The hectic winter schedule of the Premier League treats footballing fans to feast on a glut of games but the frenetic nature of the English top-flight gives Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers a selection dilemma more often then not.
While new stars are forged weekly, upsets are almost a given and that’s just the tip of the iceberg from the phenomenon that is the Premier League.
Predicting results would require one to be omnipotent and while The Statesman can’t promise miracles, we can give you the next best thing: An incisive article ahead of every gameweek to help you choose who to pick for your FPL team.
The indicators are:
Teams in BOLD are top 4 contenders.
Prices (in £ million) marked in Green indicates a rise in Base Price.
Prices (in £ million) marked in Red indicates fall in Base Price.
Goalkeepers
Jordan Pickford
Team: Everton
Fixtures: Huddersfield (H), Liverpool (A), Newcastle (A), Swansea (H) and Chelsea (H)
Price: 4.8
Score: 42
Ownership: 5.9%
Why yes: Sam Allardyce’s appointment has proved to be a good omen as the Toffees smashed a hapless West Ham side in mid-week. Pickford, who saved a penalty against the Hammers, makes plenty of saves every game and has a massive differential. Huddersfield aren’t great travellers and will be low on confidence after getting hammered by Arsenal.
Why no: Whether or not ‘Big Sam’ can get the underperforming Merseysiders back on track remains to be seen. Lukasz Fabianski of Swansea (£4.6 m) and Nick Pope (£4.6m) of Burnley are arguably better options in this price-range. A Mersyeside Derby after the Huddersfield tie looms large and considering Liverpool’s form, Everton are likely to concede several goals in Gameweek 16.
Defenders
Marcos Alonso
Team: Chelsea
Fixtures: Newcastle (H), West Ham (A), Huddersfield (A), Southampton (H) and Everton (A)
Price: 6.9
Score: 68
Ownership: 15.2%
Why yes: The defending champions have sorted out things at the back (4 shutouts in their last five games), and if you don’t have a Blues defender in your FPL squad, now is the time. Alonso was the standout option at the back last season and this time round he’s not doing too badly from his wing-back role either. Excellent on set-pieces and equally impressive with his crosses, Alonso is primed for double-figure returns, especially with the routine fixtures Antonio Conte’s men have lined up.
Why no: Alonso is among the most expensive defensive options and team-mate Cesar Azpilicueta arguably makes for a stronger claim to make your team. Considering Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata’s form up top, picking too many Chelsea defenders would fill up your max quota of three Blues players. The defending champions are likely to amass clean-sheets in the coming weeks, but they are also odds-on to score a few so it may come down to choosing between their attack and defence in FPL.
Ryan Shawcross
Team: Stoke City
Fixtures: Swansea (H), Spurs (A), Burnley (A), West Ham (H) and West Brom (H)
Price: 4.8
Score: 24
Ownership: 0.9%
Why yes: The first of two wildcard picks for Gameweek 15 is Ryan Shawcross. Stoke are the fancied side when they host struggling Swansea. The goal-shy Swans have lost their last four away games on the trot and will be up against it at the Bet365 Stadium. Shawcross, who has a hefty differential potential, is a threat from set-pieces as well.
Why no: Stoke are reeling from back-to-back losses and while the Potters are playing an aesthetically-pleasing style, they aren’t running a tight ship at the back anymore. After Swansea, they travel to Tottenham Hotspur and it is difficultly to see them coming away from Wembley with anything but a loss.
Midfielders
Pascal Gross
Team: Brighton and Hove Albion
Fixtures: Liverpool (H), Huddersfield (A), Spurs (A), Burnley (H) and Watford (H)
Price: 6.0
Score: 76
Ownership: 21.7%
Why yes: Gross has been seriously impressive in midfield these past weeks, as is evident by his price surge. The Brighton man has three goals and five assists already and against a suspect Liverpool defence, should be able to add to that tally.
Why no: Liverpool’s overwhelming firepower is blowing teams away at the moment and Brighton may just be another casualty.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Team: Everton
Fixtures: Huddersfield (H), Liverpool (A), Newcastle (A), Swansea (H) and Chelsea (H)
Price: 8.0
Score: 38
Ownership: 2.1%
Why yes: Wayne Rooney may be cynosure of all eyes at the moment, but Everton’s record signing hasn’t been doing too badly either. The Icelandic midfielder, who is this Gameweek’s second wildcard pick, has scored once and assisted twice in their last three games and against an under-performing Huddersfield side, could wreak havoc. A massive differential especially if one takes Huddersfield’s poor away record into account.
Why no: Forwards Rooney (£7.2m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.1m) are in decent nick as well and worth a dekho as well. Everton travel to Anfield next week and the odds will be firmly against them in the Merseyside Derby.
Forwards
Alvaro Morata
Team: Chelsea
Fixtures: Newcastle (H), West Ham (A), Huddersfield (A), Southampton (H) and Everton (A)
Price: 10.7
Score: 75
Ownership: 32.1%
Why yes: Simply put, Morata is due a goal. The Spaniard has come close to extending his season’s tally of eight goals in Chelsea’s last two games, but somehow the back of the net has eluded him. Against Newcastle, who are winless in their last five games, the £60 million man may just register a brace. Chelsea have revitalised their season and picking several Blues players will bode well for your FPL team.
Why no: Winger Eden Hazard is arguably in better form and plays like a second-striker in Chelsea’s new system. Picking both of them is a tempting strategy but one mustn’t forget that both players are extremely expensive and would take a major chunk of your team’s budget.
Andre Gray
Team: Watford
Fixtures: Spurs (H), Burnley (A), Crystal Palace (A), Huddersfield (H) and Brighton (A)
Price: 6.3
Score: 42
Ownership: 2.3%
Why yes: At his price, Gray is a bargain considering he is a confined starter for a Watford side that are showing they aren’t afraid of the big guns. Games involving the Hornets are turning out to be goal-fests and their record signing has been influential of late. Watford have a tough opponent this week, but fixtures after Spurs look pretty routine on paper.
Why no: Spurs may not be in prime shape at the moment, but considering the quality they possess, can crush any side on their day. Gray often doesn’t complete the full 90 minutes, a trend that may put off many FPL managers. Hornets midfielders Richarlison (£6.6m) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (£5.4m) are in the form of their lives and it would be hard to pick Gray over them.
PS: The Gameweek deadline is 11.30 am GMT/5 pm IST.