Among the eight teams to play twice during Gameweek 36, Stoke are by far the least prolific in terms of attacking potential. Having netted just 32 times thus far, Tony Pulis’ side sit firmly at the foot of the “Goals Scored” table with four matches left to play.
It is a statistic that will hardly fill Fantasy managers with confidence as they eye up the Potters ahead of the upcoming double Gameweek, but a closer look at Stoke’s home and away record shows there is still hope among their red and white striped ranks.
The Prospects
Home clashes during Gameweek 36, against an Arsenal team looking to secure third spot and a resurgent Everton, are not the easiest games on paper. The key aspect here, though, is not the opposition but the fact that Pulis’ side play both their games at the Britannia. Stoke’s poor goal tally can largely be put down to their woeful away record – of their 32 goals, 21 have been in front of their home fans, as have six of their nine clean sheets.
Arsenal are also enduring something of a slump, giving investors in Stoke’s ranks further hope. Arsene Wenger’s side have won just two of their last five matches and in Gameweek 35 were left frustrated during a 0-0 draw against a patched up Chelsea team with one eye on this week’s Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona. With Robin Van Persie scoring only once in his last seven, hopes of a clean sheet for Stoke against the Gunners are perhaps better than previously anticipated, although their strikers may face a tough time – Arsenal have returned five clean sheets in their last seven matches.
Stoke defenders face a far sterner test against Everton, who are quite simply rampant in front of goal right now, scoring 14 in their last five matches. During this recent run, the Toffees have also managed to keep three clean sheets but have shipped six goals, giving the Potters’ attackers a sliver of hope.
The Likely Lads
With nine goals to his name thus far, the 6.1 priced Peter Crouch is Stoke’s main attacking threat. Five of those have come at home, including his goal of the season strike against Manchester City in Gameweek 30. With four assists and 14 bonus points this season he offers the chance of further points over the two games – it’s also worth noting that Crouch has scored in three of his last four at the Britannia.
Elsewhere in midfield, Stoke’s tricky wingers – Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, with six assists each, are also worth considering. Etherington, at 6.5, with three goals and 15 bonus points, is perhaps the more consistent of the pair, though Pennant, who is priced at 5.6, has been in decent form of late, providing an assist in three of his last four appearances. If he shake off the virus that forced him to remain on the bench for last week’s trip to Newcastle, he could produce.
Stoke’s defence is perhaps where the shrewdest Fantasy managers will cast their gaze and, in particular, the attacking strength offered by 5.6 priced Robert Huth. The German has been in solid form of late, scoring in two of his last three games and also picking up four bonus, for an average of seven points per game – all this without a clean sheet in that run of matches. Ryan Shawcross, who has a 5.3 price tag, is another to consider. The Potters’ skipper seems more likely to earn bonus points – he has 13 compared to Huth’s seven.
Among Premier League goalkeepers, the risk of rotation perhaps hangs heaviest over Stoke’s. Currently Asmir Begovic is the main contender but Thomas Sorenson is always looming in the wings, with Tony Pulis having a track record of showing no mercy at switching his options between the posts if the form drops. Despite this threat, the 4.5m priced Begovic, with 81 points and five bonus points remains the best Stoke purchase between the sticks. The fact that the Bosnian has started the last nine offers a little more confidence for his Fantasy suitors.
Cheeky Punt
There was a time earlier this season when Stoke’s penalty-taking forward Jon Walters was an almost essential pick, due to his listing in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) as a midfielder. The Irishman has fallen by the wayside over the last few months, though – with the last of his five goals coming in Gameweek 19, it’s something of an understatement to say Walters is woefully out of form. Despite this, his spot kick duties plus his five assists, 10 bonus points and 6.0 price tag cannot be completely dismissed.
