Last but not least, the third article in our series focusing on attacking potential takes a look at the defenders. We’ve already ran the rule over the midfielders and forwards in the past couple of days and now the men at the back come under analysis. Highlighting the top 10 performers in terms of threat in our own ICT Index, we also list the top 20 for goal attempts so far and cast an eye over their underlying stats to ascertain their possible Fantasy value going forward:
Is Berbatov essential? I seem to be the only one in the world still sticking with Fletcher. EVERYTHING Sunderland does goes through him, he's scored their last 5 goals, on form and has lovely fixtures (plus he can score against anyone).
Berbs fixture of AVL is tempting though, and he's possibly a season keeper, injury permitting. Stuck, help!Open Controls
Berba will be Fulham's main man all season. Right now Fletcher is carrying is carrying the load for Sunderland as their midfield has not stepped up to the plate. But the likes of Larsson, McClean, Johnson and Sess will not stay quiet for long
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The problem is once they start gaining form...this can only mean more goals for Fletcher...hence his potential to be a bargain.
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The appeal of Berba is strong around here and elsewhere. Fletcher is always going to be unfashionable but hype doesn't always turn into points. I fully expect Berba to perform well this year and I want to get him in too. I also own Fletch and expect he will get a huge percentage of Sunderlands goals and having no competition helps his cause. I'm thinking I might stick for the Newcastle game and see how Berb gets on before making any hasty decisions...although the temptation is still strong to just go with my gut with Berb!
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It says you own Chris Martin and Andreas Weimann?
Re-link your team.Open Controls
I have Fletcher too - I think there's an equally good argument for having Berbatov but I'm sticking with Fletcher. He's the focal point of a highly-underrated midfield and gives you pretty much the same whether he's playing home or away. It's a close call but his relative dependability edges it for me.
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I'm having both berb and fletcher!
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Slightly sideways move but if Ramirez is out for a while I think I'll just replace him with Llama. His underlying stats are much better than I thought they would be.
Open Controlsthey are good, he has 3 assists in his last 3, but for me it's hard to look past Nolan for the next 2, and Morrison after that. But Llama is on the watchlist.
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Just calculated that I'd be 66 points better off if I'd have selected the correct bench and captain each week....I need a new hobby
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Oh Caulker why are you not nailed on!
Also anyone notice the lack of Ivan?Open Controls
Ricky Cash - Arsenal Gunners24 minutes ago
For all of you Kaka fanboys listen up!!
Arsenal have the new Kaka, a boy named Serge Gnabry who is one of our very own youth.
In 4-5 years Serge Gnabry will surpass anything Kaka has ever done during his whole career, so I offer you an early chance to hop on his bandwagon before the others do in 4-5 years. Start your research guys cause this guy will be one of the all time greats.
Just another great talent produced by Mr. Wenger out the Arsenal factory!!!!!!!!!!!
Another idiotic deluded Arsenal fan! LOLOpen ControlsWho cares...
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So Kebe?
On wc and want to know if he is worth a punt over Sterling.
Got 3 goals in 33 games last season, but 9 goals the season prior and 10 the one before that according to Wikipedia. What do people reckon?Open Controlscheck the previous page
Open ControlsCheck what league he was in when he scored 9/10 goals first.
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daft
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I would look at assists as well (10 last season) unless Reading changed their style they are all about the wingers i.e him and McAnuff..
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Ah so he gets assists then, this was a stat I wasn't sure about.
Think I'm happy to take a punt on him then. Means I can get Sagna to beef up defence.Open ControlsIf you go to Reading FC website (like all teams below the PL) they have a stats section for previous years. Already has an assist in less than 2 games this season..
Open ControlsCheers, didn't think the clubs usually showed assists in the numbers of stats.
Very useful to know.Open Controls
I'm actually looking at Kebe as an option to rotate with Sterling (as replacement for Ramirez) gives
REA, FUL, NEW, NOR , WIG, wig, vil, SOUOpen ControlsExactly, means I could think of getting in Silva, giving front line of:
Caz, Bale, Silva, Sterling/Kebe,
RVP, Ba, Berb
With a healthy defence.Open ControlsNot far off mine, I would be
Caz, Bale, Fellaini, Sterling/Kebe
RVP, Aguero, Berb
Would be £1.2mil free for Fellaini to become Barfa (so effectively Barfa/Aguero instead of Silva/Ba).Open Controls
Ricky Cash - Arsenal Gunners24 minutes ago
For all of you Kaka fanboys listen up!!
Arsenal have the new Kaka, a boy named Serge Gnabry who is one of our very own youth.
In 4-5 years Serge Gnabry will surpass anything Kaka has ever done during his whole career, so I offer you an early chance to hop on his bandwagon before the others do in 4-5 years. Start your research guys cause this guy will be one of the all time greats.
Just another great talent produced by Mr. Wenger out the Arsenal factory!!!!!!!!!!!
Another idiotic deluded Arsenal fan! LOLLLOpen ControlsWho cares...x2
Open ControlsI do.
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loool
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From another deluded troll, yawn!
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Serge Gnabry is a real talent, i have watched him in the NextGen series and his brief appearance against cov. Should be part of the first team next year, next Kaka is about far but this boy is good.
Open ControlsAn informed opinion, cheers.
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Is the England U-21 game tonight, as well as the senior game?
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yeah, kick off in 8 mins
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CHeers mate!
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Is my Wild Card better?
a) Mignolet Begovic +$.3
Baines Rafael Mertesacker Demel Hughes
Silva Bale Cazorla Sterling Routledge
Ba Tevez Berbatov
b) Old team
Mignolet Begovic
Baines Lescott Demel Clyne Hangeland
Caz Haz Guthrie Noble McClean
RVP Tevez GrahamOpen ControlsYes, but not by much. Have you already wc'd?
Rafael is in my wc but may be rotated. Mert will be rotated. Routledge after this week I don't rate.
Otherwise all look good with the caveat that Tevez may get rotated too much.
If you haven't pressed the button yet, you may be able to sort out your mid and Graham over the next few weeks.Open Controls
Kebe - FTW 🙂
Open ControlsThe Kebe wagon left the station 2 weeks ago. I myself was a week late, but there are some seats at the back.
Open ControlsYou booked me a seat last week. 🙂
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I'm involved, I've never seen him play either........
Ramirez injury has left me without any obvious options (Lallana, Puncheon, Taarabt, Kightly are the others).
He rotates well with Sterling, so gives me a chance to play him for the decent home games too.Open Controls
Scroobius
Talk me about Llama, what makes him a better pick than Morrison (assuming we have to sell Gaston, which I think we will) I'm getting Nolan for the next 2, but after that....Open ControlsFixtures basically.
They have the very similar underlying stats which should equate into to similar returns considering they both play for clubs with goals in them but no world class player either.
Llama's fixtures are good now and continue being good for a while.
Both good picks though.Open Controlshmm i will consider this. The only other option is to get both and don't bother with Ben Arfa, but he too has great fixtures
Open ControlsIt's either Lallana or Nolan to replace Fellaini for me...Nolan has the fixtures but Lallana has some good form and Southampton will likely continue to score goals...I've pencilled in Lallana for a few weeks time but Ramirez seems like the real deal so would prefer him if he comes back.
Open ControlsYeah depends how long Ramirez is out for - I currently have him.
Open ControlsThe Ramirez injury is so annoying, he was one of those players I was so certain I was going to bring in after looking at the stats. He will hopefully be a real bargain later on...
Open ControlsI am sad and happy at the same time. Sad I'm losing him, but happy to have had had him for the previous 2 weeks
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yep and me, it's Llama or Nolan I think. If I get Llama it's better long term, as it's a simple Llama to Ramirez transfer when he's fit, but the idea of not having Nolan for the next 2 is quite scary.
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Has learnt! At least this time he didn't try to headbutt him! 😀
Open ControlsOnly a matter of time, 😉
Open ControlsLooking to move to Italy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP0HtVKH-Fk
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Lol, great photo of Joey trying to drag him to the floor.
Open ControlsPretty feeble effort alright, why didn't the guy just deck him? Do the world a favour!
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Ok, so my insight on the Arsenal defence, based on nothing more than following them to an unhealthy degree over the last 13 years:
1) Mert, at the moment is nailed on - well, about 90% anyway, which considering he is a near 5 mil defender in a solid looking Arsenal defence (shock!!), is awesome. Reasons for this:
-He has been immense the opening weeks of the season
-Kos was a disaster against Chelsea
-He just compliments the players around him much better than a Kos + Verm partnership
-There was a slight injury concern about Kos. Can't find the link but just an added factor to consider.
2) If Gibbs is out, Santos comes in. Chance of Vermaelen moving to LB is near zero when Santos is fit:
-Santos I feel is a bit underrated at LB, def better than Verm there. More importantly, I think Wenger feels the same
-Verm doesn't like playing there
-Would leave no cover for CB on the bench other than Djourou and Miguel... Not enough..
3) Sagna, once fit, walks back into the team (username bias not withstanding). He isn't fit enough yet and Jenkinson's form allows Wenger to ease him back slowly so expect to see Jenk get a few more starts at least... And by that I mean at least 2, likely 3 or 4.
I hope Gibbs is okay, but from a fantasy point of view, Santos comes straight into my team if he's out for any length of time. He's immense going forward and will be brilliant linking with Podolski and Cazorla. Podolski has, so far, made Gibbs look a bit better than he is (not to take away too much from his step up).
Now only if I knew the Utd backline and Fergie's thinking well enough to know whether Rafael is going to keep his place at RB...
-Open ControlsYou really don't think he'll get swapped around with Kos? I completely agree that he has looked the sturdiest of Arsenal's defence, but there has been talk on here of Wengar making the tactical change against certain teams (can't remember why, against which, or the recent example cited, but there was one).
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More or less spot on in my opinion.
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Thx, good stuff.
Open Controlsthanks for this. I was looking at Sagna for next week, but I may hold off until GW 11 or 12.
Open ControlsI wouldn't touch Sagna until he's played at least 2 consecutive games, I'd be surprised at the moment if he has started a game before the Fulham home game.
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good points all around. as for Rafael, i see him as being fairly nailed on, and could only see him dropped for a game before a UCL game.
Open ControlsYeah that's my hope. Fingers crossed! A bit nervous with both Smalling and Jones returning to fitness.. Once Vidic comes back that leaves very little game time for those 2 and I see Rafael as the most likely to be rotated. Still, easy decision to hold on and monitor the situation for now
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And just to add, a Kos plus Verm partnership WILL eventually happen again. It is inevitable. Verm is captain and Kos is a Wenger favourite and both players 'styles' are what Wenger wants in his CB's, I'm just saying it's not a big concern for the moment, esp if Mert keeps up his form (and he's a class act, can't see him dropping off)
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Which one for my wildcard please?
A) Mata Pienaar Ba
B) Piennar Nolan AgueroOpen ControlsB, better captain material.
Open ControlsThank you. I have RVP as captain option. What do you think of this team?
Begovic - McCarthy
Baines - Jenkinson - Wilson - Fonte - McCartney
Bale - Nolan - Cazorla - Pienaar - Spearing
RVP - Aguero - BerbatovOpen Controls
Foster and Lambert
Out for
Begovic and Berb
Yes or no??
Free transfers both of them, keeper move is to afford Berb. Rest of the squad I am happy with.Open Controlswho is the other keeper, not an advocate of selling Foster
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A, but without that Dong guy which you probably need for the money so let's make it B.
Open ControlsHere's what I need help with? Where do I improve. Have .9 M in the bank? Forwards?
Mignolet Begovic
Baines Rafael Mertesacker Demel Gorks
Silva Cazorla Bale Routledge Sterling
Ba Tevez BerbatovOpen ControlsI don't get it. You are on a wildcard and want to change your front line? Link your team (see FAQ). Makes it easier to help you.
Open ControlsHere's my team now:
Mignolet Begovic
Baines Lescott Hangeland Demel Clyne
Hazard Cazorla Guthrie McClean Noble
RVP Tevez GrahamOpen ControlsAnd you want to wildcard into:
Mignolet Begovic
Baines Rafael Mertesacker Demel Gorks
Silva Cazorla Bale Routledge Sterling
Ba Tevez Berbatov
Right?Open Controls
England Team v Poland according to Sky Sources
Hart
GJ Jag Les Cole
Milner Gerrard Carrick Cleverley
Rooney DefoeOpen ControlsNice, Hope you enjoy (kind of!) aren't Poland missing Blaszczykowski and a few others though? What do you reckon on the score?
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Yeah, absence of Blaszczykowski is a big blow. We played friendly on friday and Pawel Wszolek played on right wing. He looked good, but he's a young lad and it was only his debut in national team. Is he ready for a big match like this? We'll see. Can we win? I have doubts. Draw would be nice. Also, I want GOAAAALS! 😉
So excited to see all these Prem players live. Wow!Open ControlsI though ti read somewhere Piszczek was out as well. Is that right? Well i would take a hatful of goals too, but i'd prefer them for England. Lets say 4-3 to England that way everyone has a good time 😀 GL
Open ControlsNo, Piszczek will play. Thank God, he's our only class right back. But i read somewhere that he may play on the wing in place of Blaszczykowski. Maybe it's not too stupid, considering that he was attacker in his early days...
No, no, no. You can win at Wembley, we can win here in Warsaw 😀
Good luck and have fun! 🙂Open Controls
I would imagine they line up a bit different from a 4 4 2 though.
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Who should I captain this GW...
A - RVP
B - Podolski
C - Bale
D - Michu
E - Nolan
😀Open Controls
im really enjoying these behind the scenes shows with football clubs now. being liverpool and the man city "inside city" on youtube are really cool to watch, they're like my version of a tv series! would much rather watch them then other random tv series, maybe i love my football too much! balotelli is pretty funny on inside city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfwdITiVIW8
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Any advice for this team? Very much appreciated!
Foster, Begovic
Baines, Gibbs, Cuellar, Demel, Davies
Cazorla, Ben Arfa, Michu, Pienaar, Puncheon
RVP, Tevez, Fletcher
1FT, 2.0 in bankOpen Controlsfletcher to berbatov. then maybe michu to bale next week
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Need forward help! Have $25.5 M for three forwards? Keep RVP or what....
Juss Begovic
Baines Rafael Mertesacker Demel Gorks
Silva Bale Cazorla Routledge SterlingOpen ControlsDowngrade Merte, Silva and Routledge -> two 6 million-ish midfielders. Then you will have more money for up front (If you still want RVP)
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interesting read about Kebe at last page
thanks to Hecto and JK i know how to use my 2 FT's now
thanks 🙂Open Controlswelcome sir. Help me out further down the page?
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Sorry, not been around for a few weeks, what's the news on Berba's injury?
I got two FT this week so:
McClean to Silva
Tevez to Berba.Open Controls
He was close to making the Southhampton game, so I think the general consensus is that he'll be ready. I like those trades, I think Silva and Berba will do very well the coming weeks.
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What to do with my defensive line. I have 2 FT, 0.0 in the bank.
Baines Gibbs Demel Naughton Davies
I want to do Naughton -> Wilson to get ready for Stoke's run of fixtures and get rid of Naughton, but I need 0.1 in order to do that. I could trade out Demel, but he might be ready. Davies has Wigan at home this GW, bad timing to trade him out for a 3.9, but he's the one I'm least inclined to keep long-term. Any thoughts? If I trade out Demel it would have to be for someone 4.0 or lower.
Defenders is the only place I want to trade anyone out, very happy with my team for this GW otherwise.Open ControlsDemel to McArtney might work?
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This I want to know too!
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Can someone help me with a dilemma.
When it comes to replacing Michu next week i was set on HBA. But having examined things, if I get Morrison instead I can afford to do -4 and drop Johnson to get Bale in, or I can get HBA and Lennon for -4. Do we think, given HBA's fixtures I can afford not to have him in order to get Bale in? If AJ looks like firing I can get him back laterOpen ControlsMorrison and Bale IMO
you can play Kebe when Morrison fixure are not good (next week)
i wanna get HBA as well but not confident in his returns in 4-4-2 formation
you can't compare lennon fpl potential with Bale as wellOpen Controlsok, so Nolan or Lallana to replace Ramirez
Nolan has great fixtures next 2, but then needs selling, Lalanna can stay until Ramirez returns, but I'd be worried by not having Nolan next 2 GWs. Maybe get Nolan then switch to Lallana GW10?Open Controls
Definitely Morrison and Bale. If Bale hits a streak of double figures, you will hugely regret it.
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Breathe easy and monitor this weeks performance.
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2 freebies 2.7 in the bank thoughts on this
Ireland to cazorla
a) Baines/ ivan to 5 mil defender
or
b) podolski to berb
cheersOpen Controls
Think of WC from
Jersey (green)
Gibbs, Raphael,Clyde,(gorkks,Barnett)
Bale,santi,hazard,penaar,(sterling)
RVP,saurez,fletcher
To
Jersey (4m gk)
Ivan, baines, Rafael(4m,4m)
Bale, santi,mata,sterling,5.5m
RVP,fletcher,berba
What u guys thing? Should I wait another GW?Open Controls
Which combination do you think will get more points over the medium term, ceteris paribus;
Ben Arfa & Crouch
Walters & BaOpen Controls
I think it depends if they go with the 2 up front or with only Crouch. But yes he could. On the other hand I think Ba will rape HBAs score IMO 😀
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I working towards Walters + Ba too. I know it's not a perfect measuring stick, but the difference in total points between the two pairs is only 2 points as of GW7 so I presume you say it's not even close because you think Crouch wont keep up with this form am I right?
Open ControlsI personally think Crouch is the one of the most overperformed striker right now. But many could disagree. Consider HBA and BA if you can afford it.
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But it could be that Couch will have an overperforming season maybe? 🙂
The last time he was the main striker, he scored 17(?) goals.Open Controlswell no doubt HBA+BA is best but its a moot point as the purpose is to have STK attacking cover over the nest 10 GW or so.
Appreciate the input!Open Controls
