Looking back over this season, it is clear that forwards have been far more influential than in previous years, and we’ve seen a major shift in tactics from the top fantasy managers. Before we announce our dream team lineup then, it is worth taking a look into some statistics and considering how this may impact our team lineups as a whole for next season.

The biggest challenge used to be how to fit all three members of the so called ‘Holy Trinity’ into the same team. Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard were all over £11 million in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game and as a result, most fantasy managers that fitted two or even three of these into their side, played with just one or two up front to compensate. This tactic generally worked very well, as forwards performed poorly across the board last season.

This term was the highest scoring Premier League in recent history however, and saw the return of the striker with a vengeance. When you factor in the desertion of Ronaldo and the poor form of Steven Gerrard, the challenge quickly changed to how to fit Lampard and three big name forwards into the same team. If we look at the stats, the shift of points from the defenders to the forwards is quite striking. It is no coincidence then, that eventual winner Jon Reeson played a 3-4-3 formation for almost the entire season.

2008/09

2009/10

Will this trend continue next year? I certainly hope so. There has been a general improvement across the board, reflected in the total number of goals scored across the whole league, but the biggest difference has been at the top. Last year there were no stand out performers but this year, we have several players who have really stepped up and fully deserve their places in our End Of Season XI…..

The Forward Line…

Didier Drogba

2008/09 was a difficult year for Didier Drogba; he never really settled under Phil Scolari and despite a late revival after the arrival of Guus Hiddink, he managed just five league goals and a measly 76 points in total all season.

His performance this season, however, was nothing short of remarkable. 29 league goals, 13 assists and 31 bonus points, brought in a total of 242 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) points for the Ivorian, and what makes this even more remarkable is that unlike Wayne Rooney, Drogba is not even Chelsea’s main penalty taker (although his tantrum on the final day meant he did get to take one in the end).

In the absence of Ronaldo, there were very few players who we could comfortably rely on week in week out, but Drogba can rightly claim the title of ‘Mr Consistency’ to add to his many awards this season. He scored or assisted in 26 of his 32 games, and hit double figures an incredible 11 times.

Looking ahead…
Drogba has shown this year that when he is motivated, it doesn’t matter what system they play or who he plays with, he will always get points. Ancelotti has managed to get the best out of Drogba consistently this year despite being played in many different formations, and he looks more settled than he has been since Jose Mourinho left, so I can’t see any new arrivals affecting him too much. His price is bound to reflect his bumper haul this year, but unless the FPL judges slap a Ronaldo-esque price tag on him, he will no doubt be the first name on many team sheets next year.

Wayne Rooney

Another player who has made a huge improvement this year is Wayne Rooney, who, in the absence of Ronaldo, has excelled in a more central attacking role. Despite scoring just 135 FPL points last year, expectations were high and Rooney didn’t disappoint, rewarding early investors with six goals in his first six games.

He hasn’t been as consistent as Drogba, failing to score or assist in 13 of his 32 games, but when he has scored he has scored big. His 32 points in double gameweek 22 was the highest points haul in a single gameweek for any player by a country mile, and he also scored his first ever league hat-trick against Portsmouth in gameweek 14, bringing in 17 points.

Another major difference between Drogba and Rooney this year has been where they scored their points. At home, Rooney’s form is 8.5ppg, but away from home it’s just 5.4ppg. Furthermore, against the top eight teams, Rooney managed just six goals and a 4.25ppg average, compared to Drogba’s 11 goals and 6.77 ppg average. Whether this was down to the manager’s tactics or quality of play is debatable, but regardless, it is something to bear in mind next year if forced to make a captain choice between the two.

Looking ahead…
Rooney will surely be the main focal point of United’s attack again next year, and we can again expect great things from him. His form away from home (Portsmouth aside), and against the bigger teams is worrying but he will still be a reliable source of regular points and we can safely expect another 200+ points haul.

Honourable Mentions…

Darren Bent

The surprise package of this year’s season, Darren Bent managed a very respectable 195 points and 24 league goals. Considering he started at just 7.0m in the FPL game, and played for a Sunderland side that managed just 48 goals in total all season compared to Chelsea’s 103, Bent was unlucky not to make it into one of the top two awards spots.

Starting the season with a fantastic run of eight goals in the first nine games, Bent got off to a flier, and saw his FPL value surge as a result. His fitness was always going to be a key factor in Sunderland’s season, and thankfully he started every single game, missing just 34 minutes in total. Despite his excellent individual returns though, Bent was let down by inconsistent team performances. At times, Sunderland were truly woeful, especially away from home and this obviously had an impact on Bent’s returns. In stark contrast to Drogba’s consistent scoring, Bent’s 22 games of scoring two or less points meant he was never a serious contender for the captain’s armband at any point this season, unless you were in a particularly impulsive mood.

Looking forward…
Unless Sunderland strengthen their squad over the summer, they are destined for another tough year, and I can see Darren Bent struggling to pull off another season like this one. He is likely to be priced much higher too, which would be a mistake in my opinion. At 7.0m, he is a bargain, but I can’t see that being said of him if he starts the season around the 9.0m or more level.

Carlos Tevez

Despite a shaky start, and concerns over whether he could still score big points when playing alongside Adebayor, Carlos Tevez had a storming finish to the season. Scoring 17 of his 23 league goals in the second half of the season, he was the highest scoring striker of the run in, with 131 FPL points between Christmas and the end of the season.

As with Rooney, Tevez’s form against stronger opposition is a concern, with just 4.8ppg against the top eight teams. The Chelsea game aside, Mancini’s negative tactics in these games meant that Tevez was often left chasing shadows, with little support from his attacking team mates. If we take the Chelsea points out of the equation then, his away average was just 3.45ppg.

Looking ahead…
Tevez’s late season form definitely makes him the one to watch for next year. He should be more affordable than either Drogba or Rooney and if he can start where he left off, he will surely end up as one of the top three strikers of the season once again. There were rumours coming out of Eastlands toward the end of the season that he and Mancini were not seeing eye to eye on a number of issues, but things seem to have settled down, with Tevez committing his future to the club at clear the air talks a fortnight ago. We can expect Mancini to open his chequebook again this summer, so if City do manage to bring in a couple of world class signings over the summer, they could be challenging for top honours next year, and Tevez will surely play a major role in their assault on the title.