We may have stocked up the Scout Picks with double Gameweek differentials but our search for overlooked alternatives continues ahead of tomorrow morning’s deadline. Our trio of protagonists –from Arsenal, QPR and Liverpool respectively – have all earned a recent upturn in game time which we’re hoping to see translated to Fantasy points over the next weekend or so.
Gervinho
Starting seven of Arsenal’s first eight league matches, the Ivorian had offered us an intriguing mid-price alternative to Santi Cazorla in the Gunners’ midfield in the opening couple of months of the campaign. An ankle injury in Gameweek 9, however, saw Gervinho fall rapidly off Fantasy radars as Theo Walcott stepped up in performance on the right flank but, having finally recovered, he was handed a central starting role for last week’s home clash with Swansea.
Although Olivier Giroud is expected to return as the lone forward for tomorrow’s visit of West Brom, Gervinho should keep his first-team place for the Baggies clash – injuries to both Walcott and Lukas Podolski look set to see him move to the flank as Arsene Wenger attempts to bounce back from the 2-0 reverse at the hands of Michael Laudrup’s side. Intriguingly, Gervinho has started four games at the Emirates this term and has returned 29 points, averaging just over seven points per home appearance in the Arsenal first XI.
With uncertainty surrounding Walcott and Podolski’s respective comeback dates and with the fixtures picking up pace, Gervinho may continue to be relied upon by Wenger over the hectic festive period and, should he keep his place, the short-term fixtures certainly hold promise. The north London outfit also face Reading and Wigan in the following two before home games with West Ham and Newcastle see out the calendar year. Priced at 7.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and 7.6 in the Sky Sports game (albeit as a forward), he is owned by a mere 1.5% FPL managers and could prove a decent shout over the next few, should the Gunners find their form again.
Jamie Mackie
The Scot has come in from the cold since Mark Hughes’ departure from QPR and seems to have firmly established himself as a key member of Harry Redknapp’s starting XI in recent matches. Since Hughes was turfed out on his ear just prior to the Gameweek 13 trip to United, the R’s have scored twice in three games – both times, it’s been Mackie who has found the net.
Playing every minute of the last three, QPR’s Player of the Month for November was shifted from the right flank to the lone forward role at home to Villa last Saturday, with Djibril Cisse dropping out. Mackie more than vindicated Redknapp’s decision by notching in the 1-1 draw and post-match, his manager was full of praise for the player’s performance:
“I thought Mackie worked hard. He gives you effort. He runs around. He works hard. He gives you honesty. If you had 11 Jamie Mackies you wouldn’t be in this trouble, would you? I know just how difficult it is. We must not stand here and kid ourselves. If we pull this one off, my God, it will be a miracle but I believe in miracles so I’ve got to keep trying.”
While there seems little doubt that Redknapp will look to bolster his front line options in January, Mackie appears to have won his manager over in the meantime and is expected to keep his role up top ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Wigan. With the Latics hammered by injuries and suspension at the back right now, the R’s may never have a better chance of registering their first win of the season and with home clashes against Fulham and West Brom also on the horizon, the potential for Redknapp to gather the points looks appealing.
Priced at 5.1 in FPL and 7.7 in the Sky Sports game and with an ownership of under 0.5% in both games, Mackie could be one to consider as Redknapp pins his hopes on the Scot to bag the goals and boost his side’s survival bid.
Jonjo Shelvey
It’s quite possibly the first time Jonjo Shelvey has played such a prominent part in our thinking, but with Luis Suarez suspended for Liverpool’s trip to West Ham, the midfielder could well be set to start as the lone forward at West Ham on Sunday. It’s a role Shelvey was afforded in the Reds’ recent Europa League match with Young Boys and he demonstrated a keen eye for goal by opening the scoring in the 2-2 draw – with the likes of Fabio Borini still sidelined by injury, Rodgers may well have little alternative but to field him through the middle.
Shelvey was handed a start on the flank last weekend, suggesting that while Suarez will obviously return to his usual role against Villa in Gameweek 17, the midfielder could continue in the first-team over the next few weeks. An out of position berth would undoubtedly increase his appeal ahead of a strong run of fixtures (AVL, FUL, sto, qpr, SUN) and perhaps even offer an alternative to Raheem Sterling, with the youngster having produced attacking returns just once in his last seven.
Priced at 5.2 in FPL and 4.5 in the Sky Sports game, and with an ownership of just 0.2% in both games, Shelvey is a somewhat unglamorous pick but his budget-friendly appeal may come to the fore if he continues to be afforded starts by Rodgers over the next few Gameweeks.
