Frisking The Fixtures – Gameweek 24 – The Strong

We turn our attentions to the next four to six Gameweeks now and assess those sides with kind fixtures to follow. Champions City have reason for optimism, Arsenal’s momentum could be set to continue, whilst Tony Pulis has the perfect chance to bounce back from his first defeat in charge of the Baggies.

Man City

A vital draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening kept Manuel Pellegrini’s men within touching distance of Chelsea at the summit as we move towards the climax of the season. What’s more, the Citizens’ schedule for the remainder of the campaign looks decidedly glossier than the Londoners’, with their next six particularly encouraging; Etihad encounters with Hull, Newcastle and Leicester, paired with trips to Stoke and Burnley, could see the champions gain ground on the current leaders. Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that the Blues could be accused of choking as of late. Three draws and a loss in their last five have meant that they have picked up just six points from a possible 15, with their recent defensive performances of particular concern. It’s now six Gameweeks without a shut-out, and even Vincent Kompany’s return to the fold has failed to reinstall their usual resilience. With that in mind, few are likely to splash out on their premium rearguard options, though Gael Clichy – at 5.8 – could tempt some after his two-assist display against Sunderland on New Year’s Day. With Yaya Toure still likely to be absent for the next couple of Gameweeks, David Silva is the stand-out pick in the Citizens’ midfield, with five goals and two assists in his last seven outings propelling the little Spaniard into the limelight after a quiet first half of the season. Up front, meanwhile, we are still waiting for Sergio Aguero to explode back into form, but with Diego Costa’s band of owners currently on the hunt for a replacement, the Argentine is still sure to find his way into plenty of squads over the coming days. How Wilfried Bony fits into Pellegrini’s plans upon his return from Africa will also have to be monitored, as the Ivorian could present managers with an 8.2-priced route into City’s frontline if he is offered the chance to start alongside Aguero.

Arsenal

A 5-0 battering of Aston Villa at the weekend, coupled with their outstanding performance at the Etihad in the previous Gameweek, has seen the Gunners’ assets explode onto our radars at a time when the fixture list also warrants our attention. Arsene Wenger’s charges face the current bottom two of Leicester and QPR, along with Crystal Palace and Everton in their next six, and with so many of their outfield stars currently on song, managers will be hard tasked in choosing exactly who they can accommodate in their squads. To make matters more complicated, we are yet to know the full extent of the hamstring problem that kept Alexis Sanchez out of the Villa win. Should the Chilean be passed fit for next weekend he will still be the star pick within the Gunners’ attacking ranks, though confirmation of a longer lay-off will see his 36% ownership scrambling for alternatives. Santi Cazorla, with three double-figure hauls in his last five outings, is the most obvious switch, though the recently returned duo of Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott underlined their potential as differential assets with a goal apiece on Sunday. The 8.3-rated Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, is making a thorough case for inclusion in our three-man frontlines after grabbing five goals and an assist in his last six league starts. Indeed, given the Gunners’ current form, any of these options could appeal as a double-up with Sanchez if, as expected, he does make a speedy recovery. At the back, Wenger’s men have rewritten the form book in recent weeks, tallying three back-to-back clean sheets (as many as they had in the previous 11 Gameweeks), and though the centre-back pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny remain the safest options, young Hector Bellerin, at a mere 4.4, is the option riding high in our Watchlist right now; with such a budget-friendly price tag, and a goal against Villa, the Spaniard’s appeal will remain undisputed so long as he can hold onto the right-back berth over the coming weeks.

West Brom

Though Spurs may have put an end to Tony Pulis’ commanding start at the Hawthorns, the Baggies will be confident of placing more distance between themselves and the drop zone in the coming weeks. Three vital away ties with Burnley, Sunderland and Aston Villa are married with promising home encounters against Swansea and Stoke in the next six, and with their late season run-in about as testing as they could ever have feared, picking up the points across this impending schedule is sure to prove crucial to their survival chances. The focal point of our Fantasy attention is likely to remain in the Baggies’ rearguard, where Pulis’ installation has, for the most part, had the expected effect; Andre Wisdom (4.5) and Ben Foster (4.6) between the sticks are the stand-out picks thanks to their slightly leaner price tags and guaranteed starts. Further forward, Stephane Sessegnon seems to be struggling to convince Pulis that he is worthy of starts, though Callum McManaman, at just 5.0, could come into consideration if he can settle into his new surroundings quickly. Up top, Saido Berahino has notched twice in his last four, though Victor Anichebe is available for just 4.9, and after grabbing a brace in the Midlanders’ recent FA Cup victory over Birmingham, may well appeal to some as an enabler and forward differential.

Hull

True, the Tigers have done little to justify so much as an ounce of Fantasy interest in the last few weeks. Two successive 3-0 losses in the two previous Gameweeks have come amidst a run that has seen Steve Bruce’s side manage just a couple of wins in their last 16 league outings, with the result being that they have now slipped into the drop zone. If the Tigers are to turn things around, however, their upcoming fixture list looks crucial, with home meetings with Aston Villa, QPR and Sunderland and a trip to Leicester likely to prove the difference come the end of the campaign. Bruce’s penchant for shuffling things round in defence has only added to managers’ wariness when it comes to Hull’s rearguard this season, with the 4.8-valued Curtis Davies currently the only fit reliable starter; it’s worth noting that, despite their many shortcomings, the Tigers have collected clean sheets in three of their four victories this season, and their chances of producing the points in those critical relegation battles could come down to their defensive efforts. Further forward, budget winger Ahmed Elmohamady has made a case for our fifth midfield spot with a goal and assist in his last six appearances, whilst strike duo Nikica Jelavic and Abel Hernandez are both back in action after recent injuries – the former notched four goals in six Gamweeks at the start of the season, and could be the hero if he can reproduce that form against Hull’s relegation rivals. New boy Dame N’Doye will also be pushing for pitch time up top after arriving from Lokomotiv Moscow late on deadline day.

Also Consider

Sunderland  A 2-0 win over Burnley opened up a four-point gap between the Black Cats and the relegation zone, and with trips to Swansea and Hull and clashes with QPR and Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light in their next six, the Wearsiders could put daylight between themselves and the bottom three over the forthcoming weeks. An assist apiece for Patrick van Aanholt and Anthony Reveillere earned each of the full-backs double-figure returns at the weekend, and with the former on offer for just 4.2, his lofty spot in our current Watchlist is more than justified. Meanwhile, new boy Jermain Defoe opened his account for the Black Cats at the weekend, adding to his assist in the previous Gameweek, and with Connor Wickham also featuring on the scoresheet against the Clarets, managers are rediscovering their interest in Gus Poyet’s frontline just in time for the upturn in fixtures. Adam Johnson is expected to recover from a minor thumb operation in time for the weekend and, at 6.0, his three goals in the previous eight is indicative of his flourishing form.

Stoke  Jon Walters, ever the ‘un-sexiest’ of Fantasy options, underlined exactly why he found a place in in our Scout Picks at the weekend, with a hat-trick against QPR. With a clash against Man City the Potters’ only major concern across their impending schedule (new, MCI, avl, HUL, EVE, wba) Walters looks set to profit further, whilst the likes of Victor Moses and Mame Biram Diouf could also appeal. At the back, Mark Hughes’ men have tallied three shut-outs in their last six, and Asmir Begovic and January signing Phillipp Wollscheid are the star attractions in a backline that face the three worst attacks in the league in their next six.

Southampton  A late Jonjo Shelvey strike on Sunday afternoon put an end to the Saints’ run of six league outings without a loss, but given that they face QPR, West Brom and Crystal Palace in their next five, Ronald Koeman’s outfit will be optimistic that they rebuild find their momentum once again. With Ryan Bertrand out of the picture thanks to his reckless red against the Swans, raiding right back Nathaniel Clyne is the obvious option in defence. In the middle of the park, James Ward Prowse’s 4.8 price tag and five assists in his last seven make him a budget option worth monitoring and whilst January signing Eljero Elia will be looking to kick on after his brace against Newcastle in Gameweek 22, the return of Sadio Mane from the African Cup of Nations places question marks over Koeman’s likely starters our wide. Graziano Pelle has now scored just twice in his previous 15 league starts, and despite the positive fixtures, managers are still likely to steer clear of the Italian for the time being.