The Digest – Gameweek 25

Robert Huth’s growing influence on Leicester’s title tilt continues to reap reward. The Foxes form and upcoming fixtures look a ready-made recipe for Fantasy success, whilst we also cast an eye over Gameweek 27 as four sides prepare for a blank.

The Player

Typically, a trip to Man City is reason enough for any defender to be warming our Fantasy benches, given the explosive potential on offer from Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Last Saturday, however, Robert Huth proved there’s an exception to every rule by emerging from the Etihad as the top-scoring player in Gameweek 25, racking up a 16-point haul thanks to two goals and a pair of bonus points in a momentous 3-1 win for Leicester.

Over the last seven Gameweeks, Huth has been integral to a resolute defence that’s registered five clean sheets and conceded just twice – that’s despite facing fellow title contenders City twice and Spurs over that period.

Having also scored the winner in a 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane in Gameweek 21 – bringing in 14 points – it seems that the big German is keeping his best performances for the run-in. Indeed, over 59,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have already acquired him this week – comfortably more than any other defender.

Whilst the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy have hogged the headlines up to this point, Huth’s top-level experience, allied with his ability in both boxes, is becoming an increasingly influential weapon for the league leaders.

With the upcoming schedule looking very much in the Foxes’ favour, their 4.5-priced centre-back could prove similarly instrumental to our Fantasy campaigns from this point onwards.

The Team

With Sergio Aguero in such fine scoring form, Leicester understandably rolled up to the Etihad as underdogs last Saturday lunchtime. By the time the final whistle went, the visitors were installed as favourites for the title for the first time this term.

The 3-1 win at City was yet another example of the King Power side’s fixture-proof appeal. Claudio Ranieri’s side have lost twice all season, with a 5-2 home loss at the hands of Arsenal back in late September proving the turning point in their season. After shipping 14 goals in the first seven Gameweeks, Leicester have since conceded just 13 times in the subsequent 18, with their pace on the counter key to unlocking opponents.

Aside from Huth, Christian Fuchs has been a key player in the defensive turnaround. The Austrian had failed to start any of the first seven but that chastening loss to the Gunners saw him installed to the left-back berth at the expense of Jeffrey Schlupp. Priced at 4.8, Fuchs – who boasts a share of corner kick duties – has averaged 4.6 points per appearance this season, the same as top scoring FPL defender Toby Alderweireld. Like Huth (5% owned), he remains in the differential bracket and currently resides in 2% of teams.

A weekend trip to Arsenal allows the Foxes the chance to avenge their home humbling at the hands of Arsene Wenger’s charges and precedes an outstanding run of fixtures that will persuade many Fantasy managers to opt for a full quota of Ranieri’s main men.

With Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy looking prime targets, Huth and Fuchs will battle it out for that final spot in our five-man defences ahead of a schedule that pits Leicester against just one of the current top five once that Emirates visit has passed.

A home clash with Norwich in Gameweek 27 comes at a time when four clubs – including City and Everton – are without a fixture, with Vardy’s popularity sure to rise significantly as we reassemble our frontlines. Beyond that Canaries clash, the following six (WBA, wat, NEW, cpl, SOU, sun) could barely be kinder as Ranieri’s men attempt to strengthen their grip at the summit.

The Talking Point

After racking up a third double-figure haul in five league appearances, Roberto Firmino’s star is on the rise. Over 74,000 FPL managers have already snapped up the Brazilian this week ahead of an upcoming trip to Villa – that’s more than any other player in the Gameweek so far.

Up front, Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is top for transfers in (32,000) amongst forwards after bagging a nine-point haul at the Britannia last weekend. Next up for the Belgian is a home clash against a West Brom outfit that have mustered a mere two clean sheets in 15.

The downside of bringing the duo in at this point is, of course, that Liverpool and Everton, along with Man City and Newcastle, are without a fixture in Gameweek 27 due to the Capital One Cup final.

Planning and preparing for the upcoming blank and ensuring we have 11 men able to take to the pitch in Gameweek 27 should be a priority.

One look at the ownership levels highlights how much those postponements will affect Fantasy teams. Three of the top seven most popular defenders (Bacary Sagna, Nathaniel Clyne and Aleksandar Kolarov) all face blanks in Gameweek 27. Similarly, this applies to four (Ross Barkley, Georginio Wijnaldum, Firmino and Yaya Toure) of the top eight most-owned midfielders and two (Lukaku and Sergio Aguero) of the five most popular forwards.

Given that only three of the absent Gameweek 27 outfield players can be benched, many Fantasy managers will be left with major dilemmas. With Aguero owners likely to hold, it leaves us with two spaces to juggle if we are to get 11 players on the pitch.

Whilst it’s easy to get caught up in the speculation and potential planning for double Gameweeks, dealing with the here and now, ensuring our squads are not left decimated by the impending blanks, looks equally pertinent to our progress.