The Watchlist Updated – Gameweek 9 – The Defence

While international football takes centre stage this week, we’re continuing our build-up to Gameweek 9 by rolling our the first of our Watchlist articles, which offer player recommendations for the next four to six Gameweeks.

Two right-backs climb up our ladder this week, with the attacking potential of Hector Bellerin and Daryl Janmaat hard to ignore, while the appointment of Sam Allardyce at Sunderland sees Costel Pantilimon and John O’Shea enter our thoughts in anticipation of an immediate improvement on Wearside.

GOALKEEPERS

On the back of his first clean sheet of the season in the 1-0 win at Aston Villa, Stoke’s Jack Butland clings to his place on top of our ladder. The 4.5-priced England international leads all keepers for saves, with 37, and faces a pretty reasonable schedule (swa, WAT, new, CHE, sot, sun) over the next month or so, although he only faces two sides at the Britannia.

Following his fourth clean sheet of the campaign in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Man United, and with a great run of fixtures (wat, EVE, swa, TOT, wba, nor) around the corner, Petr Cech is a keeper on the rise. The Czech Republic international is the third highest scoring stopper so far this term in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) with 39 points, and should continue to reward his significant 30% ownership in the coming weeks.

It’s somewhat surprising that Watford’s Heurelho Gomes is the highest scoring keeper in FPL so far this season with 43 points, with last weekend’s penalty save at Bournemouth boosting his stock considerably. Despite that, the Brazilian only has an ownership of 4%, and while the forthcoming fixture list (ARS, stop, WHM, lei, MUN, avl) is mixed, with tough home clashes a concern given all of his shut-outs have come at Vicarage Road, he undoubtedly looks one of the strongest options available with an FPL price tag of 4.6 – Watford currently have no stand-out option in defence, promoting Gomes and his save point potential.

Boaz Myhill slips slightly after conceding five goals in his last two appearances. Available at 4.7 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), the West Brom goalkeeper still has three favourable fixtures (SUN, nor, LEI) coming up next before the schedule turns against him. Myhill has notched six bonus points so far, second to only Heurelho Gomes among keepers, and still represents value, given that the Baggies have managed four shut-outs so far. However, injuries at the back have unsettled Tony Pulis’ rearguard and the Gameweek 9 Hawthorns meeting with Sunderland looks vital if Myhill is to prevent a further slide down our rankings.

Sunderland have endured a difficult start to the campaign but are now set for a favourable upcoming schedule (wba, NEW, eve, SOT, cpl, STO). Along with the appointment of Sam Allardyce, our faith in Costel Pantilimon is on the rise. The Romania international’s price has dropped to 4.8 in FPL, having yet to register a clean sheet but bearing in mind he is third for saves (33) amongst stoppers, he could be a viable option once again if Big Sam can tighten things up at the back: it’s safe to say that this will be his priority on arrival at the Stadium of Light.

Chelsea’s fixture list (AVL, whm, LIV, sto, NOR), over the next five Gameweeks means we’re standing by Asmir Begovic. There’s no doubt there are serious question marks over Chelsea’s terrible start to the campaign, but, setting Fantasy managers back just 5.0 in FPL, the former Stoke stopper will represent good value if Jose Mourinho can finally address the Blues’ alarming defensive instability.

Since replacing Alex McCarthy in goal for Crystal Palace, Wayne Hennessey has kept back-to-back clean sheets, and with the Eagles’ next six clashes (WHM, lei, MUN, liv, SUN, NEW) offering some reasonable match-ups, the Wales international, who’s available for just 3.9 in FPL, has emerged as a clear option. As with McCarthy during his first team stint, Julian Speroni remains a real threat, however.

Finally, we had originally placed Newcastle’s Tim Krul as high as fifth in our rankings prior to tonight’s internationals. Newcastle’s great run of fixtures (NOR, sun, STO, bou, LEI, cpl) over the next six Gameweeks should have seen Krul offer improved defensive returns over the coming period. However, it’s worth noting that Krul has, only this evening, suffered a knee injury which saw him forced off for Holland. Krul therefore suffers a last-minute decline in our rankings and, should his injury be as serious as currently feared, we may even see Rob Elliot (4.0) or Karl Darlow (4.0 but currently also injured) enter the fray as a valid option.

DEFENDERS

With four home matches (BOU, NOR, LIV, SOT) over the next six Gameweeks, Aleksandar Kolarov retains his place at the summit. The clean sheets have dried up for City in the absence of Vincent Kompany, but the 6.2-priced Kolarov has still been a strong attacking threat in his last four appearances, registering five goal attempts and creating seven chances. However, Gael Clichy’s imminent return is a looming concern. Manuel Pellegrini has already acted by ousting Bacary Sagna once Pablo Zabaleta was fit and available for the right-back berth – clearly we have to monitor the left-back scenario at City with some caution.

Arsenal are another side with four clean sheets to their name, and with their fixture list pretty friendly over the coming period, Hector Bellerin sees his stock rise. The young Spaniard, available at 5.6 in FPL, has racked up five bonus points, joint-fourth among defenders, and offers potential returns at either end of the pitch via his rapid attacking raids down the Gunners’ right.

West Brom’s Craig Dawson drops in our estimations. The 5.1-valued defender has still managed three shots from inside the box, and has created five chances for his team-mates over the last four Gameweeks, but, as mentioned with Myhill, five goals against in the previous two is a concern, as are the recent injuries that have disrupted the stability of the Baggies’ backline.

With Newcastle’s fixtures over the next six Gameweeks (NOR, sun, STO, bou, LEI, cpl) deemed the most favourable among all 20 teams according to our Season Ticker, Daryl Janmaat continues his rise up our ladder. The Dutch international, priced at 4.9 in FPL, leads all defenders for goal attempts over the last four Gameweeks with nine, and has also created five chances for the Magpies. With an ownership of just 2.9%, Janmaat – providing he recovers from the knee knock that forced him out of Holland duties – is one who may be worth a roll of the dice. Let’s not forget that Janmaat has proven attacking potential having gathered eight assists in the previous campaign.

Southampton’s Cedric Soares is another right-back featuring in our rankings, with the Portuguese defender facing four favourable match-ups (LEI, BOU, sun, STO) over the next month or so. After being left out against Man United, the 5.0-priced Soares has played all 180 minutes in the Saints’ last two matches and is the cheapest option amongst Ronald Koeman’s preferred back-four. We’re also monitoring Virgil van Dijk’s attacking threat from set-pieces and direct free-kicks – the 5.5 asset would be a pricey outlay but could eventually succeed Soares as our leading Saints candidate in their rearguard.

Although the Chelsea defence still looks a shadow of the unit that was so impressive last term, the strength of their upcoming schedule means Cesar Azpilicueta remains in our thoughts. The 6.0-priced full-back is the most nailed-on Blues defender, and while investment is probably unlikely until the form of Jose Mourinho’s side improves, the Spaniard may well emerge as a viable option. Kurt Zouma is perhaps a more palatable route into Mourinho’s risky rearguard – at 5.5, we’re monitoring his starts in the coming weeks with a view that the young Frenchman could eventually find himself in our listing.

Although Kyle Naughton will be expected to return to Swansea’s starting XI against Stoke after missing the 2-2 draw due to his wife going into labour, we’re currently opting for Federico Fernandez in our rankings, with Angel Rangel potentially retaining the right-back berth after an impressive first outing against Spurs. Fernandez is valued at 5.0 in FPL and has managed three goal attempts from inside the box over the last four Gameweeks: he also picked up three bonus points in the goalless draw against Everton last month. The Swans face four favourable matches over the next five Gameweeks (STO, avl, nor, BOU).

On the back of two consecutive shut-outs, Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann keeps his place just below the halfway point of our ladder. The former Blackburn defender has also bagged four bonus points in those two matches, and with four home clashes (WHM, lei, MUN, liv, SUN, NEW) on the slate over the next six Gameweeks, the now 5.1-valued centre back could be one to ponder as Fantasy managers look for replacements for the likes of Joe Gomez and Matt Targett.

Leicester’s Robert Huth is another defender who earns recognition thanks to some reasonable fixtures (sot, CPL, wba, WAT, new, MUN) and a set-piece threat. The Germany international has managed three shots from inside the box in the last four Gameweeks, and while Claudio Ranieri’s side are still searching for their first clean sheet of the campaign, the 4.4-rated centre-back looks to be a decent prospect for the upcoming period. Ranieri has demonstrated that he’s beginning to prioritise solidity in away matches having dropped Riyad Mahrez to the bench at Norwich – plus, you never know, that promised pizza could yet provide an incentive for the Foxes rearguard.

Having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season, forcing him to miss the home clash against Liverpool in Gameweek 9, Tottenham’s Eric Dier falls a couple of places this week. The 5.2-rated defender, who has played as a defensive midfielder this term, then faces three strong fixtures (bou, AVL, WHM), so his 10.2% ownership will be expected stand by with the former Sporting Lisbon man, who has already notched two goals in the campaign. Dier does have a rival to consider, however – with Ben Davies beginning to emerge as a clear option. Priced at just 4.5, Davies appears to have cemented the left-back role and finds his way onto our listing lower down the ranks.

Sunderland’s John O’Shea is another new and perhaps unlikely name in our latest refresh, with the aforementioned kind schedule over the coming weeks behind our thinking. His 4.3 price tag is also appealing, so while there isn’t going to be significant investment in the Black Cats backline until we see signs of improvement under Allardyce, the Republic of Ireland international certainly looks one to monitor. We’re currently uncertain on how Allardyce will set up the Black Cats’ defence but are assuming that O’Shea’s experience will earn him a starting role at this moment in time.