The Watchlist Updated – Gameweek 21 – The Defence

With the busy festive period now behind us, we’ve given our Watchlist rankings, which offer player recommendations for the next four-to-six Gameweeks, a major update. Having kept three clean sheets in their last four matches, and with a favourable run of fixtures over the next month or so, Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski and Ashley Williams are both significant climbers, whilst Adrian and Aaron Creswell are also on the rise as the schedule smiles kindly on West Ham.

GOALKEEPERS

We have a new face at the top of our goalkeeper rankings, with Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski rising to the summit thanks to a favourable fixture list (SUN, WAT, eve, wba, CPL, SOT) over the next six Gameweeks, including four home matches. The Poland international is also now available at just 4.7 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), having started the season at 5.0, and enters the New Year in good form having kept clean sheets against West Ham, West Brom and Crystal Palace over the past few weeks.

Hot on the heels of the Swans stopper is West Ham’s Adrian, who moves up our ladder having kept four clean sheets over the past six Gameweeks, while the Hammers upcoming schedule (bou, new, MCI, AVL, sot, nor) is also very favourable apart from the home clash against Man City in Gameweek 23. The 5.0-priced Spaniard only has an ownership of 2% in FPL, and definitely looks a strong option between the sticks in the short to medium-term.

Jack Butland slips a little in our latest update with the Potters fixture list turning nasty following the home clash against Norwich (ARS, lei, mun, EVE). Stoke have also conceded five goals in their last two matches, so while the majority of the England international’s 23% ownership in FPL will be happy to hold given his fantastic form over the last few months, it could be important to have a second keeper who has a slightly easier schedule in order to rotate.

David de Gea is a non-mover this time around, with Man United’s upcoming fixtures (new, liv, SOT, STO, che, sun) generally pretty favourable, although they do only have two matches at Old Trafford. Given the fact United have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four away matches, there are slight concerns over whether the former Atletico Madrid keeper will live up to his 5.6 price tag in FPL, but fixtures on the road against lowly Newcastle and Sunderland appear fairly favourable.

Another big riser on our ladder is Norwich’s Declan Rudd, who offers fantastic value coming in at just 3.9 in FPL. Alex Neil’s men have registered back-to-back clean sheets in home matches against Aston Villa and Southampton, and while the Canaries will have to face Liverpool and Tottenham on home soil in the next six, the upcoming fixture list (sto, bou, LIV, TOT, avl, WHM) is generally pretty favourable. Rudd has also managed to accumulate four save points and two bonus points in his last three appearances, and certainly looks one to consider should you be using your wildcard any time soon.

While Crystal Palace’s Wayne Hennessey still looks a solid option in goal, setting us back just 4.1 in FPL, and having kept three clean sheets over the last five Gameweeks, the Wales international falls a couple of places on our ladder due to Palace’s mixed run of fixtures (avl, mci, TOT, BOU, swa, WAT) over the coming period. The nature of the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea also raised concerns, with the champions causing the Eagles all sorts of problems at the back.

Following his 14-point haul in the goalless draw against Leicester, and with a pretty kind run of fixtures (WHM, NOR, sun, cpl, ARS, STO) on the horizon, Bournemouth’s Artur Boruc is another Watchlist riser. The former Celtic keeper has bagged three shut-outs from his last six outings, and is another who is pretty reasonable on the budget, available at 4.5 in FPL. With so many other strong options in the budget category, though, the Pole may struggle to attract much investment.

With Leicester having tightened things up at the back in recent weeks, we’ve pushed Kasper Schmeichel into our top ten. The Denmark international does face a pretty difficult run of fixtures over the coming weeks, though (tot, avl, STO, LIV, mci, ars), so the 4.5-valued keeper may struggle to add to the three clean sheets he’s accrued over the last six Gameweeks.

Watford’s Heurelho Gomes is a non-mover towards the bottom of our rankings, with the Brazilian facing a slightly better run of fixtures over the next month or so (sot, swa, NEW, CHE, tot, cpl) having faced Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City over the festive period. Priced at 4.8 in FPL, however, there look to be stronger options for Fantasy managers to turn to for the forthcoming period.

Having registered consecutive clean sheets, Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois is back in our thoughts, rising to take the final spot on our ladder. The champions also face four home fixtures over the next six Gameweeks (WBA, EVE, ars, wat, MUN, NEW), and with the Belgian offering the cheapest route into the Blues’ backline at just 5.2 in FPL, he could be a sound investment at this juncture.

DEFENDERS

After grabbing his third assist of the campaign in the 1-1 draw at Everton, and consequently picking up all three bonus points, we’ve elevated Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld to the top of our rankings. The former Ajax defender has been transferred in by over 24,000 FPL bosses this week on the back of his eight-point haul at Goodison Park, seeing his price rise to 6.1. With a kind fixture list over the next five Gameweeks (LEI, SUN, cpl, nor, WAT), the Belgian could continue to punish those that continue to ignore him, with his ownership now up to a considerable 38%.

Aaron Cresswell has been one of the in-form defenders of late, averaging 7.4 points per appearance over the last five Gameweeks thanks to a goal and four clean sheets. As already touched upon, West Ham’s fixture list remains very friendly over the next few weeks, so the 5.5-priced left-back, who is joint-third among defenders for chances created over the last four Gameweeks with six, is another who is making a strong claim for inclusion in our 15-man squads.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is a non-mover in our estimations, with the Gunners picking up clean sheets in the home matches against Bournemouth and Newcastle over the festive period. Arsene Wenger’s men do face a mixed schedule (liv, sto, CHE, SOT, bou, LEI) over the next month or so though, so the 6.1-rated right-back may perhaps struggle to provide the points you’d expect from a premium defender.

Bonus point magnet Ashley Williams surges up our ladder in the latest refresh, with Swansea’s aforementioned favourable fixtures firmly in our thoughts. The Wales captain is joint top among defenders for bonus points (14) this season alongside Bacary Sagna, having only managed five clean sheets and without registering any attacking returns. Available for just 4.8 in FPL, the Swans centre-back looks worthy of serious consideration for our five-man backlines.

With Chelsea looking somewhat rejuvenated under Guus Hiddink, we’ve positioned one of last season’s star men, Branislav Ivanovic, back towards the top of our ladder. The 6.5-priced Serbian rises by virtue of the Blues facing four home matches (WBA, EVE, MUN, NEW) over the upcoming period, while his 14-point haul against Sunderland last month, thanks to a goal and an assist, highlighted the right-back’s explosive potential.

A kind stretch in Bournemouth’s schedule (WHM, NOR, sun, cpl, ARS, STO) means Charlie Daniels moves up our rankings this time around. The left-back is available at 4.5 in FPL, and with the Cherries conceding just four goals over the last six Gameweeks, defensive returns appear a distinct possibility, particularly over the next two matches on home turf. Daniels also looks to have penalty duties in the locker, having scored from the spot against West Brom, while he’s registered a reasonable four goal attempts over the last four Gameweeks.

The fact West Brom face tough away fixtures at Chelsea and Southampton over the next two Gameweeks, along with a difficult trip to Everton in the next six, means Craig Dawson sees his stock take a slight hit this week. The 5.1-priced right-back does lead all defenders for shots from inside the box (eight) over the last four Gameweeks, though, while the other three matches on the current slate (AVL, SWA, new) are pretty favourable. The return of Ben Foster also means there’s too much uncertainty over the Baggies’ keepers, with Dawson’s security of starts keeping him firmly in our thoughts.

Although Scott Dann still offers a considerable goal threat, having scored three times already this season, the centre-back falls a few spots on our ladder with the Eagles unlikely to be able to keep out Man City and Tottenham over the next few weeks. The former Blackburn defender has seen his price rise to 5.8 in FPL, but he may struggle to live up to that price tag in the short-term.

With Man United only managing one clean sheet in their last five matches, Chris Smalling is far from justifying his lofty 6.8 price tag in FPL right now. The centre-back still has cause for optimism, though, given the above-mentioned run of matches, though non-owners may find that cost a little too prohibitive.

Leicester’s Danny Simpson is currently one of the stand-out budget options available to Fantasy bosses, with the right-back available for just 4.1 in FPL. As previously discussed, Claudio Ranieri’s men have been a much tighter defensive unit over the last month or so, while the former QPR defender has also managed to pick up four bonus points since establishing himself in the starting XI in October.

Liverpool’s Alberto Moreno falls a couple of spots in our rankings with the short-term schedule pretty tricky. The Reds face Arsenal, Man United and Leicester in the next four, and have something of an injury crisis in central defence. The one positive for Moreno owners is the fact the 5.0-valued left back has created eight chances in his last four outings.

Man City’s Aleksandar Kolarov keeps his place at the bottom of our latest update. The Serbian left-back does face four home fixtures in the next six (EVE, CPL, whm, sun, LEI, TOT), but rotation is a concern for the 6.4-rated left-back, particularly with Manuel Pellegrini expected to name strong sides in both legs of the Capital One Cup semi-finals against Everton this month.

Norwich’s Russell Martin (4.4) sneaks in near the bottom of our ladder. The Canaries skipper is joint-top for goals scored (three) at the back this term and has racked up successive shut-outs ahead of their favourable upcoming schedule. With Rudd at just 3.9 between the posts, though, Martin’s appeal is a little diminished.

Stoke’s Philipp Wollscheid faces Arsenal, Leicester, United and Everton over the next five and, whilst team-mate Butland is likely to pick up the save points, there looks better options than the 4.5-priced Austrian for our defences right now.

While Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk has failed to live up to his 5.5 price tag since scoring in two of his first five appearances for the Saints, home matches and Watford and West Brom in the next two Gameweeks mean the Dutchman remains on our ladder. Investment is unlikely, though, given that Ronald Koeman’s side are struggling form form and have won just one of their last eight matches.