Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 25 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 25. GW24 was definitely a mixed bag for most people. I was very happy with how my team was going straight after the Christmas period getting green arrows and going into the top 60k but GW24 was like that feeling you get having to go back to work on a Monday or when you come home from the pub steaming only to be interrogated by the prison warden.
Hopefully it wasn’t like this for everyone, especially those who were able to bring in a certain Argentinian who, let’s face it, scored possibly the easiest hattrick of his career! My other Chuckle Brother, Rosco tipped Sergio Aguero in last week’s Captain Picks even against his beloved Toon. (Even if he wants to sell his season ticket ?) Well looks like Rosco got it spot on! Harry Kane was another well picked captain in GW24 and was the consistent scorer grabbing himself a goal but I wish he had knocked in that last chance… I’m not bitter, I swear. Lastly, the other main choice was high scoring Salah against the terrible Swansea but as we all know when playing Liverpool no one is terrible apart from the Pool defence and that was the case again in GW24 as Van Dijk, the man brought in to cut out mistakes at the back, made a great assist to Alfie Mawson. At the other end Liverpool couldn’t break down a brilliant Swans five, ten, hell the entire Swansea team! This meant Salah, who was captained by 780,499 and even Triple Captained by 13,871, got a great massive TWO points. If you had him capped or TC’d well, then you probably aren’t even reading this because you’ve rage-quit FPL and I wouldn’t blame you!
Well this week will hopefully be a bit clearer cut with standout fixtures and choices. I have a feeling most will have some sort of coverage of these fixtures so here goes…
5. Ozil vs Swansea
With the soaring Swans hosting Arsenal I was almost tempted to tip Mawson here mainly due to the fact Arsenal have been on a pretty bad run of league form. Maybe last week’s match against Palace will kick start the Arsenal squad and if so Ozil will be the key figure in the Arsenal midfield. Arsenal will be out to prove they won’t miss talisman Alexis Sanchez who jumped ship and went up north.
Ozil has grabbed 4 goals and 6 assists this season with one of those assists coming the last time these two teams met. In fact, Ozil has grabbed a goal and 3 assists in 7 appearances against the Welsh side which is fairly good going. With Lacazette remembering where the net was against Palace last weekend Ozil might have an option up top now to find only adding to Ozil’s appeal.
One man who has been sacrificed by United is Mkhitaryan but many feel he will improve at the Emirates and I actually agree with this opinion. I don’t see Mkhi starting at the Liberty but if so he could be a great differential pick for those without Ozil as he will be trying to prove to his old and new employers his Dortmund form is still within him!
4. Sanchez or Pogba vs Spurs-
This one I will admit is a bit of a wait and see! If Lloris is still out sick then I feel Spurs are significantly weakened at the back and much like Mkhi, Sanchez will be out to prove his worth. Unlike Mkhi I think Sanchez will start this match and will add that bit of bite against Spurs. Alexis has scored 7 goals and grabbed 5 assists so far this season with one of those against Spurs the last time he played them. Sanchez should start out on the wing but let’s be honest he has a better target in Lukaku waiting inside for him.
Another player who has been great this season is Paul Pogba. The expensive Frenchman has grabbed 11 assists and now that he has the pace of Sanchez to launch the ball to I can see plenty more assists for Pogba. I would probably put Pogba ahead of Sanchez merely due to the fact it may take some time for Alexis to fit into the way United play but it shouldn’t take long and if you have either of these boys and need a differential punt then you could stick the armband on them due to the fact not many others will.
3. Salah vs Huddersfield
I know I have already stated how bad Liverpool were against Swansea and how Salah only got 2 points but that is only the second time he has blanked in 14 gameweeks. Liverpool will be hoping to bounce back this week and with Klopp and co. being welcomed to the John Smith Stadium by his best man David Wagner I do not see this being a tight game. Huddersfield do not play a defensive style of football and tend to play something similar to the Liverpool side which is when the likes of Mane, Firmino and Salah thrive. The last time these teams met this is what happened as Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners with Firmino scoring and Salah getting the assist but also missing a penalty.
If this trend is similar this week then Salah will be once again a must-have as I can not see him blanking in consecutive weeks. Salah has been in fine form all season which has seen him garner interest from Real Madrid. This form has seen him score 18 goals and 8 assists and earn a place in 54.9% of teams so if you don’t have him you’re in the minority! Grab him fast and cap him I’m pretty sure I will be.
2. Hazard vs Bournemouth
Hazard lived up to his name last week as 108,420 managers sold the Belgian before GW24 only for him to turn around and grab 2 goals and 16 points overall. I usually don’t care about selling a player the week before he blows up but this time it really annoyed me! Hazard and Chelsea have not been very good as of late but as soon as we get fed up with them and sell them they hit form… typical.
Bournemouth arrive in the capital this week and they will be hoping last weeks demolition of Brighton was not Chelsea restarting their great form, as will a lot of us having sold most of our Chelsea attack now. If you still have Hazard then he will be the key man for Chelsea this weekend against a Bournemouth side that have not lost since GW19. They may be undefeated but Bournemouth also haven’t kept a clean sheet since GW13 so Chelsea should have no problem scoring. Morata should also be back for this game and even if he couldn’t score in a brothel he should provide a bit of a target up top for Hazard so if you are one of the 6.9% to still own the Belgian he could be a very good differential this weekend.
1. Aguero vs West Brom
Have you all got that sofa ready? I do! Last week I didn’t have Kun and I still don’t have him. That makes me pose this question: Why the hell are you guys listening to me??!! Guess there isn’t any other ejit with time on their hands, oh well you’re all stuck with me now! Kun is the main man up top for the Cityzens as the Lord Saviour Jesus is crocked. This means very little rotation for the little man and with the likes of Sane, Sterling and KDB behind him he is in fine form with 4 goals and an assist in the last 3 games. If you’re like me and don’t have him, just bring him in as it’s a lot comfier to sit on the sofa instead of behind it!
If you really can’t bring in Aguero there is an abundance of talent in that City attack so cap whichever one you have be it Sane, Sterling or KDB because one of them is bound to get in on the points. The three of them combined have gotten 27 goals and 30 assists this season so they are involved in most of City’s goals and it has been pretty consistent.
Mystic Matt’s Magical Pick ? Joe Allen against Watford…
Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on. Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on. Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on… you know you want to!! (Editor: they really don’t!!) 😉
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 25
This article was written by Matt.
The League Codes for FF247 for the 2017/18 season are as follows:
Gameweek Tracker GW25-31
Will Sanchez effect Lingards play time?
There’s a slew of articles flying around about this but from I can tell nobody actually knows.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/amp/news/how-man-utd-could-line-up-with-alexis-sanchez/1kqq482qx58r9141p70mxcratb
Hi all, long time not commenting here. As at today, Kun is the most transferred in player for gw25 which reminds me on the most transferred in curse. Anyone has the latest list?
I captained Kun last week which worked but now it isn’t going to be a differential for me so I think I’m gonna go Salah and hope the curse is correct!
@upinipin
Morning all, and thanks for a neat article Matt- some nice differential picks in there!
I was feeling very smug about having Kun last week but my team feels very unbalanced now. I was planning on moving along Kane and Alli this week for a hit (£0m in the bank) but now Arnie’s injury forces my hand somewhat. Any ideas or thoughts on the following?
a) Arnie + Kane > Salah + 9.7 (Vardy the best/only option)
b) Arnie + Kane > Salah + cheapo (Diouf, Murray, Ayew etc) and then use the money to upgrade Carroll the following week (play 3-5-2/3-4-3 rotating the weakest pair)
c) Arnie + Alli > Salah + 5.8m (Choupo or Allen or Ox– not the most appealing options)
d) Arnie + Alli > Sterling/Mahrez + 7.1/7.3 (Willian out; Lingard game time threatened; Ramsey is the only option beyond the Stoke/Ox options)
Don’t fancy an 8pt hit…
I’d prefer A out of all of those but only if it leaves enough ITB for Kane to replace Kun in GW28.
Ah, good point. It’d leave me 1.2m so not enough unless Kane’s price drops by 0.1m (possible). If I got Kane back in though I would potentially look at losing Alli as a makeweight.
Wouldn’t be far off a Kun>Kane switch– good call!
Kun Wil go up between now and then though as well so a plan to raise funds with Alli as the makeweight would probably be needed.
Great article again, I too was hiding behind the couch last weekend watching Aguero so want to get him in now. Was thinking swapping with Kane but I think I will still be hiding behind the couch not having him..
So instead I am thinking DCL/Arnie/marhez to Aguero/milvojovnic/obiang?
What are people’s thoughts?
I would keep the sofa and swap Kane for Kun as the alternative wrecks your midfield too much
Much as I like Kun, I agree with MH on this one.
Morning all
Pulled the trigger early because I’m useless at this game!
Arnie + Otamendi out and Sane + Robertson in
How’s it looking?
Nice midfield
Cheers, it hinders strikers but I’ll be mainly going 451 or 352
Mane to Pogba next week as I claw back cash to do Kun to Kane GW28
That’s a solid plan.
Ya that would work well. Think pogba will go up again before 28 though. Do you have funds itb?
Kane won’t blank the next 3 games either so he could also go uo5
0.4 itb
Pogba is 1.3m cheaper than Mane atm so shouldn’t be a problem.
Kun will rise too so that will negate Kane plus Kane will be shipped a shed load so he’ll probably drop
It’s a nice team and should deliver well this week.
Cheers Leo. Hope so
Lep!
Nice article Matt. Thanks.
It’s Aguero for me . Pardew may try to park the bus but for WBA it’s really only a mini-bus rather than a double decker
I have seen many comments about what a “bad “ hat-trick Aguero scored last week but I am reminded of the old golf adage – “ there are no photos on the scorecard”. Did I say I captained him last week as well? Oops, meant to say that.
Sorry to seem like I am gloating. I am not, but it is fair to say that if we all take a step back, there are 2 amazing centre forwards – Aguero and Kane. Over the course of a season there will be times when they have a barren spell but at the end they will have delivered a lot of points. Pick one, or pick both, and sit back and wait for the points to roll in.
My 2 cents from SE Asia
Weren’t my Leprechaun pics of any use mate?