Thursday’s press conferences brought the news that Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah (£5.5m) is expected to miss six weeks because of an ankle injury.
So there’s probably no point in keeping him in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) squads, as he’ll almost certainly miss any upcoming Double Gameweek.
Let’s have a look at which defenders might be his best replacements.
Joachim Andersen (£4.6m)
If it’s just a one-week punt you’re seeking, before a Gameweek 32 Wildcard, Andersen could be your man. Fulham host struggling Burnley on Saturday, offering the chance of a second consecutive clean sheet to go along with his strong season-long record of defensive contribution (DefCon) points.
Regardless of Wildcard plans, Andersen could then be sold for subsequent trips to Liverpool and Brentford, though he did earn DefCon rewards in both of the reverse fixtures. Or simply bench him, before reintroducing for the Gameweek 34 clash against Aston Villa, who currently sit bottom of the league for expected goals (xG) throughout the last six matches.
Then comes Arsenal away, before two home games, plus Wolverhampton Wanderers to finish the campaign.
Malick Thiaw (£5.1m) or Lewis Hall (£5.3m)
Newcastle United also have a good immediate fixture, hosting a Sunderland side that’s guilty of a woeful goal-scoring record on the road.
Thiaw is the more popular pick, as he combines set-piece threat, DefCon potential and decent clean sheet chances. But the ever-creative Hall presents a slightly pricier differential.
Then again, backing the Magpies may be dependent on chip strategy. That’s because the Magpies are likely to blank in Gameweek 34, assuming opponent Arsenal beat Southampton to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
So, if you need someone who will definitely play at that moment, it may be best to look elsewhere.
But those with a plan to get through such blank – via a Free Hit, or saving free transfers – will like Thiaw as a replacement. After the Tyne-Wear derby, it’s hot-and-cold Crystal Palace, then goal-shy Bournemouth.
Michael Kayode (£4.5m)
Similarly, Kayode is an appealing pick for those focused on a Gameweek 34 Free Hit.
Brentford’s long throw specialist scored his first Premier League goal last week and, while the Italian isn’t typically a DefCon guy, he’s come close to the threshold on a few recent occasions.
Assists are always a possibility from his launched set-pieces, but a big appeal is his fixtures. Take Gameweek 34’s trip to Manchester United out of the picture (if you have a Free Hit to use then), the Europe-chasing Bees face Leeds and three home matches against Everton, Fulham and West Ham United.
Across the four reverse meetings, Kayode grabbed four bonus points and one DefCon success.
Matty Cash (£4.7m) or Ezri Konsa (£4.4m)
Aston Villa have only won two of their last 10 league games, yet remain fourth in the table.
Thankfully for Unai Emery, his team’s next five matches look amongst the division’s best. Trips to Nottingham Forest and Fulham are separated by hosting West Ham, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur.
Cash is expected to be available again, following a calf injury. His attacking threat from the right flank has, at times, been one of the best.
However, to avoid the risk of him suffering a recurrence, 90-minute man Konsa is another who gets some occasional DefCon.
There’s difficulty predicting their other defenders on a game-by-game basis, so these are probably the only Villans worth thinking about.
ALSO CONSIDER
Marcos Senesi (£5.1m) and James Hill (£4.2m) are worthy of attention. Bournemouth’s closing fixtures rank last on our Fixture Ticker, but the Cherries boast an impressive recent clean sheet record, and these two are consistently bossing it when it comes to DefCons.
The more attack-minded full-back at Manchester United is Diogo Dalot (£4.6m). They have the fourth-best expected goals conceded (xGC) tally from the last six Gameweeks. Plus, the Red Devils have no more cup involvement.
Meanwhile, Brighton and Hove Albion have the best xGC in that time, having secured recent clean sheets at Brentford and Sunderland. The ever-present Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.4m) has quietly amassed five attacking returns this season, only missing the DefCon threshold once in his last four outings. Champions League-chasing Liverpool are next, though.
West Ham remain in a relegation scrap despite losing just two of their last nine. Interestingly, the latest six delivered three clean sheets. Present for each of these, El Hadji Malick Diouf (£4.0m) picked up two assists as well.
At Leeds, the similarly cheap Joe Rodon (£3.9m) has a solid DefCon record and enviable campaign-ending fixtures.
