Frisking The Fixtures – Gameweek 3 – The Weak

Having examined the teams with the most promising fixture schedules earlier this afternoon, now we shift to focus on those with upcoming matches that suggest more pain than gain.

Once again we’ll assess each side’s prospects in terms of goals and clean sheets and also pinpoint the stage at which their schedule improves.

Bournemouth

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The Prospects – Goals
The Cherries are without a goal from their opening two fixtures, and only two teams have registered fewer shots inside the penalty area than Eddie Howe’s side (15).

The Manchester City and Spurs match-ups look daunting – both sides feature among the four teams conceding the fewest close-range efforts.

Everton and Arsenal, meanwhile, have allowed just one and two big chances respectively this season.

That means the Bournemouth attack will need to deliver in the “easier” home fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City.

The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Defensively, the situation looks equally bleak.

Worryingly, the Cherries already rank second for the most shots conceded inside the box, with 24, and only the Brighton clash appears to offer any real hope of a clean sheet.

Arsenal lead the way for total goal attempts this season, with 45, while Man City are joint-second for big chances created, with six.

Containing Spurs at Wembley also looks a thankless task – they tallied 18 shots in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.

Leicester and Everton also represent tough match-ups – the Foxes have netted five times this season, while despite struggling to create over the opening two Gameweeks, Everton should be a more coherent attacking outfit when the two sides meet in Gameweek 6.

The Turning Point
Bournemouth face a very favourable six-match run between Gameweeks 11 and 16, including home matches against Huddersfield Town and Burnley.

Verdict
Charlie Daniels is sliding down the Watchlist and, with his minimal attacking threat so far, has little appeal at this point. That can be said for the majority of the Bournemouth squad, with the likes of Ryan Fraser needing to deliver soon to avoid heavy sales.

Chelsea

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The Prospects – Goals
While they’ve scored four goals, the Blues’ have yet to impress as an attacking unit – they rank around the halfway point for both shots in the box (13) and big chances created (three).

Arguably, there’s no “plum fixture” to come for Antonio Conte’s side, with their three home matches all against reasonably strong defences.

Stoke City, meanwhile, have only conceded one goal and have already hinted that the bet365 Stadium could become a fortress, following an impressive 1-0 win over Arsenal.

Crystal Palace and Leicester City have let in four goals apiece, though, offering the most likely source of profit to come for the Chelsea attack.

The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Chelsea rank sixth for the most shots conceded from inside the box so far with 18, but they are the only side to have yet given up a big chance.

Their three home fixtures will all test their defensive resolve, while Leicester – with five goals to their name so far – will also ask questions.

Defensive returns could be sparse, then, with Sunday’s Everton match probably their best opportunity of a shutout at Stamford Bridge.

On the road, they will face a Palace side that have managed a respectable 13 close-range efforts, though Stoke have yet to create a big chance and that fixture looks a viable clean sheet.

The Turning Point
The fixture list turns more favourably from Gameweek 8, with a superb run of matches between Gameweeks 14 and 18 when they entertain Swansea City, Newcastle United and Southampton.

Verdict
Few Chelsea players hold any appeal for this part of their schedule, with the attacking threat of Marcos Alonso making the Spaniard the only really standout option, perhaps until Eden Hazard’s return to the fold.

Liverpool

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The Prospects – Goals
Liverpool’s attacking statistics have been strong so far – they lead the way for the most shots inside the box with 26, and are joint-second for big chances created (six).

But the Reds will face both Manchester clubs over the next six: they lead the way for the fewest shots conceded inside the penalty area this season.

This weekend’s Arsenal clash is slightly more favourable – the Gunners have conceded four goals to this point, and it’s a fixture that normally produces open, attacking football.

Elsewhere, Burnley and Newcastle’s defensive numbers are surprisingly impressive – they both rank in the top six for the fewest close-range efforts allowed.

The Leicester match-up should provide opportunities, although the Foxes did register a clean sheet in their home opener against Brighton.

The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Liverpool have conceded three goals so far, but have only allowed a total of 13 goal attempts, which offers some hope they may be able to register the odd clean sheet, even during a difficult run of opponents.

Man United top the charts for both goals scored (eight) and big chances created (nine), and that fixture, along with the trip to Man City, appears unlikely to provide defensive returns.

The Arsenal and Leicester attacks may also prove too much for the Reds’ rearguard, leaving only the Burnley and Newcastle encounters as matches where Jurgen Klopp’s men look likely to produce a shutout.

The Turning Point
The Gameweek 10 home meeting with Huddersfield marks the start of a hugely appetising run of matches for the Reds, with clashes against Chelsea and Arsenal the only testing fixtures all the way up to Gameweek 22 and the arrival of the second Wildcard.

Verdict
History tells us that Liverpool can score goals against the top sides under the management of Jurgen Klopp. But it’s the threat of rotation as the UEFA Champions League group stage starts that has us concerned.

Popular assets such as Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are perhaps more likely to be rested in the “easier” fixtures, such as last weekend’s Palace match-up. Those concerns also extend to the backline, severely limiting the appeal of Reds defenders.

Also be wary of…

Everton
Their tough start to the season continues over the next three Gameweeks (che TOT mun), so Fantasy points appear unlikely at both ends of the pitch.

While the performance against Man City was encouraging, investment should probably wait until Gameweek 6, when their schedule (BOU BUR bha) opens up considerably.

It’s at this point that players such as Gylfi Sigurdsson and possibly Wayne Rooney will push for inclusion in our squads.

Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford – with perhaps Mason Holgate as a budget option – also have to be considered as backline options.

Watford
Although the Hornets have a strong home fixture against Brighton on Saturday, their upcoming schedule then stiffens considerably, with their following home matches against Man City and Arsenal.

They also travel to Chelsea in Gameweek 9, with tricky away trips to Southampton and West Brom also limiting the appeal of the vibrant Watford attack.

So while Richarlison’s Gameweek 2 statistics were sensational, he may struggle to reproduce those numbers. Rotation could also be a concern, given that Marco Silva now has plenty of attacking options at his disposal.

Crystal Palace
The Eagles’ short-term schedule (SWA bur SOT) is very strong, but a brutal run follows, with clashes against Man City, Man United and Chelsea looming.

After a slow start to the season, Palace assets will need to prove themselves in order to have any hope of remaining in our 15-man squads for that tough stretch.

They are a team who then don’t break into a concentrated run of favourable fixtures again until Gameweek 12. That is likely to see Christian Benteke remain off our radars for quite some time, limiting our focus to the impressive budget midfielder Ruben Loftus Cheek.

Stoke City
Mark Hughes’ side also face Man United, Chelsea and Man City over the next six Gameweeks, and lack a favourable home fixture during this run.

The Potters have yet to suggest that they will post a major attacking threat and that appraisal seems unlikely to change given their schedule. At the back, clean sheet opportunities also look thin on the ground, despite the Stoke defence showing promise in the win over Arsenal.

Investment in Jese Rodriguez only really seems justified based on his mid-term prospects – particularly given that he is building up his match fitness at this point. However, from Gameweek 9 onwards we will likely revisit him and other members of the Potters’ squad.