Spot the Differential

Spot the Differential – Gameweek 10

In a frantic Friday packed full of articles, we finally see out the day with our pre-weekend regular. As always, we roll out three overlooked alternatives ahead of tomorrow morning’s deadline for your perusal…

Antonio Valencia

Having racked up four goals and 14 assists over 2,124 minutes in the previous campaign, the United winger had proven to be a constant source of Fantasy points for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. The Red Devils’ summer acquisition of Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa and Robin Van Persie from Arsenal shifted the spotlight away from the former Wigan man, though, and with Wayne Rooney also in the mix, Valencia has been shifted to the periphery of our Fantasy thinking.

To an extent, it’s understandable. While the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Santi Cazorla dominate the heavyweight attention with eye-catching displays aplenty, Valencia’s highest haul has been just five points. In a campaign already hampered by ankle and foot injuries, the winger has returned to form and fitness and is again hinting at the consistency which served his Fantasy owners so well last time round – Valencia has now provided an assist in each of his last four starts and could well be set to torment Arsenal’s stand-in left-back Andre Santos in tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off.

Priced at 8.6 in FPL and 7.9 in the Sky Sports game, Valencia has an ownership of just 2.7% in the former game and with a strong run of fixtures to follow, looks an enticing differential route into a United side that have already racked up 24 goals, more than any side so far.

Theo Walcott

A hat-trick and a trio of assists in Arsenal’s extraordinary midweek Capital One Cup comeback win at Reading highlighted Walcott’s current form. Having failed to start a single league match since Gameweek 1, he’s been something of an outcast this term but with Gervinho sidelined due to an ankle injury, tomorrow’s encounter at Old Trafford looks likely to hand him a chance to return to the Gunners first XI.

Much has been made over his desire to nail down a central role but Walcott may have to settle for a berth on the right flank, with Aaron Ramsey the man likely to make way now that Jack Wilshere is back to partner Mikel Arteta in the centre. Given the comparative form of Olivier Giroud, though, Wenger may well be tempted to shift Walcott centrally if things aren’t going his side’s way tomorrow and with a home clash against Fulham to follow, he also offers the potential for points next week, too. Priced at 8.7 in FPL and 7.5 in the Sky Sports game, and with an ownership of just 1.2% in FPL, many will be hoping Walcott can return to the form that harvested 169 FPL points in the season gone by.

Wes Hoolahan

There’s no question the season started poorly for the Republic of Ireland international. Paul Lambert’s departure to Villa afforded Chris Hughton the chance to take the Carrow Road reins and with the new boss undecided over his best starting XI, Hoolahan cut a peripheral figure, with a mere 14 minutes game time over Norwich’s first four league fixtures.

Since Gameweek 5, though, the playmaker has started four of the last five and has played every minute from Gameweek 7 onwards. As confidence begins to grow, a 1-0 home win over Arsenal was followed by a draw at Lambert’s new club Villa, with Hoolahan a key figure in last weekend’s match –he provided the assist for Michael Turner’s equaliser and resultantly picking up two bonus points.

Tucked in behind Grant Holt in Hughton’s now-default 4-4-1-1, his creativity is clearly crucial to the Canaries chances as Hughton looks to build on the back of the midweek Capital One Cup win over Spurs. Up against a Stoke side that have managed a single clean sheet in their five away games, and with a trip to Reading to follow next weekend, Hoolahan – coming in at 5.5 in FPL and 6.8 in the Sky Sports game and with an ownership of 0.3% in both games, offers a real mid-price midfield punt ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

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2,818 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Morning dead zoners, the best time for some quality discussion. My team is in a mess due to injuries but I won't complain due to karma reasons and I will say I am happy with what I have and need opinion.

    Bego
    Baines GJ (doubtfull) Galla
    Mata (doubtfull), Bale (c), Michu Nollan Sterling
    Kun Ba (doubtful),
    bench: Lambert (rotation risk), Wilson out. Gibbs out. 1.6m in the bank already made FT Santi to Mata 😉

    I want to make a hit because I could not field 11 players this week. I was thinking Wilson for Culeaar nice home game and double upcoming but now he is injury risk. Should I do it nevertheless or maybe do the Huth transfer planned transfer for next week, but I want RVP next week meaning the next week planned transfer was Huth and RVP in. What to do
    A: Cuelaar and ignore the injury
    B: Huth prepare for next week
    C: Sit put
    D: Other option please say what.

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    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      If you're gunna take the hit then do it for Huth (don't take a hit for a defender unless its long term thinking) I'd stay put, I'm averse to hits.

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    2. Daniel_tsl
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      B, sad team man, Mata is my only injury, phew

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    3. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      If you are taking the hit, take it for Bardsley, not Cuellar.

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    4. NATSTER
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Huth, imo. Higher chance to return a hit.

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  2. Braamish
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    should i play sterling or lallana

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    1. harry_flashman
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      sterling

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    2. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Sterling

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    3. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Sterling as I said before

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  3. Valar(Keith)
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Damn you Mata and Ba.. Leave team as is or take a hit? 🙁
    Mignolet (Federici)
    Hangeland Cameron Gorkks (Demel Clyne)
    Bale Cazorla Pienaar Mata (Sterling)
    Rvp(c) Tevez Ba

    0 FT 0.2 in bank

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    1. Daniel_tsl
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Leave

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      1. Valar(Keith)
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        yeah.. cant really see what else i could do anyway.. if i had 0.3 i'd have taken a hit for Demel to Wilkinson.. cant really do anythin with 0.2

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    2. Valar(Keith)
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      next week hangeland to simpson is the plan

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    3. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I think Ba might play, I kind of want him not to as I have Nolan first sub and everyone has him, but I think he will. Don't take a hit as you'll want them back next week most likely. Hopefully RVP will make all the points we need for all of us.

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      1. Valar(Keith)
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        +1.. not removin mata or ba.. defense is a mess and was wonderin if demel to nelson would be a good hit for the long term

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        1. beric
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          I wouldn't take a hit to alter shitty defenders

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    4. danishdynamite
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      I'm in a similar boat. You're stumped, really

      Leave it be

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  4. roooooooooneyyyy
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    is it worth taking ba out this week and putting him back in next week? (for a 4pt hit)

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    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      No

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    2. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Yes, always worth doing to get best value from your team

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  5. 5times
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Hey night crawlers, I'm trying to join the FFS PPC and I need to get my FPL team ID, how exactly do I do that??????

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    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      go to your gameweek history and within the url is a number, if you type it here i'll show which one

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  6. roooooooooneyyyy
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    then is it worth bring bale in this week for cazorla, for a 4pt hit?? or should i wait a bit

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    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Taking out Cazorla for a hit is utterly mental

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      1. roooooooooneyyyy
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        he hasnt been doing shit. so i doubt he will vs united

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    2. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      do it. Arsenal struggling for goals

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  7. Daniel_tsl
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    How's this for a midfield?

    Santi, Michu, Mata, Hazard, (Lallana/Morrison/Ramirez(not sure bout my transfer for this yet)

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    1. Desertbug
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Looks great, but what does that leave for the rest of your team?

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      1. Daniel_tsl
        • 11 Years
        11 years, 4 months ago

        Bego, Jaaskelainen
        Gorkss, Baines, Cameron, Ivanovic, Nelson
        Santi, Michu, Mata, Hazard, Lallana
        Defoe, Ba, Berba

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        1. Kendog
          • 12 Years
          11 years, 4 months ago

          U need to replace mata/hazard with united cover. Either by swapping for Valencia or downgrading to get roon/rvp

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  8. Daniel_tsl
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    My midfield now, Santi, Michu, Mata, Hazard and Lallana

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    1. Waitakere_
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      thats cool

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  9. bdwhite91
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    The All knowing FIFA says United 1-2 Arsenal 😀

    Santi (2), RVP

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  10. andyd
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    begovic

    mcauley baines nelsen

    mata michu morrison bale (capt)

    berba aguero jelavic

    (schwarzer, demel, Staylor, ben arfa)

    any changes needed? 0.0m in bank and 1 FT

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  11. HellasLEAF
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Is Barnett never to see the starting 11 again then?? Just to be clear, need to make a decision on this bum.

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  12. beric
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Now i can't decide... who would YOU bench?

    A) Nolan (mci)

    or

    B) Sterling (NEW)

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    1. andyd
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      bench nolan

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    2. Joey Barton and Friends
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      sterling, big test for city rocking up to WHU

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    3. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      Go for Nolan at home vs leaky Man City

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  13. United13
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    My front three: RVP, Ba and Long. Two doubts. Hmmmm

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  14. michu pichu
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    play mata or sterling???

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    1. Joey Barton and Friends
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 4 months ago

      mata wont play...

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  15. Joey Barton and Friends
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    been thinking about Tony V all week. UTD have excellent fixtures and Tony was immense last year. Could be the time to start the bandwagon instead of actually just getting on it...

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  16. cbruzon
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Here’s my team, made no transfers this week ans unsure which goalie to put and also whcih defender. Any advice?

    Jussi or schwarzee
    Mcauley, Gallas, and then need to decide between Ivanovic or Baines
    Hazard, sterling, yaya toure, pienaar,
    RVP, Ba, Pobregneyak

    Thanks!

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  17. sick city
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    Which one from these three would you bench?

    Podolski (mun), Sterling (NEW), Michu (CHE).

    Thanks!

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  18. Suparno
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 4 months ago

    how's this for a midfield:

    Hoolahan, McAnuff, Hazard, Bale, Pienaar

    should I take out McAuley and buy Rafael??

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