In his latest article, two-time Indian Fantasy Premier League (FPL) champion Lateriser picks out the teams and players he’s keen on in the final four Gameweeks.
With the final four Gameweeks of the season to go and several clubs not having a lot to play for, I thought I would look at some players and match-ups that I like and which of the ‘loosey-goosey’ teams I still fancy.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle United might be bottom five in the league on the Season Ticker but I don’t necessarily see it that way, especially for their attackers.
In the last six matches, they sit second for xG non-penalty and big chances accumulated and have largely been one of the form teams of the league in attack. In their last five home games, they have plundered 18 goals at an average of 3.6 goals per game. They’ve looked a different beast, especially on Tyneside.
And they’ve got a couple of pretty decent games, especially at home. Motivation is also very high for them, as only five points separate third and seventh.
I certainly wouldn’t sell any of my Newcastle United players. If I was on a Wildcard, I certainly wouldn’t ignore them as I see them as one of the teams capable of scoring 3+ goals on their day. In fact, as things stand, Alexander Isak (£9.6m) is my captain for this Gameweek – although I still haven’t fully ruled out a Manchester City attacker. I just see the game against Brighton and Hove Albion as one which might be fairly open-ended and has the potential for goals.
Isak clocked 1.00 xGI in the reverse fixture with the Seagulls and while he hasn’t looked his sharpest, squandering good chance after good chance, I do believe that he has the class and ability to put that behind him sooner rather than later. Eddie Howe said as much in his post-match quote on Saturday:
“Is he at the absolute top of his game at the moment? Possibly not, but I think that’s the same with any player, there’ll be little peaks and troughs. The most important thing is, throughout the season, that he’s still contributing and scoring massive goals for us. We back him to rediscover that, we’re talking 1 or 2%, back into his game very quickly.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak
ASTON VILLA
Another team that has my attention is Aston Villa. They are similarly motivated and simply can’t afford to drop a point in the league in their chase for a UEFA Champions League qualification place.
They have a couple of home games left in the season, including a very juicy one against Tottenham Hotspur at home in Gameweek 37, which might fall around the UEFA Europa League final for Spurs (if they qualify). That game is one I have an eye on as a potential Triple Captaincy option in case there are no future doubles left for the season.
Aston Villa, just like Newcastle United, fall into that category of teams to target as they have everything to play for and have been in good form as well. They are second for xG in the league in the last six matches and only three teams have clocked more big chances in the period.
I believe in the wounded tiger syndrome and with Marcus Rashford (£6.7m) ruled out for a significant period of time, Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) is high up my radar. He was vocally angry for not playing in the UEFA Champions League and produced a great performance against Newcastle United in their 4-1 win against them. This is his time to show the manager what he’s been missing out on and I think he’s one of the strongest differentials and picks in the game right now.
I wouldn’t sell Morgan Rogers (£5.7m) either and would definitely have at least one of them in my team if I were on Wildcard.
BRENTFORD + WOLVES
Now, when it comes to the ‘loose’ teams that could be worth our consideration, I would be more interested in attackers rather than defenders because playing without any pressure might lead to some goals. Their defenders, I would leave aside. In fact, I would focus my transfers more on attackers for the final weeks of the season as clean sheets would be tougher to predict and the more explosive haul potential is with the attackers (especially in Gameweek 38).
Bryan Mbeumo (£8.1m) and Yoanne Wissa (£6.6m) have got a lot of attention this week, and rightly so. They have four good fixtures with a juicy one against Ipswich Town in Gameweek 36. They have been two of the top-performing attackers in the league and have four games with high goalscoring potential.
Another team with not much to play for that has my interest is Wolverhampton Wanderers. They are in a good moment and after this week’s game against Manchester City, I don’t mind investment in their attack. The home games against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford look good for goals and in the middle, they have a game against Crystal Palace, which will be around the Eagles’ appearance in the FA Cup final.
SELLING SAKA?
Keeping or selling Bukayo Saka (£10.5m) is a decision that I’m wavering on but as I am someone who is not looking to captain Mbeumo this week, I wonder if I can save a transfer and see what opportunities open up next week – especially with a certain Norwegian now in training.
With Arsenal down 1-0 and an away tie against Paris Saint-Germain pending in their European quest, their Gameweek 38 tie against Southampton jumps out as one of the strongest to me. I wonder if I will be selling Saka just to want him back in three Gameweeks. That said, the entry point for Brentford attackers is very strong this week so I do think it is a good move for those considering it, especially if you have Mbuemo pegged down as your captain.
That is all from me this week. Good luck for the run-in! If you want more, we did a podcast with my fellow Pro-Pundits Pras and Zophar, which you can view here:
