We’re now halfway through the 2022 Allsvenskan season and what better way to celebrate the excitement so far than with an article?
In a new concept, myself and ‘La bitácora del Fantasy’ will be competing in a weekly five-a-side tournament, with rules implemented to ensure that we cover key topics such as differentials, captaincy, form and fixtures.
The rules are as follows:
1) Eligible Formations
In order to keep our picks both broad and interesting, we will be playing without goalkeepers. In order to maintain a sense of balance in our squads, as a result of the absence of a goalkeeper, we will select two defenders each week. We must also select at least one midfielder and one forward, thereby making the eligible formations: 2-1-2 and 2-2-1.
2) Eligible Players
We will be allowed a maximum of one player per team. We must also select at least two players owned by less than five per cent of managers (at the time of writing).
3) Transfers
A Wildcard-every-week format will allow us to keep our picks fresh and relevant.
4) Budget: unlimited!
The key restrictions come in the form of ‘Eligible Player’ restrictions.
It’s that simple! Feel free to play along in the comments section below, however this will not be run as an open competition for the time being.
If you score big, you may get a shoutout in next week’s article!
Eytexi – Pick One: Alexander Jallow (GBG; 5.6m)
With 39 points in his last six Gameweeks – including three cleans sheets, one goal and two assists – Jallow has been in unstoppable form as of late. Göteborg repeat Gameweek 15’s fixture v Norrköping in Gameweek 16, a fixture in which they kept a clean sheet despite the onslaught from Levi and co. with Hahn pulling out nine saves.
Jallow played a role at both ends, adding 1/2SITB worth 0.31xG to his clean sheet. Jallow’s advanced positioning makes him a reliable source of points at a cut-price: only two Allsvenskan defenders less than 6.0m have scored more points than him this season.
There’s also an argument to include GIF Sundsvall’s Forrest Lasso (4.4m), whose aerial threat has earned him two assists since his introduction to the side. Although he hosts a Varbergs team who’ve conceded 11 times in their last three away fixtures, the defensive strength of the Göteborg defence makes Jallow worthy of my first pick of the week.
La bitácora del Fantasy – Pick One: Marcus Mathisen (IKS; 5.0m)
Sirius and ‘clean sheets’ are two words that usually don’t go together but the Uppsala team faces a Mjällby side that has scored in their last six games but who still look defensive in their approach. Mathisen is a defensive bonus-point magnet, and he offers some goal threat. I’m backing him to deliver.
Eytexi – Pick Two: Noah Persson (MAIF; 4.5m)
Persson has started every game this season in a highly advanced left wing-back role, yet is owned by just just over four percent of managers. His tendancy to underlap and drive into the box means that his shots this season have largely come from inside the box, making it surprising that he’s taken this long to open his account. This has lead to him accumulating the greatest xGI (2.7) for his club outside of the Mjällby strikeforce, with his PsxG (1.3) actually higher than Mamudu Moro’s (5.0m).
Persson has taken more shots per ninety (0.7) than right wing-back Adam Ståhl (5.5m) (0.6), whilst only Otto Rosengren (4.5m) is able to top him for both big chances created and xA amongst his teammates. Persson scored his first goal of the season last Gameweek versus Degerfors, also accumulating 0.43xA from two key passes. He next faces a Sirius side whose defence has conceded the fifth most league goals this season, and whose attack may provide little resistance to the wall that is the Mjällby defence (which has conceded the fifth fewest league goals this season).
La bitácora del Fantasy – Pick Two: Alexander Jallow (GBG; 5.6m)
Jallow is among the top eight defenders this season and offers value for money. The Blavit were somehow lucky not to concede against Peking as Hahn put in a star performance but the right-back has different routes to points with one goal and three assists to his name so far. He is set to keep up his streak against a Peking side that has struggled to score this season.
Eytexi – Pick Three: Gustav Ludwigson (HAM; 10.1m)
Playing out-of-position upfront, at least until the arrival of Berisha, Ludwigson has recorded five goals, 12/16 SITB and 7 KP in three games. Last time out versus Varbergs, it could have been even more than just the two goals as Hammarby were wrongly denied a penalty before Gustav had a shot of his own blocked off the line.
The Allsvenskan’s second top scorer next faces a Värnamo side who’ve conceded eight goals in their last two games as well as eight goals in their last two away games (including three versus a poor Varbergs side). With Abdelrahman Saidi (5.9m) and Veton Berisha (10.5m) on the roster, it may not be long before we’re talking about a two-way race for the Golden Boot.
Among Hammarby players, Ludwigson is top for xG and PsxG, at 4.0xG and 5.1PsxG, respectively. This discrepancy is a testament to his sharp finishing: a key contributor to Hammarby’s title challenge this season.
La bitácora del Fantasy – Pick Three: Oliver Berg (KFF; 9.0m)
Kalmar are a side that haven’t really clicked offensively but they face they face bottom-of-the-table Degerfors, a team that has conceded fourteen goals at home. While it is true that they haven’t been battered lately, their defence is still shaky. Isak Jansson (6.0m) may leave the team, so Oliver Berg will feature as a striker, which boosts his prospects. On some set-pieces and on penalties he is given the armband this Gameweek.
Eytexi – Pick Four: Sebastian Nanasi (KFF; 5.5m)
In his only 90 minutes of the season so far, Nanasi recorded 4/6 SITB and 5 KP versus Mjällby. Having spent most of 2022 on the Malmö bench he’s now getting a chance to shine at Kalmar – only 3.3% of managers are ahead of the trend and own him ahead of the trip to bottom of the league Degerfors in Gameweek 16.
His goalscoring credentials shine through on the youth international stage, where he has eleven goals in twenty-four appearances for Sweden, so the twenty-year-old will be hoping that the creative ability of Oliver Berg and Simon Skrabb (6.9m) is sufficient to support him in replicating this record. Although his debut was statistically underwhelming, Nanasi occupied advanced areas throughout. His presence was undeniable, as is the weakness of the Degerfors defence, who haven’t kept a single clean sheet so far this season.
Options are even more scarce than usual at wing-back for the hosts with Joseph-Claude Gyau (5.0m) suspended and Anton Kralj (4.4m) carrying a knock into the weekend. Perhaps it is Nanasi’s time to strike.
La bitácora del Fantasy – Pick Four: Abdelrahman Saidi (5.9m)
Berisha is on his way to Bajen and the Hammarby attack is full of options fantasy-wise. Saidi will have to compete for a spot soon and this is a game to make the fans proud and show his manager he’s got what it takes to be a starter. IFK Värnamo hasn’t been an organized side lately and Hammarby will profit from this.
Eytexi – Pick Five: Alexander Jeremejeff (BKH; 10.2m)
I am seriously struggling for helpful things to say here, with the league top scorer owned by 53.3% of players and absolutely nobody in denial about the quality which he possesses. Ludwigson aside, Jeremejeff has more than double the goal tally of anyone in the Allsvenskan this season: that is utterly ridiculous.
Meanwhile, this week’s opposition Elfsborg continue to struggle and are currently sat a dissapointing tenth in the Allsvenskan. Elfsborg haven’t kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 7, back in the first week of May, and that’s a trend which I’m sure will continue on Sunday. They’ve also taken just two points from their last four fixtures, one of those being versus Häcken: something I’m sure the away side will be seeking to avenge.
In the reverse fixture, Häcken accumulated 3.29xG to Elfsborg’s 0.99xG, took 21 shots to Elfsborg’s three, and created three big chance (all of which they missed). Jeremejeff himself scored Häcken’s only goal of the game from 6/6 SITB worth 1.90xG. He’ll be playing with a point to prove to any stubborn doubters at Elfsborg who somehow still remain.
La bitácora del Fantasy – Pick Five: Blair Turgott (7.5m)
Turgott missed a clear chance versus Djurgården last time out and hasn’t scored yet this season, but he will have more minutes to show his potential now Bengtsson is gone. The Boras side has been porous this season and having European football in midweek doesn’t help. The Jamaican international hasn’t fired many shots this season and has adopted a more creative role, but this could change anytime soon.
Summary
- Eytexi: Jallow, Persson (4.3%); Ludwigson (K), Nanasi (3.3%); Jeremejef
- La bitácora del Fantasy: Jallow, Mathisen (0.9%); Berg (K), Saidi; Turgott (0.5%).
Conclusion
Whose picks are better? How have we done? Let us know in the comments below and have a crack yourself at beating us! We may look to implement this as an open competition for the 2023 season if the demand is sufficient; in the meantime, be sure to follow @Eytexi, @BitacoraFantasy and @CaribouKraftPOD on Twitter for upcoming competitions and polls regarding our selections.
See you there!
