We place out faith in a trio of midfielders in our early Saturday morning regular. All three are starting to settle in new surrounds on the back of summer moves and are showing signs they could be set to profit from some favourable upcoming fixtures.
Victor Moses
Let’s face it – when the site cult favourite rolled up to Stoke on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea, it was only a matter of time before he made an appearance in this very article.
Moses has been quick to make an impact on Mark Hughes’ side. Immediately ousting Marko Arnautovic from the left of the Potters’ attacking midfield three, he’s now started each of the three league matches and picked up his first attacking points last weekend by serving up an assist in the 2-2 draw at QPR.
As mentioned in the recent Big Numbers article, Moses has registered 16 touches in the box over those three matches (Gylfi Sigurdsson has managed three, for example), with six shots and as many key passes also to his name. Such decent underlying statistics suggest the 5.5-priced winger may well be worth the gamble ahead of three home encounters (NEW, SWA, WHM) in the next five, starting with Monday evening’s meeting with the out-of-sorts Magpies.
Saido Mane
Finally handed his work permit at the end of last week, Southampton’s new signing made an immediate impact away to Arsenal in the cup on Tuesday. Mane’s searing pace and trickery troubled the Gunners throughout and earned the assist for Dusan Tadic’s converted spot-kick, as the Saints came from behind to clinch a fifth straight win in all competitions.
Granted, there is a chance the Senegal star may be on the bench for tomorrow’s home encounter with QPR. Ronald Koeman rested Shane Long in midweek and may bring the £12m man back into the right of a front three, potentially introducing Mane off the bench as he finds his feet in the English top-flight.
Nonetheless, with the R’s clash the first of four home fixtures in the next six (QPR, SUN, STO, LEI), Mane certainly has the schedule to quickly get amongst the points. An astonishing record of 45 goals and 32 assists in 87 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg highlights his impact in the final third and whilst similar returns are highly unlikely in the Premier League, he looks an intriguing mid-rice prospect at just 6.9 in FPL.
Already, Koeman has suggested that the new boy’s speed and ability in one-on-one situations will add another dimension to the Saints’ attacks – one look at Mane’s You Tube highlights indicate he could also provide our five-man midfields with something different, too.
Jack Rodwell
A summer move to Sunderland has re-ignited the midfielder’s career after a frustrating couple of years on the periphery at City. After mustering a mere 112 minutes for the champions last season, Rodwell has quickly been installed as a key member of Gus Poyet’s first-team and has already notched at home to United in Gameweek 2.
With Lee Cattermole sitting in front of the back-four, the Black Cats’ summer signing has been afforded leeway to bomb forward and join in his side’s attacking forays. So far this term, Rodwell has fired eight attempts on goal – more than any team-mate – and his five shots on target are bettered only by Raheem Sterling amongst midfielders.
Priced at just 5.0 in FPL he’s now set for back-to-back home matches against Swansea and Stoke. Bearing in mind the Swans have yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels, Rodwell’s contribution in the final third may well prove decisive as the Wearsiders look to finally chalk up their first victory of the season.
