The Watchlist Updated – The Defence

We continue the countdown to the new Gameweek with the regular refresh of the Watchlist rankings – our take on player recommendations for the next four to six week period. First up, we cast an eye over Goalkeepers and Defenders as Swansea’s rearguard earn promotion, along with the Fantasy royalty within Everton’s back four. As always, our current rankings are available in your sidebar. Read on for the thinking behind the very latest.

The Goalkeepers

Swansea’s Michel Vorm climbs to the top of the Goalkeeper rankings with a potentially profitable run of games ahead. Three home fixtures (SUN, WHM, STO) and trips to Cardiff and Fulham in the next five should give Michael Laudrup’s side plenty chance of recovery after their loss at Southampton. Injury doubts still linger over the likes of both Ashley Williams and Ben Davies in the back-four and that could impact on Swansea’s clean sheet potential. Similarly, Europa League fatigue could also play a part but that’s not likely to bite until Gameweek 11’s home encounter with Stoke which follows a trip to Russia for Matchday 4. Despite these caveats, if Williams can be restored to the Swans’ defence, Vorm should be in line for profit from now up until the end of October to reward investors.

Simon Mignolet drops down to second due to a combination of Vorm’s kinder fixtures and Liverpool’s recent downturn in resilience. Having started the season with three successive clean sheets, the Merseysiders have now conceded in each of their last four – nevertheless, as the only backline option to have played every game under Brendan Rodgers, Mignolet will be looking to take advantage of three favourable fixtures in the next four.

Brad Guzan is this week’s big climber due to a schedule that hands Villa four home games in the upcoming six. With two clean sheets in the last three, the 5.0 priced stopper is already eight points clear of any Villa defender thanks to his heroics between the sticks. The form keeper in the FPL, Guzan should provide ample save points should the shut-outs dry up. As we’ll see, however, there are options in the Villa back four that also hold appeal.

Chelsea’s Petr Cech also has a quartet of home fixtures in six to boost his chances of defensive returns. The Blues are second only to Southampton for goals conceded this season so far – Cech has been beaten just four times. However, with a trio of goal threats amongst Jose Mourinho’s back-four, he’s likely to be overlooked by many in favour of a Blues defender. Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny has four favourable fixtures in six but with just a single clean sheet to their name this term, Arsenal have been far from convincing at the back.

Artur Boruc and Hugo Lloris tumble in this week’s refresh. With four away games in six, Boruc, in particular, looks hard pushed to maintain the resilience which has seen him beaten just twice this term – trips to United, Arsenal and Chelsea, in addition to a midlands derby against Stoke at the Britannia, may see his owners contemplate an alternative. Lloris will still be licking his wounds after the Gameweek 7 home thrashing by West Ham and has Everton, United and City to follow – with goal threats and bonus potential in both the Saints and Spurs back-fours, save points could be their main source of profit.

With a single clean sheet in five, United’s David De Gea has failed to justify our faith as United struggle to gel under David Moyes. The Spaniard’s security of starts keeps him in our thinking, as does three home games in four, albeit one of those fixtures has Arsenal roll up to Old Trafford. John Ruddy and Asmir Begovic prop up this week’s rankings – with one clean sheet in the last four apiece, neither have offered much to shout about in recent matches but both have three strong home games in the upcoming six to make amends.

At the budget end of the market, Hull City’s Allan McGregor offers a 4.5 alternative to Southampton’s Boruc: he has form, although trips to Everton and Spurs up next look unlikely to see his recent run of returns maintained. Given the schedule, those shopping for a new stopper should consider the extra spend on either Vorm or Guzan in order to seek out a secure starter and potential differential.

The Defenders

Leighton Baines rises to the summit this week in light of Everton’s kind run of opponents – starting with this weekend’s Goodison clash with Hull City. The Toffees have four home fixtures supplemented by trips to Villa and Palace in the next six to aid a return to form after losing their unbeaten record at City last time out – Baines’ attacking potential and propensity for picking up bonus points justifies his lofty price tag in our estimations and has him ranked above team-mate Seamus Coleman.

Branislav Ivanovic is, perhaps controversially, our Chelsea defender of choice. The Serbian may have been overshadowed by John Terry in recent weeks but remains a greater goal threat than his skipper – with David Luiz also in the mix, though, there’s plenty on offer at the back for those eyeing up Jose Mourinho’s defensive options ahead of a superb run which sees them take on eight of the bottom 10 in the next 11 Gameweeks. It’s hardly a break from the template defence but it’s difficult to justify going without a Chelsea defender for the next six given their potential at both ends of the pitch.

Swansea’s schedule and current injury situation is enough to warrant Chico’s top billing amongst Michael Laudrup’s backline. Highlighted in Part One of our recent Members articles on the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Bonus Points System, the centre-half looks likely to benefit if his side can nullify their opponents’ threat. At 5.0, he’s your option should you push back on Vorm between the sticks.

Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen falls from last week’s summit. While three of the next four look profitable, City and United in Gameweeks 12 and 13 are far from enticing – nonetheless, the Belgian remains our favoured route into a Spurs backline that had, until the previous Gameweek, shipped just two goals. Vertonghen has accrued bonus points in every match his side has kept a clean sheet and offers a greater chance of attacking points than any of his defensive team-mates. Kyle Walker, at 6.1 and rising, remains the most viable alternative.

Nathaniel Clyne’s budget price tag keeps him in the mix in spite of Southampton’s tricky away trips in the next six, while Nemanja Vidic gets the nod as our United defender. Patrice Evra runs him close after an impressive showing against Sunderland last time around. The left-back has seen a recent drop to 6.4 in the FPL and could soon displace Vidic as the optimum route into Moyes’ back four should we see further rotation of the Serb and more attacking intent from the Frenchman following his assist in the win at the Stadium of Light. United’s defensive form remains a concern, although the next three – against Southampton, Stoke and Fulham – looks to provide a platform for recovery.

Everton’s enticing run of games brings Seamus Coleman into consideration as a cheaper alternative to Baines – the right-back will be hoping to improve upon a record which has seen him fail to produce any attacking returns since the season opener. Stoke’s Marc Wilson offers a cheaper alternative to his mid-priced defensive team-mates and is looking to prosper from this season’s central midfield berth. To be honest, this was a close call with Robert Huth’s goal threat almost seeing the German earn Watchlist recognition.

Further down, Ron Vlaar’s security of starts and ability to steer clear of injury earns him the nod as our Villa defender. While Guzan’s save points have proved more valuable thus far, Vlaar is available for 4.4 in the FPL – the only defender below the 4.5 price point who looks secure and with four home fixtures in six. Antonio Luna offers another assured alternative in the Villa ranks for just 0.1.

Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny returned to full training for France yesterday and has recovered after last week’s injury worry – the centre-half edges out fellow Arsenal man Per Mertesacker here, whilst three road trips in four may prove problematic for Pablo Zabaleta, given that City have conceded three goals in two of their three away games so far.

Jose Enrique’s switch to the left of Liverpool’s midfield in a 3-5-2 keeps him bubbling under in the rankings but he’s suffered a drop this week in light of the fixture list and doubts on his security of starts. Aly Cissokho’s return from injury could increase the competition for places on the Reds left, whilst Glen Johnson’s imminent comeback would also give us a cheaper differential option on the opposite flank for Brendan Rodgers’ side. Enrique remains a factor, then, but look for Johnson’s arrival next week should he figure at Newcastle.

If you’re intent on shopping at the very bottom of the budget brackets, then the Hull pairing of Liam Rosenior and Abdoulaye Faye remain the most worthy options at 3.9 apiece – we’re not expecting their recent form to continue given they have two away trips up next, while James Chester’s impending return will cause a shake-up, with Faye most likely to make way. Crystal Palace have three in the next four at home, bringing Joel Ward into consideration, while Carlos Cuellar, at just 4.1, could be a benefactor of Gus Poyet’s arrival if he can regain his Sunderland starting berth.