Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 20 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 20. Boxing Day footy is one of the great traditions of a British Christmas. Whether one dons their hat, gloves and scarf to attend the matches or settles down on the sofa to watch on tv, we are set for a football feast. And in FPL terms, this is a great time to make great strides on ones mini-league rivals who may easily miss a deadline or not keep up with press conference comments.
There are of course other Boxing Day traditions and let’s look at some as we explore and analyse who is the best candidate for your all-important FPL armband in GW20.
The Fox Hunt
Richarlison – home vs Leicester
Despised by many, yet still enjoyed by some the fox hunt is a tradition that dates back to the 16th century. Boxing Day is one of the most popular days to don the tweed jacket, jodphurs and boots and we have our very own FPL fox hunt as Watford entertain the foxes of Leicester.
Leicester shipped 3 goals at home to Palace in GW18 and have only kept one clean sheet on the road this season. Watford’s form may be somewhat questionable of late, but we know that there are normally always goals when they play. Ok, it’s not always evident in which net the goals will fly, but with Boxing Day matches generally bringing goals, the skippering of Richarlison may yet be the key to a rise in the rankings. Starved of Troy Deeney, Richarlison will be key to Watford’s chances of a win and despite him being somewhat wasteful in front of goal, the fact that he is getting himself on the end of these chances suggests a haul is never far away.
The Boxing Day Test
Man City midfield away vs Newcastle
Yes we’re talking cricket here and yes I know most of you probably either hate the game or have never seen it. Despite your lack of cultural understanding, I forgive you and won’t hold it against you. We can still be friends. The most famous Boxing Day test match takes place in Melbourne – and this year it’s even more special as England are the visitors. Sadly the Poms are 3-0 down already and the Ashes are lost. The Aussie machine have totally outplayed their opposition – as have of course Manchester City in this season’s Premier League. Whether your City midfield representative is KDB, Sterling or Sane, we would happily recommend giving him the armband this week. City haven’t lost in the league vs Newcastle since 2005 and have scored at least two goals in each league meeting in all but one of their last 16 clashes. With all three midfielders being in such hot form and with the Toon struggling in their return to the top flight, there is no reason to suggest that the City juggernaut will not power on. And the Aussie machine will likely continue the trend also 
A Day at the Races
Harry Kane home vs Southampton
Boxing Day racing is one of the most popular days on the racing calendar with meetings held all over the country. The most famous of which is the King George meeting at Kempton Park. FPL’s own thoroughbred is of course Harry Kane – 21 goals in 2014/15, 25 goals in 2015/16, 29 goals last season and 12 goals already this term illustrate that he is always a hot favourite to back when selecting your captain. He has suffered to an extent this season given the form of City and Liverpool, while Spurs are not dominating matches or indeed the scoring charts as they have in seasons past. However a match vs Southampton should provide Kane will plenty of opportunities to reward his backers – with Southampton facing a couple of injuries at the back and the future of Virgil van Dijk still uncertain, the odds on a Kane goal or two are fairly short and seem like a stable bet to me. It may well be that a Prince Harry is the way to go rather than the King George this Boxing Day.
The Boxing Day sales
Eden Hazard home vs Brighton
Despite many online sales now starting as early as Christmas Day, for some reason some people still like to spend their Boxing Day shopping on the high street. Of course, there are few more civilised places to shop than on the King’s Road in south west London. First made famous in the Swinging Sixties, the King’s Road retains its charm and appeal, but it is events just a block away that garner our FPL interest in GW20. Chelsea entertain the minnows of Brighton this Boxing Day and while Eden Hazard may not be the bargain we are looking for, the quality remains worth the money. The Blues haven’t lost a Boxing Day fixture for 14 seasons, winning four of the last five and while the form of Pedro and Willian is inconsistent, while the game time of Alvaro Morata is in doubt, Hazard is the one constant, the ace in the pack, the penalty taker, the one true world class attacker in the team who has shown of late that he is on top of his game, despite that maybe not translating to FPL points, but he is, regardless.
The Boxing Day walk
Mohamed Salah home vs Swansea
For many folk the favoured recourse on Boxing Day is to walk off the excesses of the festivities of the day before. Whether it be a hangover or a full stomach a good walk in the country on a crisp yet bright Boxing Day morning is just the ticket to get yourself back to normality.
For Mohamed Salah this season has been a walk in the park. Having failed at Chelsea, the attacking midfielder plied his trade in Italy for Fiorentina and Roma before joining Liverpool in the summer. He would not have been near many people’s prediction as leading scorer at Christmas, but such is his form, this is where he finds himself. Right at the top of the tree. It’s truly been a star-studded half a season for Salah and with Swansea the Boxing Day visitors to Anfield, many FPL managers will skipper the midfielder and walk with the Egyptian.
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This article was written by Cookie .
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Gameweek Tracker GW20-24
This includes all of the festive fixtures. This will be your best friend at Christmas. Take a screenshot and save it somewhere on your phone…
1ft. Murray to Depoitre or DCL? Or hold him, save and hope for the best?
@Butters, I probably sell Murray, he seems to have lost his hold on the starting spot. Because of fixture congestion he probably starts vs CFC, but then gets rotated for one of the two easier fixtures. So it is likely that you get Murray for CFC and then he comes in for a one pointer vs Newcastle. I probably go DCL, just because I think he is more secure in his minutes, I know Depoitre has been scoring, but that won’t matter to Wagner, he will rotate him with Mounie over the coming games. Huddersfield does have real nice fixtures so you could take a chance that he will start 2 of the next 3 and get 20-30 minutes in the other. Starts vs Stoke, sits vs Burnley and starts vs Leicester could be the scenario there. Problem is he be sitting in GW21, where you be short already because of the blank. Really not sure on him, I probably go DCL.
DCL it is.
Brilliant that Cookie, thank you! Probably Kane for me this time.
Should I be happy or sad 😛 :/ Good score but so many points on bench! Now with Monreal injured and Arsenal looking off form think would want to replace him any suggestions? 1FT, 0.8m itb
Btw is this a mistake in article?
Whether your City midfield representative is KDB, Sterling or Salah, we would happily recommend giving him the armband this week
Shouldn’t it be Silva/Sane?
@Snookie, he has yet to be assessed so he might still play, but if you prefer to sell I think Jones or Christensen would have to be at the top of that list. I know United have not been piling up clean sheets recently but you have to figure with 3 of 5 at home and the two away games being against the two very defensive sides who be happy with a point in Everton and Burnley they could grab 3 possibly even 4 clean sheets in the next 5 if they tighten it up a bit.
Mito I have De gea so would like to spread coverage
Yeah, I have DDG also, still might do it, but if you want to spread coverage Christensen seems the better fit then. Is not like there is a ton of great options at the price range. Unless you are willing to extend your budget by using a second transfer to go get Alonso or Azpi by selling say Richie.
You could just get Otamendi, seems the easiest one, not sure how I missed that one, think I assumed he was out of the price range. That seems to make a lot of sense. In particular when you look at their fixtures all the way up to GW27
Right then guys and gals, genuinely stumped here as to what to do for the best. What would you do please? WC is available.
Want Kane and Firmino ideally but will the latter even play? Happy to keep Kun but will he play?
I probably play the WC and set the team up for 22 a bit, plus fix some of the problems in the defence. I know Burnley have been good most of the season, but their fixtures are :barth: 😉 Plus Davies needs to go, too much of a liability knowing he is off every other game. You could sneak in a West Ham defender and the keeper Adrian if we think he keeps his spot? I don’t think they are that great, but they wouldn’t be any worse than having Mee, Rangel or Elliot and you might get lucky in the DGW and get something worthwhile. Obviously you probably leave money back for Kane. Vardy or Firmino? Not completely sure, but when I watch Leicester they seem to really have to grind it out just to get a decent chance. Whereas LFC get them by the bunches. I know Vardy is safer in terms of rotation though, so…
I think I am saying play the WC
Thanks Mito. Yeah, that’s where I’m leaning also. To the WC. Just need the time to do that as I don’t like rushing such things. May cancel Christmas.
I hate Christmas anyway.
What to do?
1) hazard to de Bruyne
2) mustafi to jones
3) Richarlison to Lingard
4) save the transfer
Or something else?
I probably save it, I see the temptations in all those moves, but you will probably be better served if you had two free transfers and you saw what managers did on Tuesday in terms of rotation. Plus the blank be the GW after so you could make sure you are better prepared for that depending on injuries, suspensions or rotation.
Cheers mito
Afternoon
Seeing as Kane needs one more goal to break shearers record I’m going to stick the armband on him.
What should I do with this lot? Initial thoughts was to do Kun and Austin to morata and DCL, what you reckon?
Or instead of DCL I could do Depoitre
Could do this for a -8
Depoitre will be rotated some, Mbemba and Hunemeier are not starters, Kane has a blank, Cork will be forced in and he is basically an automatic 2 points, by the way he is due a rest so don’t be shocked if you get stung by that one.
Think you are fixing small problems and not the bigger ones during these GWs. Unless you think playing with 10 or possibly even 9 is worth it after taking a hit or two.
I don’t disagree with getting Morata or Silva by the way, I kinda like both moves, but man another -8 to replace two fit players. Your team is tough, because it is good yet full of holes.
The plan is to take Kane out next GW abd then the following GW I will sort out my defence with a West Ham and probably spurs defender along with Kane when I bring him back in.
:big-lol:
Afternoon Elle!
That sounds like a couple of more hits or are you going to play your WC in 22?
I get you fixing your team, but if it’s not with the WC that sounds expensive.
By the way, I just noticed you have only taken two more hits than me this season. You getting soft? 😉
Hence why I am planning some madness over these next 3 GWs 😉
Evening Mitro.
Love a bit of madness
Go on, let us see the -12 and -16 version.
How do Mito! Don’t you like any of my suggestions?