Team Form Focus is a weekly article analysing the in-form teams in the league and the ones failing to deliver ahead of the next Gameweek. The statistics are taken from the last six Gameweeks. I’ll also be picking out a player who has the potential to do well over the short-term fixture schedule. Potential clean sheets are another area under examination, with two or three teams being tipped each week to shut the opposition out.
THE FORM TABLE
KEY: P = Played, GS = Goals Scored, FS = Failed to Score, GC = Goals Conceded, CS = Clean Sheet, PTS = Points.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Craig Dawson — The West Brom defender is the player under the spotlight this week. The Midlands side are on a tremendous run defensively, only conceding against Manchester City and Chelsea this season with Tony Pulis turning the club into a defensive powerhouse, keeping a clean sheet in 58% of his 24 league games in charge. At 5.0, Craig Dawson offers tremendous value and is my pick of the West Brom defence as he’s seen as the most nailed-on player across the goalkeeping and defensive positions. West Brom’s next six fixtures read Everton (H), Crystal Palace (A), Sunderland (H), Norwich (A), Leicester (H) and Manchester United (A) – a tantalising prospect for those in search of a batch of reliable clean sheet points.
THE CLEAN SHEET PICKS
Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton — Manchester United haven’t kept a clean sheet in three Gameweeks, but should have the quality to stop a struggling Sunderland side that haven’t scored in their last two. Chelsea kept their first clean sheet this season against Arsenal last weekend and face a Newcastle side who like their north east rivals are also struggling. Everton travel to Birmingham on Monday night for a clash against West Brom. The Pulis effect combined with Everton’s strong away form of keeping a clean sheet in every encounter on the road, has all the makings of a thrilling 0-0 for those that invest in their defences.

