Allsvenskan Fantasy: Forwards

There are plenty of interesting forwards in Allsvenskan this year and I’ll try to do a brief overview of the most interesting options in the different price-brackets.

Premium forwards (9.5-12.0m)

Last season’s top goalscorer, Paulinho Guerreiro (12.0m) got 20 goals and 9 assists in 27 games. On penalties, a lot of free-kicks and the focal point of a very attacking side. The most expensive player in the game for a reason. If he remains fit, he is very likely to be at the top of the charts yet again. A small warning flag in that he does have a few yellow cards in him, but he seems to improve on that year by year. Top quality player who will benefit from the negative bonus point subtraction being removed.

Marcus Antonsson (11.0m) was fantastic for Kalmar back in 2016 when he scored 10 goals and 1 assist in 12 games, earning himself a move to Leeds United midway through the season. Like many before him, the step up seemed a bit too big and he got loaned out to League One side Blackburn Rovers, where he got 7 goals and 3 assists in 31 appearances. In the summer of 2018, he signed for Malmö FF and managed 8 goals and 3 assists in 15 games.

There are (as specified in the introductory article on the site) quite a few additional forward options for Malmö in Markus Rosenberg (10.0m), Carlos Strandberg (9.0m), Jo Inge Berget (9.0m), and Guillermo Molins (8.5m). Marcus Antonsson “should” be a nailed on starter but if he doesn’t hit the ground running/has a dry spell there are options to rotate for the coach.

Alexander Jeremejeff (9.5m) had a tough time trying to break into the Malmö starting line-up last year and only got 1 goal and 1 assist in 13 appearances. He then moved back to BK Häcken (who Malmö signed him from in 2016) and once there he exploded back into form, scoring 9 goals and getting 5 assists in 15 games. A cheaper alternative to his striker partner Paulinho, Jeremejeff looks primed for a great season yet again.

Mohamed Buya Turay (9.5m) has previously had successful spells at both AFC Eskilstuna (8 goals, 5 assists in 23 games) and Dalkurd (9 goals, 2 assists in 13 games) in Allsvenskan and is now going to ply his trade for Djurgården, who’s snatched him up on a season-long loan from Belgian side Sint-Truidense VV. Any nailed on spear-head for Djurgården in recent years has been a good fantasy prospect, as they tend to play to the strength of the solitary striker. This year they have new coaches, but Buya Turay has started off well and in the last two games he’s scored three goals.

Vidar Örn Kjartansson (10.0m) has signed for a half-season loan deal with Hammarby. Playing for an attacking team, he’s got a good goalscoring record in Allsvenskan where had a great half season for Malmö in 2016, scoring 14 goals in 19 games before being sold. Back in 2014 for Vålerenga in Eliteserien, he got 25 goals and 3 assists 29 appearances. Between those stints he’s had some strange career decisions and now he’s back in Allsvenskan to try to prove himself. I personally think there are plenty of goals in him but there are a lot of forward options and it will be impossible to fit them all in.

Mid-price forwards (7.0-9.0m)

Chinedu Obasi (9.0m) looks to be at a bit of a bargain pricing, most likely derived from no spot-taking duties, not playing for the most attacking team and a bit of an injury record. If fit though he will score goals, he is too good for this level really. He’s played for Hoffenheim and Schalke 04 on a semi-regular basis between 2007-2015. Still “just” 32 years old, he’s got some good years left in him and he does seem to thrive at AIK.

Karl Holmberg (8.5m) had a bit of a tougher time last season but still got 8 goals and 6 assists in the end. The season before that he got 14 goals and 3 assists. If he keeps his starting spot with the introduction of Nyman (10.0m), he will be in the points.

It seems like forever that Viktor Prodell (7.0m) broke through and scored 15 goals and 4 assists in 29 games. That’s probably because it was a long time ago (2012) and he’s not been quite as prolific in recent years, bar 2016 where he managed 13 goals and 3 assists in 30 games. My guess is that he hasn’t dealt with the lack of secured starts in Elfsborg in a great way (purely speculation though) and from when I’ve seen him play, he’s looked like a player that’s very short on confidence. His move to Örebro should see him nail down a starting spot and it could lead to him getting back to his old goalscoring ways.

Pawel Cibicki (8.5m) is the new starting striker for Elsborg, he’s had some good times at Jönköping and Malmö in previous years. Possibly on penalties, focal point, point to prove, all the good stuff you’d want.

Budget forwards (4.5-6.5m)

This is a very tough price-bracket this year, at least from the off.

Ex-Malmö player Deniz Hümmet (6.5m) looks to have made his way into the starting lineup for Elfsborg. One to watch this season, don’t expect miracles but he should snatch a few goals.

Denni Avdic (6.0m) 19 goals and 3 assists for Elfsborg – in 2010… Since then it’s been ups and downs for Avdic (mostly downs), his time at AIK between 2016-2018 netting him a shockingly poor 5 goals in 55 appearances! Famous for his shoe-gate back in 2016 where he didn’t play because AIK had a shoe deal with Adidas that meant he could only wear their shoes, and apparently Adidas were not able to make a pair fitting Avdic and his feet. If the shoes are laced just right at AFC Eskilstuna remains to be seen, there is potentially still something left in him.

Anyone stand out from the options listed?

Who that’s not on the list do you think will be a good prospect this year? What strikers are you picking from the start?

Leave your comments below and best of luck to you on Sunday when it all kicks off!

Meltens