The departure of Charles N’Zogbia may have left a huge void within Wigan’s squad but in Victor Moses the club may well have a natural replacement. Certainly that’s the opinion of Latics boss Roberto Martinez who has wasted no time in talking up the abilities of the 20-year-old as he looks to reassure the Wigan faithful ahead of what seems likely to be another turbulent season at the DW Stadium.
Moses has already done his best to live up to the billing; three goals in pre-season, including an eye-catching brace to cap an impressive showing against Al Ahli in Austria on Wednesday has added fuel to the fire. Fantasy managers are now on alert and with Moses classified as a budget midfield option across many of the games, it’s clear that the former Crystal Palace starlet warrants our attention.
While nothing is certain with just over a fortnight to go before the kick-off, it’s clear that Moses is positioning himself to make his mark. Martinez has set the scene, lavishing praise on his £2.5m capture in the light of recent pre-season performances; the Wigan boss has few doubts that, in Moses, he has a player capable of providing the kind of individual attacking verve so often delivered by N’Zogbia…
“He’s a special talent…It’s a real shock to any player to move up to the Premier League, but since he’s been here he’s added maturity and experience to his undoubted ability…Charlie [N’Zogbia] has left a big hole in our team but that vacancy is a big opportunity for Victor and maybe a couple of other players to step up…Victor is a different kind of player to Charlie but has the same quality that sets players like that apart from the rest.”
Opportunity knocks for Moses then, but can he grasp it and provide the inspiration for Wigan and rich returns for Fantasy investors?
Key Factors
- Moses is available as a budget option. Priced at just 5.0 in the Fantasy Premier League game with largely defensive players such as Cheik Tiote, Lucas and Nigel De Jong in the same bracket; there’s little doubt that Moses is an attractive Fantasy proposition amongst that kind of company.
- Wigan’s fixtures provide ample opportunity for Moses to raise his profile and FPL value. Incredibly, Martinez’s side face all three promoted sides in their first three Gameweeks. As they found with Blackpool last season (losing 0-4 on the opening day), that can be a double-edged sword but Wigan will be expected to craft opportunities in all three matches, giving Moses the chance for returns.
- The pre-season has confirmed that Moses is growing in stature. N’Zogbia’s departure has opened the way for a definite starting role and increased responsibility and, on the evidence so far, Moses is relishing the prospect.
- While Moses has, to this point, failed to make an impact in terms of raw statistics and Fantasy output, that can be attributed to the fact that his opportunities have been severely limited. Despite making 21 league appearances last season, Moses was given just 8 starts; he was subbed in every one of those games, often just after the hour-mark.
- Right now Wigan’s attacking options look limited. Just as N’Zogbia’s ball carrying abilities and direct style of play had him stand out within Wigan’s lineup, Moses has shown similar talents that could see him emerge as the Latics’ key threat to opponents. It’s clear from analysis of last season’s performance statistics that Moses will need to raise his game – to make a significant step up in his end product. Renewed confidence from a prolonged run in the side could provide the impetus for that. A risk then, but at his budget Fantasy valuation, certainly a tempting one.
