This Much We Know – Gameweek 29

A bullet-proof Alexis Sanchez, a surging Jamie Vardy and how Sam Allardyce may just ruin our season run-in. Here are our lessons learned from Gameweek 29.

Sanchez plays when he wants…
It’s become widely accepted that Alexis Sanchez dictates his own terms at Arsenal. We saw evidence of the reaction when things stray from this policy at Swansea City back in Gameweek 21, with the Chilean slumped head in hands having been withdrawn early in a 4-0 win. We saw it again on Saturday.

Post-match, Arsene Wenger had no qualms about indicating that it was Sanchez’ decision to play on with an ankle injury at The Hawthorns. The Gunners boss made no effort to hide the fact that he was effectively overruled by the player. Despite being hampered by the ankle problem, Sanchez played on to contribute very little to a second half effort and doubtless worsen the injury.

Sanchez will likely play for Chile in both World Cup qualifiers and he’ll likely play on his return and every match thereafter. Sanchez just wants to play and, it seems, there is no force or authority able to stop that.

Vardy’s ascent is perfectly timed…
With three goals and two assists from his last three Gameweek starts, Jamie Vardy has led the Leicester City revival under Craig Shakespeare.

For Fantasy managers, the resurgence is beautifully timed. With Harry Kane laid low, Zlatan Ibrahimovic banned and both Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa seemingly allergic to double-figures, suddenly Vardy’s hefty price tag is shrinking.

Gifted back-to-back home matches with Stoke City and Sunderland, the form and momentum is with the Foxes hitman, and he’s claiming a tide of support. More than 40,000 new owners have already jumped aboard and, whisper it, Vardy may even contest the Gameweek 30 captaincy.

Lukaku may just be a season keeper…
Everton’s striker is fearsome, almost unplayable. At times his methods can be predictable – pull out to the left channel, cut inside and shoot on goal – but defenders seem almost powerless to prevent it. While that is clearly a favourite ploy, Lukaku’s goals can come from all angles and all manner of methods. As a result, we can almost back him against any defence.

Even with trips to Liverpool and Manchester United up next, there is a clear reluctance to call time on Lukaku. Top of the transfers in column ahead of Gameweek 30, despite those fixtures, it’s clear that we feel that Lukaku’s current trajectory can override the level of opponent.

Found in 46.5% of squads, Lukaku may just become a victim of a cull around the double Gameweeks but, even then, it will likely take a dip in form to help convince us to turn our backs on an asset that was once seen as unreliable and erratic.

Valencia’s attacking roots make him difficult to ignore…
Gifted his Gameweek 29 haul via a calamitous Victor Valdes slip, there’s no questioning the element of fortune behind Antonio Valencia’s first goal of the season.

And yet, deployed as wing-back and a conventional right winger at the Riverside Stadium, Valencia’s attacking prowess was always likely to come to the fore.

A winger of some repute in his Wigan days, the Ecuadorian is always an attacking threat and surely justifies the big 5.8 outlay by virtue of his assured starting role and the possibility that Jose Mourinho may just utilise a wing-back system in matches to come. Phil Jones is cheap, but Valencia is a luxury item we should all seek to afford.

The Son experiment has faltered already…
With Bournemouth’s Josh King proving the benefits of an FPL midfielder pushed into the attack, it was easy to see why the Son Heung-min option proved seductive.

More than 95,000 swooped for the South Korean ahead of the White Hart Lane meeting with Southampton, anticipating that he could replicate the form that fired a hat-trick with Harry Kane off the pitch against Millwall.

But while Son showed willing as Spurs central striker, he struggled once Southampton seized the initiative, indicating that Vincent Janssen could yet be a factor in the starting XI before Kane’s return to fitness.

With Son departing for long-haul flights over the international break, Janssen’s opportunity may even arrive at Turf Moor in Gameweek 30.

Add the fact that Dele Alli surprisingly assumed penalty duties – the first time in his career he has taken and scored a spot-kick – and it’s clear that Son’s stock has diminished markedly seven days on.

His mobility and trickery should earn continued starts and minutes until Kane’s return and, alongside either Eriksen or Alli in our five-man midfields, Son has merits. But as sole cover of the Spurs attack, Son looks unlikely to keep pace.

Palace have found a stubborn streak at the wrong time…
Three successive clean sheets and the fewest shots in the box conceded – Sam Allardyce has finally made his impact. The introduction of Luka Milivojevic as the midfield shield and Mamadou Sakho as his chief destroyer at centre-back has revitalised the Eagles as a defensive unit.

While that can be seen as a plus, particularly having just been handed two fixtures in Gameweek 34, Crystal Palace appear to present a problem for Fantasy managers.

Their schedule suggests that, even with the newfound resilience, they will struggle to shut out the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs over their next six. However, we should also consider that Allardyce’s system and tactics could frustrate those sides and, indirectly, hamper attacking returns from those opponents.

Allardyce’s side hardly tempts investment and, at the same time, they now appear to have the tools to restrict opponents to scraps – Palace are no longer pushovers who will surrender goals and points.

Alonso is doing just enough…
Without a clean sheet in six Gameweeks, having kept six in eight prior to that run, it’s safe to say that Chelsea’s defence is testing the patience.

But there are still more investors than doubters – Gary Cahill’s winner at Stoke has now doubt helped, but, even with recent failings, ownership of Chelsea’s defence continues to rise.

Marcos Alonso has been our “secret weapon” for so long and, even during this recent slump, he has shown just enough to convince us to persevere.

An assist in Saturday’s win, Alonso also struck the bar with a free-kick. Over those last six Gameweeks, the Spaniard has conjured nine attempts on goal – only two defenders have bettered that, and both have played one match more.

More significantly, we know that a Chelsea double Gameweek fixture looms and in that scenario, we will covet Alonso’s twin threat.

Early adopters, perturbed by a big cash loss, will be happy to sit tight – while those late to Alonso will surely be anticipating that the Gameweek 30 meeting with Palace delivers a belated shut-out, providing a further reason to hold.

Dawson is taking the heat off McAuley….
It’s surely no accident that Craig Dawson has just scored three goals in his last four starts. We surely have to presume that, with West Brom a well-drilled set-piece unit, Tony Pulis has perhaps earmarked Gareth McAuley as a decoy, used to drag defenders away and leave gaps for others to exploit – in this case, Dawson.

With six goals, all from corners, to his name, there’s little doubt that McAuley is the marked man and perhaps Pulis is now using this to his advantage. With the Baggies’ fixtures toughening and with the blank in Gameweek 34, McAuley’s 32% ownership seem unlikely to hold on to their man to test the theory.