Nothing gets the adrenaline coursing through the arteries in a frenzy of fist-clenching excitement like a budget goalkeeper transfer. The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) equivalent of writing a “thank you” letter to an elderly relative for an underwhelming Christmas present: there is always something more fun to do, but if you don’t act when you should, you could end up empty-handed on your birthday.
The January wildcard window afforded Fantasy managers the chance to cash in on the accrued value of early-season rotational favourites like Tim Krul and Michel Vorm and look to pastures new, and with increased liquidity comes an increased freedom to shop around with immediate returns in mind. Enter the big climber in our recent Watchlist update: Wigan’s Ali Al-Habsi.
Making just ten appearances in a five-year apprenticeship under Jussi Jaaskelainen at Bolton, Wigan snapped up the Omani keeper on loan in the summer of 2010. Quickly establishing himself as a cult hero at the DW, Al-Habsi’s manful, if somewhat balletic, defence of many a lost cause saw him crowned Wigan’s player of the season, and Roberto Martinez was quick to reward him with a four-year deal.
Priced at 4.5 in the FPL this term, Al-Habsi made the early running in the budget keeper category with two clean sheets and a penalty save in the first four games. A formidable shot stopper, he sits third in the Premier League saves table this season with 95, just one save behind Swansea’s wunderkind Michel Vorm in second, and with an astonishing four penalty stops, he boasts double the total of his nearest rival.
The clean sheets may have dried up in recent months for the Latics, but with the fixture breeze turning strongly in their favour, the opportunity for Al-Habsi to augment his save points with shutouts is now beckoning. A home tie against an Aston Villa side with only one league win this year is immediately followed by another game at the DW, against a Swansea team who have often struggled to export their Liberty Stadium form on the road. An away trip to an inconsistent Norwich and a home game against the usually goal-shy West Brom complete a quartet of Gameweeks in which Al-Habsi is playable throughout.
For those looking to rotate keepers over the longer term, Al-Habsi fits snugly with Norwich’s John Ruddy or Swansea’s Michel Vorm until at least Gameweek 33, and could prove a valuable differential prospect in the weeks to come. Every transfer is critical at this stage of the season, and although swapping keepers may seem prosaic, in a game of chess it’s often the seemingly innocuous move that wins the match.
