Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 11 2017/18

Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 11 2017/18

Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 11. If you captained Sead Kolasinac or Fernandinho last weekend, congratulations you rocked GW10! You’re also slightly unhinged and should perhaps seek medical advice (Mauricio Pochettino may be able to help, but more on that later).

Unfortunately last week was a bleak affair for most of the front line captain candidates. Pep got in an early trick-or-treat prank by leaving Aguero on the sidelines, again; Kane did his hamstring in; Salah seemed determined to do everything except score against Huddersfield; and De Bruyne had an uncharacteristically quiet day.

With all that in mind, how best to approach GW11? Will you play safe from the list below? Or will you try and luck out on a cavalier choice in the hope that Andrew Robertson will finally show up and get a hat-trick? A Mooy brace? A Joey Barton free-kick? Oh, I’ve gone too far.

The anticipation is killing us all, so let’s stage dive head first into this week’s quintet of armband-wearers elect.

JAMIE VARDY (Stoke City, away)
On October 25th, Claude Puel’s arrival was welcomed by the Foxes faithful with all the joie de vivre of a mother gazing out from her maternity ward window, watching her newborn being lowered inchmeal into the Great Pit of Carkoon. Yet, after a 2-0 victory over a beleaguered Everton team, the Frenchman now stands gloriously on the cusp of moderate acceptance. But you’re not here to captain Claude Puel, are you? No. You’re here to captain Harry Kane, but bear with me while I endeavour to flog you kind Inuit-folk one of the finest blocks of ice the cold tundra climate has to offer.

While it would appear from Sunday’s win that Puel didn’t deviate far from the counter-attacking blueprint that has seen them so often at their best, this is also great news for owners of Jamie Vardy. 30 years old he may be, but those scampering legs of his show no sign of slowing down, and his appetite for scuttling off into the distance chasing lost causes is back to its most unsated.

Next opponents Stoke City arrested their tailspin with a shock win at Watford and will welcome Leicester in buoyant mood. However, Vardy is looking to build on last gameweek’s impressive 8 point FPL haul and add to his respectable 6 goal tally for the season.

ROBERTO FIRMINO (West Ham, away)
Like Jamie Vardy, Bobby Firmino enjoyed somewhat of a mini-resurgence in GW10 with a goal and 2 bonus points. The Brazilian had lost all his early season momentum and had fallen out of favour with FPL managers. Late injuries to Coutinho and Kane may have emboldened many to give him another chance at home to newly promoted Huddersfield, and similar returns could be expected in GW11.

Slaven Bilic has been on the brink of being sacked by West Ham’s owners since 1983 but somehow still holds the reigns at the London Stadium, clinging to his job like a limpet gripping onto a rock during a typhoon. Conceding a last minute equalizer to, of all teams, Crystal Palace will guarantee a toxic atmosphere should the Hammers show even a hint of capitulating to Saturday’s visitors Liverpool. Klopp’s men are a team who have the attacking options to really put the boot in and possibly sound the death knell for poor Slaven.

Missing a penalty and spurning a couple of sitters may have shaken Mohamed Salah’s confidence, leaving teammate Firmino as possibly a slightly more favoured choice this time round.

EDEN HAZARD (Manchester Utd, home)
It would seem this Belgian’s semi-permanent residency on these hallowed pages has at last been re-established. Eden Hazard’s last 3 Chelsea appearances has seen a return of 3 goals and an assist against Roma, Watford and Bournemouth.

The Blues’ GW11 challenge promises to be a stern test of their attacking prowess, one which they failed against Man City late in September. With Hazard back on song though, Conte’s men are perhaps now better equipped to unlock an elite defence which is exactly what they’ll face on Sunday.

A frighteningly stingy shut out ratio of 80% has been the backbone to Manchester Utd’s title challenge so far, and harks back to the halcyon days of George Graham-era Arsenal. Jose’s return to his old stomping ground will make for a fascinating contest and is unlikely to be a goal-fest, though if anyone is capable of prising open that Red Devils back line it’s certainly Eden Hazard. Antonio Conte was quick to respond to accusations he’ll be captaining Harry Kane in his fantasy team…

“Bull****”

KEVIN DE BRUYNE (Arsenal, home)
Nope. I’ve had it with Sergio and Jesus. Thrown in and out of the starting lineups like some kind of millionaire hokey-cokey, enough is enough. Step forward Kev.

Rewind to the end of GW3 and the commonly accepted view that despite still being incredibly effective for City, KDB was no longer value for FPL money in his new ‘quarterback’ role. The denouement? 6 assists and a goal since GW4. Admittedly blanking last time out as they squeaked past West Brom, Kev always seems to be involved in their goals somewhere along the line and cannot be ignored as an omniscient threat. Perhaps most appealing of all is that he’s started every single Premier League game this season and offers at least a certain reassurance for game time and thus your armband.

Visitors Arsenal languish in 13th in the away table, having conceded 9 goals in the 5 games, making them the 6th worst defence on their travels. Bearing down on them will be a Manchester City team with a home scoring record streets ahead of their rivals. Basically, this could be a long afternoon for the Gunners who may need to park the Wengerbus.

HARRY KANE (Crystal Palace, home)
“We will assess him and then we will make the best decision. My feeling is good. But it’s not my feeling, it’s Harry Kane’s feeling.”

While it’s none of my business how Tottenham do their medical checks; the above revelation that Harry’s hamstring status is subject to groping by Mauricio Pochettino will come as a shock to not only Spurs’ physio team, but presumably Mrs. Pochettino.

Ok, so his current injury plight will give some the jitters this week and much may hinge on how, or even if, he comes through the midweek tussle with Real Madrid; but it’s hard to remember the last time an FPL captain choice was so black and white. Saturday lunchtime’s Old Trafford blip aside, Spurs have been playing with a swagger again this season and Kane has already helped himself to 8 goals and an assist. Not too shabby for a striker who gave everyone else a month’s head start.

If you have him in your team, you’re surely going to captain him. And even if he doesn’t start it’s unlikely he’d be risked for a 10 minute cameo from the bench, so there’s that vice-captain safety net.

By the way, they’re at home to Crystal Palace.

Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 11

This article was written by Bryan Munich.

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