Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 31 – The Strong

The lure of six matches in four Gameweeks hands Fantasy managers an obvious cast of teams to consider for the immediate future. While three of the sides to benefit from such a schedule dominate our “frisking” analysis, we also call in on a set of teams that should perhaps not be overlooked given their opponents, motivation and, in one particular case, their history for a meteoric season run-in.

Man City

With the title at stake, City have both the schedule and the impetus to deliver the results we came to expect of them earlier in the season. Although crucial away trips to Arsenal and Liverpool beckon during the next four Gameweeks, Manuel Pellegrini’s attacking assets shouldn’t be overlooked given that they will need to show their goalscoring prowess against their title rivals. Meanwhile, there are home matches with Fulham, Southampton and Sunderland packaged up in this spell, who will surely be overwhelmed by the City juggernaut at the Etihad.

With ties against West Brom and Crystal Palace to follow and a third double Gameweek to come, the reasons for investing are evident. Sadly, the targets are less apparent. Sergio Aguero’s Dairylea hamstrings remain a concern, while Aleks Kolorov’s love/hate relationship with the teamsheet is a headache with just one cure – looking elsewhere. That leaves David Silva and Yaya Toure as the clear targets, with Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko offering the poor man’s options – in more ways than one.

Everton

The Fantasy manager’s uneasy relationship with the Toffees looks set to continue, courtesy of their second double-header looming in Gameweek 34. While Seamus Coleman’s fortuitous winner earned Roberto Martinez a late three points against Cardiff, Fantasy managers will approach Gameweek 31’s ties with Swansea and Newcastle looking for something more convincing. Coleman may have delivered but Everton’s attack has mustered just three goals in their last four league outings, with Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas frustrating their owners with Saturday blanks.

In many respects it’s hard to ignore the Merseysiders, with a trip to Fulham to follow, plus a second double Gameweek against Sunderland and Crystal Palace. However, those are all sides scrapping for survival, with motivation flowing through their veins. Everton will have to be on their mettle, then, and there’s perhaps reason to court caution when considering a defence that boasts just one shut-out in seven. Meanwhile, only Lukaku appears to offer the security of starts we’d want for double Gameweek coverage.

Sunderland

The Black Cats are unfortunate enough to figure on the schedule of both teams discussed thus far and yet they still warrant a mention in their own right. While their six Gameweeks looks, at first glance, a swathe of red, they still offer up the six matches in four Gameweeks that becomes almost a pre-requisite for any signing ahead of this weekend’s deadline.

Saturday’s crunchy call on Norwich carries some potential, as does the home clash with mid-table West Ham – surely earmarked as a must-win by Gus Poyet. The Gameweek 33 trip to Spurs seems unlikely to shoo the Black Cats, while the home clash with Everton should be another targeted by Poyet for vital points.

His team are perhaps the best equipped of the relegation strugglers, blessed with an inspired keeper in Vito Manonne, a determined back-four, complete with a Phil Bardsley goal threat and, in Adam Johnson, a sparky talent set for a late check-in for the plane to Rio. Our sights will surely fail to waver from these three targets and the sheer number, if not quality, of their fixtures has to keep them on our radar – particularly as, like City, Sunderland have another double-header to come in Gameweek 37.

Also Consider…

Swansea
While Gary Monk’s side have the two fixtures in Gameweek 31, they find themselves on the road at Everton and Arsenal, so it’s fair to say that expectations are low. Nonetheless, the Swans have scored in each of their last five and follow their murderous double with home encounters against Norwich and Villa and visits to Hull and Newcastle. Michu’s return to fitness my yet provide a spark, while Wilfried Bony has three goals and an assist in his last five, despite the recent malaise.

Chelsea
Saturday’s visit of Arsenal may skew the ticker somewhat, but Jose Mourinho’s side still have a schedule that suggests that they remain title favourites. With no double Gameweek in play and hefty price tags, Fantasy managers will be tempted to cash in their Chelsea assets but may live to regret that almost immediately. Following the clash with the Gunners, Mourinho’s men have a run of four matches (cpl STO swa SUN) that may see them pull clear in the title race and cement their back four and Eden Hazard as season heavyweights.

Aston Villa
In the current landscape, the lack of a double Gameweek is an immediate turn-off but Villa put up a superb display against Chelsea and that win could yet provide the catalyst for an end-of-season flourish. We saw them blitz opponents at the tail-end of last season, and with Stoke, Fulham and Southampton paying visit, Christian Benteke has the platform to replicate the form that saw him score eight in the last nine in his debut campaign.

Norwich
Another team without the lure of two fixtures, the Canaries have, nonetheless, got an immediate schedule that suggests they may yet drag themselves to safety. The next four are all against relegation rivals and, while they continue to struggle at both ends, in Robert Snodgrass they have a Fantasy asset producing his most consistent run of returns this term.