End of Season Awards – The Forwards

After analysing the Goalkeepers, Defenders and Midfielders, we turn our attentions to the best performing Forwards of the 2014/15 season this evening.

Once again, we’ve released a poll in the middle column of the homepage to collect your votes – please remember that each person can cast three votes this time around.

Bear in mind that the vote is from an overall Fantasy perspective – overall points, price, performances and value across the Fantasy games should all come into consideration.

Before we take a look at this year’s contenders, let’s cast an eye over the fortunes of last season’s front two of choice.

2013/14 Fantasy Football Scout Team of the Season Review
Goalkeeper – Vito Mannone
Defenders – Seamus Coleman, John Terry, Laurent Koscielny, Joel Ward
Midfielders – Steven Gerrard, Aaron Ramsey, Yaya Toure, Eden Hazard
Forwards – Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge

Liverpool’s SAS were the main men last time around, as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge ran top-flight backlines ragged. The Uruguayan 30 goals, 25 assists and 40 bonus points helped him rack up 295 points in the FPL game – 79 points ahead of Sergio Aguero, this season’s top scoring frontman – before Barcelona spirited him away to the Nou Camp.

Sturridge, meanwhile, has succumbed to a variety of injuries which have limited him to just 12 league appearances. Managing a mere 46 points, courtesy of four goals and three assists, his propensity for picking up injuries places major question marks over Sturridge’s ability to replicate his 2013/14 heroics, which saw him rack up 22 goals and eight assists alongside Suarez as Rodgers’ men came desperately close to clinching the title.

Sergio Aguero

Eased into action after the World Cup, Aguero set the tone for what was to follow by netting in each of City’s two fixtures as a sub. By the time he limped off against Everton in early December, the Argentine had netted 14 times in the first 14 Gameweeks as his price climbed from 12.0 to 12.9. Upon his return from injury, though, Aguero struggled to rediscover his displays until a change of formation allowed him to run riot in the final couple of months of the campaign. Finishing the season on 26 goals, Aguero also chipped in with ten assists in FPL on his way to his highest ever score of 216 points – second only to Eden Hazard overall. Aguero also ended the season as the number one forward in the Daily Telegraph and Sky Sports games and sits second behind Harry Kane in the Sun Dream Team.

Harry Kane

Handed a 5.0 starting price in FPL, the youngster had dropped to a mere 4.8 by the time he emerged from the bench to notch his first league goal of the season against Villa in Gameweek 10. From that point onwards, Kane was a nailed-on starter for Spurs as he embarked on a run of 17 goals in the following 20 league matches, with seven double-figure hauls over that period underlining his captaincy credentials. Kane’s budget price tag quickly climbed as Fantasy managers clambered on board the bandwagon, with his cost peaking at 6.5 by early May. A run of two goals in the final eight Gameweeks suggests Kane was somewhat overused by Mauricio Pochettino in his breakout season and, with Euro Under 21 duties to follow, there’s little respite for the youngster over the summer. Kane went on to finish second amongst forwards in FPL and Sky, whilst earning first and fourth place in the Sun and Telegraph respectively.

Charlie Austin

In his first season in the top-flight, Austin played a part in 26 of QPR’s 42 goals, courtesy of 18 strikes and eight assists for the relegated outfit. Kicking off the campaign at a cost of 6.0, it’s somewhat surprising that the R’s striker never rose above 6.5 in FPL, bearing in mind that he didn’t blank for more than two successive matches until Gameweek 35. In spite of his side’s toils, Austin proved reliable home and away – only ten of his 18 goals were delivered at Loftus Road, with six of his final seven strikes arriving on the road. Ending the season as third top scoring forward in FPL (fourth in Sky), Austin’s endeavours will surely earn him a move back to the Premier League over the summer.

Diego Costa

Chelsea’s summer signing exploded out of the blocks, with nine goals in the opening seven Gameweeks suggesting we had Fantasy royalty on our hands. As the season progressed, though, Costa’s hamstring problems became a weekly worry for his owners, as we anxiously awaited fitness updates from Jose Mourinho every Friday afternoon. With injury and suspension blighting his pitch time, Costa’s prospects diminished as the campaign unfolded, with three goals and seven appearances from Gameweek 23 onwards edging him onto the Fantasy periphery as Eden Hazard proved the must-have Chelsea option instead. Nonetheless, 20 goals and three assists earned him a top five spot amongst forwards in the FPL and Sky games and hints at what may follow if Costa can steer clear of injury next time around.

Olivier Giroud

The Arsenal forward finished just two goals shy of last year’s 16 strikes, despite playing over 1200 minutes less in the Premier League. Having recovered from an ankle injury, Giroud cemented his spot as the Gunners’ lone striker and, after embarking on a run of nine goals and three assists between Gameweeks 22-31, looked on course to finish the season spectacularly. Giroud then reverted to the form of years gone by, drawing blanks in each of the last seven fixtures in a hugely disappointing last couple of months for the Gunners. With Theo Walcott bagging a hat-trick against West Brom yesterday, question marks must again be raised over the Frenchman’s ability to nail down a regular role for the campaign ahead.

Jamie Vardy

Starting at 5.0, the Leicester forward rocketed onto our radars with a 21-point haul against United back in Gameweek 5, courtesy of a goal and four assists in an extraordinary 5-3 win. Vardy’s season then tailed off dramatically as he managed just two more assists in the next 20 rounds of fixtures before a return to form helped spearhead his side’s incredible scramble for survival. By the time the campaign concluded, Vardy had served up more assists (12) than any other striker and with attacking returns in seven of his final ten outings, even earned himself an England call-up.

Leonardo Ulloa

Five strikes in the opening five Gameweeks, including a double against United, suggested the Foxes summer signing had instantly found his feet. As Leicester struggled for form, though, Ulloa notched just two more times in the next 27 rounds of fixtures before leading Nigel Pearson’s side to safety. By the time the campaign had ended, the Argentine had served up 11 goals and four assists, with his partnership alongside Vardy looking very promising for the season ahead. Likely to vie with his fellow Foxes forward for our attention in the low mid-price bracket, Ulloa’s likely spot-kick duties may well sway it for some.

Christian Benteke

With his season hampered by injury and Paul Lambert’s negative tactics, the Villa forward mustered a mere two goals and one assist in the opening 27 Gameweeks. The arrival of Tim Sherwood changed all that, though, as Benteke rediscovered his self-belief to net 11 times in as many matches and save his side from the drop. With the suitors circling, it remains to be seen whether the big Belgian will remain at Villa Park over the summer, though there’s no doubt that under Sherwood’s guidance, he could be lethal next time around. Given that he produced 120 points, though, there’d be no surprise if Benteke remained around his 8.0 starting price next time around.

Saido Berahino

Another bargain striker who flourished in his breakout season, Berahino was afforded a 5.5 price tag after netting five times in 2013/14. Seven strikes in the first nine Gameweeks underlined his eye for goal but the Baggies youngster struggled for form over the winter, with his starting role coming increasingly under pressure. Despite ending the campaign on 14 goals – earning him a place in the top five forwards in FPL and The Sun Dream Team – his patchy form saw him score in just one of his final ten appearances. A move into the mid-price bracket seems inevitable but many will prefer West Brom’s backline due to Tony Pulis’ impact on their defence.

Graziano Pelle

The Southampton summer signing ended the campaign amongst the top seven strikers in FPL, Sky and the Daily Telegraph games after racking up 12 goals and six assists. Pelle was quick off the mark in his debut season in the top-flight, producing six goals and four assists in the first 11 Gameweeks before his form dried up dramatically. Over the next 20 matches, the Italian mustered a mere two goals and single assist in spite of a security of pitch time that saw him start all but one of his side’s 38 league outings. With the likes of Sadio Mane pushing for our attention on midfield, the inconsistent Pelle looks hard-pushed to play his way into our plans next term.

Wayne Rooney

Despite being stationed in central midfield on many occasions, the United skipper still managed to chip in with 12 goals and five assists in Louis van Gaal’s first season in charge. Rooney was off to a decent start, with three goals and two assists in his first six, but failed to deliver with any real consistency from that point onwards – indeed, he scored just once away from Old Trafford all season. Much depends on Van Gaal’s summer shopping spree but if Rooney emerges as United’s first-choice striker again, he’ll need to improve upon a record that saw him produced just one goal and a single assist in his final eight appearances. His versatility and lack of spot-kicks hardly helps, either.

Danny Ings

With 11 goals and four assists, Ings played a part in 15 of relegated Burnley’s 28 strikes. Initially priced at 6.0, the Clarets frontman was slow to adapt to the step up from the Championship and netted just once in his first eight appearances before a double against Stoke in Gameweek 12 hinted at his potential. That brace was the start of a very consistent run from Ings, who scored or assisted in ten of the subsequent 14 matches before embarking on a ten-match barren streak which saw Burnley relegated weeks before the season ended. A move back to the top-flight looks likely, though it remains to be seen whether he’d be as nailed-on if a move to United or Liverpool transpires.