The Digest – Gameweek 9

We round off coverage of Gameweek 9 with the regular digestible summary, embracing a Liverpool asset who has elevated his status, a City striker who has us questioning unwritten rules and a revitalised force in West London who may just provide us with new solutions.

The Player

When Philippe Coutinho fired a Gameweek 1 brace at Arsenal, sparking an early transfer bandwagon, the majority of seasoned Fantasy Football managers sat back and watched.

We’d seen enough of the silky Brazilian to recognise an ability to light up matches with his brilliance and, more importantly, a talent for the spectacular.

At the same time, we were more than hesitant to promote Coutinho to heavy-hitter status, let alone declare him as an essential component of our squads.

Since then, that scepticism has been somewhat justified.

Coutinho simmered following his 15-point haul, but was then derailed by international exertions that saw him restricted to a sub role for the 4-1 mauling of champions Leicester City.

That was enough to distract us – to have us focus attention on team-mates Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana.

Arguably, however, Coutinho has now done enough to drown out their claims and extinguish our concerns.

While Mane outscored him in Saturday’s against West Bromwich Albion, it was Coutinho who again picked up the maximum Fantasy Premier League bonus points as he inspired the Liverpool victory.

The 10-points lifted him within touching distance of Arsenal pairing Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott at the summit of the midfield standings, ahead of an extraordinary run of fixtures that hands him the platform to supersede the Gunners’ duo.

That schedule offers the ideal opportunity to abandon all doubts – even with another of Jurgen Klopp’s midfield installed, Coutinho as a second option, now looks an almost irresistible force.

Much as we’d like to look down on the swathes of managers who jumped on his potential back in Gameweek 1, contributing to his burgeoning 36% ownership, non-owners are now faced with acknowledging that their decision to become early adopters appears valid.

The Team

We expected a reaction to the Gameweek 6 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal but few would have anticipated what has followed.

Antonio Conte was emphatic with his changes following that 3-0 setback.

Amidst rumours and speculation of unrest, the Italian’s preferred three-man defence was installed.

The significance of the signing of Marcos Alonso, a capture that raised eyebrows, became clear as he was deployed as an forward-thinking left wing-back. Remarkably, the much-maligned Fantasy asset that is Victor Moses was stationed on the opposite flank.

The change has transformed Chelsea to likely also-rans to true top four contenders once again.

Three victories, three clean sheets and, crucially, Fantasy returns have flowed.

The 4-0 demolition of Manchester United was undoubtedly the finest hour, offering confirmation that we need to re-assess the Stamford Bridge offerings.

Conte’s system has expanded our options.

Eden Hazard assumes top billing along with Diego Costa, both timing their continued ascent to coincide with mounting doubts on the funds tied up in Sergio Aguero.

But Chelsea’s prospects may not end with those two former heavy-hitters.

The aforementioned Alonso is rapidly pushing for top bracket consideration in defence, while even N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic have been transformed from non-scoring bench fodder, to genuinely profitable budget midfield options.

A string of testing fixtures for the month ahead may dampen our enthusiasm for now.

But navigate the forthcoming spell successfully, with Fantasy potential intact, and Chelsea’s new revived cast of assets can present profitable targets for the Christmas period.

The Talking Point

We’ve never really had doubts on Sergio Aguero.

When he’s fit, he sits at the top of our priority list – comforting those who have him in their squad, stalking those who dare to ignore him.

A timebomb of points potential, we’ve learned to grin and bear the brief lulls in his output, safe in the knowledge that an explosion of points is imminent. He rarely disappoints.

But now a series of events have chained together to stir up new concerns.

Words swapped between the player and manager Pep Guardiola appear to suggest that Aguero is being dragged from his comfort zone.

It seems that the striker is being tasked with closing down defenders, switching his priority from waiting to spring the last man, to shutting down the opponent and winning back possession.

The City manager made no qualms about dropping Aguero to the bench in Barcelona – adamant that he could not fulfil his tactical vision for that match.

Suddenly, we can’t be certain on Aguero’s pitch time.

A second leg with Barcelona and another international break beckon – factors that could influence Aguero’s minutes for Premier League fixtures that, ordinarily, would appear profitable encounters for his owners.

With just two points from his last three Gameweeks, can we really go to Aguero with the armband?

If not, then surely his lofty price tag becomes a liability in a FPL landscape that appears to be promoting a five-man midfield, comprised of double-figure scoring big-hitters?

These questions and concerns are currently circling, praying on our minds and leading us to consider a potential exit plan.

Over 40,000 at the time of writing have already shown Aguero to the door. The rest of us will wait on his Gameweek 10 performance at West Bromwich Albion, willing him to show us enough to calm matters.

We have enjoyed five seasons which have seen the Argentine stand out as an almost unshakable Fantasy asset – stalled only by a string of injury doubts.

The fact that we’re now questioning the merits of a fully-fit Aguero demonstrates another twist in what has become the most testing of Fantasy campaigns.