Captains Picks Gameweek 31 Special Edition – FPL Fantasy Football Premier League
Welcome along to a Special Edition of Captains Picks. What’s so special about it we hear you ask? Well it’s not just that its a double gameweek and your captain selection will be crucial to this weeks success but more than that we have FPL royalty in the FF247 offices this week! This weeks captains picks are brought to you by the man of the moment himself, B-Bash. Many of you will be familiar with this unassuming chap from the boards as he chats away happily both giving out and seeking advice but he has a not so dark, not so hidden secret – he’s only in the running to win the bloody thing! We have chartered his steady climb this season which culminated in a season high of 5th place overall for him only this past Saturday. He did let himself down a bit on Sunday by plummeting to 7th though! Anyway we felt it would be folly of us to allow him to escape from the offices, having helped himself to all of our coffee and biscuits, without asking him to dispense some of his wisdom upon on our avid readership. So without further ado, over to the man himself….
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Well its here!! Double gameweek 31! Possibly the most anticipated gameweek of the season so far. FPL managers worth their salt will have been planning for this. Having gone through the pain of gameweek 29, we have been busy loading our teams with as many DGW players as possible. Some will be taking big hits too to accommodate this, but the one thing that can aid the recovery of any hits you take, is giving the captains armband to the right player! Those of you who captained Hazard as I did, will be feeling the frustration of a poor choice and know how it can affect your league rankings! Now double it!! So let’s have a look at the options, and you will notice the aforementioned Hazard will sit this one out, for the simple reason that he is only playing once this week.
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Luis Suarez
What more can I say about this fella that hasn’t been said before. The stand out FPL player of the season so far! Liverpool’s recent shift to the midfield diamond has seen Suarez benefit, with 2 goals and two assists in his last two outings. Even if the final assist did take some sorting out by the powers that be at FPL. Suarezs’ first game is an away date with second to bottom Cardiff City, who were victorious in their last home game, however that was against Fulham and with Liverpool averaging over 3 goals a game on the road, you have to expect Suarez to be in the mix for points. Liverpool then play host to Sunderland and Suarez has netted 4 times in their last two meetings, and I’m trying not to be biased, but I would expect something similar on the 26th.
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Daniel Sturridge
You can’t mention one without the other. It’s the law! However, Sturridge had been looking like the automatic captain choice, as he scored 59 points in 5 weeks, but then Rodgers changed things around in gameweek 28. The last 2 games have seen Suarez and Sturridge as a front 2 and he has managed just 1 assist, despite the reds scoring 6 goals. The boy cannot be overlooked though as Rodgers could just as easily switch things back, and he is in great form this season. That with the fixtures in this gameweek, there is no reason to suggest Sturridge won’t be back amongst the big points once more.
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David Silva/Yaya Toure
With the likelihood of Aguero missing some if not all of the DGW, I would be looking to their two star midfielders to cash in on the points. David Silva reminded us at the weekend just what he is actually capable of with a goal, an assist and 3 bonus points, and Toure kept his consistent season going with an assist and bonus points. Man City host bottom of the table Fulham, who have conceded 34 goals on the road, and I can’t see it getting any better for them this weekend as they face Silva and Toure who scored 10 and 14 points respectively, the last time the two teams met. City’s second fixture in the gameweek is a tricky visit to Old Trafford for the derby, but I do predict City to score there as United struggle for form.
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Romelu Lukaku
Well, most of us rushed out and bought him, only to watch him draw a blank at the weekend. The thing is, he was actually quite unlucky not to score as Everton made hard work of beating Cardiff City. But don’t lose heart, because Everton have arguably the best fixtures for the DGW, starting off with visit from Swansea, who haven’t won since the beginning of February, followed by a trip to Newcastle, where we would hope Lukaku can reproduce a display similar to the one he gave us when the two teams met in September, with 2 goals, an assist and 3 BP’s.
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Wayne Rooney
I have to mention this lad, because despite being an Evertonian that plays for United, I like him! If I had the money I’d buy him too and would be seriously considering giving him the armband for this week. Ok, so he drew a blank against Liverpool, but prior to that he had 2 goals, 1 assist and 5 bonus points away from home. Can he score? Of course he can! First up for Rooney is a trip to West Ham, which isn’t the easiest fixture as West Ham haven’t lost at home since they hosted Man City back in January, but Big Sam’s men do seem to have hit a blip in form, losing their last two and conceding 3 to Stoke last game. Next up is a home derby with City. In 2 of their last 3 meetings, Rooney has been the stand out United player, displaying the lads appetite to perform and win!
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Other notable mentions
Edin Dzeko – If you own him I would be very tempted to give him the armband. With Sergio Aguero likely to miss part if not all of DGW 31, and the home fixture against Fulham before the derby, the Bosnian could well be up there among the top scorers.
Olivier Giroud – With a double gameweek ahead, albeit, the first away to Chelsea, Giroud could be a good differential as in the second game of the week Arsenal play host to Swansea, and as I said before Swansea’s form is questionable and they may suffer at the hands of Giroud.
Steven Gerrard – I believe this homegrown talent is having one of his best seasons for a while. I haven’t owned him this season, but I am sorely tempted and current form cannot be ignored. 43 points in his last 5 outings, against arguably better opposition than he’ll be facing in this gameweek cannot be ignored.
So hopefully I have covered most options there, but no doubt other names will appear, which I’m sure will be discussed in full on the boards. Here’s hoping for big points this week, so good luck to all!!
Thanks for reading Captains Picks Gameweek 31 Special Edition, this article was written by B-Bash
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Need advice please:
Adrian or Howard this week?
Start both Coleman and Baines, or only one with Kolarov?
Which two of Sissoko, Huddlestone and Nolan?
Cheers
Rick
Rick I would start the 2 Everton lads at the back and subsequently play Adrian. Reason being that Kolarov will only play 1 of his games, most likely.
Of the mids I would say go Nolan for sure and then Huddlestone over Sissoko, just.
Rick, I would go Adrian with Coleman and Baines
) just though!!
Nolan and Sissoko for me (sorry Iniit!
Rick
Adrian
Coleman & Baines
Nolan and Hudds.
Kolarov gametime is too erratic, Sissoko is in a Newcastle team which is very difficult to read and Adrian has two home games and also, FPL aside, looks a decent goalkeeper as well.
Evening all,
Haven’t had much chance to concentrate on FPL recently with a new job and all. Looking to push into the top 50k now. How am I looking for this week?
Mannone (Boruc)
Coleman Collins CHESTER (Cahill Ward)
Yaya Gerrard SILVA HUDDLESTONE (Hazard)
Suarez Lukaku Sturridge
Plans are for a -8: Ben Turner > Chester, Noone > Huddlestone, Lallana > Silva?
Sound good?
Partisan, can you do the others but do them without doing the Huddlestone one? He’s a good enough pick but it’s effectively a -4 in order to bench Hazard…
Yeah, I can I suppose. Should probably just play Hazard when you put it like that – he looked good tonight. So afraid of missing out on double gameweek points that it’s colouring my judgement…ugh…I just figure I shouldn’t really ever be using Noone at this point in the season anyway, so what’s the harm…
Partisan, don’t sound so excited by it all eh!!! I know what you mean about Noone but also the Hazard one is a tough call. In tight games, as this will be, Jose is a master at keeping it even tighter. I watched it tonight and he did play well but again no fantasy returns really (although God knows why he didn’t shoot after that bloke fell over, that would have been some goal). Feels like diminishing returns from him as Chelsea close in quite boringly / workman – like on the title. I’m taking my chances and benching him but I’m not sure I would if it was for a hit. Good luck either way.
Got to agree with that!
Hazard can explode at any time and huddlestone is really not scoring a ton to be honest – he is in a defensive midfeild role!
This will probably be the only week you’ll play him and he could only get one or two points more than hazard if they both draw a blank!
Partisan
I’m considering -8 to get eleven DGW players. Your team looks set for a huge haul. Captaining a Liverpool striker I will assume?
Thanks – Hopefully I can hit a ton for the first time this year – I swear last year there were lots more big haul weeks…I’m leading my main mini-league so it’s got to be Suarez really. Can’t see any other option. I’d jump off a bridge if I didn’t and he scored big…
Hey guys,
I’ve already taken a -4 hit to bring in Gerrard and Nolan for Mata and Lallana. I’m wondering if it’s worth it to take another hit and bring in a DGW defender for Chambers who’s no longer nailed on and needs to be replaced anyway. As it stands now I only have 7 DGW players.
Marshall Mannone
Ivanovic Coleman Vlaar Ward Chambers
Yaya Gerrard Puncheon Nolan Hazard
Suarez Sturridge J Rod
Is it worth another hit to drop Chambers for Dummett/McCartney/Davies? Or should I just start Vlaar at home to Stoke and go with only 7 DGW players? I’m really on the fence about this one, but I’m thinking it may be worth the gamble this week to take the extra hit. What do you think?
Evening Red, Vlaar at home to Stoke actually feels ok given them keeping Chelski out last week and all that. If you do go for the extra hit I think Davies is the best option of all of those.
Just as a different suggestion does JRod to Dzeko work?
+1!
Now that’s just lazy!!! :p
Haha, thanks initt and B-Bash!
Yes, I could do J Rod to Dzeko. But J Rod has been performing well of late so I was planning on hanging onto him for now. I’m just really unsure about taking another hit at this point. But I feel like I’m on the low end of the spectrum with only 7DGW players going into GW31… Guess I’ll sit tight for now and see what happens this week and what the team news is on Friday.
Thanks guys.
What a shite season for me can’t break out of the top 100k
Jeet why are you trying to break out of it? Most people are trying to break into it 😉
I’ve meant trying to break in the top 75k/50k
Jeet I broke in and I have decided to break out. Just to tease you out there. :p
OK, I think I’ve settled on my WC squad for DGW 31:
Adrian (Mannone)
Baines Zabaleta Coleman (Macarthy Chester)
Yaya Hazard Gerrard Delph (Gnabry)
Suarez Sturridge Dzeko
Thoughts?
Other options included: including Silva or Nolan (and downgrading defence).
I played 3-5-2 for a while and concede that – on the whole – it didn’t work. So will revert back to 3-4-3 or 4-3-3. I’ve never played a strong defence but figure the timing is good, particularly with Everton defenders’ points potential.
Cheers
…sorry, should say McCartney, not Macarthy
Looks good blue but I would be tempted to have a bit of a re-jig as you say and try and fill up with a full 11 DGWers just because you are on a WC and you can. Find a way of doing this by downgrading Baines but also allowing yourself to keep Hazard but maybe even bench him this week. Delph and Gnabry are the 2 that need upgrading in that instance but you can save a lot on Baines. His replacement doesn’t need to be a DGWer either as you have Chester to come in already to fill that slot. Go for the full 11 mate, it’s a WC!
Init – many thanks. My 2nd option was the following starting XI:
Adrian or Mannone or Speroni
Zabaleta Coleman Demel
Yaya Hazard Gerrard Nolan
Suarez Sturridge Dzeko
Can’t bring myself to bench Hazard. I like the fact that West Ham have 2 home games.
What do you think mate?
blu that looks / feels a little better to me to be honest. If you don’t want to bench Hazard then don’t do it. I think I am though.
This is my team for the DGW, what you think? – http://i60.tinypic.com/e68woz.png
Starfox – there is a risk that it could be a 40 point DGW for Sturridge.
I think Suarez will outscore Sturridge
Don’t like the Rooney pick to be totally honest wit you. I’d much prefer studge tbh but you already have 3 liv so changing it would need 2 transfers.
Apart from that it looks good. Quite similar to mine and, I’d imagine, many others
I do think Suarez will out score Sturridge, but I still think Sturridge is a must have at the moment as liverpool s system can change at any time to favor either of the two.
That being said, Rooney could be a very good differencial as I expect him to step up in the derby.