Captains Picks Gameweek 6

Captain’s Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 6 – Fantasy Premier League 2014/15

We’ve all been there. “If only there were two of me.” Your multiple selves could alternate going to work or if you’re workaholics get a job each and rake in twice the pay. You could step out onto the tennis court and practice both your serve and return in the same exchange. Heck, you could even become the next Proclaimers. With so many benefits, is it any wonder Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection?

Last week two FPL bosses, we’ll call them Joe and Joel to avoid confusion, were locked in a Banterbury H2H battle. Joe was riding a wave of euphoria after bagging Jamie Vardy’s 21 points. He’d surged up the global rankings and life was good. Sipping on a caramel macchiato he then smugly checked his duel with Joel and was jolted back into his chair in a fit of contorted agony, his face burning with searing hot coffee. His nemesis had Vardy too, but the news was much worse than that…

He’d captained him.

So, what’s even better than a high scoring FPL player? One that’s doubled. As Tina said. ‘It takes two baby’.

Of course, that never happened. No-one in their right mind would’ve captained Jamie Vardy, but it’s the moral that’s important. Here are my top 5 in order for GW6.

1) Diego Costa (Aston Villa, h)
[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]Even with Torres, Chelsea still proved to be a dangerous team but so often the Spaniard’s benignity up front shifted the onus onto those behind him to kill teams off. Whereas before the Blues were akin to a daddy long legs unable to administer its venom, with the arrival of Costa this beast now boasts huge pointy fangs, brandishing an Uzi, atop a trundling Sherman; Fabregas dutifully in tow feeding it ammunition at will. That’s not an insect I want to find in my house.

Although a starkly obvious leading contender for the armband this week, no FPL gaffer worth his salt takes even the most tempting decisions without due consideration. So here’s some further ‘persuasion’. Despite his hamstring problems, he’s started every league game this season. Mourinho interestingly revealed that the striker needs a week’s recuperation between matches. So, alarmingly, if Costa starts a midweek Champions League game it’s likely he’ll be benched for the weekend or vice versa. Thankfully thus far, he’s been prioritised for Premier League fixtures.

Villa won’t be labelled the pushovers they’d have otherwise been a month ago, but anyone going to Stamford Bridge will do well to come away with their reputation intact. If the visitors can replicate their Anfield achievements, we may have to start taking their defence a lot more seriously. If they capitulate like they did against Arsenal, however, then hold on tightly to a loved one. After a brief blip at Man City, the safe bet is for Costa’s normal service to resume.

[divider_1px]

2) Angel Di Maria (West Ham, h)
[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]Like the Parthenon sculptures, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling and Stanley Kubrick’s “2001”, Di Maria has already shown everyone a timeless brand of football that is as beautiful to marvel at, as it is effective in its execution. FPL managers aren’t so interested in aesthetics, so long as their stats stack up. Well check these bad boys out. *opens coat*

He’s scored 28 FPL points in his 3 games, which despite only joining the party in GW3 puts him in the top 15 overall. In each of the last two games he’s notched up both a goal and an assist. In the game at the Leicester City he took on opponents 7 times, had 3 shots and created 3 good chances.

We all (apart from LvG) know about Man Utd’s defensive deficiencies, but West Ham have yet to keep a clean sheet this season, suggesting that these two teams should provide another Premier League goal-fest. If that proves to be the case, you just know the talented Argentinian will be at the heart of it.

[divider_1px]

3) Graziano Pelle (QPR, h)
[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]Now it’s finally dawned on punters that he’s not a 73 year-old Nicky Butt loving Brazilian with erectile dysfunction, Pelle [pel?l?] is starting to win plaudits of his own. At 6″4′ he’s built like an old-fashioned centre forward and useful to have around if you need someone to swipe down the cobwebs in the corners of your room (or even for a daddy long legs that needs ushering out). He’s taken a few games to warm up, but it appears he’s well into his stride.

In Saturday’s narrow victory at the Liberty Stadium, and ably assisted by the similarly improving Tadic, he managed to pepper the goal 6 times. He received the ball 35 times during the game but only shared it with his teammates 13 times. The denouement? He’s clearly a selfish git. Perfect FPL fodder. Hosting Redknapp’s flailing QPR side, who have the worst goal difference in the top flight, one would expect the Saints to encourage Pelle to carry on firing at will.

[divider_1px]

4) Sergio Aguero (Hull, a)
[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]This is the part where the reader is fobbed off with ‘there’s nothing about Aguero you don’t already know’. But rather than short-change you with such platitudes, I shall endeavour to sate you with three things you maybe didn’t know. He’s Maradona’s son-in-law; he supports Liverpool; and he relaxes at night by submerging his feet in beef drippings***.

Sergio’s still well below his best, but if he can get through the week without tripping over the cat, or pulling a hamstring doing his laces up, it’s surely just a matter of time before he gets into his groove. A surprising stat is he’s actually played in every league game so far! Pah… nothing wrong with the lad.

Steve Bruce has flipped between formations recently. Whether this is personnel driven or sheer strategic nouse is open to intepretation, but if AFC Hull City Tigers throw caution to the wind at the KC Stadium and play with a conventional back four, this could leave Aguero space to give his FPL suitors a juicy Brucie bonus.

***Nope

[divider_1px]

5) Leonardo Ulloa (Crystal Palace, a)
[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]Learning how to pronounce footballers’ names is becoming an increasingly dangerous minefield. Pelle, James, Rojo and now Ujl… Ulj… Ulljo…. Oh for crying out….

[u??oa] has scored in every game this season, bar their visit to Stamford Bridge in GW2. If you like to play 3-5-2, the chances are you have either Naismith or this guy in your squad. Given the Costa-like scoring spree he’s embarked on, he may even become a first choice striker in some managers’ 3-4-3 teams. After all, he’s now the 2nd highest overall scoring FPL player. For teams who don’t have the Chelsea man (I did see some, I swear) Ulloa is a rather enticing captain alternative. This year’s Michu anyone? Behave!

[divider_1px]

Thanks for reading Captain’s Picks Fantasy Football Gameweek 6. This article was written by Bryan Munich

Follow @bry_cooper

[divider_1px]

The FBA Awards
You may have noticed a new banner on the right hand side of the site. We have been entered into the Football Blogging Awards in the category of ‘Best New Football Blog’. This is quite a prestigious annual event and we have to say we would love to win it! If you get the chance we would appreciate it if you would vote for us via the links. But that’s only if you agree!

Our friends over at Fantasy Football First are endorsing our bid in the ‘Best New Football Blog’ category and as such we encourage you to vote for them in the ‘Best Established FPL Football Blog’ category. We have, but again that’s up to you! To vote for Fantasy Football First simply copy and paste the following into a tweet and send it –

I’m voting in @TheFBAs for @fanfootfirst as the Best #FPL Football Blog

Thanks on both counts if you do.

[divider_1px]

Don’t forget to post in our Captain’s poll!

[polldaddy poll=8266485]