Diego Costa scores twice as Eden Hazard bring home a one-point return. Leroy Fer strengthens his claim as a budget midfielder, whilst Stephen Kingsley seems to have convinced Francesco Guidolin he’s a worthy starter. Here’s the Stock Check following today’s events..
On the Rise
Diego Costa
Whilst Eden Hazard offered us nothing more than a yellow card, Costa maintained his momentum under Antonio Conte by netting both of the Blues’ goals at the Liberty.
Over 362,000 FPL managers turned to Costa as a result of Sergio Aguero’s suspension last week and today’s display means is the only forward to score or assist in all four Gameweeks.
Conte has failed to curb the Spain international’s penchant for falling foul of referees, though – this afternoon’s caution was his third of the season, continuing a run that has seen him booked in every league match that he has scored in this term.
Leroy Fer
Along with Etienne Capoue, the Swansea midfielder continues to bely his budget price tag, with this afternoon’s goal a third in the first four Gameweeks.
Granted, the upcoming fixtures continue to look dire but having scored against Leicester and Chelsea in back-to-back fixtures, Fer seems to have the form to prevail.
Capoue’s cheaper price (4.7 to the Dutchman’s 5.2) and kind set of fixtures from Gameweek 6 suggests he’s likely to remain the favoured fifth midfielder.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Without a goal or assist in the first three Gameweeks, the Swansea playmaker had dropped to 7.3 ahead of Chelsea’s visit.
Sigurdsson’s spot-kick duties came to the rescue, though, and with a couple of bonus points also in the bag, his season now looks up and running.
Fer may currently be the form option, yet Siggurdsson is established Fantasy royalty and could be one to consider when the fixtures start to improve in Gameweek 9.
Stephen Kingsley
The Scot was expected to drop to the bench to accommodate Neil Taylor’s return but instead retained a role in the first XI thanks to a change in tactics by Francesco Guidolin.
The Swansea manager’s decision to begin with a 3-5-1-1 allowed Kingsley to start for the fourth successive Gameweek, stationed alongside Jordi Amat and Federico Fernandez in a back three, with Taylor utilised as a left wing-back.
Guidolin’s first-half decision to haul off Taylor and bring on Mo Barrow suggests Kingsley may well be ahead in the pecking order.
Regardless, with Southampton, City, Liverpool and Arsenal next, he looks set for a spot on our FPL benches for now.
In Decline
Eden Hazard
Okay, it was his first blank of the season.
Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that if Hazard had delivered yet again today, the bandwagon would have kicked into overdrive.
Although a rare off day will certainly be forgiven by his owners, some would-be suitors may now think twice over bringing in the Belgian right now.
With the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Roberto Firmino and Michail Antonio all bagging double-figure hauls ahead of some great fixtures, Chelsea’s schedule – which sees them face Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester and Man United in the next five Gameweeks – could prove enough of a short-term deterrent.
The Chelsea Defence
Antonio Conte handed new boys David Luiz and Marcos Alonso a place amongst the substitutes, opting instead to keep faith in the defence that produced a clean sheet against Burnley in the previous Gameweek.
Branislav Ivanovic may have collected an assist for Costa’s acrobatic leveler yet the nature of Chelsea’s capitulation indicates their backline is very much a work in progress right now.
Given the aforementioned fixtures, Conte will be desperate to address his rearguard’s shortcomings. With John Terry doubtful for Liverpool’s visit with an ankle problem, the Italian may well consider a reshuffle against Jurgen Klopp’s in-form attack.
Neil Taylor
Hauled off just 40 minutes into his first appearance of the season, the left-back looked none too happy with his manager’s decision as Swansea reverted to a back-four.
Post-match, Guidolin apologised, conceding he should have replaced the Wales international at the break, though the bottom line is that Taylor now seems to have fallen behind the cut-price Kingsley as the Italian’s preferred left-back for now.
