Following the latest movements on our Watchlist among the defence and midfield over the last few days, this afternoon we analyse the forwards. Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud is on the move up our rankings after he continued his impressive form against Aston Villa last weekend, but after blanking in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against West Brom, Christian Benteke continues his descent.
There is no change at the summit this week, after Everton’s Romelu Lukaku notched a seventh goal in his last six appearances in the 1-1 draw against Norwich. The Belgian international, now priced at 9.2 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), is second among forwards for both shots from inside the box (15) and penalty box touches (33) over the last four Gameweeks, and with the Toffees schedule (LEI, new, STO, TOT) still favourable in the short-term, this rich vein of form could continue for some time yet. The former Chelsea striker currently leads this week’s Captain Poll ahead of the home encounter against Leicester with 37% of the vote.
Jamie Vardy stays in second spot in our latest update, having returned to the scoresheet in Leicester’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Monday night. With an incredible 15 goals to his name so far, the 7.6-valued forward continues to reward his 57% ownership in FPL, and while the Foxes fixture list (eve, liv, MCI, BOU, tot, avl) remains testing over the next few weeks, his outstanding form means he’ll continue to occupy a place in the majority of our three-man frontlines.
With no goals and just two shots from inside the box in his last three appearances. Tottenham’s Harry Kane drops a place on our ladder. The 9.8-rated forward has also only managed three penalty box touches in as many outings, compared to 21 between Gameweeks 11 and 13. His 31% ownership in FPL will be paying particular attention to his performance against Southampton, then, although with a home clash against Norwich to follow, few appear likely to part with the England international quite yet. The rest of Spurs’ schedule over the next month or so (wat, eve, LEI, SUN) is also pretty favourable.
With five goals over the past week in all competitions, Olivier Giroud is elevated up our rankings. The Frenchman looks full of confidence right now, and while the 9.0-priced forward may play slightly less minutes than the likes of Lukaku, Vardy and Kane over the festive period, with Theo Walcott perhaps getting the odd start up front, he still looks a pretty reliable option for Fantasy managers to ponder ahead of a somewhat mixed schedule (MCI, sot, BOU, NEW, liv, sto).
Although Watford’s fixtures (LIV, che, TOT, MCI, sot, swa) over the next six Gameweeks are rated as the most difficult according to our Season Ticker, the sensational form of Odion Ighalo means the Nigerian is a non-mover this week. The 6.0-valued forward has three goals and as many assists from his last four appearances, and dominates many of the key attacking statistics over the last four Gameweeks, leading the way for shots from inside the box (19), shots on target (13) and penalty box touches (40). The former Udinese striker certainly shouldn’t be written off, then, despite the tough schedule ahead for the Hornets.
Having returned to full training earlier this week, Man City’s Sergio Aguero rises a few positions in our rankings. Manuel Pellegrini’s men face a difficult trip to the Emirates on Monday night, but with their schedule thereafter (SUN, lei, wat, EVE, CPL) pretty favourable, the Argentine, who currently sets us back 13.0, appears likely to re-emerge as one of the most sought after forwards in FPL. The concern, though, as always, will be his ability to stay fit, particularly with the matches coming thick and fast over the next two weeks.
Man United remain in the middle of a kind stretch on their schedule (NOR, sto, CHE, SWA, new), so it’s with that in mind that Anthony Martial keeps his place on our ladder. Having failed to score since Gameweek 6, investment in the 7.7-rated forward is highly unlikely, though, given the struggles Louis van Gaal’s side are currently facing in front of goal.
Another high-profile forward who is struggling to deliver the goods is Liverpool’s Christian Benteke. The former Aston Villa striker falls a few spots in our rankings, having failed to score in his last five league outings, and with concerns over rotation due to the presence of Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge (should he return to fitness over the next week or two), the 8.3-priced Belgian doesn’t look a particularly viable option at this point. The Reds’ schedule over the festive period (wat, LEI, sun, whm) is a slight saving grace, though difficult home clashes against Arsenal and Man United follow in the New Year.
Given Southampton face four home matches in the next six (TOT, ARS, whm, nor, WAT, WBA), Graziano Pelle, so often a reliable source of Fantasy points at St Mary’s, holds station towards the bottom of the Watchlist. The Italian has now fully recovered from the knee problem that saw him drop to the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend and is likely to earn a recall against Tottenham tomorrow. Nonetheless, with just one goal in his last seven appearances, the former Feyenoord striker, now down to 8.1 in FPL, is another who isn’t really making a strong case for serious consideration for our three-man forward lines.
A new face completes our forwards ladder this week, with West Brom’s kind run of fixtures over the festive period (BOU, swa, NEW, STO) bringing Salomon Rondon onto our radars. The Venezuela international is a real differential option, with his ownership in FPL standing at 0.5%, and with the Baggies having scored a reasonable six goals from their last four matches, the 6.6-priced forward could be worth a roll of the dice for those looking to make up lost ground in mini-leagues.
