Digest

The FPL Digest: Felipe Anderson, Huddersfield and a GW15 Wildcard

Our Gameweek 11 coverage ends with this regular look back at a player, team and discussion point that attracted our interest in the weekend’s matches.

Our focused player and team actually meet each other this Saturday, but both are Felipe Anderson (£6.8m) and Huddersfield Town‘s defence are worthy of deeper scrutiny following their performances in Gameweek 11.

We also ponder when FPL managers still sitting on their first Wildcards might decide to use their prized chip.

The Player – Felipe Anderson

While we have discussed the pros and cons of Marko Arnautovic, Grady Diangana and West Ham’s defence in recent weeks, Anderson’s 13-point haul against Burnley last weekend prompted us to take a closer look at the mercurial Brazilian.

The summer signing from Lazio certainly appeals from a fixtures point of view, with the Hammers only facing Manchester City of the “big six” sides between now and Gameweek 22.

West Ham, indeed, sit top of our Season Ticker from now until January 2019.

Anderson is the seventh-most-bought FPL midfielder ahead of Gameweek 12, a predictable market trend given his double-digit haul against the Clarets and availability in the same price bracket as the most-sold midfielder of this round of fixtures: Leicester City’s James Maddison (£6.9m).

There was certainly nothing wrong with some of Anderson’s underlying statistics this weekend: no FPL midfielder had more goal attempts, efforts from inside the opposition box or shots on target than the Brazilian in Gameweek 12 and indeed he had more shots on goal than any player on show at the London Stadium on Saturday – even Arnautovic.

Anderson also made two key passes, one of which resulted in a “big chance” for Arnautovic that the Austrian striker spurned.

The Brazilian midfielder certainly passed Gregor and many others’ eye test at the weekend and could well have emerged from West Ham’s 4-2 win with a Gameweek 12 score better than Raheem Sterling‘s (£11.1m), given that two of his other shots on goal either clipped the woodwork or were cleared off the line.

Anderson’s creativity, rather than his goal threat, had marked him out as a possible mid-price FPL candidate for this run of fixtures and the Brazilian ranks ninth among midfielders for key passes in 2018/19 – despite the Hammers having faced five of the “big six” sides in the opening 11 Gameweeks.

Here is where we urge caution, however.

Anderson has only created two big chances this campaign (one of which was for Arnautovic on Saturday) and more than doubled his season’s total for shots in the box in the victory over the Clarets last weekend.

Before Saturday, Anderson had been averaging less than one shot per appearance in the Premier League.

The Brazilian has also recorded fewer penalty box touches in 2018/19 than 31 other FPL midfielders, despite starting all 11 of the Hammers’ matches and lasting 90 minutes in seven of them.

Never underestimate Burnley’s unfortunate ability to make an FPL asset all-the-more attractive, either – Ross Barkley (£5.9m) delivered a 17-point haul against Sean Dyche’s side in Gameweek 10 before putting in an anonymous showing against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

The Clarets have conceded more shots on goal, efforts on target and big chances than any top-flight side this season.

It was only last week that we were discussing Anderson’s pitiful showing in the Carabao Cup defeat to Spurs (after a similarly anonymous display against the Lilywhites in Gameweek 9) and his manager acknowledged that the ex-Lazio star owed the Hammers’ fans a performance:

Well, Felipe scored two goals and made an assist and missed two goals more!

I said, when you asked me about Felipe [before the game], that nobody was happy with his performance, but the first one who wasn’t happy was him.

He knew what he must do and he has 100 per cent commitment for the club, so I was absolutely sure he was going to produce this performance in this game and he never had any chance not to be in the starting XI. That was a decision I had taken and I spoke about with him a lot of days ago.

It may be that Saturday’s display gives Anderson’s season a kick-start and the confidence boost he needs, but with the improving Huddersfield Town (see below) and Manchester City to come in the next two matches, we await further evidence from Anderson regarding his viability as a mid-price midfield asset.

The Team – Huddersfield Town

Cardiff City aside, Huddersfield Town are perhaps the least-appealing Premier League team of 2018/19 from a Fantasy perspective – or at least have been until the last few weeks.

While we will be staying well clear of their FPL midfielders and attackers (the Terriers having scored a league-low five goals this season), David Wagner’s side have been showing steady signs of improvement in defence just in time for an appealing run of fixtures between now and mid-January.

While trips to Bournemouth, Arsenal and Manchester United are a deterrent, the Terriers’ home fixtures are the best in the division up to and including Gameweek 21 – the West Yorkshire club welcome West Ham, Brighton, Newcastle, Southampton and Burnley to the John Smith’s Stadium in their next five matches on home soil, all of whom sit in the bottom half of the table for goals scored and shots on target registered.

A Huddersfield stopper, then, could be used as a fifth defender in rotation for those favourable home fixtures over the next ten Gameweeks.

Our analysis of Huddersfield’s defence was not so much prompted by Monday night’s clean sheet against Fulham (only their second of the season) but the underlying numbers beneath their recent displays.

Remarkably, Town have allowed fewer big chances than any other side in the Premier League over the last four Gameweeks – all of which arrived in the chastening 3-0 defeat at Watford.

Given that the focus of this piece is predominantly on the Terriers’ home fixtures, the fact that only Manchester City and Liverpool have allowed fewer big chances on home soil than Wagner’s side this season also makes for encouraging reading.

This is a particularly noteworthy achievement given that Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool have all visited West Yorkshire in 2018/19.

Huddersfield are in fact one of only two clubs to have prevented Liverpool from registering a big chance in a league game this season.

Just three clubs have allowed fewer shots on target than the Terriers in home matches this season, meanwhile.

Nineteen of the 21 goals that the Terriers have conceded this season have come in matches against sides in the top half of the Premier League table (nine were shipped in the first two Gameweeks) with Wagner’s troops conceding on just two occasions in four fixtures against fellow strugglers Fulham, Cardiff, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

As he proved on Monday evening, Christopher Schindler (£4.3m) appears to be the main goal threat at the back – no Huddersfield defender has recorded more attempts on goal, shots in the box or penalty box touches than the German centre-half this season.

A word though on Chris Lowe (£4.4m), who was unfortunate not to collect an assist for his side’s winning goal against Fulham for the cross that ultimately led to Timothy Fosu-Mensah deflecting Schindler’s header into his own net.

Lowe’s attacking potential is all-the-more great in a wing-back system, which Wagner has employed in five of Huddersfield’s six home matches this season and will surely again use against West Ham on Saturday after the result on Monday night.

Only three defenders have delivered more crosses in 2018/19 than Lowe, who has also taken 19 corners for his side this season.

Lowe is also out-performing his fellow Huddersfield defenders on the Bonus Points System.

The Fantasy community are hardly going to rush out and snap up a Terriers defender based on what we have outlined above or even factoring in their excellent fixtures.

With many FPL bosses considering Aaron-Wan Bissaka (£4.3m) and Matt Doherty (£4.9m) as budget season-keepers, room may be short for another cut-price defensive option in our squads.

The Huddersfield backline at least, though, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Newcastle’s and Brighton’s, both of whose defenders have been tipped up in the Fantasy community in recent weeks.

The Talking Point – A Gameweek 15 Wildcard

At the point of the Gameweek 11 deadline, around 3.8 million FPL managers had yet to use their first Wildcard.

A large proportion of that figure will be accounted for by ghost teams and “casuals”, but there remains a significant number of Fantasy bosses who have been sitting on their prized chip for longer than they would have perhaps anticipated at the start of 2018/19.

The question of when to deploy their Wildcard will no doubt be at the forefront of these managers’ minds and the consensus in the Fantasy community seems to be that sometime around Gameweek 15 might be the time to pull the trigger.

The fixture turns for a number of clubs around this point is reason enough to give the Wildcard deployment consideration.

Spurs are the main beneficiaries of this swing: after their trip to the Emirates in Gameweek 14, Mauricio Pochettino’s side then only face one fellow member of the “big six” group – Manchester United – in the subsequent 13 Gameweeks.

Christian Eriksen (£9.2m) and Dele Alli (£8.9m) may be fully integrated back into the starting XI by that point to offer us some differential premium midfield picks, while Harry Kane (£12.4m) has an audition of sorts over the next month in order to force his way back into our thinking ahead of this excellent sequence of matches.

The worst of Arsenal’s fixtures will be over by Gameweek 16, meanwhile, and the Gunners welcome Huddersfield, Burnley, Fulham and Cardiff to the Emirates from then until Gameweek 24. Unai Emery’s side also have away days at Southampton and Brighton during this spell.

Those FPL managers who have resisted premium strikers this season may re-think their strategies with Alexandre Lacazette (£9.7m) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) re-entering the forward equation – if they weren’t already prominent in our thoughts – at the beginning of December.

A trip to Liverpool aside, Manchester United also have a fine run of matches from Gameweeks 16-21, coming up against Fulham, Cardiff, Huddersfield and Newcastle in December and early January.

Plans could also be set in motion for Gameweek 17, when Manchester City’s fixture run eases considerably – from that point onwards, they face only Liverpool of the “big six” until early February.

Chelsea also avoid any of their fellow title challengers from Gameweeks 17-22.

Liverpool, by contrast, have the worst run of fixtures on our Season Ticker between Gameweeks 17-21.

After encounters with Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City in Gameweeks 13 and 14, Wolves’ fixtures are among the most unappealing in the division with Chelsea, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester City to face between Gameweeks 15 and 22.

For those FPL managers who are still harbouring non-playing bench fodder, meanwhile, a Gameweek 15/16/17 Wildcard would be a good time to stock up on budget options who are guaranteed playing time ahead of the packed festive schedule.

Over Christmas and New Year last season, Mohamed Salah (£13.0m), Sadio Mane (£9.8m), Andrew Robertson (£6.4m), Eden Hazard (£11.3m) and Marko Arnautovic (£7.1m) all missed at least one game through rotation, illness or injury.

Kane and Raheem Sterling (£11.1m), meanwhile, were among the players who served up an irritating “one-pointer” off the bench.

While there is nothing that can be done regarding those cameo substitute appearances, winter Wildcarders can at least ensure they have a playing squad of 13 outfielders before we encounter the turbulence that the festive pile-up brings.

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373 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Dybala10
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Probably being crazy, but bought Holebas as a three week punt, he's failed and dropping in price. Already done Mitro > Arnie so considering a -4. Any 4.9 options worthwhile or log off?

    A) Doherty
    B) Balbuena
    C) Holding
    D) Duffy
    E) Yedlin

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      A long term yes. But not this week as long as you have someone with legs

    2. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Yedlin has served me well for the last 2GW's, Fixtures look good for a while

    3. Harper (No more Penandes)
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Save this week then do A the following week

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

        This

    4. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Take the drop. Not worth a hit, and Saints are hardly a scary fixture.

    5. Fpl Richie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Not much to choose between Duffy, Balbuena and Yedlin etc. Personally I have Fabs, so Duffy suited me and his goal threat seems strong, but Ryan/Balbuena is just as good for a few pennies cheaper. I'd also go Fernandez before Yedlin for a penny less.

  2. Come on you Kante
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Why is Mendy not playing ? Any info

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Rest.
      Hopefully

    2. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Speed Awareness Course.

  3. zotter
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Richarlison to Shaqiri for a hit? Could pay off this week alone.

    1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Yes and Salah out to Shelvey for -4 as well. Could pay off.

    2. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Not for me

  4. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Captain Lewandowski or Ronaldo in CL? FiT game
    Thanks

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Either.

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Thanks

  5. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Certainly saving my WC for GW15, gotta stock up on nailed players for the busy Xmas Schedule

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Shaqiri In then

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        May even go without an Liverpool attack and just get Robertson for the odd attacking return and CS's, feel their Front 3 just isn't clicking the same as last season, I would get Shaqiri though if Mane/Salah were to get injured, couldn't pass up on a 7m Liverpool attacker!

  6. Turns
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Hold this week, then the following next week? 0.6 itb, 1FT

    Firmino, Stephens -> Jiminez, Martial

    Rotate Jimi and Fraser until GW20.

    Patricio
    Mendy - Robbo - Alonso
    Hazard - Mane - Maddison - Fraser
    Kun - Firmino* - Arnie
    ______
    Hamer - Stephens* - Bennett - AWB

    1. Mr Bird
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Yep looks good to me but i’d keep a close eye on Martials minutes... should be fine for the time being due to form but Mou loves Lukaku and Sanchez has come in on the left.

  7. Manani
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    something wrong with Mendy or just rested?

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      A rest I imagine

  8. Red Rock
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    How do i fit a Liverpool player in? Got 2 FTs but £0m in bank

    Patricio
    Mendy Alonso TAA
    Sterling Hazard Richarlison Kenedy
    Aguero Lacazette Arnie

    Doherty Hojbjerg AWB

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Which Liverpool player?

    2. Robe Wan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Downgrade sterling to silva and buy mane

  9. fkmzcgp
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    TAA and Murray —> VVD and Jiminez??

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Stuck for now

  10. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mendy and Kun rested

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Perfect outcome

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers.

  11. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Looks like we’ll be getting 90 mins of kun unless he’s needed. Kun (C) :O

  12. Monkey Hanger
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Pep say's the Manc derby had zero impact on tonights team section.

    1. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      *selection* 🙂

    2. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah, you can always trust what Pep says.

    3. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      He injured de Bruyne to prove a point so maybe he’s telling the truth

  13. jtreble
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Based on today's MNC lineup are we to expect one of Sterling, BSilva or DSilva to sit out this weekend?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Doubt it, will be full strength v Utd

  14. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Knockaert to who fellas?

    A. Deulofeu
    B. Murphy
    C. Brooks
    D. Gray

    Cheers in advance

    1. Rash
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      C.

      Or consider Diaganna?

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Tbh mate don’t know too much about the lad

        1. Rash
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          I watched West ham vs Burnley as I had money riding on it plus Arnie in my side. The guy was electric.. however Burnley are tripe but worth monitoring.

          1. THFC4LIFE
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            Cheers fella will do. Is he nailed or just playing due to injuries etc?

            1. Rash
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 4 months ago

              Think it's due to season ending injury to yarmolenko, plus Antonio seems out of favour.

              1. THFC4LIFE
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 4 months ago

                Cheers Rash

    2. samaael
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      a

  15. samaael
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Bego/ 4.0
    Bennett/ Robertson/ Alonso
    Salah/ hazard/ Maddison/ Schurrle
    Wilson/ Kun/ Ings

    4.0/ Cedric HojbeRg/ wan b

    1FT 0ITB

    a) save
    b) Schurrle to Deulo
    c) Schurrle to Gudmunsson
    d) Schurrle to someone else?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      To Barkley?

  16. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling due a rest this weekend vs United? Would be slightly worried as an owner with him playing tonight in CL

    1. JasonG123
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I'm a little worried, but maybe he's already had his rest? It is international break after this week so maybe he can go all out with Sterling.

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

      Asked a similar question above: ... one of Sterling, BSilva or DSilva to sit out this weekend?

    3. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Pretty sure he's played 3 games in 7 days already this season.

      1. Maddi Son
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Yup, he started all 3 of these games

        Saturday 15th Sept vs FULHAM
        Wednesday 19th Sept vs LYON
        Saturday 22nd Sept vs CARDIFF

    4. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I can’t see it

      He will get a nice 2 week rest after Sunday’s game with another international injury

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

      Don't own him but Pep can't possibly drop him from derby

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

        Good one. :). Pep does what Pep wants.

  17. hjalmarekdal
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Which one would you rather?
    A) Mitro Ward —> Felipe Anderson Kamara (-4)
    B) Mitro —> Murray

    1. samaael
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      b

  18. samaael
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    whoops posted old team before

    Bego/ 4.0
    Laporte/ Robertson/ Alonso
    Salah/ hazard/ Maddison/ Schurrle
    Wilson/ Kun/ Arnie

    4.0/ Bennett/ HojbeRg/ wan b

    1FT 0ITB

    a) save
    b) Schurrle to Deulo
    c) Schurrle to Gudmunsson
    d) Schurrle to someone else?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Treat it like a hit. a) unless you have a great replacement.

  19. hjalmarekdal
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Which one would you rather do?
    A) Mitro Ward —> Felipe Anderson Kamara (-4)
    B) Mitro —> Murray

    1. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Don't really like either of those options, sorry.

  20. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Chances of these boys starting at the weekend?

    Mendy
    Firmino
    Ings
    Hazard
    Robbo

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

      I think all will start

    2. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      80%
      90%
      99%
      85%
      60%

  21. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Best way to get Arnie in here? Would be for -4 so the other player coming in Also needs to impress,
    Or any other moves other than getting Arnie in?

    Patricio, Hennessy
    Alonso, Mendy, Robertson, Doherty, Duffy
    Salah, hazard, Maddison, richarlison, billing
    Aguero, mitro, success

    0.2itb, 1ft

  22. New Post
  23. Monkey Hanger
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    BALDY SILVA G.

  24. Jones Kusi
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    So I did Maddison>F.Anderson last night and after reading this I feel bad. But I am disappointed over Maddison the last gws and I thought I take a risk with Anderson. Maybe this is just the beginning of a great run.

    Make me feel good.

  25. MandalarFC
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Keep Hazard or trade with Salah?

  26. De Gea is GOAT
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Will cop a lot of stick for this but would swapping Wilson for Arnie a good move for this GW? TIA

  27. Jerryblock
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Guys,
    Which one of 1 or 2?
    1/ Sterling + Murray
    2/ David Silva + Vardy

  28. gebinsky
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Ederson(5.6)
    Arnold(5.0), Alonso(6.7), Shaw(5.0)
    Salah(13.0), Martial(7.4), Maddison (6.9), Hazard (11.0), Richarlison (6.7)
    Wilson(6.3), Agüero(11.2)

    Bench: Stekelenburg(4.0), Bennett(4.1), Wan-Bissaka(4.1), Success(4.5)
    In the bank 0,3 and 1 FT.

    Maddison out, Richarlison doubt + questions with Arnold and Success.
    Rly don't know what I should do with my team. Who should I change?