Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 33 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 33. Writing this article has just about been a foregone conclusion lately, yeah sure some will stray or are desperate and take chances with their captaincy picks trying to make up ground, but for the most part we are down to the same two or three players week in and week out. On paper this week probably falls in line also, but there is one possibly tricky scenario or two that could make some of the top picks perhaps a bit riskier than usual. We will go over this and a couple of other things/stats as we look at the gameweek ahead. Let us get right to it and talk about the possible picks and what to look for. No point in waffling on, I am on vacation and I want to get back to doing vacationy things.
Liverpool assets – Everton (A)
Every captaincy article could be written just about Salah and you could not blame the writer for doing so. Honestly I can’t remember a more dominant FPL player. Sure we have had some great players that have racked up amazing totals also, but just a quick check at the last five FPL seasons only validates his dominance. Salah’s 273 points would have already beaten 4 of the last 5 season top FPL scorers. The only person who finished with a higher tally than what Salah is currently on, is Suarez with 295. With 6 games left to go, I think it is safe to assume that Mo will eventually go by him also. However it is not even the high tally that has really separated him from previous winners, it’s the gap he has over the second guy in the FPL points race that makes it scary to turn away from him. Suarez beat his closest competitor by 54 points, the other four previous winner’s margins were Sanchez by 40, Mahrez 29, Hazard 17 and RVP by 13. Salah is currently ahead by 85 points and it stands within reason to believe that he could extend the gap to 100 by the end. So why did I say LFC assets and not just Mo, frankly I thought they deserved at the very least a tip of the hat. Firmino has been great this season, but does lack the explosiveness of Salah and Mane is really starting to come around with 3 goals and 5 assists in his last five. Sadio really should have even higher scores if you have watched some of the games. But just like Firmino why would you skip Salah and go for Mane? Not sure, but if you are wondering ask Rich the IT guy, he did and Salah scored 29 that week.
The only catch with LFC assets is how will Klopp manage the Everton game. Considering the huge home and away they have with City in the Champions League would it be out of the realm of possibility that Klopp could rest some starters or at the very least limit their minutes? I think their presser before the weekend really needs to be watched. LFC are almost assured top 4 with that CFC loss vs Spurs and considering Liverpool’s fixtures until the end, they could rotate a bit and probably still cruise several points clear in the top 4 by the end. I know it is a derby, but it is Everton, is not like they couldn’t win with different XI to their usual. 3 games in 6 days, with the City fixtures being the bookends for the Everton match. I don’t know, I wouldn’t blame anyone for going with Mo, but a possible minutes dent does scare me a bit.
City assets – Manchester United (H)
I doubt anyone looks here for their captain. Which is a strange thing to say when you consider the rate at which City scores and how much better they are at it than everyone else. In many ways just like Firmino and Mane I just felt they at the very least deserved to be acknowledged. City has six players in the top fifteen in the overall points race. Four of those are in the top ten, including the guy in 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Only made more incredible when you look at the minutes on some of them. Rotation, injuries and so on have dented some of them, yet they are still racking up amazing totals.
City does have two possible things working against them this weekend though. One is their opponent Manchester United and the other is their CL opponent, Liverpool. If one team has proven to City that they can beat them it is Liverpool, so Pep will need to be very careful. United have not allowed more than 2 goals all season and boast the second best defence in the league after City. It is not ideal this GW to be looking in their direction, yet they could become champions and many of their players will be hungry for the goal to put them over the top. El Mago is in fabulous form and if owned could be considered, then again KdB, Sane and Sterling could also be the one. This is what makes City so hard, it could be anyone of them or if Pep is extra careful, none at all. Like Salah the minutes scare me, but I know this is a chance for Pep and City fans to rub it in Jose and United’s face. A bit of advice to City, don’t lose sight of the big picture. The league is already won, maybe the sole focus should be on Salah and company.
Spurs assets – Stoke City (A)
King Harry is back and just in time for the Stoke fixture. Eight goals for the Englishman in his last four vs the Potters. Stoke has given up 31 goals over 8 games to the top five so far, including 11 in 4 at home vs said top five. Harry has scored in his last four away game starts (excluding the Bournemouth game as he only played 33 minutes) scoring six total over that span. Alli and Son should also get a shout out here. Son has four goals and an assist in his last three for a total of 36 points and Dele has three goals and 2 assists over the same three for a total of 31 points.
Strangely enough there could be some concern over minutes with Kane and Son. There seems to be some decent competition for Son and he has gotten substituted early in five of his last seven starts. With Kane it is more about how fully recovered he is and if the game is secure will Poch remove him and not allow him to be out there for those late minutes which have a tendency to surrender a lot of FPL points against desperate teams like Stoke as we saw in the Arsenal game. However, one would expect Kane to lobby for all the time he can get if he is to have any chance of catching Mo in the golden boot race. Assuming we don’t hear something that would concern us in the presser on Friday, I be willing to captain Kane over Salah and any City players, but it be hard for me to go against the next player for this gw.
Aubameyang – Southampton (H)
Truth be told I had this man as my captain last week. So I dared to go away from Salah, so this is not a case of me egging you on and then running back to Mo myself. Obviously Stoke had a lot to do with me going for Pierre last GW and while Saints are a bit harder to break down, perhaps what we should focus on is how good Arsenal are at breaking bad teams down at home. They have won all their games at the Emirates against teams below them in the table. In those 11 games they have scored 34 goals and only allowed 6. So with a bit of quick math we can see that they are averaging more than 3 goals per game in those fixtures. Auba has four goals and one assist in his last three and should probably have had a hatty last game if not for giving Lacazette what would have likely been another goal. Another thing that you will find good about going with the Arsenal man is that he can’t play in the Europa and in his six games so far he has been on the pitch for 90 minutes. So no possible lingering injury, no possible rotation or subbing off early to save his legs for a different fixture. I am likely to go back to the well this week and captain Auba, perhaps I am concerning myself over things that I need not to with the other options, perhaps I feel indebted to Pierre for not making me look like an idiot last time. Whatever the reason this is likely my choice for this week, let us know who you will be going with and why, should be an interesting decision for many.
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 33. This article was written by Mito
The League Codes for FF247 for the 2017/18 season are as follows:
Gameweek Tracker GW33-38
*** NEW ARTICLE ***
Capo for GW33 is live! Many thanks to Mito for this week’s look at who to Capo…apart from Salah! Mito is chancing it, will you?
Enjoy the vacation mate.
Morning gents
So I’m fairly convinced about WC33+WC34 and came up to this. What do you guys think? Cheers
Morning DMC,
funnily enough I’ve just had a quick play for a FH team for DGW34 and I just cannot find enough players I want!!
Brighton and Burnley have tough games
Spurs have City then the Cup semi the week after
Chelsea are unconvincing
I actually looked at putting Arnie in for his SGW at home to Stoke!!
I know what you mean but I’m a sucker for 15 on a BB and 37 is too far away to either keep the WC for 36 or to risk the injuries , form , etc so it’s not the ideal combo for a WC+BB but it is what it is. I already have Salah in there for my SGW player exception so no place for Arnie. Anyway, given the challenge which other players would you choose?
DMC,
ok my 15 for BB in DGW34 would be, off the top of my head…
DDG
Chilwell,
Mahrez, Salah, Sanchez, Alli
Vardy, Lukaku
They would be my ideals – I guess a Chelsea or 2, Lowton for price and fill the rest up with whoever!!
Talk about ideal… that leaves you with 4,6 on average for the remaining 7, but yeah, I get the picture of at least the ones you find interesting. I am interested in your Alexis pick, you see, I’ve had him since day 1 at MU and he has produced very little aside from last game so I am ready to sell him based on all that and of course his price that truly jeoperdises any viable BB/DGW plan. But, do you see him exploding or something based on his last game?
DMC,
For DGW34 I’d rather have Alexis than Lukaku and I will likely go that way on my FH. I like the punt and the differential to Lukaku – he has looked ok but just like he is trying too hard…if that is possible.
A goal and assist at the weekend defo helps of course and gives a semblance of comfort to the choice. Personally I think it looks like he has settled in a bit more now.
Ah, so you are going with FH34, WC36 and BB37? That’s cleaver, but it needs a good team in between which I don’t think I have, thus the need to WC just now. Would you WC33/BB34/FH35/TC37 if you had the TC? Just checking because I am not fully convinced of my own plan (which is that precise one) so reassessing things is always good.
DMC,
You’ve probably guessed I really don’t like the options for
DGW34!
In an ideal world and if I had all my chips I think I would TC Alexis or Lukaku in 34, FH in 35, WC in 36 & BB in 37.
But that’s just me and I could well be wrong.
I just don’t like the make up of DGW34 but its a DGW and therefore we must try and maximise it.
Burnley are popular, although I’m not convinced of their defensive prospects over the coming weeks at all. I won’t be doubling up. I’d be concerned that Davies only plays one game.
I read your wonderful work on their stats but I can’t really justify other defenders but Brighton’s which are worse at it. Burnley do have top 4 numbers in terms of goals conceeded so who knows maybe they’ll turn their CS game this instance. It’s not that there are many alternatives. I see your point on Davies and will reassess that. Cheers
Brilliant stuff, Mito. So, is that eight picks you have given us there, sort of?
I agree with you though – Arsenal’s home form is bloody good.
Nah, as always I write capo picks more to dismiss them as choices.
I invented the art writing the captaincy to discourage managers. 😉
Mito is the anti-FPL.
That’s why he is called The Legend.
Someone has to see the bad in everything. 😉
I often do that – Burnley started in the ‘favourable fixtures’ pile!
Brilliant (and early) articles as ever by the way. Much appreciated fellows.
Morning.. need some advise. Pushing the wildcard to get ready for DGW where I’ll be playing bench boost.
WC team is;
Schmeichal/McCarthy
chilwell/smalling/lowton/mee/dunk
Alli/matic/salah/grob/Carroll
Auba/vardy/Kane
I’ve kept 1 mil in the bank which I’ll use to transfer Auba to Lukaku in the DGW
Any advice?
Sounds like a decent enough plan to me red. I think I’d rather be BB’ing in 37 but that’d depend on whether you still have the TC. Kane in 37 for that if you have.
So this is the new style for captain recommendations – assets? HAHA good read.
@Punk, we have to make stuff up every week to keep from just saying captain Salah. I blame Mo for all this. He has everybody scared.