Aguero plays and fails, Ozil allays any injury fears and Willian works wonders as the October international break finally comes to a close.
Here’s the pick of Tuesday’s events.
AGUERO’S WEEK TO FORGET
Pundits and fans alike often despair that players don’t take their club form into international matches, but Manchester City supporters will be more than happy if Sergio Aguero (13.1) leaves his latest Argentina performances 7,000 miles away in South America.
Aguero blanked against Peru on Friday, treated his 1.6 million-plus Fantasy Premier League (FPL) owners to an injury scare and then recovered to blank again against Paraguay, missing a penalty and two excellent chances in the 1-0 home defeat.
There was some slightly better news for City fans from the match – right back Pablo Zabaleta (4.8) played no part having been suspended for Tuesday’s encounter, along with team-mate Nicolas Otamendi. Both have returned early to the Etihad ahead of the Gameweek 8 meeting with Everton.
Zabaleta is the obvious choice to cover for Bacary Sagna (5.4), who will be out until next month with a hamstring injury picked up on duty with France.
WILLIAN WORKING WELL
Just about the only bright spot of Chelsea’s dark days last season was the form of winger Willian (7.3).
And the Brazilian is quietly going about his business again this campaign.
He scored Brazil’s second goal in the 2-0 win in Venezuela to go with his two strikes in six domestic starts for Chelsea, including a GW7 goal at Hull City.
Owned by 5.6% of FPL managers, Willian has scored just five points fewer than the far more popular (and expensive) Eden Hazard (9.9) and represents a more cost effective way into a Chelsea midfield with three home matches out of their next four, albeit against Leicester City, Manchester United and Everton.
Liverpool’s Phillipe Coutinho (8.3) again started for Brazil, while team-mate Roberto Firmino (8.4) was an unused sub.
OZIL OKAY
Mesut Ozil’s (9.5) sedate start to the season continued as Germany brushed Northern Ireland aside 2-0.
The Arsenal midfielder was taken off at half-time, prompting fears that the 7.4%-owned star might be injured.
He quickly took to Twitter to allay any worries, saying: “Thanks for taking care because of my substitution, but everything is all right guys.”
What is less than all right is his domestic record this season – two goals but no assists from six matches. And another lukewarm night wasn’t exactly the ideal preparation for three mouth-watering upcoming fixtures for the Gunners against Swansea and Middlesbrough at home and Sunderland away.
BEING ENNER VALENCIA
A comedy police chase involving a medical buggy, an ambulance and unpaid child support one match, both goals in a stirring Ecuador comeback the next – being Enner Valencia (5.4) is not a boring occupation.
The Everton striker has played just 35 minutes of the last four league matches, but one way or another boss Ronald Koeman can’t have failed to notice his international contributions.
However, the fine form of Romelu Lukaku (9.4) is highly likely to keep Valencia’s match-time limited – unless the Belgian fails to recover from a minor thigh injury.
Valencia’s rather more stable namesake, Antonio (5.6), again played in an advanced midfield role and set up one of the forward’s goals in the 2-2 draw with Bolivia.
It’s been an excellent international break for the Manchester United man, who also scored and provided an assist in the 3-0 win over Chile.
But it will be back to full back duties when Valencia faces tricky trips to Liverpool and then Chelsea next.
More Cut-Price Frontmen Impress
Hull’s Adama Diomande (4.6) served up a goal and assist in Norway’s 4-1 triumph over San Marino.
The Tigers forward, who sits in 7% of FPL sides, has struggled for a domestic end product, managing just one goal from seven starts on the left wing.
Nonetheless, he has a favourable run of fixtures, starting with clashes against AFC Bournemouth, Stoke City and Watford in the next three matches, for those looking for a cut-price forward to help facilitate the move to 3-5-2.
Aside from Diomande and Valencia, a couple more forwards budget frontmen arrived on our radars.
Sunderland’s Duncan Watmore (5.0) produced a goal and assist in England Under 21s over Bosnia.
The youngster – who was handed his first full 90 minutes of the season in GW7 – registered an assist in the 1-1 home draw with West Brom.
Middlesbrough’s Christhian Stuani (5.1) earned an assist in Uruguay’s draw with Colombia.
Having scored three times in five top-flight outings, the Uruguayan is second only to Jermain Defoe (£7.2m) for value up front.
Finally, Bournemouth’s Josh King (5.4) scored his second goal in three matches, following one in the GW7 2-2 draw at Watford, as Norway saw off San Marino 4-1.
King is currently the Cherries top points-scoring FPL midfielder, but is owned by just 0.7%.
An attractive run of fixtures, including Hull and Sunderland at home and Middlesbrough and Stoke City away in the next five Gameweeks, might change all that.
