We take our regular trip to the Weekly Shop this evening, assessing the player lists of our partner games to pinpoint the likely targets that will make up our weekend lineups.
The player analysis is split into two sections: I’ll break down the key targets that no squad can do without in “Better Buys”, before seeking out those one-shot “Poundstretcher” prospects that can provide us points, whilst freeing up funds.
For this week’s selection, we’re scanning the players lists in our two partner games – FantasyBet and Premier Punt.
Better Buys
Stoke continued their extraordinary run of defensive returns last weekend, picking up a seventh clean sheet in nine with a goalless draw at Upton Park. Jack Butland (FantasyBet 4.5m, PremierPunt 7.3m) earned 11 points after making eight saves at the Boleyn Ground and secured all three bonus for the third time in six weeks, making the Potters shot stopper the stand-out keeper pick as Crystal Palace travel to the Britannia.
Chelsea continue to toil under Jose Mourinho, with the 2-1 defeat at Leicester making it nine league defeats this campaign – equaling their entire total of league losses during his previous three-year stint as manager. The Blues have, nonetheless, kept four clean sheets in their last six matches across all competitions and will be under pressure to keep the Black Cats out at Stamford Bridge. Kurt Zouma (FantasyBet 5.5m, PremierPunt 8.2m) is a regular starter and offers the cheapest route into the back four.
Georginio Wijnaldum (FantasyBet 7m, PremierPunt 8.2m) sits fourth in the midfielders leaderboard, having played a part in 10 of Newcastle’s 18 strikes so far this season. The Dutchman also prefers home comforts, with all seven of his goals arriving at St James’, and now hosts an Aston Villa outfit that have conceded 16 times in their last six away trips.
While Harry Kane’s form has dropped off, Romelu Lukaku (FantasyBet 8m, PremierPunt 12.2m) maintained his scoring streak by netting for the sixth successive match away to Norwich last time out. Table-toppers Leicester City visit Goodison on the back of two clean sheets away to Swansea and Newcastle but the Foxes had conceded in every away trip prior to those matches and, crucially, will be missing the suspended Robert Huth.
Poundstretchers
Newcastle welcome Villa in decent defensive form, with three clean sheets in the last six Gameweeks, including a shut-out against Liverpool in their previous match at St James’. Budget keeper Robert Elliot (FantasyBet 4m, PremierPunt 6.4m) looks excellent value against an attack that’s scored just twice in their last four road trips, whilst Daryl Janmaat (FantasyBet 4.5m, PremierPunt 7.8m) is also an option, with his raids down the right serving up a goal and two assists so far.
Manchester United may have some serious injury concerns at the back but, having chalked up four successive clean sheets at home and conceded only one goal in seven matches at Old Trafford, Louis Van Gaal’s side will be confident of keeping out promoted Norwich in front of their own fans. Patrick McNair (FantasyBet 4.5m, PremierPunt 5.4m) has started the last three and provides an inexpensive route into the defence.
Bournemouth travel to a West Brom side that have failed to keep a clean sheet in six and have conceded three times at the Hawthorns on four occasions already. The Cherries, meanwhile, will be buoyed by back-to-back victories against Chelsea and Manchester United, making Junior Stanislas (FantasyBet 4.5m, PremierPunt 5.8m) a real bargain on the back of three goals and an assist in the last four Gameweeks.
Only Mesut Ozil (FantasyBet 8.5m, PremierPunt 12.3m) now sits ahead of Gerard Deulofeu in the assists chart, after the young Spaniard grabbed his eighth in the last ten Gameweek at Carrow Road. Deulofeu’s creativity and link-up play with Romelu Lukaku could be key to unlocking the Leicester defence this weekend – he’s kindly priced at 6.5m in FantasyBet, while in PremierPunt, he’s classed as a forward and available for 9.4m.
A trip to the Liberty Stadium, where managerless Swansea have conceded 11 times in their last five home matches, provides an opportunity for West Ham to get amongst the goals. Although Slaven Bilic’s side have drawn blanks in the last two, Mauro Zarate (FantasyBet 5.5m, PremierPunt 7m) has offered plenty of threat in recent weeks – the Argentine has fired 13 attempts over the last three Gameweeks and could be set to add to his three-goal tally so far.
These are the contenders for my weekly contest lineups heading into the weekend. I’ll return on Friday with a further assessment of this week’s partner games – FantasyBet and Premier Punt, as I continue my quest for profit in the 2015/16 campaign.
