We roll out the first of our weekly three-part series of articles on player recommendations for the next four-to-six Gameweeks. Three of the current top four occupy our thoughts, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal primed for favourable fixtures, though a tough run for Tottenham and Everton may pose problems for the top two defenders in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game:
Goalkeepers
Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet remains at the top of the keeper rankings this week. The Reds have three strong home games (NOR, WHM, CAR) and a trip to Hull in the next six and while visits to Everton and Spurs won’t be straightforward, both sides’ recent lack of goals bodes well as the Belgian looks to build on the back of last week’s clean sheet against Fulham. With Brendan Rodgers moving from 3-4-1-2 to 4-4-2, the uncertainty surrounding many of the Liverpool defence strengthens Mignolet’s case.
Petr Cech is another non-mover. Chelsea have struggled to produce defensive returns and have conceded in each of their last six but the fixtures continue to fall in their favour –trips to West Ham, Sunderland and Stoke, allied with home games against Southampton and Palace, could see the clean sheets return for Jose Mourinho’s side. With attacking options amongst the Blues back-four, though, Cech’s appeal is somewhat diminished.
A run of three homes games in four (SOU, car, HUL, EVE) brings Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny into consideration in this week’s refresh. The Pole has conceded just once in the last three matches and has racked up more points than any Gunners defender.
Tim Krul’s heroics in the previous Gameweek earned the Newcastle keeper a second successive clean sheet. Having kept out Chelsea and Spurs, the Dutchman will fancy his chances in back-to-back home games against Norwich and West Brom – games against Southampton and Palace in the next six atone for testing trips to Swansea and United.
Stoke’s Asmir Begovic has four home games in the next six to bolster his appeal. Sunderland, Cardiff and Villa all pay visit to the Britannia and with a trip to Hull also factored in, the Potters will be confident of improving upon a run of one clean sheet in the last seven – with attack-minded options elsewhere at the back for Mark Hughes’ side, though, he may well be overlooked.
Villa’s Brad Guzan continues to impress, with four clean sheets in seven. The US stopper has been ruled out of international duties this week but is expected to be fit for games against West Brom, Sunderland, Southampton and Fulham in the upcoming four Gameweeks – Guzan, at 5.0, is costlier than his defensive colleagues but has backed this up by racking up 12 points more than any Villa backline option.
Jussi Jaaskelainen and Artur Boruc both tumble down the rankings as a result of some tricky schedules. The Hammers face Chelsea. Liverpool and United in the next six and with real doubts over Winston Reid and potentially James Collins, Jaaskelainen may struggle to replicate the form which has already brought six clean sheets his way. Boruc’s owners also have reason for concern; with Arsenal, Chelsea, City and Spurs all on their agenda over the next six, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are set for a testing time.
Michel Vorm returns to the top 10 after serving a one-match ban last time around. The Dutchman has conceded once in his last three and his owners will be hoping he can instill a little more resilience at the back for Swansea, after they shipped three to Stoke in his absence – trips to Fulham and Norwich in the next five are supplemented by home games against Newcastle and Hull.
West Brom also have four fixtures in front of their own fans over the next six. This helps Boaz Myhill climb in our estimations but, having withdrawn from international duties with Achilles and thumb problems, and with Ben Foster closing in on a comeback from a foot injury, his acquisition doesn’t come without a degree of risk attached.
Defenders
Glen Johnson moves to the top of the defender standings ahead of Liverpool’s kind schedule. With doubts over the centre-half and left-back positions, Johnson looks the most secure option at the back under Brendan Rodgers, with his raids down the right offering the chance of attacking potential.
John Terry continues to get the nod over Branislav Ivanovic as our Chelsea defender of choice. With Ashley Cole recently dropped to the bench and uncertainty surrounding the remaining central defensive spot, it’s a straight fight between Terry and Ivanovic for our attentions – the Blues skipper has offered a far superior goal threat to the Serbian in recent matches and looks the man most likely to produce for Jose Mourinho’s defence.
With Mathieu Debuchy suspended and uncertainty surrounding the central half positions, Davide Santon is called upon for Newcastle’s kind run of fixtures. Debuchy’s suspension may allow Fabricio Coloccini a return to the middle, though, with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa shifted to right-back next weekend –the Argentine would climb in our estimations if he earns a return to the XI for the first time since Gameweek 7; he has collected maximum bonus on the two occasions he has returned a clean sheet and is now down to 4.9.
Arsenal centre-half Per Mertesacker gets the nod for the upcoming four fixtures. Sidelined by flu against United, his presence at the back was sorely missed as his side conceded for the first time in three matches – the German has picked up seven bonus points, the same number as his fellow defenders combined. Ahead of three home games in four, his threat in the box has already served up a goal and double-figure haul at the Emirates thus far.
United’s Jonny Evans makes his way up the new rankings. With Phil Jones likely to deputise for the injured Michael Carrick in central midfield, Evans’ security of starts looks strong – he has been named in the XI in five of the last six and has a trip to Cardiff, in addition to home games against Everton and Newcastle in the next four. At just 5.0, he’s comfortably cheaper than any of David Moyes’ backline regulars.
We turn to Erik Pieters as our Stoke defender of choice for four Britannia clashes in the upcoming six Gameweeks. The left-back has two assists in the last three and at 5.0, isn’t too unkind on the budget – given that the Potters have just one clean sheet in seven, Huth and Ryan Shawcross have struggled to justify their value.
Coming in at just 4.5, Razvan Rat is the cheapest of Sam Allardyce’s options but, if James Collins is ruled out with the injury that caused him to miss Wales’ match with Finland on Saturday, the Hammers boss may turn to Dan Potts (3.9) at centre-half; with the schedule toughening up, though, many may choose to overlook the Hammers’ under-strength backline.
With two goals and an assist to his name already this season, Gareth McAuley’s attacking potential is obvious. The Baggies centre-half has dropped from 5.5 to 5.4 and with 2% ownership, looks a real differential option ahead of schedule which sees him host Villa, Norwich and Hull in the next six, in addition to a trip to Cardiff. Elsewhere in the midlands, Villa’s Ron Vlaar comes in at just 4.4. The Dutchman has picked up bonus points every time his side have registered a clean sheet and is the only defender to play every minute under Paul Lambert, though Nathan Baker, at 3.9, has now started five of the last six and seems to have established himself as a regular.
Swansea skipper Ashley Williams has picked up maximum bonus on two of the three occasions he has produced a clean sheet and at 4.8, is the cheapest of Michael Laudrup’s defensive regulars. Jan Vertonghen and Leighton Baines tumble due to their upcoming fixtures. Spurs have City and United up next, while Everton have Liverpool, United and Arsenal in the next four – the top two defenders in the FPL standings may have to rely in attacking output over the short-term period, at least.
At just 4.2 Martin Olsson has started each of the last six for Norwich and has home games against Palace and Swansea, supplemented with a trip to Sunderland in the next six. Curtis Davies has home games against Palace and Stoke in the next five to bolster his chances of further returns – the Tigers have shipped a single goal in five at the KC, though the downside here is that Davies is just a caution away from a one-match ban. With Liverpool, Arsenal and Swansea also on Hull’s agenda, his owners may look to bench him more than not.
Martin Demichelis is the only City defender to start each of the last two now after Matija Nastasic missed out away to Sunderland due to injury. With a single clean sheet in seven, though, City’s chances of defensive returns have taken a real dent – Costel Pantilimon offers a cheaper option between the sticks for those who reckon an upturn in resilience is around the corner.
