With Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie quickly becoming the strike force of choice, the budget-busting duo has had many fantasy managers frantically searching for ways to free up some cash.
Third striker options have been our hot topic this week, but as we’ve already brought you detailed analysis in our member’s articles here and here and discussed at length in the weekly podcast, for this week’s Differential picks we’ve ignored the safe options and opted for three hot prospects right at the beginning of a potential hot streak.
As always, our Differential picks carry a fair amount of risk, but that just increases the satisfaction should they come good; with average ownership of just 0.1% in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, each has the potential to earn you the ultimate bragging rights should they go on a Sigurdsson-esque run of points. Yep, Andy is still going on about that one…
Andreas Weimann
After featuring the talents of Gary Gardner a couple of weeks ago, we’re turning our attention to another exciting young player to come through the ranks at Aston Villa, in Austrian U21 International Andreas Weimann. After scoring two hat-tricks for the reserves earlier in the season, many Villa fans had been calling for the young star to get a chance in the first team, and his late winner against Fulham last weekend has made the 20-year-old striker a big hit with the home crowd already.
With Darren Bent ruled out for three months after ankle surgery, Weimann now has a great chance to nail down a first team place and although he should still be considered a risky choice, he is widely expected to get his first start against Bolton and could provide a great differential return if you’re willing to jump on the wagon early. His goal against Fulham saw his ownership more than double this week but that isn’t saying much, he only had 86 owners in the first place. Of 2.5 million players in the FPL game, that is not even enough to be rounded up from 0.0%.
Marc-Antoine Fortune
Last week’s blip at Old Trafford aside, West Brom have been the form side of recent weeks and the likes of Peter Odemwingie, Marc-Antoine Fortune and James Morrison have been racking up the points. Although his overall returns in the four weeks previous have been overshadowed by Odemwingie’s goal scoring frenzy, Fortune still ranks well statistically, while West Brom’s away form is also worth mentioning here; 21 of their 35 points and 20 of their 34 goals have come on the road. This weekend’s trip to Wigan should have West Brom’s attacking players licking their lips in anticipation.
After slipping down the pecking order and being farmed out on loan earlier in the season, not many people expected Fortune to even be at the club in February, never mind be playing a key role in the side for the run in. Shane Long returned to fitness a few weeks ago and is an obvious threat to his place in the side but he’s playing so well, that looks pretty unlikely. Hodgson has been full of praise for his rejuvenated striker and with Odemwingie also a major doubt for this weekend’s game, Fortune looks assured of a starting role once again. With an ownership of 0.1% and priced at just 5.2, Fortune looks a decent punt for the next couple, then and provides yet another strong differential option for that third striker spot with 0.1% ownership.
Nikija Jelavic
David Moyes is renowned for introducing his new signings and injury returnees gradually but after Moyes’ grafters failed to make any kind of impact at Anfield, the more creative talents of Osman and Jelavic now look essential if Everton are to make a final push towards the last European spot. Jelavic’s stunning winner against Tottenham may have come against the run of play, but the Croatian striker was good value for his goal and looked a threat throughout the game, so it’s hard to believe that his bench role last time out was for anything other than a lack of full match fitness.
Everton’s biggest weakness has been their scoring record, but that’s more to do with a lack of end product than an ability to create chances – the signing of Jelavic in January was an obvious one then; a tall target man that can hold the ball up as well as finish should slot straight into the side considering the pace and crossing ability of the players around him.
A quick look over the history for Jelavic gives some pretty promising stats; another three goals this season and he will have hit 20 goals in each of his last three campaigns, something that Everton have achieved from a player only once since the days of Peter Beardsley and Tony Cottee. Although much has been made of the difference between the SPL and the Premier League, Jelavic looks more than capable of stepping up and priced at just 5.9 and with an ownership of 0.2%, he could be a cracking choice as a third striker for the run in.
