Our weekly article focussing on player recommendations for the next four to six Gameweeks is rolled out once again. We list the main movers and shakers in this week’s update, with the full listings per classification available on the sidebar on your right:
The Defence
Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny and Per Mertesacker sit first and second for their respective positions as routes into the meanest defence in the Premier League. With three very favourable home games (FUL, CPL, SUN) and a trip to Southampton in the next six, the duo remain much sought-after assets.
Palace’s upcoming fixtures allow Julian Speroni and Joel Ward to climb the Watchlist rankings. At 4.5 and 4.2 apiece, the pair brace themselves for a trio of home fixtures (STO, HUL, WBA) that could bolster their bid for survival – with three clean sheets in their last five at Selhurst Park, investment in the Eagles budget assets has been a popular tactic of late.
Artur Boruc and Nathaniel Clyne are also amongst this week’s climbers. The fit-again Pole helped Southampton to a second clean sheet in just 12 Gameweeks last weekend and is set for a kind schedule which pits the Saints against seven of the bottom 11 in the next nine Gameweeks. At 4.7 and 4.5 respectively, Boruc and Clyne are the cheapest options amongst Mauricio Pochettino’s rearguard and should offer strong value for the foreseeable future.
Hull’s upcoming fixtures bring Allan McGregor and Curtis Davies onto the radar. The Tigers travel to five of the bottom six in the next eight, with the 4.5-priced Scot’s save points likely to come in handy should his side concede.
Liverpool have been particularly porous at the back under Brendan Rodgers this term. The Reds have a mere three clean sheets in the last 18 Gameweeks but four Anfield encounters in six (AVL, EVE, ARS, SWA) and trips to West Brom and Fulham afford a place in the refresh for both Simon Mignolet and Martin Skrtel – at 5.5 apiece, though, they sit relatively low down in our estimations.
Joe Hart and Vincent Kompany also benefit from four home games in the next six. Manuel Pellegrini’s side welcome Cardiff, Chelsea, Sunderland and Stoke to the Etihad and also travel to Norwich and, with just six goals conceded in 10 matches in front of their own fans, investing in City’s defence looks a viable tactic. Kompany gets the nod over Aleksandar Kolarov here, despite setting you back more, at 6.2 to 5.4 – as mentioned in Tuesday’s Digest, the Serbian has started just one of the last six home games.
Chelsea skipper John Terry may have United and City in the next three but, with a single goal conceded in the last five Gameweeks, Jose Mourinho’s side have the form to defy David Moyes’ side, at least. At 6.6, Terry is far from cheap but also welcomes West Ham, Newcastle and Everton to the Bridge over the next six.
Norwich budget duo John Ruddy and Martin Olsson have back-to-back home games with Hull and Newcastle supplemented by trips to Cardiff and West Ham in the next five, whilst West Ham’s Adrian arrives on the radar after getting the nod over Jussi Jaaskelainen last time around. At 4.3, the Hammers stopper welcomes Newcastle, Swansea and Norwich to Upton Park in the next five but is far from nailed on as of yet.
The Midfield
It’s “as you were” in the top five here, with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard vindicating his position at the summit by netting in three of the last four Gameweeks. City duo Yaya Toure and David Silva retain their spots just behind the Belgian despite being ruled out of tonight’s FA Cup clash with Blackburn – we expect both to return for the home clash against Cardiff after their midweek rests.
Southampton’s Adam Lallana is on the rise. The Saints skipper hands Fantasy managers the perfect combination of form (attacking returns in four of the last five) and fixtures, as mentioned above. With a price tag of 7.5, he remains outstanding value this term and is currently sitting fourth in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfield standings on 102 points.
Sunderland duo Ki Sung-Yeung and Adam Johnson also ascend the weekly refresh. Ki has produced two sets of double figures in the last four Gameweeks and, priced at just 4.8, has played every minute of the last 11 Gameweeks. Johnson’s mammoth 22-point haul against Fulham last weekend brings him to our attention. Handed just a single start in the previous eight by Gus Poyet, the 6.4-priced wide man looks set for an extended run on the right of a front three and will be looking to those home games, in particular, to make the difference.
Steven Gerrard’s return from injury brings the Liverpool skipper onto the Watchlist. With Daniel Sturridge’s return up top, a change of formation may well prove detrimental to Raheem Sterling’s run of starts – we turn to the Reds captain instead, then, who, despite being shifted to a more withdrawn role, still managed to pick up the points last time around. Gerrard has now scored or assisted in 10 of his last 11 starts and remains a real differential ahead of those four Anfield encounters in the next six, with just 6% of FPL managers currently owning the 8.7-priced midfielder.
Alex Pozuelo is a budget option on the rise. Priced at a mere 4.2, Pozuelo is likely to benefit from Swansea’s current injury problems in midfield ahead of three home games in four (TOT, FUL, whm, CAR). Robert Snodgrass is our Norwich midfielder of choice ahead of the Canaries’ upcoming schedule. Nathan Redmond lost his starting place to Javier Garrido last weekend and, with loan signing Jonas Gutierrez also in the mix, the former Birmingham man looks on shaky ground. Snodgrass, on the other hand, remains nailed on over on the right flank under Chris Hughton.
The Forwards
Three of this week’s top five frontmen are on the up after returning from injury. Sergio Aguero immediately tucks in behind Luis Suarez in second spot – passed fit for tonight’s FA Cup game with Blackburn, the Argentine has racked up four sets of double figures at the Etihad already and, with those four home games on the horizon, offers a real captaincy alternative to the Liverpool talisman. Currently priced at just 11.9, Aguero sits in just 9% of sides but is set for an almighty bandwagon – an average of 7.8 ppg to Alvaro Negredo’s 4.5 ppg highlights their respective contributions thus far.
Back in the Arsenal XI after recovering from an ankle problem and illness, Olivier Giroud has now scored or assisted in each of his last three and is slowly starting to hint at the consistency which made him such a popular pick in the opening weeks of the season. With Theo Walcott now sidelined for the season, the 8.5-priced Frenchman’s contribution looks more crucial than ever for the Gunners.
Daniel Sturridge’s instant impact off the bench in Liverpool’s weekend thrashing of Stoke has also been recognised here. A goal and assist against the Potters maintained his outstanding consistency ahead of the Reds’ run of four home games in six – priced at 9.2, Sturridge has drawn blanks in just three of his 13 league appearances this season and, with a ppg average of 6.6, he makes a very persuasive case for doubling up on Brendan Rodgers’ attack over the short-term.
Romelu Lukaku and Wayne Rooney drop down due to a lack of form and injury respectively. The big Belgian has now scored just once in the last eight Gameweeks and has been reliant on the occasional assist to keep his points ticking over, whilst Rooney’s ongoing groin injury continues to raise question marks. Six goals in the last six sums up Danny Welbeck’s current form but, despite his kind price and upcoming fixtures, the return of Rooney and Robin van Persie would force Welbeck onto the flank at best.
Wilfried Bony’s recent brace against City and cup winner at Old Trafford keeps the Swansea lone forward in our thoughts. As mentioned above, the Swans’ upcoming home games offer the chance of attacking returns for the 7.3-priced Ivorian whilst, elsewhere in the mid-price bracket, Norwich’s Gary Hooper, at 6.1, has a goal or assist in six of the last 11 and Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez (6.2) has eight goals and a pair of assists in his last 15 matches. Both have decent fixtures to follow and look the standout options for Fantasy managers shopping on a budget.
