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| Conformity is so lame |
Buy Low
Chamakh (4.8)
If you like silly hair, three goals in three and a price so nice you'll have to look twice, Marouane is your man. Still owned by only 4.7% in FPL he is striking hot just in time for the busy Xmas period. With decent fixtures in the pipeline, he's the obvious choice for anyone looking to shift Sagbo (4.9) or Fraizer Campbell (5.3).
Mirallas (7.3)
The Belgian is by no means guaranteed playing time but could be worth considering again now that Deulofeu is out for 8 weeks. He came on against Fulham to score an impressive solo effort. Mirallas is subbed more than any player in the league but upcoming fixtures against Swansea (A), Sunderland (H) and Southampton (H) are encouraging enough to ignore the risk that he won’t always play the full 90.
Evra (6.3)
Rotating cheap defenders has proved preferable to banking on big names so far but if you’ve budgeted well or want a like-for-like replacement for Ashley Cole (somehow still owned by 3.4% of managers), Evra starts every game and bounds forward regularly, evidenced by his finessed right (wrong)-footed finish from inside the box in the 2-0 win against Stoke.
Phil Jones (5.8)
Jones (5.8), at 1.7% ownership in FPL, doesn’t get goals or assists despite playing in midfield and may not be a definite starter but has only missed 2 Premiership games since week 6 and is rarely substituted on or off. He also has one of the most supreme game faces ever. Google it if you don't believe me.
Lennon (7.3)
If you're worried about the impending closure of street-side fruities and roullette machines and really fancy a Christmas gamble, or just to piss off Ed Miliband, why not put 7.3 down on a Spurs player? Whoever takes the managerial reigns at Spurs will likely pick a more reliable starting XI than AVB. Managerial appointments are often reactionary and, crucially from a fantasy perspective, can reinvigorate floundering players.
Lennon is a pace merchant. He started the last 5 games even under AVB and will continue to start if Sherwood remains in charge and implements the 4-4-2 from Wednesday’s Carling Cup tie. He hasn’t scored once this term and only has one assist but with Adebayor back in the fold and two strikers up front, Tottenham could actually have bodies in the box to connect with his crosses.
Soldado (8.6)
Roberto was scoring for fun in La Liga last season – 30 goals in 46 appearances convinced Spurs to pay £26 million for the Spaniard; a price which almost guarantees he won’t be dropped by the new manager notwithstanding his spot on the bench on Wednesday. A new system and some decent service could revitalise Soldado and whilst Lukaku costs only 0.1 more, he is already owned by 32.7% of FPL managers, compared to Soldado’s 6%. Hey Bobby, what is the Spanish for Va Va Voom? Do more of it, por favor.
Tottenham Defenders
The Spurs back-line, once upon a time (November) the stingiest in the league, could also improve following AVB’s departure. Dawson (5.3) and Walker (6.1) have both played every minute this season and the latter’s pace regularly provides a potent attacking threat. With Kaboul out indefinitely, Chricihrichrices (5.1) looks likely to start and has played well recently, slotting home a grass-cutter against Fulham.
The fact that West Ham have scored 4 at White Hart Lane this season may worry you, as well it should, but at this stage of the season it’s alright to take risks. The January mulligan is just around the corner and Spurs face Southampton (A), West Brom (H) and Stoke (H) next, followed by a traditionally enthralling fixture at the underperforming Man Utd, in which Spurs triumphed 3-2 last year. So why not back Spurs to string together a few clean sheets - and if you don’t like what you see, trade in for something that fits you better after New Years’ Day? Just make sure you keep the receipt.
Sell High
Wayne Rooney (11.3)
Rooney might not even make the bench tomorrow according to Moyes. With RVP out as well and United prone to misfiring at the moment, playing Wazza is a risk. He hasn't scored in three, the Hammers have kept four clean sheets away from home this season and United failed to score against both Everton and Newcastle at home. Even if he does play, he's about as safe a bet as a sequel to The Lone Ranger. Selling now might be premature but don't expect big things from the man cruelly (and accurately) described as Shrek this week.
Buy Anyway
Silva (9.2)
9.2 - A high price to pay for someone who hasn't played 90 minutes for 7 games? Surprisingly, no. Back after 5 games on the sidelines, Silva is the fulcrum of Man City’s midfield and is owned by just 4.5% of teams. There is nothing he isn’t capable of fantasy-wise; goals (0.5 per game), assists, set pieces and Bonus Points (‘BPs’) are not just a possibility but rather a probability for the diminutive Spaniard, especially at The Etihad where City are imperious.
He'll also be a handy captain if you had Ageuro and/or don't fancy skippering Suarez away to Man City or Chelsea in GWs 18 and 19 respectively. After Fulham away and Liverpool at home, City have an enticing run of fixtures that sees them play the leaky defences of Palace (H), Newcastle (A), Cardiff (H) and Spurs (A) all before February. There will be blood goals.
Theo Walcott (9.1)
I haven't been this excited about a comeback since 5ive announced a reunion tour. Getting his first start since GW 4, Walcott got 2 ultimately inconsequential goals in their 6-3 drubbing at the hands of Man City. His 13 points won't have gone unnoticed though, so expect his ownership to skyrocket from the 4.4% at which it currently sits. With Ozil and Ramsey owned by every manager who hasn't slipped into a coma or joined a cult that forbids use of the internet, Theo could offer an important differential to help separate you from the wheat, or the chaff - whichever you'd rather not be.
Coleman (6.2)
He remains the mustard (sorry) and his attacking instincts, fortified by spells on the wing have grabbed him two goals in four games for a total of 33 points. 37.7% ownership just isn't high enough. At the moment he's arguably the only defender above 6.0 worth having.
Fool's Gold
Fernandinho (7.3)
The £30m brazilian, who bagged two against the Gunners in addition to 3 BPs, will attract attention from many fantasy managers but buyers should beware the defensive midfielder, even one who plays every game. A 6-3 score-line could normally be considered anomalous for fantasy purposes but even given Man City’s unreal goal-scoring prowess at home (35 in 8 games), putting an anchor man in because he scored twice in a game as explosive as this would be madness, especially given the plethora of other Man City options.
Sterling (4.9)
Sterling scored once to acquire 8 points. This followed three consecutive starts including 12 points against Norwich but he is yet to start a fixture against a Champions League side so might not be reliable enough given that after Cardiff at Anfield, Liverpool have crucial matches away at Man City and Chelsea. Liverpool defenders therefore also remain a risk but, having scored 22 goals in their last 6, most of their attacking players are viable options. Gerrard's eventual return will further limit his potential productivity but Sterling, along with Henderson (6.0), should be kept on your watchlist.
Headache of the Week
Coutinho (8.6)
Coutinho has been one of Liverpool’s key playmakers but produces curiously few fantasy points, epitomised by his score of 3 this week in spite of Liverpool’s total supremacy against Spurs. Perhaps this is because, like Modric at Tottenham, Coutinho often provides the pass before the assist and is strangely goal-shy given his talents and advanced position. Nevertheless, this lack of fantasy production combined with his high price is so off-putting that he has plummeted from one of the main fantasy talking-points pre-season to being owned in just 5.5% of teams.
Head to Head
Quickfire round - Do these transfers to make room in the budget and trade up in life
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| My girlfriend hates it when I announce "It's a quickfire round!" |
Forwards
Chamakh (4.8) for Crouch (5.5) or Dzeko (6.7)
Berbatov (7.0) for Benteke (8.8)
Lukaku (8.7), Giroud (8.9), Negredo (9.6) or Remy (8.2) for Aguero (12.3)
Midfielders
Lallana (6.9) or Ramsey (7.6) for Gerrard (8.8)
Barkley (5.1) for Wilshere (6.1) or Paulinho (6.7)
Defenders
Jagielka (6.0) for Zabaleta (6.1)
Dawson (5.3) for Vertonghen (7.0)
Coleman (6.2) for Ivanovic (6.2)