While Van der Vaart, Fabregas, Lampard and Torres continue to frustrate their fantasy owners, it has fallen to the unlikeliest of picks to keep the momentum going. Last week’s selection of Sturridge, Hoilett and Valencia was another succesful week for the differentials and we’re on a bit of a hot streak at the moment. With the pressure mounting, then, we cast an eye over the game’s more obscure players once again, in an effort to predict where the value points are going to come from this week…
Johan Djourou
Despite being written off for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury a few weeks ago, John Djourou appears to have made a miraculous recovery and is expected to feature against Liverpool this weekend. Whether he is fit enough to earn a starting role is unknown, but with two fixtures this gameweek he should get enough pitch time to justify an early punt and at just 4.0m for a first choice Arsenal defender he offers outstanding value.
Djourou was picked out as a differential in gameweek 22, and went on to keep six clean sheets in the next eight games after that. It wasn’t just that run that made him such a key part of the side though, Arsenal’s record with Djourou playing has been freakily good all season. They have conceded just five league goals while he has been on the pitch; that’s an average of once every 255 minutes. If he can manage 180 minutes more this week, then Wenger might just break out some more dance moves.
Tom Cleverley
Since returning from injury four weeks ago, Cleverley has played every minute of Wigan’s league fixtures but a difficult run of games over that period has seen him largely overlooked by fantasy managers. Thankfully that run is now behind them and with a drastically improved set of fixtures coming up [bpl, sun, EVE, avl, WHM, stk], the on loan United midfielder is firmly back on our radar.
Wigan have struggled in front of goal recently, managing just two goals in their last five games but Cleverley can at least hold his head up high thanks to a goal, an assist and maximum bonus in their 2-1 win over Birmingham. A look over the OPTA stats available to members shows that this was no fluke either, with Cleverley’s goal attempts and passing standing out in particular in the four games since his return to the side. Considering three of those games were against City, Spurs and Arsenal, he’s clearly a player in good form right now.
Almost guaranteed of a starting role every week, Cleverley is a fairly risk-free punt that should tide you over till the end of the season, and at just 4.2m he could be a great way to free up funds for use elsewhere.
Demba Ba
While Keane, Piquionne and Cole fight over a place in the side, Ba looks an almost certain starter and has now played at least 80 minutes in their last six league matches. Four goals in a three game spell will have gone some way to winning over Avram Grant and although he hasn’t scored in the three games since, he still managed 8 attempts on goal against United, Bolton and Spurs and looked the likeliest to score from open play of all West Ham’s attacking players.
West Ham host Aston Villa next, and will be looking to take advantage of Villa’s poor away form. The return of Collins and Dunne helped Villa pick up only their second clean sheet of the season against Newcastle last week, but it’s hard to see them keeping out the Hammers at the weekend; at just 5.1m Ba offers a good chance of goals on a budget if funds are tight.
Leon Osman
As an Everton fan, I’ll always have a soft spot for Osman. A born and bred Evertonian, he is a player that always gives 100% in everything he does, and plays with a passion for the game that is sorely lacking these days. I can honestly say, however, that in six odd years of playing fantasy football, I have never had him in my team. Despite his excellent form of late, I’ve stubbornly refused to acknowledge that he could actually be a real fantasy prospect.
There is no denying, though, that since Pienaar left to play on the greener grass of White Hart Lane, and injuries to Arteta and Fellaini left the Everton midfield desperately short of creativity, Osman has been a revelation. Playing in a free role on the left of midfield or in a central role off the main striker, Osman has been involved in almost everything good Everton have done going forwards, and has picked up a goal or an assist in five of his last six appearances. The return of Cahill will likely see him shift back onto the left wing but that is unlikely to diminish his returns, considering his tendency to drift inside.
Fixtures start to stiffen up after this week, but if you’re looking for a short term punt then Osman at home to Blackburn looks an excellent choice. At just 5.6m and ownership of 0.8% he may prove to be a decent alternative to Charlie ‘6 Penalties’ Adam for the run in.
Best of the Rest
The recent return to fitness of Yossi Benayoun almost tempted me to take a punt on the Chelsea midfielder, but he looks a bit too risky this week. Seb Larsson looks a lot more assured of a starting role however, and with their double this week he looks possibly the best option in the Birmingham midfield. Finally Jason Puncheon could be a decent pick given his out of position role in the Blackpool attack and could notch against Wigan.
