Having analysed the overall approaches in last night’s Wildcard Strategies article, we switch our attentions to the players. Looking at the likely targets for our possible shake-ups, we mainly focus on the upcoming 10 Gameweeks, with one eye also on the long-term. Goalkeepers kick us off, then, with rotation pairings the order of the day as we assess a variety of potential tactics across the price brackets:
David Marshall and Julian Speroni – Current Cost 9.2
Next 10 Gameweeks: WHM, STO, HUL, NOR, WBA, AVL, HUL, swa, FUL, sun
By partnering Cardiff and Palace, you are handed a run of eight favourable home games in the next 10, supplemented by trips to Swansea and Sunderland. If you’re focussing on the games in front of their own fans, the schedule from Gameweek 30 becomes less favourable though, with Liverpool and Chelsea (both twice) and City paying visit.
In terms of form, Palace have a respectable three clean sheets in the last five at Selhurst Park, though Cardiff have a single shut-out in front of their own fans over the same. In spite of their budget appeal, Marshall (4.7) is costlier than Ben Turner (4.2) for the Bluebirds, whilst Joel Ward (4.1) is cheaper than Speroni – doubling up on those defenders sets you back just 8.3.
David Marshall and Vito Mannone – Current Cost 9.1
Next 10 Gameweeks: WHM, SOU, STO, NOR, HUL, AVL, HUL, WBA, FUL, CPL
Cardiff and Sunderland offer a run of 10 straight home games, with only three fixtures (Hull twice and Southampton) against sides currently in the top half of the table. These two sides rotate home/away all the way up to Gameweek 36 and also produce home clashes with West Ham, Palace, Stoke, Cardiff and Swansea in five of the last eight Gameweeks.
Mannone only has two clean sheets in five now at the Stadium of Light but with Wes Brown now free from suspension, the Black Cats’ defensive potential looks set for an upturn. Indeed, Brown’s return hands us a dilemma – he’s cheaper than Mannone at 4.3 to 4.4 and has earned five bonus points in the two games he has produced a clean sheet. Phil Bardsley, at 4.5, offers a more attacking alternative and has notched against both City and Chelsea since Gus Poyet’s installation.
David Marshall and John Ruddy – Current Cost 9.6
Next 10 Gameweeks: WHM, HUL, NEW, NOR, (MCI/swa) AVL, HUL, avl, FUL, sot
Pairing Marshall with the Norwich stopper is a little more expensive. This duo is, however, first and second for saves over the first 20 Gameweeks with 81 and 71 apiece – boosting their appeal if they do concede. Such a combination would also hand us home games with Sunderland, Palace and Stoke over the last eight but the Canaries’ final four fixtures (LIV, mun, che, ARS) restrict their appeal considerably for the run-in. Ben Turner and Martin Olsson, at 4.2 apiece, would save as much as 1.4 if you are eying up a Cardiff/Norwich combination.
Tim Howard and Vito Mannone – Current Cost 10.3
Next 10 Gameweeks: NOR, SOT, STO, AVL, HUL, CPL, (che/ars), WHM, new, CAR
Further up the price scale, Mannone also affords a strong rotation partnership with Everton’s number one. This hands us eight home fixtures in 10, with Howard perhaps the safest best in Gameweek 27 away to Chelsea – four of his eight clean sheets have arrived on the road, including a visit to United.
Both rotate home/away from Gameweek 31 onwards but with such a schedule also taking in visits of Arsenal, Everton, United and City, there’s less potential in the latter part of the campaign. Nonetheless, this combo may appeal to those Seamus Coleman owners looking to double up on the Toffees backline.
Tim Howard and Julian Speroni – Current Cost 10.4
Next 10 Gameweeks: NOR, STO, HUL, AVL, WBA, CPL, MUN, WHM, SOU, CAR
Again, if you don’t mind rotating Howard at 5.9, he also works well with Palace’s number one. If you already have Coleman in defence, for example, and only plan on playing the Toffees stopper at Goodison to prevent from doubling up on the road, this duo alternates home/away all the way up to Gameweek 36. Over the next 10 fixtures, Palace’s home clash with United in Gameweek 27 is the one fly in the ointment is what look an otherwise eye-catching stretch of matches.
Jussi Jaaskelainen and Kelvin Davis / Artur Boruc – Current Cost 9.4 / 10.2
Next 10 Gameweeks: WBA, NEW, ARS, SWA, STO, NOR, SOU, LIV, HUL, NOR
According to our fixture ticker, Southampton and West Ham are first and second respectively for potential clean sheet returns over the next 10 league matches. Both sides rotate perfectly from Gameweek 21 right until the end of the season but the downside is that neither is displaying much resilience right now, with injuries to key players having a detrimental effect.
The Saints have a single clean sheet in 11, whilst the Hammers have delivered a pair of shut-outs in the previous 10 matches. Kelvin Davis has ousted Paolo Gazzaniga in Artur Boruc’s absence and sets you back just 3.9 right now but while the 4.7 priced Pole is undoubtedly his side’s first-choice, Mauricio Pochettino admitted only last week, there is “no timescale” on his return from a hand injury.
Jaaskelainen was replaced by Adrian in a couple of the recent festive fixtures but has quickly reclaimed the number one jersey for Big Sam’s side – given that his side don’t have a single fit centre-half right now, though, faith in the Hammers’ defensive prospects is at a real low. Elsewhere in their respective defences, a Razvan Rat/Nathaniel Clyne partnership would set you back just 8.9 – the latter continued his comeback from injury with a 45-minute run out against Chelsea yesterday.
Jussi Jaaskelainen and Gerhard Tremmel / Michel Vorm – Current Cost 9.9 / 10.4
Next 10 Gameweeks: car, NEW, FUL, SWA, CAR, NOR, SOU, CPL, HUL, WBA
A West Ham-Swansea offering would hand us a trip to Cardiff and nine home games in the next 10 Gameweeks. Again, though, injury may dictate matters here – Vorm is expected back from minor knee surgery before the end of January and has registered a clean sheet in each of his last three appearances at the Liberty. The Dutchman is down to 4.9 in price, whilst Ashley Williams is available for 4.8 for those eyeing up a potential defensive rotation partnership instead.
Wojciech Szczesny and Artur Boruc – Current Cost 10.6
Next 10 Gameweeks: avl, FUL, sot, CPL, STO, hul, SUN, sto, SWA, NOR
With more clean sheets and less goals conceded than any other side, installing the Gunners stopper between the sticks for the majority of his matches looks a viable option. Arguably, only three of the next 10 look problematic for Szczesny – Gameweek 25, 26 and 30, where he squares up to Liverpool, United and Spurs.
Ideally, then, we’re looking for a budget option to cover his back over that trio of fixtures. While Pochettino is reluctant to give a date for Boruc’s return, pencilling the Pole in for Gameweek 25 and playing his compatriot for the first four seems a reasonable assumption – Boruc would offer (STO, hul, NOR) over Szczesny’s tricky afore-mentioned matches.
Wojciech Szczesny and Michel Vorm – Current Cost 10.8
Next 10 Gameweeks: avl, FUL, sot, CPL, CAR, sto, SUN, sto, SWA, WBA
Similarly, Swansea offer a solution to Szczesny’s problematic fixtures. Once again, though, injury dictates how efficient this may be but, as mentioned, with Vorm expected back before the month is out, this partnership could work well. The Dutchman would afford a strong alternative to Arsenal’s three problem games in the next 10, with (CAR, sto, WBA) on his agenda compared to Szczesny’s (liv, MUN, tot).
David De Gea and Vito Mannone – Current Cost 10.2
Next 10 Gameweeks: SWA, SOU, CAR, sto, FUL, (ars/mci), cpl, WBA, wba, CPL
For those who feel United will hit their stride in the final few months and pick up in resilience, David Moyes’ side have six strong fixtures in the next 10 to benefit from. Mannone looks the best budget option to call upon for three of United’s four tricky fixtures – Gameweek 22, 28 and 30 (SOT, WBA, CPL) compared to (che, MCI, LIV), leaving just Gameweek 26 as problematic, with trips to Arsenal and City to choose from. Alternatively, a Jonny Evans/Wes Brown defensive combination would cost just 9.3.
