Having assessed the main goalkeepers and defenders from a Fantasy Football perspective in 2014/15, our end of season awards continue this afternoon as we cast an eye over the midfielders. Once again, we’ve released a poll in the middle column of the homepage to collect your votes – please remember that each person can cast four votes this time around.
Bear in mind that the vote is from an overall Fantasy perspective – overall points, price, performances and value across the Fantasy games should all come into consideration.
Although our selections are mainly weighted towards the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, we’ve also factored in performance in those games where clean sheet points alone are key to points output.
Before we take a look at this year’s contenders, let’s cast an eye over the fortunes of last season’s midfield four of choice.
2013/14 Fantasy Football Scout Team of the Season Review
Goalkeeper – Vito Mannone
Defenders – Seamus Coleman, John Terry, Laurent Koscielny, Joel Ward
Midfielders – Steven Gerrard, Aaron Ramsey, Yaya Toure, Eden Hazard
Forwards – Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge
There was certainly a premium flavour to the midfield members of our Team of the Season last year. The one exception to that rule was Aaron Ramsey, who boasted a starting price of just 5.5 last time out. The Welshman had never scored more than three goals in a season prior to 2013/14, and had done little to justify Fantasy attention, but that was all about to change. Despite being sidelined through injury for 15 Gameweeks, the Arsenal man finished the season on 146 points, notching ten goals and nine assists in just 23 appearances, and more than warranted his move to the premium price bracket this time around.
Another player to breakthrough as an ‘essential’ Fantasy pick was Yaya Toure. The City midfielder finished the season as second highest scoring player in FPL, delivering a regular source of goals and assists from an advanced midfield position and tallying ten double-figure hauls across the campaign. Behind Toure in third in the overall rankings was Steven Gerrard, who shone in his penultimate season at Anfield behind the dependable forward pairing of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. The Liverpool skipper bagged three goals, 15 assists and 30 bonus points as his side narrowly missed out on the title.
Despite all three of those players continuing to play important roles for their respective sides, not one of them make our shortlist of this season’s contenders. Eden Hazard, on the other hand, begins our list of nominees, after yet another outstanding campaign has seen the Belgian successfully build upon his 202-point haul from last time around:
EDEN HAZARD
Top of the overall rankings in this season’s FPL with 226 points thus far, the Belgian has cemented his place as Fantasy royalty. Beginning the campaign at a cost of 10.0, the winger has since climbed to a peak of 11.4 (a price rise only outdone by Harry Kane) and currently sits in over 41% of sides. It’s not only Fantasy managers who have come to recognise Hazard’s indispensability though; his continued importance in Chelsea’s title-winning side is highlighted by the fact that he has started every Premier League fixture for the Blues, and has only been subbed off five times.
Whilst a tally of 14 goals and nine assists means that the PFA Player of the Year has actually delivered less attacking returns than in the 2013/14 season, it has been his penchant for acquiring bonus points that has seen Hazard easily outstrip his points tally from last term; Hazard holds a 146-point lead in the Bonus Points System scoreboard, having received maximum bonus points on 11 different occasions, helping him to an unsurpassed total of nine double-figure hauls. That regular source of returns puts the Belgian joint top amongst midfielders for points per game (ppg) average, with a mean of 6.1 across the campaign. Also central to his appeal as a Fantasy asset has been his reliability in front of his home crowd, with nine of his strikes coming in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful.
The Chelsea man boasts a similar dominance across the other Fantasy games, with a top ranking in the Sun Dream Team, Sky Sports and Daily Telegraph games, including a whopping 88-point advantage in the former.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Arsenal’s summer signing from Barcelona got pulses racing round these parts, and it wasn’t exactly hard to see why. Sanchez had delivered 47 goals and 36 assists across his three years at the Camp Nou, and quickly set about justifying a 10.5 valuation in FPL, notching two goals and an assist in his first four league outings for the Gunners. The Chilean has since gone on to net 16 times, more than any other midfielder, and record eight assists, with his proclivity for explosive returns a tempting feature of his game – Sanchez has produced two+ goals or assists on eight occasions, three of which came in succession between Gameweeks 8-10. That record has ensured that, although he has blanked in 18 appearances, the Arsenal star boasts an equal ppg average with Hazard at 6.1.
One look at the underlying stats reveals what a vital figure Sanchez has been for the Gunners. No other midfielder has fired in more than his 109 attempts on goal, equating to a chance every 26.5 minutes, whilst his creativity has been similarly impressive, with a key pass every 40.2 minutes suggesting that he’s been a little unlucky only to earn eight assists.
Sanchez’s FPL appeal has been heightened by his classification as a midfielder, unlike his listing across our other Fantasy games, where he’s down as a forward. Indeed, with Arsene Wenger having turned to his abilities as a central striker on a number of occasions nearer the start of the season, owners of the Chilean have also been able to benefit from his out-of-position prospects, adding yet another string to his already substantial bow.
DAVID SILVA
The Etihad’s resident magician endured a sluggish start to the season, with a knee injury forcing him to sit out six of the opening 15 Gameweeks. Upon his return, however, Silva was quick to remind of his Fantasy attributes, recording four goals and an assist in three appearances between Gameweeks 17-19 as Manuel Pellegrini switched to a false-nine system in light of Sergio Aguero’s forced absence. Since then, the little Spaniard has delivered a consistent stream of returns, blanking in just eight fixtures, and played significant roles in his side’s demolitions of Newcastle and QPR, producing 17 and 16-point hauls respectively.
Overall, Silva has notched a career-best tally of 12 goals, with Pellegrini having clearly been keen to exploit his talents in front of goal to a new degree – a sum of 205 touches in the opposition penalty box is up from 138 in the previous season. That hasn’t stunted the Spaniard’s creative stats, however, with 12 assists thus far joint second for midfielders and 91 chances created unsurpassed by any player outside of Stamford Bridge. Silva ends the season currently sitting in 21% of teams at a price of 9.6 (up from 9.0) and placed third in the midfielder standings on 188 points, and boasts an identical ranking in the Sun Dream Team and Daily Telegraph games.
CESC FABREGAS
Monday night’s misdemeanour will have left a bitter taste in the mouths of Fabregas’ 29% ownership, who would have been hoping to see the Spaniard round off a superb first season at Stamford Bridge over the final two Gameweeks. Whilst he has had to play second-fiddle to Hazard for much of the campaign, Fabregas’ more budget-friendly 9.0 starting price has meant that plenty of attention has still come his way, and his constant source of assists have even persuaded some to double-up on Chelsea’s midfield.
In fact, it was Fabregas who was quicker off the blocks of the Blues duo, averaging 7.75 ppg across the first four Gameweeks compared to Hazard’s 4.5, with six assists accrued in that early period a sign of things to come. The former Barcelona man now has 19 assists to his name, seven more than any other player in the league, and supplemented that with a trio of goals. Often deployed in a more withdrawn role alongside Nemanja Matic, the Spaniard has occasionally been fielded in the number ten role behind the Blues’ lone forward and has created more chances (93) than any player in the top-flight this term.
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN
Tottenham’s playmaker has suffered a lacklustre final third of the season, recording just a single goal and two assists in the last 14 Gameweeks. Overall, though, Eriksen has been a central component during Mauricio Pochettino’s first year in charge at White Hart Lane, having appeared in every league fixture, with his dead-ball ability and knack for late winners ensuring that his owners have been well rewarded for his modest price tag, which reached a season high of 8.5 back in Gameweek 26.
The former Ajax man has delivered four assists and ten goals to date, picking up bonus points on every occasion he has found the net, three of which have come courtesy of free-kicks. Indeed, no other player has fired in more than Eriksen’s 26 attempts from set pieces, which make up a good proportion of his total of 96 efforts at goal. However, the Dane’s capacity to find the net from range has not just been limited to dead-ball opportunities, with his record of six goals from outside of the box the highest of any player.
Even in spite of his recent shortcomings, Eriksen still sits sixth in the overall midfield rankings on 159 points, and holds an identical position in the Sun Dream Team and Daily Telegraph games’ midfield standings, with 173 and 146 points respectively.
JORDAN HENDERSON
In the year in which Steven Gerrard has waved goodbye to Anfield, Henderson has done everything he can to prove he is capable of stepping into the Liverpool skipper’s sizeable shoes. The former Sunderland player is the only sub-7.0 priced option to boast a spot in FPL’s current top five midfielders, having enjoyed a fantastic second half of the season to make a mockery of his original 6.0 valuation.
With six goals, ten assists and 160 points accrued, Henderson has outscored all of his midfield team-mates despite being used in a much more withdrawn role than Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho. Henderson has served up five goals and seven assists in the latter half of the campaign, with a set of inspiring performances between Gameweeks 27-32, in which he averaged 7.83 ppg, bringing his talents to the fore and seeing a band of new owners head his way ahead of the double Gameweek 34.
If there is one thing that Henderson has proved this season, it is the value of a consistent mid-price midfielder – with so many premium options demanding our attention throughout the campaign, Henderson has remained a more-than-reliable option for those looking to balance the books.
RAHEEM STERLING
The Liverpool youngster was quick out the blocks at the start of the season, bagging three goals and an assist in his first five outings. Sterling’s level of output may have dropped off somewhat after his price rose from 8.5 to 9.0, but he still managed to register a total of seven goals and ten assists over the course of a year that has seen him cement his place as one of the brightest young talents in world football and, with a guarantee of starts, as an immensely popular Fantasy asset with an ownership rarely dipping below the 30% mark.
Sterling has been utilised in a variety of positions by Brendan Rodgers, including on the wing, as a centre forward and as a wing-back. Those constant adjustments haven’t tempered his potential in attacking areas, however, with only Sanchez managing more efforts inside the penalty area than Sterling’s 56 – in fact, all seven of the youngster’s strikes have come from inside the opposition’s box.
What managers must bear in mind is that Sterling has done all this at the age of just 20, and no matter where he ends up next season, there’s no doubt that he will only grow as a Fantasy force to be reckoned with.
STEWART DOWNING
Some may be surprised to find that, despite having just a single goal and assist to show for the last 15 Gameweeks, Downing is still tied with Sterling in seventh in the overall midfield standings in FPL on 158 points. Indeed, that is just testimony to what a marvellous first half of the season the England international produced, with his 5.5 starting price tag proving outstanding value.
Two goals and four assists in the first ten fixtures of the campaign brought Downing raring onto Fantasy radars as a budget-friendly midfield option, with his underlying stats even more impressive than his returns suggested – the winger tallied 24 efforts at goal and created 28 opportunities in that early period as West Ham enjoyed an outstanding start to their season. The former Liverpool man then earned a fresh wave of investment after bagging two goals and as many assists in the space of four appearances between Gameweeks 14-17, which saw his price continue to creep up. In fact, Downing’s value only began to fall from its peak of 6.7 in Gameweek 29, illustrating managers’ unrelenting faith in the Hammers man, even in light of his dip in form from the end of January onwards.
In total, Downing has notched six goals and eight assists, whilst only three midfielders – all of whom possess premium price tags – have earned more bonus points (26) or fashioned more chances (85) than the Upton Park asset, earning him well-deserved spots in the top ten midfield rankings in the FPL, Sky Sports and Daily Telegraph games.
GYLFI SIGURDSSON
No other midfielder has been transferred in more times than Swansea’s Icelandic international this season, and it’s clear why he has garnered so much attention, with his mid-price valuation and playmaking talents combining to make him an immensely popular Fantasy pick. Indeed, Sigurdsson boasts the honour of setting off the first bandwagon of the campaign after his 13-point display helped the Swans inflict defeat on Man United at Old Trafford on the opening day, with nearly 900,000 managers then acquiring his services over the following three Gameweeks. Those who chose to jump on board were handsomely rewarded as the summer signing from Spurs went on to amass eight assists and average 5.54 ppg over the first 13 fixtures, with his dead-ball capabilities coming to the fore with a stunning free-kick against Arsenal in Gameweek 11.
In fact, whilst Sigurdsson’s assist rate has dipped off markedly since those opening 13 appearances, his impact in front of goal has grown; the 6.5-priced man heads into the final Gameweek of the season with a tally of seven strikes to his name, with his occasional deployment as a false nine also helping to win him further interest in the last few months. With an ownership still around the 24% mark, Sigurdsson has undoubtedly played a major role in our Fantasy seasons upon his return to the Liberty.
PHILIPPE COUTINHO
After an unconvincing start to the campaign, Coutinho has emerged as an outstanding differential candidate in the second half of the season.
The Brazilian began to blink on our radar around Gameweek 17, when his goal on the stroke of half-time helped his side claim a 2-2 draw against Arsenal, and he then went on to notch assists in each of his next three outings. The former Inter Milan youngster, whose price had fallen from 8.0 to 7.6 after that difficult opening period, then began to win major plaudits as his side set off on a 13-match unbeaten in which he averaged 5.62 ppg and delivered four double-figure hauls. However, with Henderson and Sterling still the most popular routes into the Reds’ attack, Coutinho’s ownership remained alluringly below 10%, only adding to his appeal.
Coutinho has continued to impress as the season comes to a close, with a 13-point haul at QPR in Gameweek 35 his highest yield of the campaign. Indeed, since that turning point in Gameweek 17, the PFA Team of the Year member has only failed to complete the full 90 minutes on three occasions, whilst no midfielder has topped his 77 attempts at goal and only Hazard and Silva have created more chances than his 47.
SADIO MANE
Despite grabbing two goals and an assist in his first four appearances for Southampton, a lack of consistent starts and tendency for being hooked off early meant that by the time Gameweek 13 arrived, Mane’s price had plunged from 7.0 to 6.5 and Fantasy interest was at rock bottom. The Senegalese international was about to step forward, however, and produced a trio of back-to-back goals, supplemented with an assist and four bonus points, before a calf injury ruled him out of the African Cup of Nations. Nevertheless, after a swift recovery Mane was back up and running soon enough, notching a further two goals in the five Gameweeks proceeding his return from the sidelines.
Last weekend’s imperious 23-point display, coupled with a strike against Sunderland in Gameweek 35, have ensured that Mane has enjoyed a rewarding end to a positive first season at St Mary’s. As a Fantasy asset, his appeal has been bolstered by the fact that his ownership has never edged above the 3% mark, whilst his price has never exceeded 6.7 over the season. What’s more, his total of 11 goals has only been surpassed by Sanchez, Hazard and Silva, and earns him ninth spot in the Sky Sports game’s overall midfield rankings.
JASON PUNCHEON
After coming to the fore as a Fantasy asset in the final third of the 2013/14 campaign, Puncheon wasted no time in setting about proving himself a worthy pick again this time around, delivering a goal and three assists in his first five outings of the season. Things declined drastically from there, however, with the Palace man blanking in each of the next 14 Gameweeks and his price subsequently falling from 6.0 to 5.5.
Alan Pardew’s installation at the Eagles’ helm at the start of January breathed new life into Puncheon’s prospects, though. Two goals, an assist and a sum of 21 points from Pardew’s first two matches in charge highlighted his instant impact, with Puncheon grabbing a further three goals and as many assists across the remainder of the campaign, delivering superb value as a cut-price differential. Indeed, since Pardew’s introduction in Gameweek 21, Puncheon’s set-piece duties and central role in behind the striker have seen him create a chance every 40.8 minutes, whilst he has fired in more attempts (28) than any of his midfield team-mates.
GEORGE BOYD
A 4.5-rated midfielder with a guarantee of starts and genuine potential for attacking returns is a rare and precious commodity for Fantasy managers, and this season saw Boyd step into that role with a flourish. From Gameweek 4 onwards, the Burnley man has started every match for his side, and if that wasn’t enough to convince managers to invest in him for their fifth midfield slot, a tally of five goals and two assists, including back-to-back strikes in Gameweeks 19 and 20, have certainly done the trick – Boyd’s current 6.3% ownership is almost over double that of any of other sub-5.0 midfielder bar Victor Wanyama. The highlight of the season for the majority of Boyd’s owners came back in Gameweek 8, when Diego Costa – then the most popular striker in the game – was ruled out through injury, leaving many to rely on Boyd’s exploits from their benches. The Clarets midfielder duly delivered, with his goal and bonus point earning him near-cult status around these parts and cementing his status as the budget enabler of choice.
SANTI CAZORLA
The little Spaniard has been the standout pick for those unable to free up the required budget for Sanchez in Arsenal’s midfield, with his spot-kick duties and playmaking talents harvesting a total of 155 points and placing him tenth in FPL’s midfield standings. Cazorla fares even better in the other Fantasy games – he is sat in fifth spot the Sun Dream Team game, fourth in the Sky Sports game and second in the Daily Telegraph game.
Key to that success were his exceptional displays between Gameweeks 13-23, in which the 30-year-old produced four double-figure hauls and a total of six goals, five assists and 16 bonus points, averaging a remarkable 7.73 ppg. Beyond then, Cazorla’s price has risen to a high of 8.7, still significantly cheaper than Sanchez, and he has continued to supply a steady stream of attacking returns, with his final tally resting at nine assists and seven strikes, six of which have come from the penalty spot. Indeed, despite the substantial difference in valuation and ownership, Cazorla has generated as many chances (72) as his Chilean team-mate, and is ranked fourth for total attempts on goal, with 88.
KI SUNG-YUENG
Another popular fifth midfield option to stake a claim for more regular inclusion in our starting XIs, the Korean has been an almost ever-present figure in Garry Monk’s side, with his total of eight goals superior to any other sub-6.0 midfielder. Since Gameweek 14, Ki has delivered four double figure yields and averaged 5.06 per starting appearance, offering outstanding value for his minimal price tag. His goal conversion rate is particularly impressive; the Korean has managed less than half as many attempts on goal as team-mate Sigurdsson, but has found the net with 28.6% of those efforts, highlighting his clinical nature when opportunities have arisen. An operation on his knee last week means that Ki finishes the season on 129 points, 45 more than he amassed in the previous campaign.
NACER CHADLI
The Belgian came roaring out of the blocks to emerge as one of the surprise Fantasy protagonists of the early stages of the season, notching six goals and an assist in his first ten league outings. A trio of goals in the last five Gameweeks has seen the Spurs man end the campaign just as strongly, with his grand total of 11 strikes ranking him joint fourth for midfielders in that respect. Indeed, after a miserable first year at White Hart Lane that had seen him tally just 58 points, little was expected of Chadli, but the winger has proved his doubters wrong and ends the season ninth in FPL’s overall midfield standings with 156 points and an average of 4.6 ppg.
Just two points short of Eriksen, and with a price tag that has never extended beyond 6.6, Chadli has arguably been the pick of the Tottenham duo even in spite of his irritating lack of regular starts. One look at the underlying stats reveals that Chadli has been far more prosperous in attacking areas, outweighing Eriksen in terms of penalty box touches (124 to 98) and attempts from within the area (36 to 30), and with a consistently lower ownership to his name, his differential prospects have also been stronger.
