Spot The Differential – Gameweek 2

Our trio of unfashionable Gameweek gems is ready for inspection.

This week, there’s Burnley’s main midfield threat, an Arsenal forward who relishes a battle with today’s opponents Stoke City and Bournemouth’s leading striker looking to take advantage of an injury-ravaged Watford.

Robbie Brady

While he only had one point to show from Burnley’s stunning 3-2 win over Chelsea, Robbie Brady produced an eye-catching performance at Stamford Bridge.

The Republic of Ireland international registered four shots – more than any other Clarets player – with two of those coming from inside the penalty area.

He also impressed with his creativity, producing three key passes, which was again more than any of his team-mates.

Priced at 5.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Brady is found in just 0.5% of squads. But he has a home fixture against West Bromwich Albion this afternoon and looks a great budget differential.

The Baggies, who are likely to still be without Jonny Evans in defence, conceded an average of 1.53 goals per away match last season.

One of the main factors behind the appeal of Brady is the fact he dominates Burnley’s set-pieces. He took all five of their corners last weekend and also had two goal attempts from free-kicks, striking the Chelsea post.

A return of just one goal and three assists last season following his January move from Norwich City has seen the 25-year-old slip under the radar.

But his hugely impressive underlying statistics from Gameweek 1 suggest he can offer fantastic value in FPL, particularly if Sean Dyche’s side can maintain the momentum created from their superb opening day victory.

Jermain Defoe

With Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe declaring that Jermain Defoe is in contention to start against Watford this afternoon, we’re happy to take a risk on the experienced striker.

The 34-year-old has been struggling with a groin issue, but the prospect of coming up against a Hornets defence that conceded three goals against Liverpool last weekend makes him an enticing option.

Marco Silva’s side ranked joint-third for the most shots conceded inside the penalty area (13) on the opening weekend, while they also gave up three big chances.

They will travel to the Vitality Stadium without injured defenders Daryl Janmaat and Younes Kaboul.

The Hornets’ dismal away form during the final months of last season also plays a part in our thinking. They lost their final seven away matches last term, conceding 17 goals.

Defoe, who sets us back 8.0 in FPL, enjoyed a brilliant season for Sunderland in 2016/17, registering 15 goals and three assists.

Now part of a Bournemouth side that scored 55 goals last year, he’s expected to be one of the leading mid-price options in a team that is far more attack-minded.

Boasting an ownership of just 4.5% in FPL, this could be the Gameweek when it is worth taking a gamble on Defoe to bring in a double-figure haul – particularly as he is expected to claim penalty duties for the Cherries.

Olivier Giroud

After scoring the winning goal in Arsenal’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Leicester City, we fancy that Olivier Giroud could be handed a start by Arsene Wenger for the trip to Stoke City.

The France international has started in each of the Gunners’ last five encounters at the bet365 Stadium, and netted twice in the corresponding fixture last season when Arsenal recorded an emphatic 4-1 win.

The Gunners’ attack looked irrepressible in Gameweek 1.

They ranked second for both shots inside the box (27) and big chances created (four), and will head into this evening’s match full of confidence.

Mainly due to uncertainty over starts, Giroud is only owned by 2.2% of FPL managers. But should he continue to score important goals, it may prove difficult for Wenger to leave him out of the starting XI.

Arsenal face favourable home match-ups against Bournemouth, West Brom and Brighton & Hove Albion over the next six Gameweeks, increasing the appeal of the Frenchman.

Setting us back just 8.5 in FPL, he offers a cheaper route into the Gunners’ attack.

Investment does represent a risk given he’s not a certain starter, but he’s capable of producing attacking points in limited minutes – an upside that means he could be a risk worth taking.