FantasyBet Focus – Gameweek 30

With only five fixtures in Gameweek 30, there’s bound to some overlap in our FantasyBet squads this week. Selecting a line-up with the right blend of populist and contrarian picks that deliver winning totals is likely to come down to the very finest of margins.

At least the fixtures provide us with some intriguing differentials to go alongside the ever-present big-hitters. Norwich could have some surprises in store for Man City at Carrow Road, given that Manuel Pellegrini’s side have struggled on the road this campaign. Swansea and Bournemouth are in good shape ahead of their Dean Court encounter, with both clubs seeking third successive victories.

Southampton head to the Britannia looking for a win that would see them climb above their eighth-placed hosts. Stoke, however, have won four and drawn one of the last six in front of their own fans and boast superior form. Spurs have a crucial trip to Aston Villa if their title bid is to be maintained after going two matches without a win.

Finally, Leicester City can mount more pressure on their rivals by picking up what on paper looks like a guaranteed three points as a struggling Newcastle travel to the King Power on Monday evening.

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MY TEAM

Jack Butland (4.5m)
Christian Fuchs (4.5m)
Charlie Daniels (6m)
Toby Alderweireld (6.5m)
Matt Ritchie (5.5m)
Riyad Mahrez (6.5m)
Christian Eriksen (8.5m)
David Silva (10m)
Jamie Vardy (7.5m)
Harry Kane (9.5m)
Sergio Aguero (13m)

KEY PICKS

Jack Butland: Although he failed to keep a clean sheet at Chelsea last weekend, the Stoke keeper appeared to be back to his best and recorded six or more saves for the sixth time this season. Butland’s prospects are also boosted by the potential return of Ryan Shawcross against Southampton – the Potters have kept seven shut-outs in their skipper’s ten full appearances this term.

Charlie Daniels: The Bournemouth full-back is now second only to Toby Alderweireld in the defender rankings as Swansea travel to Dean Court. A goal at Newcastle continued an extraordinary run in which the Daniels has averaged seven points per appearance over the last eight – two goals, three assists and a trio of clean sheets from Gameweek 22 onwards highlights his potential at both ends of the pitch.

David Silva: With just a single goal to his name, it’s been an underwhelming campaign for City’s playmaker, who found the net on 12 occasions in 2014/15. Nonetheless, two assists last time out took his tally to ten for the current season and indicates that Silva’s creativity will be a potent weapon against a porous Norwich outfit.

Harry Kane: After scoring a single goal in the opening nine matches, the forward’s instinctive finishing in the North London Derby led to a sixteenth league strike in his past 20 outings. Spurs’ title challenge may depend on Kane maintaining that rate of scoring and a trip to Villa Park offers the chance of a sizeable points haul.

THIS WEEK’S GAME PICKS

There is a Double-Up contest covering all five fixtures that has a £3.30 buy-in with a £120 pot on offer.

The Grand Weekend contest only misses the match at Carrow Road, so line-ups can be entered right up until the 3pm kick-offs. It’s £11 to enter for a chance to win part of the £1000 guaranteed prize money.

There is also a Weekend Flash game, a format that gives participants a unique list of players to select from and a three-minute window to pick your line-up. It’s a £5.50 stake for entry into a £250 guaranteed pot.

LAST WEEK

A fifth-placed finish in the double-up and the Scout Picks placing sixth from 112 entrants represented some progress, with my pot going back over the £150-mark. Rich won the free-roll but narrowly missed out on a 100-point total, finishing a single point short with a 4-3-3 formation in which only one player scored less than six points. Riyad Mahrez, Dimitri Payet and Gylfi Sigurdsson formed a formidable midfield trio that bought in 34 points between them.

THIS WEEK’S STAKE

I’m entering the Double-Up contest, the Weekend Flash game and entering a team into the FFScout Picks League for a total outlay of £11.

In addition, I’ll be going up against Ringwraith, the Community champion in this week’s Scout Picks. He will be taking me on in a specially set up head to head game for a chance to win free entry into a £500 Guaranteed ‘Big Weekly’ game worth £22.

Also the eligible Community Champion who beats the Scout Picks by the highest margin every month will win a free entry into the £600 guaranteed ‘Boss’ game worth £55.

FFSCOUT PICKS LEAGUE

JCMC’s topped the Scout Picks League with a score of 103 points. All four of his midfielders scored 10 or more points, while Virgil Van Dijk, Charlie Daniels and Ashley Williams also provided eight or more points apiece in a very effective 4-4-2 line-up. Well done also to Dada, who followed up last week’s win with a 100-point haul and a second-place finish.

Once again, FantasyBet have provided a £100 pot for the FFScout Picks League. With a £1.10 stake for entry, it is now possible to enter two teams into this contest. I will enter our Scout Picks as closely as possible, given a 15-man squad is required with the 100m budget and a captain also needs to be selected.

Feel free to go up against them this week and pick your own squad on FantasyBet.