Seamus Coleman has been a highly sought-after choice for Fantasy Managers so far this season, with a telling current ownership of 8.4% in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game. Everton’s shortage of natural right-sided midfielders has meant that the Irishman, who generally favours the right-back position, has had to slot into a new role on the flank. The “Out of Position” (OoP) defender has done a notable job, picking up an respectable 43 points in the FPL game so far this season, and priced at just £4.9 million it’s easy to see why the 22 year-old has become such a desirable choice.
In his last six games Coleman has only completed 90 minutes twice and was even benched for the game against Bolton on November 10. It seems that the bright start he made at the beginning of the season has teetered off in recent weeks and David Moyes could now be looking for another solution. The return to fitness of Jack Rodwell and Victor Anichebe has bolstered Moyes’ options and the threat to Coleman’s starting role is now building, giving his opportunist Fantasy owners a cause for concern…
After shaking off his ankle injury, Jack Rodwell is perhaps the biggest threat to Coleman’s starting role. The England U21 international has come off the bench in the Toffee’s last two games and even directly replaced Coleman during the 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Monday.
Victor Anichebe, although primarily a striker, is another option for the troubled right midfield position; he has comfortably filled this role in the past. Having been ruled out all season so far with a knee problem, Anichebe impressed by scoring on his return for the reserves and is vying for a first team recall. A bench role against West Brom at Goodison this weekend looks likely, with Rodwell pushing to start ahead of Coleman in that potentially profitable home fixture.
With this uncertainty of regular match time looming over Coleman and Sunderland’s Elmohamady already diminished as a cheap “out of position” option, FPL Managers will be looking for similarly priced defensive replacements to fill the void.
Phil Bardsley (£4.3 million) of Sunderland could be a promising option with the Black Cats currently on a good run of form and an ownership of just 1.1%. Blackburn’s Phil Jones (£4.5 million), ever-present this season, presents a less attacking “out of position” prospect; he faces a kind run of opponents after the weekend trip to Old Trafford. Birmingham’s Scott Dann (£4.8 million) who is has picked up 52 points, has proved a popular choice, although Birmingham’s fixtures remain tough in the weeks to come. Having said that, Dann and his team-mates have defied the odds to pick up consecutive clean sheets against City and Chelsea over the previous two Gameweeks.
There are options then and it’s perhaps too early to knee jerk and oust Coleman just yet, but Moyes’ teamsheet come Saturday’s clash with the Baggies will certainly be a concern for Coleman’s many Fantasy owners.
