Captains Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 16 – Fantasy Premier League 2014/15
What can you do in two minutes? Well, keeping it clean . . . you could listen to Song 2 by Blur and rock out some fantasy league angst, you could read Bryan Munich’s inspirational quotes and think, ‘I’d love to remember that and quote it to appear intellectual (but I never will)’. You could cook two-thirds the way, a soft-boiled egg or watch Tim Vine tell you 56,676 jokes. Alternatively you could watch the entire performance of your fantasy football captain for the week.
Sergio Aguero, everyone. I don’t have the figures to hand but apparently an astounding 134% had the armband on him last week against Everton and the resultant intake of breath at approximately 5.32pm on Saturday as the Argentine (there I said it) crumpled to the turf and then cried, would have been enough to vacuum-seal the hole in the ozone layer.
FIXTURES
Burnley v Southampton
Chelsea v Hull City
Crystal Palace v Stoke City
Leicester City v Manchester City
Sunderland v West Ham Utd.
West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa
Arsenal v Newcastle Utd.
Manchester Utd. v Liverpool
Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton v Queens Park Rangers
Well, as I write there is no definitive update on the injury to Sergio Aguero but you’ll not be surprised to hear that I am proceeding without him this week but I have plenty of other options for you to ponder so let’s find your perfect partner. Now remember, please, your captain choice will either be a marriage made in heaven or more than probable, a ball and chain. Being able to accept either could happen and that it’s out of your control, is one of the keys to proper fantasy management.
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[/three_fourth]I think EDEN HAZARD is your best man this week.
The Belgian likes his home comforts for sure and his five goals so far this season have all been at Stamford Bridge. His last ten goals in fact have all been at home. He has two league assists and strangely they have been playing away. I don’t understand that either. Hull City come to town and it should be yet another routine home win. I’d read nothing in to the Newcastle loss. If such a thing exists, the Geordies are Jose’s bogey team. They’ll be a different beast this weekend with a return to winning ways despite the assist-king Fabregas being suspended. Mikel should again play with Matic returning but it’s the attacking trio of Hazard, Oscar and Willian supporting Diego Costa that should have you bound for points. Oscar is a nice captaincy alternative but Hazard is my tip due to his afore-mentioned Bridge record and given he is on penalty duties. Need one final piece of convincing? Well he has played 90 minutes in his last six league games (and 89 in the one before). Jose seems to like having him on the park. You might just think that’s the icing on the cake.
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[/three_fourth]Our next pick this week is Hazard’s team-mate, ‘throwing shapes (and elbows and hands) like a granddad-at-a-wedding’ Diego Costa. He may have disappointed a touch recently by missing games through injury and suspension and he likes a rumble does Diego so you have to always factor in a couple of lost points for a yellow card but hear us out… Let’s not forget he’s still scored 11 goals and has actually only played 12 games and 7 of them have come at the Bridge. This is no ordinary fixture either. This is Hull. At home. Chelsea have scored 18 goals at home in 7 games and despite their recent slip up at Newcastle and the blank at Sunderland you would have to think it will be business as usual for them this weekend and I fancy Costa will be itching to get back amongst the goals and it’d be a brave man who bets against him getting one or three against Hull. Now if only he could add an assist or two along the way…
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[/three_fourth]Under the lights at the Emirates and under pressure, there we again find Arsene’s Arsenal. I have my eye on a captaincy shout here but it is one of the evening guests I’m going for, PAPISS CISSE. Three in two for the Senegalese who to me, seems like the kind of guy who you played with at school who would just hang around the box and the ball would fall to him regardless. Newcastle are off the back of being the first team to topple Chelsea and Arsenal lost at Stoke (surely to save embarrassment Arsene, rather than not going out of the dugout and face the Stokies slagging him, he should just send Steve Bould with the reserves? Or forfeit?). Sorry, back to the game. Cisse has scored two in 38 minutes against Chelsea and 1 in 90 minutes versus Burnley. So the answer is clearly to chuck him on with ten to go and let him score three. Would I expect him to score three, well despite Per Mertesacker seemingly retiring from all football and not just the international variety after the World Cup, I would have to say no. Do I see him scoring again though and pleasing his 1.3% owners? I do.
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[/three_fourth]In truth I’m not expecting a great reception to that last pick so I’ll be boring and default back to a ‘big’ pick. For those who had Aguero penciled in as their captain come what may, it’s time to alter those plans. YAYA TOURE could be gold over the next five weeks and if you have him, you’ll fancy him rolling up to the buffet that is Leicester City, who putting it kindly, have been extremely poor since they beat Manchester United 5-3, what seems like seven years ago. Toure will have assumed penalty duties now and tucked his one nicely away on Saturday. A lot will now be expected of him as the senior attacking player in this side. Three goals in his last four games including swiping eight bonus points from a possible twelve and going up against the team with the second-worst goals conceded record in the league has a very nice ring to it. City should be Poznan-ing in the pews on Saturday. On the same page, boys and girls, you could have Edin Dzeko if he proves his fitness. A word of warning though, despite his excellent record in the league, he will be playing for a spot along with Stevan Jovetic so maybe best wait a week to assess the situation or just gamble if you’re that kind of a free spirit.
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Outside Chances
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[/three_fourth]For my final two, I’m going to select two very similar style players who have home matches and will hope to continue their decent form. Always the bridesmaid at Chelsea, ROMELU LUKAKU and Brendan’s one that got away, WILFRIED BONY. Both lads will be at home this weekend, Lukaku faces QPR while Bony is up against Spurs. I won’t make a great speech for either of these guys but I think they warrant some attention. Lukaku has scored in each of his last two home games and should probably be rested ahead of the match being as Everton, who play on Thursday, are already qualified in the Europa League. Whilst Bony has being doing plenty of favours for his owners having been amongst the points in his last four consecutive matches (scoring three and assisting one).
As usual, here are the traffic lights . . .
RED (Take a punt if you have him): Papiss Cisse
AMBER (Proceed with (a) caution): Diego Costa
GREEN (If you have him, armband him): Eden Hazard
A final thought:
Remember that you pick your captain, no one else. Unless it so happens to be one of the above three and they nail it, then you heard it here first people.
Enjoy your football.
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Thanks for reading Captain’s Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 16. This article was written by The Gallant pioneer
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WooFBet
Over on the WooFBet website the exclusive FF247 league is back for GW16 and has a prize pool of €150 and it is free to enter so get yourselves over there sharpish!
To enter, visit woofbet.com and sign up (no card details required). Navigate to the Tournament section and click participate on the ‘FF247 – €150 FREEROLL’ tab.
Isn’t it time your fantasy manager job finally paid off!
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Don’t forget to vote on our Captains Poll
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Good morning! 😉
So I did my Aguero crossword last night and took:
Aguero –> Dzeko & Chadli –> Yaya Toure
Still have £2.0 in the Bank and no FT
But I still feel that something is missing… Will I take one more hit for Austin or Wanyama?
Have in mind Benteke or Downing… What you think people?
P.S Captain still between Hazard and Yaya for me, was watching Chelsea playing Hull in Bridge last season and it was hard enough game for us (im Chelsea supporter), but then we had Torres and de Bruyne and now Wilian and Costa upfront, so should be easier 😉 Probably will stick with Hazard.
Thanks!
Respect,
I wouldn’t take a hit. I think you have used your FTs wisely assuming Dzeko isn’t injured before the weekend.
Team is looking good.
Anyone putting the armband on Sanchez this week?
Made two transfers last night and did Aguero & Chadli out for Dzeko & Sanchez.
Hoping Dzeko makes it through unscathed tonight!
Shadow,
He has solid claims alright. No mention of him in the capos article though 😉
. . . so yeah, he’ll probably do very well
Always the risk in transferring early, hoping Dzeko will be OK for you.
Ha, it was either Sanchez or Costa for cappo. Hoping Sanchez has an explosive week.
Morning Lads. Bit unsure over my captain choice this week:
Yaya vs Leicester
Costa vs Hull
Costa :thumbup:
Cheers NIN
Fantastic article as always guys! Keep up the great work!
Anyone know when the guys involved in ACON leave to join up with their respective national teams?
Pretty sure it’s Jan 9th. Tournament starts on the 17th, ends February 8th.
I play in a draft league and need to make a roster move for either a midfielder or defender. Here are my choices:
I have 6.1 for a midfielder. The best available are Bolasie, Walters, Dorrans, Boyd, Flamini, Morrison and Noble
OR, I have 5.3 for a defender. The best available are Cissokho, Tomkins, Vergini, Reid, Lescott
I would appreciate any suggestions or recommendations as to players or teams.
Thank you.
bobfest
There’s not much to get excited about amongst that lot to be honest.
I like Tomkins as West ham are having a good season and will in all probability keep their fair share of clean sheets.