Cole Palmer (£10.6m) has been a source of discussion in the comments section this week, with many Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers on a Free Hit debating the merits of including him.
The premium midfielder topped every other player for FPL points last season, but his form has become a major concern, having failed to score in 16 consecutive matches in all competitions.
In this article, we take a closer look at the current situation.
THE OPPOSITION
Firstly, a look at the opposition in Gameweek 34.
These are Everton’s results since the appointment of David Moyes in January. We’ve also included their expected goals conceded (xGC) tallies.
| Gameweek | Opponent | Score | xGC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Manchester City (h) | 2-0 loss | 2.04 |
| 32 | Nottingham Forest (a) | 1-0 win | 0.52 |
| 31 | Arsenal (h) | 1-1 draw | 1.79 |
| 30 | Liverpool (a) | 1-0 loss | 1.47 |
| 29 | West Ham United (h) | 1-1 draw | 0.83 |
| 28 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (a) | 1-1 draw | 0.77 |
| 27 | Brentford (a) | 1-1 draw | 1.48 |
| 26 | Manchester United (h) | 2-2 draw | 0.41 |
| 25 | Crystal Palace (a) | 2-1 win | 1.72 |
| 24 | Liverpool (h) | 2-2 draw | 0.62 |
| 24 | Leicester City (h) | 4-0 win | 0.33 |
| 23 | Brighton and Hove Albion (a) | 1-0 win | 0.73 |
| 22 | Tottenham Hotspur (h) | 3-2 win | 1.12 |
| 21 | Aston Villa (h) | 1-0 loss | 1.21 |
And here’s how the Toffees rank in away matches versus other clubs.
| Mins per xGC (last six away) | Mins per xGC (season away) | |
|---|---|---|
| Everton | 86.8 (6th) | 73.4 (5th) |
A more proactive outfit they might be under Moyes, but the defensive organisation instilled by Sean Dyche has remained.
Indeed, on the road, Everton have conceded just four goals in six away matches.
Relatively low xGC’s were recorded, too, offering further encouragement.
The caveat, however, is that James Tarkowski (£4.9m), an ever-present under Moyes, is potentially out injured, having suffered a hamstring issue in last week’s defeat to Manchester City.
His withdrawal on 52 minutes was a turning point in the match.
Moyes opted to replace Tarkowski with Michael Keane (£3.8m), and from that point onwards, the Toffees looked vulnerable, conceding +2.0 expected goals (xG) for the first time in a match since he returned.
“I didn’t feel as comfortable. I thought we should have definitely dealt with the first goal better than we did.
“I think you could feel it. I think Man City sensed it as well.
“When one of them is out [Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Pickford], you can see that it can have a big effect.” – David Moyes
Jake O’Brien (£4.5m) could potentially move over to centre-back for the trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Nathan Patterson (£4.4m) filling the right-back role, but any upheaval is far from ideal.
Palmer might fancy his chances if he plays in the left half-space, too.
That’s because Everton have conceded most of their key passes from this zone across their last six away matches.
Above: Everton’s chances created conceded heatmap – last six away matches
PALMER’S DROP OFF
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