Captains Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 38

Captains Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 38 – Fantasy Premier League 2014/15

Ah, the unpredictability of a meaningless fixture. As West Brom’s confident dismantling of the champions reminded us, teams with nothing to chase have respect for neither form nor logic. Romelu Lukaku’s hat-trick in 2012/13’s loopy 5-5 finale with Man Utd is burned permanently onto the retinas of FPL managers across the land (Most infamously, costing runner-up Kelvin Travers the title that year). There hasn’t been a goalless draw on the last day of the Premier League since Hull and Liverpool meekly closed their 2009/10 campaigns; therefore clean sheets could be at a premium, and some games may resemble a Harlem Globetrotter exhibition. All of this is great news for us, of course. In arguably one of the most lacklustre Premier League seasons to date, a carnival of football will not only belatedly whet the appetite for next term, but send FPL players into the summer cradling a bounty of points. The captain choice then, represents something of a Hail Mary for those of us with nothing to lose; a liberating end to a frustrating season. League leaders will look to the consistency of more trusted candidates, and hope that the chasing pack doesn’t unearth a ‘Lukaku moment’.

Here’s my top five.

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[/three_fourth]5. Jason Puncheon – home vs Swansea
You’ve got to hand it to Jason Puncheon. Ever since THAT penalty, y’know, the one against Spurs that accelerated global warming by punching another hole in the ozone layer; the midfielder has gone from strength to strength, particularly under Pardew. Last week’s Gerrard-esque free-kick deflated the party balloons at Anfield, crowning a man-of-the-match performance and giving the Palace star his 4th double digit FPL haul.
Visitors Swansea will arrive knowing that if they lose they’ll have to settle for 8th. But a victory would cement them a very creditable… 8th. Without even the incentive of improving their league position to accrue some extra prize money, the Swans are the very embodiment of a team likely to turn up in sandals; towel in one hand, sun cream in the other. It would be no surprise to see Puncheon celebrate his new four-year contract in style on Sunday at a buoyant Selhurst as the flying Eagles look to round off a wonderful season by soaring to 10th.

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[/three_fourth]4. Christian Benteke – home vs Burnley
One of the great things about Fantasy Football, unlike the reality, is that it doesn’t matter how bad the other players are, you’ll reap the full benefits of a team’s star performer. Enter Benteke. A player so utterly superior to his teammates (Villa’s second best player is Tom Cleverly. Let that sink in for a moment), he can score 13 goals in a team that secured their safety only in the penultimate game. He can get you 6 points in spite of a 6-1 mauling. Benteke, a one-man reason to invest in the Tim Sherwood philosophy. Who cares what happens at the back, when you’ve got one of Europe’s sharpest marksmen facing a team already planning for a return to the Championship? Well, not that a Dyche team would ever raise the white flag, in fact they’ll want to go out with a bang. Just don’t be surprised if this game becomes a reckless end-of-season free-for-all.

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[/three_fourth]3. Olivier Giroud – home vs WBA
Arsenal, oh Arsenal. Where to begin. I could tell you that they have the 3rd best home goal-scoring record, but then I could tell you West Brom have the 2nd best away defense. I could seduce you with tales of how they destroyed Liverpool, Villa and Newcastle at the Emirates, but then break your heart regaling their careless capitulations against Swansea and Spurs. You’ll gasp in awe at Giroud’s 2015 streak of 9 goals in 10 games, but wince awkwardly at his failure in the last 6. It’s the last game of the season. It’s against West Brom. It’s Arsenal. These 3 factors alone make a prediction entirely futile. It will either be 7-3 to the Gunners, or 1-0 to the Baggies. All that’s left for you is to look into the eyes of this handsome Frenchman, and ask yourself, “Can I trust you Olivier? Can I trust you one more time?”

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[/three_fourth]2. Sergio Aguero – home vs Southampton
Two teams that have salvaged their form after sticky spells face off in what promises to be one of the day’s higher quality contests. Southampton can still claim what would be an incredible 5th and City will seek to protect 2nd. Sitting atop the scoring charts with 25 goals, Aguero’s explosive resurgence has all but assured him his first Golden Boot. The Citizens have looked irresistable in May and with Pellegrini’s services confirmed for 2015/16, an impressive victory would be quite a statement of intent. An Aguero-led feel-good factor at the Etihad would slightly soften the disappointment of losing their Premier League crown. So what’s keeping him from being the number one captain choice this week? The best away defence in the league, that’s what. A clean sheet on Sunday would see Ronald Keoman’s side finish with 18 goals conceded on their travels. Fewer even that Preston in League 1. But then again, they don’t face Aguero every week.

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[/three_fourth]1. Eden Hazard – home vs Sunderland
Chelsea saved their most underwhelming performance for Pulis’ men on Monday, but the Blues will be back on the front foot for the visit of Sunderland with surely their strongest possible line-up, keen to preface their triumphant lap of honour with a performance fit for title winners. Stamford Bridge has seen the home team score in every single game and are yet to lose there. The enforced absences of Fabregas and Oscar are a nuisance, but Hazard has never been shy of filling the stage. A few words of caution. Sunderland have been solid away from the glare of the Stadium of Light, and FPL’s top scorer has scored just a solitary goal with no assists in 5 games; his worst run of the season. But this could well be a prescient lull before the showpiece crescendo. Yes, the Black Cats will be jubilant after ensuring their top flight status, but that lack of focus could create more space for the PFA and FWA player of the year to gleefully exploit.

Thanks for reading Captain’s Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 38. This article was written by Bryan Munich

Follow @bry_cooper

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