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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Oooh I’ve just noticed that I’ve actually gone and got myself into the top 100k for first time ever !
88k to be exact. Pretty pleased with that. Given it’s only my first full ‘real’ season..
Is Mannone / Marshall decent enough cover ? I mean Cardiff are just shit and Sun do have liv coming this GW. Is it worth taking another hit to get a ‘good’ GK ? Have no funds itb
Demsie – Nah, just play Mannone. He has another DGW (or 2?) coming up anyway so just leave him.
Demsie, I just have mannnone and a non playing keeper and I’m more than fine with it.
Too many times I played migs over boruc earlier this season and the same thing nearly happened to mannnone now so I quite like only haveing 1 keeper.
Regardless of the fixtures he always gats a Ton of points!
I was even debating captaining him t one point…
Not at all. Mannone will serve you pretty well so dont lose him. He will rack up million save points against SSSS.
Okay, so here are my proposed moves: Collins and Lallana out for McCartney and either Silva or Gerrard. I’m not so sure about Collins and if he’ll start both of WH’s games. So should I choose Silva or Gerrard? And I already have Suarez and Sturridge. Basically it’s 3 Liverpool and 1 City vs 2 Liverpool and 2 City players.
It looks like Gerrard is rising tonight too, so if I get him, it’s gotta be tonight. That would be going against what I’ve done all season in waiting til the last minute for transfers, but oh well
Hmmm. Having same problem with Collins but not worth replacing a DGW player for a hit imo. I do know Sam said he was gonna make changes and freshen up the squad after the last game. Which can only mean he’s fixing the defense again.
Yeah I guess Collins will most likely get his spot back… but if I don’t downgrade him, then I can’t get Gerrard or Silva without getting rid of someone else. Except there’s no one else that I would want to get rid of without losing a lot of value on them. Or maybe Vlaar to Dummett and then bench Cahill for the week?
Gerard is basically garenteed points so I guess he’s the safer option, but I’m planning to have both as I already have silva.
I think silva is a great differencial and the goal and assist will have done wonders for his confidence.
I’m contemplateing capping him…
So, if your trailing, go for silva.
Otherwise Gerard is your man!
And I head I think cookie say he thinks Collins will start, but really it’s anyone’s guess.
For a safe 4mil def, I think Dann is good value.
Thanks billis, looks like it’s Gerrard then! I wouldn’t make Silva captain… he rarely gets big points and is definitely not as explosive like Suarez or Sturridge.
Dann would be a good move, but I’m looking for someone with a DGW this week.
First of all I’d like to say thanks for a fab debut article b-bash!!
Great read as always.
Hi lads, sorry I can’t stay in here long – in fact I wasn’t planning to go online as usually I’d like to give advice as much as ask for it, but it hit me that, since we have to go to Ottowa to get the visas done (*yay*… Sigh…) there might not be wifi to change my team.
And I just realized we’re leaving tomorrow.
I guess I might not get a chance to be here for like, a week and a half or so, so that’s why if you’ll be wondering (if that makes any sence!)
So, my cappo is on Suarez as defult but if I get a chance whilst we’re there I might go for it and Capp silva – could be a great differencial to make up some points!
Anyway, does Oscar to Gerard sound good?
My problem is the person I’m cap haveing could well buy him themselves and i really want to beat him.
I could go for Nolan instead…
Thanks for any replys in advance.
Everything’s appreciated.
Bills, Hi mate! 3 things –
Do Gerrard
That names got longer again hasn’t it?!
And enjoy your trip, speak to you when you are back!
3 replys:
Thanks! I’ll do Gerard out Oscar in right now!
It’s as long as it can get so yeah I think it must have!
And I’ll do my best to enjoy the trip… Hopefully there”ll be Internet so I can keep up with the articles and my team as such so yeah.
Thanks again for the reply.
Woa! :oogle:
Those first two sentences would sound kinda weird out of context!!!
yes, Gerrard.
RMT Anyone !
Adrian
Demel – Zablatea – Olsson
Hazard – Gerrard – Silva – Lallana
Sturridge – (c)Suarez – Lukaku
Bench : Mannone,Cahill,Ward,Redmond
Should I’ve play Adrian or Mannone already got Demel for West Ham coverage ?
Olsson or Cahill ?
Right I’m off now but I do a quick rmt.
Defo play mannnone IMO – I said the same to demsie some way up the page.
I’d personally play Cahill as Norwich are shaky at the back at the moment
Like the cappo and the mid so yeah – a very good team IMHO.
Cheers BB
Mannone
Dont know about Olsson vs Cahill. I am in the same boat and im playing Olsson over Azpi at the moment.
Looking to replace BAssong …any thoughts about bringing in Flanagan? at 4.3 seems like a good buy
Boruc(speroni)
Coleman, Collins, Azi (Gabi, Bassong)
Hazard, Yaya, Gerrard, Silva (Colback)
Dzeko, Luk, Suarez
Would prefer Chester/Bardsley over Flanny.
Will Collins from West Ham play? Also, is Speroni out for Mannone and Collins/Olsson out for Dann be a good move for future GWs?
Doesnt seem like it.
Yup, i guess.