Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 7
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 7.
GW6 Captain Popularity. (Source : fpldiscovery.wordpress.com)
The introduction of continental competitions at this stage of the season always adds an extra film of sweat to the brows of FPL managers when choosing their captain. However, as in the case of Sergio Aguero (6 points) and Eden Hazard (3), an absence from starting team duties midweek can serve as a comforting hand on the shoulder, increasing their chances of selection at the weekend and emboldening that armband choice further. So it was somewhat surprising to see Sergio “I’m the fittest I’ve been in years” Aguero hauled off on the hour mark at Cardiff and Hazard turning in, by his own stratospheric standards, a lacklustre display at West Ham.
Mo Salah (8) returned to scoring ways with a scorching piledriver from 6 inches out, and likewise Harry Kane (9) overcame a mini-drought with yet another spot-kick to add to his collection. Hazard was joined by Romelu Lukaku (2) and Sadio Mane (3) as other popular choices to fluff their lines.
Gameweek 7 forges Hazard and Salah in direct opposition with each other, creating a rare dilemma as two juggernaut teams clash in what could be anything between a stalemate and a goalfest. Perhaps this will allow other fringe candidates into the fold. Or you could just pick Aguero.
FF247 prides itself on its reputation for having a friendly, engaging and enthusiastic community. Well, this week’s Captain Picks turns the spotlight on its readers with a selection of queries and comments plucked from the site’s various inboxes and feeds. We’ll hear from Stuart and Mari later, but without any further ado, let’s kick off with a letter from Miles.
HARRY KANE | Huddersfield Town v Tottenham Hotspur
Miles touched on something interesting and no, I don’t mean Barbara. Is Kane suffering from fatigue? Well, one thing that we do know about the prolific Harry Kane of last season is that he liked to shoot. A lot. His average shots per game (5) topped the charts way ahead of nearest rivals Salah (4) and Aguero (3.8). Kane has been lingering at below 3 spg in 2018/19, but managed a season ‘best’ of 5 shots at the Amex last weekend, suggesting perhaps a return to former habits. When he buys a lot of tickets, he tends to win a lot of raffles.
Huddersfield have had a torrid time so far following up last year’s gutsy Premier League debut, suffering from what musicians might call the ‘difficult second album syndrome’. While some rise to the challenge and produce a “Nevermind” or “Modern Life is Rubbish”, others don’t. The West Yorkshire outfit are currently in danger of churning out their “Room on Fire”.
To address Miles’ question about persisting with the Spurs striker. With 3 goals from 6 games even in a campaign where he’s yet to get anywhere near his best, and if he continues to show a willingness to pepper the goal, he is well worth persevering with.
SERGIO AGUERO | Manchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion
Stuart’s carefully crafted insight deserves thoughtful dissection. “Aguero owners. Lolz“, indeed. At the time, the Argentine’s solitary goal compounded by his premature withdrawal left owners fuming at Pep once more. Only after similarly mediocre points returns from other noted captain choices did it turn out that perhaps things could’ve been worse. Though one can’t help but reflect that with another 30 minutes against a tiring Cardiff side, things could’ve been so, so much better. Oh well… Lolz.
That explosive performance against the Terriers in GW2 aside, Aguero has been boringly…. consistent. His last 3 games have generated 6, 7 and 6 points respectively; showing that even his off days are still meritorious. Kun hasn’t contributed more than 6 assists in any of the previous 3 seasons, yet already has 4 in this campaign. Perhaps it’s a sign that he’s adapting his style as a striker now in his 30’s; or perhaps it’s all part of Guardiola’s team evolution. Either way, it’s a welcome addition to the striker’s armoury.
With no win since slaying Manchester United, Brighton’s stuttering start sees them visit the Etihad with every reason to be fearful. The Seagulls are more than capable of digging in and making life awkward for their hosts, but it’s hard to see anything other than the kind of possession domination we’ve become so accustomed to with the Cityzens. Aguero owners will be hoping for a little more than 60 minutes.
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE | Arsenal v Watford
We almost completely overlooked Mari’s email initially, but thankfully discovered it while clearing out the spam folder. Lacazette is a player that has been trundling along nicely since cementing a place in Unai Emery’s starting XI. With an ownership south of 5%, this is a niche alternative to the usual cast of evergreen options. However interest is growing in the talented Frenchman. Arsenal’s impending fixtures are largely attractive and his partnership with Aubameyang is burgeoning for all to see. His output for the last quartet of games now reads 2 goals and 3 assists thanks to his latest contribution, opening against Everton.
But lest this writer be accused of cherry-picking the facts, let’s turn to FF247’s own comment section for further justification. Lacazette’s role in Sunday’s performance elicited a ringing endorsement from site regular and keen Arsenal fan, Chins.
Visitors Watford may certainly be a tougher proposition than in seasons past but, despite their terrific start, haven’t kept out the opposition since dispatching Brighton in GW1. The Gunners, conversely, haven’t failed to net since the first round of fixtures. 4 wins on the bounce have seen them surge back to the upper reaches of the embryonic table, and will hope to take this momentum into their clash with the Hornets.
Alexandre Lacazette may be this week’s ‘hipster’ choice, but “he’s the type of player that just needs a chance to fall his way”, and may very well get one or two come the weekend.
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 7. This article was written by Bry.
FPL FIXTURE TRACKER
FIXTURE TRACKER LINK
Vote on our Captain Poll Now
Welcome to our Fantasy Football leagues section.
The League Codes for FF247 for the 2018/19 season are as follows –
The main public FF247 League is sponsored by Starting 11, which anyone is welcome to join, can be accessed using the following code 1581-751 (auto-link below).
The prize pool for this is £250.
Join Our League – Quick Link
League Code: 1581-751
View league standings
Our Regulars League* for 2018/19 is now open and has a cash prize pool of £300 paid directly to the winners from the FF247 management team. The first 5 places are paid out in a tiered system.
To enter this one you need to be an active and recognised site member and you need to e-mail us for the league code – elleffcee@gmail.com
*terms and conditions apply and are available upon request. Management reserve the right to review membership of this league on an ongoing basis. If you enter and win a prize you have to have commented on the site at least 5 times for 8 consecutive months between August 2018 and March 2019 or you will not be considered for a prize. That’s basically 1 comment a week all season, we think that’s a reasonable ask to be considered a ‘regular’.
In your e-mail could you please supply:-
Your name.
Your site user name.
Your team name from last season and your new team name if it has changed,
Thanks to our friends Follow @ff_surgery and please give them a follow.
the apprentice has outdone the master indeed
United fans what’s your view on mourinho. Should he go?
Jose seems to be trying to fit the square peg in the round hole, etc. It seems like only Fellaini and Lukaku know what Jose wants. The rest are pulling their hair out every week. Like Pogba admitted, The players WANT to play attacking football. What good is it to play ultra defensive against a team like Burnley? Why is Sanchez holding up at half when the break is on? Mourinho said No player is bigger than the club, especially at United … it’s not the United way. But really Jose, your style of football isn’t the “United way” and it’s costing us. Look at the game today … pitiful, shocking, the only real consistency are these results.
No one fears playing at Old Trafford anymore because United only try to score one goal a match!
But maybe, just maybe things will right themselves, but I can’t see that happening. Jose is becoming a major distraction like at Chelsea.
I’d like to see him finish the season, but I don’t think he knows how to win the big trophies with the squad he’s got.
Can Zidane do any better?? I doubt it. Huge holes in the squad.
Totally agree. Problem is we all day Jose doesn’t play the United way. But is it really the United way or is it the fergie way. Zidane at least plays attacking football but a monkey could have won trophies with the team he had at Real. Also he barely speaks any English
Jose & Pogba must go, they’re both poison. Zidane will be a disaster too. Why not give Eddy Howe a go? He gets my vote & I’ve been a Utd fanatic since 1965 & want a young British manager…
I like Eddie Howe too (I’m not a United fan), he’s something you need, a humble and modest local lad who knows football and is willing to work hard!
Zorro, Zidane might not be an option, or maybe temporarily one. Beckham held talks with him the other day and wants him to manage his Inter Miami team from 2020. I would imagine big $ are involved here 😉
“Mourinho said No player is bigger than the club, especially at United”
One could say that no manager is bigger than the club either!!! Mourinho is a petty idiot who used to be a great manager but isn’t anymore and now he’s acting like a child! He should be nowhere near football these days! He should go wherever Van Gal went to sip wine and play golf with him!
Not classy enough to sip wine ….see him more with a cheap whiskey, on his own in a smokey bar, while looking depressed and slurring insults at passers by … and reckon he’d be a nightmare on a golf course too, throwing tantrums and ripping up turf all over the place!
True haha
I just remembered that’s what Van Gal was on about, drinking wine and playing golf, Portugal it was he was going to….
As long as he’s not involved with football in any way I’m satisfied!
Can’t stand the guy but I do enjoy watching him fail … not in a sadistic or “schadenfreude“ way but he does add a bit of a comedy element to it all! Besides, all our heroes need a villain!
I get that but for me he has failed miserably already and it’s only fair and righteous now to give someone else a chance! I like to see him fail as well but even more than that I’d like a new young manager to succeed! That’s how the world goes forward and develops imo!
Yeah very true ….although if he’s giving Arsenal a better chance of reaching the top four, he can stay as long as he wants for me
😉
I like the BBC’s explanation of the current crisis at United, which is as follows:
“United routinely play matches with players signed by four different managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson. United have never employed a technical director, so the players are remnants of previous philosophies.
It is one argument as to why they seem to lack cohesion on and off the pitch, whereas at Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham in particular, squads have been pieced together with an overall plan in mind.
History suggests that whilst Woodward’s aim was laudable, the technical director model was the route to go down post Ferguson, and almost certainly will be when Mourinho eventually leaves.”
Simon Stone (BBC Sport, 26th Sept.)
How is this looking for a wildcard?
Patricio
Alonso robertson Bennett
Hazard maddison gudmundsson rich
Aguero kane mitro
(button TAA wan b hejberg
Plan is in gw9 use 2ft to bring back Salah for gudmundsson and maybe arnie for kane. Kane has two great fixtures and feel although Salah could return at any point, Kane has a higher ceiling.
Not convinced about whether to bring in Hazard – next 3 games are Liverpool(H); Soton(A); Man Utd(H). I just don’t see a big points haul there. Salah seems to have better fixtures.
Also, what’s the justification for Kane? 5 shots in the last game?
The whole Spurs team looks tired and lacklustre to me.
Contrary to Poch’s believe – there IS such a thing as fatigue in sport, it effects the ability of the body to produce stress hormones which produce the required response when high performance is necessary.
Perhaps better to play the wildcard when the form of key players and the pattern of their rotation is more clear cut.
The Kane choice seems to be a fairly hot one. Maybe there’s worry that Kun is carrying a slight injury and won’t get through 90 mins v B&HA. I’m not making the move myself (I would if I could swap King for Kane, but sadly my resources don’t stretch to that). I can see the appeal though, short-term perhaps, with two very nice fixtures before a semi-tricky run of three games.
Do you think Kun’s carrying a knock?
I think the 61 min sub sent a shiver of anxiety down the spine of some in the fantasy community.
Not sure I’d have TAA as well as Robertson. In addition, TAA is on three yellows. I’d do a bit of (disciplinary) research on players you’re planning to wc in.
btw, do you go by the handle of FPL Tips on You Tube, as his wildcard team is identical to yours and the strategy to bring back Salah in GW9 is also identical.
Is Lindelhof a sure starter for the next two weeks?
No idea, Jose’s losing the plot. I’d say probably my friend.
Thanks SZ…am looking for a defender to get me some points. Would go for Trippier or Vertongen, but concerned that they will be rested before the Barca match. What do you think?
What changes are you planning this week?
I added Maddison. Trippier seems the popular selection around here.
Just get someone that you’re 100% sure will play then. Like Boly. But I’d wait to hear Pep’s latest before moving him on.
I reckon no one is 100% nailed at City… Trippier ain’t nailed either… I’m thinking of downgrading Mendy in order to upgrade one of my mids and/or to be able to perhaps get Kane or the like later, e.g. pump up some cash from def to attack!
Yes if you want someone nailed on, look at Wolves defense.
I really like Doherty! I’d love to have Boly and even Jonny as well but already have Patricio and do not want to triple up 😆
Bryan!
Way to keep ‘Cap’uns’ fresh!
I see though you haven’t answered any of my recent weekly fan mail though. Around 40 letters and not one response from you. I only want to know what you eat for brain food. I’m currently stuck in the habit of pork luncheon meat sandwiches four times a day. I simply wonder if I should liven this up with a variety of different sauces however my cursed OCD would mean they would have to poured on the meat in a meticulously lined pattern. Please……..!
Check your spam.
Dip the Sarnie in some Salsa mate: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/salsa-1078
“This site is not available in your country”
Yeah I get that too.
Racist!
2 large tomatoes, seeded (don’t have to) and diced
1⁄2 small sweet onion, finely chopped (like Texas sweet or red)
1 -3 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 teaspoon olive oil
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
There it is.
Cheers!
I often peel/de-seed a bit of cucumber too, delicious
I do love a good salsa! Just need to make it spicy enough!
G’day Pioneer! The word Spam’s given me a good idea – if you’re into luncheon meat sangers 4 times a day, then the meat that won us the war in ’45 should be a step up (might even feel like ‘haute cuisine’ in comparison!)!
Spam sandwiches could help you stave off defeat in FPL! Dunked in HP sauce, or with a dollop of the old Branston Pickle – it’s got to be classed as brain food, mate! Especially when washed down with a pint of bitter!
You can almost hear Winnie Churchill spouting one of his famous motivational speeches, à la, ‘We shall fight them on the beaches…etc! Just thinking that this sort of thing might be appropriate for the United dressing rooms as well!
Now THAT is a reply AJW!
Up the Spam!
True story, where I live there is an area which at one time (not long before my time) was the most expensive area, the town has grown since then and there are a number of areas which are now more affluent however, that original area to this day is still known locally as “Spam Valley”.
This was due to the fact the residents were assumed not to be able to afford anyhing else to eat apart from spam due to the mortgages they were all paying simply to be ‘seen’ living there and to show off the size of their house!
No worries mate – always there to help! Thinking about the Monty Python Spam song as well (‘Beautiful spam, lovely spam…).
Cheerio! Good luck with the kids! They no longer wake me up – teenagers now! Tis the other way round! Karma!
GP, read your comment again after you’ve listened to the Anonymous Sausages bit at the end of yesterday’s Ramble and you’ll have a fitting piece of music as a back drop.
Dear Stan…
Init,
I was up early this morning with one of the kids and though they got back to sleep, I didn’t.
So I was catching up on site whilst listening to The Ramble. That inspired my comment I’ll admit!
What an email that was!
Sorry GP. I’ve been keeping update to date with your 40 letters, which I believe thus far reads as follows:
“This message will self destruct in thirty secon…”
I didn’t want to reply until it reached the end of the sentence, and to be quite honest I don’t know why you didn’t send it all as one single communication.
(P.S. I don’t I eat brains. I’m one of those annoying vegan people!)
“Beautiful vegan people”
Never forget. X
“Beautiful (annoying) vegan people”
X
How to turn the great Colin Quaner into Harry Kane! Don’t think it’s happening
WC haha 😉
I’d have a go at the water and wine trick first Smash mate.
Ehehe