Captain Sensible – Gameweek 23

Our weekly members article, focusing on the Gameweek’s captain conundrum, returns in a new Friday evening slot. As always, we analyse the Opta data for the main contenders and assess the team statistics and Rate My Team’s reckoning, before rounding off with our opinion on the current poll standings in the light of the data analysis, including our view on differential captains.

The Captain Poll

In a situation similar to last weekend, it’s very much a two-way tussle at the top of the Captain Poll as we head towards Gameweek 23.

This time around, it’s the tightest call of the campaign so far, with both Romelu Lukaku and Sergio Aguero currently sitting on 31% of the vote ahead of clashes against Swansea and West Ham respectively.

The Everton frontman has earned points in each of his last six at Goodison and faces a defence with one clean sheet on their travels, whilst Aguero – who saw off Harry Kane’s challenge for last week’s armband in our Poll – rolls up to Upton Park on the back of a 16-point return against Palace.

Kane manages to take third spot after delivering a goal and assist against Sunderland, though just 10% are willing to back the Tottenham frontman for the visit to out-of-sorts Palace.

Further down the poll, Roberto Firmino and Odion Ighalo are both backed by 4% of Fantasy managers as they face off against Norwich and Newcastle respectively. Having blanked in his last three, the 39%-owned Nigerian is perhaps on his last chance for some after some disappointing recent returns.

Wayne Rooney is also in the mix as a differential prospect. Just 2% are willing to gamble on the United skipper, whose four goals and assist in the last three Gameweeks represents his best form of the season ahead of the visit of a Southampton side that’s lost each of their previous four on the road.

Next up, we now delve into the data over the last four matches to shed further light on the situation and assess the validity of the current crop of poll results.