Team Form Focus is a weekly article analysing the in-form teams in the league and the ones failing to deliver. The statistics are taken from the last six Gameweeks. I’ll also be picking out a player who has the potential to do well for the next Gameweek or several Gameweeks. Potential clean sheets are another area to go under examination, with two or three teams being tipped each week to shut the opposition out.
THE FORM TABLE
KEY: P = Played, GS = Goals Scored, FS = Failed to Score, GC = Goals Conceded, CS = Clean Sheet, PTS = Points.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Romelu Lukaku — I have previously written about Lukaku this week, dispelling the myth that he only scores in the harder games. The piece can be read by clicking here. Romelu Lukaku is a perfect Sergio Aguero replacement as he has form and longer term fixtures on his side. The Belgian has scored five goals and assisted two so far this season in the league, and is on course for his best season yet at Everton, returning a goal or assist every 99 minutes – compared to every 113 minutes in 13/14 and every 191 minutes in 14/15. Everton have a great run of fixtures from Gameweek 11 onwards, playing host to Sunderland (Gameweek 11) and Aston Villa (Gameweek 13), and travelling to West Ham (Gameweek 12) and Bournemouth (Gameweek 14), and they have a decent run for a further six games.
But before this good run of fixtures, Everton face Manchester United at home and then face Arsenal away. Lukaku owners though can still be optimistic of returns, as Manchester United have a poor record on the road in recent matches, conceding seven in their last three away matches against Swansea (2), Southampton (2) and Arsenal (3). Arsenal will be a trickier clash though, shutting out every visitor to The Emirates, bar West Ham in the first game of the season. The other opponents who have travelled to Arsenal are Liverpool, Stoke and Manchester United. The Arsenal game will be a big test for Everton and Lukaku, but their other fixtures look very appealing.
THE CLEAN SHEET PICKS
West Brom and Arsenal — There are two stand-out candidates to keep a clean sheet this weekend, with both teams facing two of the worst attacking teams in the last six games.
West Brom face a Sunderland side who have failed to score in half of their last six games, scoring only five goals too. The last time Sunderland scored an away goal was against Aston Villa, where they struck the net twice. They then failed to score in the two away games after this, against Bournemouth and Manchester United.
Arsenal’s opponents Watford too have only scored in half of their last six league games, scoring even fewer goals than Sunderland with four. They are also the joint worst attacking side in the league, only scoring six goals all season. Bringing in an Arsenal defender for at least the next six fixtures looks very profitable. As already mentioned above, Arsenal have been very formidable at home, keeping a clean sheet in three out of four games. Within the next six games, Arsenal travel to Watford, Swansea, West Brom and Norwich. Arsenal are in good form at home and have good fixtures away from home. But be warned Arsenal also have crucial Champions League ties coming up so key defenders could find themselves rotated as the Gunners look to cling on to the slender hope of progressing in Europe.

