The Double Gameweek has dominated the transfer talk over the last few days, but with many managers also playing their wildcard this week, it is important to cast an eye over some of the less obvious teams if we want to free up some much needed funds. For this weeks differentials then, we take a closer look at Aston Villa, Wigan, Blackburn and Everton in our bid to scout the best emerging players, and with an average price of just 4.3m in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, we’ve got some great bargain picks for you….
Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker arrived at Villa Park on loan from Tottenham earlier this month, and made an immediate impact by scoring nine minutes into his debut against Sheffield United. It wasn’t just his goal that caught the attention though, his surging runs down the flank, deft touches and pace on the ball meant he was a constant threat going forwards and looks like a great fantasy prospect. Against Birmingham in his first league game last weekend, the OPTA stats show he made 3 successful dribbles and as in the FA cup game, he linked up really well with Marc Albrighton on the right. While we cannot expect him to score or assist in every game, he does provide the potential of attacking points and Bonus on top of clean sheet points, putting him way ahead of the majority of players in his price bracket. The main threat to his place in the side is the imminent return of Luke Young, but as he was used more on the left by former boss Martin O’Neill, it is expected that Walker will continue as first choice even with Young back in the squad.
Aston Villa have clearly underperformed so far this season; with virtually the same side that finished sixth last season, they are currently languishing in 17th place, and their once impenetrable defence has conceded a whopping 39 goals in the campaign so far. Although results haven’t gone their way, recent performances suggest that they have turned a corner and with the addition of Walker, Darren Bent and Jean Makoun, we can expect to see a vast improvement in results over the second half of the season. At 4.0m and an ownership of just 0.5%, If Villa can tighten up at the back Walker looks like a great prospect over the coming weeks.
Ben Watson
After some good performances in the Wigan midfield, Ben Watson now looks to have secured a permanent role in the side and has missed just 4 minutes of their last seven league games so, represents a good option as a budget fifth midfielder, considering their upcoming run of fixtures. The obvious alternative is Charles Nzogbia, whose Bonus points often make up for his lack of goals, but at 1.3m more and struggling to recreate his early season form, it is difficult to justify the extra outlay.
A quick glance at the OPTA stats filtered by ‘per games played’ over the last four games shows that Watson is currently averaging 1.5 Key Passes (assist attempts) and 18 passes in the opponents half per game. This isn’t amazing by Fabregas’ standards but is still very respectable. Watson also appears to be Wigan’s main penalty taker after he stepped up against Arsenal, despite both Rodallega and Nzogbia being on the pitch, so offers the potential of the odd goal as well.
Wigan’s double Gameweek makes Watson a good solid pick this week, and also has good fixtures against West Brom and Blackburn in the next two. Playing as a traditional centre midfielder in a Wigan side that has managed just 19 goals all season, Watson is never going to be the most prolific of point scorers, but at a price of just 4.2m and an ownership of just 0.2%, he is still an excellent budget option.
Jermaine Beckford
Considering Everton’s transfer kitty is usually restricted to a couple of buttons and some tickets to one of Bill Kenwright’s west end shows, David Moyes has done remarkably well in the transfer market in recent years. Jermaine Beckford arrived in the summer from Leeds on a free transfer after scoring over twenty goals a season in his last three, and while many were ready to write him off after he initially struggled to cope with the step up to the Premier League, he has steadily improved with every game, and his recent performances suggest that Moyes has made another shrewd choice.
Ironically, it was the departure of Everton’s top scorer Tim Cahill on International duty that proved the catalyst for Everton’s resurgent form. A shift to two up front, and the departure of Yakubu to Leicester has allowed Beckford a chance to claim a first team place, and he has definitely stepped up with some excellent performances and two goals in his last two games. There is more to it than just a shift in formation however, Beckford’s pace has allowed him to get behind opponents defenders which creates space for the creative talents of Fellaini and Arteta, and Everton have created more opportunities as a result. His growing influence in the side makes Beckford likely to retain his spot in the team when Cahill returns from International duty, so at just 5.0m and an ownership of 0.9% he could be a great differential for the rest of the season, not just this week.
Beckford is more of a goal poacher than creator, and as with the likes of Fernando Torres or Darren Bent, he will need goals if he is to score good points, rather than falling back on assists and bonus. Thankfully Everton seem to have learned how to score again, netting nine goals in their last three games, so with a home game against the leagues leakiest defence, Beckford will be hoping to continue his good run and pick up a couple of goals in front of his home crowd.
Junior Hoilett
While Blackburn fans were obviously shocked to see Sam Allardyce so disgracefully removed as manager, most will appreciate the attractive brand of football being encouraged by his replacement. Junior Hoilett is clearly reveling in the creative freedom he has been given by Kean, and after successive man of the match performances against Liverpool and QPR in the FA Cup, he has landed firmly on our radar with his unbelievably low price of just 4.0m and ownership of just 0.8%.
Hoilett had been touted for great stardom from an early age, but Blackburn fans have been forced to wait for the emergence of the young Canadian. He was expected to breakout last season but struggled to make an impact. This season however, he’s been more confident, more imposing and his recent performances have shown how well he’s growing as a player. His pace and trickery has led to him being singled out for praise by manager Steve Kean, who has indicated that he intends to give the young Canadian a run in the side.
The return of loan signing Roque Santa Cruz to his former club threatens to hamper the returns of the promising youngster, but it will be interesting to see if they can form a partnership up front, and assuming he keeps his place in the side over the long term, he is a fantastic option as a third striker if you are looking to free up funds.
Best of the Rest
Were it not for Stoke’s single away fixture this week, Tuncay Sanli (4.7m) would definitely have made the list. He has been very influential in his role just off the main striker in recent games and was rewarded with the maximum FPL Bonus last weekend, so is definitely one to watch even with the arrival of John Carew on loan. The departure of Steven Pienaar opens up an opportunity on the Everton left flank, and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (5.6m) will be trying to stake his claim, after failing to make an impact so far this season. He faces strong competition from Leon Osman, so the next few weeks will be crucial if he wants to claim a spot in the first team on a full time basis. Finally, Raul Meireles (6.8m) has been very influential for Liverpool recently, especially since Gerrard was suspended so also looks a strong differential option for Liverpool’s double Gameweek.
