After casting an eye over the Goalkeepers, Budget Defenders, Mid-Price Defenders and Premium Defenders over the last few days, our assessment of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Player List moves further up the park. This time around, we assess the cut-price midfield options for the upcoming season:
At first impression, there seems to be few genuine contenders in the 4.5 – 5.0 midfield price range. As pre-season friendlies progress, though, we should gradually be afforded a better idea as to how teams are shaping up – whilst the pickings are presently slim, with few standout attacking options currently available, there are, nonetheless, a few cheap rotation pairings on offer:
Coming in at 5.0, Villa duo Fabian Delph and Ashley Westwood both served notice of their eye for goal by finding the net on three occasions last term. Granted, that’s hardly prolific form but if they can kick on from last season’s exploits, they may offer us a viable cut-price option in the centre of the park. Paul Lambert’s side rotate home/away perfectly with West Brom and with Graham Dorrans also setting you back 5.0 for the Baggies, the midlands clubs may come into consideration if they can improve upon last term’s disappointing form.
For Burnley, Michael Kightly (five goals and six assists) and Scott Arfield (eight strikes and a trio of assists) seem the standout options at 5.0 apiece, though with highly-rated right-back Kieran Trippier at the same price, many may overlook The Clarets in the centre of the park. As mentioned in our rotation article, Sean Dyche’s side alternate home/away with Hull over the entire 38 Gameweeks but whilst Tigers duo Robbie Brady and Ahmed Elmohamady also set you back 5.0, the arrival of Robert Snodgrass and Tom Ince is likely to see our attentions focussed on the mid-price bracket for Steve Bruce’ charges.
Elsewhere amongst the promoted sides, Leicester new boy Marc Albrighton has already found his way into a number of Fantasy squads after being priced at 4.5. A peripheral figure at former club Villa, the wide man’s delivery could be key to The Foxes’ chances in the final third and, with few options at that price currently catching the eye, he could become an increasingly popular pick if he nails down a role on the flank for Nigel Pearson’s Championship winners. Winter signing Riyad Mahrez chipped in with three goals and five assists in just 19 appearances in the Championship last term – at 5.0, he’s costlier than Albrighton and will need to be monitored over the upcoming friendlies.
As mentioned previously, Southampton dovetail perfectly with The Foxes over the 38 Gameweeks and could present us with a couple of legitimate options. Analysis of the Player Price List shows that Steven Davis is the only current budget midfielder to have exceeded 100 points in the campaign gone by. The 5.0-priced man served up two goals and seven assists over 34 appearances for the St Mary’s outfit but it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll retain his starting berth under new boss Ronald Koeman – many are hoping the Dutchman hands the similarly-priced James Ward-Prowse a chance to nail down a spot in his XI after the youngster started 16 times in 2013/14.
Liverpool’s Oussama Assaidi comes in at 5.0. The winger’s chances of breaking into the Reds’ first-team look slim-to-none but with Mark Hughes still keen after a relatively successful loan spell at Stoke last season, a move to the Britannia could bring Assaidi into consideration ahead of a schedule which pits the Potters against just three of last term’s top eight in the first 12 Gameweeks. Swansea alternate with Hughes’ side over the entire season and if Ki Sung-yeung (5.0) can nail down a starting berth upon his return to the Liberty, pairing him and Assaidi may yet be an option. Stoke’s Stephen Ireland also sets you back just 5.0 and started seven of the last eight games he was available for last season – there’s question marks as to whether he can retain the role in “the hole” as Hughes strengthens in his second season at the helm, though.
Newcastle’s new boy Jack Colback may be one to consider. Despite moving to St James’ Park from neighbours Sunderland, the 5.0 midfielder remains under the radar due to the arrival of Siem de Jong and Remy Cabella but, with three goals and a trio of assists in 28 starts for the Black Cats last term, Colback may be a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, option amongst Alan Pardew’s first XI.
Unsurprisingly, QPR’s main options are placed in the budget bracket after the club scored just 60 times in 46 league matches in the Championship. David Hoilett was the most prolific R’s midfielder last time around with four goals and five assists over 38 appearances and, like Joey Barton (three goals, three assists) comes in at 5.0 – both offer plenty of top-flight experience which suggests they could continue in the starting XI for next term, though with Harry Redknapp expected to strengthen, none of the current crop really stand out.
The arrival of Mauricio Pochettino is expected to shake up the Tottenham midfield. Both Tom Carroll and Nabil Bentaleb are available for just 4.5, though it’s far from certain that either will be in the South American’s first-team plans, given the number of midfielders at his disposal. Nonetheless, Pochettino showed at Southampton last year that he’s not afraid to hand youth a chance and there remains a hope that one, or both, could potentially be on the cusp of a breakout season ahead for the north London outfit.
