Captain Picks Fantasy Football Game-week 4 – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16
If you captained Yaya Toure in Gameweek 1, Romelu Lukaku in Gameweek 2, Callum Wilson in Gameweek 3 or Riyad Mahrez in any of these weeks, congratulations! You are succeeding more than most. Some of us are holding on to Rooney’s “assist” in Gameweek 1 as the only time we got it sort of right.
So on to the next chance we have – and I’m writing this off the back of two 4 point captain shows – so you may want to look away now, stick your fingers in your ears and pretend you never caught sight of this.
I jest. Like the most optimistic (or sadistic) FPL players, I’m back for more. And this week I’m going to crack it.
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Gameweek 4 – The Fixtures
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Sunderland
Bournemouth v Leicester City
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester City v Watford
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
Southampton v Norwich City
Swansea City v Manchester United
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My Five (actually seven):
Callum Wilson
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[/three_fourth]There was a debate pre-season regarding the price of Wilson and his fellow promoted striker – Watford’s Troy Deeney. Each priced at £5.5mln, each playing in the Premier League after brilliant Championship seasons and each with claims for that difficult “third” striker slot. Well the Coventrian has made light work of finding his way to the top of the striker charts, even if it is at a very early stage. OK so his points were mainly hauled in one game at Upton Park where he bagged his first Premier League hat-trick but Wilson owners would happily have taken a goal a game at this stage so three in one, is of no concern.
So his backers or those purchasing him this week might consider that the armband goes to him – the man is in form after all and Bournemouth as a whole are playing some great passing football. They are very incisive and direct and a hallmark of their promotion-winning side from last season.
Leicester have started brilliantly but consider that they are yet to record a clean sheet and even Sunderland stuck two past them and you might just look twice at the Bournemouth penalty taker.
Although, as we’ll come to later, there are superstars with attractive fixtures this week, looking at Rooney, Aguero and Hazard all being two-pointers recently, maybe taking a chance on a lesser light might just be the way to go. And Wilson will hardly be short of confidence.
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Riyad Mahrez
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[/three_fourth]In the same match, the man of the season so far, Algerian Riyad Mahrez, will be aiming to take Charlie Daniels to the cleaners at Dean Court on Saturday.
Three matches, four goals and a clean sweep of all nine bonus points before him, has the winger as the top midfield point scorer. He has also stuck away the Foxes’ only penalty so far and would be lined up again one would assume, should another fall their way.
At the very least, this man should be in your squad, captaining him may take a bit of bottle but maybe that is the way to go. You could hardly be backing him at a better time.
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Pedro
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[/three_fourth]The Spaniard will find his way in to many teams this week and the good news is that his price should be protected until after the deadline. Many will see Hazard to Pedro and banking some £1.9mln as a worry free move and I have to agree. I think if both fit, Pedro might just match Hazard’s point tally this season. He introduced himself to the Blues’ fans with a goal and an assist in his first start to send Chelsea to their first victory of the season at The Hawthorns and send himself to the 3 bonus points – couldn’t have asked for more from his debut.
A home match against Crystal Palace won’t be easy but you would have to expect Chelsea should win even if it is to keep up with Manchester City (and Leicester). The Barcelona academy product has gone for a reported £21mln, which to me could well be the signing of the summer.
I’d add Diego Costa in here as well – Pedro could be the perfect supply line for the granddad of the Chelsea team. Costa scored his first double-digit haul in the West Brom match and that could be him off and running for the season.
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Christian Benteke
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[/three_fourth]Many will argue that the Belgian is still awaiting his first ‘goal’ in front of the Kop due to the clear infringement of the offside rule which should have resulted in his goal being disallowed. Thankfully moral decisions don’t apply in the fantasy world and the £32.5mln summer signing managed to mark his Anfield debut with 9 fantasy points courtesy of his goal and the 3 bonus to leave Monday Night Captainers rejoicing! He also hit the crossbar in the second half so it could have been more.
Truthfully he should also have added another against Arsenal on Monday evening. Where the plaudits will go to Petr Cech for a fine save, Benteke shouldn’t have given him the chance of a save. What is encouraging, however, is the understanding being shown clearly between Benteke and Coutinho. One can see Benteke having many laid on for him by the Brazilian in the coming weeks especially in the matches at home where Liverpool will see lots of the ball. Next up are out-of-sorts West Ham so there is definite scope there for more goals.
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Sergio Aguero
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[/three_fourth]Home game. Yep. Home to a promoted team. Yep. City playing well. Yep (three in three with +8 goal difference). Already scored this season. Yep.
All the signs are pointing to an Aguero Armband this weekend.
Depending where you are in the overall standings or your own private mini-league, you’ll know if you can take a chance by moving away from Aguero. Common sense tells you that those with him (28.2%) will make him their man so to either stay with the leaders or hold off those challengers, you really shouldn’t be looking any further than your top striker.
This is also the beginning of six decent fixtures for City, so I’d imagine many will be loading up on their players and it also makes sense to captain one of them being as they are in by far and away, the best attacking team in the league.
This leads me on nicely to David Silva, a differential of sorts owing to the expected Aguero love this weekend. Three assists, three clean sheets and two bonus points so far and he should/could have been on the score sheet at West Brom in Gameweek 1. The first goal is around the corner and could come this weekend. As usual, playing in between the lines of the opposition, the little Spaniard is never far from the attacking points. You could do a lot worse than side with him this weekend.
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As usual, here are the traffic lights . . .
RED (Take a punt if you have him): Callum Wilson
AMBER (Proceed with caution): Christian Benteke
GREEN (If you have him, armband him): Sergio Aguero
A final thought:
This is the last Gameweek before both the transfer window closes and for the hiatus for international football so the next round of matches, Gameweek 5, isn’t until 12 September.
Usually this is the worst time to have a stinker of a Gameweek because you have what seems like an eternity to wait to get back on track. For those of you who have wildcarded, I’d imagine and hope your squad is in good enough shape to bank this week’s free transfer and have two to use come the return in GW5. For those still with the wildcard, then I should imagine many will be activated once this week’s deadline has passed to benefit from that two week period of tinkering and to take advantage of the transfer business still to be completed.
Triple Captain Chip
Just a quick word on the new feature this season. It pretty much does what it says on the tin and trebles your points for your captain on whichever game-week you choose to deploy it. We shall touch on this as and when we feel the opportunity presents itself to use it effectively but this in all likelihood is one to save for when we encounter double game-weeks later on in the season.
For those wishing to use it before such a double Gameweek, I’d imagine that Aguero at home to Watford is as enticing as a single match gets.
Whatever you do, go with your instinct and have a great Gameweek 4!
Enjoy your football.
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Thanks for reading Captain Picks Fantasy Football Game-week 4. This article was written by The Gallant Pioneer
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Fixture Tracker
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One more question for the day – Schemichel (BOU away) or Butland (WBA home) this week?
Got the same dilemma. Opting for Butland at the moment due to the fact that West Brom seem to be struggling with their strikers and I wouldn’t back Leicester to keep many clean sheets the way things are going this year.
Cheers AT, leaning that way myself.
Hmm, tough one. Probably Butland, but not by much.
Afternoon all, seen Sakho (WHU) is a doubt for the game against Pool.
Replacing him would be for a hit but my fifth mid is Anya so not too keen on playing 3-5-2 and benching him.
Will probably WC next week so fixtures aren’t crucial so long as he has a good one this weekend.
At the moment I’m thinking about Wilson and Diouf. Also considering Okazaki and Gestede as punts, thoughts?
AT – toss a coin between Wilson and Diouf, in my opinion.
One week? Diouf for me from that list.
Cheers both. Yeah one week because I’ll probably wildcard next week so it won’t matter if their fixtures become awful.
Leicester don’t strike me as being great defensively this year so Wilson could work well. Diouf/Stoke has looked pretty good though but harder opposition.
From those names, Diouf for me too.
@AT, I lean towards Wilson because of pens and some assist potential. Diouf’s goals came off two headers (could be wrong) from what I remember. So that means he is more dependent on service than Wilson. But I think either choice is good for a punt. Could go either way.
Thanks both. Tricky as I think Leicester will concede and can’t see Wilson not being involved whereas Diouf is against Brom so anything could happen.
Cheers GP,
It’s kind of like your very own magnificent seven…with the kind of luck I’ve been having of late I might as well give Steve McQueen the armband!!!
Kop
Who’s he playing? 😉
The bad guys
Which defender of City except Kompany and Kolarov is a nailed starter in the team?
Sagna or Mangala which one should I get?
Would think Sagna as Zaba is out for the next 2-3 weeks whilst Otamendi could be brought in soon
yash
Sagna at least until Zaba comes back – but I’d go Kompany for peace of mind.
Do I play Sakho or Francis?
Thanks for any feedback. :beer:
Ruben
With his recent assist and the way AFCB are playing, I’d be tempted to stick Francis in there. Especially with all the non-football business with Sakho currently.
GP – Thanks! I’ll take a chance and play Francis.
Hey guys. Who is the best option for a 5.5m attacker? Currently thinking Defoe still not sure about Wilson… Am I wrong?
Thanks
full time
Wilson at home to Leicester, Defoe away to Villa… I’d go Wilson, he’ll be confident after last weeks hat-trick and I for one expect a high scoring game from Bournemouth vs Leicester, with Mahrez and Wilson both getting on the scoresheet.
Thanks twinkle.
What about long term, do you still think Wilson? I quite like my midfield this week so whoever I pick will probably sit on the bench! Unless I bench Barkley, that is an option…..
FTime
Only time will tell whether he is a ‘five-minute’ wonder I suppose, but look at there fixtures, all fairly good until GW9 when they play City away, then GW10, Spurs at home. Just think Charlie Austin last season
full time
Not sure why you’re choosing Barkley, the Toffees have some terrible fixtures… check them out before you decide. But I’d go for Ayew at about 0.5m more or even Redmond for 1m less.
Sold!
Barkley has looked really good this season, watched all his games and I think it will be his season….. Shit just looked at his fixtures….. not good…. bin. Thanks