Community

What The Fixtures and Form say – Gameweek 33 Captaincy

This article aims to help Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Managers in their choice for the best captaincy option for the forthcoming Gameweek by combining form and fixtures.

Additionally, I have also included a ‘clean sheet potential’ table to help assess the Gameweek’s best defensive assets.

Before I take a look at Gameweek 33’s best captaincy targets, let’s have a quick recap on how I use form and fixtures to come to achieve this.

REFINING THE ODDS

For this method, I am going to take the top six most popular captaincy options and rank them 1-6 ranking according to the difficulty of the fixture, which is worked out using goals conceded, big chances conceded and shots in the box (Sib) conceded from the last four games.

I then apply the same ranking to form, looking at total points per game, goals and assists over the last four games. The form table will include Home and Away PPG but these sections will only come into play in terms of the results when the total PPG of 2 players are the same. The Home and Away PPG will now take into account the last 4 Home or Away fixtures that the player has featured in.

The article includes the ‘clean sheet potential’ table, which is worked out with the form and fixtures elements from the captaincy section and then combined with clean sheet odds to give a total ranking based on clean sheet potential. This section will include the top five teams.

SUCCESS

What defines a successful captaincy pick according to this method? The ultimate success will be whether the top pick highlighted by the method is the top scorer of the six options from the FFS Captain poll.

A review so far can be found via this link, which looks at whether this method or the FFS Captain polls are proving to be more successful. The next review will be at the end of the season.

On a weekly basis, success will be defined as:

  • Explosive = 10+ points
  • Success = 7-9 points
  • Average = 4-6 points
  • Fail = no attacking returns

GW32’s top pick Sergio Aguero delivered a ‘success’ return of 9 points against Hull. The Argentine failed to score the most points out of the options in the top 6 of the captaincy poll. The clean sheet potential table’s top pick Tottenham duly delivered a clean sheet alongside Middlesbrough and Manchester United.

Let’s take a look at Gameweek 33’s results…..

FORM

RankPlayerTotal PPGGoalsAssistsH-PPGA-PPG
1.Kane8.7551106
2.Son8.54174.25
3.Lukaku8.254211.753
4.Alli8.25328.755.75
5.Aguero7.5404.56.75
6.Sanchez41064.25

Fixtures

RankPlayerFixtureGoals ConcededBig Chances ConcededGoal attempts in the box concededTotal
1.AgueroSouthampton (A)3103750
2.SanchezMiddlesbrough (A)773549
4.KaneBournemouth (H)543443
4.AlliBournemouth (H)543443
4.SonBournemouth (H)543443
6.LukakuBurnley (H)263341

Results

RankPlayerFormFixtureTotal
1.Kane145
2.5Son246
2.5Aguero516
4.5Alli448
4.5Sanchez628
6.Lukaku369

Taking form and fixture indicators into account, Harry Kane is the most likely to deliver attacking returns, according to this method.

Including his games before he was injured, the Tottenham forward has five goals and an assist in his last four appearances. He has a Total PPG of 8.75, which places him top of the form table with a more than respectable Home PPG of 10.

The Englishman finishes joint fourth in the fixture table this week due to there being three players in the top 6 who will face Bournemouth at home. The Cherries have conceded five goals, four big chances and 34 goal attempts in the box in the same timeframe. (Bournemouth last four fixtures: CHE, liv, sou, SWA).

Sergio Aguero finishes joint second in the results table and offers this week’s classic form vs. fixture debate.

He sits in fifth place in the form table with a total PPG of 7.5 with four goals in his last  four Gameweeks. His Home PPG of 4.5 lets his total PPG falter but what’s interesting here is that the Argentine has the highest away PPG of anyone in the top six of the captaincy poll with 6.75.

The Manchester City forward faces a Southampton side that have only conceded three goals but have shipped 10 big chances and 37 goal attempts in the box in the same time frame, which places the Sergio top of the fixture table this week. (Southampton’s last four fixtures have been: wba, CPL, tot, wat).

Romelu Lukaku surprisingly finishes bottom of the results table this week but admittedly the gap between first and last is remarkably small. Discount him as a captaincy option at your peril.

The Belgian has four goals and two assists in his last four Gameweeks offering a total PPG of 8.25. He stays above Dele Alli in third place in the form table by virtue of a better record of 11.75 to 8.75 respectively.

Interestingly, the Everton hitman finishes last in the fixture table despite a home tie against Burnley who are notorious for being poor away from home. They have conceded two goals, six big chances and 33 goal attempts in the box in the same time frame but  have kept clean sheets in their last two away fixtures. Are they improving defensively? I’m not so sure but it offers something for FPL managers to think about going into the weekend, (Burnley last four  fixtures: mid, STO, TOT, sun)

Clean Sheet Potential Table

 

RankTeam
1.Tottenham
2.Everton
3.Crystal Palace
4.Stoke
5.Watford
25 Comments Post a Comment
  1. djpete
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Cheers YMA!

  2. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Clean sheet potential is making things difficult - Hennessey or Grant in goal?

    1. Your Mum's Athletic
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Henners

    2. HVT
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Both will concede, Start Grant imo.

  3. bibi
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Shocked to see Kane tops the form table...is it really safe to ignore the fact that he didn't play in the last month?

    Just fyi on the official fpl website Kane's form is 0.3 comparing to Lukaku's 8.3

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Kane's returns after coming back from injury earlier in the season:

      8 13 2 13

      He can do it.

  4. MANGE TOUT RODNEY
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Triple Cap?

  5. harvard
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Kane captain most likely

  6. Blue&White85
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Lukaku still for me. 15 goals at home and playing against a team that struggle away plus he'll play the full 90 minutes.

  7. Blue&White85
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Interesting article though so thanks for posting. Most weeks I do agree with the result.

  8. J0E
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Just noticed in the picture, if Gomes is behind him, how did Kane not score? 🙂

    1. crilley28
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      defender blocked it on the line I believe

  9. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    You better remind me to change the captaincy this week 😉

    1. Your Mum's Athletic
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Sanchez hattie incoming after you've changed it 😉

  10. Pipermaru
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    One major thing that puts me off from Lukaku is the fact that, yes Burnley is losing away, but it is never a hockey score like with WHU,SWA, HUL, SUN etc.

    They've lost 1-2 away to Spurs, Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal...every one of this games were predicted as bloodbath and nothing like this happen

    Just my two cent

    1. Your Mum's Athletic
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Completely agree, there's a higher ceiling with Kane i reckon

  11. George Costanza
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    I'm just apprehensive on Kane as he burnt me for those two home games earlier in the season when he blanked. Lukaku has been so reliable. On Kane currently but might switch.

  12. The Tinkerman
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Don't see how Kane can be considered top of the form table, he has only made one appearance in a month and didn't score in it. He has no form. From my squad it's Kane or Lukaku, ownership makes Kaku the safer choice, Kane arguably has a higher ceiling but also more risk IMO.

  13. Dušan Citizen
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    What about Eriksen?

  14. quamifiak
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    How safe is it to captain to Alli or Aquero. Am confuse

  15. quamifiak
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    How safe is it to captain Alli or Aquero. Am confuse

  16. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Who is best MID defender after Gibson?

  17. HVT
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 11 months ago

    Kane for a banker goal and assist!
    😉

    1. Your Mum's Athletic
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 11 months ago

      Giggity

      1. HVT
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 11 months ago

        😆 😆 😆