Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 32 – The Weak

Having assessed those sides with favourable schedules to follow over the next four-to-six Gameweeks, it’s time to look at those with unkind upcoming fixtures. Swansea, Stoke and Bournemouth’s lack of a double Gameweek plays a part in our thinking, whilst Watford’s numerous road trips are also cause for concern.

Swansea

The Swans’ Fantasy assets are seriously hampered by the lack of a double, while they also only face one favourable match-up in the next six, according to our Season Ticker, away to Newcastle in Gameweek 34. Given his form, owners of Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.3) who are planning to wildcard in Gameweek 33 may be happy to temporarily hold given the Welsh side travel to Stoke after the international break. The Potters have conceded at home to both Norwich and Aston Villa since the turn of the year, while they lost 2-1 to Southampton last time out at the Britannia. After that one, though, there appears very little chance Sigurdsson or any other Swans attackers will be finding themselves in our 15-man squads as we look to load up on those players facing doubles and far more favourable run-ins, with matches against Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool and West Ham unlikely to yield many goals.

It’s a similar story when looking at the prospects for Swansea defenders, although the trip to Stoke looks unlikely to deliver a clean sheet given the Welsh outfit have only kept one clean sheet on their travels this season. The 11% ownership of Ashley Williams (5.0) in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) should decrease substantially over the next few weeks then, with shut-outs also appearing very unlikely against Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool and West Ham. Also, with Newcastle fighting for their Premier League survival, a trip to St James’ Park looks a tricky trip for the Swans.

Stoke

While the Potters do face three pretty favourable fixtures (SWA, SUN, cpl) in the next six, the lack of a double means we’re unlikely to keep hold of our Stoke assets beyond the Swansea match. As previously mentioned, the Welsh side do struggle to keep teams out on their travels, so the likes of Marko Arnautovic (6.6), currently owned by 18% of FPL bosses, look worth sticking with for one more week. With difficult clashes against Liverpool, Tottenham and Man City coming, clear that Stoke attackers won’t feature in our 15-man squads from Gameweek 33 onwards, with the favourable fixtures in Gameweeks 36 and 37 perhaps amounting to little given we’ll then be focusing on the clubs with a doubles. Furthermore, the Potters may have little to play for by then should a Europa League place look out of reach.

The same can be said for the prospects of the Stoke backline, with the Swansea fixture looking reasonably favourable given the Welsh side have managed the third fewest number of shots from inside the box (44) over the last four matches, which included reasonably kind fixtures against Norwich, Bournemouth and Aston Villa. The popular Jack Butland (26.5% ownership in FPL) looks set for a major exodus in light of his season-ending ankle injury, while Philipp Wollscheid (4.5), owned by 4.6% of FPL bosses, and all Stoke defenders will also be surplus to requirements.

Watford

It may perhaps be a slight surprise for some that Quique Sanchez Flores’ men feature in this section this week, given the Hornets face doubles in Gameweek 34 (wba & whm) and Gameweek 37 (liv & nor). With West Ham and Liverpool having scored 13 and seven goals respectively over the last four matches, it’s hard to see Watford keeping either side out, while West Brom, barring the surprise 1-0 home defeat to Norwich last time out, have looked a more potent attacking force since the recall of Saido Berahino to the starting XI. A trip to Carrow Road in Gameweek 37 also looks very tough given Alex Neil’s side will likely be fighting for their lives, while the Hornets also face a blank in Gameweek 35. The Aston Villa fixture in Gameweek 36 is clearly very favourable, with Villa scoring just once in their last four, but with both teams perhaps having little to play for by then, we could see an open match with goals at either end. For those utilising their wildcard, there are probably several more appealing options in which to fill our two goalkeeper spots and five-man backlines.

Watford have failed to score in four of their last five away matches, so that alone doesn’t bode well for the prospects of Odion Ighalo (5.8) and Troy Deeney (5.2) for either of the doubles. None of their four opponents in the doubles have conceded more than five goals in their last four matches, though, with Norwich much improved at the back of late, allowing just one big chance over the last four matches. West Brom and West Ham have both allowed seven big chances over the same period, making those two match-ups slightly more appealing, but with the Hornets FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace coming just four days after the West Ham match, we could well see some rotation for that fixture, further damaging the prospects for Ighalo and Deeney. The favourable home clash against Villa in Gameweek 36 isn’t likely to be enough for either forward to make the cut for our 15-man squads, then, despite Remi Garde’s men allowing 14 big chances over the last four matches, four more than any other club.

Be Wary Of…

Bournemouth
Eddie Howe’s men are without a double Gameweek, while only the matches away to Aston Villa and at home to West Brom look favourable in the next six (MCI, avl, LIV, CHE, eve, WBA).

Popular budget defender Charlie Daniels (5.0), currently in 15% of FPL teams, should see plenty of sales, then, while the same can be said for the budget midfielders such as Matt Ritchie (5.4) and Josh King (4.3) who have provided us with decent value during various stages of the season.

West Brom
The Baggies do have a double Gameweek 34 (WAT & ars), while they also face a fixture in Gameweek 35, albeit a tough trip to high-flying Tottenham. With testing fixtures in Gameweek 33, away to Man City, and in Gameweek 36, at home to West Ham, the prospects for both goals and clean sheets look somewhat limited, though.

Craig Dawson (5.1) may still be worth some consideration given the extra match and his ability to provide attacking points from both set-pieces and his crosses from the right flank. Likewise, Salomon Rondon (6.6) may make his way onto our watchlists, but in reality he appears unlikely to make the cut for our three-man forward lines, with plenty of forwards facing far more favourable run-ins.

Man United
With United’s FA Cup quarter-final replay against West Ham being sandwiched in between the league matches against Tottenham and Aston Villa, along with the fact they face a blank in Gameweek 35, their assets have limited appeal outside of their two doubles. Nonetheless, their very favourable double Gameweek 34 (AVL & CPL) may persuade some Gameweek 33 wildcarders to consider carrying a Red Devils asset, with either David de Gea (5.7) or Chris Smalling (6.5) looking safe routes into the defence.

Given the Red Devils also have to face Leicester in Gameweek 36, one of the strongest defences in the league, the likes of Anthony Martial (7.6) and Marcus Rashford (4.5) could certainly struggle to register attacking points against either the Foxes or at Tottenham in Gameweek 33. That limits their appeal for double Gameweek 34 then, although their price tags, particularly Rashford’s, makes the youngster an enticing option to help free up funds to use elsewhere.