Selection
22 April 2017 1217 comments
James H James H
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After Marko Arnautovic delivered in spectacular fashion last weekend with a 12-point haul in Stoke City’s 3-1 win over Hull City, we’re hoping at least one of this week’s differential choices can produce another double-figure score.

With three teams facing double Gameweeks, we’ve turned to players from Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Middlesbrough, given the potential on offer.

Andros Townsend

Having produced two goals, three assists and nine Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points over his last six appearances, Crystal Palace midfielder Andros Townsend enters the double Gameweek in fine fettle.

The England international, who’s available at just 5.8 in FPL, has been a star performer for the Eagles over the past month or so, and now faces matches away to Liverpool and at home to Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 34, before a plum home fixture against Burnley a week later.

While they appear tough match-ups on paper, Liverpool do rank joint-first for big chances conceded over the last six Gameweeks with 16, while the fact Palace have won three of their last four at Selhurst Park suggests they can trouble an in-form Spurs.

Townsend’s underlying statistics illustrate his growing influence for Sam Allardyce’s side, registering 15 key passes over the last six Gameweeks, more than double the tally of any team-mate, and only bettered by Manchester City’s David Silva among all FPL midfielders.

Despite outscoring Wilfried Zaha by 42 FPL points to 36 over Palace’s last six matches, it’s Zaha who is proving more popular among managers.

The Ivory Coast international has been snapped up by 78,000 FPL bosses since Saturday’s deadline, compared to 33,000 for Townsend.

That’s seen Zaha’s ownership soar to 15.7%, leaving the 2.7%-owned Townsend as the differential option.

So for those Fantasy managers who are running out of time to make a late charge in mini-leagues, it’s arguably Townsend who provides the bigger upside of the two.

Stewart Downing

With Middlesbrough facing the most favourable fixtures of the three teams who have two matches in Gameweek 34, we’ve decided to roll the dice on midfielder Stewart Downing.

Steve Agnew’s side travel to Bournemouth this afternoon, before entertaining Sunderland at the Riverside on Wednesday night.

While goals have been hard to come by for ‘Boro all season long, managing just 23, those two match-ups are pretty appealing.

Bournemouth rank third for most goals conceded (11) over the last six Gameweeks, and second for shots conceded from inside the box (59) over the same period.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have only kept one clean sheet in their 15 away matches this season.

‘Boro attackers could be worth consideration as differentials this week then, with the 0.5%-owned Downing perhaps a dark horse.

Downing is one of only four players to start all five matches since Agnew took charge at the Riverside, and has created 10 chances, double the number of any team-mate.

Under Agnew, there has been an emphasis on getting crosses into the box for forwards Alvaro Negredo and Rudy Gestede.

‘Boro rank second for crosses (126) over the last six Gameweeks, and as seen on Monday night, when Downing’s cross was volleyed home by Negredo, he offers significant assist potential.

So available at just 4.9 in FPL, Downing looks a possible option for maverick Fantasy managers.

Daley Blind

The knee injury suffered by Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo in Thursday night’s 2-1 win over Anderlecht in the UEFA Europa League means we’ve opted for Daley Blind as our final selection.

The Dutch defender has generally been out of favour under United boss Jose Mourinho of late, but with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling also sidelined, he looks to have a good chance of starting both matches in double Gameweek 34, when United travel to Burnley and Manchester City.

Blind’s lack of playing time means he’s owned by just 4.2% of FPL managers, but as a short-term option, he could well be worth a gamble.

The major advantage Blind possess is the fact he shares set-piece duties when in the side.

He has produced 14 successful corners this season, more than double of any team-mate, and has created a chance every 62 minutes, better than fellow defender Antonio Valencia (84).

Given he’s only made 19 appearances, the fact Blind has registered 12 FPL bonus points is hugely impressive, and priced at 5.2, he is also cheaper than both Eric Bailly and Valencia.

United have kept clean sheets in three of their last four league encounters, and with Burnley only scoring in three of their last five, Sunday’s clash looks promising from a defensive perspective.

The Manchester derby will present a far tougher challenge, but over the two fixtures, there’s every chance Blind will prove to be a worthwhile acquisition.

Mourinho’s side also face a very favourable home fixture against Swansea City in Gameweek 35, so particularly for Fantasy managers who still have their wildcard to play, there look enough reasons to take a short-term punt on the United man.

  1. Viper
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    Negredo miles ahead of Tekkers in the captain poll too which suggests he is a much better option that Benteke this week?

    It seems much closer in the comments?

    1. andymck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      Better fixtures and on pens is probably the main reason that swings it.

    2. Jigger & Pony
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      Negredo better option

    3. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      I just find it weird to put the band on the worst scoring team even against those opponents

      1. Paul Psychic Octopus
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        It's the weird time in the FPL season

      2. itwaswritten
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Middlesbrough won against both Bournemouth & Sunderland in the previous games though.

    4. itwaswritten
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      Negredo. Weaker teams, he usually scores against those if you have to chose between the two. I'm going Lukaku.

  2. ⚽️ Dingo ⚽️
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    Play which combo?

    A) Jaku
    B) Heaton

    1) Davies
    2) Maguire

    1. thisisdiz
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      A2

    2. Deulofail
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      A2

    3. super zlatan
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      B2

  3. thisisdiz
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    So my team are :

    Grant
    Alonso Valencia Gibson
    Alli King Walcott Zaha
    Kane (c) Lukaku Benteke

    Subs : Mignolet Siggy Walker Baines

    0.5 ITB
    0 FT
    WC in 36

    GTG??

  4. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    Should I bring in Blind considering I bought in Rojo in the week for -8 ?

    DWG I have are: Hennessey/Valdes, Gibson, Zaha, and Benteke. I also have Cahill who's a doubt so Mawson and Pieters would come in.

    1. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      no cut your loses -8 is bad enough

  5. struisvogel
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    Bench Eriksen of King?

  6. Scholes Balls
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    GTG or use my FT?

    Courtois Jaku
    Baines Walker Ranocchia Yoshida Fernandez
    Sanchez Alli Coutinho Siggy Caroll
    Lukaku Benteke Kane

    1. McQueen
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      Gtg mate, lovely team.

  7. McQueen
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 7 months ago

    Would anyone do Foster to DDG for -4 or play Pickford, other option Amat to Bailly/Gibson for -4,I have Barragan but he could be dropped?

    Thanks all!

    1. Scholes Balls
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      I was considering both DDG and Bailly, but with all the injuries I am not sure how our defence would even look or how stable its going to be

    2. Manic Miner
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      west from fan here, although foster is playing well we have 2 tough fixtures so i would no -4. boing boing

    3. McQueen
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 7 months ago

      Thanks both.

  8. Jay_
      8 years, 7 months ago

      -------------DDG---------------
      Alonso Valencia Mustafi(!)
      Sanchez Alli Eriksen Zaha
      -Kane Rashford Negredo--
      -------------------------------------
      Caballero JWP Holgate Yoshida

      Good to go? Or hit for a defender to replace Holgate?

      1. McQueen
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Gtg mate, Holgate will do for this GW.

        1. Jay_
            8 years, 7 months ago

            Cheers mate

      2. Pep says
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Any chance Aké holds the CB spot over Cahill? Would be a steal at 3.8m

        1. Dirty Harry
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          No chance

        2. McQueen
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Doubt it.

        3. andymck
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Probably not as Spurs are catching up.

        4. weaver93
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          prob Zouma....

      3. AusBest11
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Who to bench?

        Alli, Erikson or King.

        Also, have Kane as Captain.

        1. Jet5605
          • 11 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Eriksen.

          King has a nice home game and Alli is good away

          1. AusBest11
            • 10 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            Thanks Jet. I was thinking the same.

        2. ILOVEBAPS
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Alli

      4. Klopp For The Kopps 😆
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        A) Pickford + 4
        Or
        B) DDG

      5. Ghost86
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Would you play Davies over Friend or Valencia?

        1. Ghost86
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Anybody?

          1. Porkchops Johnson
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            Don't think I would, but neither of Friend and Valencia are nailed on 100% for 2 fixtures

          2. weaver93
            • 14 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            yes..

        2. itwaswritten
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          No. Play Friend or Valencia.

        3. Vedas
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          NO

      6. Jet5605
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Carroll > Negredo (c) for a -4 hit and bench Eriksen? Yay or Nay?

        Heaton
        Valencia - Mawson - Gibson
        Sanchez - Zaha - Eriksen - Alli - King
        Kane - Lukaku

        Pickford - Carroll - McAuley - Amat

      7. mcgooie
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Any advice for this week (and for using BB in GW37 with no wc left):
        Jak (Heaton)
        Alonso Pieters Stones (Holgate, Yoshida)
        King, Sane, Alli, Siggy (de roon)
        Lukaku, Aguero, Kane

        1FT and 1.6M in the bank

      8. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Jammy Negredo owners....

        1. Ghost86
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Why?

        2. NATSTER
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          a jammy goal coming

      9. andymck
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Take a hit to get Benteke and bench Sterling for him?

      10. liiusions
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        I've survived LMS this season taking a -20, surely I can taking a -12 possibly -16 😎

        1. Scholes Balls
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          A lot of people are taking hits so maybe

          1. liiusions
            • 10 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            Doubt many will have as many DGW players as me so we can dream

      11. ☻ Jon Snow ☻
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Bailly or Blind?

        1. Tommyg
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Blind

      12. Torres76
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        DDG*
        Valencia* | Barragan* | Alonso
        Allli | Son | Coutinho | Zaha*
        Lukaku | Kane | Rashford*

        Heaton | King | McCauley | Amat

        1. Who should I drop for King?
        2. Captain?

        Cheers

      13. Jazz!
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Valencia + JWP to Gibson + POGBOOM (-4) done.

        1. super zlatan
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Nice.

          GL !!!

          1. Jazz!
            • 10 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            You too son 🙂

        2. Digital-Real
          • 8 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          why end there? place the armband on Poggy...

          1. Jazz!
            • 10 Years
            8 years, 7 months ago

            Must say it is slightly tempting haha, especially as it's on Alvaro Negredo!

            1. Digital-Real
              • 8 Years
              8 years, 7 months ago

              If you had the bottle to place it on Negredo then surely you have the minerals to switch it to Pogboom!

      14. super zlatan
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Start siggy or DeRoon??

        1. DeadStarComing
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Siggy!

        2. ebb2sparky
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Siggy

        3. Hy liverpool
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Siggy

        4. itwaswritten
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          DeRoon. Sell Siggy.

      15. RedMarks 赤的
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Which one do you prefer? (1 ft, 0 itb)

        A. Fernandez --> Friend (Bench Robertson/B.Davies)
        B. Robertson --> Chambers (Spread the risks, already hav jakupovic)

        Cheers

      16. Unbelievable Jeff!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Should I be concerned about Josh King this week?

        Heaton
        Valencia PVA Gibson (Robertson, Yoshida)
        Hazard Sanchez Alli Zaha (Eriksen)
        Kane Lukaku Negredo

        ML rivals have King

      17. BALOOO
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        SGW players like King, Siggy, Eriksen, Kane etc will outscore the DGW ones, just a feeling 🙂

        1. DeadStarComing
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          I think it will be close on some but when you take hits into account it is in the SGW players favour.

        2. Manic Miner
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          I agree, Ive always been burnt with DGW transfers, not this time. Still have 2 with no hits Ill take a chance on Negredo caption as his fixtures are good. Overall points 1,819

          Any thoughts from you guys?

          *de Gea
          Dawson • Alonso • Mawson
          Sigurdsson • Eriksen • Alli • King
          Agüero • *Negredo (C) • Lukaku

      18. EnricoPalazzo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Who to bench..

        Erikson or Coutinho?
        Mawson or Alonso?

        Cheers

        1. super zlatan
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Coutinho and Mawson

        2. NATSTER
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Maw + Erik if you have other Spurs.

        3. Deulofail
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Cout and Mawson. Must have wasted transfers/points to have gotten into this position, I think

        4. Manic Miner
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Mawson

      19. DeadStarComing
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Is Lukaku to Benteke for -4 worth it when taking next game week into account?

        1. andymck
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Probably.

        2. ebb2sparky
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          I wouldn't

        3. Tommyg
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Its just a hunch but I think lukaku will want to impress Chelsea management that game in the hope if a season transfer, with Costa likely to leave at season end, so I'm sticking.

        4. Scholes Balls
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          If you have a WC maybe otherwise Lukaku has Swansea and Wat

      20. Torres76
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Points this week for

        1. Heaton
        2. Grant
        3. DDG

        Cheers

      21. Munny Man
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        .....is it totally left field to even consider captaining Baily?

        1. ebb2sparky
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Sounds a bit desperate to me but could work I suppose

      22. T444
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        De Roon, De Roon, De Roon is on fire

        We don't need benteke he's a motha fuppin clown!

        1. super zlatan
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Ok

      23. Hybrid.power
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 7 months ago

        Bring in Hazard, Firmino or Coutinho?

        1. Stats Don\'t Lie
          • 11 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          Hazard

        2. weaver93
          • 14 Years
          8 years, 7 months ago

          hazard.