Mondogoal have pulled out the stops for their Boxing Day contests, plundering partners Manchester City and West Ham to offer signed match balls and shirts to add to their usual array of contest prize pots.
If you’ve somehow missed our previous coverage, Mondogoal is a daily and weekly Fantasy Football game – a brand new offering for this season. It hosts contests based on the Premier League as well as all the major top-flight leagues – Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer (MLS). You can even play global contests that span across all the leagues.
It costs just £1 to enter the Boxing Day club contests for a chance to win one of those special prizes, with the deadline of 12.35 prior to the early kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
We’ve done our bit to ease you into the game: we’ve previously posted a full strategy guide to the game to get your started and, if you read on, you can take a glimpse at the targets considered as we name our Fantasy Football Scout line-up ahead of Friday’s fixtures.
Boxing Day Picks
The Defence
The neutral will be looking to unwrap goals aplenty come Boxing Day, although thrilling encounters and leaky defences are hardly conducive to a sound Mondogoal rearguard. Glancing at the fixture list, it’s fair to say that obvious clean sheet sources are at a premium.
We have to consider the Manchester City back four at West Brom given that Manuel Pellegrini’s men have kept four clean sheets in the last five. Similarly, the Baggies have four goals in seven – hardly form that suggests they can disrupt the City defence, even with Vincent Kompany absent through injury. With Pellegrini set to tinker at full-back, Eliaquim Mangala (6.8) and Martin Demichelis (7.2) form the backbone of our defensive thinking for this round of fixtures.
Elsewhere, Southampton’s Maya Yoshida (6.3) looks assured of his start with Jose Fonte banned and in the stand; the Saints saw off Everton with a shut-out last weekend and could come away with further defensive returns against a Palace side with just two goals in the last five. Fraser Forster, at 6.5 million, has to be a consideration in goal, then.
Arsenal’s defence is another that has to be backed. Visitors QPR have toiled on the road all season with just three strikes in eight away trips. Even with Charlie Austin in form and up against an erratic Gunners’ rearguard, there’s logic in considering Arsene Wenger’s men. Kieran Gibbs, at 6.9 million, and the similarly priced Wojciech Szczesny in goal look to offer value.
Elsewhere, I’m tempted to back the Liverpool revival with a punt on Kolo Toure or Brad Jones away at Burnley but I’m more convinced by the Sunderland defence at home to hapless Hull. Steve Bruce’s side are in tatters right now, while the Black Cats’ are buoyed by the Tyne-Wear derby win and should make short work of this one. Santiago Vergini looks a certain starter and offers an option at 6.4 million, although fit-again Billy Jones is available for 0.3 cheaper.
The Midfield
I’m sold on the talents of both David Silva (12.6) and Christian Eriksen (12.2) this week. Both are the creative hubs for their respective sides and Silva demonstrated his ability to fetch goals last time out with his brace in the win over Palace. I see City strolling to a comfortable win at the Hawthorns, with Silva again in double figures, having amassed 22.48 points against the Eagles.
Eriksen earned double figure Mondogoal returns at both Swansea and Hull recently and I can see him being instrumental in another Spurs away win at Leicester. While I’ve resisted the gamble on Erik Lamela in the same fixture, his price of just 6.6 million is worth noting: that world class curling effort against Burnley may have worked wonders for his confidence: he could be a worthy punt if you’re scraping around for bargains in the middle of the park.
Equally, I like the look of Philippe Coutinho’s price going into Boxing Day. The Brazilian starlet had a raft of opportunities in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal and could have come away with more than just a single goal to his name at Anfield – a paltry 7.0 million to cover Liverpool’s revival at Burnley looks a decent option. Adam Lallana, at 8.4 is another to consider here.
Revisiting Sunderland’s assets against Hull, I have to look at Seb Larsson (7.3) once again, although Adam Johnson is more tempting at just 7.5 million: last season we saw the winger string together a run of impressive displays with goals and I just wonder if his decisive strike against the Magpies will be a catalyst for improved returns. Certainly, I’m backing the Black Cats for a couple in this one.
If you looking for some high roller punts, you should certainly monitor the Chelsea teamsheet against West Ham for André Schürrle’s appearance in the early kick-off. If he is drafted in for the crocked Eden Hazard, then the 9.0 million fee could provide fine value. We’ll have that Chelsea teamsheet in time to react, so keep a slot empty if you fancy Schürrle’s appeal.
Edging further up the price bracket, Angel di Maria is expected to be named in the United side against Newcastle and he’ll be looking to continue the form that’s earned him 10.99 points per game (ppg) thus far.
The Forwards
Radamel Falcao is another of United’s returning stars that warrants Mondogoal attention on Boxing Day. The Colombian netted at Villa Park and would seem set to get a run-out against the Magpies – he’s not going to remain at 9.2 million for future Gameweeks.
Elsewhere, while Diego Costa’s form is somewhat alarming, at just 10.2 million and with 10.99 ppg, he’s hard to ignore for a Stamford Bridge meeting with the Hammers.
Higher up the brackets, I prefer the gamble on Olivier Giroud’s (11.2) flourishing form with Alexis Sanchez’ (15.5m) minutes against QPR perhaps in question. There’s at least a couple of goals in this match for Wenger’s attack and Giroud’s record of three in the last two suggests he’ll be pivotal.
Harry Kane (11.7m) and Wilfried Bony (13.5) also have to be considered given their current form. Bony was rested at Hull so will be refreshed for a run at the Villa defence, while Kane looks in bloom and should find further profit from the Leicester back four.
If you’re really intent on opting for a budget option up top, I’d turn to Steven Fletcher (7.0m) against the ravaged Hull defence, or even back Christian Benteke’s blossoming form – he may get few opportunities from the Swans’ rearguard but the Belgian appears to be edging back to his devastating best and may only need a sniff to deliver. Given his recent progression, Benteke won’t be priced at 7.9 million in weeks to come.
The FFS Weekend XI
