Forgotten Fantasy Prospects

In what has been a memorable season for players such as Suarez, Yaya Touré, Ramsey and Hazard, there are players that have been forgotten throughout the season for various reasons, including  injury and  poor form. We take a look ahead to the future and those forgotten players who could redeem themselves next season and turn out to be worthy assets if their price is reasonable.

Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

Tottenham underwent many changes throughout the season, from managers to players. Amongst the chaos, Walker amassed 9 clean sheets, a goal and three assists over 25 appearances with the prospect of free-kicks occasionally. In February, a hip injury, followed by a groin injury in March, ruled him out for the remainder of the season and put his World Cup hopes in doubt. His price will most likely stay the same for next season and he could be a great asset.

José Enrique (Liverpool)

What started off as a fantastic defensive display slowly digressed for Liverpool. With three clean sheets in a row in their opening fixtures, it seemed the Merseyside outfit had finally found their perfect formula at the back, with José Enrique a key figure. The Spaniard managed three clean sheets and two assists in the first 7 games before picking up what would be a season-ending knee injury in October. With Liverpool likely to strengthen their defence over the summer, it remains to be seen whether the strong left-back can reclaim his starting position. If so, he could turn out to be a gem next season for Fantasy managers with his attacking runs and potentially lower price.

Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

It turned out to be another injury-riddled season for Walcott, who seemed to have so much promise for Arsenal. The winger managed a total 860 minutes all season, delivering five goals and five assists. An abdominal injury kept him out for two months then another two months later a ruptured cruciate ligament ended his season for Arsenal, and World Cup campaign with England. With a pre-season return on the cards, it will be worth monitoring the progress of Walcott as the new campaign approaches.

Luis Nani and Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United)

With David Moyes named as the successor to Alex Ferguson last summer, many seemed to think Nani and Kagawa would see a renaissance under the former Everton boss. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth as things went from bad to worse for the Scot with United hovering around the 7th place mark for most of the season. A five-year contract for the Portuguese winger seemed to suggest that Nani would see more game time, yet, through injury, Nani was kept out of the squad for much of the season. In contrast, Kagawa’s season was set back by rotation. The Japanese international would manage two or three consecutive starts only to find himself dropped a few games later. The latter half of the season was certainly more productive for the attacking midfielder, with four assists in eight starts, but certainly not enough to justify his price-tag. The World Cup will surely act as a window for both players to showcase their skills to whoever will be in charge of United next season.

Papiss Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa and Ryan Taylor (Newcastle)

Newcastle’s season was one of many ups and downs with some memorable performances and some to forget. Papiss Cissé delivered another dismal season with a pair of goals and three assists from 24 appearances. The Senegalese striker found it hard to establish consistent form, being benched frequently and omitted from the squad on several occasions. Likewise, for Ben Arfa, this season has not been his most memorable despite three goals and five assists over 27 appearances. A groin injury stunted his performances in the latter half of the season as Newcastle went on a horrible run of defeats. Perhaps the most forgotten prospect in Fantasy football is Ryan Taylor. An ankle injury ruined his campaign two season’s ago and last term saw him ruled out again with a ruptured knee ligament. With Debuchy nailing down the right back place, perhaps a loan move to a promotion club or something similar could be on the cards for the 29 year-old. His set piece expertise and goal threat would certainly be welcomed back by me for one, in addition to a generous price-tag.

Michu and Neil Taylor (Swansea)

Coming from the 2012/13 campaign, with 18 goals in his debut season for Swansea, a lot of pressure was on Michu to deliver again. The striker showed some signs of his attacking prowess early into the new season with two goals and an assist in his opening five games but soon drastically lost form. The Europa League fixtures most likely drained the Spaniard, in addition to an ongoing knee injury and later a sprained ankle that would see Michu only play a further seven games until the end of the season. He will certainly be one to watch for next term as Swansea look to improve on their 12th place finish under Garry Monk. Neil Taylor may be a cheap defender worth keeping in mind should Ben Davies be snapped up by one of the bigger clubs during the summer.

Ravel Morrison (West Ham)

Many invested in Ravel Morrison at the start of the season as a cheap 5th midfielder. The 21-year-old managed three goals and a pair of assists before being dropped at Christmas and loaned out to nearby QPR in February. During his loan spell, Morrison scored six times in 15 appearances, reminding us of the damage the ex-Manchester United midfielder can do. Although he will be on many watchlists during the coming pre-season, he is due a price rise from his £4.5m starting price of last summer.

Robbie Brady (Hull)

Plenty of Fantasy managers had scouted the Irish winger during last year’s preseason as a cheap midfielder capable of adequate returns. Brady had a fantastic start to the season for Hull with three goals and an assist in the opening 6 games, with set pieces tempting many to buy him. His returns began to dry up shortly after as Hull hit a rough patch, followed by a groin injury that would ultimately lead to the end of his season. He managed three games in February before his groin injury recurred, requiring an operation and keeping him out for the rest of Hull’s matches.

Arouna Koné (Everton)

After a successful spell with Wigan, Roberto Martinez brought Koné to Everton from his former club. Scoring 11 goals in 33 appearances for Wigan, it was clear Martinez had plans for the Ivorian alongside loanee Romelu Lukaku. However, his season was ended at the start of November with a knee injury. It is unlikely that he will start ahead of whatever striker Everton sign over the summer, but should Martinez look for goals in an unlikely 4-4-2, an opportunity may arise for Koné to become a nice differential at a cheap price.