The English Premier League is the fastest league in the world, always enthralling viewers with some brilliant results which can be almost impossible to predict at times.
For Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, however, that unpredictability seems to be more of a bane than a boon, as picking the right players for your team is a unenviable task before the weekend.
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Worry not, for each week, The Statesman will help to make the right moves on the FPL with a comprehensive article on who to buy for the coming gameweek.
The indicators are:
Teams in BOLD are top 4 contenders.
Prices marked with a (+) indicate an increase in Base Price.
Prices marked with a (-) indicate a decrease in Base Price.
Goalkeepers
Fraser Forster
Team: Southampton
Fixtures: Bournemouth (H), Crystal Palace (H), West Brom (A), Man City (H) and Chelsea (A)
Price: 5.0
Score: 84
Ownership: 4.0%
Why yes: Forster has already kept nine clean sheets this season, impressive considering they have lost one of their finest defenders, Jose Fonte, to West Ham. From the next three fixtures, a return of 2 clean sheets doesn't seem too unreasonable.
Why no: The City and Chelsea games will surely see him concede and the Saints may experience a dip in form, not surprising considering they are safely ensconced in mid-table. Those who have Ryan Bertrand should steer clear too.
Defenders
Cesar Azpilcueta
Team: Chelsea
Fixtures: Crystal Palace (H), Man City (A), Bournemouth (A), Man Utd (A) and Southampton (H)
Price: 6.4 (+)
Score: 122
Ownership: 17.6%
Why yes: To put it simply, Chelsea are due a clean sheet and against an inconsistent Eagles side at home, should be able to get one without much fuss. Azpilcueta is a model defender, always tidy and rarely gets a caution or sent off and may even pitch in with the odd goal or two.
Why no: His teammate, Marcos Alonso, plays much further upfield and as a result, is more likely to score/assist. After Palace come City and a clean sheet in gameweek 31 looks unlikely. Picking Azpilcueta if you already have a Chelsea defender or Thibaut Courtois would be an ill-advised move at this stage of the season.
Daryl Janmaat
Team: Watford
Fixtures: Sunderland (H), West Brom (H), Spurs (A), Swansea (H) and Hull (A)
Price: 4.5
Score: 31
Ownership: 0.1%
Why yes: Struggling Sunderland can’t buy a win at the moment and with their relegation looking likelier by the minute, expect Watford to ease past them. Janmaat is almost always marauding in the opponents half, so may pick up a few assists/goals in the next few gameweek (fixtures look promising).
Why no: His defensive capabilities are questionable at times and Sunderland may not win, but with Jermain Defoe on their side, might just score from nowhere.
Midfielders
Georgino Wijnaldum
Team: Liverpool
Fixtures: Everton (H), Bournemouth (H), Stoke (A), West Brom (A) and Crystal Palace (H)
Price: 7.5 (-)
Score: 100
Ownership: 1.6%
Why yes: A big-game player if there ever was one, the Dutch midfielder has the uncanny ability to score a vital goal in a crucial clash. Much cheaper than most of his teammates, he could be a massive differential. Fixtures after Everton look quite easy on paper, at least.
Why no: Much cheaper for a reason, as he plays much deeper than the likes of Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and co. Everton won’t make it easy for Liverpool on Saturday and even the Reds are notorious for underperforming against smaller teams (Bournemouth, Stoke..).
Juan Mata
Team: Manchester United
Fixtures: West Brom (H), Everton (H), Sunderland (A), Chelsea (H), Burnley (A)-Man City (A)
Price: 7.3 (-)
Score: 93
Ownership: 3.5%
Why yes: The diminutive Spaniard keeps plugging away whenever he gets a chance and in Paul Pogba’s absence, could prove the key against West Brom at home. First three matches look quite tempting and he has a lot of differential potential. And there is a double fixture in Gameweek 34!
Why no: Expecting him to start every game is a fool’s dream as United manager Jose Mourinho clearly doesn't favour him. Once Pogba returns from injury, expect him to warm the bench again.
Updated: Juan Mata has undergone groin surgery, which effectively rules him out of United's next couple of matches.
Forwards
Jamie Vardy
Team: Leicester City
Fixtures: Stoke (H), Sunderland (H), Everton (A), Crystal Palace (A) and Arsenal (A)
Price: 9.8 (-)
Score: 99
Ownership: 11.0%
Why yes: Somebody is back in form, and how! His next two opponents have leaky defences and aren't exactly in form, which means Vardy should help himself to a couple of goals at the least.
Why no: Is still very expensive and should you already have Riyad Mahrez in midfield, Vardy is not recommended.
Abel Hernandez
Team: Hull
Fixtures: West Ham (H), Middlesbrough (H), Man City (A), Stoke (A) and Watford (A)
Price: 5.9 (-)
Score: 51
Ownership: 0.9%
Why yes: West Ham are struggling mightily at the moment and a dangerous Hull side under Marco Silva should put them to the sword at home. Overall, Hernandez has some inviting fixtures up ahead (apart from Man City of course) and should bag a couple of goals.
Why no: The wildcard pick of the gameweek, Hernandez hasn't exactly lit up the season with his goals. He scores the odd one and then goes quiet for a couple of games.
PS: The Gameweek deadline is 11.30 am GMT/4 pm IST, so make sure all transfers are completed before that!