Once again we roll out the weekly regular to assess the “strength of schedule” over the next four to six Gameweeks. With confidence flowing after Gameweek 12 victories, both Sunderland and Southampton will be buoyed by some enticing home matches on the horizon, while United and Arsenal also square up to potentially prosperous fixtures. On the flipside, Everton and West Ham look set for rough rides, with Chelsea and City also provided with stern short-term tests….
Sunderland
An upturn in fixtures coincides with a confidence-boosting win at Fulham for the Black Cats. With four home games in the next four, including a double Gameweek 16 (WBA, QPR, nor, CHE & RDG), many Fantasy managers will be prepared to snap up one or two of Sunderland’s assets. Certainly, their home defensive form suggests returns could be on the cards – they have conceded three goals in four matches at the Stadium of Light this term, a fact that will no doubt see Simon Mignolet, Carlos Cuellar and Phil Bardsley propelled onto Fantasy radars.
Up top, Steven Fletcher’s goal and assist at the Cottage will reignite faith in his attacking potential. With six goals and an assist over his 10 appearances, he has played a part in 70% of his side’s goals and has averaged six FPL points per game so far. Adam Johnson, with attacking returns in each of his last two, is starting to hint at a step up in form, while Stephane Sessegnon’s superb strike served a reminder of the displays that harvested seven goals and 12 assists last term.
Southampton
Four points from their last two leads Nigel Adkins’ outfit into a crucial run which sees them face three home games in the next four. The Saints welcome Newcastle, Norwich and Reading to St Mary’s and having stepped up with a win at QPR last Saturday, they will surely be in confident mood ahead of the Magpies’ visit this weekend.
While the backline continue to concede in every match played so far, investment further up the field looks a potentially prosperous ploy. Jason Puncheon seems to have cemented a role on the right once again – his goal and assist at Loftus Road, allied with a 4.5 FPL price tag, has earned him plenty new suitors already. Adam Lallana and Gaston Ramirez are options in the mid-price bracket, while Rickie Lambert has produced a goal and assist over the last couple of Gameweeks and looks to be hitting edging back to form at the right time.
Man United
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side will be desperate to bounce back from the shock defeat at Norwich last Saturday and are afforded the perfect opportunity, as basement-dwellers QPR roll up to Old Trafford this weekend. United then have two home games in the following four, with West Ham and Sunderland also paying visit, and with a trip to Reading also on their agenda, the omens look good.
Robin Van Persie seems a strong captaincy contender across those fixtures – having been rested for the midweek Champions League match against Galatasaray, the Dutchman will be fresh and raring to go after a rare blank at Carrow Road, while Wayne Rooney is also expected to return, after tonsillitis kept him out on Saturday. Rafael’s owners will be hoping he can pick up attacking returns, with clean sheets looking beyond the Red Devils right now, while Antonio Valencia – with no returns in the last three – is handed the platform to produce the goods again.
Swansea
Buoyed by a weekend win at Newcastle, Michael Laudrup’s side face three fixtures in front of their own fans over the next four before the schedule starts to stiffen. The Swans welcome Liverpool, West Brom and Norwich to the Liberty and also have a trip to Arsenal in their agenda – while the trio of home matches may not be the easiest, Michu’s owners will be happy to hold. An injury to Ki Sung-Yeung forced a reshuffle which saw the Spaniard drop back into “the hole” for the St James’ Park match and he duly obliged with the opener. Having found the net in four of his six appearances at the Liberty, his appeal is obvious.
Pablo Hernandez continues to offer a midfield alternative to his compatriot. The former Valencia man has scored in each of his last two at home and with an assist last weekend, has averaged six points per game over the last five fixtures, while Jonathan de Guzman has outgunned Michu 25 to 23 over the last five Gameweeks and is another on-song midfielder for Laudrup right. At the back, however, Swansea’s run of no clean sheets in 10 is indicative of their lack of defensive resilience.
Also Consider
Aston Villa – three home games in the next four affords Paul Lambert’s side to bounce back from their 5-0 Etihad thrashing. While the visit of Arsenal may prove problematic, the midlanders also welcome Reading and Stoke, with a trip to QPR sandwiched in between. Christian Benteke, with attacking returns in three of the last four, looks the obvious option for Fantasy managers on the search for a mid-price forward differential, though Andreas Weimann’s brace against United suggests he could come to the fore if he continues to nail down a starting berth.
Arsenal – the Gunners may have only two home clashes in the next six but, aside from a Gameweek 14 trip to Everton, their schedule seems more than favourable. Visits to Villa, Reading and Wigan should hold little fear for the north London outfit, while home clashes against Swansea and West Brom offer the chance to get their bid for a top four spot back on track. Santi Cazorla’s owners will be more than content to hold, bearing in mind his best points hauls have come on the road, while Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott have all produced returns in their last two. The latter has been sidelined for Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Montpellier due to a shoulder problem, though, suggesting he may be a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Villa.
Tottenham – Four defeats in five have lowered expectations around the Lane but Andre Villas-Boas’ side are now set to face four home games in the next six. Much may depend on the return of Moussa Dembele – Spurs had previously won all four of the games the Belgian has started and his presence in central midfield is clearly crucial to his side’s prospects. Nevertheless, with West Ham, Liverpool, Swansea and Stoke all paying visit, faith in Gareth Bale will remain resolute, while Jermain Defoe is set to start at least the next three after Emmanuel Adebayor’s red card at Arsenal.
The Weak
Everton
A kind opening schedule has helped David Moyes’ side banish their customary slow start and edge their way into fifth spot but the fixture list is about to turn sticky for the Toffees. Everton entertain the league’s in-form defence this weekend, as Norwich make their way to Goodison, and while that is unlikely to worry their Fantasy owners too much, the Merseysiders also face Arsenal and Spurs at home, with tricky trips to City, Stoke and West Ham also between now and Gameweek 18.
Marouane Fellaini’s one-match suspension this weekend is already seeing him sold on by significant numbers, while many are starting to question the worth of Leighton Baines, with the Toffees registering just two clean sheets all season. Bearing in mind they sit second in FPL for midfielders and defenders respectively, getting rid doesn’t come without risk – they did, after all, produce 19 points between them again United earlier this term. With one goal in his last five, though, Nikica Jelavic’s owners will also be pondering his value over the new few fixtures.
West Ham
There’s simply no let-up for the Hammers over the next few Gameweeks as the schedule continues to look ridden with danger. Unbeaten in their last three, Sam Allardyce’s side are in decent form but now face four of the top five in the next six Gameweeks. Up next are back-to-back trips to Spurs and United and with a visit to West Brom supplemented by home showdowns against Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton, the festive period could be set to bite hard.
Kevin Nolan’s Fantasy owners will be a little apprehensive, bearing in mind he has now produced attacking returns in one of his last four at Upton Park, while a single clean sheet in five home games may have Jussi Jaaskelainen’s owners on edge. Plenty will now get rid of Guy Demel, with two brief sub appearances and the displays of Joey O’Brien keeping him on the periphery of the Hammers first XI.
West Brom
Steve Clarke’s side have just one home fixture in the next four – a tricky Hawthorns clash with neighbours Stoke. The Baggies are on their travels three times, then, with visits to Sunderland, Swansea and Arsenal on their short-term agenda before the schedule starts to smile a little kinder in Gameweek 17. With a single clean sheet in their last seven, faith in West Brom’s backline hasn’t been rewarded in recent matches, though James Morrison has shown a consistency on his travels, producing attacking returns in two of his last three on the road. Shane Long’s owners have reason to be wary; although he has scored or assisted in all seven home appearances, Long has produced attacking returns just once away from home this season.
Also Be Wary Of
Man City – there’s no denying the champions have picked up in performance since the return of David Silva but the next four Gameweeks affords them a single straightforward fixture. While a trip to Wigan looks prosperous, Roberto Mancini’s side also square up to three of the top five, with a trip to Chelsea in addition to home showdowns against Everton and Man United. A defence that has conceded once in the last four is likely to struggle to replicate such returns, though Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez owners won’t be too concerned, given their upcoming opponents’ recent defensive records.
Chelsea – without a win in their last four, Roberto Di Matteo’s side welcome City and then neighbours Fulham to the Bridge; both look tricky for a defence that has conceded in each of the last seven Gameweeks and remain without the steadying influence of John Terry. Chelsea then travel to West Ham and Sunderland before a blank Gameweek 17 – Juan Mata and Eden Hazard owners will be hoping for an upturn in attacking displays from a Blues side that have scored just three times in the last three Gameweeks.
