Long the belle of the Wigan ball, Charles N’Zogbia enchanted Fantasy managers and bonus point judges alike on his way to 313 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) points over two seasons at the DW Stadium. A £9.5 million move to Aston Villa in the summer of 2011 was supposed to herald the start of bigger and better things for the twinkle-toed talisman, but with new managers and new bonus point system proving immune to seduction, N’Zogbia soon found himself reduced to ugly-sister status in both the Villa squad and the FPL marketplace.
The dawn of 2013 saw the nadir for the Frenchman: without a Premier League start since August, struggling to shake off a knee injury and sitting ninth for FPL points in a Villa midfield chart topped by such Fantasy Football luminaries as Brett Holman, Barry Bannan and Ashley (nope, me neither) Westwood. A tactical reshuffle in Gameweek 22 saw N’Zogbia handed a new lease just off Christian Benteke and, flourishing in a more central role, he is again revealing glimpses of his wonted wizardry.
Starting Villa’s last six and amassing a goal and five assists over that period, he currently sits third in the form chart for Premier League midfielders. The fact that his price has remained unmoved on 5.8 (currently 5.7 in the Sky Sports game) since November may perhaps be ascribed two key factors: the consistent returns and accrued value boasted by more established midfield favourites, and the rise to prominence of Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko as the leading contender in the mid-price bracket.
Whilst Sissoko’s appeal is undeniable, his exclusive grasp on the popular consciousness may prove useful to N’Zogbia’s would-be investors. The price gap is already 0.6 and widening, and with Manchester City next on Villa’s agenda it seems likely that Sissoko will continue to dominate midfield speculation until that tricky clash is out of the way and the fixtures take on a more favourable aspect for Paul Lambert’s men (rdg, QPR, LIV, sto, FUL).
Recent concern over Jason Puncheon’s security of starts under new Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino may furnish another feather for N’Zogbia’s cap. With attractive budget propositions increasing thin on the ground in midfield, even the most steadfast adherents to the 3-4-3 setup may be forced to loosen the purse strings in order to consistently field a strong front seven over the rocky roads ahead.
