Selection

Deulofeu a tempting FPL differential as an “out of position” midfielder

With the Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 11 deadline less than 24 hours away, we’ve taken to championing the case of three overlooked FPL assets in our regular Friday feature.

Two of our differentials once plied their trade for Barcelona, while the other is a 20-year-old budget midfielder who only made his senior debut in September.

Lucas Digne (£4.8m)

FPL ownership: 1.7%

Having recorded clean sheets in both of their previous home fixtures, Everton look a decent bet for a third successive shut-out at Goodison Park when Brighton and Hove Albion visit in Gameweek 11.

No side scored fewer Premier League away goals than the Seagulls (ten) last season and Chris Hughton’s side have failed to find the back of the net in three of their five league fixtures on the road in 2018/19.

Brighton have also registered fewer attempts on goal and shots on target in away matches than the 19 other top-flight clubs.

What sets Digne apart as a stand-out asset is the left-back’s creativity.

Only two FPL defenders have delivered more crosses and created more chances than Digne this season, with the former Barcelona man prominent at corner-kick situations and taking his fair share of direct free-kicks, too.

Digne has recorded ten attempts on goal in just eight league appearances this season, meanwhile.

Only Burnley have conceded more chances than Brighton from their right flank (i.e. Everton’s left) this season, with just two clubs having allowed more crosses than the Seagulls from that zone.

Gerard Deulofeu (£5.4m)

FPL ownership: 0.5%

Watford’s all-new strike pairing of Deulofeu and Isaac Success (£4.5m) were among the goals last weekend and both have excellent cases as differentials for Gameweek 11.

With Troy Deeney (£5.9m) a major doubt for the trip to Newcastle United, Success looks likely to continue alongside Deulofeu in attack and the Nigerian has understandably been the focus of much FPL transfer activity, attracting over 50,000 new owners.

Success’s long-term first-team prospects are uncertain, however, and it remains to be seen whether he can still keep Deeney out of the side when the Watford club captain is fit and available.

That Andre Gray (£6.0m) continues to sit on the bench is a positive sign for Deulofeu, however, and the performances of the former Barcelona and Everton midfielder over the last two Gameweeks have been eye-catching.

Deulofeu has had as many attempts on goal and shots in the box as Success over the last fortnight and that he has racked up more touches than the Nigerian striker in the final third and opposition penalty box – despite playing fewer minutes – in Gameweeks 9 and 10 illustrates that he is generally playing further forward than Success in this Watford system.

Only two FPL midfielders had more shots in the box than Deulofeu in Gameweek 10.

The Hornets’ opponents this weekend, Newcastle United, haven’t kept a clean sheet at St. James’ Park in 2018/19 and only two Premier League clubs have conceded more goal attempts in their area than the Magpies in home fixtures this season.

Grady Diangana (£4.5m)

FPL ownership: 0.0%

Budget-freeing enablers are always a welcome prospect in Fantasy Premier League and there has been much talk in recent weeks surrounding Isaac Success (see above), Josh Murphy (£4.8m) and Victor Camarasa (£4.5m) as cut-price options in attack and midfield.

We could potentially have another bargain find on our hands in the form of West Ham’s Grady Diangana.

With Andriy Yarmolenko (£6.8m) out long-term and Michail Antonio (£6.8m) delivering an abject performance in midweek, Manuel Pellegrini’s options on the right flank would appear to be limited to Diangana and Robert Snodgrass (£5.3m) – himself a set-piece-taking differential and only owned by 0.1% of FPL managers – for the time being.

Felipe Anderson (£6.8m) is, of course, another attacking midfielder to contend with but with Pellegrini favouring a 4-2-3-1 in recent weeks due to a lack of available options in central midfield, there is room for the Brazilian as well as Snodgrass (who started centrally against Leicester in Gameweek 10) and Diangana behind Marko Arnautovic (£7.0m).

Burnley have conceded more opportunities from the flanks than any other Premier League side this season and no top-flight club has allowed more big chances or shots on goal than the Clarets.

At £4.5m, Diangana would also free up funds to splurge on, for instance, a heavy-hitting defence.

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978 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BigBarn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Fellow fantasists! I need help.

    Wildcarded to the following two weeks ago, so now have 2FTs to burn but no real plan.

    Patricio Hamer
    Mendy TAA Gomez Doherty Digne
    Salah Sterling Hazard Brooks Obiang
    Kun Wilson Ings

    I was hoping to do Sterling + Ings -> KDB + Arnie, but that's obviously now off.
    I could simply to Patricio -> Fabianski to make playing Doherty every week a bit easier.
    I could do Ings -> Success, but with 0.1itb the saved cash leaves me just short of doing TAA -> Robertson (but doing that this week seems sub-optimal anyway).
    I could do Sterling -> Mahrez and either TAA/Gomez -> Alonso or upgrade Ings to Arnie ...

    Sorry for the long post but, for once, I'm genuinely a bit stuck.

    1. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Pat to Fabs

  2. Maddamotha
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    King > Murray or King, AWB > Kamara, Mendy -4?

  3. Drogo
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Kane (C) for differential? 🙂

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      God no.

    2. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      No

    3. Homer21
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Well, it would certainly be a differential

      1. Drogo
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Well... Hazard isn't starting. Salah is facing Arsenal, Aguero only play 50-60 minutes, Kane is facing Wolves. He has been terrible so far but, once he starts there is no holding back.

  4. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Arsenal-Liverpool score predictions ?
    2:2 for me

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      1-3 liv

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      1-1

  5. FPL Mentor
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Interesting Sarri presser. I think theres still a possibility that Hazard starts. Sarri stated he wasnt sure if he will be coming off the bench or starting and that he wants to talk to Hazard first.

    Contradicts his statement about playing only 40 minutes admittedly, however im sure Hazard will be itching to get back on the pitch. Hopefully he can convince Sarri in their talks that he is good to go from the start?

    Maybe just wishful thinking lol.

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      he wont start. If in first half be draw or Chelsea lose, he will came in 45.

    2. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I think he’ll start. Trained all week, and also said he needs to speak to Haz as well yet. He’ll get limited minutes though.

      1. Totti
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        no trained yesterday only

      2. Shineonme
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        He hasn't trained all week sorry.

    3. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Can see hazard starting to be fair

  6. Gentle_Turks
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    2 FT, 0 itb.
    A. Ings > Kamera, Foster > Hamer, Stephens > Barkley (-4)
    The Hamer and Kamera moves are ones I plan to do soon anyway to set up the team for future plans, but doing now allows Barkley in.
    B. Mitro to Arnie
    C. Just Foster to Hamer and roll other FT.

    Fab
    Mendy, Alonso, Doherty, Robertson
    Salah, Hazard, fraser, Maddison
    Mitro, Kun(c)

    (Foster, Ings, Stephens, WB)

    Thanks and good luck this week.

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      B

      1. Gentle_Turks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers. You don't fancy Mitro against Huddersfield?

    2. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      B

  7. Totti
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    hazard lacazette ings -> barkley aguero vardy for -4

    yay or nay

    1. Gentle_Turks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I think yes to the Kun/Vardy moves, but hold Hazard. If you sell him, you'll want him back.

      Please help above thanks.

      1. Nice to Finally Michu
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        He can’t hold Hazard if he wants Kun I imagine

    2. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Just Laca and Ings imo

    3. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Could pay dividen's

  8. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Hi, Sterling for C anyone?

    1. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Close between him and Ageuro. On pens gives Aguero the edge.

  9. Shineonme
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    I got rid of hamer weeks ago so yes he's got to go.

  10. MMN
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    1 FT, 1.4m ITB. Any thoughts?

    Pat (Hamer)
    Alonso, Robbo, Mendy (Doherty, AWB)
    Hazard, Mane, Bilva, Richa, Fraser
    Aguero, Arnie (Kamara)

  11. Gramps
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Please help!
    Fabianski (Hamer)

    Alonso Mendy Robo (Bennett WanB)
    Mane Fraser Salah Richarlison (Hughes)
    Aguero Mitrovic Arnie
    0.2 itb

    I NEED Hazard. How would you guys do it?

    1. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Downgrade hughes and upgrade Mané work?

      1. Gramps
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        still one mill short

  12. 1justlookin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Right, I have 2 FT's with 0.0 in the bank. What to do?

    Foster. Fabianski.
    Mendy, Robbo, Doherty, Cedric, AWB
    Salah, Hazard, Maddison, Richarlison, Fraser.
    Aguero, Mitro, Ings.

  13. Hermanos FC
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Fabianski
    Robertson Alonso Mendy
    Maddison Fraser Hazard Mane
    Aguero Laca Jimenez

    Patricio WB Billing Cedric
    I have got two FTs please suggest some changes

    How about this?
    A) Laca to Arnie
    And Billing to Richarlison?

    B) Laca to Arnie
    And Jimenez to Wilson
    But two Bournemouth players against united can be risky right?

  14. EL tridente
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Who to captain?
    A) Mane
    B) Kane
    C) Hazard