With another international break now upon us, we take a look at the fall-out from the weekend’s matches. Sergio Aguero’s form, Juan Mata’s importance to United, Arsene Wenger’s midfield and Villa’s lack of consistency are all amongst this evening’s topics.
Sherwood’s Villa remain a work in progress…
A home clash with Swansea seemed the perfect time for Villa’s main assets to place themselves in the shop window ahead of the double Gameweek. Unfortunately for Tim Sherwood and Fantasy managers alike, the Midlands side failed to maintain the momentum that harvested three successive wins prior to the weekend as they slumped to a disappointing 1-0 loss. With Christian Benteke set to be assessed after limping off with a hip problem, investment in Villa’s squad remains a risky tactic as they struggle to steer clear of the relegation battle.
Aguero’s slipping closer to the exit door…
Up against ten-man West Brom for 89 minutes on Saturday, the Argentine was handed the perfect chance to get back amongst the points at the Etihad. Whilst David Silva dazzled and Wilfried Bony staked a claim for a regular role by opening his City account, Aguero failed to score for the eighth time in ten appearances since returning from injury. With just eight Gameweeks remaining – and at least three of them doubles – Aguero’s place in our 15-man squads looks increasingly under threat. At a time when fellow big hitters Diego Costa and Daniel Sturridge both delivered again, and with in-form pair Harry Kane and Olivier Giroud racking up the goals, Aguero is looking the fall guy for many – over 33,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have transferred him out since the weekend, with his price now dropping to 12.8; just 2.0 less than Kane and Giroud combined.
…but Costa’s fragility might just delay matters…
Forced off on 75 minutes with a recurrence of his hamstring injury away to Hull, the Blues frontman now enters another international break with question marks hanging over his availability. Costa’s goal and assist at the KC continued his return to form, and with a double just around the corner, he’s earmarked by many as the obvious Aguero replacement. With Jose Mourinho casting doubts over his availability to face Stoke, though, some may be prepared to wait on Costa in the short-term, despite the fact that the striker has missed only two league outings through injury so far. There’s also the Suspension Tightrope to consider here – Costa (who has already missed four matches due to bans) is currently on eight yellows and has to avoid two more in the next couple of Gameweeks before the limit is extended from ten to 15 bookings. Essentially, if he is cautioned in each of the next two Gameweeks, Costa would then serve a two-match ban against United and Arsenal. Someone as canny as Mourinho will be more than aware of this and there’s a possibility he could turn to Loic Remy against Stoke or QPR to ensure Costa remains free of both injury and suspension.
Mata has played his way into Van Gaal’s XI…
Louis van Gaal’s decision to keep faith in the Spaniard and hand suspension-free Angel Di Maria a place on the bench proved pivotal as United clinched a vital win at Anfield. Mata’s brace served a reminder of the talents that produced 162 and 212 points in his two seasons at the Bridge and saw him move past Di Maria as the highest scoring United midfielder this season – despite starting just two of the last nine league matches. Di Maria’s assist off the bench suggests he could be set to oust Ashley Young from the XI next time out, but as United attempt to chase down second spot, it seems that Mata has finally convinced his manager he’s worthy of a regular role.
Long deserves more pitch time…
Handed a second consecutive start through the middle as Ronald Koeman rolled out a 4-2-2-2 to accommodate Graziano Pelle up front, the Republic of Ireland international opened the scoring in the Saints’ 2-0 win over Burnley. Whilst Pelle retained a central role after the break, Long – along with Sadio Mane – was shuffled onto the flanks as Koeman switched to a 4-2-3-1. The Italian yet again failed to score and has now fired 34 unsuccessful attempts from Gameweek 18 onwards – given that the Saints face five of the bottom seven in the next seven rounds of fixtures, Long’s pace and eye for goal looks crucial if they are to maintain their bid for a top-four finish.
Murray warrants our attention…
With more room for manoeuvre in our five-man midfields, the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie have overshadowed Glenn Murray as a Fantasy prospect in recent weeks. Zaha’s second successive strike in a 2-1 win at Stoke hogged the headlines as he continues his return to form under Alan Pardew, yet it was Murray – with a goal, assist and maximum bonus – who was the Eagles’ chief protagonist at the Britannia. The 5.1-priced striker has now racked up four goals and an assist in his last four yet is owned by just 0.1% of managers – whilst double Gameweek targets will understandably take priority, clashes against Sunderland, West Brom and Hull in the next four give Murray the chance to continue his own renaissance.
Martinez’ switch to 4-4-2 is paying off…
The Everton manager’s recent change of tactics has sparked a turnaround in fortunes and eased worries of a relegation battle. Martinez’ move to a 4-4-2 set-up, with Romelu Lukaku partnered by Arouna Kone up top, has earned the Merseysiders back-to-back victories for the first time since Gameweeks 8 and 9 and moved the Toffees nine points clear of the drop zone. The new system seems to be getting the best out of their key men – Lukaku registered a season-high score against the Magpies last week, whilst Seamus Coleman’s 13-point haul at Loftus Road yesterday mirrored his best for the campaign. With five home clashes allied with trips to Swansea, Villa and West Ham in the final eight Gameweeks, Martinez’ men are starting to suggest they could be set for a strong finish to the campaign.
Sterling’s wasted on the right…
The Liverpool youngster’s Fantasy fortunes continue to look bleak due to a move to the right wing-back berth. Brendan Rodgers ignored the many calls for Sterling to be reintroduced to the centre at the expense of Daniel Sturridge for yesterday’s visit of United and watched on as the midfielder turned in an anonymous display out wide. Whilst Sturridge has four goals and three assists in eight appearances since returning from injury, Sterling has managed just two attempts on goal in the last three Gameweeks since Rodgers’ switch – with a trip to Arsenal potentially preceding a Gameweek 33 blank (if the Reds progress past Blackburn in the cup), Sterling’s season is in danger of grinding to an abrupt halt.
Ramsey’s form allows Wenger to tinker…
Last week’s 3-0 win over West Ham saw Santi Cazorla drop out of the starting XI as Arsene Wenger’s decision to start the Welshman in his place was vindicated with a goal and assist. Ramsey’s midweek strike in Monaco continued his fine form and persuaded Wenger to rest Mesut Ozil this time out – the German had a “slight illness” against the Magpies as Olivier Giroud bagged a brace in the 2-1 win. With the FA Cup also to consider, there’d be no real surprise if Alexis Sanchez – with one goal in seven – is next in line for a day off, given that Wenger has conceded he is “tempted” to rest him. With home clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea in the next four, in addition to a blank Gameweek 33, many owners have already had enough – over 17,000 have sold on the misfiring Chilean, more than any other midfielder in the Gameweek.
Pearson’s playing havoc with our double Gameweek 34 plans…
When Leicester’s double Gameweek 34 was confirmed a few weeks back, Jeffrey Schlupp and Riyad Mahrez looked the stand-out candidates as nailed-on options out wide. Over the past two matches, though, Nigel Pearson’s line-ups have quickly cast doubts over the pair’s potential – while Schlupp has been shifted to left wing-back, Mahrez warmed the bench in the 4-3 loss at Tottenham and was handed a brief 15-minute cameo. With David Nugent and Jamie Vardy serving up a goal and assist apiece at the Lane, the Foxes manager has plenty to ponder as he look to go on the offensive and take advantage of six home fixtures in the remaining nine matches.
There’s a bargain to be had between the posts…
We pondered the merits of West Brom’s Boaz Myhill but came out of the Gameweek with another budget option to consider. With Frazer Forster crocked in Southampton’s 2-0 win over Burnley, suddenly Kelvin Davis joins Myhill in the reckoning, offering two good reasons to carry out surgery on our FPL keeper spots. Myhill looks certain to be the Baggies’ custodian for the season run-in, enjoying home encounters with the bottom two – QPR and Leicester – next. Priced at 4.4, Davis could be playing behind a back-four who registered their fourteenth clean sheet at the weekend, with the likes of Villa, Hull, Sunderland, Stoke and Leicester still to play. We wait on Forster’s prognosis but if Ronald Koeman’s pessimism proves correct, many of us will be eyeing up a change in nets.
