The Remy Conundrum

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is often little help to Fantasy managers when delivering his weekly press conference. Who can blame him though, us Fantasy managers are hardly his priority. But with places in our attack ahead of the double Gameweek 34 involving Chelsea and Liverpool at a premium, every word from Mourinho’s lips is dissected and looked over in a bid to help us make up our minds. This article lays out Mourinho’s latest thoughts on Diego Costa’s injury and more importantly whether it is worth Fantasy managers drafting in the Spaniard’s likely replacement in the starting XI Loic Remy.

In recent weeks we have heard Mourinho say that he ‘owes’ Remy game time. This gives great cause for optimism and allows us to make a fair assumption that Remy will be awarded much game time in the absence of the 19-goal  Costa. Now for those worrying about the threat of Didier Drogba to Remy’s gametime, I want to remind you that Remy is very versatile when it comes to playing in attack and many times he has been shifted to, or played as a part of the attacking midfield three, playing both as a CAM and a  RM. Therefore, I wouldn’t think his game time will be too much of problem.

Today’s press conference however offered both a crumb of comfort that Costa will remain absent throughout Gameweek 34, while at the same time offer enough ambiguity to place doubts in Fantasy managers’ minds that Remy will play both matches.

In case you missed it, Mourinho said that he expects Costa to play four games, five at most, between now and the end of the season. This means that either Mourinho plays him selectively (meaning he is more likely to start in the big games against Liverpool and Arsenal) or he just plays the last four games of the season.

Either way, I think Remy is worthy of investment.  The striker is in great form with two goals in his last two games and I fully expect him to start the next two games while Costa recovers from injury.

Regarding the double Gameweek even if Mourinho’s four games are not necessarily the last of the season then I feel that we can still safely expect Remy to start in the easier of the two games, against Leicester, a game which gives us very high hopes for solid scores from Chelsea attackers.

Remy will also be likely to at least feature from the bench against Arsenal, the double Gameweek’s second fixture. As we know even from the bench he is capable of accruing points. In three out of five of his substitute appearances he has delivered attacking returns. However, should Costa not return until  Gameweek 35 then Remy is surely a certain starter in both double Gameweek clashes.

Now I know, many reading this will be keen to transfer out  Charlie Austin or Christian Benteke, who both have a blank in Gameweek 33,  for the safer options of Swansea’s Befatami Gomis and Crystal Palace’s Glenn Murray, but let me put forward the case against these moves.  Gomis faces Everton, a side that have conceded one goal in the last three, then a Leicester side firmly in the midst of a relegation battle that will be looking the gain valuable points against the Swans.

Meanwhile, Murray faces a Sunderland side who seem much stronger defensively since the appointment of Dick Advocaat, followed by a game against West Brom, a side more than capable of shutting out opponents. Also, neither Murray or Gomis have a double Gameweek, which places the pendulum firmly back in Remy’s favour.

The choice is yours but I feel Remy offers the best chance of tapping into further points from Chelsea’s double Gameweek as well as strong potential for further goals this Gameweek and next.