Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 27 – The Weak

Following our look at the sides who appear well placed to take of advantage of favourable fixtures over the next four-to-six Gameweeks, our focus now turns to those who may suffer regression as a result of punishing schedules.

Arsenal continue to be our major concern, while the Gameweek 28 blanks also damage the prospects of Crystal Palace and Stoke City assets.

Following Manchester City’s progress to the FA Cup last eight on Wednesday night, Stoke, along with City, both benefit from a double Gameweek 27. However, the mid-term programme for the pair remains testing.

Arsenal

(liv, (-), wba, MCI, WHM, cpl)

Two home fixtures over the next six Gameweeks raises concerns over the prospects of Arsenal assets.

One of those matches at the Emirates is also against Manchester City, so with a clean sheet also unlikely against Liverpool this weekend, stock in Arsene Wenger’s back four continues to falter.

The trip to The Hawthorns could also be a daunting task given that the Baggies have won their last four on home turf. Equally, West Ham United have netted a reasonable six goals in four and will relish the London derby clash.

Arsenal’s premium defenders are unlikely to figure in our thoughts in the immediate future, then.

The outlook is perhaps not quite so bleak at the other end of the pitch, given how fragile Liverpool’s defence looked in Monday night’s 3-1 defeat to Leicester City, while although improved of late, the Man City backline can also prove vulnerable, demonstrated early on in Wednesday’s tie with Huddersfield.

The West Brom, West Ham and Palace match-ups can barely be described as favourable fixtures – even the Eagles will provide a test given their current plight. However, all three are fixtures that should promise returns for the consistent Alexis Sanchez.

Not for the first time, the Chilean appears to be the only Arsenal asset worth backing during this period.

Crystal Palace

(wba, (-), WAT, che, sot, ARS)

The Eagles also suffer from having just two home fixtures over the next six Gameweeks, with one of those against Arsenal, while they also face leaders Chelsea on their travels.

Sam Allardyce’s men may be able to penetrate the Gunners’ defence at Selhurst Park, but it’s difficult to see them managing many goals, not only in that clash, but also over ties with Chelsea, West Brom and Southampton.

Only the home encounter with Watford in Gameweek 29 looks reasonably favourable for the Palace attack, so players such as Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha continue to offer limited appeal at this time.

From a defensive standpoint, it’s also only the Hornets clash that looks likely to yield returns.

Southampton and Chelsea have scored an impressive nine and eight goals respectively over their last four matches, while as already mentioned, West Brom’s home form makes them very likely to score at The Hawthorns.

Arsenal also have to be fancied to net at Selhurst Park, with Patrick van Aanholt and his defensive colleagues unlikely to offer any real potential over the coming weeks.

Stoke City

(MID/mci, (-), CHE, lei, bur, LIV)

While the Potters benefit from a double Gameweek (MID/mci) in the short-term, their schedule thereafter appears grueling.

Defensive returns certainly could be in short supply, with Chelsea and Liverpool expected to breach the Stoke rearguard, while trips to Leicester City and Burnley also provide stern tests.

So while those who own the likes of Lee Grant and Erik Pieters should ride out the short-term game, they’re likely to be prime candidates for the exit following Gameweek 27’s two fixtures.

The outlook is very similar when assessing the prospects of Potters attackers.

Matches against Chelsea and Burnley look unlikely to provide many goals, while the Leicester and Liverpool fixtures will offer opportunities, but are hardly favourable given the Foxes determined display on Monday night.

Owners of Stoke attackers should enjoy their advantage from Gameweek 27, but beyond that, the likes of Joe Allen and Peter Crouch, who remain popular assets, look set to be shown the door.

Also be wary of…

Manchester City
While there is already huge investment in City assets ahead of their double Gameweek 27 (sun/STO), particularly in attacking areas, we should remain wary of a tough run of fixtures (LIV, ars, che) following the Gameweek 28 blank.

While we have to regard this schedule as unfavourable, Pep Guardiola’s men still promise goals in those three matches against top-six rivals.

Owners of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane will perhaps be less inclined to move them on immediately, though those holding Sergio Aguero will doubtless be looking to free up his funds to move for the likes of Spurs’ Harry Kane, who boasts a far stronger schedule from Gameweek 29 onwards.

City can never be relied upon for defensive points and the fixture list certainly stresses a need for caution should you be considering investment for Gameweek 27.

Bournemouth
Cherries assets, particularly the budget midfield duo of Josh King and Ryan Fraser, provide decent options in the short-term. Eddie Howe’s side are one of just eight playing in Gameweek 28, with their West Ham home clash followed by Swansea City’s visit to the Vitality Stadium.

However, their prospects look bleak from Gameweek 30 to 34. Bournemouth face a tricky clash away to Southampton, which is followed by a trip to Anfield, ahead of a visit from leaders Chelsea.

King and Fraser are cheap enough to be bench fodder and perhaps should be preserved for a favourable run-in from Gameweek 34. However, we will be clearing our squads for the bigger double Gameweek prospects by that time, a factor which could see both rendered surplus to requirements.

Having conceded 12 goals in their last four matches, Cherries’ defenders continue to hold little appeal, even with those home clashes against West Ham and Swansea on the horizon.

West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies have taken full advantage of a soft part of their schedule over the past few months, but once Saturday’s home meeting with Palace is out of the way, the upcoming fixture list (eve, ARS, mun, wat, SOT) stiffens considerably.

The fact they play in Gameweek 28, when they travel to take on Everton, does mean that West Brom assets will remain in our 15-man squads in the short-term.

But clean sheets certainly seem unlikely over the coming period, with only the Watford fixture appearing favourable from Gameweek 28 onwards.

But the attacking threat offered by Gareth McAuley and Chris Brunt may see them continue to provide decent value.

In attack, it’s likely that sales of Matt Phillips will continue to flow, while those still clinging to Nacer Chadli and Salomon Rondon will surely accelerate exit plans once the Everton fixture has passed.

Chelsea
Antonio Conte’s league leaders face just two home fixtures over the next six Gameweeks (whm, (-), sto, CPL, MCI, bou), with one of those pairing them with Manchester City – potentially their nearest title rivals by that point.

It’s the Chelsea defence which has started to become a concern, having failed to keep a clean sheet over their last four outings.

But the Palace and Bournemouth match-ups do offer the potential for improvement in that area, while the West Ham and Stoke clashes also look promising.

Those who own a Blues defender will surely keep the faith, particularly with so many other priorities on the table ahead of Gameweek 27 and the blanks in Gameweek 28.

Eden Hazard’s lack of production away from Stamford Bridge will be a concern ahead of four away trips in six. That may find him used as a popular makeweight for investment in the City midfield.

Likewise, while Diego Costa should keep ticking over given his consistency, even away from home, he is set to suffer sales as a result of the clamour for Sergio Aguero and Kane’s favourable fixtures from Gameweek 29.

So far ahead of Gameweek 27, Costa to Aguero has been the second most popular direct trade with 17,000 making that particular move, with the Spain international the most sold asset over the last 24 hours.