A late Arsenal goal rush saves the day for Free Hit managers, while a Burnley forward delivers the goods to keep those without the chip in credit as well.
Eighty minutes into the Gunners’ home match with West Ham and many of the 154,000+ Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers who had employed their Free Hit chip were in a dark place.
As revealed by Ragabolly’s latest Metrics article, 63.9% of the top 10,000 managers playing the chip had elected to recruit Alexandre Lacazette.
The striker had been signed by 42,000, and captained by more than 100,000, with many taking advantage of the Free Hit to bring him in after coach Arsene Wenger revealed, during a press conference on Thursday, that he wanted to give run-outs to most of the side likely to play in next week’s Europa League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid.
That was a bitter blow to those looking to cash in on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Ineligible in Europe, he’d seemed a shoo-in for domestic action, prompting major investment ahead of Gameweek 35.
He was the third most signed player ahead of Saturday’s deadline, with 201,000 making their move. Meanwhile, 221,000 captained the 14.8%-owned forward – Arsenal’s most popular player in FPL.
Wenger’s statements on Thursday changed everything, leaving those without the Free Hit chip somewhat in the lurch.
Sure enough, Lacazette started and Aubameyang was on the bench, although at 1-1 with 10 minutes to go, neither had anything to show for their troubles.
By then, the Gabon international was on the pitch as the Gunners sought to reclaim a lead given them by Nacho Monreal, only for Marko Arnautovic to equalise for the visitors.
A goal blitz then followed, with Aaron Ramsey and Lacazette, twice, putting a decidedly flattering spin on a match in which the Hammers had been competitive until their late capitulation.
Aubameyang did at least produce an assist for his owners, with Ramsey and Granit Xhaka also setting up goals in the 4-1 win.
Maximum bonus went to Lacazette as he recorded only his second double-digit return of the campaign, his 13-point total matching his previous season’s best, in Gameweek 6.
Those points, relative to Aubameyang’s tally of four, are likely to have a major impact on FPL ranks once Gameweek 35 is done.
And Lacazette’s form – four goals in as many Gameweeks, with only two of those starts – suggests he’ll continue in the main striker role despite Aubameyang’s equally strong recent showings. He’d scored four goals in his last three home matches, and six in eight Gameweeek appearances overall.
That state of affairs, and Arsenal’s next fixture away at Man United, is persuading many of those non-Free Hitters to offload Aubameyang – he’s the second most sold player ahead of Gameweek 36, as managers look to Harry Kane and Gabriel Jesus for the run-in.
Ups and downs for others
Ramsey was another vital Gameweek 35 figure.
Signed by 27,000, he was a key differential for Free Hit investors after returning to the starting XI and producing a goal and an assist, along with two bonus points, against the Hammers.
The Welsh international had four shots, three chances created and a match-high nine touches in the box in a strong attacking display.
His 12-point return was a huge boost to his 4.0% ownership, particularly when stacked against the fortunes of those who decided to use their Free Hit chip to bring in Mesut Ozil instead.
The 2.7%-owned German missed the match due to illness – as did keeper Petr Cech – and his 9.3 price tag (compared to Ramsey’s 6.8) was a high one to pay for a no-show.
Arsenal’s defenders, meanwhile, had attracted 149,000 transfers-in for the West Ham clash, with hopes high of a third consecutive home clean sheet.
But those shut-outs were their only ones in 16 Gameweeks, and it was left to goalscorer Monreal to provide a decent return among the backline.
Owned by 493,000 and signed by 68,000, the Spaniard was the most popular of those Gameweek 35 defensive acquisitions and his fifth goal of the season means he’s now just one shy of Marcos Alonso – amazing work for a man with just one strike in his five previous Premier League seasons.
Marko the man
Predictably enough, Arnautovic was West Ham’s only bright spark.
He had four shots, all in the box, and his goal from substitute Manuel Lanzini’s assist was his 10th in his last 16 Gameweek appearances.
The midfielder also has five assists from that spell and was signed by 49,000+ going into the Arsenal match as his ownership, now at 6.1%, continues to increase.
That should mean he remains the Hammers’ one tempting asset ahead of Double Gameweek 37’s trip to Leicester City and a visit from Man United.
Before that, there’s the small matter of a home match against Man City, with David Moyes’ side still requiring points to finally put their relegation fears to bed.
Arnautovic’s owners can only hope that his form will trump what are a tricky set of fixtures.
Deadlock at Stoke
Burnley assets went into their match at Stoke City well supported, particularly by managers without the Free Hit active.
And it was striker Ashley Barnes who delivered, bundling home his sixth goal in eight Gameweek starts to earn the Clarets a point and deny their hosts a precious win.
Owned by 288,080, Barnes had proved a popular target for Double Gameweek 34, although he was jettisoned or benched by many Free Hit managers ahead of Saturday’s deadline.
The forward promptly punished that decision, but there were slim pickings on offer among other Burnley assets.
Kevin Long, with 45,000+ new investors, was their most signed player ahead of Gameweek 35, only for the Clarets defence to concede yet again.
They’ve kept just one clean sheet in 15 league matches in 2018 – only Brighton have a worse record in the Premier League since the turn of the year – with an assist for centre-half James Tarkowski at least providing some joy for his 5.0% ownership.
For Stoke, Xherdan Shaqiri was their most popular target in action.
He was brought in by 51,000+, with goalkeeper Jack Butland (7,700) ranking next.
The midfielder managed one shot and created three chances, but he failed to find the net for the seventh successive match, having delivered three in three prior to that.
Butland at least brought in a couple of save points in a performance that also earned him one bonus point, with the main hauls coming from goalscorer Badou Ndiaye and Mame Diouf, who provided the assist.
In truth, players from neither side are of much interest to Fantasy managers now, with their assets likely to provide bench back-up at best, or more likely replaced by Double Gameweekers for the run-in.
