Fixtures

Rotation Pairs – West Brom & Swansea City

Having previously explored the basic principles of fixture rotation, we now begin to focus on some of the likely pairings to consider.

Over the course of these articles, we will look at the two teams involved, primarily concentrating on the prospects of their low-costs defensive options but also glancing at the possibilities in attack.

Where applicable, we will also bring in a third rotation partner for those who wish to extend their options to three players.

If you come to these articles fresh, we highly recommend you take in our
original guide to rotation as a scene-setter.

We start the series by embracing the very essence of rotation pairs – the purity of a perfect home rotation partnership.

Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion offer that prospect; barring postponements later in the season, the combination of two of their players can offer a home fixture all the way through to Gameweek 38.

The Fixtures

It’s important to stress that this principle completely disregards the difficulty of said fixture – initially, we consider this pairing on the basis that a home fixture offers an advantage.

As our previous guide indicated, that is a dangerous presumption to make.

However, as we revealed in that initial rotation piece, the home advantage appeared to strengthen as a factor last season. In addition, both West Brom and particularly Swansea City, demonstrated better defensive form on home turf.

West Brom kept just six clean sheets all season – a bitterly disappointing return that will no doubt irk manager Tony Pulis heading into the new campaign. But they kept four of that six at The Hawthorns.

Swansea City were more convincing. Despite flirting with relegation, they claimed eight clean sheets, with six arriving at the Liberty Stadium.

With that in mind, we can reasonably expect a defensive rotation to offer us 10-12 clean sheets at the very least in 2017/18. If Pulis obsesses about last season’s record (as we fully expect him to) that could increase further.

That would represent a very reasonable return providing that we can find a reliable low-cost pairing.

While we can entertain the theory of a season-long rotation pairing, just like last term’s articles, we’re going to break down the possibilities into two banks of fixtures, considering the Gameweeks that lead us up to the availability of the second Wildcard, prior to Gameweek 22, by which time the first Wildcard has to be played.

Gameweeks 1-10
BOU MUN/bur STK NEW WHM WAT WAT HUD LEI MCI/ars

Gameweeks 11-21
BHA bur/CHE BOU NEW CRY WBA MCI/liv MUN/eve CRY EVE/liv wat/ARS

The two spells are very different.

While the pairing starts with a testing opening two Gameweeks, from Gameweek 3 it settles to offer a convincing run of opponents. It falters only in Gameweek 10, when we’re faced with a choice of selecting West Brom at home against Manchester City, or Swansea at Arsenal.

However, the second period appears much ore problematic.

There is a strong run initially – perhaps up to Gameweek 17 – but from that point, the choice is far more difficult with troublesome Gameweeks to come.

In Practice

Given those two sets of fixtures up to Gameweek 22, there appears to be two obvious routes of investment in defence.

Foster and Fabianski
The goalkeepers – Ben Foster and Lukasz Fabianski – should both offer the solace of save points over the tough run of opponents from Gameweek 17.

Both are priced at 4.5 and therefore offer an effective and ready-made pairing to consider. The other appealing option is to consider two defenders with goal threat.

In both cases, we have some very obvious candidates.

Dawson and Mawson
West Brom’s Craig Dawson and Swansea’s Alfie Mawson are likely to be among the main danger men at set-plays this season.

They both scored four goals last season, five of which arrived in home matches.

Dawson and Mawson registered a goal attempt every 112 and 105 minutes in home matches last season, compared with 244 and 106 minutes away from home.

Rotate the pair and you’ll be spending 5.0 on a benched defender, plus, inevitably, you risk missing some attacking returns in away matches or against tougher opponents.

There is a 4.5 option on offer – with West Brom’s Ahmed Hegazi rotated with Swansea’s Kyle Naughton – but then you are more reliant on clean sheet returns. In addition, Hegazi’s starting role is far from secure once Gareth McAuley is fit.

Three Way Rotation

As previously mentioned, we’re more than a little cautious on the merits of a three-team rotation in defence.

However, we certainly embrace the concept and will endeavour to investigate the feasibility such a set-up.

Again, Peter Blake’s article on this subject is an excellent starting point for those who want to explore this system in depth.

As it to highlight it’s frailties, however, Peter puts forward Bournemouth as a potential partner for both West Brom and Swansea and yet, when it matters most, the Cherries fail to provide us what we need.

In Gameweek 10, when West Brom and Swansea provide us with the choice of Arsenal away or Man City at home, Eddie Howe’s men face Chelsea at the Vitality Stadium.

Similarly, in Gameweeks 17 and 18, when our pairing provides two testing opponents, Bournemouth take on Manchester United and Liverpool.

The Cherries don’t appear to be a potential solution, then. At least not when considering the spell up to Gameweek 21.

Stoke City, Burnley and Watford all appear better equipped to work with our pairing of West Brom and Swansea.

Of these, Stoke can provide a trip to Watford to cover the troublesome Gameweek 10, with a very kind run from Gameweeks 17-20 (bur WHU WBA hud) to help us through that tricky period.

Burnley aren’t quite so suitable. They offer Newcastle at home in Gameweek 10, but their opponents from Gameweek 17 are patchy (STK bha TOT mun).

Nonetheless, with Ben Mee priced at 4.5 and an assured starter, plus with Burnley’s home fixtures appearing so strong, a three-way, perhaps with Naughton and Dawson could be an avenue to explore.

Attacking Rotation

It is possible to consider these two teams for rotation, with West Brom’s Matt Phillips the most obvious mid-price attacking candidate on show from the two sides.

If he can stay out of the treatment room, the winger could and should improve on last season’s output to justify a 6.0 price tag. Chris Brunt – with a 5.5 price tag and reliable set-piece delivery – is another option.

However, the options in the Swansea camp are more problematic.

Tammy Abraham (5.5) could well be our most likely candidate. If the Chelsea loanee can possibly cement a starting role, then he could be a very popular acquisition, even without the option of rotation.

A proven goalscorer at Championship level, the concern will be that he may struggle to adjust to the top flight, while Gylfi Sigurdsson’s seemingly inevitable exit will severely damage the service he’d receive.

However, should the Swans and Abraham overcome those obstacles, then a Phillips/Abraham pairing could be worthy of investigation. Similarly, Jay Rodriguez (6.0) could be considered as a rotation option with Abraham for those opting for just one heavy-hitting striker and a two-man strike force.

The concern will be that West Brom and Swansea – without Sigurdsson – will be two sides who will struggle to score goals throughout the season.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

4,054 Comments Post a Comment
    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Class. How many entered last season?

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        3866 when entry closed in January.

        1. THFC4LIFE
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          Jesus your gonna be busy lol

          1. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 9 months ago

            Busy 1st half of season.

    2. Old Gregg
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Entered. How does it work?. I noticed comments last season asking what the score was this week.
      So you have to beat a certain score each week to survive?. How is the score calculated?

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        All in the article.

        1. Old Gregg
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          Doh.

  1. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    How is this team. Bench weak I know but forward and mids quite strong

    Fabianski
    Danilo Hegazi Kolasinac Daniels
    KDB Mane Zaha Willian
    Lukaku Kane

    Elliot Carroll Hunemeier Quaner

    1. FPL Mentor
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Really like it

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Looks great

    3. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Can you get a Southampton defender in?

      1. dunas_dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        Could do Kolasinac to Bertrand and have. 5 to upgrade Fab to Forster

        1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          Let's watch the Shield tomorrow... I will be watching Kola in particular

    4. Old Gregg
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Yeah decent

  2. FPL Mentor
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    RMT

    De Gea
    Danilo Valencia Yoshida
    Alli Redmond Willian Zaha
    Firmino Lukaku Jesus

    (Elliot, Hegazi, Carroll, Rangel)

    Good to go?.

    1. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      play hegazi rather than yoshi

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      For a no Kane team looks very good. Perhaps Tadic over Redmond would be my choice

  3. afcbbbb
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    If we only have one eye, are we winking or blinking?

    1. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      slinking

  4. IL Fantasista
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Ok. Let's try this.

    Top 3 defenders irrespective of price?

    1. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      why

    2. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Alonso, Azpi and a fit Kompany.

    3. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Alonso Valencia Rose

    4. The Iron Tulip
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Alonso, Walker, Valencia

  5. Where dahoud at
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Best cheap 3rd striker?? And a good 5.5 midfielder????

    1. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      tammy
      fraser

    2. afcbbbb
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Cheap stricker could be JRod, Mounie and maybe Gabbiadini at 7.0 if you consider that cheap, 5.5 midfielder could be Warp-Prowse or Fraser??

    3. Paulinho14
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      pick your team by yourself man. most of the guys here are happy to discuss decisions or rate teams but nobody is going to do all the work for you

      1. Where dahoud at
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        Calm down i have my team already im just seeing what people are saying. This is what this website does. Infact heres my team. PICKED ALL ON MY OWN

        1. Paulinho14
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          alright steve, didnt want to offend you. But you know what i meant. some people on here pfff....

      2. Where dahoud at
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        Foster

        daniels, yoshida
        Kolasinac

        De bruyne, willian, salah, allen

        Lukaku, kane, chico

        Bench, elliot, mee, carroll, long

        1. Paulinho14
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          well, good team.
          JWP instead of Allen maybe.
          Not sure about chico, would rather go for king for example

  6. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Bayern win.

    1. LAMELA_AND_CONSUELA
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      There is no better penalty executor than Lewandowski

  7. KingNidge
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Usain Bolt time

    1. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      excellent

    2. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Go Clean them Usain

  8. FPL Mentor
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Best 5m defender?

    Currently looking at Yoshida/Daniels

    1. Legomane
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Aké!

  9. jay01
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    RMT please

    Hart / Foster
    Trippier (he's gonna be fit), Daniels, Cedric, Mee, Suttner
    KDB, Coutinho (he's staying), Willian (short term), Ritchie (could be Phillips) and RLC (or Carroll?)
    Kane, Jesus, Gabbiadini

  10. DrunkPhilosophy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    I think I have changed my team 50 times already today lol too much tinkering around the friendlies!!

    Left with this
    De Gea Elliot
    Alonso Cedric Kompany Hegazi Humenier
    KDB Zaha JWP TCarrol RLC
    Lukaku Kane Firmino

    Too weak in mid for Firmino, okay team?

    1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      I have Salah instead or Firmino it may switch based on today- solid team

      1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        of Firmino but may switch^^

  11. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Welcome to my World:

    WBA/SWA: BOU 182 . bur -62 . STK 211 . NEW -118 . WHM 102 . WAT 156 . WAT 330

    😉

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      🙂

    2. 32chickens
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      most of the time I understand ,but explain this one and the point you are making (7 figures?)

    3. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      It's a very rose world 😉

  12. Chrisirwin01
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    All,

    Please could I get some feedback on my team, thanks:

    GK: De Gea | Elliot***
    Def: Alonso | Bertrand | Walker | Mee(-) | Mariappa***
    Mid: De Bruyne | William | Ward-Prowse | Milivojevic(-) | Carroll***
    Fwd: Lukaku | Kane | Gabbiadini

    ***Bencher players only | (-) rotation partners for gw1-6

    Formation will vary between 3-5-2 & 4-3-3.

    All constructive opinions is very well, thanks again.

    1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Another good one like the one with DeGea above

  13. leocarter27
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Best 5.5 defender?

    Excluding Bertrand and Trippier

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Stones Monreal Lindelof

  14. iati
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    im between starting fraser and playing a 3-4-3 while lascelles on bench and a 8 mil mid starting (prob pogba or mikhi) or playing a 4-3-3 with lindelof instead of lascelles with fraser on bench and a 7 mil mid starting (donno who) any thoughts?
    another thing who are the best 7-8 mil midfielders seeing as i have cover for all top 6 teams in attack exept arsenal?

  15. jay01
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Anyone still think Phillips is a good option for gwk 1?

    1. 7shadesofsmoke
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      great shout, thank you

      1. 7shadesofsmoke
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        wrong post!

        Answer to your question - probably a decent shout but i'd look at others to be honest

  16. stachman
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    JWP in starting lineup today... Do you believe he can be regular? 5.5 and these fixtures are very tempting...

    1. Paulinho14
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      could well be
      he is on corners and some freekicks too

  17. The Royal Robin
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    So is Trippier done for or do we think he'll be ready?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Too early to tell.

  18. Oflow
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    If you aren't watching tune into the IAAF World Champs.

    Bolts about to run his last race.

    1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Oh, I'm tuned in alright.
      I'll drop out later.

    2. 7shadesofsmoke
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      great shout, thank you

  19. KingNidge
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Tripps > Toby

    Job done

    1. UnitedFan
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      I like that move. Will need to scrape 0.5 out of somewhere.

  20. NestorC
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    At the end, is Firmino on pens or we need to wait and see?

    1. KingNidge
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Milner and playing midfield.. essential

      1. NestorC
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 9 months ago

        Cheers mate, is it official?

        1. KingNidge
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 9 months ago

          No not at all mate i'm winding you up although he did play midfield today.. penalty situation is unclear

          1. NestorC
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 9 months ago

            good one, already changed my team with those info

            1. KingNidge
              • 8 Years
              6 years, 9 months ago

              Sorry bud

              1. NestorC
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 9 months ago

                no hard feelings mate

  21. jam sandwich
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Dunk or Hegazi if I have Foster?

    1. KingNidge
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Neither and lose Foster

  22. WrightnBright
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    How about his attempt with an Alli/Eriksen double up? Not seen many teams with both - probably a good reason for that?!

    Foster
    Daniels Stephens Alonso
    JWP Eriksen De Bruyne Willian Alli
    Firmino Lukaku

    Elliot Mee Quaner Mariappa

  23. The Royal Robin
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    GTG?

    DDG
    TAA Daniels Bertie
    Willian KDB JWP Zaha
    Lukaku Firmino Kane

    (Elliot TC Lascelles Suttner)

    1. jay01
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Who is TAA

    2. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Are you sure Arnold Alexander will start RR?

  24. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Gatling comes on with boos

  25. balint84
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    A, Milner
    B, Bailly
    C, Yoshida

  26. jay01
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Trippier (if fit) and Gabbiadini

    Or

    Alonso and T Abraham

    1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Abraham is an "if fit" as well

  27. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    BBC 1 now - witness greatness for one last time!

  28. Fantasy Gold
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    Kolasinac or Davies?

    1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 9 months ago

      Kola

  29. Egyptian Giza
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 9 months ago

    RMT
    Foster (Elliot)
    Yoshida Alonso Daniels (Mee Hunemeier)
    Pogba KDB Milovejic Alli
    Kane Benteke Abraham (Carrol)
    3M itb