Our Friday night regular makes a return after the recent inconvenience brought on by internationals. This time round, our headliner is a Premier League veteran who continues to rack up the goals, while we also call upon a couple of cut-price forward alternatives who have proven superb value for money over the last few matches.
Frank Lampard
It says a lot about the displays of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard this season that Frank Lampard’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) ownership remains under 6%. The Chelsea midfielder has already notched 12 times this term – a tally he has beaten just once in the last seven campaigns – and has offered a consistency of game time under Rafa Benitez that has earned him starts in 12 of the last 13 league fixtures.
Over that run of games, Lampard has scored nine times – bearing in mind that Mata has 10 strikes to his name all season and Hazard eight, the former West Ham man’s eye for goal has clearly remained crucial to the Blues’ fortunes; all the more critical when Demba Ba and Fernando Torres struggle to produce up top.
As Benitez looks to juggle his squad ahead of a run of four games in the next nine days, Lampard’s regular appearances in the league suggests he’s likely to get the nod at Southampton tomorrow, with a rest against United in Monday’s cup clash on the cards. With spot-kicks boosting his appeal in addition to a share of set-pieces and corners, Lampard will be confident of picking up the points at St Mary’s tomorrow against a Saints side with a single clean sheet in seven under Mauricio Pochettino. Priced at 8.5 in FPL and 8.4 in the Sky Sports game, his ability to produce has even proved immune to the rotational whims of the Blues’ interm-manager.
Jay Rodriguez
With Rickie Lambert sitting third in the FPL standings, investment in any other Southampton forward has been understandably scarce. Big things were expected from the former Burnley man when Nigel Adkins broke the club’s transfer record to bring him to St Mary’s last summer but it’s somewhat ironic that it’s taken Adkins’ departure to bring out the best in Rodriguez.
Two goals and a pair of assists in the first 22 Gameweeks were indicative of his toils, with the big-money signing struggling to nail down a first-team berth but the subsequent arrival of Mauricio Pochettino has brought Rodriguez firmly onto Fantasy radars. Handed a bench role for the Argentine’s first match in charge, he has since ousted Jason Puncheon on the right and, having started six of the following seven matches, has produced attacking returns on five of those occasions.
In stark comparison to his previous displays, Rodriguez has racked up two goals and five assists over those seven fixtures, with returns against the likes of United, City and Liverpool highlighting his potential under the new man in charge. Priced at just 5.1 in FPL and 5.7 in the Sky Sports game, he looks an intriguing in-form prospect ahead of a home match against Chelsea as Pochettino plots a crucial win that would help his side pull further away from the drop zone.
Andreas Weimann
Similar to Rodriguez, Weimann has also struggled in the shadow of a more prolific team mate. With Christian Benteke leaving backlines battered and bruised across the Premier League, the young Austrian has been bypassed by Fantasy managers but as Villa start to rack up the wins, Weimann is proving almost as pivotal in his side’s survival bid.
Having started each of the last six, game time looks assured and has clearly boosted his self-belief over the last few matches – attacking returns in three of the last four sums up Weimann’s new-found consistency. A goal against Arsenal and assist against Reading was followed up a goal and assist in the vital victory over QPR last time out, with Weimann also collecting the maximum bonus points as the midlanders moved seven points clear of their opponents.
Coming in at just 5.0 in FPL and 6.7 in the Sky Sports game, Weimann’s flourishing form could be set to continue against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon and, having found the net in the 3-1 win at Anfield earlier this season, the Austrian will be looking to put the Merseysiders to the sword once again.
