Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 26 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 26. Gameweek 25 provided inconspicuous captaincy returns for most as several candidates such as Firmino, Salah, Vardy and Aguero failed to break the 8 point barrier. Worse still was Kane, who left it to his teammates to get the goals; and Hazard who just left it to Bournemouth. Those FPL managers who like to surf the differential captain adrenaline rush will have been doing the conga well into the night, as Theo Walcott, Sam Clucas and Emre Can finally came through for them.
The January transfer deadline may have muddied the waters somewhat ahead of this weekend, but there remain plenty of familiar options and I have turned to plucking some nuggets of wisdom from social media this week in the hope that a few professional opinions may help us all.
JAMIE VARDY (Swansea, home)
4 goals in his previous 6 appearances for Puel’s inconsistent Foxes could assuage fears about giving Jamie Vardy the armband against a resurgent Swansea. The relegation candidates from Wales have stunned Liverpool and Arsenal in back-to-back outings so will arrive at the King Power brimming with confidence. Making sure Leicester’s hitherto encouraging season doesn’t unravel will depend much on how the 31 year-old’s partner-in-crime Riyad Mahrez reacts to his transfer disappointment, but Vardy appears as sharp as ever.
@not_Phil_Neville “Swansea have benefited from that new manager ‘bounce’ under Carvalhal. But I’m still not convinced they’ll maintain the momentum needed to stay up. Vardy will relentlessly chip away all day at you until he breaks you down. A bit like the missus, am I right lads? Haha #harmlessbanter”
@not_Carlos_Calvalhal “Leicester will be tough opponents, but if you stop Jamie Vardy, you stop their team. Leicester are the Rebel Alliance and Vardy is the proton torpedo. If you stop the proton torpedo, then there is no breach of the ray shield, and the Death Star continues to function as normal.”
@not_Jose_Mourinho “In this moment, Vardy is playing with quality and focus. He doesn’t jump around like a crazy clown. Also, for sure his hair is real.”
EDEN HAZARD (Watford, away)
This is a much harder sell in the wake of Chelsea’s woeful midweek capitulation, but Hazard has seen his best returns away from SW6 of late, amassing 26 points at Arsenal and Brighton. The Hornets are a team still finding their feet under the auspices of Javi Gracia, but gained at least a little traction in their stalemate at Stoke. Eden Hazard apologists will point to Stoke’s 5-0 mauling at Stamford Bridge 4 weeks ago. Critics will point out the Belgian wasn’t playing. It’s the small details.
@not_Antonio_Conte “Some players need many, many chances… yes, like Batshuayi in the past, yes, like Morata in the present, but Eden is a special talent and by the way I had the Follicular Unit Extraction procedure, so my hair is very real.”
@not_Danny_Murphy “On paper this is an away banker, but there are no easy games at this level. Hazard is a top, top, top player who has a wand of a left foot and, at the end of the day, goals win games. When he gives you 110%, he’s up there with your Ronaldo’s, your Messi’s, your Neymar’s, your Rooney’s, your Crouch’s, your Falcao’s, your Agbonlahor’s, your Forlan’s, your Claridge’s, your Brolin’s… I could go on. But can he do it on a cold, windy night at Vicarage Road?”
@not_Joey_Barton “Watford have been a disgrace under Javi Gracia. Their entire team wouldn’t be able to get a beach ball off me in a paddling pool. 1 point from 2 games isn’t good enough and he’s got to go. I’ve seen better coaches parked on the hard shoulder of the M1.”
ALEXIS SANCHEZ (Huddersfield, home)
The Chilean’s Old Trafford bow will see the visit of a Huddersfield Town side who won hearts and minds early doors standing toe to toe with their Premier League peers. However, on the back of 4 convincing defeats, that autumnal optimism is barely visible through the early February fog, and the Terriers emerge from a winter of discontent steeling themselves for a spring slog for survival. Sanchez has been industrious in his first two Red Devil displays, but will be expected to start repaying Mourinho’s faith in him this Saturday in what just might turn out to be an explosive home debut.
@not_Zlatan “I don’t think you can compare Sanchez to Zlatan, and he should be humble about this. Sanchez is a good player, but he is just flesh and blood. He is not a god. Zlatan is a god. God is Zlatan.”
@not_Phil_Neville “United have got themselves a match winner and while I can see Huddersfield matching his tenacity, that mightn’t be enough. Sanchez could have this game sewn up even before the wife gets home from the supermarket.”
@not_Jose_Mourinho “Alexis works hard and I saw this against Tottenham. He will come good, I know this. People are critics in this moment, but you will see on Saturday he will never give up like some teams, and I will not name names because I have respect, but he will never give up like some teams give up against Bournemouth.”
SERGIO AGUERO (Burnley, away)
The final Citizens goal that condemned West Brom to a 3-0 defeat was Aguero’s 5th in 4 games. Burnley have garnered themselves quite the reputation for their resilient and tireless defensive work, but are suffering a slight dip in that respect with only 1 clean sheet in 7. While the sands of time are running out before Gabriel Jesus returns to make Pep’s squad rotation uncomfortable for FPL managers again, owners can continue to depend upon the Argentinian, who unsurprisingly chalked up a goal in GW9’s reverse fixture.
@not_Antonio_Conte “I’m tired of this type of comment from a little man with demenza senile! It’s bull****!”
@not_Robbie_Savage “Aguero crosses every ‘i’ and dots every ‘t’ for me. He’s been unbelievable for Chelsea this season, and I fully expect him to keep knocking on the door of Paraguay’s World Cup squad with another clean sheet this Monday.”
@not_Phil_Neville “We’ve all seen Dyche’s men step up another level over the past year, and you won’t often see me back any visitor to Turf Moor but Man City can beat any team in the world right now. Aguero is still a lethal striker. When Pep benches him, he doesn’t cry like a girl and for me is absolutely a man’s man.”
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 26
This article was written by Bry.
The League Codes for FF247 for the 2017/18 season are as follows:
Gameweek Tracker GW26-31
Hi all, for the 1st time this season I took a chunk out of the ml leaders lead, reducing it to a 40 point lead. Having said that Im not feeling too confident in my current team i have 1ft and 0.9 itb was thinking of dropping kane to aguero for the next few game weeks. What suggestion you guys make also im willing to take a hit. Thanks
Kane to Aguero could work out lovely. Particularly if it costs you nothing and you can direct switch back.
Hi guys, I need advice about my team. Somehow I need some differential in my team.
Am I crazy if I do Carrilo and Salah to Ward Prowse and Sanchez and captain him?
Yeah i wouldn’t take Salah out. Sanchez in maybe but not for Salah
Hi all, what would you do here with 1Ft and £0.3m in the bank? Taking a hit for the last two GWs, but still lading my mini-league so not too worried if I have to take another.
Initial thoughts are Dawson and Walcott in for Kenny and Walcott. Thoughts? Leicester/WBA/Soton – not sure which defence to go for. Swansea have good fixtures but not sure I back them. Soton have a lot of away games so maybe not. Leciester have three home games but none of their defenders bar Maguire really offer anything more than 6 points (I could just afford him).
Thanks in advance.
Taken a hit for the last two GWs, but still leading my ML*
Kenny and Son*** Maybe I should proof-read these things first!
Just the Walcott move i reckon AT.
Bry, great article! Fun and informative! Thanks for the effort!
Now, I think I can hold the ft this week, but what do you all say? Wimmer wasn’t even in the squad midweek, so either Marriapa or Zanka will come in. Should I get Simpson for Wimmer?
My other thought is someone (5.8 max) for my failed experiment of Ox. Thoughts?
Pancho
I think you can hold as well this week. Next week will look brighter with two free moves.
Thanks GP. You think Zanka or Mariappa?
Mariappa first i think.
Where do i start here ? Got 1 ft + 1.5 itb, don’t mind a -4. Christensen ? Kenny ? Richarlson ? DCL ? Suggestions please.
You could start by putting it on the correct article. 😉
Where would you like me to post it, Gameweek 13, fixtures article ?
@ Elle
Christenson out for Jones
Can’t H, already got 3 Utd.