up 12 goals, nine assists and 45 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points for a total of 192 points:

Signed by Liverpool after the Tangerines suffered the ignominy of relegation, Adam was then snapped up by Stoke last summer after failing to settle at Anfield. Hopes were relatively high for the Scot’s Fantasy prospects, with his delivery from free-kicks and corners seeming the ideal aerial fodder for the likes of Robert Huth, Ryan Shawcross and Peter Crouch. It’s fair to say it hasn’t quite turned out that way, though – Tony Pulis’ tactics afforded him little license to prosper as a Fantasy force – indeed, towards the end of last term, Adam was fielded as a right winger for the Potters.

Starting only 22 league matches in 2012/13 – with five appearances also off the bench – Adam failed to establish himself as a regular and managed 90 minutes on just five occasions; all too often, he was the victim of his former manager’s tactical tweaks midway through the second-half of matches. Despite producing attacking returns in each of his last three appearances, then, Adam registered just three goals, six assists and five bonus points for a total of 85 points in Pulis’ last term in charge at the Britannia.

The Prospects

With Mark Hughes now installed as the new man in charge at the Britannia, Adam’s prospects suddenly look a little more enticing for the campaign ahead. The Welshman is desperate to address the dire attacking record which saw the Potters score just 34 times last season – the second worst record in the Premier League – and, in addition to restructuring his backroom team, has released seven players as part of a summer clear-out.

The decision to let go long-throw specialist Rory Delap seems somewhat symbolic as Hughes looks to freshen up his options and bring about a more expansive style of play. Crucially, as far as Fantasy managers are concerned, however, the Welshman has talked up Adam as a key component of his side for 2013/14.

“I’m looking forward to working with Charlie day in day out and it will be an exciting time. We’ll get to know each other on a number of levels. I know his quality and he can affect a game in all manner of ways by the strength of his ability. It’s about getting the best out of him and finding the best position for him to be most effective.”

Certainly, for all their work-rate and physical endeavour under Pulis, Stoke severely lacked in creativity. Adam’s six assists was joint-top for the club last term despite the fact he played just 1,758 minutes – having provided a total of 20 assists in his first two seasons in the top-flight, though, his potential for teeing up team mates is obvious. Likely to be installed in the centre of the Potters midfield, Adam’s eye for a killer pass and dead-ball ability may see him once again arrive on our radars – corners and free-kicks look likely, while Fantasy managers will be hoping that Jon Walters’ patchy spot-kick record may persuade Hughes to hand the Scot penalties, too.

Price-wise, Adam looks set to drop across the Fantasy games after the previous term’s disappointment. Initially costing 7.0 in FPL last summer, a slip to 6.5 or even 6.0 will be anticipated – granted, that’s a little too expensive for our cheap fifth midfielder spot but if Hughes can revitalise Adam’s playmaking potential after his recent toils under Pulis, it’s a cost kind enough to consider the Scot as a mid-price option.