With goals being scored left and right, 2009-10 wasn’t the year to be a defender. Still, they say that defence wins championships, which may explain why the six defenders selected for the End of Season XI come from five of the top six clubs. Some made their mark over the course of the season; others had notable absences but were nonetheless recognized for the impacts they made when they did play. With an emphasis on the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) stats and scoring, let’s get to it…….
The Back Four…
Richard Dunne
Dunne was one of the true workhorses, missing only one game the entire season. He was part of 16 of Aston Villa’s clean sheets, an individual total that ranked 4th among defenders. Dunne also made his mark offensively, scoring three goals during the campaign, including a critical goal in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City and another big goal in Villa’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea. In the FPL game, Dunne was the top scoring defender in the game with 170 points; he ended the season owned by 39% of the FPL owners, with his price increased by an impressive 1.8 from where he started. Players of other games may be scratching their heads slightly, but Dunne’s FPL scoring total was aided by a remarkable 31 bonus points (tops for a defender), which saw him net bonus points in 15 games during the season!
Looking Ahead…
There is currently no reason to expect anything different from Dunne next season, except for a likely higher starting price. There is always reason to monitor bonus point darlings, but Dunne has been quite consistent with the bonus judges, exceeding 30 bonus points in three of the last four seasons (with his 8 bonus points during the 2008-09 season being the sole exception for some reason). Villa continues to be one of the more reliable teams in terms of starting lineups and there is little reason to expect Dunne to come under any significant challenges for playing time.
Thomas Vermaelen
Vermaelen took no time adjusting to the English game, showing immediately that he was ready for the big stage with a goal in Arsenal’s opening game. He ended the season tied for the lead among all defenders with seven goals (only matched in this category by Burnley’s Graham Alexander, whose tally was aided by penalty kick duty). By the end of Arsenal’s seventh game, he had four goals and one assist and even the Arsenal naysayers and other skeptics were finding it difficult to avoid the Vermaelen bandwagon. Vermaelen ended the season tied for 5th among the defenders in the FPL game with 138 points. Prior to late season injuries that resulted in Vermaelen missing 5 games, including the last 4, he was well on his way to a likely top three defender finish.
Looking Ahead…
Vermaelen was a key contributor to the Arsenal squad and was sorely missed when unable to play in those handful of late season games. After starting at an FPL price of 6.5, Vermaelen climbed as high in FPL price as 7.7 before falling to 7.2 when he was transferred out when not playing in those final weeks. That late season drop could end up a bargain if it results in a comparable 0.5 drop in his value at next season’s start. Vermaelen should only grow stronger as a defender as he enters his second season in the league. It would seem unlikely that he matches his extraordinary offensive exploits from the past season, but it is reasonable to expect some returns both from his height and muscle on corner kicks and his sweet strike from distance. Key issues to monitor during the offseason include the ongoing saga of William Gallas’ contract negotiations and who replaces him if he leaves, and whether Arsenal proceeds with rumored plans to fork out the cash to install a reliable goalkeeper.
Ashley Cole
When he played, Cole was steady and reliable for fantasy points. In addition to the obvious fantasy production that comes with being a part of Chelsea’s defence, Cole rewarded his followers with four goals and four assists on the season, keeping a certain Russian bandwagon known as Yury Zhirkov at bay despite numerous preseason predictions about Cole’s imminent demise. Notably, Cole’s 5.0 points per game played put him in a tie for second (with Glen Johnson) amongst defenders with more than two games played on the season. In the end, Cole missed 11 games during the season, but still managed to finish the season as the 7th highest scoring defender in the FPL game with 135 points.
Looking Ahead…
Depth is a desirable quality for any serious squad, but it remains the bane of the fantasy manager. The trifecta of Cole, Zhirkov, and Florent Malouda on Chelsea’s left side showed their individual and collective strength this season and will warrant continued monitoring of health, form, and formation next season. At least for the time being, Cole appears to have solidified his position as the first choice left back with starts in late season games even when all three were healthy and available, but Zhirkov’s presence will continue to leave Cole subject to potential rotation even if in great form. Unfortunately, even if Cole sits only 5-10 games, that is a painful number when you are paying 7.0 for a defender.
Patrice Evra
Along with Dunne, Evra stands out amongst our honorees as one of the defenders who could always be counted on to play. Evra played in every game during the season (37 starts and one substitute appearance from the bench). With Manchester United edging Chelsea in clean sheet tallies on the season, 19 to 18, you would expect to see United represented in the individual defender awards. But much to Evra’s credit, there really wasn’t anyone else to consider; remarkably given United’s defensive success on the season, there wasn’t another United defender or goalie who made it to triple figures in the FPL game. Evra ended the season as the second highest defender with 168 FPL points, but it was the 70+ margin between Evra and his nearest teammates that stands out as the largest difference between any of our awardees and their respective teammates. Evra fantasy production was aided by a healthy 7 assists on the offensive end and he ended the season owned by 33% of the FPL owners.
Looking Ahead…
Evra solidified his position in the United defence this season, and there is no reason to expect any changes next year. Having ended the year in the FPL game at a price of 7.5 after starting at 6.5, the only real question is whether he will start 2010-11 at 7.0 or 7.5. United overcame numerous injuries in 2009-10 on the way to what ended up being a respectable season in terms of clean sheets. A medical clearance for the center of United’s defence would be a welcome change for next season, and has the potential to benefit Evra in terms of both additional clean sheets and even more freedom to roam forward on the left flank.
Honourable Mentions…
Gareth Bale
It took Bale a while to get rolling. During the first 20 games of the season, he managed a total of five substitute appearances for all of 3 FPL points (yes, less than one point per game). But, then roll he did, playing every minute of the last 18 games of the season and stamping his mark on the game as an out of position defender in most games (and racing forward anyway even in the games where he was supposed to be a defender). Despite effectively playing only half the season, Bale tied for 12th amongst defenders in the FPL game with 118 points, a total that beat out all of the other Tottenham defenders. Bale’s 118 FPL points is respectable in its own right, but miles ahead of the pack if doubled for the entire season. Bale ended up with three goals and five assists during those last 18 games along with a number of agonizingly close misses. Bale then cemented his All Scout status by becoming a late season fantasy starlet and adding another 24 FPL bonus points (awarded in ten of the final sixteen games).
Looking Ahead…
Rumors swirl from FPL towers that Bale’s days as a fantasy defender may be numbered. Bale averaged 5.1 points per game for a half season played even including the five substitute performances (his per game average jumped to 6.4 just counting the 115 points in the last 18 games). No matter the cost, Bale’s late season production make him an easy selection next year in any game in which he remains a defender. If shifted in the FPL game to the midfield, the decision will likely depend on the price point. But, it is worth noting that Bale’s fantasy score only included seven clean sheets, so even as a midfielder, he would have scored 94 FPL points in those final 18 games, which remains a respectable 5.22 points per game and still on pace to reach around 200 for a full season. Of course Tottenham now look to add the rigors of Champions League games to their schedule, which may result in some additional rotation, but one would also expect Bale to compensate for any absences with an improved conversion rate (turning some of those close misses into goals!).
Branislav Ivanovic
When the season started, it was far from clear how much time Ivanovic would play. He evenly split the time in the Charity Shield with Jose Boswinga, whom most viewed as Chelsea’s first choice right back. But, versatile enough to play in the center as well, Ivanovic was content to bide his time and confident he would get opportunities somewhere. Ivanovic took those opportunities when they came, grabbing an odd appearance here and there early in the season. And, when Boswinga suffered a season-ending injury, Ivanovic came on for a steady run of games that saw him earn certain right back honors in the league. In addition to playing a part in Chelsea’s defensive success, Ivanovic ended the season with six assists in a mere 28 games. Ivanovic missed 10 games entirely and did not get to the FPL magic mark of 60 minutes in another five games, but in what was essentially only two-thirds of a season, Ivanovic still ended the season ranked 23rd amongst FPL defenders with 103 points.
Looking Ahead…
Of the All Scout defenders, Ivanovic probably carries the greatest uncertainty heading into next season. Ivanovic’s emergence will probably seal the summer departure of Ricardo Carvalho, but with Bosingwa expected to be healthy again and Alex ready to assume the reins as a central starter, it will be unclear heading into the preseason whether Ivanovic will have a regular position or if he will be asked to fill in as and when needed for multiple positions. Equally troubling for the prospective fantasy owner is the fact that Ivanovic was a bargain this season in comparison to the other Chelsea defenders, starting the season at 6.0 and then drifting downward in price when he didn’t play consistently in the initial weeks. Given his performance this past season, such pricing kindness is unlikely to be duplicated next year, even though he may actually be subject to greater rotation next year if everyone is healthy.