This Much We Know – Gameweek 6

Marcus Rashford strengthens his claim for consideration as Zlatan’s stock suffers. Alexis Sanchez’ form paves the way for the Walcott option to gain traction, while Jermain Defoe and Salomon Rondon throw their hats into the ring as the search to free up cash for Sergio Aguero intensifies. Here are the lessons we’ve taken from Gameweek 6 so far…

Zlatan’s blank is badly timed…
Having suffered a 0.3 price drop in the Fantasy Premier League, Zlatan Ibrahimovic needed to issue a reminder of his pedigree in the clash with champions Leicester City.

His subsequent blank in the 4-1 win made the decision far easier for the latest batch of doubters. Over 100,000 have already ejected the Swede ahead of Gameweek 7, with his value now falling back to 11.6.

Ibrahimovic has it in him to punish the move – no player can match his 32 efforts on goal so far this season. With Stoke City next at Old Trafford, those parting company will now be anxious about the damage he can inflict, but perhaps confident in the potential replacements and how the funds he liberates can be used elsewhere.

Rashford is a temptation…
A third goal in as many Premier League starts ensured that Marcus Rashford put himself forward as one of those replacements.

Priced at 6.9, the 19-year-old is now a tantalising option in a United front line about to be unleashed on a Stoke rearguard that has shipped 15 goals over their six Gameweeks.

However, for all his potential, doubts still remain.

With Wayne Rooney in the wings, Rashford’s pitch time will always be an issue. He was swapped late on against the Foxes and, while we can expect him to start against Stoke, investors will want him running at Mark Hughes’ defence until the final whistle. That looks unlikely.

The Aguero option offers little thought…
There is little need for such doubts when assessing Sergio Aguero.

He returned to the Manchester City line-up to immediately repay his Gameweek 6 investors and the 18% who handed him the captaincy.

With Ibrahimovic in decline, the move to Aguero is just too easy and, given City’s attacking form; it’s difficult to see a window where Aguero will not be backed with the armband.

A trip to White Hart Lane looks testing, but Aguero has ten goals in nine appearances against Spurs, underlining how his talents can deliver against any opposition.

Kevin De Bruyne’s injury and potential absence perhaps present a caveat and a glimmer of hope to those resisting investment ahead of Gameweek 7. But, in all likelihood, that could be wishful thinking with Pep Guardiola’s men boasting enough creative talent to absorb even De Bruyne’s absence.

Firmino is trying our patience…
Once again Jurgen Klopp’s midfield filled their boots with goals, assists and FPL returns and, once again, it was Roberto Firmino who missed out.

We saw it back in the opening Gameweek, as Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana profited heavily from the 4-3 victory at Arsenal.

While his brace against Leicester City and underlying numbers can offer some comfort for his owners, there are mounting doubts that Firmino is the wrong horse to back.

Lallana’s value is building by the week; Coutinho’s has shown an increased propensity to break into the box, and Mane arguably has the sharpest eye for goal.

Firmino can’t afford to blank at Swansea City in Gameweek 7.

Jakupovic is done and dusted…
The signing of David Marshall meant that the clock on Eldin Jakupovic’s tenancy in the Hull City goal was always ticking down.

Saturday’s Anfield teamsheet confirmed the inevitable as the Bosnian-born stopper slipped to the Tigers bench.

Owned by more than 23% of FPL managers, he’s unlikely to see activity from this point on, despite Marshall allowing five goals.

That won’t bother those who turned to Jakupovic as cheap back-up but, those equipped with two budget stoppers will now feel exposed.

…but Grant may just be a replacement…
With Mark Hughes desperate to repair defensive frailty, the Stoke City boss switched his goalkeepers, handing a start to loanee Lee Grant.

That ousted Shay Given to the bench and brought Grant, as a new 4.0 option, onto the radar ahead of an improving Stoke City schedule.

Grant is not a long-term option but, with Jack Butland set to face up to another eight weeks on the sidelines, he may just become a handy short-term enabler.

Shining Son can’t be overlooked…
For all the doubts surrounding Mauricio Pochettino’s teamsheet options, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the Spurs boss to turn his back on Son Heung-min.

Another superb brace at Middlesbrough, together with the third batch of eye-watering statistics, has undoubtedly promoted the South Korean in our thinking.

Liverpool’s Adam Lallana, together with Michail Antonio’s recent output will deflect attention and investment.

Spurs’ fixtures, with Manchester City, Leicester City and Arsenal amongst the next five, are also a concern.

But for those who back form over fixtures, Son creates a classic scenario.

Few players have shown such potential over their last three outings, and if Pochettino demonstrates the desire to go on handing Son the platform to impress, we have to take notice.

Rondon is there when we need him…
If Nacer Chadli can’t play himself into our squads after a 21-point return, what hope does Salomon Rondon have?

In truth, there will be few takers for the West Brom striker in the light of the options available elsewhere. But the Venezuelan has demonstrated that, when we need a 6.6 option up front, he stands out as a worthy candidate.

Sadly, as Tony Pulis suggests today, the international breaks are potentially damaging to his prospects.

Rondon will clock up further air miles ahead of the Gameweek 8 visit of Spurs and, with testing fixtures to follow, he’s an option that will likely be parked for now.

Defoe can overcome Sunderland’s shortcomings…
Jermain Defoe is certainly for the here and now.

Once again the veteran marksman popped up to convert for Sunderland, handing them a platform for three points against Crystal Palace, only for David Moyes’ defence to crumble under late pressure.

Quitely, Defoe has lifted himself to joint second in the FPL striker rankings – he sits level on points with Ibrahimovic amidst all the debate surrounding the United’s strikers right to claim a slot in our squads.

Available for just 7.1 and with West Brom and Stoke City up next, it’s perhaps surprising that Defoe’s ownership simmers at just 10%.

Puncheon is a provider above all others…
Alan Pardew’s reliance on set-pieces to muster goals and chances has promoted an unlikely budget midfield option.

Jason Puncheon may not offer an obvious threat from open play but, when the ball goes dead, he comes alive to lay on an assured stream of service for the Eagles cast of set-piece towers to convert.

He left the Stadium of Light without returns but, once again, his underlying numbers suggest that future profits are on the horizon.

Sanchez is settled as a central figure…
While De Bruyne’s owners wait anxiously for the verdict on his hamstring injury, Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez is waiting in the wings to pick up the City man’s cash.

Again deployed as the central striker by Arsene Wenger, Sanchez treated us to an ice-cool finish and a merciless combination with Mesut Ozil to punish a hapless Chelsea defence.

Wenger has faith in Sanchez as a striker option and, even at 11.1, the Chilean has to be a prime target given the Gunners’ tempting run of fixtures to come.

Olivier Giroud and Lucas Perez are options but Sanchez is giving Wenger little call to swap him out. And, having rested him and almost faltered following the previous international break, Sanchez’ minutes look unlikely to suffer too much when Swansea City pay visit in Gameweek 8.

…which is promoting the Walcott option…
With Sanchez now starring through the middle, Theo Walcott has reaped the benefit of his decision to play solely as a winger this season.

Having ruled himself out of the running for a central role in the summer, the England international has started each of the first six Gameweeks on the right and took his tally to three goals and as many assists with a first-half effort against Chelsea.

Yes, we’ve been here before with Walcott and, for many, it’s case of “once bitten, twice shy” – despite his kind price tag only 3% of FPL managers have been willing to take the chance so far.

Nonetheless, having fired more shots on target than any midfielder ahead of some favourable fixtures, it may not be too long before the Walcott bandwagon gets rolling.

Collins is the West Ham scapegoat…for now…
Omitted from the West Ham squad for both the EFL cup tie and Sunday’s encounter with Southampton, James Collins appears to be frozen out at West Ham and as a Fantasy option.

The season had started so well for the Welshman but things have soured to leave Collins in limbo.

However, his omission hardly appeared to provide a solution for Slaven Bilic as defensive frailties remained in evidence and were exploited by a ruthless Southampton.

Collins’ may yet have a contribution to make as Bilic desperately searches for a means of plugging alarming gaps in his back line.

Full-backs are Puel’s key weapons…
Southampton continued to build momentum away to West Ham yesterday, with Claude Puel’s side racking up a fourth straight clean sheet in all competitions.

The Saints’ back-to-back shut-outs have been particularly profitable to Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand, with the pair serving up five and three bonus points.

Bertrand’s assist against the Hammers means that the full-back pair have racked up 35 points between them over those fixtures, whereas centre-halves Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk have managed 26.

With the onus on supplying width from deep – particularly when they play with a diamond – both Bertrand and Soares seem the defenders most likely for the St Mary’s men this season.

Shut-out shortage is curbing defensive investment…
With just one match remaining in Gameweek 6, there has been a mere 24 clean sheets so far – well down on the 39 produced at the same point in 2015/16.

With the goals flowing and defensive returns becoming increasingly tricky to predict, the tactic of investing heavily in attackers and going top heavy is proving the canniest approach right now.

At some point we can expect a regression as backlines start to tighten up but for now, the premium defenders face a tough task to persuade us they are worthy of investment.