Double Game Week Rotation – Part 1

With few games remaining I have decided to identify and review the rotation risks of key assets among the  season run in double Gameweek teams.

There are many options to consider so this article will look specifically at Arsenal, who have two sets of double fixtures, as well as  Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

There will be a follow up article looking at Southampton, Sunderland, Spurs, Watford and West Brom later in the week.

Arsenal

Nacho Monreal         Total Minutes 2,523 Rotation Risk Medium to High

Monreal is first choice left back at Arsenal but does face tough competition with England international Kieran Gibbs. The Spaniard l has been rotated on two occasions, in Gameweek 18 over Christmas and in Gameweek 25 before a key Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Hector Bellerin         Total Minutes 2,064 Rotation Risk High

Ballerina has been a consistent starter in Arsene Wenger’s teams over the years but has lost his place over recent games with a switch to a wing back system. A prolonged spell of rotation between Gameweeks 22 and 24 also identify this raiding right back as a high rotation risk.

Mesut Ozil               Total Minutes 2,225 Rotation Risk Low

Ozil is a Wenger favorite and has played much of the season when fit, but is prone to miss the odd game with minor niggles. He has had a long season after the summer European champions but is still considered a low risk when fit, even when fixtures become congested.

Laurent Koscielny   Total Minutes 2,449 Rotation Risk Low

Koscielny is a guaranteed starter when fit and an important player to Arsenal. The only concern is a recent return from injury missing GW31-32.

Chelsea

César Azpilicueta      Total Minutes 2,880     Rotation Risk Low

An ever present for Chelsea this season, the Spanish defender  is rarely injured or substituted

Gary Cahill                  Total Minutes 2,874     Rotation Risk Low

Another stalwart of Chelsea’s backline is Cahill, who has not been rotated all season,  even with competition from John Terry and Kurt Zouma.

Pedro                         Total Minutes 1,874 Rotation Risk High  

Pedro is an explosive asset but rarely completes the full 90 minutes and is regularly rotated with Willian, and occasionally Cesc Fabregas.

Eden Hazard              Total Minutes 2,520 Rotation Risk Low

Rested against Manchester City at the weekend and with no European games all season,  Hazard will be expected to start all the remaining game. He often gets substituted at the end of games.

Diego Costa              Total Minutes 2,667 Rotation Risk Low

Costa plays in the league when fit but had been out of goal scoring form of late. His brace against Southampton last night rectified that and he looks set to continue in the starting XI. However, if the Blues clinch the title before Gameweek 37 he may find himself benched.

Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne      Total Minutes 2,351 Rotation Risk Medium

De Bruyne could be an explosive differential but is very prone to rotation, with the Belgian playing under 60 minutes on four occasions this season and watching all of  City’s Gameweek 32 home game with Hull City on the bench. Has De Bruyne had his rest for the season? Or will his minutes also be further impacted by Jesus return? He looks a risky prospect for starts.

David Silva     Total Minutes 2,456     Rotation Risk Medium

David Silva has played more Premier League minutes than any Manchester  City player this season but has still been rested on three occasions. A slight injury that makes him a  doubt for the midweek Manchester derby is a further concern.

Aleksandar Kolarov   Total Minutes 2,263             Rotation Risk High

Kolarov, who can be fielded at left back and centre back, has a reputation as a rotation risk over the past few seasons but did manage a consistent run of starts up until Gameweek 27. Since then he was benched against Liverpool in Gameweek 29 and his minutes are by no means guaranteed, especially with the return of Vincent Kompany into the City backline.

Raheem Sterling         Total Minutes 2,221             Rotation Risk High

Sterling has been unexpectedly rotated in all but one of the last five Game weeks. Its obvious Pep doesn’t have Raheem in his own FPL squad and that makes him a high rotation risk.

Nicolás Otamendi       Total Minutes 2,052                 Rotation Risk High

Otamend, like most city players, is another high rotation risk, registering no game time in  eight matches this season.

John Stones                Total Minutes 2,000             Rotation Risk Medium -High

Stones is similar to other City defensive assets in terms of rotation potential. It is worth noting that he does tend to have a run of starts, followed by a rest. His roation risk also depends largely on City’s injury list.

Sergio Agüero             Total Minutes 2,051             Rotation Risk Medium

City’s talisman up front has been rotated numerous times this season, with the arrival of Brazilian Jesus in January having a particular impact of his minutes. Jesus is returning from injury and may either be fielded alongside the Argentine or replace him.

Gaël Clichy     Total Minutes 1,805             Rotation Risk Medium

Clichy has become first choice left back over the last seven Gameweeks but with Kolarov’s time as centre back cover seemingly over with Kompany’s return, the Serbian may well replace the Frenchman on occasions.

Manchester United

Antonio Valencia     Total Minutes 2,312             Rotation Risk Medium

Valencia is United’s first choice right back but has moved from low risk to high risk by missing three out of five recent games. Jose’s latest media comments about his fitness and prioritising the Europa Cup have also raised doubts over Valencia’s ability to start two games in a week.

Paul Pogba   Total Minutes 2,563             Rotation Risk Low

Pogba usually starts when fit and is rarely substituted. It must be noted that the French midfielder’s rotation risk increases if United drop out of top four contention as Mourinho looks to prioritise the Europa league.

Marcus Rashford     Total Minutes 1,463             Rotation Risk High

Rashford rarely starts a run of games and even with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s  recent injury his rotation risk is high, with Rooney and Martial competing for places.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan    Total Minutes 1,073             Rotation Risk High

Mkhitaryan is very explosive but a major gamble when considering rotation and has only completed the full 90 minutes in two Premier League games all season

Erik Bailley    Total Minutes 1,639             Rotation Risk Medium

Bailley is probably United’s first choice centre back but has been injury prone with multiple long spells out all season. If he can stay fit and the Red Devils stay in the hunt for a top four spot he should secure a starting berth for the duration.